Haa gahu J. Dawud Ibsaaf

Hunda dura wareegama qabsoo saba Oromootiif waggoota 30 oliif baasaa turtaniif seenaan isin haa yaadatu jedha. Nu hindinuu ni dabarra, seenaan garuu yoggahuu ni tura. Faaruu kiyya irra faaruu seenaattu caala,

Xalayaa kana akka isiniif barreessu kan na dirqe ilaalchi rakkoo amma mooraa qabsoo Oromoo keessatti uumamteef furmaata argamsiisuu irratti qooda guddaa akka laachuu dandeessan abdiin waan natti buleefi. Yaada kiyya akka qalbiin hordoftanii kaayyoo barootaaf itti dhamaatan, lubbuu ilmaan Oromoo qabsoo kana irratti aarsaa taatee fi ummata Oromoo afaan qawwee jalatti ba'aan salphinaa guyyaa hundaa akka fe'aatti itti dabalamuuf jettanii furmaata dhugaa argamsiisuuf taarkaanfii malu akka fudhattan nan abdadha. Yaada furmaata jedhutti dabruu dura rakkoo barootaaf mooraa qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo keessatti mul'atu kanaaf sababni maali waan jedhu akka waliin ilaalu barbaada.

I. Dhibdeelee Haala amma keessa jiru kana uuman

1. Rakkoon duraa ABO 1992 booda akka hundi keenya hawwinutti injifatnoolee ummata Oromoo abdachiisanii fi Oromoo humna taasisan gonfachuu dhabuun kufaatii mudate irratti namootni ilaalcha adda addaa akka qabaatan godhe. Namootni hanga tokkoo ABO akka jaarmayaatti yemoo balaalefftanii fi tuffatan kanneen hafan ammoo ir'ina mul'ateef hooggana keessaa nama hanga tokkoo irratti itti gaafatamaa godhanii fudhatan. Akkuma dubbiin bubbultee, dhibdeen ABO keessa jiru daran xaxamaa fi kan furmaata argatuu hin dandeenye tahee mul'atu rakkoo kanaaf namoota irra dabranii kanneen ganda hunda yakkan hin dabamne.

Rakkoon dhugaan namni dhaaba kana keessa isaa qorate hubachuu dandahu kuffaatii keenyaaf sababni guddaan jaarmaya cimaa dhabuu isaa ti. Osoo jaarmaya cimaan qabaannee kufaatii 1992 keessa nu irra gahe irraa dandamachuu ni dandeenya ture. 1992 yeroo chaartaraa baanutti humni nuti qabnu kan diina madaalu hin turre. Leenjisaa fi akaakuunis diinaa fi isa gidduu garaa garummaan ture waaqaa lafa jechuu nan danda'a. Yeroo 1991-2 ummatatti baanetti osoo humnaa fi dandeettii qabnu hunda humna riphee lolaan diina dura dhaabbachuu danda'u ijaaruu irratti bobbaanee haalli amma keessa jiru kun hin dhalatu ture. kun tahuu dhabuun kan agarsiisu akka humna riphee lolaa tokkotti humna keenyaa fi kan diinaa, waan ar'a tahuu fi boru itti aanu tilmaamuuf dandeettiin keenya akka ir'uu tahe agarsiisa. Hunda caalaa ir'inni ture kan murna ykn nama tokkoo lamaa osoo hin taane kan hooggana waloo akka tahe ragaa baha.Waan chaartara booda dhalachuuf deemu hoogganni tokkooyyuu tilmaamuu hin dandeenye. Hunda hooggana dhaabaa beekuu kiyya irraa dhugaa kana tolcheen beeka.

2. Inni itti aanu gaaga'ama 1992 tahe irraa dandamachuuf hoogganni ture tarkaanfii sirreessii fudhachuu dadhabuu isaa ti. Hanga 1998 gahutti hooggana dirreetti hoogganni bakka tokkotti deebi'ee waliin haasa'uu hin dandeenye. Adeemsa baroota dabree irraa barachuun wayyaanee humna isa gitu /tooftaan/ ijaaruun qabsoo bifa haarayaan deebifnee ijaaruu hin dandeenne. Akkaataa ummata itti ijaarru bifa jaarmaya wayyaanee gituun hin diriirsine. Kan biraa hafnaan biyyoota ollaa hoogganni keenya qaamaa keessa jiraataa turetti, daandii "logistic" diriirsuun humna hidhachiisuu fi leenjima waraanaa baraneen hin kennamneef. Bakka hundatti humna waraanaa nutti dabalamaa tureeef barruulee tooftaa waraanaa irraa barsiifamu qopheessuun hin danda'amne.

Hoogganni dhaabaa boolla dhaabni keessa lixaa jiru kana keessa dhaaba baasuuf dandeettii gahaa dhabuun kanneen haaraya dhaabatti dabalaman, kanneen halaalaa ilaalanii fi kanneen barootaaf dhaaba kana irratti cichaa turanii fi "irruma aanna" aadaa jedhu qaban hunda akka of duuba deebi'anii yaadanii fi dandeettii dhaabni kun rakkoo kana keessaa bahuu shakkan gahan. Haala dhaaba keenya kana gadi nyaatu kanaaf hoogganni jiru waloonis tahe nam-tokkeen, hojiinis tahe haasayaan furmaata akkamitti akka argamsiisuu danda'u agarsiisuu dhabuu fi osoo dhaabni kun miidhamaa jiru hoogganummaa irra taa'uun kanneen duraan jaallan kana akka uumama namaa oliitti ilaalan, akka hooggana isaanii ofiin qixxeessan haalli uumame. Kun inni maal narra jiraa qajeelfama natti kenna, waan hooggana isa godhu maal hojjachaa jira bakka jedhu irra gahamuu irra dabramee sadarkaa hoogganni ija tuffiitiin ilaalamu irra gahame. Haalli akkanaa yeroo dhalatutti dhaaba tokko hoogganuu fi hoogganamaa tahuunis ni ulfaata. Irra caalaa ilmaan namaa warraaqsa keessatti nama ilaalu. Waraanni tokko kan ajaja fudhatee du'aaf of kennuuf murtii ajajaan isaa kennu wareegamni jiraatus kan jaallan isaa injifachiisuu jedhee waan amanuufi. Miseensi hojii siyaasaaf magaalatti ergamu tokko osoo qabamee akka wareegamuu maluu fi diinaan dhiphinni irra gahu beeku kan ajaja hooggan isaa fudhatee bakka barbaadametti bobba'uuf murtiin hoogganni isaa fudhatu qabsoo inni of kenneef milkeessa jedhee waan amanuu fi. Hunda caalaa dandeettii hooggana isaaf waan kabajaa qabuufi. Namni gabrummaa jala waan jiraatuuf dirqiitti du'uu hin qabu. Lubbuun isaa waan gabrummaa irra wayyaa ni argamsiifti yoo tahe malee. Haalleen armaa olitti mul'atan kun hooggana irratti abdii ummataa fi miseensotni qaban daake. Kabaan hafte kan akka jaarmayaatti waliif qabamu tahuun hafee akka wal beekkomsaa fi walitti aananiin qofa tahe. Kanaaf egaa ar'a qabso irratti osoo hin taane namoota /hoogganoota keenya irratti wal lolla.

3. Jabinni nama tokkoo ykn murna tokkoo kan madaalamu hojii tokko irratti of kenniinsa inni/isaan qaban osoo hin taane hojjatanii waan mul'isaniini.Akkuma namuu beekutti kanneen ar'a isin waliin jiran hedduun kanneen qabsoo kanaaf wareegama guddaa baasanii fi barootaaf dhaaba keessa turanii dha. Haa tahu malee akka murnaatti hoogganni kun kan madaalamuun yeroo isaan dhaaba kana keessatti dabarsan osoo hin taane jijjiirma ykn guddina isaan dhaaba kana keessatti mul'isaniini. Namni tokko waggaa keessatti guyyaa 360 hojii irra jiraachuu osoo hin taane maal akka calleessee dha. Rakkoo dhaabni keenya 1990-ta keessa keessa ture irra dabree erga Eritreatti hoogganni keenya cehe booda haalli ture ni wayyata waan jedhuu hedduun abdate. Keessattuu 1991 booda yeroo jalqabaatiif tin'isa diplomaasii fi waraanaa waan arganneef. Haa tahu malee haalli mul'ate kan abdii nama kutachiisu malee kan abdii nama horachiisuu hin taane. 1992-96 yeroo dirree turretti, hoogganni namni hagoon jiruu fi osoo marfama keessa jirru, yeroo diinagdee fi galaan ala irraa hin argamne waan socho'aa turre socho'uu dadhabne. Tattaaffiin yeroo hedduu karaa Somalee, Sudaan, fi Keeniyaatiin biyya keessatti WBO gadi dhaabuuf godhame hundi firii dhabe.

Kanneen biyya keessatti fincilaa turan yeroo diinni biyya irraa buqqisu humna isaan ofitti fudhatee isaan hujoomsu dhabee biyya ollaa keessatti salphina baqattummaa uffatee akka jiraatu tahe. Kanneen carraa argatanii biyya ambaa bahan hedduun akka maraataa qofaa haasawutti hafan. Haala kana hundaa irraa kan argame hooggana dhaaba kanaan deemaa ture jalatti hiriiruu fi haala kana jijjiiruuf qooda kennuu osoo hin taane irraa dheessuu fide. Ilmi waan tokko karaa hedduun ilaalee yoo dadhabu abdii kutata. Akka dur hojjadhu sanatti hojjadhee nan milkaawa jedhee waan hin yaadneef waan biraa ilaala. Kana irraa ka'eetti qabsaawotni hedduun kan hoogganni kun eessanuu nu hin gahu yaada jedhu irra gahan. Kana booda addaan faffaca'uun uumame. Hoogganni dur akka utubaa hundaa kabajaa "Wajjirra" qabsaawotaa fi ummataa inni keessa taa'uun nama hunda waliiti harkisaa ture kabajaan sun laaffannaan kan walitti hafe waliif mararfannoo qofa tahe. Ammas irra deebi'ee kan Oromoo qabsoo akkamitti fuula dura tarkaanfachiifnaa osoo hin taane namoota irratti wal loltuuf kanaafi natti fakkaata.

