Anis/atis hayyuu miti!!!

Hundumaa kan beeku hayyuudha naseetee

Fallikoo isa harkaa jettee na abdattee

Imimmaan dhalootaa dhiiga faana buustee

Sammuudhaa maraattee qullaayyuu yoo buuste

Anaan hin ilaaliin ani hayyuu miti

Dheebuu sibaasuufis ani hindanda’uuti

Qomookoo dhaga’ii lammii garaa dhabaa

Anis siin alatti humna maalan qaba?

Fala naa barbaada waa beeka na seetee

Narra ija hinkaawwatiin hayyuudha naan jettee

Qubee lakkaa’uunkoo hayyuu nan taasisu

Digirii qabaachuun ana sincaalchisu

Adaraa yaa qomoo, qomoo gaafa xiiqii

Tokkummaa qabaadhuuti yaaddoorraa nahiikii

Lammiikoo jajjabee warreen mataa daabee

Sifuruu dhabukoof anoo baay’een gaabbe

Garaakootti goreen garakoo wallaale

Malee sinjibbineem dhiiroo yaa qaxale

Hayyuun ana mitii hayyuu naan hinjedhiin

Maal hiikni hayyummaakoo rakkookee utuu hinfuriin

Barachuus baradhee qabxii waliin tuulee

Baay’ina digirii walirra tuttuulee

Saayntistiis ta’ee naahaasaarraa qoradhee

Tokko lama jedhee waa hedduu baradhee

Garuu maal hiikkaansaa biyyakoof yoo hintaane

Maaf hayyuu naan jetta fala erga siilaanne

Kutaas lakkaa’eera tokko lama jedhee

Dhoksaa hedduu beekee hubadheera se’e

Kan dubbatu guute dubbiin dhowwaa hinqabu

Iddoo hundaa taa’ee jechaan kan lallabu

Kutee hingatu taanaan beekumsi hiyyummaa

Dubbiin ta’ee hinbeeku safartuu hayyummaa

Qorataa cimaadha rakkoo adda baasee

Toora qaqabsiisee furmaata agarsiisee

Garuu maal godharee gochaanoo duwwaadha

Hojiitti yoo hinjijjiirre maal hiikkaan hayyuudhaa

Saaynsii hawaasaa ta’ees kan uumamaa

Yoo jijjiirama hinfidne maaliin madaalama?

Qomookoo yaa lammii dhaloota akka xiyyaa

Waan iyyuuf wallaalus sammuunkoo na iyya

Yaadee buusee baasee xiinxalee hanga tokko

Guguungumaan deema yoon ta’es kophaakoo

Garuu sigargaaruuf waa tokko nadhibe

Gaara nafuulduraas nan dadhabe dhiibee

Utuun hayyuu ta’ee maaliif naan jiguree?

Maaliif nagidirsa ana dura goree?

Hayyuun isa kamii? isa kami waansaa?

Sabaaf erga hintaanee maalinni hayyummaansaa?

Ardittii kanarraa hammamiif jiraatuu?

Eenyu qoree beeka gaafa lubbuun baatuu?

Akkas erga ta’ee maal hojjedheen darba?

Moo akka bubbeen olii gadi labaa?

Utuun akkas jooruu silaa duuti hin oolu

Ilmaan ilmaankootii anarraa maal dhaaluu?

Egaa yaa Oromoo warreen dhiigakooti

Narraa homaa hin eegiinaa ani hayyuu miti

Hayyuun hayyuu caalu isa sabaaf jooru

Yeroon rafee bulu isa illeen qooru

An gabbataa furdaa inni anaaf deegaa

An yoos hayyuu mitika maalan godhee egaa

Anaaf hinkennamiin maaqumti hayyummaa

Wawuu yaa qomookoo maafan itti himamaa?

Maal raawwadheen fudha maqaa ulfinaa kanaa

Goototaaf naakennaa itti hinwaakkatiinaa

Warreen lammiif jecha du’aaf of kennanii

Aadaaf duudhaa boonsaa nubiraan gahanii

Isaaniif xiqqoodhaa maqaan hayyummaadhaa

Dhaloonni ammaa kun bu’aa isaaniidha

Dhiigni isaanii iyyee lafeensaanii margee

Warreen faffaca’antu isaaniin wal argee

Kanaafan hinbarbaadu ani maqaa guddaa

Isaaniif naa kennaa dabarsaafii hundaa

Hayyuun hayyuu miti yoo sabaaf hintaane

Hayyummaasaa baatee baay’eetu godaane

Kanaafuu dhiigaakoo lammii qaxalettii

Ittiin wal hinwaamiin anis/atis hayyuu miti!!!

