By: Fayyis Oromia

I have tried in my hitherto opinions to contribute my share for the possible promotion of Oromo liberation movement. I did it just as an obligation I took without any external influence, be it in a form of individuals, organizations or institutions. I am now happy by observing the start of a consolidation and a process of strengethening the camp of Oromo liberation by meanse of the current Oromo movement towards Tokkummaa (unity) for Bilisummaa (freedom) and Walabummaa (sovereignity). I think now we had enough opinions and theories which we do require, but still we do lack a practice and pragmatism of implementing the ideas we do have in to action. I just now try to say my probable last opinion and wish us all that Waaqayyoo help us to live our dream in practice.

The title I do want to discuss now seems to be not yet optimally clear among our polity. Recently I heared one good interview (good news) given by Obbo Zalalem of OLF-QC regarding the ongoing discussion among the three factions of our liberation front on the possible future reunification. That inspired me to write this short opinion. According to Obbo Zalalem the discussion is still going on and this news is very encouraging to Oromos who are longing for a strong and viable OLF. One of the comments I heard from his interview is that there was and there is still "difference of Kaayyoo" among the polity. The question we need to ask is that, is there really any difference of Kaayyoo or we do only have lack of clarity in comprehending Kaayyoo-Oromoo? We can have different opinions in respect of our history for we used to hear and read different versions, but we need to agree on the liberation journy to our destiny.

In my opinions for the last many years, I personally tried to write on this and I did my best to clarify it in different ways. I used to write that our Kaayyoo is self-determination, Bilisummaa sabaa (freedom of people) and Walabummaa biyyaa (sovereignity/independence of Oromia), union of independent nations, sovereign state of Oromia in a united state of Africa, liberty for referedum, kilil-federation/Oromian autonomy as a mid-Kayyoo for Oromian independence the end-Kaayyoo...etc. Is this not clear? Am I not with clear mind regarding our destiny? Are Oromo elites, who do talk about these different concepts with clear mind for the clear Kaayyoo? I here just try to explain again what I already wrote regarding these concepts and I hope this can be helpfull for those still debating and discussing on our "differences in Kaayyoo".

At the moment, there are four political groups in which Oromo polity is active in the Ethiopian empire:

- in the ruling party OPDO, who tells us that we have already achieved our Kaayyoo aka liberation.

- in the parties like UDJ, which disregard the existence of Oromia, but struggle for freedom and democracy in Ethiopia (considering Oromo as part and parcel of Ethiopia).

- in the Oromo federalist parties like OFC, struggling for Oromian autonomy in Ethiopian context.

- in the Oromo liberation fronts like OLF, fighting for Oromian independence within or without a union of nations in the empire/region based on self-determination of nations per referendum.

Looking at the Kaayyoo of the above four groups, we should be clear that genuine Oromos in OPDO can keep the status quo from setbacks, which might happen by the untiredly efforts of both the 20th-century Amhara Nefxenyya like AEUP and the 21st-century Tigrai Nefxenya aka Weyane. Oromo polity in UDJ and in OFC seem to tolerate each other as they showed in forging Medrek to struggle together for freedom and democracy, UDJ being moderate on the existence of Oromia, eventhough it doesn't support it. So if Medrek is successfull, the probability of fostering true kilil-federation/Oromian autonomy is good. I hope in due time Oromo individuals in UDJ will stop their "madness" of attempting to dismantle Oromia with the pre-text of geography-based-federation in contrary to the language-based-federation, which is supported by Oromo majority. This is the reason why I do see that our liberation journey as having different stations (stops) on a way to our Kaayyoo. From the status quo, first we can move to Medrek's position and then move on to the END. Self-determination by its self is a process of liberation movement from the status quo till having public liberty for referendum with the two possible outcomes: national (Oromian) independence within a regional (Ethiopian) union or national independence without a union. Debating and discussing on these two outcomes now is not as such productive for the timing is wrong. We can debate on them after we do achieve a liberty and be in a position to excercise the referendum.

