Friday 19 June 2015
Giddu-galli Aadaa Oromoo Handhuura Finfinnee Irratti
(VOA Afaan Oromoo) — Fininnee keessatti yeroo dheeraaf kan ijaaramaa ture fi Manneen Tiyaatiraa, galmawwan qorannaa aadaa dabalee – galmawwan hedduu kan of keessaa qabu – Waaltaan yokaan Giddu-galli Aadaa Oromoo, torban lama dura sirnaan eebbifamee hojii jalqabuu isaa Biiroon Aadaa fi Tuurizimii Oromiyaa beeksisee jira.
Itti-gaafatamaan Biiroo Aadaa fi Turiizimii Oromiyaa – Obbo Guutuu Wayyessaa akka jedhanitti, Giddu-galli Aadaa Oromoo kafa karee meetira kuma afurtama irratti kan ijaarame yoo tahu, birrii Itiyoophiyaa miliyoondha dhibba sadi’ii ol tu ijaarsa isaatti ba’e. Hayyoota, ogeeyyii adda addaa fi artistoota dabalee hojjetoota haga dhibba sadii ta’an tu Giddu-gala kN keessaa hojjechuuf deema, ka jedhan Hoogganichi Biiroo Aadaa Oromiyaa, kutaleen akka godaambaa fi kutaa qorannoo afaanii fi seenaa hojii jalqabuu isaanii dubbatanii jiran. Giddu-gala kana cinatti, Manni-barnootaa artii ijaaramuuf, Prezidaantii Oromiyaatiin dhagaan bu’uraa kaa’amuu isaa illee hubachiisanii jira.
Tuuta Tumsa Warri Qarayyoon Keenya nuuf uuman kuni kan latee bosonu, haa tahu!
Caalaa Haahiluu irraa
Yaada akkas garaa nama gahu kanaan haayyoonni Oromoo yeroo saba isaanitti gadi-bahan akkam nama boonsaa jara keeny! Yaadni waan hunda caala,keessafuu yaadni wayitti jijjiirramuu dandahu,dhalootaf waan irra dhaabbatanii boru ittiin gadi bahan. Ani sagantaa akka kanaa kanaan dura hin garre. Dhugumatti yeroo hedduu waan dhabne malee waan harkaa qabnuu fi ittiin hojjannu irratti hammi qiyyaafatamu baayyee xiqqaata.
Yaadatu,waan muldhataatti hiikkata,yaadatu dhaabbatee harkaan qaqqabama,yaadatu nama balleessa,yaadatus immoo nama fayyiisa, biyyas guddiosa,biyyas misoomsa,biyyas birmadoomsa,keessumaa yaada akka kanaa kanatu waayyummaa qabaatii ammas ulfaadha!
Dhalli namaa waa lamaan gabroma natti fakkaata. Qaamaa fi sammuu(xiin sammuu dhaan).
Gabrummaan qaamaa baayyee laafadha dafeet namarraa kaha,gabrummaan sammuu dhaa garuu waan eelaa jabduu fi yeroollee fudhatuudha ofirraa kaasuf! Yaadota lafa taahan keessaa kanneen garaa nagahan:
Gabrummaan qaamaa baayyee laafadha dafeet namarraa kaha,gabrummaan sammuu dhaa garuu waan eelaa jabduu fi yeroollee fudhatuudha ofirraa kaasuf! Yaadota lafa taahan keessaa kanneen garaa nagahan:
Yaa Haayyoota Oromoo,kunooti akkasitti mee garaa saba keessanii qabbaneessaa. Waaqni Oromoo umrii keessan umrii harraagessaa,fayyaa teessan xaliila akka fayyaa Gadamsaa siniif haa taasisuun eebba kiyya!
Warra Ibsa nuuf kennaa turan obbo Rondaasaa Asheetee fi Dr.Waakkennee Goobanaas galata addaa qabdan,Qopheessan qophii Jireenyas obbo Usmaan Ukkumee fayyaa dahi.