4. Waldhabiin 2000 uumame murna QC dhale. Murna kana waliin qabsaawotni lakkoobsaan hin tuffatamne achi bahan. Qoodama dur ture irratti qoodama biroo dabalate. Rakkoo kana furuuf tattaaffiin hedduun godhamus rakkoon ar'a deebinee akka humna tokko hin taane nu godhe akkaataa dhibdeen sun itti qabamee dha. Keessatti kanneen dhaaba kana irraa achi bahan diina jedhanii yakkuun namootni akka daran madaawanii jaala isaanii diina godhatan godhe. An yeroo sanatti faallaa murna QC dhaabbadhee kan natti himamaa ture, murni kun TPLF waliin qunnamtii qaba, mallaaqa hedduu akka diina irraa fudhatan ragaa qabna kan jedhu ture. Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo nan beeka. Nama 1992 irraa kaasee hanga fottoqanitti WBO rakkoo sana hundaa jala qaxxaamursee dha. Xiqqaatu yeroo hamtuu sana humna diina jalatti gatee biyya ambaa hin baane. Jaala akkanaa jaallan isaa diina jedhanii yakkuun deebi'ee akka jaala jedhuu hin dandeenye godhu. Yeroo AWOn ijaaramte Amaan Kadiir fi kanneen isa waliin jiran akka diina waliin hojjatan dhageenne. Kana oduu karaa dabartu osoo hin taane hoogganootni keenya kanneen ABO bakka bu'an odeessa dabarsaa turanii dha. Osoo boruuf hin jedhin gadi baanee barruu fi afaaninis wal xiqqeessine. Diigamni itti fufe. Hunda caalaa haalli booressan 2008 kan dhalatee dha. Akkuma dhaaba keessatti wal dhabbiin mumul'achuu eegalteen ololli gandaan Oromoo walitti buusu eegale. Gadi bu'amee waan namni nyaatu bakka bulee fi oole, waan gaarii jireenya keessatti qabsoo kanaaf godhame hundi dagatamee hammeenyi daangaa dabre dagaage. Ar'a inumaa bira dabree walgahii jijjiiramaa irraa Abbaa Duulaa fi Juneeydiin qooda fudhatan kan jedhuutu jira. Kun cubbuu guddaa dha. Ummata sochii kana deeggaru tuffachuu dha.

Akkuma duratti tuqe, ABOn laaffachuun, dhaabni akka utubaa fi gaaddisaa qabsaawotni itti golgatan gaaddisa hiriyummaa fi gosaan bakka bu'e. Filmaatni dhabamee namuu of baasuu akka filatu dirqamae. Anis yoo waan hojjadhuun Oromoof bu'aa buusuu hin dandeenne kanuma filadha. Gabayaa maraataa keessatti kan maraataa tahu kan nama nagayaa tahuu barbaaduu dha.

Egaa kana irraa wanni an argu diigama keenya keessa alagaan akka hin jirree fi itti gaafatamaan numa qabsaawota tahuu dha. Dhaaba keessatti dhibdee keenya furachuu dadhabnee yeroo waggaa 10 hin geenne keessatti dhaabni sadi dagaagu nama biraa komachuu hin dandeennu. QC, AWO fi jijjiirama irraa kaasee kanneen diina waliin hojjatan akka hin jirre namuu ni beeka. Osoo kun dhugaa tahee silaa kkuma 2000 keessa nutti himame J. Galaasaa fi Dhugaasaan Finfinnee jiru ture. Silaa Amaan Kadiir faan Caffee

Oromiyaa keessa jiraatu. Kanaaf akka natti mul'atutti rakkoo kana kan facaase qabsaawota Oromoo ti, kan dagaagses numa.

II. Haala ammaa kanaan itti fufnu balaan dhufu maali?

Akka amma argaa jirru kanatti itti fufnu Oromoo keessattti namni wal dhagahu ni hafa. Ummata qabsoo bilisummaa bifa nuti gaggeessinuu kana keessa dabree nilkaaye keessaa hayyuu hedduutu burqa. Generaalota lammiin itti abdatuu fi ajaja isaanii fudhatee nagummaa ummata isaa tiksuuf du'a irraa hin deebinetu mul'ata. Jaarmaya akka keenyaa dhibdeen xaxamee horofa keessa seenee hunduu keessa bahuu dadhabee waliin horofa dhiitu kana keessatti hunduu wal qixa tahee kan wal dhagahu dhabama. Ar'a kanneen kaleessa akka hooggan biyyoolessaatti ilaallu gosa gadi bu'anii hooggana gandaa tahanii jiru. Hedduun isaanii wareegamni isaanii dagatamee salphifamanii manaa bahuu hanga dadhaban gahan.

Haala amma mul'atutti osoo hin jaalatin daran gama gandaa wal dhiibaa jirra. Tarii ar'a namoota hanga tokkoo kan gandi isaa dhagahutu jiraata. Akka kanaan bakka gahuu waan hin dandeenneef garu boru gufuun tokko mudatuu fi sochiin qabsoo jaarmayootni adda addaa godhan kun gufatu hayyuu jedhamee kan namni tokko maatii isaa malee jala hin deemne mudachuu mala. Xiqqaatu ar'a Oromoo manguddoota gandaatiin walitti fiduu ni danda'a. Haalli kun itti fufi Oromoo miliyoona afurtamaa nama tokko tokkoon irraa deemuu mudanna. Kun ammaa waan hin taaneef nu hundi qe'ee wallaalummaan dhaalamee fi ummata diigamaa taanee hafna. Namootni hedduun dharaan kanneen umriin bubbulan yakku. Osoo dhaloota haarayaaf dabarsinee rakkoon hundi ni hafti jedhanii yaadu. Kun dhugaa tahuu mala. Haala amma jiru yoo ilaalle garuu balaan mooraa qabsoo keessatti dhoohe xiqqaa guddaa faalee jira. Namni tokko tokko Oromoo biyya alaa kana malee ummatni biyyaa nagaya qaba. Kanneen ala jiran "Kuulii" isaanii malee qabsoof homaa hin yaadanii irra dabarree biyyatti of ijaarra kan jedhanii of soban nan dhagaha. Akkuma barootaaf of sobaa jiraannetti of sobuu yoo itti fufuu barbaadne malee haalli biyya jirus kana irraa fagoo miti.

III. Kanaaf Furnaatni Maali?

Furmaatni Jiru tokko qofa. innis qabsaawota Oromoo gidduutti araara buusuu dha. Kanas godhuu kan danda'u namoota qubaan lakkaawamanii dha. Kanaaf ammoo isin caalaa namni furmaata argamsiisuu danda'u hin jiru. Akka an amma yaadutti dhaaba keessan, ykn akka namni hedduun jedhutti "shanee" hudhama kana keessa baaftanii humna taasisuu fi humna kaayyoo bilisummaa bakkaan gahu godhuu yaadan jedhee amana. Murratnoo keessanis hin shakku. Akka natti fakkaatutti garuu karaan salphaan humnoota Oromoo hunda tokko godhuu caalu hin jiru. Akeekni keessan kun bakka gahuuf kanneen ar'a gandaan akka waan mirga Oromootti hin amanneetti yakkaman, qabsaawotni dharaan maallaqa diinaatiin kaayyoo diinaa bakkaan gahuuf deeman jedhamanii moggeeffaman hundi hooggana tokkoo fi dhaaba tokko jalatti hanga hin deebi'initti humna tahanii as bahuun ni ulfaata.

Akka carraa seenaa tahee bu'ureessitoota ABO gadi dhaaban keessa namni ar'a itti gaafatama qabsoo guddaa irra jiruu fi hojii qabsoo dhuunfaa godhate isinii fi namoota qubaan lakkaawaman tarii 5 hin caalle qofa. Jaallan babbareedoon, goototaa fi hayyoota hedduu waliin baatan wayyabni isaanii ar'a wareegamanii jiru. Hawwiin isaanii fi dhaamsi isaan yeroo wareegaman dhaammatan hundi akka hangafaatti isin harka jirti. Akka hangafaa fi hambaa jaallan kaleessa dabaranii sanatti ba'aa kana dhalootaaf dabarsuun yeroo ar'aa isin irratti kufee jira. Umriinis tahuu baatu dirqama ar'a irra jirtan irraa qabsaawota kan isin caalaa hangafu hin jiru. Hangafti, ykn manguddoon araara buusa. Wal dhabbii lammii keessatti bakka ol'aanaa kan qabu lola sana injifachuu osoo hin taane nagaa lammiin hundi irraa baratuu fi itti waartu argamsiisuu dha. Kanaaf, jaallan wareegaman, kan ar'as wareegamaaf tarree hiriiranii fi saba Oromootiif jettanii mooraa qabsoo keessatti nagaa buusuu irratti akka hojjattan isin gaafadha. Kana fiixa baasuuf, kanneen ar'a jaarmayoota Oromoo adda addaa hoogganan, manguddoota golee Oromiyaa hundaa walitti dhufan,Abbootii Amantii fi hayyoota Oromoo walitti yaamuun dhibdeen kanaaf furmaata akka barbaadan godhuu barbaachisa. Nagaan qabsaawota Oromoo hunda walitti fayyisu kan dhalatuu dandahu garuu mataa [akka nama tokoo fi qaama hooggantaniitti] keessan irraa kaatanii ir'ina dabreef itti gaafatama fudhachuun akka hunduu garaa isaa banaa godhee ir'ina isaa amanee qaama furmaata of godhu karaa banuu qabdu. Kanaaf osoo ooltanii hin bullee nagaa lammiin barbaadu kana argamsiisuu irratti akka bobbaatan isin gaafadha.

Waaqni Oromoo isin haa gargaaru.

Lammii Oromoo barootaaf kabajaa saba isaa fi tokkummaa saba isaa hawwaa ture, yoggayyuu tokkummaa fi kabajaa sabaa dursu.

abbaa barruu kana barreesse qunnamuu yoo barbaaddan dhaamsaa fi yaada qabdan karaa shigido@gmail.com ergaa

Meles Already Told You: Why So Much Huffing and Puffing Now?

Meles Already Told You: Why So Much Huffing and Puffing Now?

By Oromsis Adula

The sharp-tongued and deceitful tyrant that ruled Ethiopia for the past 18 years, Mr. Meles Zenawi, teased the opposition and western media numerous times this year saying he will step down at the end of this term. Whereas the decision to rule Ethiopia until the current regime is forcefully ousted was a bygone conclusion, Meles wanted to give a lift to his image that is badly tarnished by reports of gross human rights violations a face-lift.

To that effect in recent months, Mr. Meles has been working hard to re-establish himself as an African statesman by representing the regional body at major world leaders’ gatherings. From the G20 summit in London to the upcoming gathering in Copenhagen on climate change, Meles has either posed or will pose with world leaders, thus casting himself as the sole representative of Africa.

Maybe Meles’s leadership is a true representation of what most of African countries are like. Meles Zenawi’s 18 years of tyranny, man-made vicious cycles of poverty and an increased repression of dissent surely exemplifies the current and past African tyrants from Sudan to DRC, Eritrea to Zimbabwe and elsewhere in between.