So our mid-Kaayyoo being Oromian autonomy and the end-Kaayyoo of course being Oromian independence, I personally do see no conflict of Kaayyoo among Oromo democratic federalists, among Oromo liberation fronts and even between the federalists and the fronts. It seems now Oromo federalists have solved their difference, but Oromo fronts are still struggling to come together. The liberation fronts should just know that the Kaayyoo they can rally behind is Bilisummaa Oromo, Walabummaa Oromia and Birmadummaa mootummaa (independent government of) Oromia as a precursor for self-determination in a form of referendum. Is this not clear enough? Surely our foes try to make it unclear in order to sow a discord among the different factions of our liberation front. Some try to tell us that the difference of Kaayyoo is that of Ethiopian democratization Vs Oromian liberation. Are these two contradictory? I think if it really happens, democratization of Ethiopia is a very good MEANSE for the liberation of Oromia as the END. That is why the two Nefxenyas are vehemently against the democratization process. They just give only lip service, but oppose it in their day to day practice.

The two main enemies of our Kaayyoo are Weyane fascists/Tigrai Nefxenyas and concervative Unitarists/Amhara Nefxenyas, the first being teethfull and the second at the moment toothless. But their recent handshake is the sign for their alliance against liberation movement of all oppressed nations in the empire, which should be taken in to consideration in our future political calculus. Till now Weyane did a very hard work to polarize Amhara democratic forces and Oromo liberation fronts, to disintegrate Amhara forces and to disenfranchise Oromo fronts. It is really successfull to some extent. For instance the presence of more than 90 fragments (I don't call them parties) in the empire now is not a sign of democracy as Weyane cadres want to convince us, but it is a sign of a tyranny which is used to disintegratre different opposition parties.The many factions fragmented from OLF (like FIDO, OLC, OPLF, OLF-QC, AWO, OLF-KY and OLF-Shanee) are part and parcel of this action of fragmentation. Of course also "naive" Oromos writing in websites/forums and talking in paltalks/radios different messages promoting the disintegration do have a tremendous contribution. Just as an example a journalist of Oromomedia, who is full of hatred for OLF-Shane and OLF-QC is doing more than what Weyane cadres can ever do. He vehemently opposes the reunification of the three OLF factions and demonizes Oromo liberation leaders who did their best, even if they are not perfect. If he is genuine Oromo with honest intention of promoting Oromo liberation movement, he surely needs a consultation of his friends both personally and professionally. If he is Afaan Oromo speaking non-Oromo just doing his damaging job to hinder our liberation movement, he is really doing smart job.

Looking back at the positive steps taken by Oromo political organizations, the merger of OLC and OPLF to form COPLF was good step, the coalition of OFDM and OPC in forging OFC was smart, the coming together of OLF-Jijjiirama with four other groups was constructive and now we are waiting for the reunification of the three OLF factions, which will be the best breakthrough. Then the one strong OLF can unite with the rest parties like COPLF and FIDO to form one and only one liberation front behind whom we all can rally to achieve our end-Kaayyoo. One such OLF is very essential to be efficient in all the three fields of struggle (diplomacy, politics and military). It will have our heartfull support, so that we can give our talent, money and time. No diplomatic community takes weak and mini-fronts seriously, but one strong front can be feared by our enemies as well as it can be taken seriously by international community to work with. Then having genuine Oromo polity in OPDO (excluding the criminals) who are keeping the status quo, Oromo politicians in OFC struggling in "legal and peacefull" way to achieve autonomy as well as the only one OLF being strong in armed struggle to push for independence is the optimal condition we actually need in order to be successfull and to arrive at our desired Kaayyoo. By the way theoretically, we can come to the status of excercising referendum in either OPDO way, OFC way or OLF way, if the current OPDO deception (the rhetoric telling us that we are already liberated) and the subjugation by Weyane is overcome, be it one way or the other. OFC should also reconsider its attempt of limiting the liberation journey to only achieving kilil-federation without a right to self-determination in a form of referendum.

Regarding the curreent move of Oromo for Tokkummaa, the step taken by OLA (Oromo liberation army) of the southern zone (ZK) to promote the reunification of OLF is very encouraging and the response of the three factions given in supporting this move is also very commendable. I hope, despite the hard work of our enemies to hinder this move, we will see the reunited and strong liberation front in the near future. After having a clear liberation journey with common Kaayyoo and its stations in mind and after forming a viable unity of Oromo liberation camp, we can easily look at the further strategical coalitions with liberation fronts of other oppressed nations and tactical alliance with democratic forces in the empire against the two Nefxenyas, who do some times fight each other only for the position of the domination in the empire, but not for the liberation of the oppressed nations.