Warra Ibsa nuuf kennaa turan obbo Rondaasaa Asheetee fi Dr.Waakkennee Goobanaas galata addaa qabdan,Qopheessan qophii Jireenyas obbo Usmaan Ukkumee fayyaa dahi.
Horaa bulaa Deebanaa!
Hanqinoota yaada kiyyaammoo itti naaf guutaa.
Hanqinoota yaada kiyyaammoo itti naaf guutaa.
Thursday 11 June 2015
In defense of the Oromo Center in washington DC
By Rundassa Eshete
As a symbol of the Oromo unity, the Oromo Center, has for many years now, served as the primal place dedicated to all Oromos of diaspora. The vision of the founders of the Oromo Center was to have a center that welcomes all Oromians on equal footing at all times. Based on this conviction, the center has served as universal place for all Oromians who came together and enjoyed each other while expressing their views freely. Back in the days, I even dreamed that the center become a place where the Oromo literature, film, and music will be available and debates flourish but because of funding shortage it’s function remained limited to providing the services mentioned above. This being the case however, some individuals now days feel that the center has fallen short in providing the services it intended to provide. Nevertheless, it is my well versed opinion that such feelings spring from profound sense of frustration that some Oromo nationalist felt when they saw the presence of Amharic speaking individual Oromos whose political stand on the Oromo freedom is questionable. Though I don’t share the existential despair and hopelessness that theses fellow Oromo nationalist have felt, I too hate to see those who promote Ethiopianism frequenting at the Oromo Center. Granted, the Oromo Center being “the center open to all people”, it is wrong to conclude that the Oromo Center has been over taken by the enemy. Here, it is very important to understand that the Oromo Center of Washington DC service includes all individuals who go there and express their Amhara like feelings untouched by feelings expressed by frustrated Oromo nationalists.
The way I see it, the most poignant problem we are facing as a nation comes from the confusion that certain segment of our society produce from time to time. This is to say that the few TPLF trained so called Oromos feel that life loses its significance if Amharic and Ethiopia are gone. What must be clear to all of us however is that such view is limited to the confused Ethiopianist few.
Whether they like it or not, the Oromo liberation ideology is spreading to all social and economic groups of Oromia and the death of Amharic and Ethiopia will not affect the majority Oromo population.
Regarding the confused few taking over the Oromo Center, one need to question the reluctance and the sincerity with which the few despairing individuals have come to conclusion that the Oromo people are part of Ethiopia and Amharic. However, it will be adding to the confusion to hold a belief that few confused individuals are taking over the Oromo center of Washington DC.
Personally, I call the few confused Ethiopianists, “purposeless” because they do not understand the Oromo liberation movement. Further, I feel that they are erroneous and unchallenged by tough situations that the liberation struggle often demands from those who want to bring real change. Because they do not understand what it took those who suffered the most in liberation fields and in Ethiopian prison cells, they wish to assume undeserved position in Ethiopia’s social and political structure as if they hold aura of the truth. I feel like these few men’s confidence seem to bolster by TPLF’s ability to stay in power.
Let us, therefore, place lamentations beside the true reputation of the Oromo Center of Washington DC. Yes, many may feel that the Oromo liberation cause has no sponsors and work hard to give the dying empire a chance to live a little longer but they are wrong. In fact, those young kids who fell victim to the trampling march of the Ethiopian empire force that killed hundreds in recent days are the logical owners of the liberation struggle.
Hence, instead of fighting the Oromo Center, let’s help cure our own confused ones upon whom the Habasha behavioral permissiveness is flourishing amid a sense of hopelessness they are suffering from. Few individuals have always mistakenly viewed “CURRENT” as the only authentic reality that should matter in life. Regardless of how the few confused feel, the majority will march on until they are free from the colonial yoke of the Tigre minority tribe.