Despite his sometimes frantic attempts to repaint his legacy, Zenawi faces two great challenges. On the one hand, the United States and Great Britain’s one-time love affair with the double faced dictator of Ethiopia is eroding fast. Although these two great powers continue to finance the terrorist regime in Addis Ababa, many argue that a recent visit by US Secretary of State to Africa of which the itinerary did not include Ethiopia underscores the diminishing importance of Ethiopia as a major ally in the region.

On the other hand, the ruling party is engaging in an all-out war to reorganize itself and ensure that the mistakes of 2005 election will not be repeated. It nearly silenced or to say the least, managed to weaken all major opposition parties. It continues to intimidate the public and the murky opposition groups. Not too long ago, we heard reports of prominent politicians including a former rubber-stamp President of Ethiopia (Dr.Negaso Gidada) crying out for help. The media has long been rooted out. Although there seems to be some temporary gains on this end, the likelihood of the upcoming election being fair, free and orderly is far-fetched.

The Way Forward in Ethiopia: Civil Disobedience or Armed Struggle?

In modern African history, we can count with our fingers how many leaders were changed through a peaceful transfer of power. Many have managed to rule African states since the days of independence. Scores of African leaders have looted resources, massacred innocent civilians and few are facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity at the International Tribunal. Ethiopian history is a testament to that fact. Never in a recorded history of that empire had a ruler peacefully and democratically gave up a seat of power. The harrowing history of Ethiopia although falsely glorified and distorted to the liking of Ethiopian elites, is full of coups and scenes of beheaded rulers.

A fairly significant reformation was in effect early in the 1990s. And comparatively speaking in some respects, things have gotten better under the current regime (although much of the repressions are covert and only happen after darkness has reigned). Yet, the current regime clearly signaled (long ago) the continuation of that cultural and historical tradition of clinging to power by all means necessary for as long as it is possible.

That was when Mr. Zenawi stated in one of his speeches to the parliament, his party won the control over Ethiopia with bullet through a bitter struggle and that it won’t give it up peacefully per ballot contest. At that time, the opposition that is now crying foul was on Meles’s revolutionary democracy bandwagon and it was mostly the Oromo that received the announcement with greater uproar. That time has passed and the 2005 election proved to be a reality check for the Amhara dominated opposition as it was for most people (Ethiopians and otherwise).

The opposition at the home front; disfranchised, fragmented and marginalized than ever before, finds itself at a critical and defining moment. Whereas the Amhara based opposition groups with significant support in megacities and north of the country, are trying to regroup and regain momentum, the Oromo opposition has decided to huddle together to make inroads towards a stronger coalition. There is also a new mix of Tigrean opposition led by the likes of former Defense Minister Siye Abraha. With roughly eight months to the general election, the opposition is already complaining about intimidation, harassment and offices being closed. This is a good indicator of the bumpy road ahead and a tale of things to come.

In Diaspora, the Amhara based opposition generally faces the same challenges that were evident during the contested 2005 election. Due to the polarized political environment among Ethiopian communities, they are unable to rally the Oromo and others in order to garner a much needed moral boost. The Oromo camp, with the OLF at the fore, was once rumored eyeing to partake in the upcoming election. Swallowed by internal disputes and factionalization, they remain far from competing in the upcoming election. Although OLF (a group better known as the change) enjoys a popular support among the Diaspora and have better equipped military, I doubt that it is in a position to take on the highly militarized and readied for upcoming election agazi forces.

Basically, with all options off the table, Mr. Meles is a clear front-runner and will secure the victory unchallenged. Yet, however dire and pessimistic the situation seems, the people of Ethiopia had enough and can rid itself off these thugs easily. How? You might be asking.

Let us make a laundry list of things impossible to accomplish in the upcoming election:

1. Peaceful and Democratic Route: Not only was it tried and failed but also the opposition is weak, ill organized and unprepared.
2. Would the International Community Intervene? The US and European Union knew clearly that TPLF was not the winner of the 2005 Ethiopian election. Nonetheless, they continue to funnel aid to the regime in order to safeguard their regional strategic interests. It would be a mistake and gross oversight to hope that the International Community would intervene this time or do anything different.
3. Armed Struggle: Both the Ogaden and the Oromo Liberation Front that has an organized army of sort is hijacked and weakened by the rogue regime in Eritrea. Eritrea plays with these groups what hostage holders do. So it is wishful (if not impossible) to expect a major offensive from these groups.
4. Diaspora: The Ethiopian Diaspora can do itself and the people of Ethiopia a great deal by playing a constructive role. I will come back to this point under the next subheading.
5. Civil Disobedience Is The Only Way: I tried to point out that peaceful struggle through election contest is practically and virtually impossible in Ethiopia. An all-inclusive and well coordinated civil-disobedience is the only viable option to rid Ethiopia off the TPLF regime. In our recent memory and throughout the known history of Ethiopian Empire, students and other smaller pockets of the society have attempted, without a success, to disobey the government in order to force it to guarantee some citizenship rights. The student movements of the 1960s, many believe, pioneered the changes that happened since. Over the last eighteen years, Oromo students stood up to the current tyrants alone. With no outside or inside reinforcement, hundreds of them lost their precious lives by the bullets fired by cruel TPLF thugs.

In 2005, the opposition (mainly the now annihilated Coalition for Unity and Democracy) has rallied the public in urban areas, at first, successfully. But then they were caught off guard and when the leaders were jailed, the public lost touch with the leadership. Since then, the TPLF regime has master-minded and run a successful campaign to dismantle the CUD party structure. And they have done a darn successful job in keeping the once strong opposition group at bay. Just like the Tigrean led regime of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian people and Ethiopian opposition groups, needs to learn lessons from the 2005 election. First and foremost, the opposition needs to give up the ownership of peaceful protests and other non-violent resistance movements to the people, instead of creating what seems a cult of personality and an interest group owned by a single organization.

Not too long ago, when I was still a high school student in the godforsaken Ethiopia, every time there was a student uprising in Ambo/Shambu or Haromaya (towns in different regions of Oromia), Oromo students at every corner of the country took it to the streets in solidarity with their fellow students. That is a lesson worth learning and needs to be replicated if anything substantial is to be achieved through a non-violent struggle to topple the dictatorial regime of Ethiopia. At that time non-Oromo Ethiopian students (at various colleges across the country) went to classes normally as Oromo students were dismissed in sheer numbers. That is a mistake Ethiopians cannot afford to repeat.

But again as the political environment changed, the demographic pattern in terms of access to political power has drastically shifted under the current regime. It used to be the case that some sections of Ethiopian ethnic groups were favored. But now, everyone seems to be feeling the heat that the Oromo has been feeling for well over a century. For some groups, especially the Amhara, the Meles era marks a beginning of new experience with alienation from power. Don’t get me wrong here, the peasants and rural dwellers in the Amhara region may not have been as fortunate as the elites. But the difference is that they were never forcefully subdued, massacred, harassed, and humiliated because of their ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background. That is primarily because then it was the Amhara elites who were doing all the wrongs to the nations and nationalities in the south.

Media and the Ethiopian Diaspora

In this section, I will talk about the state of Internet Technology in Ethiopia, and the role a media powered and wired by the Internet can play in the upcoming elections. I will also try to point out some lessons that can be drawn from recently contested elections from around the globe.

Internet Access and Usage in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the early modern African states to develop telecommunication infrastructure dating back to 1894. And the country has seen a steady growth of Internet and mobile phone services in recent years. However, usage and development is lagging far behind most African nations owing to the repressive nature of the Ethiopian government. Perhaps, an overwhelming majority of rural Ethiopia haven’t heard about the phenomenon of Internet to date. Moreover, civil society faces a tremendous challenge to use the Internet in order to influence policy decision making or organize the public.

It’s not a coincidence that most of the opposition websites are blocked year-round in Ethiopia not to mention the alleged monitoring of incoming and outgoing email communications by Ethiopian authorities. Donors and international agencies have challenged the Ethiopian regime to privatize the service. Yet their efforts haven’t yet produced results and the reality on the ground doesn’t match the Ethiopian government’s rhetoric of privatization and economic growth.

The government argues that since it launched the Internet service in 1997, the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) has taken initiatives to reduce Internet tariff and to upgrade the bandwidth using international satellite link. Also according to a case study by ITU, Ethiopia had upgraded its Internet service from 256 Kbps to 512 Kbps in Nov.1998. Currently, it is said that the upgrade from 512 Kbps to 1 MB is in process and the implementation is being carried out with the collaboration of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and provided by France telecom (ITU, 2000). A similar report by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) states that the upgrading process is intended to reduce the monthly fees making it more affordable. With the total of 6,152 Internet subscribers in 2002, several pilot tele-centers and cybercafés are being built around the country by agencies like the British Council, added the report (UNECA, 2002).

Internet Strategy and Policy

Ethiopia is a closed economy little affected by globalization. Though there have been rapid improvements in this regard since the downfall of the communist regime in 1991, there still remains a lot to be done to integrate the flagging economy into the global market powered by the Internet. As indicated above, Internet use and access is regulated by a state-run telecommunication agency.

According to a news report by Cyber Ethiopia (2006), since the contested May 2005 Ethiopian election and with the annihilation of the local free press, the activists in the country have taken turn to air their concerns through the Internet. The Ethiopian Diaspora used fresh reports by bloggers based in the capital and other places in the country to expose the mass atrocities. To combat the online activism by the opposition and the rights group, the regime had widely invested in implementing surveillance technologies. The report also noted that the Ethiopian government had “pioneered Internet censorship in Africa” with increased devotion of “resources and attention to controlling access to information via the Internet” (Cyber Ethiopia, 2006).

As a result of the pressure from global media watchdogs like Reporters Without Borders and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), “the Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation (the state monopoly and sole Internet Service Provider in the country) seemingly unblocks the access randomly for few hours in an attempt to confuse end-users in Ethiopia by suggesting a technical glitch from the website owners rather than censorship from the government” (Cyber Ethiopia, 2006).

In response to CPJ’s open inquiry letter to Ethiopian Ministry of Information, a government official has denied the reports, hinting that the government knows of an “illegal and unethical media in Ethiopia” according to Cathy Majtenyi for Voice of America news.

ITU (2002) also confirms that ETC monopoly over the Internet, poor infrastructure; limited service and unsatisfied demands are the contemporary challenges to the development of Internet technology aside from the unaffordable subscription fees. The report counsels privatization of Internet provision by ETC and “a clear policy on value added services such as web design, site hosting or cybercafés” would be the necessary steps towards an “open market”.