*Beekan Gulummaa Irranaa Mardaasaa, 2014

Gaaddiidduu Jaaramayaa Farra Sabboonummaa Oromoo (kutaa sadaffaa)

(Xannacha Keeysaa Kan Qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo ABOn Hogganamtu Quucarse)

5. ABO fi ABUT (OLF vs TPLF)

ABO fi ABUT akkaa fi yeroo sadihi keeysatti wal beeku. Isaaniis:

1) Mootummaa Dargi kuffiisu keeysatti lamaanu humna mootummaa diiguuf tattafatu keeysatti,

2) Akka qaama waliin biyyaa Bulchuuf gaafatama fudhatan keeysatti (Motummaa Cehumsaa)

3) Akka Mootummaa TPLF fi ABO Mootummaa TPLF buqisuun bilisummaa fi walaabummaa ummtaa Oromoof falmaa godhuu keeysatti (bara 1992 hanga har’atti).

ABO fi ABUT dhawaata tokko keeysatti kan bu’ureeffamani dha. Haala isaan keeysatti qabsa’anii fi akkaataa isaan itti deeman adda  addaa waan taheef ABUT bu’ureeffame wagga 17 booda aangoo Impayeeraa Ityophiyaa harka isaatti galfate. Gaggeessaan Jaarmayaa ABUT kan Jalqaba Argawi Berehe ture. Meles Zenawi bara 1985 irraa eegalee angoo qabate. Rakkoon gartuu Mallasaa fi Aragawii jidduu keessaa inni guddaan akkata humna biraa waliin ijaaramanii  Dargii kuffisanii angoo qabatan ilaalchissee ture. Kuniis Gartuun Malassaa Agobaraa tokko jalaatti kan handhurri isa ABUT tahee sabaa fi sablammootii adda addaa irraa jarme ijaaruu yeroo tahuu, kan Aragawii faa ”Multinational Pan Ethiopanist” kan tahe jaarmayaa tokkicha qabaachuu qabna kan jeedhu ture. Gartuun Mallasaa mormitoota isa Aragawii Berehe, Gedey Zeratsion, Kahasay Berhe; Tesfaye  Atsbeha, Teklu Hawaz, Asfeha Hagos fi KKf of keessa ariyuun fi garii ajjeessuun waligala jaarmaychaa akka dhunfataniin ABO-tin gaaffii waliin dalaguu gaafatan, innis gaaffiin Oromoo Ityophiyaa keessatti ni deebi’a, kanaaf Agobara tokko jalatti waliin hojjenna jedhan. Gama ABOn yaadi kun fudhaatamuu hin dandeenye, bifa kanaan ABO fi ABUT jidduutti rakkon bu’uraa dhalate. Yeroo sana irraa kaasse ABUT toftaa fi tarsiimoo ABO itti balleessu irratti dhaawataan hojeechuu eegale. Kan duraa Jaarmayaa maqaa Oromoon kan TPLF akka fedha isaatti sossosu ijaaruun murteessaa tahuu hubachuun boji’amtoota waraana Dargii EPDM keeysaa turanii fi kan EPLF irra argatan waliitti fiduun OPDO bu’ureessan.