Lead for the master of our destination instead of doing homework to destruct
By Baro K. Deressa, MD
Ignorance breeds fear
The passing of our hero’s, an icon of the struggle against the colonization of our country Oromia, creates a great hope to fill. Their death also reminds us of their life. A life unparalleled for their bravery, conviction, and devotion to a just cause, and to the liberation of their fellow men and women in Oromia and particularly their own people Oromo those who mostly affected. A life in which they struggled against the might of the Ethiopian empire and sacrificed their own liberty so that all Oromo’s and other nationalities in Oromia could enjoy dignity, prosperity, and freedom. This paper discusses the complexity of our struggle, Oromumma factor and way out. Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
All human beings are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, equality and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, governments are instituted, whenever any Form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government in order to keep in place a concrete foundation for democratic governance and rule of law.
For many countries, the presence of malicious leaders forms a notable impediment to the development of their economy as well as their living conditions. This makes one wonder how these leaders can be removed, and how their rise to power can be prevented. When it comes to the question of how to punish malevolent rulers, the international community has increased its commitment to prosecute malevolent dictators by establishing the International Criminal Court. This deters dictators from committing atrocities. For example on May 30 2012, the Special Court for Sierra Leone sentenced Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, to 50 years imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Successive Ethiopian regimes have never displayed humanity or respect for Oromo’s and denied opportunities to build their social, economic, political, cultural and organizational infrastructures. In all spheres of life, discrimination, subjugation, repression and exploitation of all forms were applied. Everything possible was done to destroy Oromo identity – culture, language, custom, tradition, name and origin. In short the leaders of Ethiopian regimes maintained the general policy of genocide against the Oromo people. But there is no former or current leader of Ethiopian government has been imprisoned or charged for the war crimes and crimes against Oromo’s. Is it factor of our weakness? Is it failure of the international community? In my opinion we as an Oromo we have a lot to do in order to liberate our country Oromia and bring those criminals to justice or bring justice to them.
Typically the colonizers exploit the land, the raw materials, the labor, and other resources of the colonized nation in order to enrich the mother country (republic of Tigray); in addition a formal recognition is given to the difference in power, autonomy, and political status, and various agencies are set up to maintain this subordination. There are many Oromo’s sided with this criminal and barbaric colonial state instead of fighting in order to eliminate them. There is no simple, single explanation for the passivity of the Oromo’s sided with colonial state, killers of their nations and destroyer of their identity. Their motives are complex and changing and it is best to examine them in some detail.
One explanation for passivity is that precisely the power and pervasiveness of the colonial state has created deep fear, especially among people with family obligations, vulnerable employment and with moderate commitments to democratic freedoms. This group of citizens is aware of cases where colonial powers (TPLF) have affected other citizens who were involved in critical activities, causing job loss and broad suffering and are not willing to sacrifice their security and the welfare of their families.
The second possible motive for accepting of the colonial state is ignorance: those peoples or groups who are not aware of the size, scope and activities of the colonial state. Their practical behavior speaks to the notion that ‘since I am not directly affected it must not exist’. Embedded in everyday life, making a living, enjoying leisure time, entertainment, sports, family and concerned only about household budgets. This mass is so embedded in their personal ‘micro-world’ that it considers the macro-economic and political issues raised by the colonial state as ‘distant’, outside of their experience or interest: ‘I don’t have time’, ‘I don’t know enough’, ‘It’s all ‘politics’. The widespread apoliticism of the public plays into its ignoring the monster that has grown in its midst. Ethiopian peasants, regardless of their ethnicity, do not have a clue about what we are talking about. They would die happy if only they got enough “bidena on their gabattee” (in Afaan Oromo) every evening and see their children well fed before they went to bed.
Complexity of our struggle: Our colonizers (previous one→elite Amhara’s ruling class, current one→eliteTigre ruling class, future one→mixture Ama-Tigo) and Oromumma factor →sided with enemy.
All those groups have their own history to tell us under their camouflage in order to confuse us:
Our answer to all those destructive forces are one and concrete. We Oromo’s have to be the master of our destination and boss of our resources. After that we can talk about unity, about emerging democracy, about economical power and hope. Until that destination the only solution is Fight! Fight! Fight! To eradicate you, the master of disaster.