The Ethiopian Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (EICTDA) contends that the government of Ethiopia is carrying out a vigorous campaign to integrate Ethiopia into global market by promoting “ICT-driven socio-economic development process and transform[ing] Ethiopia from an agriculture-based economy and society to a predominantly knowledge- and information-based economy”. According to the document the key target of Ethiopia’s ICT policy is “to develop Ethiopia into a socially progressive and prosperous nation with a globally competitive, modern, dynamic and robust economy through the development, deployment and exploitation of ICT within the economy and society”.

At the face value, the rhetoric seems an ambitious plan on the part of the Ethiopian government, but critics dismiss these claims on the account of the government’s strict control over the Internet which is supposed to be “highly decentralized, self-governing, fluid, chaotic, and most importantly 'access-to-all' network” (Kinde, 2007).

Just for the record, Ethiopia’s Internet policy doesn’t even comply with the terms of its own constitution which proclaims “everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference…through any media of his choice. Freedom of the press and other mass media and freedom of artistic creativity is guaranteed…censorship in any form is prohibited” (Ethiopia, 1994). Furthermore, it is also in direct contradiction with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states, “the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” (UN, 1948).

That being the sad state where things stand in terms of Internet use and growth, there still seems a window of opportunity to systematically use the Internet to wage a strong campaign against the current regime of Ethiopia during the 2010 election.

It is naïve to compare Ethiopia to Kenya, Zimbabwe and Iran where recent election riots were highly publicized. If we look at the recent Iranian election, most of the news reports were not coming from CNN, BBC or other major cable news networks. Rather, in what some people referred to as “a revolution in social media”, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and the giant video sharing site, YouTube, played a central role in the protest movement.

These are great lessons that can be replicated in Ethiopia. I urge the opposition groups to pay close attention to recent elections around the world and re-think their campaign strategies. Text messages, Facebook and other social media’s maybe blocked but the internet offers a wide array of possibilities. Instead of simply telling the Diaspora the reality on the ground is different from our perceptions of the happenings in Ethiopia, the opposition groups must reach out to all “Ethiopian” expatriates to effect change during the upcoming election. If nothing else can be accomplished, the Diaspora and opposition can work hand-in-hand to expose the naked truth about Ethiopian dictators.

In summary, I would like to reiterate that Mr. Zenawi and his allies will not give up their comfortable seats through democratic process. And that the Ethiopian people have all the means's at their disposal to force the current minority junta out of power. Although there is a greater strength in numbers, forming alliance after alliances does not guarantee electoral victory in Ethiopia. I think that is “the reality on the ground” the opposition leaders need to inhale. Armed struggle is the proven best and viable solution to free Ethiopia and its people from corruption, misery and the TPLF regime, had it not been for a low-key and sporadic progress made in that front. Thus, at this juncture and as the regime is posed to once again claim a hallow victory from sham election, there left no alternative to a well coordinated (internal and external) and all inclusive non-violent resistance.

The Diaspora is making significant progress with the most recent march in the nation’s capital (Washington DC) and another planned protest in Pittsburgh, Ohio during the upcoming G20 summit. Yet there remains a lot to be accomplished as far as rallying all “Ethiopians” instead of simply claiming so. Communities like the Oromo would feel most welcome if themes other than “free Birtukan” are included. What still angers most people is the fact that “Ethiopian” activists call for release of few and prominent politicians in a country where an estimated 20,000 Oromos and countless others are illegally imprisoned. As I said repeatedly, in Ethiopia the Internet service is monopolized and controlled by government, yet it still offers abundance of opportunities if the opposition learned to capitalize on it. Maybe the elite Diaspora professors and political gurus can play a central role in devising purposeful campaign strategies that can be implemented in Ethiopia instead of engaging in endless back-biting.

Source:

http://www.opride.com/oromsis/

"Qurciin Qurciin yoo hin jenne.....": Deebii barruu " Can We Convert OPDO to OLF or OLF to OPDO ?" mata duree jedhu jalatti barreeffame

Qabsoon sabaa /national movement/ lammii hunda ilaalti. Hundi waa'ee saba isaa itti dhagahamu, biyya isaa jaalatu fi cunqursaa saba isaa irra gahu falmuu murteeffate qooda keessaa fudhatuu danda'a. Ati wallaalaa, ati goota, ati sodaataa ati kaleessa as turtee fi achi turteen qabsoo saba keessatti bakka hin qabu.Namuu waanuma dandahu godha. Namuu kan madaalamuu fi madaalamuuu qabuun waanuma qabsootti erga dabalamee hojjate tahuu qaba. Hunda caalaa kan bakka qabaatu waan ar'a hojjatanii fi gaaffii lammii yeroo dhagahanitti dirqama fudhachuuf qophii tahuu qofatu gaafatama. Namootni qabsoo sabaa kana keessatti dhaamsa biyyaa fi ummata irraa dabru yeroo tokkotti hin dhagahan. Jechuun haalli keessa jiraatanii fi dammaqiinsa isaanii akkasumas kanneen dhaamsa kana dabarsan dandeettii nama amansiisuu isaan qaban irratti hundaa'aa yeroon isaan dirqamaaf of qopheessan. Ummata jaarmaya cimaa qabu biratti lammii hundaan dhaamsa kana gahuu fi deebii argachuunis ulfaataa miti. Jaarmaya dadhabaa ummtaan deemuu dandeettiin hin mul'ifne keessatti ammoo dhaamsi biyyaa fi ummataa dhagahamuu fi deebii argachuun hafee hubachuunuu rakkisaa taha. Maaliif yoo jenne jaarmyaan dadhabaan yeroo hunda wanni dubbatuu fi hojjatu wal-faallessa. Waa'ee ummataaf of wareeguu fi kabajaa isaa tiksuu osoo dubbatu kan ummata wareeguu fi ummata salphisu tahee argama. Lammii dhaamsa sabaa ittiin gahe, dhaamsa kanas fudhatee sabaaf duuluuf itti makamu hojii isaaniin malu irratti bobbaasuu waan hin dandeenneef hamilee lammii cabsee onneen qabsoo akka keessatti laamshoftu godha. Kanneen hafanis akka dhaamsa ummataa karaa jaarmaya dadhabaa kanaan dhufuuf gurra hin kennine taasisa. ABO murna shaneetiin durfamu keessatti wanni argaa turre kanuma. Ummata qabsoof itti makamaa ture hojii qabsoo irratti bobbaasuu ykn diina irratti duulchisuu osoo hin taane, deebi'anii irratti duuluu dha. Qabsoof akka lammiin haala qabsoof bu'aa argamsiisu keessatti of wareegu aanjessuu osoo hin taane Oromoo gar-malee lubbuu fi maqaanis wareeguu/character assasination/, salphisuu fi bakka jaalalaa duula wal jibbaa qabsaawotaa fi saba gidduutti babal'isuu dha. Barruun nama maqaa Mormor Abbaa Seenaajedhu jalatti dhokachuun waa'ee interview jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa ilaalchisuun faca'e kunis aadaadhuma diiggaa dur ture kana hordofa. Aadaan kun aadaa jaarmayaa fi warraaqxotaa osoo hin taane aadaa murna/clique/ ofittoo qabsoo Oromoo keessatti margee ti. Aadaan kun aadaa warraaqxummaan lolu, aadaa amala farra Oromummaa qabuu dha. Aadaa sabaaf duultota diina, gantuu fi ergamtoota diina godhu waan ta'eef cimsinee falmuu fi hiddaan buqqisuu qabna. Seensa barruu kiyyaatti aansee kan dubbiftoota qabsiisuu barbaadus aadaa farra qabsoo Oromoo fi diiggaa tahe kana keessa deebinee akka ilaallu waan xinnoo beeku darbadha. Kallattiidhaan Obboo Mormor Abbaa Seenaaf deebii kennuu tuffadhee bira dabre. Na ofkalchaa. Waan fuula duraa dhiifnee of booda deebi'uu osoo gadduu, "qurciin qurcii yoo hin jenne Faffattee afaan nama kaayuu barbaaddii" akkuma jedhan kanneen dharaan oromoo yakkan eenyummaa isaanii tolchanii beekuun tarrii akka ittiisaa/deterence/ gargaaraa jedhee ti.

I. Qabsoo bara dheeraa karaa hidhannoo dirree dhihaa fi bahaa tahaa turte keessaatti amala farra qabsoo kanneen ar'a Shanee hoogganu hordofuun, kanneen ummtaaf osoo lolan rasaasaa diinatiin wareegaman fi kanneen maqaa "gantuu" fi "goobana" jedhuun dhabamsiifman wal gitu yoo jedhe dhugaa irraa fagoo miti. Dirree bahaa fi dhihaa keessatti ummata keenya "goobana" jechuun maatii isaa waliin ibiddaan manni itti cufamee gubate irra dabre qabsaawotni adeemsa dhaaba kana irratti gaaffii qaban, hooggana isaanii dadhabaa tahe qeeqan, yaada qabsoo fuula dura tarkaanfachiisuu dhiheessuun hooggna hirriba keessa ture baaragsan hedduutu hadhaa du'aa obaafame. Barruu deebii kanaaf na kakaase keessatti akka fakkeenya gantuuttii kan dhihaate nama Lamuu jedhamu, dirree dhihaa keessatti ajajaa waraanaa ture kana seenaa isaa qorachuu anis hiree argadhe. Isa malees akkasuma kanneen isa fakkaatan osoo qabsoo kanaaf dhukkubsatan hooggana maraataa miseensota isaa irratti duuluu malee beekkomsa biraa hin qabneen murtiin du'aa itti muramee, jaallan isaanitiin rasaasaan tumamuu mataan isaanii fudhachuu dide ganan hedduun beeka. Lamuun nama humna dhihaa keessatti gootummaan faarfamuu fi humnaan jaalatamu ture. Akkuma jedhame kan akka ganu isa godhe maqaa sagaagalummaatiin murtii du'aa irratti darbu dha. Haaluma kana fakkaatuun kan du’a itt muramee qabsoo irraa dhiibame kan biraa Simee nama jedhamu goota gootaa caalu, kan ijoollummaa isaatiin Kabbadaa Buzunashii waliin mootummaa Amaaraa lolaa ture, 1990 keessa lola Asoosaatti tahe milkeessuu irratti qooda guddaa kan qabaachaa ture yaadatuunis barbaachisaa dha. Akkasumas nama Elemo jedhamu, humna Godina dhihaa keessatti itti aanaa ajajaa jajjabii ture booda irra humna TPLF-tti dabalame humna keenya dura dhaabbachaa ture hedduun namoota naannoo sana turanii ni yaadatu. Keessattuu Elemo ijoollee dhaabni guddise fi nama 1989 keessa jila qabsaawotaaf humna waraana jajjabee dursuun Kora sabaa irraa akka qooda fudhatu ergame keessa ture. Akkuma amma agarruu kana murni amma shanee hooggannu keessattuu Abbaa Caalaa fi Daud fagoo taa’anii qabsaawota wal-irratti ijaaruun kanneen hojii fi gootummaan humna keessatti ifanii mul'atan irraa sodaa itti buleen akka rukutaman kan godhamanii dha. Ummataaf qabsaawuuf manaa bahanii kanneen jaallan isaan jedhaniin diina itti tahuu afaan wallaalanii qabsoo keessa bahan. Keessattuu dirree dhihaatti Jaallan akka Lamuu fi Simee namoota birootiin qixxeessuun hin tahu. Warra waraanni hundi of duratti ilaalaa turee dha. Lamuu, Simee fi Elemo kan dhaaba jaalatanii fi jaallan waliin wareegamuuf waadaa waliif seenan irra tarkaanfatanii deemaniif hoogganni isaanii qabsaawota sabaa irra qabsaawota namootaaf jedhanii bulaniif bakka laatee kanneen sabaaf qofa lolan ija diinatiin waan ilaaluufi. Badiin isaan itti yakkaman Sagaagalummaa osoo tahee hooggana dhaabaa kanneen ijoollee haayidaa ofii guddisan humnaan itti sagaagalaa turetu gaafatama ture. Murni Abbaa caalaa fi Daudiin durfamaa ture kun murna qabsaawota diina irratti duulchisuu fi Oromoo ijaaru osoo hin taane murna Oromoo irratti duulu qabsaawota gidduutti shakkii dagaagsuun jiraatu waan taheefi Lamuun amma akka fakkeenya gantuutti dhihaatee fi kanneen maqaa isaanii hin tuqamin hedduunkan qabsoo saba isaanii keessaa bahaniif. Ar'as bifuma sana fakkaatuun General Hailuu Gonfaa, Jeneral Kamaal Galchuu fi kanneen biroo irratti duulli godhamu duuluma duraan jalqabame duula maqaa adda addaatiin miseensota dhaaba irratti adeemsifamaa ture akka tahe seenaan dabre ragaa taha.

