Dr Berihanu Nega the Hero is Riding Dr. Abiy Ahmed as Horse!
By Fayyis Oromia*
When we analyse politics of the Prosperitans led by Dr. Abiy Ahmed in the last 6 years, it started by getting huge support of all stake holders in the country, even including that of the TPLFites. Gradually, Dr. Abiy and his party lost that support of all nations and left with only few martial, biological and/or mental Hybrides led by the hybrid politics of Dr. Berihanu Nega. This hybrid politics is charachterized by maintaining the ongoing domination of Amaranet/Amarigna and by keeping Oromiffa/Oromigna at second level. The Prosperitans lost specially the support and thrust of the three main competing triangular (Amara-Tegaru-Oromo) forces in the country. Amara elites, who believed to use the Prime Minister like they did to Mengistu H/Mariam lost thrust and want to take power from him and started war. Tegaru elites, who hoped to instrumentalize him like H/Mariam Desalegn are disappointed and fought against the PM. Oromo elites, who gave the PM benefit of the doubt in case he may implement the famous plan of Bàrô Tumsà could now see that Dr. Abiy is not loyal to the Oromo cause. Unfortunately, it seems that Dr. Berihanu is riding Dr. Abiy and He is implementing the hybrid political programm of EZEMA, undermining the national rights of Amara, Tegaru and Oromo, but only emphasizing Ethiopiawinet of Zeginet politics.
Otherwise, we are repeatedly told that Dr. Abiy joined the OPDO as 14 years young boy to revenge against the OLF, which allegedly had killed his brother. When we now observe how he tries to manipulate the OLF in order to make the vanguard organization out of political game, it seems the story holds water. Dr. Berihanu also wrote himself that he decided to be involved in politics in order to save Ethiopia after observing how Oromo nationalists in prison were determined to liberate Oromia. Both of them have got similar motivation to fight against the OLF in particular and the Oromo in general, so that Ethiopia shall be saved from the possible disintegration as a result of Oromia’s liberation. Now, the two anti-OLF (anti-Oromo) men are star leaders of the incumbent and the opposition respectively. It seems that both are successful (at least for the time being) in weakening the OLF and pushing it out of the central political game. The question yet to be answered is: can they win the final war against the OLF, i.e against the Oromo? I don’t think so! The two politicians choosing to be against the OLF automatically make them enemies of the Oromo. Surely, at the end of the day, the Oromo shall win the struggle and Ethiopia will be trasnsformed to Oropia (Oromummà led country) or Ethiopia will give birth to Oromia.
It is interesting to observe Oromo politics in particular and Ethiopian politics in general nowadays. In one of his speechs years ago, Dr. Abiy Ahmed said “Oromo Nationalism bellitles the great Oromo people”. Many Oromo nationalists were not happy about this assertion of the Prime Minister. But, is there any grain of fact in the statement? We find the answer in our political point of view regarding the questions: 1. who are Oromo? and 2. where is the border of Oromia? Are Oromo only those who speak Afàn Oromo and identify ourselves as Oromo or does Oromoness include also the lost Oromo in the Horn of Africa living in the area from Egypt to Tanzania? Is Oromia only the smaller Oromia now governed by OPP or small Oromia of the OLF or Ethiopia itself as great Oromia or the Horn of Africa as greater Oromia? If we think Oromia is the small Oromia and fight to separate it from other parts of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy’s statement can offend us. If our vision includes that Ethiopia itself is great Oromia, which the Oromo can claim and transform, then his speech is encouraging. As far as I am concerned, Cushitic Ethiopia, including the Habeshanized part, is in reality greater Oromia. Oromo nationalism, which doesn’t take this fact in to consideration really bellitles the great Oromo people.
