Hangaasuu Bilisummaa Journal Volume 1 - ULFO

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incessant simmering that is debilitating the struggle. The spill over effect of the crisis within the organization is now ripping apart the tokkummaa of the Diaspora Oromo communities, and it could potentially impact on people at home. Tokkummaa Oromo is the most vital treasure we can’t afford to squander. It is our last defense shield against the enemy that is ever more determined to obliterate the Oromo from the face of the earth. Problems emanating from mismanagement of our internal politics should not be allowed to creep into tokkummaa Oromo and water it down. Tokkummaa Oromo that we all so much cherish must be kept intact at any cost. Let our cultural treasure be fully utilized exquisitely to help mend and sustain tokkummaa. Let us not at the expense of tokkummaa haggle for petty political gains. We have to fight external intruders and internal chameleons who use region and religion as currencies to ascend to political power and in the process trample upon the tokkummaa of our people. 2. Tokkummaa of Liberation Forces The growing number of Oromo political organizations or forces is also a matter of serious concern for the Oromo public. In essence, it is not so much the sheer statistics of the liberation forces that is bothersome, but what they actually do contrary to what they proclaim is one that does not sit The Essence of Tokkummaa Defiled VOLUME 1 SPRING 2010 well with the Oromo people. The aspiration of our people is to see not fragmented but unified forces with a common purpose. It is not unusual to see multiple political organizations catering to diverse political interests emerging from within a fairly populace nation like the Oromo. Proliferation of political organizations is a sign of political activism and mature democracy. As long as actions of such organizations complement one another and effect substantial transformation in all facets of life in a given society, the number factor is inconsequential. It is, however, counterproductive when political organizations litter a political landscape and go at logger-head with each other to the detriment of the society they claim to serve. This latter situation better describes the prevailing situation in the Oromo political arena. Prior to the birth of the OLF in the early 1970s, let alone many, not a single front or political organization of national stature existed in Oromiyaa. Few political entities did emerge, raise the grievance of the Oromo people, and spark the Oromo movement at different corners of Oromiyaa. It is the movement led by such entities that eventually culminated in the formation of the OLF. Hence, for all practical purposes, one could say the OLF was the sole political voice of the Oromo nation at the time. By late 1970s, however, this situation had completely changed. Crisis in the OLF resulted in fragmentation. What unfolded then continued in several fold to the extent that today numerous fronts claim to struggle for the same cause – for liberation – but in pathetically unsynchronized fashion. The cause of the initial crisis within the OLF could be several. On the surface, it could be attributed to organizational and leadership inexperience. As a newly formed front, the issue of lack of experience in both organization and leadership areas is a plausible cause. For a young organization, it could be challenging to manage a setback and remain on course. However, what contributed the most to the first faction is the difference in ideological inclination amongst the earlier members of the OLF leadership coupled with the parochial card they later used to ascend to power. In subsequent years, up until presently, beside the OLF factions, we have witnessed a growing number of other Oromo political forces. The root cause for further division within the OLF could be ascribed to its failure to manage the perception about its lack of inclusiveness, reach and involve Oromos across all divides (region, religion, sex, age, etc.), accommodate dissenting political views, and uphold a consistent ideological line. Other Oromo liberation fronts came into being in reaction to the OLF ineptness to handle its internal organizational challenges, mobilize the Oromo nation from corner to corner, rally and lead the mass around the core Hangaasuu Bilisummaa 6
