Bilisummà Precedes Biltsiginna — Even in the Dictionary!
By Fayyis Oromia*
There is no question that bilisummà (freedom) for the Oromo must come before biltsiginna (prosperity). Unfortunately, some Oromo elites who support and promote Abiy Ahmed’s EPP are putting the cart before the horse. They try to convince us that we have already achieved bilisummà, and that now is the time to pursue biltsiginna. I too believed this during the first two years of Abiy’s rule. I never imagined that Abiy Ahmed would betray the Oromo cause and sell our sacrifices and victories to the Neo-Naftagna camp.
Just as we had three years of euphoria before Mengistu turned against Haile Fida’s MEISON, and ten months of transition before Meles Zenawi started suppressing Lencho Lata’s OLF, it took us about two years to realize that Abiy Ahmed was imprisoning genuine Oromo nationalists to preserve the dominance of Amharanet at the expense of Oromummà. The Oromo have brought about three major revolutions, sacrificing our limbs and lives, yet we have unfortunately lost all three. Why have we failed repeatedly? And what must be our next move to achieve final and lasting success in the form of bilisummà and walabummà (sovereignty)?
As I have expressed in previous writings, the Oromo nation is engaged in a liberation struggle against Abyssinian colonizers and their Oromo collaborators—who, in turn, are supported by both Eastern and Western global powers. This struggle for freedom from proxy colonial forces—Abyssinian rulers and their mindset—continues on diplomatic, military, and political fronts. In a world where politics often values only the principle of “survival of the fittest,” and where “might is right,” empowering the Oromo people is the only viable path if we are serious about national freedom and sovereignty.
One key step toward achieving this is the unity of purpose among all Oromian liberation forces. We are now at a critical juncture in our fight against Abyssinian domination. The goal of our unity is to bring the Oromo to power in the Finfinne Palace. But what exactly is this unity of purpose, and how can we define it in practical terms?
James Wilson once defined unity of purpose as “the blending of primary and derivative responsibilities into a common pursuit.” Alexander Hamilton believed that such unity, combined with the desire to make a difference, would produce the energy necessary for liberty and national stability. Wilson also observed that humanity is driven by a tension between two forces: those who create disorder upon viewing order, and those who create order upon seeing disorder. In this struggle between chaos and structure, unity of purpose helps the forces of order prevail.
Even certain President of the United Nations once told African leaders at an AU summit: “Through unity of purpose, I believe there is no limit to what we can achieve.”
From these insights, we can understand just how vital national and supra-national unity is. Conscious Oromo nationalists call this unity of purpose tokkummà for bilisummà—unity for national freedom. Unity comes before victory—even in the dictionary. To succeed, our freedom fighters must blend their responsibilities into a common pursuit of Oromo’s bilisummà and Oromia’s walabummà. With this unity, coupled with our people’s desire to make a difference, we can generate the energy and strength needed to stabilize and empower the Oromo bloc.
The Oromo national liberation movement is challenged by the reality Wilson described: the constant push and pull between forces of unity and forces of division. These opposing forces exist within our struggle too. Some Oromo nationalists work to create unity upon seeing division, while enemy forces actively sow disunity when they see unity forming among the Oromo.
These two movements are fundamentally antagonistic. The first strives to strengthen our liberation cause, while the second seeks to undermine it. If the Oromo public can clearly distinguish between these two camps, nationalists can focus on empowering the forces of unity and resisting the Neo-Naftagna strategy, which aims to preserve Abyssinian empire at the expense of our sovereignty.
Today, the primary struggle in Oromia/Ethiopia involves two such forces:
- Neo-Naftagna forces, who aim to weaken Oromo power through division and destruction.
- Oromo nationalist forces, who work to heal internal discord and foster unity to empower the Oromo people.
To achieve freedom and sovereignty, the Oromo must become a unified political force. This unity doesn’t have to be structural (one organization), but unity of purpose is non-negotiable. The Neo-Naftagna camp’s primary weapon is the old colonial tactic: divide and destroy.
One of their key strategies is the so-called AME principle—Antagonize, Moralize, Emotionalize. They:
- Antagonize: pit two legitimate goals against each other—Oromia’s autonomy within an Ethiopian union vs. Oromia’s independence within an African union.
- Moralize: portray one goal as divine and the other as devilish.
- Emotionalize: provoke irrational hatred for one goal and uncritical love for the other.
In practice, EPP’s divisive tactics have taken several forms, especially regarding Amhara vs Oromo:
- Amhara-Oromo conflict, ensuring these potential allies never unite.
- Amhara-Amhara division, weakening the Amhara political bloc.
- Oromo-Oromo discord, blocking any real unity among Oromo forces that could take over Finfinnè or liberate Ethiopia from Biltsigina control.
To counter these schemes, Oromo nationalists—and all anti-EPP forces—must:
- Promote Oromo-Oromo unity.
- Avoid opposing Amhara-Amhara unity.
- Stay open to a possible Amhara-Oromo alliance.
Biltsigina forces work tirelessly to sow division. Why, then, are the forces of unity not equally committed and diligent?
The Five-Color Roadmap: A Metaphor for Oromo Liberation
To illustrate the importance of unity among Oromo organizations, let’s use a metaphor based on the five colors found in the flags of Abbaa Gadaa and the OLF. These represent the five stages from colonization to full sovereignty:
- White: The stage of EPP’s unitary Ethiopia—a past era before 1991. This represents a political idea that respected Oromo rights but lacked true self-rule. Neo-Naftagna forces want to pull us back here.
- Yellow: TPLF’s pseudo-federalism—deceptive autonomy under occupation. The OLF worked during this phase to preserve minimum gains.
- Green: The current short-term goal—true Oromo autonomy in a genuine federation, supported by OLF factions like OFC.
- Red: The medium-term goal—Oromia’s independence, championed by groups such as ONP.
- Black: The long-term goal—Oromian (Ethiopian) Union, a supra-national union of free peoples in the Horn of Africa.
Each color represents a stage in our liberation journey. From Djibouti (white) to Ayisha (yellow), to Dire Dawa (green), to Adama (red), and finally to Finfinne (black). This stepwise journey demands that we stop alienating each other and instead support one another’s progression—especially between green (autonomy) and red (independence).
OLF’s own flag—green and red—illustrates that it embraces both goals. These are not mutually exclusive but part of a continuum that can culminate in a broader black-zone unity.
Therefore, we must recognize and respect the OLF’s many tactical and strategic moves under different names (OFC, OLF, ONP). These are not contradictions but complementary pathways toward the same goal: bilisummà and walabummà. The way forward is through unity of purpose, not necessarily structural unity.
What Else Is Needed?
Besides unity of purpose, the following are essential:
- Dedication of our talent, time, and money.
- Strengthening the military wing—OLA (Oromo Liberation Army).
- Smart diplomacy to secure international support.
- Internal strength to resist enemy propaganda and pressure.
Lastly, unity of purpose can also be achieved through empowerment. If one Oromo organization becomes strong enough, others will naturally gravitate toward it, creating a unifying center. Each of us should join whichever structural organization aligns with our beliefs and work to strengthen the Oromo bloc—whether through organizational unity or, at the very least, spiritual unity of purpose.
Let us all commit to tokkummà for bilisummà—unity for freedom. With this, we can defeat the Neo-Naftagna forces. As the UN President once said: “Through unity of purpose, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”
May Wàqa guide and empower the Oromo through our unity of purpose and lead us to victory.
Galatôma!
Read more:https://orompia.wordpress.com/2017/01/1 ... r-victory/