Master of disasters in detail:
The elite Amhara’s, still don’ t want to understand the feeling and the pain of the Oromo people. CUD Coalition for Unity and Democracy? Intentionally I would have preferred to name it CDU Coalition for Democracy and Unity. It is not semantics but this name itself reflects the true nature of the Abyssinian elites where Unity at all cost is the driving force behind their movement instead of Democracy at all cost . For me, unless a society is democratic, there is no way you can achieve unity. But if they don’t understand the problem, how do they expect the problem to be solved? I am sure they have heard a million times that identification of a problem is already 50% of the solution.
Millions of Oromo’s under Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rule face imprisonment, humiliation, torture and death if they complain about the injustices on the daily bases and atrocities by government security forces. While Ethiopia’s commitment to economic development is laudable, communities affected by certain programs such as the villagization and industrialization program in Gambella, Oromia and the development of irrigated sugar plantations in the lower Omo Valley have experienced serious abuses such as forced relocations, inadequate consultation and lack of services in resettlement sites. There has been little or no apparent effort to investigate or ensure accountability for these abuses or for past serious crimes by security forces in Oromia, gambella and somali region.
TPLF is characterized by three unfulfilled promises and fear (fear of real democracy, absence of free political space and fear of media)
Fear of real Democracy: Democratization is not simply a matter of multi-partyism or elections; it also encompasses freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, press freedom, and independent civil society. On all fronts, Ethiopia went backwards and democratization system of TPLF government represent an actual reduction in free political space.
Some foreign diplomats and observers assumed that the TPLF would liberalize his policy towards true democratic system. That optimism underestimated several factors influencing the TPLF elite: their ideological commitment to democratic centralism, their fear of majoritarian democracy in a country where Oromo’s constitute an overwhelming majority (45%), and their intolerance of any criticism. So it is naïve to think they would open up progressively step by step.
Absence of free political space: The closing off of all political space, the maintenance of a climate of fear, the intimidations and disappearances of potentially critical voices, the banning of the sole opposition party with some possible popular grounding like OLF, the attacks on key civil society organizations and the further muzzling of the press – all point to the undeniable fact that there is no free choice in Ethiopia.
Fear of media power: The Ethiopian TPLF Government will continue to restrict press freedom as long as it continues to treat media primarily as a means of mobilization: The media will communicate to the population on four core programmes which feature prominently in Government’s policy – good governance, justice, economy, and social welfare.
Ama-Tigo (mixture of future one): Colonization refers to both the formal and informal methods (behaviors, ideologies, institutions, policies, and economies) that maintain the subjugation or exploitation of Indigenous Peoples, lands and resources. So, our colonizers elite Amhara’s and elite Tigre, every day they engage in activities that continue to justify the theft of Oromo lands, the killing and subjugation of Oromo Peoples, and the ruthless exploitation of Oromia resources. From birth, they begin teaching their children myths regarding the righteousness of the existing social order (their superiority). That message is reinforced throughout their lives. It is hard work maintaining such lies, so whenever the colonized threaten to disrupt their myth-making, they are quickly silenced, suppressed, and further subjugated. The actions of the colonialist are predictable and consistent. The eviction of Oromo people from their ancestral land in Finfinne is one example of their coalition against Oromo people.
Oromumma factor: Civilians are killed by dictators (TPLF-leaders), ears and hands may be chopped by special forces of TPLF like agazi forces in Ambo, or properties will burned down by the police and military forces purely with the aim of forcing Oromo people to scare and dismantle struggle for freedom. True Oromo’s are continue to fight back this criminal government by all means available despite millions of obstacles and deaths.
Now days there are Oromo’s who sided with the enemies because of many motives like fear, need of money and afraid of suffering. Those peoples are living in the dark and afraid to see the light (freedom). We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. Those people are telling us many stories about their masters kindness through their organized institution (Oromo diaspora, OPDO members, Ambassadors…). They are telling us: (we are free to govern Oromia region, freedom of expression is improving in Ethiopia, my one room apartment is safe in mekele, innocent Oromo prisoners are criminals……..) Are they crazy? ignorant? Moral less?