As irratti kan dagataamuu hin qabnee yeroo ABOn Qabsoo Bilisummaa Ummataa Eritrea jalqabumaa kaassee akka deggaruu yeroo sagantaa siyaasa isa keessatti ka’uu (Sagantaan siyaasa ABO aangoo 8 xuqaa 4 jalaatti akkana jeedha:-” VIII. International Relations: 4.     It supports the Eritrea peoples’ struggles or self-determination that are being waged in the empire state of Ethiopia (Prepared in Finfine – Oromia, October 1974 and amended on June 1976.)”), gama ELF/EPLFn garuu walabummaa Oromiya gaaf tokko itti amananii hin beekani. ADULIS barruun alaa EPLF bara 1985 keessaa falmii ABO fi dhabbollee bilisummaa ummatoota Ityophiyaa keessaa jiranii irratti qabuu yeroo barreessuu ”..the demand for the secession of the Ethiopian nationalities has neither an historical nor an economic basis; nor is the extent of the prevailing national antagonism so acutely sharp as to justify it” isa kanaaf  ”On Adding Insult to Injury” jeechuun Sisay Ibsa alias Hordofa Q.Loltu Kindling point nr. 8 August 1985 barreessen deebii gahaa itti keenne. Kanaafuu  EPLF yeroo mara yaada lakkuu (double standerd)n waan deemaniif namoota akka Yonatan Dhibbisaa, Baacaa(Atinkugn) Dabalee, Kamal Galchuufaa fi kkf  kan dabarsee ABUT-f  kenne. Bara 1993 waraan TPLF fi ABO gidduutti, keessumaa karaa bahaa tahee keessatti waraanii Shabiyaa gargarsaa guddaa akka TPLF-f godhee dhugaa diidaa jiruudha. Har’as jaarmolee Oromoo wal duraa dhabbataan lamaa tajajiluun isaanii akka dantaa ummataa oromoof hin tahiin Oromoon qajeelchee beeku qaba.

Mootummaa Cehumsaatti utuu hin seeniin duraa ABO fi ABUT waliigaltee September 26 bara 1990 godhatan irratti garagarummaa hundee ilaalcha siyaasa qabanis lafa ka’anii turan. ABOn yeroo mootummaa cehumsaatti seenuu wan inni beekaa itti seene waan gurguddoo shantuu turan. Isaniis;-

1)      TPLF gaffii Oromoo akka ABOn qabatee jiruttii akka hin fudhannee, ammoo kaayyoon ABO uummata biraan gayuun hiree kana itti dhimma bayuuf akeekkatee itti seene

2)      OPDO diiguu irraa jabeeffachuun TPLF yeroo boodaa jaarmayaa diinaa tahee ABO lolu qopheeffataa jiraachuu

3)      EPLF fi TPLF, ABO alaatti ajaandaa dhoksaa isaan gidduu deeddeemuu akka qabaan. Haa tahuu malee ABOn humnaa tahee humnootii biroo waliin  Ityophiyaa keessaa jiraachuun dantaa EPLF tahuu,

4)      Falmii Ityophiyaa keessaan falmamuu keessatti toftaan habashootaa humna Oromoo gargar hiruu tahuu ni hubata. Kanaafuu hanga danda’ameetti kana hanqisuuf jeecha utuu Mootummaa cehumsaatti hin seeniin jaarmayoolee Oromoo mara kan OPDO irra hafee waliin waliigalteen Khartum, Sudanitti tahe.

5)      Akka dhaabatti ABOn qophii jaarmayaa gahaa akka hin qabnee.

Karaa biraa jarmaan akka ”Coalition of Ethiopian Democratic Forces(COEDF)”-ffaa yeroo akka mootummaa cehumsaatti hin seenne   dhorkaamaan  ABOn kan Roma irratti hin hirmaatiin akkamiin ”London peace conference” irratti akkan hirmaatuu tahee ka jeedhuu gaaffin ka’uu ni malaa. Kuniis ka tahee sababooti gurgudoo Kanaafii:-

1) Humnii Waraan qabaachuu akkasumaas humnii waraana ABO  karaa Dirree Bahaa daran  itiitaa fi sirnawaa waan tureef humnaa dafee caabuu akka hintaanee humnootii heedduu biraattii hubataama wan tureef,

2) Gargaarsa EPLF, dantaa mataa isaa tikfachuuf (tasgabbiin jiraatee walabummaa isaa argachuuf)

3) Mootummaan USA Oromoo caala Ityophiyaanistiin hin jiru, Kanaafuu ABOn yoo biyyaatti galee ni liqinfaama malee namni yaada isaa irraa fudhatu hin jiru yaada jedhu waan qabaachaa tureef, akkasumas konfrensii London caamsaa 26, 1991 gaggeeffame irratti jiilli ABO Leencoo Lataan hogganamu bakka bu’ee irratti argame yaada US assistant secretory of state for African Afairs, Mr. Hank Cohen, Oromoon regional autonomy bulchiinsa Federala Itiyophiyaa keessatti akka fudhatee jiraatu jedhu dhiyeesse waan fudhateef, (David H. Shinn, December 2004)

4) TPLF ilaalcha siyaasa qabduun, ABOn hogganaa fi miseensota isaa amansiisee mootummaa cehumsaatti hin galu, yoo gales yaada TPLF tarkaanfachiisuuf deemu fudhachuuf deema jette wan eegedef,

