Ethiophiawinet for Leadership and Oromummà for Liberation!
By Fayyis Oromia*
No question that Oromummà (Ethnic nationalism) was effective in awaking the Oromo for liberation struggle and we effectively used it. Now, it is almost a right time to entertain Ethiopiawinet (Ethiopian nationalism) to be efficient in the political leadership of the country. That is why, it is logical when we listen to few Oromo nationalists, who used to emphasise Oromummà during the liberation struggle are currently stressing Ethiopiawinet in this time of exercising state leadership. Yet, I think that most of Oromo elites are too honest to be profi politicians. They usually talk what they want to walk. To the contrary, Amara elites are well experienced to be very subtile just as their enabler Westerners are. Oromo elites either talk and walk Ethiopia to be called Ethiopianists (actually they are Amapianists) or talk and walk Oromia in order to prove they are Oromo nationalists. Both are not as such constructive at this time of transition. Talking and walking Ethiopia now is tantamount to keeping the hitherto Ethiopia as Amapia for Amarigna/Amaranet is still dominating. Talking and walking Oromia meanse practically excluding others from being cooperative to the ongoing Oromo leadership of Ethiopia. Amara elites are such clever to talk Ethiopia but walk Amapia so that they could get support of others to maintain their domination. Oromo elites have to learn such talking of Ethiopia and walking of Oropia in order to be successful leaders of the federation and at the same time to serve the legitimate interest of Oromo people.
Dr. Abiy in particular and Oromo elites in general need to learn the world wide known routine of politics: talk international ethos, but walk national interest. For instance, talk democratic election, but secure Oromo’s AAA (Àdà/culture, Afàn/language and Àngô/power) in Oropia (Oromummà led Ethiopia) by any means. They don’t have to be yewah/naive as Abyssinian elites usually describe the Oromo. The cvnning Abyssinian elites must be checked persistently and kept at bay from Finfinne palace (Caffé Aràra). Dr, Abiy’s attempt of promoting Oro-garu-mara (Oromo, Tegaru and Amhara elites’) cooperation should be part of the moral talk, but the good PM need to walk Oromo’s national interest. Now, he sounds to be more spritual than politician. Spritual people try to walk their talk, unlike politicians, who talk ethos, but walk interest.
The transformation of EPRDF to EPP can be good to change the triangular conflict of Oromo, Tegaru and Amhara elites to constructive cooperation. The TPLF already gave up politics in federal Ethiopia; i.e chose bad alternative. But, surely, cooperative Tegaru elites will emerge to reconcile with Amhara and Oromo elites. The Oromo led by OLF’s mindset of bilisummà/freedom is doing good job. Oro-garu (alliance of Oromo and Trgaru forces) was mandatory to get rid of Amara elites (Derg) and Oro-mara (cooperation of Amara and Oromo forces) was necessary to deal with Tegaru elites (Woyane). Now, Oromo elites with Gadà mindset are trying to lead the country. They may bring a lasting reconciliation with the principle of MEDEMER as initiated by Dr. Abiy.
Initially, a lot from the three angles (Amara, Tegaru snd Oromo) supported Dr. Abiy’s reformative move. Tegaru elites thought that they can use the Dr. just like they did to Ato H/M Desalegn, but lately got disappointed. Amara elites had different calculations. Some falsely thought that Dr. Abiy will be with them to destroy the OLF. Some were sure to cheat the Oromo, including Dr. Abiy, and take power. There are also part of these elites, who are still hoping to take power from the Oromo through election manipulation. All these Amara elites are now getting the hard fact that the Oromo will lead this country in the future both economically and politically. That is why they are trying their best to destabilize such Oromo led Ethiopia and are trying to grab power by any means before it is too late.
Truth on the ground is that neither Amara elites’ assimilative Ethiopia nor Tegaru elites’ apartheid Ethiopia will come back. Future Ethiopia will surely be Oromo led accomodative Ethiopia. In such accomodative country, neither Oro-garu nor Oro-mara is important. Optimal solution is a triangular cooperation of the three nations (Oro-garu-mara) under Oromo leadership for common benefit. This cooperation, of course, need to include all other nations and nationalities in Ethiopia.
It is clear that the existing Ethiopian state was result of the allied two Tülama Oromo leaders (the Habeshanized King Menelik and the non-Habeshanized General Gobana). That alliance was generalized as Amara-Oromo alliance. Here, Amara are simply the converted Oromo, who changed their language from Afàn Oromo to Amarigna, their name from ‘example Guddisa to Woldemichael’ and their religion from Wàqefanna to Orthodox Christianity. Such conversion process took place later also in Agaw-Midir (from Agaw to Amara). A mistake the two leaders (Gobanaa and Menelik) commited at that time, if we judge them retrospectively, is that they didn’t implement the FADOB-score listed below. But, was this democratic mentality expected at that time?
FADOB-score: F = Freedom from the system of domination; A = Afàn Oromo as a working language of federal government; D = Democracy as rule of game in the union; O = ‘Oropia’ instead of ‘Ethiopia’ as name of the union; and B = Black-Red-White as Cushitic flag of the Union.
Now, we are in another era of democracy and development, so we can implement the five points. To get that chance of realization, children of the Italian bandas (the TPLFites) must have gone. For this purpose, we needed children of Gobana (the non-Habeshanized Oromo) and children of Menelik (the Habeshanized Oromo) be united for common purpose – i.e FREEDOM from the TPLFites system of hegemony and DEMOCRACY after dismantling the system. To put it in short, Amara-Oromo alliance was mandatory for this purpose. We left the pre-TPLF history for historians and the post-TPLF future for our people to decide. We needed to concentrate only on the freedom struggle against our tormentors. Democratically minded alliance of these two camps have been considered as the modified version of Gôbanà-Menelik alliance!
Now, the triangular Oro-garu-mara cooperation is necessary to transform Ethiopia in particular and Africa in general towards democracy and development. Here, Oromo politicians ought to have a magnanimeous politics of accomodating all nations including the two hitherto dominating Habesha groups. I wish that the Oromo elites forsake the victim mentality and act as victors. I advise Oromo activists change their approach. They better give up their victim struggle against the already defeated Abesha elites and focus on their struggle for noble cause of the victor Oromo nation. They don’t have to waste their resources on fighting against the dead horse, but invest it in promoting the lively and worthy Oromo cause. In this way, the Oromo can lead the very imperative triangular Oro-garu-mara cooperation for common cause of justice to all nations in Ethiopia. Of cource EPP can be used for this purpose. But, is such genuine cooperation possible with the [ deleted ] Abyssinian elites? I don’t think so. That is why I would like to advise Dr. Abiy in particular and Oromo elites in general to talk international ethos, but walk national interest. At this time of transition, it is better that we talk Ethiopia and walk Oromia. May Wàqa help us!
Galatôma!
Read more:https://orompia.wordpress.com/2020/04/2 ... -interest/