The Oromo are now at the time to think bigger. I thought initially that Dr. Abiy was not against such bigger thinking Oromo nationalism, which claims the Horn of Africa (greater Oromia) as our home. His approach seemed to be: 1stly free Tullü Dàlattī (Menelik palace), 2ndly free smaller Oromia of OPDO, thirdly free great Oromia (new Ethiopia), fourthly work for regional integration of the Horn (greater Oromia) and fifthly promote formation of African federation with its political capital in Finfinné and of course the Oromo playing centeral role in the process. To be successful in such sense, Oromo nationalists need unity of purpose. I personally used to advocate for Oromo unity and that is yet to happen; I tried to promote Amara-Oromo alliance and this will surely emerg in near future, despite EPP’s divide and destroy machination. Qérrô Oromo went to Bahr-Dar to cleanse our biggest lake carrying the slogan “Xanàn kénya” and Ob. Lammà Magarsa visited Amara region to start an Amhara-Oromo dialogue with an intention: “Ethiopiyan kénya”. ANDM and OPDO voted for the superficially integrative personality – Dr. Abiy – as PM of the Country. I was glad to observe my political position being implemented by the Oromo movement. Both tokkummaa/unity of the Oromo and tumsa/alliance with the Amara are best anti-dotes against EPP’s dictstorship. The question is only: what hindered us till now from excercising this solutions? Why couldn’t we try to come together for the sake of overcoming the challenges? One of the reasons is that the Oromo till now hesitated to accept Ethiopia as “biyya kénya = our country”, whereas the Amara rejected their ethnic identity in order to save Ethiopia. Now, Amaras starting to struggle for their ethnic right and the Oromo beginning to entertain the rhetoric, “Ethiopiyan keenya” are good common grounds to approach each other and fight against Biltsiginà in unison.
When we look at the mindset of Oromo freedom fighters, we can classify ourselves into three, based on our confidence level as well as our visions regarding the post-freedom kàyyô (goal) of sovereignty and according to an approach to our rivals. Concerning our level of confidence, I would like to say that we opted for independent Oromia (kàyyô ganamà = “morning’s goal”) as we were under worst oppression and had low confidence. Then, after achieving some rights through our bitter struggle, we developed more confidence in ourselves (thus, we now have intermediate confidence) and started to entertain federal union Ethiopia (free Oromia within federal Ethiopia) as kàyyô guyyà = “midday’s goal”. Slowly, we are seeing and recognizing our future potential to transform Ethiopia to Oropia, so we will have high confidence in the future in order to envision an integrative Oropia (transformed democratic Ethiopia, which can be de facto Oropia), thus we will develop kàyyô galgalà = “evening’s goal”. Was this what Dr. Abiy had initially in mind? Was he a step forward ahead of other Oromo nationalists? Based on our visions and approachs to our rivals, there are the following three political generations of Oromo nationalists:
– the 1st generation are communist oriented, who believe in “my way or the high way” principle of the 1960s. Out of the three known types of post-freedom sovereignty (1. independent Oromia, 2. federal Union & 3. integrated Oropia), they choose one and say “that is the only solution”. Thus, they are called “arrab-tokkee” (single tounged). According to this generation, Oromo nationals, who opt for the other two types (different from the position this group) are considered as enemies to be destroyed. For instance, the pro-independence OLF of Ob Galàsà, the pro federation OFDM of Ob. Bulcha and the pro integration MEISON of Dr. Haile Fīdà belong here.
– the 2nd generation of 1990s are a bit open minded and entertain two of the three post-freedom visions, but reject one of the three vehemently. As examples, the pro-self-determination OLF of Ob. Dawud entertains referendum on ‘independent Oromia’ vs ‘federal Union’, but vehemnetly opposes those who struggle for ‘integrated Ethiopia’ (geo-federation); and the pro-unity Ezema of Ob. Andargachew (also Oromo) supports referendum on ‘federal Union’ vs ‘integrated Ethiopia’, but vehemently rejects any possible vote for ‘independent Oromia’. These two organizations seem to entertain a limited democracy, but they try to dictate the public not to excercise our full right of choice. Thus, they are refered to as “arrab-lamee” (double tounged)
– the 3rd generation of 2020s is yet to emerge! There is no single organization now, which is ready to accept popular free will to choose one of the three types of sovereignty (independence or federalism or integration). Only Fayyis Oromia is advocating these approach and may be some individual politicians like Dr. Nagàsô Gidàdà seems to be open for the three post-freedom eventualities. As an organization, OFC seems to develop in this direction. Could Dr. Abiy be the starter of Oromo movement in a sense of this generation? Mind you, according to the view of Oropians (unlike that of Oromians), the Axumites and Gonderians are not biologically less Oromo than the Wellegites and Harerians; of course they are culturally lost.