5) Dhiibbaa Biyyooti akka Germany, Norway, UK fi Netherland ABO karaa ORA gargaaraa turan, ABOn humna boru ciimuu dandayu ni ta’a jeedhaniis yaadaa waan turaniif,

Gama ABOn murtiileen darban kan sirna Jaarmayaa eegee, Koreen Gidduu ABO kan murteesse utuu hin tahiin Leenco Lataa fi Diimaan Nagawoo murteesame dha, TPLF fi EPLF waliin mallatteessanii booda kan koree gidduu quba qabaachisan dha. Kunuu tahee chartara galaamee irratti yaada walfakkaataa dhaabuu, yeroo chartar keessaa turamees akkaataa hojii irratti wal hubannoo dhabuu fi bahuu irratti dhaabicha keessatti  dhaabbii walfakaatuu dhabuun  dhibdee har’aa ABOn irra gaheef madda ta’e.

Barootii sagaltamoota keessaa akka ”Selamawii Oneg”, Ebla bara 2012, Oslo-tti akka Partii maqaa moggaafatu barbadachaa jiruutti, Caamsa bara 2012keessa moo ”Waltajii Marii” ofiin jeechuun  akka cilaalluu mataa baafataa fi dhofkataa bar 20 deeme har’aa of labsuuf  dhiissuu keessatti dorroobee jira. Dobni kunis ni dalataa fi ni gataataa namni beeku hin jiru. Kun hundi firii adeemsa xannachoota dhaaba  kana akka gaaddiidduu waliin deema turanii ti.

Akka Jaarmayaatti ABOn yeroo Mootummaa cehumsaatti seene rakkoo gurguddoo shan qabaacha ture. Isaniis:-

1)      Hogganii dhihaaf Bahaa kan haala fi naannoo adda addaa fi hogganummaa adda addaa jalaatti hojeetaa tureetu yeroo calqabaaf wal keessaa deemuu eegale. Waldhunfatanii wal qajeelchuun hin ture.

2)      Gaafa ABOn Kora Sabaa lamaffaa (1989) gaggeessuu namooti mana hidhaa keeysa turan yeroo dhaabni bara 1991 Finifinnee seenuu hojii dhaabichaa sadarkaa hogganaatti utuu hojjeetanii, bifa sirnawwaa tokkon hogganumaatii dhuunfatamuu hanqachuu

3)      Namni bara sana ABO bakka bu’e jiruu chartara gaggessaa ture Leencoo Lata dha. Ilaalchii isaas kanuma har’a naannessu kan Ityophiyaa demokraateessuu malee haalli ABOn qabsoo hidhannootti  isa deebisu ni dufa jeedhu hin yaadne. Abdiin isaas mootuumma USA, EPLF fi gaggeessaa TPLF Malassa turan. Akka ilaalcha Leencoo-tti dhimmaa Oromoo Ityophiyaa keessatti akka hiikamu ABOn fudhannaan Mallasaan  ABOf obsa godhate ykn ”power share” godha kan jeedhuu amantaa isaati.

4)      Uummata Oromoo yeroo sanatti ka’e bilisummaa isaa goonfachuuf hawwe, akka Jaarmayaatti ABO dursee fi hogganee akeeka yaadameef sossosuu hanqachuu

5)      Qooda hojii addan qooddannaa keessatti daandii ilaalcha siyaasa hordofuun wal ramaduu. Kunis Hojii Jaarmayaa ABO Galaasa Dilboo akka gaggeessuu, hujii Mootummaa Cehumsaa Keessaa Leencoo Lataa akka gaggeessuu tahuun akka Hantuutaa fi bashoo kan tokko goodhuu inni tokko eeggachuu, gartuu wal irratti ijaaruu fi amantaa wal irratti dhabuu dagaagise. Waan hedduu tarreessamu keessaa wan xixiqqoon akka fakkeennaatti ka’uu dandayan keessaa, warra Ministeeraa Wayyaaneen kenniteefii fudhatani itti turan xiinxaluun feesisa.

A) Zagayee Asfaw gafa mana hidhaa ture qophaatti kan tajaajilamaa ture, gafa Dargiin dhimma araaraa fidu Abba Biyyaa waliin kan jalqaba fudhatee mana hidhaa irraa bahee minsteera Dargii kan tahee, bara chartaraas Maqaa ABOn Ministeera Qonnaa ta’ee ramadame. Dhugaa dubbachuuf Zagayee Asfaaw caala Ityophiyanist tahee hin jiru.

