By Yaadasaa Dafa | November 21, 2014
Yaadasa Dafaa
In both “The Conundrum of Ethiopianism” I and II, I discussed the pseudo identity of the dictated Ethioiwinett, and its lack of the authentic foundation for reception as a principal identity index or uniqueness in the real Oromo Nation’s communities. At the conclusion of “The Conundrum of Ethiopianism II” I did state: “….Thus, the natural death of “The Conundrum of Ethiopianism” can be blamed on no one except themselves (the Ethiopian colonialists). As the banning of the Macha-Tuullama Welfare Association by the colonial Ethiopian regime in 1967 was an open invitation for the Nation of Oromia to stand up for its own freedom, so today are the attacks on the Oromo nationals, all the suffering of the Oromo students, children, women, elders, and all segments of the Oromo people in the hands of the present Ethiopian Colonial regime will continue to fuel the just cause of the Oromo Nation till the overdue freedom is obtained”.
Here on “The Conundrum of Ethiopianism III”, I will focus on that humongous elephant standing in our living room suffocating our Nation, but continue attending to the conundrum of Ethiopiaim. Metaphorically, that huge elephant remains to be the few Oromos who figuratively assumed the opinion of not only being antagonistic to the natural flow of the Oromo Nation’s struggle, but practically, positioned themselves as pessimistically spineless fatalists directly serving their masters to keep the Nation of Oromia in bondage, exploitation and repression of the past and present Ethiopian colonial regimes. Presumably, we all are aware that our Nation’s natural adversaries do approach and anxiously check on the progress of Oromo struggle and its achievements or lack of it at any time given. These momentary inspections of our struggle often accomplished by the enemies of the Oromo Nation (through their direct, or indirect spies), which often verifies how much intolerant and xenophobic they are towards the Oromo Nation’s collective gains at all times. Therefore, we need to be observant in all aspects of our lives including (but not limited to) our religious alliances/fraternity, or gaining sudden popularity and unexpected audiences to our political dialogs, which can end up serving the evil dreams of Abyssinians, even though we are honestly and sincerely engaged practicing our god given rights, or devout righteousness and morally acceptable life style according the dictations of our own various religious doctrines: be Christianity (of all denomination), Muslins (of all sects), Waqqefataa, and none-believers as well.
Being well aware of the challenging and provocative nature of the above topics, I will take the clear stance, which may offend some persons depending on their own frames of references, as well as priorities in credible value upholding in-relation to the freedom journey of the Nation of Oromia. It is a very thin line to walk on, but the genuine Oromo struggle deserves this direct and forward venture at the present juncture, so help me god!!!!!!! But I would like to assure the readers that it is not what I just woke up today and started to envisage, but it is my basic and ultimate belief that we all do have home works to do first in order the sustain and nurture our Nation’s struggle for eventual freedom. As I wrote previously on December 27, 2012, in my article “License to criticize Oromo struggle”
I unequivocally stated “……. The second internal opposition comes from the few Oromo citizens who are consciously used as a tool and foot soldiers for the enemy of their Nation. The driving force for such few unpatriotic opportunistic Oromos do not hold that much secrecy than material GREED, and Individualistic power hunger. Yet, it remains beyond the natural Oromo cultural DNA to understand these causal factors for a pure Oromo citizen(s); for being intoxicated and blinded, and descend to such a degrading low level of Orommummaa, and allow themselves to be utilized for the continued colonization of their own Nation. It was such Oromo elements who used the weakness within the Oromo National struggle, particularly within the OLF to de-synchronize the steps towards freedom and turned around and abused those teachable moments, while using those weaknesses as a license to criticize the struggle of the Nation of Oromia. No competent Oromo compatriot denies the existences of mistakes when the dedicated Oromo people are engaged in an organized fashion to combat the backward Ethiopian Colonialism including daily societal hetero-structure rebuilding in the only honest way they happen to know how. Therefore, it is fair to conclude, that wherever there is a purposeful activities, expecting a perfect results would not be within the norms of human-beings capacities. But not grasping the momentums, including failing to lend the organization to learn from the past wrong decisions