We hope that the Qubé generation will be smart enough to be open for the three types of sovereignty and to forge an inclusive alliance of all freedom fighters from these three camps against the dictatorial Biltsigina. The common denominator for the three groups can be freedom from EPP and democracy after EPP. Such arrab-sadee (tripple tounged) freedom fighters are unique to the Oromo liberation movement, in contrast to single tounged Africans (persuing only the independence version), who fought against European clonizers and double tounged minority at periphery (like Eritrea and South Sudan), who had only two options (independence and federation). The Oromo, as majority over all the country, have three possible types of sovereignty to be realized after our freedom (independence, federalism and integration). As far as future accomodative Ethiopia (in contrast to Derg’s assimilative Ethiopia and Woyane’s apartheid Ethiopia) is concerned, the Oromo with high confidence will be pro-integration, whereas the Amara with low confidence may start to entertain the pro-independence politics. Was Dr. Abiy such highly confident Oromo? Till now, the two nations played the opposite (Amharas being pro-integration and the Oromo pro-independence), due to their past experience and still being fixed on Amhara’s past assimilative Ethiopia, not yet could see Oromo’s future accomodative Ethiopia. That is why low confident Oromo nationalists seem to oppose the bold statement of Dr. Abiy Ahmed (in case he had formation of Oropia in mind).
Oromo nationalists usually seem to have a bit conflict regarding which land to call “biyya kénya = our country”. Which one is our country? Oromia (Biyya-Oromô)? Ethiopia (Biyya-Kuush)? Africa (Biyya-Haam)? Actually, all the three are ours (Biyya-Kénya); it depends only at which level we are talking. The conflict mainly lies on claiming Ethiopia as our country. Some Oromo nationalists vehemently reject this country as their own. In reality, Ethiopia is Tülama Empire, not Habesha Empire as usually told. It was formed by an alliance of the Habeshanized Tulama led by Emperor Menilik and the non-Habeshanized Tülama led by General Gôbana. These two leaders were founders of the present empire and majority of their army were Oromo. We can even call it Oromian empire and now, we need to transform this empire to Oromian (Ethiopian) union.
The difference between an empire and a union can be summarized as: “an empire is a dictatorial bringing together of nations by force; union is a democratic coming together of nations per free will.” Oromian independence as advocated by some nationalists can happen, either if all our neighbours reject such a union by free will and forge their independent countries or if Oromo people decide for such independence per referendum. OFC prefers the first approach (let other minority nations go from us for we are majority at the center) and the OLF opted for the second (let our people decide either for an independence or for a union). Anyways, Biyya-Oromô is imperatively our country, Biyya-Kuush is optionally our country and Biyya-Haam is inevitably our continent (also country); we can call the three levels Biyya-Keenya. We also can call Biyya-keenya (our country) in only double sense, considering Africa as our continent: both Biyya-Oromô (Oromia) and Biyya-Kuush (Ethiopia) are Biyya-keenya. Either of them or both of them can be final result of our self-determination per referendum as planned by the OLF. As far as I am concerned, self-rule of Biyya-Oromo within shared rule of Biyya-Kuush is a pragmatic solution for the Oromo at present.
Dr. Abiy seemed initially to persue this option, which was shared by the OFC. Also the OLF is not far from this, it only wanted to give chance to choose in referendum for the Oromo public. Having autonomous Oromia within united Ethiopia is a feasible solution, but the Oromo should not necessarily limit ourselves within small Oromia instead of owning the big Oropia (democratic Ethiopia). Does Dr. Abiy’s statement imply this? Now, Oromophobic Ethiopia, which we vehemently rejected is dying, whereas Oromophilic Ethiopia, which we want to save and keep is growing. I think this second version of Ethiopia can be loved by the Oromo and this love is an Ethiopiawinet which will be an addiction to us (“Ethiopiawinet inde hashish suus new” according to Ob. Lammà’s speech in Bahr-Dar. Oromo politics of 2020 may entertain this re-claiming of Ethiopia by the Oromo and say “Ethiopiyan keenya”. If Ethiopia (integrated Oropia) is ours, independent Oromia is not necessarily for what we should struggle unconditionally. At the moment, we can be open for three types of post-freedom sovereignty: 1. only Oropia, 2. both Oropia & Oromia in a form of federation, 3. only Oromia. Dr. Abiy’s bigger vision can get resistance from Oromians, but Oropians, who claim Ethiopia as Oromummà led country, need not misunderstand his assertion. Otherwise, in case both Dr. Abiy and Dr. Berihanu continue to act against the OLF and the Oromo, we just would like to say: aluta continua! May Waaqa help Oromo nationalists to tolerate each other in persuing our common cause of freedom together and then excercise democracy in order to decide for one of the above three post-freedom sovereignty options per public verdict!
Galatôma
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2018/04/2 ... -or-fancy/