objective of the national liberation struggle. The escalating number of the Oromo liberation forces has become a grave concern for our people for sometime. Specially, the lack of coordinated efforts on the part of such forces has been quite disturbing for all concerned. To remedy this situation, in the eve of and during the Charter era of 1991, Oromo elders have made a call to all forces to come together and work in unison for the Oromo national interest. This first call of “tokkummaa”, despite diligent effort of elders, never came to fruition. Opportunities presented to them to come together and work to heal old wounds, iron out differences, and collectively advance the Oromo cause were totally aborted. Regrettably, with incessant in-fighting and without directing their collective muscle against the enemy, just as divided all left the political scene in Finifine without making any contribution in derailing the refined colonial agenda of the Wayane regime. This circumstance has exacerbated the concern of our people and further more elevated their frustration. For nearly a decade, from the time they all vacated from Finfine up until year 2000, literally no one front had made a meaningful call for tokkummaa. Because the Oromo general public was pressing so hard on the issue of tokkummaa of forces, just few started making a nominal call merely for the purpose of political conception. Not anyone The Essence of Tokkummaa Defiled VOLUME 1 SPRING 2010 of the fronts but a mass organization first extended a genuine call for unity. That organization was the Union of Oromos in North America (UONA). Not only just a call but it also organized a conference - ‘The Conference on Selfdetermination and National Unity” - and invited all Oromo liberation forces to participate in the conference and deliberate on such grand issues of national concern. With the exception of the OLF, all the rest positively responded to the call by sending their delegates and participating in the conference. A very positive development emerged out of this conference. Participants agreed on and committed to further advancing the agenda of unity to a higher level. The conference had served as a launching pad for other similar conferences to be held in the subsequent years. Eventually, constant dialogue and constructive engagement between the liberation forces resulted in the historic formation of the United Liberation Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO) in September 2000. The formation of ULFO was a major milestone in the race for unity of all Oromo political forces in particular and the advancement of the Oromo liberation struggle at large. Realizing that the strength of the Wayane regime is the function of the fragmentation within the Oromo liberation camp, all forces made a groundbreaking pact on unity – the pact enshrined in a document referred to as the Consensus 2000. This pact was ecstatically received by the Oromo public, both at home and abroad. The overly agonizing issue of unity of purpose that so much dominated the Oromo political discourse, in private setting in millions of households and in various public fora, appeared to have been settled. All liberation forces brought past conflicts and misunderstandings to a table and sincerely and exhaustively discussed and put them to rest according to the Oromo cultural value. At the end, all declared ‘let the bygones be bygones’ and concluded with solemn oath (Kakuu) that they will desist and resist actions that promote fragmentation and uphold unity at all cost. This unprecedented spirit and sentiment of unity of forces elated the Oromo mass that had been yearning for such a culmination. So the formation of ULFO created a fertile ground for the seed of unity to germinate, blossom, and mature. The Oromo political forces seemed to have captured the moment to advance the cause of the nation. The Oromo mass fully rallied behind them. All factors that satisfy the Oromo political equation hinging on unity converged. Oromo as a political force appeared to have reached a pinnacle – a pinnacle that by any measure had hitherto never been seen. The storm seemed to have gathered to shorten the days of the tyrant TPLF rulers of Ethiopia. Hence, the creation of ULFO and its political potential appeared to have unnerved the TPLF. Hangaasuu Bilisummaa 7
Page 1: Contributions by Idries Jemal Taj
Page 4 and 5: Hangaasuu Bilisummaa Journal Volum
Page 6 and 7: Hangaasuu Bilisummaa Journal Volum
Page 8 and 9: Hangaasuu Bilisummaa VI
Page 10 and 11: The organizational behavior of Orom
Page 12 and 13: this goal to succeed, they put in p
Page 16 and 17: The organizational framework of ULF
Page 18 and 19: agenda only after an exhaustive deb
Page 20 and 21: its ultimate political goals. It is
Page 22 and 23: Saamichalafa Oromoo Saamicha Lafa O
Page 24 and 25: uqqisuun alagaa wajjin saamaa jiran
Page 26 and 27: kutannoon dura dhaabate san akka ho
Page 28 and 29: Naannolee Oromiyaa birootti jechuun
Page 30 and 31: The basis of Mushrooming Factions w
Page 32 and 33: The basis of Mushrooming Factions w
Page 34 and 35: Biyya Oromoo Laalistuu VOLUME 1 SP
Page 40 and 41: Rooting out the Oromos and exposing
Page 44: Volume 1 Spring 2010

Hangaasuu Bilisummaa Journal Volume 1 - ULFO

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