is an easily predictable formula for an organizational disaster. As the Oromo proverb goes “kan mamni biroo nama arrabsuurra, kan abbaan ofiisaa of arraabssutu caalaa nama guba” jedhaa Oromoon durii. The journey for freedom starts from within each and every Oromo citizens themselves. One cannot free his/her Nation unless he/she frees him/her-self first from the psychology of establishment, and the colonial frames of minds which had been perpetuated by exploitative alien entities through the Nation’s Educational institutions, Health systems, Financial enterprises, and all Social media….etc. Throughout the past century, this topic is/was also viewed as a taboo to discuss within our communities in most areas. But it is inescapable social phenomenon that deserves appropriate exhaustion. Yes dwelling on it may produce unfavorable result for our Nation. Therefore, assuring those who still needs to be assured that there is nothing wrong with your culture, language, and history should be among the “to do” lists for all the Oromo compatriots………”
Painstakingly, the Ethiopian debteras within the Oromoo struggle systematically represent the Humongous Elephant standing in the living room of the genuine Oromoo struggle for independence. As history holds witness to the past experiences of the Oromoo Nation’s conquest, and resistances, these misguided Oromoo opportunists create their own timely corresponding “Buzz Words” to legitimize, and confuse the Oromoo Nation’s generations. But the “Ethiopian Unity” Buzz-Word had been over used by simultaneous generations of both the colonialists, and their representatives within the struggle of Oromia.
The annoyances of contemplating defeat and forfeiting the vision of freedom.
Most of the times, human beings do fall victims to their own assumptions and unfounded postulations and hypotheses. So, let us ask ourselves, “Is the mighty of the colonial Ethiopian strength is real or presumed fantacy?” In another words, can there be pure Ethiopian entity without the colonized Nation of Oromia? To address this issue, we need to go back in history and summarize the positions some Oromo individuals played in the formation the Nation called Ethiopia. We also need to understand ‘at what cost to the Nation of Oromo itself?’
I will start with Gobena Daacee, and the conquest of the Nation of Oromia. According to theencyclopedia, ….After the death of Atsee Tewodros II during his last battle with the British expeditionary force, Menelik escaped the Maqdala base of Tewodros in 1865, and Gobena became the trusted army leader, and quickly rose to be Ras Gobena (the highest military rank of the colonial Abyssinia) in 1878. According to Dr. Mohamad, Gobena was “the first Christianized and Amharized Shawan Oromo to receive this highest title.” Since then, Gobena brought all the rival forces under Menelik’s control including the Nation of Oromia. In the case of the conquest of Oromia in more details, please refer to Dr. Mohamad Hassan’s Historical Research titled “Conquest, Tyranny, and Ethnocide against the Oromo” page 15 to 50-NORTHEAST AFRICAN STUDIES-Volume 9 number 3, 2002. But the brutality of the Abyssinian conquering army against the Oromo people was beyond basic conception and mere decency of any human beings. Here it would worth illuminating and revealing the true crux and extent of the Meneliks army brutality which was led by the treacherous an Oromoo army head Gobena as documented by Dr. Mohamad on page 17: “….. By the end of the Century, the conquest and occupation of Oromo territory had been accomplished by King Menelik of Shewa (1865-89), later the emperor of Ethiopia !889-1913). Though the Oromo put up stiff resistance, Menelik’s soldiers used their superiority in modern European weapon to inflict heavy loses. The Arsi Oromo put up the longest and strongest resistrance (1879-86) and sustained the largest destruction. ….…. Such inhumane actions, according to Dr. Mekuria Bulcha, were meant to increase the psychological impact on the resisting Arsi Oromo. In September 1886, at a place called Azule, the army of Ras Darghe, Menelik’s uncle, massacred 12, 000 Arsi Oromoo; while at Anole, thousands of mutilated limbs and breasts were tied around the necks of victims who were sent back to their villages. Other mutilated hands were hung on the tree under which the Shewan soldiers sang and danced in celebration of this exploit……”
Since then the Nation of Oromia experienced the continuation of genocide, massive enslavement, and psychological and material exploitation by the colonial regimes of Ethiopia till the very day using different tactical maneuvers including the sons and daughters of Oromo themselves as the surrogates. It is inconceivable for a person with the slightest DNA of Oromo Nation in his blood to continue serving the core enemies of his Nation for destruction, humiliation, and exploitation of his Nation.
