Amaranet and Oromummà Are Not Only National Identities, but Also Political Ideologies!
By Fayyis Oromia*
Interestingly, among all national identities in Ethiopia, both Amaranet and Oromummà have evolved beyond cultural or ethnic labels—they have become political ideologies. Until recently, Amaranet was camouflaged as Ethiopiawinet, and numerous crimes have been committed against the Oromo in particular, and other nations in general, under the pretext of defending or promoting Ethiopiawinet. Ethiopia—where Amarigna dominates—is, in practice, Amapia. [ deleted ] Amhara elites know this fact well, which is why they endlessly chant about Ethiopiawinet. Thanks to the OLF, this mask is slowly being removed, prompting some Amhara elites to now explicitly advocate for the preservation of Amaranet‘s dominance while positioning Oromummà as their main enemy.
In reality, if Ethiopia is to survive, it must exist either as Amapia (dominated by Amarigna/Amaranet) or as Oropia (led by Oromiffà/Oromummà). The only way to avoid this binary outcome is to realize the vision of confederalists: a union of relatively autonomous regions like Amaria, Oromia, and other national entities.
The primary reason why the Fànnô movement has not been as successful as the Qérrô revolution is its failure to gain substantial Oromo support. This failure stems from its framing of Onegawinet, the “Gàllà migration,” and Oromummà as enemies. Such a flawed ideology cost Fànnô dearly. How can any rational mind label Onegawinet (the symbol of Oromo liberation), the “Gàllà migration” (a derogatory myth used to demean the Oromo), and Oromummà (the core identity of the nation) as threats—yet expect support from the Oromo?
In contrast, Qérrô leaders were astute enough to win the hearts of the Amhara people, which helped the Oromara project succeed in ousting the Woyane from Finfinne palace. Fànnô leaders could have similarly rallied against the Biltsiginadictatorship, but instead, they demonized Oromummà, branding it an existential threat. If Oromummà is so evil, then Amaranet, which assimilated the Agaws of Gojjam and Gondar as well as Oromos of Shoa and Wollo, must be even more malicious—like a devil. If Oromummà is an “evil” ideology, Amaranet must be that of the devil.
Historically, conflict in Ethiopia has evolved: it was religious during the emperors’ era (Christians vs. Gàllàs vs. Muslims), ideological during the Derg regime (capitalists vs. communists vs. liberals), and since 1991, under Woyane rule, the political spectrum has centered on Amaranet vs. federalism vs. Oromummà. In the first case, Ethiopia, seen as a Christian kingdom, suppressed the Gàllàs (perceived more as a religious than ethnic group) and Muslims. The Gàllàs—who opposed the spread of Christianity and Islam from the Middle East—sought to preserve their native faith, Waqeffannà.
Under the Derg, ideological conflict mirrored global Cold War divisions. Today, the struggle is between those who aim to maintain Amarigna/Amaranet domination and those who strive to elevate Oromiffà/Oromummà to its rightful leadership role. A democratic ethno-federation may serve as a transitional stage in transforming Amaranet-Dominated Ethiopia (ADE = Amapia) into Oromummà-Led Ethiopia (OLE = Oropia). A key question remains: is Dr. Abiy’s Biltsiginnà party pro-Amaranet or pro-Oromummà? Given that it maintains Amarigna dominance at the federal level, it is fair to say it supports Amaranet, not Oromummà, despite claims to the contrary.
Dr. Abiy’s Biltsiginnà rules not only by brute force but also by exploiting internal weaknesses. Some elites from the two major nations—Amhara and Oromo—serve this regime, knowingly or not. Why have Amhara and Oromo elites failed to learn from the past 25 years? Most Amhara elites still refuse to accept Oromia as the national state of the Oromo, while some Oromo elites continue to reject Ethiopia as a shared home. These are the types of politicians Biltsiginnà favors.
By promoting this division, Biltsiginnà ensures that the Amhara and Oromo neutralize each other instead of cooperating on common ground: self-rule for Oromia within a shared Ethiopia—or Oropia. While many Oromo elites have embraced this middle ground, few Amhara elites have done so. Is this due to a difference in the length of oppression? The Amhara have suffered for 30 years, the Oromo for over 150. Perhaps Amhara elites still need more time—maybe a century—to embrace compromise.