The development of real freedom always and everywhere means the restriction of the freedom of others to oppress and do wrong. Freedom for the vast majority necessarily means restriction of the freedom of a small minority to exploit the labour of others, monopolise the social means of production and communication. TPLF leaders are officially denies any types of freedom. In Ambo they kill more than hundred innocent people those who demand justice, Abbay Thayye (TPLF-dictator) intimidating 45 million of Oromo people by implementing the eviction of Oromo’s from their ancestral land Finfinne. So what is those surrogates of TPLF are talking about? are they really Oromo’s? It is not what you do for your people, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful and respected human beings. Stop to praise our enemies, feel shame to tell us wrong stories, dare to speak against TPLF atrocities on Oromo people’s, support Oromo movement for freedom and democracy and use your mind for principal and moral responsibility.
What is to be done?
Historical experience teaches us that a successful struggle against a colonial state depends on the linking of the socio-economic struggles that engage the attention of the masses with the pro-democracy, freedom fighters, intellectuals with diverse professionalism. The deepening of economic crisis of our people, the big differences of living standards and working conditions and the fight to survive in order to fulfill basic necessities is the basis of power for revolution. Freedom is essential to the struggle for social justice and the mass struggle for social justice will fight back colonial state. The mass economic pain will ignite mass activity, which, in turn, will make people aware of the dangerous growth of the colonial state. A mass understanding of this link will be essential to any advance in the movement for democracy, freedom and people’s welfare.
TPLF members are the owners of the huge corporations that dominate the economy, and their servants among governments and institutions who maintain the political and economic system in their interests. These are the same people who continue harass the Oromo people on the daily basis in one hand and in another hand export the false propaganda of emerging democracy with well-financed manner. So as long as the political and economic system of TPLF dominated government in place no matter how many Oromo elected officials, or even an Oromo prime minster, can bring about the liberation of Oromia and Oromo people. The oppression of the Oromo people continue.
So we say that we Oromo’s are not only fight for our freedom, but we need to end all types of oppression against other nationalities like (Ogden, sidama’s, Benishangul….). To win this struggle for freedom we have to fight and simultaneously organized with responsibility. Organized with responsibility means “struggle to bring impact in order to faster our goal but not income to enrich individuals”.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away (So, death for freedom is grateful than TPLF control breath).