II. 1991-92 Keessa duulli qabsaawota irratti hooggana dirree dhihaa godhamaa ture itti fufee, amma qabsoon bakka geesse yaada jedhuun kanneen jajjaboo tahan aangoo keenyaaf nu sodaachisan jedhan osoo adda hin citin itti fufe. Akka kanaan ajajootaa fi miseensota jajjaboo humna tikaa fi waraanaa keessatti beekkaman itti duuluun mana hidhaatti guuran. isaan keessaa, Jaallan 1. Maaxiquu 2. Huseen Tolaa/abbaa Cibraa kan ture, 3. Jiberiil Kumsaa 4. Mokkonnon Jootee, 5. Eda'aa /Leenjisaa qaruutee kan ture/ 6.Zakkaariyaas /Leenjisaa humna jajjabii ykn Komaandoo/ fi 7. Maaxiquu, ajajaa waraanaa beekkamaa kan ture, miseensota ABO 1991 keessa mana hidhaatti guuramanii reebamaa/turture/ turan keessa akka fakkeenyaatti kaase. Keessattu isaan kana keessaa Mokonnon Jootee fi Huseen Tolaa warra lola irratti madaawanii qaamaa ir'atan mana hidhaatti dharaan darbatamaniin kanneen ar’a Shanee hoogganna jedhaniin reebamaa fi salphifamaa turan. Huseen Tolaa fi Zakkaariyaas ajaja Abbaa Caalaa fi Daudiin yommuu rashanaman miseensotni 80 gahan ammoo miseenummaan irraa mulqamee ari'aman. Kan nama dhibu garuu hammeenya fokkataan irratti raawwatamee osoo jiruu hedduun isaanii chaartaraa yeroo bahametti ajaja hooggana farra tahee kana fudhatanii osoo lolan wareegaman. Jaal Maaxiquun osoo ajajaa Cibraa tahee lolchiisuu wareegame. Jaal Eda'aan dirqama irra osoo jiruu wayyaaneen ukkamsamee hanga ammaatti bakka bu'e namni beeku hin jiru.

III. Bara chaartaraa sana keessa akkuma Dargiinn kufeen ajajootaa fi miseensota hoomaa waraana mootummaa keessa kanneen ABOtti dabalam hedduu turan. Erga dhaabatti dabalam booda warra Koloneelota turan bakka tokkotti walitti qabanii hojii malee teessisaa waan turaniif hifatanii ogummaa qabaniin akka qabsoo sabaaf bu'aa buusuu danda'an hojii irratti akka bobbaafaman Abbaa Caalaa gaafatan. Deebiin kennameef erga qabsoon dhumate dhuftan, kaleessa eessa turtan kan jedhu ture. Haa tahu malee hedduun isaanii chaartara boodas osoo humna waliin socho'a wareegamuu fi harka diinaa bu'uu mudatan. Akka fakkeenyaatti, 1. Kololneel Abdiissaa, humna Dargii keessatti "Opration officer" nama ture. 2. Koloneel Yohaannis nama dhalootaan Naqqamte tahe, 3.Koloneel Baqqalaa, Nama Ambotti dhalate, 4. Koloneel Tasfaayee, Abbaa Caalaatiin suudaan irraa bobbaafamee nama naannoo Ayiraa Gullisootti wareegame fi goota akka Koloneel Tamasgeen Caalaa/ Irreessaa/ maqaa tuquun ni danda'ama. Bara chaartaraa keessa ogummaan qabaniin humna keenya akka jijjiiran hojiitti bobbaasuu irra hoogganni kun kan filate bara Dargii keessa qabsoo sabaatti dabalamuu dabuu isaaniin abaaraa fi salphisuu dha. Haala Oromoof bu'aa buusuu hin dandeenye keessatti kufanii hidhamaa tahanii hanga chaartara keessa bahamutti taa'aa turan. Jeneraal Kamaal Galchuu, Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa kanneen isaan waliin dhufanis kan mudate kanuma. Ilmaan Oromoo bifa ganaan qisaasaman, hamileen caphxee manatti deebi'ee fi kanneen murtii hoogganoota ABOtiin raasaasaan tumaman himnee keessaa bahuu hin dandeenyu.

Egaa ar'a Interview VOA sababa godhachuun duulli Jeneraal Hailuu irratti adeemuu duula baroota dheeraa lakkaawwate, aadama hamilee qabsaawotaa cabsuu ti. Farrummaan kun ammo tuffii murni shanee ummata Oromoo fi miseensota dhaabaaf qaban irraa madda. Jecha barruu Mormor Abbaa Seenaa fi dabballoota Shanee irraa hedduu kan dhageennu "warra Oromummaa isaan barsiise, diina jalaa akka bahan isaan godhe mormu" jedhu. Yeroo tokko /2008/ keessa Caayaa ABO naannoo Saudi Arabia jiru walgahii godhatee hogganni akka dhihaatuuf gaaffii dur tureen hooggaanis dhihaatee yaadni ummataa caqafamuu eegale. Yaadni ummata irraa dhihaate "hoogganni keenya maaliif biyyatti deebi'ee ummata hin lolchiifene?. Sochiin waraana keenyaa maaliif dhabamee jedhuu fi kkf tarriifamanii dhuma irratti kana booda hanga biyya seentanii qabsoo hin godhinitti gargaarsa isaniif kennuu hin dandeenyu yaadni jedhu caqafame. itti fufuudhaan yoo kun ammoo hin taane humna gaara jiruun kallattiin wal-nu qunnamsiisaa, gargaarsa keenya kan maallaqaa, dawaa fi hidhannoo waraanaatiif goonu kallattiin ergina jedhame. Hoogganni jedhamu kun dallanee maal akka jedhe beektuu?. Barbaaddan ofii deemaa lolaa,nuti marcinary miti jedheen. Eegaa akkaataan murni shanee itti yaadan, nutu qabsoo keessa ture, kan ajaja hunda kennu nu qofa, kanaaf yaada fi ajajas kennuuf kan mirqa qabu nu qofa jedhu. Anis ummatni lolee jedhee qofaaf lola haa labsan hin jedhu. Hoogganni ummata irraa gargaarsa diinagdee fi humna namaa eeggatu maal akka hojjachaa jiruu fi bakka hojjataa hin jirretti ammoo rakkoo jirtu ummata amansiisuu yoo hin dandeenye hooggana ofiin jechuu akka hin qabne beekuu qaban jedha. Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa fi kanneen isaan waliin dhufan hundi Asmaraa jiraachuuf osoo hin taane qabsoo saba isaanii irraa qooda fudhachuuf ture. Kan isaanii fi miseensota dhaabaa irra jiroo akka hooggana ture irratti fincilan godhe, hoogganni ture gaaffiilee ummataa fi miseensota irraa dhihaatan deebisuu dadhabuu isaati. Namni qabsootti makamu du'aa qophii tahee mirga waa gaafatuu fi yaada isaa ibsachuu dadhabuu dha, kan warraaqsa dhalche. Hoogganni bilisummaa Oromoof dandeettii qabsaawotaatti gargaaramee qabsaawota diina irratti duulchisuu fi ummata isaa hiriirsu dhabamuu dha kan jijjiiramni akka dhufu godhe. Kan jijjiirama fide, ilaalcha jallataa dhaaba kana nutuu ijaare, nutuu harkaa qaba, waan Oromoof tolaa nu qofaatu dubbataa fi nu qofatu beeka yaada jedhu. Lammiin Oromoo mirga saba isaatiif falmuuf wareegamaaf of qopheesse, kan sabni isaa akka bilisummaa dhabe gonfatu qabsaawu mirgi isaa akka namootaan sarbamuu fi waraana abbaa qoroo tahuu hin dandahu. Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa kan jibbe namoota shanee hoogganan osoo hin taane yaada kana. Akkuma kaleessaa ummatni kibba bahaa loon tikfatuu malee homaa hin beeku, doofaa dha, akka hoolaa wal jala deema jedhamuu hayyummaa Oromoo arrabsaa turan ar'as Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa akka nama homaa hin beeknee fi waan hin beekne keessa seeneetti dhiheessuun tuffiidhuma shaneen Oromoof qabdu yoo ibse malee eenyummaa nama biroo madaaluu hin danda'u. Kan Generaal Hailuu fi kanneen biroos akka qabsootti dabalam godhe ammoo wareegama sabni Oromoo jaarraa tokkoo oliif baasaa jiru malee eenyummaa Daud ykn nama biraa tahuu hin danda'u. Namoota tuqna taanaan dhaabattu makamuu jaallan kanaa fi kan biroo booda irra dhufan hundaa hundi keenya kan jijjiiramaa fi Shanee keessa jirrus qooda qabna. Dhaabnis kan shanee qofa osoo hin taane keenya hunda.