Unfortunately the attempt of Oromian decolonization by armed struggle as a meanse to our END is as difficult as the other meanse aka Ethiopian democratization. That is why our political leaders need to be farsighted and wise to forge an efficient tactic and strategy in combining both meanses to lead us to our Kaayyoo. They need to be sophisticated instead of only telling a spade is spade like it is in Chimpanzy politics of directness.Thanks to our hitherto HEROs who paid every thing to start the struggle form the scratch and lead us to the victories we earned till now, I personally think our victory up to now is not so little as Weyane cadres and some misguided "naive" Oromos try to tell us day and night just to denounce our hitherto leaders and to discourage us as a "nation of failure". Oromo is the nation of many merits and values, who achieved what we do have now under very difficult and dire situations: an enemy armoured by the west to its teeth, no sanctuary in neighbour countries, almost all western countries working with our subjugators against us, Oromia being full of more than five million potential Abyssinian spies (even Oromia is not a good sanctuary for our freedom fighters)....etc. Some people like a journalist of Oromomedia, who are concentrating only on the hitherto "mistakes, failures and faults" of our leaders are parts of either a very destructive propaganda done by our "smart" foes or parts of a damaging journalism excercised by "stu*pid" Oromo friends. Most of such people who do magnify our hitherto "weaknesses" in different media outlets are actually not friends of Oromo liberation struggle, but they are the ones who want to attack our courage and determination for a future liberation move.

So based on these facts, my recommendation for the future move is to further strengthen the unity of Oromo parties, the coalition of oppressed nations and the alliance of all pro freedom and pro democracy forces against the move of the two anti-democracy Nefxenya groups. Having clear mind of our Oromo polity on a clear Oromo Kaayyoo is very mandatory to lead us to our desired destiny. The goal of the two Nefxenyas is crystal clear, according to them, Oromia belongs to them. Let's imagine as if British elites and French elites do claim Berlin of Germany as their own sit of governance and say the whole Germany belongs to them. Is this not absurd and madness? Unfortunately their western friends also try to look at Oromo as an "ethnie" different from German, which is a "nation". Can any one explain us why European nations should be called as such and African big nations like Oromo are called ethnic groups? Here is what Oromo writer Obbo Labsa Shaggar wrote in response to the article written by a notorous Abesha elite Mesay Kebede, who was opposing the right of Oromo nation to self-determination:

"....Jumping from one invalid argument to another, Messay suggests “…to reject the usage of the terms ‘nations and nationalities’” and recommends, instead, the usage of “ethnic groups.” Here again, Messay reveals his detachment from realities, lack of intellectual integrity and breadth of thought, and a concern for public issues. The terms Messay wants to discard away at his will and whim carry meanings. More than literally meanings, they have extensive political, sociological and anthropological concepts. In contravention with these scientific concepts, the Amhara elites (including Messay) have for long been scornfully labeling the terms “nation, nationality and ethnie” (to use the French term) as “gossa”, which is the equivalent of ‘tribe and/or clan’. Now, Messay and his likes want to ban the usage of the terms nations and nationalities and replace them with ethnic groups. The intention behind this is clear: demeaning the concepts attached to the terms and belittling them to the lowest forms of human developmental stages. In so doing, the Amhara élites emulate white colonialists, who used to describe political malfunctions in Africa as “tribal” problems to assert the lesser evolution, development and humanity of Africans; to portray the picture of a people without culture, and without history in order to justify colonialism. As that was racist and ahistorical, so is the attempt of Messay to reduce nations to ethnic groups..."

Last but not least, nowadays we do hear and read different news confirming the move of the two Nefxenyas in attempt to reverse the hitherto victories of Oromo struggle. They complain about "why should we build a wall of division, whereas Germans dismantle such wall"? They didn't want to seak the right comparison. Actually division of Germans is like a division of Gojjam and Gondar. A devide between Abyssinia and Oromia is like a devide between France and Germany. I know that they can not or will not comprehend this. The other news is about the plan of EPRDF member parties planning to merge in the future so that there will be no "formal Oromo OPDO" in the future. That meanse all children of the two Nefxenyas can rule over Oromia (more than they do now) as far as they can speak Afaan Oromo. Who knows the working language of Oromia may also be changed to Amharinya. The last news is, which came out in reporter website, telling us that again Oromo elites would have sayed: "Oromo parties and people don't support secession of Oromia". Actually the word secession is used by Weyane just to discredit the question of Oromo nation for liberation. But no one with sound mind can tell us now that Oromo people don't want liberation, be it in a form of Oromian autonomy or Oromian independence within or without a union of nations in the region based on self-determination per referendum. I think the Oromo Kaayyoo is very clear and it needs only to be entertained by a clear mind of Oromo polity.

Galatooma!!

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