Amhara elites must learn to accept a future Oromummà-led Ethiopia (OLE), which will rise from the grave of today’s Amaranet-dominated Ethiopia (ADE). While Dr. Abiy and his party are determined to maintain ADE, genuine Oromo republicans are committed to building OLE. This transformation is inevitable. The only alternative is an independent Republic of Oromia. Personally, I support transformation because OLE (i.e., Oropia) is the better option. For the Oromo, Oropia is like a gross salary, while an independent Oromia is the net salary—what remains if others leave the union.
It’s only a matter of time before Afaan Oromo becomes the federal working language. Promoting Cushitic languages will reshape Ethiopia from a state built on Habeshawinet to one grounded in Kushawinet. Encouraging Agaw cultural and political revival is essential for reforming Ethiopia’s false identity into its true, Cushitic nature. Agaw nationalists must be supported to take leadership roles in the Amhara and Tigray regions, where many are Agaw by origin, assimilated into Amarigna and Tigrigna. These people need to reclaim their original Agaw or Oromo identities. For this, time must not be wasted. Oromiffà (spoken by 40% of Ethiopians) and Agawigna (spoken by about 20%) should become federal working languages. This shift would lay the groundwork for reviving a Cushitic Ethiopia—a transformation into Oropia.
The current rise of Amhara nationalism is one of the OLF’s key achievements. The OLF encouraged Amhara elites to drop their Ethiopiawinet mask and embrace their true identity. After 50 years of resistance, they are now doing so. However, their mistake lies in cursing and denouncing Oromummà. This attack on Oromo identity will prove costly. Eventually, many will even abandon Amaranet and return to their original Agaw or Oromo roots. Historically, the Agaw of Gojjam, Lalibela, and Gondar, as well as the Oromo of Gojjam, Gondar, Shoa, and Wollo, were forcibly assimilated into Amaranet starting from the 1270s during the Solomonic dynasty.
The so-called Abyssinians (Amhara and Tigrayans) are, in fact, self-denying Cushites—Afars, Bejas, Agaws, Sahos, and Oromos—who lost their true identity through 3000 years of Abeshanization. They wear two masks: the outer one being Ethiopiawinet, and the inner one either Amaranet or Tegarunet. There are no true ethnic Amharas or Tigrayans—only Amharic and Tigrinya speaking Cushites.
Thanks to the liberation struggle led by the Oromo and other Cushitic peoples, Tigrayans removed their outer mask by 1991. Now Amharas are beginning to do the same. Amhara nationalism is rising as Ethiopian nationalism fades. Eventually, even their inner mask will be shed, and they’ll return to their original identities: Afar, Beja, Agaw, Saho, or Oromo. This promising beginning is evident in the flourishing of Agaw nationalism.
Abyssinians wrapped in Ethiopiawinet are like wolves in sheep’s clothing—wearing the mask only to exploit the true Ethiopians: the Cushites. Oromo elites must distinguish between pseudo-Ethiopians and genuine ones. They should help the lost Cushites shed their false identities and reclaim their true selves.
To find pragmatic solutions, the shared identity for all Cushites could be either “Ethiopian” in its original sense or “Oromian,” because Oromo is Cush, and Cush is Oromo. Hence, both names—Ethiopia and Oromia—can represent our common home. That means:
Oromia = Formerly Ethiopia, and this new union should implement the FADOB score:
F = Freedom from domination
A = Afaan Oromo as the federal working language
D = Democracy as the union’s governing system
O = “Oropia” as the new name of the union
B = Black-Red-White as the Cushitic flag
This Upper Nile region has been called Abyssinia by the Portuguese, Cush by the Jews, Al-Habesh by the Arabs, Punt by the Egyptians, and Ethiopia by the Greeks.
In conclusion, Oromo nationalists should support the revival and flourishing of their Cushitic sibling, the Agaw, both culturally and politically. The Agaw must reclaim leadership in northern Ethiopia. If not by Dr. Abiy and his party, then by Oromo republicans from OLA, OFC, and the OLF.
May Wàqa help all Cushites!
Galatôma!
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2018/09/0 ... pia-oromo/