It is essential to know the past, even how ugly it had been, so as to have the practical idea of devising where to be heading to in today’s complicated world. Proudly, we do have selfless compatriots, and genuinely committed countrymen and women who chose serving “in the best interest” of their Nation of Oromia throughout the Oromo Nation’s struggle for its overdue freedom their entire lives. Therefore, I would like to rejoice my feelings when I am appreciating the prolific, rejuvenating, and aspirational history of our hero; General Tadesse Biru and the pioneer Oromo self-help association-Mechaa and Tulamaa as documented on the World encyclopedia. …….….General Tadesse was promoted to be a commander of the “Fetno-Derash”, the Ethiopian Special Forces, because of his personal loyalty to emperor Hail Silas in 1960s.This also gave the opportunity for General Tadesse to be a trainer for Nelson Mandela. Despite General Tadesse’s initial rejection to the Oromoo nationalist resistances that were boiling within all Oromo Nationalists, at that time, his (General Tadesse Birru’s) perceptions were totally altered as a consequences of the meeting he had with Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold. That meeting was a wake-up call for General Tadesse Birru. He became a volunteer, which Akililu Habtewold advised him against, and presented his ill spirited counsel against educating or recruiting the Oromos people to the military. This malicious recommendation of Akililu Habtewold directly pushed General Tadesse to join the Mecha and Tuluma Self-Help Association, an Oromo social movement in which G/ Tadesse went on to become a prominent figure.
The organization was eventually banned by the government in 1963 and many of its members were killed, jailed or exiled. G/ Tadesse Birru escaped the worst of repercussions but was put under house arrest. G/Tadesse escaped house arrest after three years and attempted an unsuccessful coup in 1966 along with other high ranking Oromo soldiers. He was arrested and severely tortured despite his old age, his death sentence was later committed to life in prison while many of his comrades were killed.
General Tadesse was eventually released from prison and put into house arrest in Gelemso by the DERG after the overthrowing Haile Silas in 1974. It was during that time that General Tadessecontinued to preach openly to the Nation of Oromo at Gelemso that Oromos had the right to nationhood. His statements attracted figures such as Elemo Qiltu (Hassen Ibrahim) and Ahmad “Hundee” Taqi, two men who would go on to lead the first Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).
It is the public secret to know that the genuine Oromo cause invigorated and recharged many G/Tadesse Birrus, as well as Gobena Daccees. If it was not for those the likes of Gobena, the history of the Oromo Nation most likely to have different segment dominated by victorious chapters. But the unfortunate truth that we need to face remain that the Nation of Oromoo endures the likes of Gobena with no end in sight. This is the main blockage which the innocent people of Oromia often realize after those Gobenas have succeeded in properly implanting their disenfranchising venom with in the Nation of Oromia’s struggle. In short, this happened so many times, and still continues. But, this phase of Oromo history is most likely to expire with the generation of Oromos who were adulterated by the Abyssinian culture, greed, and personality traits. Even though it may appear idealistic, the young generation of Oromos does not lend itself to be within the rage of becoming the prey for the colonial crusade and vendetta. That does not mean that the Abyssinians altered their retarded and very backward value system, and became a Democratic Nation accepting its entire principles overnight. But the current generation will continue to voice their practical opposition to the Abyssinian Colonialists’ campaign aimed at intimidating, devouring the Oromo Nations’ all material/economic structures, drenching all evil and inhuman tortures upon the Nation of Oromia the same as their invading ancestors, and even at times worst. Even though it is beyond the technical capacities of our stone age colonialists to control the diffusion news todays at the information age, their barbaric retaliations will be their own demise. On the other hand, the Oromo compatriots need to be vigilant, advocating and sportingly informative about the plight the Oromo people, while strengthening the fundamentals of the unity of the Oromo people. There is nothing stronger that the united people.