Dr. Baro Keno Deressa is an optimistic advocate of freedom for Oromo and Oromia. His previous publications includes:
1. Finfinne versus Brussels differentiate the real democracy from fake democracy
2. Pace of peace with apoptotic and necrotic label
1. Finfinne versus Brussels differentiate the real democracy from fake democracy
2. Pace of peace with apoptotic and necrotic label
Tuesday 9 June 2015
የሕወሓት መንግስት ስርዓቱን የከዱትን 9 የጦር መኮንኖች እያደነ ነው * መኮንኖቹ ኦነግን ተቀላቅለዋል እየተባለ ነው
Moonaa Leenjii Giddu Gala ABO. From File
ከደቡብ ምስራቅ እዝ የከዱ ዘጠኝ የባሌ ክፍለሃገር ተወላጅ የሆኑ የሰራዊቱ መኮንኖችን ለመያዝ ማደኑን አንደቀጠለ አና አስካሁን ከኦነግ ኣማጽያን ጋር ተቀላቅለዋል ከሚባል ውጪ ያሉበት ቦታ ምንም ፍንጭ እንደሌለ ለጦር ሃይሎች መምሪያ የደህንነት ክፍል የመጣ መረጃ መጠቆሙን የመከላከያ ምንጮች ገልጸዋል::
በተለያዩ ጊዜያት ከባለፉት ሳምንት ጀምሮ ድንበር ዘለል ወረራ በኬንያ ላይ ያደረገው የወያኔ ሰራዊት ከኦነግ ኣማጽያን ጋር ጦርነት ገጥሞ አንደነበር ሲታወስ የከዱ የመከላከያ ሰራዊት መኮንኖች ከኦነግ ኣማጽያን ጋር ተደባልቀው የወያኔን ሰራዊት አንደወጉ ቢገለጽም አስካሁን ድረስ የኦነግ ታጣቂ ሃይሎችን ያሉበትን ኣከባቢ ለማግኘት ኣለመቻሉን መረጃዎቹ ሲጠቁሙ ኣሉበት የተባሉ ኣከባቢዎችን በሃገር ውስጥ ደኖች ላይ ኣንደተለመደው አሳት በመልቀቅ አና ጎረቤት ሃገሮችን በመውረር በሃይል ለማዳከም ስራዎች አየተሰሩ አንደሆን ምንጮቹ ለምንሊክ ሳልሳዊ ተናግረዋል::
ሰራዊቱን ከድተው ወተዋል ከተባሉት ከፍተኛ መኮንኖች ውስጥ ሶስቱ ኮሎኔሎች የጦር መሪዎች መሆናቸው ሲታወቅ አነሱም
፩ = ኮሎነል ያሲን ሁሴን
፪ = ኮሎኔል ነገራ ኢደሳ
፫ = ኮሎኔል ኑሩ ኣስሊ ይገኙበታል::
፩ = ኮሎነል ያሲን ሁሴን
፪ = ኮሎኔል ነገራ ኢደሳ
፫ = ኮሎኔል ኑሩ ኣስሊ ይገኙበታል::
የሰራዊቱ የዘመቻ እንቅስቃሴ መረጃዎች በጃቸው አንደሆነ የሚነገርላቸው የጦር መሪዎች መክዳት ከፍተኛ ድንጋጤ አንደፈጠረ ታውቋል፥፥ ይህ በእንዲህ አንዳለ በሶማሊያ አና በኢትዮጵያ ድንበር ኣከባቢ በወያኔ ሰራዊት እና በኦብነግ ኣማጽያን መካከል ግጭቱ የቀጠለ ሲሆን በክዐንያው ድርድርም አስካሁን የተገኘ ውጤት አንዳሌለ ታውቋል:
Sunday 7 June 2015
Waamicha Walga’ii WWDO
Waldaan Walgargaarsa Dargaggoota Oromoo naannaa Waashington DC hojii hojjetaa jiru irratti mari’atee shoora lammummaa ba’uuf ji’a ji’aan akka wal ga’u beekamaadha. Haaluma kanaan, walga’iin idilee gaafa Dilbataa Waxabajjii 07, 2015, sa’aa 6:00w.b. irraa eegalee waajjira hawaasa Oromoo Washington DC tti geggeeffama. Waan ta’eef, dargaggoon naannoo DMV jiraattan hundi hirmannaan keessan barbaachisaadha.
Kanaaf, guyyaa armaan olitti tuqame kanatti waaree booda sa’aa 6:00tti hiriyaa keessan afeertanii akka irratti hirmaattan WWDOn waamicha isiniif godha. Guyyaa kanatti waa’ee deggersa hundeeffama Waldaa Hawaasa Oromoo Ameerikaa Kaabaa fi hiriira mormii ji’a Waxabajjii 2015 keessa yakka mootummaan abbaa irree Itoophiyaa ummata Oromoo irratti raawwataa jiru balaaleffachuun geggeeffamuuf karoorfame irrattis ni mari’atama. Mari’atan furmaata argatan!
Guyyaa: Dilbata Waxabajjii 07, 2015
Sa’aa: 6:00w.b.
Bakki: Waajjira Jaarmiyaa Hawaasa Oromoo,
6212 3rd Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Sa’aa: 6:00w.b.
Bakki: Waajjira Jaarmiyaa Hawaasa Oromoo,
6212 3rd Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Dargaggoon Oromoo Irree Oromiyaati!