Barruu " Can We Convert OPDO to OLF or OLF to OPDO ?" jedhu kana keessaa wanni hubannes aadaan kanneen qabsoof dhaabatti makamaa turan irratti duuluu fi hamilee cabsuu kun kan amma jalqabame osoo hin tahin kan umrii dhaaba kanaa waliin bule tahuu isaa ti. Dhaabni miseensota fi ummata isaa hamatu, maqaa xureessu, akka mirga dhablee fi wanni isaan dubbatan hunda yakka godhu dhaaba akkami? Hoogganni ummata isaatiin wal lolu bilisa baasaa dha moo gabrummaa dheeressaa dha?. Kan ar'a nutti dabalamu badii hin jirreen yakkaa akkamitti kan ar'a hin dammaqin dammaqsina, kan diina jala jiru qawwee isaa diinatti akka deebisu goona?. Fuula dura ba'aan guddaan jaarmaya haqaa Oromoo tokko eeggatu ummata keenya biyya keessaa jiru, kan qotee bulu, hojjataa, barataa fi barsiisaa akkasumas kanneen diina waliin hojjatanii fi diinaan itti duulamu hunda qabsoof hiriirsuu dha. Bilchinaan dhaamsa keenya gama lammii Oromootti dabarsuu fi dhaqqabuu yoo hin dandeenne humna qabsoof barbaachisu walitti kuufachuu fi diina irratti duuluu hin dandeenyu. Akkaataan murni shanee itti jiru dhaamsa Oromoo gar gar facaasu qofa kan erguu dha. Jeneraal Hailuun gaafa Humna Waraanaa Tigree keessa turee fi ar'as maaliif balaaleffatama.? Badiin isaa qabsoon kun rakkoo qabdu haa furannuu jedhee yaada dhiheessuu fi yaadni kun fudhatamuu dhabnaan ijjannaa haqaa jaallan isaa waliin fudhachuu isaa ti. Kanneen isaa fi kanneen biroo ykn Jijjiiramaan morman hooggana irraa kaasee hanga miseensota afanfaajjawan gahutti qabsaawota sabaa osoo hin taane ergamtoota murna maqaa isaa qofaaf qabsaawuu ti. Barru " Can We Convert OPDO to OLF or OLF to OPDO ?" tolchinee yoo hubanne jecha tokkootu eenyummaa murna shanee saaxila. Obboo Mormor Seenaa “ABOn dhugaa fi Heerawaan kan hanga taateefuu karaa qabsoo hidhannoos karaa qabsoo siyaasaa fi dippilomaasiis socho'ee waa dalagaa fi firii argamsiisaa jiru ABO isuma dhugaa fi haadhoo isa Obbo Daawudiin durfamaa jiru tahuu osoo hubatee jiruu, qaanii fi maal naan jedhuu tokko malee aaduma Wayyaanota irraa dhaaleen kijiba adii dubbachuu filate” Jedha interview Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa Ilaalchisee. Akka barruu kana irraa agarutti murni kun murna sabaaf qabsaawu osoo hin taane, Daud Ibsaa Hayyuu Duree ABO tahee akka turu qofaaf warra qabsaawu, qabsoon saba oromoo mataan dhaabbatu warra dhimma hin qabne, waraana sabaa osoo hin taane waraan obboo Daudii fi namoota biraa ti. Osoo dhugumaan akka jedhamu murna “Heerawaan” kun hojjatee waa agarsiisa turee, Jijjiiramni hafnaan, QC, AWO, Gumii fi jaarmayaaleen biros hin jiraatan ture. Yakki Jeneraal Hailuun godhe murni shanee isaa fi kanneen biroos qabsoo saba isaaniif jecha jalatti hiriiran, dirqama hojii qabsoo karoorsuu itti kenname bahuu waan dadhabeef miseensota wayyaba murtii hooggana kana bakkaa kaasuu fudhatan cinaa dhaabbachuu isaa ti. Kan hunda caalaa isaan dallansiise ammo Daud Ibsaa miseensota hoogganuun aangoo irraa kaafamuu dhugaa jiru J/Hailuun dubbachuu dha.

Haasaa Jeneraal Hailuu Gonfaa kan dhagahe hundi faallaa qabsoo saba isaa akka hin dubbatin qulqulleessee beeka waan taheef. Dhugaan ifee mul'ataa jiru garuu lafa irra gangalachuun booyaa oolanis murna namootaaf lolu /marcineries and cult followers/ qabsaawota haqaa injifachuu akka hin dandeenne agarsiisa. Jaalatanis jibbanis warraaqsi dhalate fuuluma dura adeema. Furmaatni jiru jalaa maquu ykn itti makamuu qofa. Dura dhaabbana kan jedhu hundi akka timaatimii miilaan irra dhaabbatanii macala'ee hafa. Baaburri warraaqsaa kan irra bahe hunda ni dhabamsiisa. Kosii seenaa tahuu dura qabsootti makamaan jedha kanneen ar’as dirree duwwaa irra dhaabbatanii nama qofa abaaruu hojii godhataniin. Olola dharaa haa dhiiftnuu. Barbaachisaa jettanii maqaa qabsaawotaa yakkuu itti fuftan galmee keessan kan cubbuun guutame baasuuf dirqamna. Akkuma Oromoon “qurciin yoo qurcii… “ jedhan malee … jedhu akka waliin jennu wal dirquu haa dhiifnuu. Keessattuu dirree dhihaa ilaalchisee hooggana amma lubbuun jiru [murna shanee] bakka bu’ee kan qaanii malee dubbachuu danda'u tokko hin jiru.

Shigidoo Bultee

bshigidoo@gmail.com

Injifannoo Ummata Oromoof!!!

www.barraaqa.blogspot.com

Hoogganni Ni Qeeqama, Ni Faarfamas

Yeroo ammaa kana hunda caalaa hoogganoota jaarmayaa fi miseensota isaanii kan aarsaa jiru "abaaramne kan jedhuu dha. Keessattuu hooggana/hayyuu duree irraa kaasee murni shanee anaannatee kan dubbatan hoogganni dhaaba keenyaa abaarame, itti duulame waan jedhu. Irra dabraniis dhaaba irratti duulame, diinaatuu ummata Oromoo hoogganaa fi dhaaba haqaa dhabsiisuuf duula nurratti oofa jedhu. Kun ammoo duula biyyoota addunyaa 3ffaa keessatti kanneen mootummaa cunqursaan mormanii fi mirga ilma namaatiif falman irratti gaggeeffamu fakkaata. Biyyoota abbaa irreen bulan keessatti kanneen "mormituu" jedhaman maqaa fedhan itti maxxansanii ummata biratti akka jibbaman godhuu fi dhabamsiisuufis itti duuluun dhugaa ifa jiru.

Hunda caalaa kan hubatamuu qabu, namni akka hoogganaatti fudhatame kamuu guyyaa waan gaarii godhe akka goota biyyaatti faarfamuun, abdii ummatni irratti qabu ir'isanii waan akeekkatan bakkaan gahuu yeroo dadhaban ammoo akka itti duulamu ni beekna. Faarfamuu fi abaaramuun qondaalota siyaasaa waliin deema. Uffataa fi nyaata isaanii ti jechuun ni danda'ama. Hireen ummatni Oromoo jaarraa tokkoo oliif mudate kan salphinaa fi diinaan dhiitamuu ti. Bara irraa baratti gabrummaa qaanessituu fi salphiftuu biyya isaa keessatti hidhamaa isa taasifte jalaa bahuuf tattaaffiin ummatni Oromoo godhe osoo bakka hin gahin hafuun, hedduun keenya sila teenya tun maaluma, rabbiitu nutti dallanee fi ebaluutu akkas godhe jechuun hin oolle. Ar'a komiin hooggana ABO bara dheeraa gaggeessaa ture irratti xiyyeeffachuun kan jibbaa qaama tokkoo ykn namootaa irraa madde osoo hin taane, ir'ina qabsoo saba Oromoo keessatti mul'ateef sababa biroo dhabuu irraa kan dhufe fakkaata. Kanneen hoogganaa ABO akka qaama Oromoon deemuu tokkotti ilaalaa turan, WBO keessatti ilmaanii fi obboleeyyan akkasumas firoota itti dhaban dadhabiinsa mul'ateef kan isaan of duratti ilaalanii fi kan dhugaanis komatamuu qaba hooganuma ABO warra ture. Komiin kun dhugaadha moo dogoggora wanni jedhu ammatti bakka hin qabu.

Dhugaan jirus kan agarsiisu, keessattuu waggoota 18 dabran keessa qabsoon ummatni Oromoo ABOn durfamuun gaggeessaa ture yarataa adeemuun, ummataa fi biyya keessaa hoogganni dhaaba kanaa baqatee bahuun qabsoon keenya fuula dura akka deemaa hin jirree, tarkaanfiin nuti fudhachaa jirru kan of duubaa akka tahe agarsiisa. Akkuma dhukkuba gurraa irratti hinxilif jedhan, dhaabni ummatni Oromoo irratti abdataa ture laamsha'uu fi qabsoon ummata Oromoo dhokachuu irra dabree tokkummaan ummata keenyaa boora'aa jiraachuu arguun kan hedduu nama yaachisuu dha. Bara irraa baratti kanneen qabsoo keessaa qooda fudhataa turan adda faca'anii arguun kan lammii Oromoo hunda gaddisiisuu dha.

Silaa ar'a dhaabaa fi hoogganni keenya tuqamee irra kanneen Oromoo hoogganna jedhan irraa yaaddoon dhagahamuu qabu kan bara irraa baratti diigamuu qabsaawotaa fi boora'uu tokkummaa Oromoo, akkasumas yarataa addeemuu qabsoo goota meeqa irratti dhabnee ture. Furmaatni waliin barbaaduu qabnus akkamitti Oromoo walii fi hooggana isaa, akkasumas qabsoo irraa abdii kutataa jiru akkamitti akka abdachiifnaa dha.