Inone of my previous writings on 12/20/2008, I said the following…When I was young and in College, I learned the basic functions of the human brain: “Normally, every thought, emotion, or action we experience involves our nervous system. This system involves our brain, spinal cord, and nerves that extend throughout our body. The brain makes decisions by receiving messages from different parts of your body through these nervous system. Then the brain had to send these messages back down our various muscles to give instructions on what to do for each part of our body. But a normal brain has different important parts with different responsibilities. Here are only a few of the examples: Cerebellum is part of our brain that controls our balance, body position, and movement in space. Cerebrum is where all the decisions are made. The cortex as well as hippocampus, amygdala are the storage system of the brain. The frontal, parietal, temporal lobes, the limbic system, the thalamus, the hypothalamus are all few of the essential parts of the brains which allows the daily functions of human beings when they act in harmony with each other doing their parts and responsibilities accordingly.
The similarity between the human brain and the Nation of Oromo is that both are abundantly complex and huge. Furthermore, their normal function depends on each and every part doing what they are designated to do. In case they fail to do their part, the whole function fails, and in the Case of the human brain, it would be classified as an idiot, or incompetent, retarded, or insane, and not fit to make any decision. This could result from the failure of just one part the brain not doing its responsibility as expected. The same goes for the Nation of Oromo. Yes we are a huge nation with stretching from Eastern Oromia of Haragee, to the Western Oromia of Wallagaa, to the Northern Oromia of Raayyaa, to the Southern Oromia of Gujii and Booranaa, including the Centeral part, the umbilical cord of Oromia –Finfinee. We are all essentials part of Oromia. We cannot function as an Oromo Nation without any parts of the above vicinities. We need to be as proud as one could possibly be, not only for nation’s size, but also with our potentials of using our diversity for our Nation’s strength. Not celebrating your diversity as a strength is a weakness that we need to master before it devour our Nation. In-case you respect your Orommummaa and cherish your Oromoo heritage, you are one of my siblings, I do not care whether you are Waqeefataa, Christian, or Muslim, happen to born in any part of Oromia, or the world, and may not speak Afaan Oromoo as fluent as I am. Our common denominator is that we are all Oromoos.”
Therefore, we need to be cognizant that there is time to laugh, time to joke, time to sing, time cry, and time to sit and wait for others to do their part, but what about yours? Do you think this is a time for you and me just to sit and wait till the cows come home? Or, start doing our part, which encourages other Oromos to accomplish theirs as well!!!!!
It is evident that knowing the kind of the disease though a validated analysis diseases leads to obtaining the appropriate medication for curing any illness. But if one is fails to make that needed diagnosis, it is quite possible to remain beating around the bush without finding concrete curative medication for the disease and one remains ill. . Therefore, my personal hypotheses and basic premises is that the Nation of Oromia is invaded by the Abyssinian culture indisputably. This invasion originated the colonial ways of perceptual filtering in some Oromos without even being aware of it. That colonial perceptual filtering is the sources for some so-called leaders of the Oromo struggle’s power, or material hunger, as well as the conniving, evil plotting, and deceitfulness in the Abyssinian fission. No one can say they stand for the Freedom of Oromia without freeing themselves from the Abyssinian cultural bondage!!!!!!The basic foundation of all these evil endeavors is the Conundrum of Ethiopianism.
For the Record:
Overall one may ask me; how can you talk about the Oromo unity, when you just cluttered the Oromoos who are the Debtras of Ethiopia being the core problem for the Oromo struggle? My response will be in afaan Oromo. Jaamtee hinjaamti malee, saree ija hindhiqan jedhe Oromoon keenya dur. I know, this statement is against the modern animal activists’ paradigm. My sincere apology for that, but at the same time, I will invite all to listen to Dr. Zelealem Aberra’s CD concerning the conflicting dilemmas within the different perceptions of the traditional approach to the treatment of Dogs by the people of Oromo, and modern Western societies. Here we both are not dwelling on which is right and which society is wrong, but on the differences of perceptual categorizing as it relates to the issue.
Ulfaadhaa.
Yaadasaa Dafaa.
Resoureses:
NORTHEAST AFRICAN STUDIES 2002.
Dr. Mohamad Hassan,
Dr. Mekuria Bulkcha,
Dr. Zelealem Aberra,
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