Koree Gidduu WWDO
Koree Gidduu WWDO
European navies coordinate major migrant rescue off Libya
Five boats with 3,000 people on board intercepted even as nine others are reported to be attempting the Mediterranean crossing
The LE EITHNE located and rescued a barge with approximately 310 persons on board, 40 north
London (Gulf News): Naval vessels from across Europe have converged in the Mediterranean north of Libya to rescue 3,000 people crammed on five open boats, in one of the largest mass migration attempts of the year.
HMS Bulwark was sailing to join ships already on the scene from Italy, Germany and Ireland, along with the volunteer boat of the private charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS). They were called out to aid the boats in trouble on Saturday morning.
They were met by extraordinary scenes in which the five small migrant vessels were overflowing with people, mainly from Eritrea according to first reports.
In one vessel, 250 people were crammed into a tiny wooden hold, with a similar number or more flooding the top decks.
There were fears that up to nine other boats were also out in the open sea, according to surveillance data, which prompted the emergency rescue.
They are believed to have set out from the coast of western Libya after a lull in the fighting there between the coalition of militias running the western half of the country and terrorists from Daesh, which has set up a branch there.
The rescues will bring to around 80,000 the number of migrants who have been picked up at sea by European rescue boats or who have otherwise made it across the Mediterranean in 2015.
The commanding officer of HMS Bulwark said he believed there were half a million more people waiting to cross the Mediterranean in what is the peak summer season.
The migrants set out largely from Libya, where there is virtually no effective control over the human trafficking trade because of the breakdown in law and order as the country falls into the hands of competing militias.
Most of those crossing are from sub-Saharan Africa along with Ethiopia and Eritrea.
LE EITHNE rescue
From Italy and Greece, migrants set out across Europe, using routes that are well-known even back in their countries of origin.
One ends up in Scandinavian countries like Norway and Sweden, known to have generous asylum policies. That is a particularly sought-after destination for those fleeing persecution in places like Eritrea.
Others seek jobs in northern Europe, including in Britain, joining the trail of economic migrants who end up being smuggled across the Channel or North Sea.
If the remaining nine boats from the current rescue effort are found and similar numbers are on board, yesterday’s rescue mission could end up as the biggest ever.
It is certainly the second weekend of major movement — last weekend alone, 5,000 people were picked up from 25 boats.
Seventeen dead bodies were found on one of the dinghies — migrants who had died of exhaustion, thirst, exposure, or a mixture of all three.
At the beginning of May, 6,500 people were picked up in two days.
Watching HMS Bulwark at work was Michael Fallon, the UK defence secretary, who had flown in on one of its three Merlin helicopters.
The migration crisis has turned into a major row within the European Union, which at the beginning of the year began an attempt to discourage attempts to cross the Mediterranean by scaling back the rescue operation.
Italy and Greece complained that they were having to bear an unfair weight of the costs of hosting migrants because of their geographical proximity to Libya and Turkey, along with Egypt, the third country from which boats are setting out.
After around 800 migrants died in a single sinking of a migrant boat in April, that policy was dramatically reversed.
Now the EU is split over proposals to install a quota system, which would see up to 20,000 migrants relocated, with Theresa May, the UK home secretary, saying it would create an additional “pull” factor.
Fallon said that, whatever was decided, the rescue operation had to be handled properly.
“In the short-term, we need more ships from other European navies to come and help here,” he said on board HMS Bulwark.
“We need to pool more intelligence, we need to find out who is doing this trafficking, how they are making money from it, and we need to go back and smash the gangs involved.”
That will raise once again the question of military intervention in Libya. The EU is also discussing the idea of using “boots on the ground” to sink the smuggling boats and tackle the local people involved in the trade before they set off, but that has been fiercely opposed by the authorities, such as they are, in Libya, and would risk further involvement in the civil war.
There has been a trade for years — or even centuries, dating back to the times of slavery — in people across the Sahara Desert, with the traditional end-point the town of Zuwara on the coast between the capital Tripoli and the Tunisian border.