Kun hunduu hafee Hayyu Dureen shanee osoo hin hafin, maqaa kiyyaatu tuqame, kan nu qeequ hunda harka diinaattu keessa jiraa fi gantootaa yaadni jedhu itti gaafatama waan jedhu wallaaluu agarsiisa. Qabsoo teenya biyya keessaa baate, miseensota ABO faca'anii fi gaaga'ama tokkummaa Oromoo irra gahee fi gahaa jiruuf eenyuutu itti gaafatama?. Kan Oromoo gaafatuu qabu mootummaan jira natti hin fakkaatu. Mootummaan waggaa dhibbaa as Oromoon qabdu hooggana isaanii qofa. Kan isaan irraa eeggamu, nuti isinitti balleesse, bakka isin itti nu yaaddan hanqanne jechuun haqa kaneen ABO hooggataa turan irraa Oromoon argatuu qabu ture. Beekaan bakka hin galleetti hin lola jedhama. Osoo beekkumsa qabaatanii kanneen hooggana ABO turan diina nuun jedhan, warri akkanaa fi akkasii diina jedhanii Oromoo hadheessuu irra dhiifama saba Oromoo gaafatanii, kan fuula duraa irratti akka tokkummaan sochoonu nuu akeekan ture. Hunda caalaa ammoo kan na gaddisiisu, miseensotni jaarmayaa, salphina ummatni Oromoo keessa jiru irraanfatanii, jaalala ummata Oromoo osoo hin taane, jaala nama gandaa fi hoogganaatiin machaawanii obboleeyyan isaanii akkuma isaanii dheebuu bilisummaa bahuu dadhabanii aariin dubbatan diina godhachuu irra taa'anii wal dhagahuu fi waliin furmaata barbaaduu dadhabuu isaanii ti. Kanneen ar'a hooggana keenya tuqamuu hin qaban jennee lola labsinu kun bor ni darbu. Ummatni Oromoo garuu, gabra tahee tokkummaan isaaf diigamee jiraatuu hin qabu. Hoogganni waan gaarii hojjateef akka faarfamu, kan balleesseef ammoo akka qeeqamu ykn akka abaaramu dursinee beekuun badii amma keessa jirru irraa nu oolcha ture. Kanneen hooggana keenya, tuqaman jennuunii fi ummata keenyas kan salphise dhaabni isaan hoogganan kaayyoo ka'eef galmaan gahuu hanqachuu isaa ti. Dhaabni keenya abaarame jennee nuti ilmaan Oromoo irratti duuluuf sababa godhannu kun, osoo Oromiyaan bilisoomte tahee mootummaa Oromoo ture. Kanaaf mee dursinee ummata Oromoo haa yaadnu. Sirba bahanii orma hin qaanfatan akkuma jedhan kanneen hooggana ofiin jedhan qeeqni akka jirus haa beekanii. Yoo gaaffiin ummataa deebi'e ammoo faaruu malee abaarsi akka hin jirre hubannee ummata Oromoo walitti fidnee milkiif haa hojjannuu.

Injifatnoo Ummata Oromoof!!!

Hordofaa Elemoo Qilxuu

www.barraaqa.blogspot.com

Dr. Geetachoo Jigii haa gaafannuu?

Bara keessa jiru kana keessa mooraa qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo keessatti nagaya buusuu fi tokkummaa ummata Oromoo cimsuuf barruu Dr. Geetachoo Jigii facaasanii fi haasaya isaaniis hedduun keenya dhagahaa turre. Qabsaawota Oromoo giddutti nagaan bu'uun gaaffii yeroo fi hawwii ummata keenya hundaa ti. Haa tahu malee dhibdee mooraa qabsoo saba Oromoo keessatti dhalatte furuun madda dhibdee kanaa sirriitti hubachuu fi waa'ee nagayaa dubbachuun dura, aakkasumas kan biraas fudhachiisuuf ofii qulqulluu tahanii argamuun barbaachisaa dha. Keessattuu namni araara namoota, murna ykn hawaasa keessatti buusuuf manguddoo tahee dhihaatuu tokko nama guutuu guututti waldhabbii sana irraa walaba tahee argamuu qabu. Haasaya Dr. Geetachoo irraa garuu yaadni isaan adeemsisanii fi jechootni dabree dabree dubbii isaanii keessatti calaqqisan akeeka yaada isaanii irratti akka shakkiin natti bulu na taasise. Yaada isaanii sirriitti baruuf gaaffiilee armaa gadii kana dhiheessuu barbaade.

1. Dr. Geetachoo Jigii waldhabbii mooraa qabsoo bilisummaa ABO keessatti 2008 dhalatte irraa hangam walaba? Gaaffii kana kan kaaseef yeroo biyya bahanitti roorroo TPLF saba Oromoo irraan gahu balaaleffatanii ABOtti akka dabalaman SBO dhageenne. Kan hanga ammaa hin dhagahin garuu waldhabbii 2008 tahe keessatti isaan gama murna kamiitu akka hin dhaabbatinii fi walaba tahuu isaanii ti. Kanaaf Dr. Geetachoon hangam walaba dhibdee kana irraa?

2. Haasaya isaanii guyyaa 08/30/09 mana Paltalk keessatti godhan irratti kan, warri Diaspora yeroo fedhii isaanii guutattan ABO akka bakkuma jirutti gatanii biraa deemanii fi biyya alaa jiraattotni Oromoo qabsoof homaa akka godhuu hin dandeenye dubbatan. Kana malees qabsoon kan hoogganamuu qabdu biyya keessa qofaa akka tahe, namootni biyya alaa jiraatan rakkoo Oromoo keessa jiru gonkumaa waan hubachuu hin dandeenneef qabsoo deeggaruu ala waan isaan hin ilaalle keessa seenanii bocoluu hin qaban yaada jedhu darbatan. Namoota biyya alaa jiran ABO ganuu yakkan. Egaa gaaffiin isaan deeisuu qaban, ABO isaan jedhan "Diasporan" gane kami inni? kan Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo, G/Kamaal Galchuu moo Daud Ibsaan hoogganamu? Gaaffii kana kan gaafadhuuf namni akka jaarsaatti ilmaan Oromoo walitti fiduuf carraaqu dursee kan hubatuu qabu warri maqaa ABOn deeman 3 gahuu isaanii ti. Yoo yaadni warri Diaspora ABO gane jechuun kanneen jijjiirama labsanii hooggana dur jala deemaa turan of irraa mulqan ilaala tahe, Dr. Geetaachoon araara dubbatuuf dursanii hunda walqixa ilaaluun akka irra jiru hubachuu qaban jedha. Kana malees kanneen biyya alaa jiran, university gara garaa keessa jiran ABO amanamaa akka hin tahan jedhan. Nagaa buusna jechaa, Oromoo kun qabsoof gaarii dha, kuun ammo gaarii miti /categorizing into good and bad/ hangam nagaya buusuu kana gargaara?.

3. Kan biroo dhibdee qabsoo bilisummaa keessatti dhalate Dr. dhibdee naannummaa fi shira diinaa godhanii dhiheessu. An fi xinnaantu Oromoon walakkaan akkaan yaadutti dhibdeen siyaasaa qabsaawota Oromoota gidduutti ar'a mul'atu kan gandummaa fi harki diinaa keessa seenee hafarfamuu osoo hin taane rakkoo hawwiin keenya dhugoomuu dhabuu fi kanneen qabsoo keenya hoogganuun milkiin nu gahan jennee abdataa turre dirqama kana bahuuf dandeetti dhabuudhaa ti. Wal komiin jiru hoogganni ture abdii irraa qabaachaa ture hanqisee dha, yaadni gama tokkoon jiru. Seena baroota dheeraa qabsoo keenyaas of duuba deebinee yoo ilaalle gandummaan dhibdee hin turre. Diinnis akkasuma takkaa dhaaba Oromoo keessa lixuu bakka alamatti baqaqsee hin beeku.

Waldhabbii 2008 ABO keessatti dhalateef madda waldhabbii ilaalchisee yaadni lamaa murna waldide gidduu jiru ammo;

3.1 Gama murna Shaneetiin warri isaan irra bahe seera dhaabaa cabse, harka diinaattu keessa jiraa fi yakki gosaan wal ijaaran jedhu ni dhagahama

3.2 Gama Jijjiiramaatiin ammoo rakkoon jiru rakkoo hoogganni dur ture/shaneen qabsoo biyya keessaa baasuu, kanneen dhaabatti dabalaman itti gargaaramuu dhabuu, Seeraa ol of godhuun waldhabbii dhaaba keessatti uumame seeraan furuu diduu, yaada miseensotaatti karaa cufuu ykn ammo dhagahuu diduu fi hooggana talisa mul'ata hin qabnee fi walumaa galatti ABO taliguu fi qabsoo ummata Oromoo fuula dura tarkaanfachiisuuf dandeetti dhabuu dha jedhu. Dhugaan jiru qabsoon Oromoo bara baraan gadi deemuu fi dadhabuu dha. Kanneen dhaabatti dabalamaa turan haala bulchiinsaa fi bu'aa argamsiisu dhaba ABO irraa abdii kutatanii qabsoo ala tahuu dha kan agarre. Harka diina waan jedhu hanga ammaa mallattoon hin jiru. Warri akka jaarmayaatti hooggana shanee mormu tokkoonuu TPLF waliin hariiroo hin qabu. Kana malee ofii rakkoo ofii furachuu dadhabuu fi ir'ina dhalateef itti gaafatama fudhachuu diduun ammoo rakkoon kun fuula dura akka hin furamne godhe. Egaa gaaffiin jiru, Dr. Geetachoon akka murna shanee kan qabsaawota adda diigaa jiru harka diinaa nu keessa lixe fi gandummaa kan jedhan yoo tahe akkamitti walaba tahuu danda'u? Maaliif yoo jenne yakki dur ABO bara kana ammo shanee irratti dhihaataa jiru kanneen yaadaa isaan irraa tahan hunda, ati gandummaa leelliftaa fi diina waliin hojjatta jechuun yakkaa turuu isaanii ti. As irratti kan hubatamuu qabu yaadni biroo ammoo rakkoo akkana xaxaa tahe kana furuun qorannaa guddaa barbaachisuu isaa ti. Yoo kana hin tahin mataa nama dhukkubuuf dawaa garaa kennuu taha. egaa gaaffiin kiyya maaltu akka mooraa qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo, keessattu ABO akka qabsaawota facaasu, tokkummaa osoo hin taane waldhabbii akka babal'isu godhe? madda dhibdee kanaa qoratanii jiruu? Yoo qoratanii hin jirre ammoo akkamiin furmaata akeekuu danda'u.

