OFC, OLA, OLF & OPP Should Agree on Fostering a Transitional Government of Oromia!
By Fayyis Oromia*
It is encouraging that the OFC and OLF have now agreed on fostering a transitional government of Oromia. Surely, the OLA and OPP should also join them. In the past, we heard that negotiations between the OLA and OPP were interrupted due to disagreements, mainly regarding the necessity of establishing an inclusive government of Oromia. I believe the OLA’s demand was legitimate, useful, and pragmatic. Oromo elites within the OPP must come to their senses and think beyond the ambition of maintaining personal power.
This is a time of decision—a choice about the future of the Oromo people: remain divided and fail, or unite and prevail. Such compromises for the sake of unifying all Oromo nationalists against anti-Oromo forces are vital in this time of moral, economic, and political crisis. The die-hard foes of the Oromo are doing everything they can to reverse the 75% victory we’ve achieved in our struggle for freedom. Now is the time for Oromo nationalists to come together and push forward to complete the liberation struggle to its full 100%.
The ongoing negotiation must continue. A strong government of Oromia, inclusive of forces from the OFC, OLA, OLF, and OPP, must be established. Such a government can serve as a stable backbone to support the federal government under Dr. Abiy. The Prime Minister must also be bold and courageous enough to address the still-unanswered demands of the Oromo, such as:
- Promoting Afan Oromo to a primary working language of the federation;
- Placing Finfinne under the administration of Oromia;
- Re-integrating Wollo, including Rayyaa, into Oromia.
There is no need to continue appeasing Amhara elites who are already determined to undermine him and to challenge the rightful leadership of Oromummaa in Ethiopia.
It was uplifting to hear that the pro-Oromummaa republicans in the OFC and OLF once formed a Transitional Government of Oromia. It’s inspiring to see them now forging a coalition in the form of a democratic federation at the Oromia level and fostering a broader alliance at the national level—including OLF, ONLF, Agaw, Sidama, Qimant, and others.
Initially, it appeared that the EPP would lose power soon. However, Dr. Abiy and the EPP manipulated and rigged the 2021 “election.” There was no genuine election—only a continuation of EPP’s rule by force. It is also a positive development that Tigrayan elites are regaining self-rule, rising from the grave of unitarist dictatorship. Still, we do not want to see a repeat of 1991—where the TPLF seized power in Finfinne. The power in Finfinne rightfully belongs to the Oromo, whether at the level of Oromia or Ethiopia.
The OLF and OFC must be smart and strong enough to empower the Oromo. Both Amhara and Tigrayan elites must be checked. Oromo Prosperitans must cede ground only to Oromo Republicans—not to opportunistic Habesha elites. To keep these elites from seizing central power in Finfinne, a strong unity among Oromo nationalists is essential.
The long-standing debate among Oromo nationals—Ethiopian Democratization vs. Oromian Liberation (or Biyya-Kush Democratization vs. Biyya-Oromo Liberation)—has caused animosity between two camps. Some cadres even viewed each other as enemies, forgetting the primary adversaries of the Oromo: the Abyssinian elites ruling from the Caffee Araara Palace in Finfinne.
Can we not liberate and democratize both Oromia and Ethiopia?
Why can’t Oromo liberation forces from both camps unite and form at least a coalition based on a shared goal—freedom—under the name Tumsa Bilisummaa Oromoo (TBO), or Alliance for Freedom of the Oromo (AFO)? Was the ideological difference really that irreconcilable?
Common sense tells us that if we are to preserve our hard-won achievements, maintain momentum, and prevent regression, we must build a strong leadership in Biyya-Oromo—and more broadly, Biyya-Kush. This united front is essential to defeating hegemonist forces like the TPLF and preventing the rise of conservative Amhara elites.
Both our enemies and some misguided friends have exploited our minor ideological differences to divide and weaken the Oromo cause. They accused certain Oromo federalists of being Ethiopianists, implying that they were fighting only to democratize Ethiopia and not to liberate Oromia. But was this true, or merely a smear? Is it wrong for Oromo nationalists to adopt different rhetoric depending on political context?
History offers precedent: Eritrean and South Sudanese nationalists also shifted their narratives at various stages of their struggles. Eritrean forces once accepted federation with Ethiopia, but this option failed due to the Derg’s intransigence. South Sudanese nationalists spoke of autonomy within Sudan to maintain Ethiopian support, which opposed Sudanese disintegration.
So, what’s wrong if Oromo nationalists adopt similarly flexible strategies?
The question remains: who is an “Ethiopianist Oromo”? Are federalists, who advocate for Oromia’s autonomy within Ethiopia, truly Ethiopianist in the Habesha sense? Clearly not. Their goals include reaching a point where the Oromo can exercise their right to self-determination via referendum.
Many now ask: why have our neighbors—Eritrea and South Sudan—succeeded in gaining independence, while the Oromo struggle has remained divided? It wasn’t just internal issues; external factors also played a role. The Eritrean and South Sudanese movements enjoyed broad support from Arab and Western powers and had secure regional sanctuaries. In contrast, the Oromo liberation movement has been denied sanctuary and faced opposition from neighboring regimes and Western allies of the TPLF.
The Oromo nation—one of Africa’s largest—deserves liberation from any form of colonial or internal domination. Since the Berlin Conference of the late 19th century, Oromo land and labor have been exploited by colonizers like Menelik II, supported by European Christian powers.
Despite such a dire situation, Oromo nationalists have wasted energy on debates like “Ethiopian Democratization vs. Oromian Liberation,” which our enemies have weaponized to divide us. TPLF cadres were eager to promote these debates to hinder unity. Some Oromo politicians unknowingly reinforced these divisions by presenting the goals as mutually exclusive from the outset.
In truth, the two goals are only irreconcilable during the second phase of the struggle—when it comes time to vote in a referendum. Until then, they are complementary.
The ideological diversity within the Oromo movement includes:
- Pro-unity Oromos, who seek to democratize Ethiopia and lead a united, inclusive state;
- Pro-federation Oromos, who want Oromia’s autonomy within a true Ethiopian federation;
- Pro-independence Oromos, who advocate for full statehood and independence.
The shared goal among all three groups is the freedom of the Oromo people and the right to self-determination via referendum. Anyone opposing this right is a collaborator of colonizers. Even within the Habesha elite, some are democrats who support our right to self-determination—distinct from those who insist on unconditional “Ethiopian unity” to perpetuate colonization.
So, the real conflict is not among Oromo groups, but between the Oromo and those who deny them self-determination. The three Oromo camps can unite in the first phase of liberation. In the second phase—after freedom is secured—they may campaign for their distinct political visions.
For example:
- Pro-unity Oromos can advocate for a democratic Ethiopia without special status for Oromia;
- Pro-federation Oromos can support Oromia’s autonomy within Ethiopia;
- Pro-independence Oromos can push for a sovereign Republic of Oromia.
Until then, these groups should work together, possibly in alliance with other nationalities and democrat forces—including Habesha democrats who support self-determination. The goal must be the full liberation of the Oromo, culminating in a referendum.
A free and democratic Oromia, rooted in the Gadaa system, could become a beacon of democracy and serve as the foundation for a future United States of Africa. Finfinne, potentially the seat of the African Union Government, must be reclaimed by the Oromo. Continued occupation by oppressive forces would be a tragedy not just for Oromia, but for the entire Horn of Africa and beyond.
Let us unite, liberate Oromia, and bring our people to the threshold of self-determination through referendum—where our collective destiny can be decided democratically.
Galatôma!
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2019/04/1 ... n-general/