The town is run by ethnic Berbers who also control key towns in the Sahara. The trade was repressed by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi after he agreed to reform Libya in the so-called “deal in the desert” to repair relations with the West, but he opened the flood-gates again as European countries including Britain, France and Italy backed the uprising against his rule.
Since he fell, the trade has flourished and spread to other towns, particularly as the country fell into factional fighting and then civil war.
Some of the boats in the latest rescue are thought to have set sail from near Sabratha, the next major town along the coast from Zuwara. Sabratha is now a stronghold of Daesh, which has extended its territory in recent weeks.
The links between Daesh and the towns on the coast have raised fears that terrorists will use the wave of migrants as cover to infiltrate fighters into Europe. The authorities in Italy have already arrested one Moroccan man, Majid Touil, who they said took part in the attack on the Bardo museum in Tunis in which 21 tourists were killed and who is also said to have arrived by boat.
Since arriving off Libya in early May, HMS Bulwark has rescued 1,760 migrants — including pregnant women and unaccompanied children — from leaking boats. They have all been transferred to Italy.
Its helicopters have guided naval vessels from Italy, Ireland, Germany and Sweden to another 4,000.
Fallon said: “You have seen today 3,000 people trying to cross in a single day. We could see hundreds of thousands trying to cross this summer.”
He said the EU had to tackle the root causes of the trade.
“We have to tackle those causes much further back, getting after the trafficking, smashing the gangs and doing this and doing more to help those countries raise their standard of living and discouraging people from setting off on this very dangerous journey.
“This has to be a comprehensive approach for all EU countries. You’ve seen here German, Italian and British ships working together but every EU country has an interest in helping to deal with this problem much further back, otherwise potentially we will see thousands continuing to try to cross every day and the loss of life that comes with that.”
He added: “We can pool intelligence, get after the gangs themselves, we can try to cut off their financing, there is a lot of money involved in this operation, people are making money out of misery and we can do more there to track down the money.”
Mahbuba – An Oromo Slave who won the heart of a German Prince
Mahbuba aka Bilille
She was exceptional beautiful girl. Her parents called her name “Bilillee” which literally means well shaped, pretty. She was born in Guma, current Eastern Oromiyaa, Ethiopia in 1820 G.C. Unfortunately when she was 15 age, the civil war out broke in that particular area in 1835/36. It was during that war period she lost her father and six brothers. She left only with her mom. She was enslaved with her mother and taken by the conquering group to Gondar (about 500 KM from Addis Abeba to the North of Ethiopia) for the rampant slave trade. Then, she departed from her mother for trading purpose, and they never met each other again in their life.
Later, Birillee was taken first to Khartoum (Juba or Sudan) and then to Cairo (Egypt) in 1837 by slave traders to be sold. At that moment, the son of German king, Paklar, was visiting Southern parts of the world starting from 1935, and he reached Egypt the same year, 1837. One day, he went to the market to visit and to buy slaves and he saw Birillee among thousands of slaves. On that day, she was ready for selling. The God given beauty of Birillee touch Paklar’s heart and he became eager to buy. He bought and took her to his residence. He admired her beauty and interested to make his wife instead of his slave. He succeeded and called her by the name “MAHBUUBAA”, which means “My love” in Arabic. Her extra-ordinary goodness and optimistic thinking, loyalty, transparency and calmness more attracted his attention, he loved her. He said, “I spent my days with truth person, and I became truth person after many times”. He continued his visit with Mahbuubaa (the former slave who became his wife, no matter her willingness) for consecutive three years.
Paklar returned back to Europe with Mahbuubaa in 1840. They settled in Muska town while his first wife was in Berlin. Later on, Paklar went Berlin to visit his former wife. In the meantime, Mahbuubaa felt lung disease. He wrote a letter for her with silver made necklace writing “Mahbuubaa” on that necklace. Unfortunately, when that letter and necklace reached Muska on 27 October 1940, Mahbuubaa was dead. She couldn’t see even her gift.
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