4. Dr. Geetachoon namuu bakka ir'atetti qeeqa akka dhiheessuu danda'uu fi namootaa fi jaarmaya qeequu irra dabranii Oromoo gosaan qooduun ykn arrabsuun akka yakka tahe dubbatu. Kun yaada bareedaa dha. Garuu namni dhaaba isaa qeequu ni danda'a osoo jedhan deebi'anii kan ABO qeequ/abaaru diina jedhuun. Namni Abbaa caalaa qeequ diina jedhu. ABO fi lammii Oromoo kamuu abaaruun nam-tokkee fi qabsoo saba Oromootiif bu'aa kan hin qabne tahus, ummatni Oromoo bilisummaa hawwaa ture, bilisummaa isaatiif ABO fi hooggana isaa abdataa ture yoo abdii isaa sun hundi qilleensa irratti haftu, kan fira qabsoo kanatti dhabe, kan ilmi, abbaa, obboleettiin qabsoo irratti jalaa du'an kanneen qabsoo kana keessatti qooda ol'aanaan qaban, waa balleessuu fi tolchuus danda'anitti aaru, qeequ, abaaru, yaadni dadhabbii fi wareegaman keenya isaantuu akka firii hin godhanne taasise jedhu itti bulee aariin dubbatu akkamitti diina jedhama?. Dr. Geetaachoon quuqaa lammii Oromoo kanaa fi akka Oromootti mirga lammiin qabu sirriitti osoo hin hubatin akkamitti yaada araaraa buusuu danda'u? Akkuma addunyaa kana irratti agarru ummatni kan hiriire bahee filate gaafa inni hawwii isaa guutuu dadhabe hiriira bahee of irra darbuu fi aariin guutamee dallansuun hiriira itti bahu Oromoo hooggana ABO abdataa ture wanni eeggataa turan hanqannaan dallanuu akka malan hubachuun barbaachisaa dha. Kanneen aariin namoota ABO keessatti hooggana turan maqaa dhahanii qeequu fi abaaruunis aadaa dimookraasii keessatti diina nama hin goosiftuu.

5. Haasaya 08/30/09 mana paltalk keessatti godhan irratti Dr. Geetaachoon ala taa'anii qabsoo hoogganuun akka hin danda'amnee fi warri "diaspora" jedhaniin kun siyaasaa kana irraa xinnoo akka of qusatan dubbatan. Gama biraatiin isaan mataan isaanii ummata isaan file keessaa bahanii biyya alaa taa'anii waa'ee qabsoo dubbatu. Lammii Oromoo biyya isaa irraa buqqa'ee biyyatti deebi'uus hin dandeenye waa'ee lammii isaa biyya jiruu maaliif dubbachuu akka hin dandeenya osoo nuuf himanii bareeda. Dhugumaan yoo kanneen maqaa qabsootiin dubbatan hundi biyya keessa/ummata keenya cinaa jiraatuun qabsoo akka finiinsu godhuu qaban jedhan yoo tahe, hooggana shanee waggaa 10 caalaa biyya olaatti baqatee jiru, yoo Oromiyaatti deebitanii qabsoo gaggeessuu hin dandeenne maqaa qabsoo fi saba Oromootiin hin dubbatinaa jedhanii jiruu? Yoo kana hin godhin ammoo baqattoota Oromoo kan biroo maaliif siyaasaa keessa akka hin lixne wixii itti muruu barbaadu?

Akkuma ifatti mul'atu yaadotni armaa olitti calqqisan akeeka Dr. Geetaachoo shakkii keessa kan galchanii fi dhugumatti hundaaf walqixa tahuun mooraa qabsoo Oromoo tasgabbeessuuf qooda kennuu ni danda'uu waan jedhu gaaffii keessa galchu. Akkuma jalqaba tuqe, balaa qabsaawota Oromoo walitti buusaa ture madda isaa baruu yoo hin dandeenne nagaa waaraa buusuun hafee yeroofis nama walitti fiduun ni ulfaata. Yaada Dr. Geetaachoo hubatnoon jala yoo bu'an ammoo dhibdee kana akkaataan itti hubachaa jiran, qorannaa mataa isaanii godhanii osoo hin taane, yakkuma gama tokkoo daddarbatamaa ture akka dhugaatti waan fudhatan fakkaata. Kanaaf waan isaan dubbataniin akka isaan fudhannu gaaffiilee kana deebisuu qabu jedha.

Dhuma irratti Dr. Geetachoof kabajaa guddaa akka qabu, ilmaa Oromoo qulqullaa nagummaa Oromootiif yaadan akka tahan hubannoo kiyya akka tahee fi barruun armaa olitti dubbifamu qooda isaan kennuu barbaadan irratti akka isaanii fi sabni keenyas milkaa'u yaadota shakkii uuman qulqulleessuu qofa irratti akka akeekkadhe akka naaf hubatamu yaadachiisa.

Hordofaa Elemoo

Captured in Ethiopia: An American nightmare

A UW-Madison sophomore recounts her experience being detained and deported from her host country of Ethiopia.

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By: Rory Linnane /The Daily Cardinal

Rory in traditional dress with her host brother after his graduation from kindergarten

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photo courtesy samantha weintraub

Photo of Rory and her students

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photo courtesy samantha weintraub

Photo of Haramaya, where Rory stayed

A strong hand planted stiffly on my shoulder and sent shivers through my body, freezing every muscle as I stood on my host family’s front lawn in Ethiopia. I slowly turned as my eyes traveled up a large arm and over to the other arm, which was grasping an AK-47. I looked up at his face as he glanced back at two other armed men and his lips parted into a grin.

At this point I was halfway through a two-month summer trip to teach English in Haramaya, Ethiopia, through Learning Enterprises, a nonprofit student-run organization. Fourteen volunteers and a student program coordinator were staying with host families in eastern Ethiopia.

Capture

I was on my way to school with two other volunteers July 9 when I was stopped by the three armed men on my lawn. We later learned they worked for the Ethiopian National Intelligence Agency.

“You need to come with me to the police station for questioning, all of you,” the man who stopped me said.

“Why?” I demanded.

No response. Oh, right, I thought, authorities in Ethiopia don’t respond to that question. I learned it was dangerous to question their government. Any time I tried to discuss politics in a public place I was quickly hushed. As an American citizen on Ethiopian soil, I had no more rights than the Ethiopian people. A couple minutes after my foolish “why” question, we were flailing and yelling for help while the men shoved us into the back of a car.

Not knowing who was taking me or where I was going, the tears came abruptly like a kid in a grocery store who suddenly looks up to find she has lost her mother. My remaining dignity left with the breath stuttering out through my quivering mouth. I cried tears heavy with the universal fear felt by humans deprived of basic human rights. At that moment I felt perhaps the greatest connection with the Ethiopian people as I was forced to face what they struggle against every day.

In the next town over, we pulled into the police station where more volunteers from our program were waiting. We sat in the police office where we were watched fidgeting for hours before they told us that we were missing “a document” required for teaching in Ethiopia—a document to be discussed with officials in the capital 10 hours west, Addis Ababa. Commanded to pack all of our things for the trip to Addis, we concluded we probably wouldn’t be coming back to the town we had grown to call home.

Back at my host family’s house, trying to keep my eyes dry enough to pack my bags, I avoided looking anyone in the eyes. My efforts became futile when I opened the front pocket of my pack and found all the gifts I had planned to give my host family.

“Why are you crying?” the men asked me, laughing from behind their AK-47s.

“This is my family,” I whispered. “You are taking me from my family.”

Giving words to my emotions solidified them into a burning anger that replaced my fear and sadness. I thought of my students who waited hours on end for the chance to get into 50 minutes of class,before going home to help their family scrape up a living. They were certainly waiting at school for us now. And here was their government, ignorant and self-important, carting away free teachers and guarding us with 10 armed men in case we tried anything.

Detention

We drove all day toward Addis. In the morning we began requests for lunch that went unsatisfied, and in the afternoon we tried for dinner. Finally they gave in and we pulled over to a roadside shop. An official went to the shop and came back with a small pack of crackers for us all to split.

We kept driving into the night until we stopped at a hotel, still hours out of Addis. We were in a malaria zone. We asked to get our bug nets but were denied access to our bags. You’re not supposed to take malaria medication on an empty stomach, but I was getting bitten. I took my pill and just minutes later was keeling over. I spent the night without sleep, weak and dehydrated in the sticky lowland heat, dry-heaving over a hole in the ground overflowing with sewage, guarded by armed men with unknown objectives. The next morning we made it to the capital.

In Addis they took us straight to immigration. Again we were kept hungry, though this time we were advised to enjoy the “mental food” offered by the view from our holding room. Despite our waning energy, we kept our spirits up with songs, games and stories. Immigration officials interviewed us each individually. The officials gave each of us a different reason about what we were doing wrong in the country. My favorite was that we were “overknowledging” our students by challenging them in the classroom.

While we waited as a group during the interviews, we decided that no matter what happened, our primary goals were to stick together and to contact the U.S. embassy. We wrote the embassy’s number on skin covered by clothes and on small pieces of paper that we hoped we would be able to pass off to someone.

By the last few interviews, the officials became consistent in telling us that we had the wrong type of visa. Although airport staff told us to get tourist visas, these officials thought we needed business visas. That night they told us we had to leave the country the following day. If we had the cash on us to change our flights, we could do so; otherwise it was Ethiopian jail until our original flights left, which was a month later for me. We did not believe we had enough cash for all of us, but our goal to stick together remained intact.

Rescue

We spent that night under tight guard at a government hotel where we were still unable to contact the embassy, and the next day they drove us to the airport where we were held in a back room. After waiting all day, later that evening my blank stare at the wall was interrupted when a team of men entered the room and stated, “We are from the U.S. embassy. We are here to help you.” I bolted from my chair and smothered them in hugs and tears. The next hour was a flurry of phone calls home, information release forms and random expressions of glee.

A few hours later we were all on flights home, lessons learned. When traveling abroad it is important to be knowledgeable about the country and its government. While we were never given an official reason for our deportation, many of us believe it had to do with the ethnicity of the students we were teaching: Oromo.

Every Oromo person I talked to felt that the government actively oppresses the Oromo ethnic group as a means of maintaining power. The ruling party of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, has proven it will go to great lengths to protect its power. After the 2005 national elections threatened the party’s majority in parliament, Ethiopians accused the party of intimidation at the polls and forging ballots. Hundreds were injured, killed or arrested.

In a country with such a paranoid and forceful government, we could have foreseen some trouble with serving the Oromo people without any sort of clearance from higher up. We also should have gone to the U.S. embassy as a group for information about risks and instruction on safety.

When you go to another country, you don’t take your rights with you. As romantic and adventurous as it sounds to spontaneously pack up and travel the globe, when you don’t do your homework, reality can be harsh.