B) Dimaa Nagawoo, Malerid irra garaa ABO kan dhufee, sanatti aansee koraa  ABO jalqabaa irratti kan Dura ta’aa ta’ee filame  utuu jaarmayichaf  waa hin dalagiin dirqama isaa gatee barnootaaf biyya Senegal deeme. Yeroo barnoota irra deebi’uus haalli inni Waajirri banameef akka biyya Jarmaniitti hojeetuu isaaf mijjawaa itti fakkatee fi filmaata biroo dhabuun ABOtti Sudanitti dabalamee (Maddii odeeffataa  kanaa Kitaaba Dandii Nagassoo jeedhuu fuula 110 akkasumas gaaffii fi deebii Diiman ESAT waliin bara 2011). Diimaan bara yeroo Nirobi ture, sababaa Galaasaan utuu isa quba hin qabaachisiin dirree kibbaa deemeef jecha, vidio Waraana Dirree Kibbaa waraabee Diimaa bira ture yeroo booda, harka tika wayyaanee, Kinfe Gebremedin, argamuun isaa, akka inni dabarsee kennetti isa shakkisiise. Diimaan ABO keeysatti ilaalcha habashoota irraa isa fageesuu godhatee hin beeku.

C) Ibsa Gutamaa akka har’aa uttu hin taanee gaaf sana nama Ityophummaa leellisu ture. Dhaabbiin isaa kan har’aa kuniis kan madditee erga bara 1993-tti Leencoo Lataa isa hiksiisuuf jedhamee biyyaa deeme mootummaa Malasaaf Qabsoo hidhannoo keessatti lamaffa qooda hin fudhadhuu ABOniis akka inni hidhannoo hikkatee seeran Ityophiyaa fuudhatee biyyatti deebi’u irrattin hojeedha jeedhe malateessee achii bahees jirutti hiikuuf erga irratti bobba’eeti.

D) Ahmed Hussen  Ramaadiin nama kanaa gartuu Leencoo fi Galaasa gidduutti kan rakko fide keessaa tokko. Bakka inni ramadame kanatti Mokkonon Galaaniitu yaadamee ture. Sabbonumman Mokkonnon Galaan fi Ahmed Hussen walitti madaaluun hin danda’muu. Leencoon garuu ulaagan isa warra sirnaa Ityophiyaaf mijaatan wan taheef Ahmed-n ramade.

Karaa biraa warra yaada Ityophiyaanismii of keessaa qaban jiruu irratti ramaaduu duwwaa utuu hin tahiin, heeraa dhaabichaa caabsuun akka qabsa’an  jireenyaan dagaamu qajeelfamaa fi ofii fakkii tahuun anjeessuun eegalamee. Kuniis :-

1)      Dimaa Nagawoo kan seera dhaabichaa oliitti of ilaaluun yeroo jalqabaaf seena ABO keessatti qabsa’oonii akka walfudhaan dhiibe. Kuni qaama qabsichaa lamasheesuu fi qabsaawota jireenyaa barsiisuuf  tarkanfii fudhatame dha. Hogganoonnii garii yaadicha mormanis hambissuu hin dandeenye.

2)      Dabballee ABO fi kan TPLF Finifine keessattii namni wal biraa qabee ilaalee nama aja’ibaa ture. Kan ABO  wayyabnii yeroo kophee adiidasn ya’an kan TPLF barbaasoon deemaa turan. Yeroo kan TPLF Mooraa jiraan keessatti of hojeetanii nyaatan, kan ABO mana Foonii magalaa keessatti dabaree dhiphiisuu turan. Mooraa Gulaalee keessaa Nadhii, Gutamaa, Dawud fi Toleeraa irra kan hafee hunduu Hoteelaa dhiphiisaa ture. Wan gafaas barsiifametu har’aa dhaabichaaf ba’an guddaa maatii qabsa’otaa tajajiluu tahee jira……

Kutaan Afraffaa ittii fufa…

Isaan numalee, nuti isaan malee hin qabnu waan dandeessan godhaa !

Leenconni barattoonni keenya sababa saamicha lafa Oromoo finfinneef Oromiyaa bakkoota baay’etti godhamaa jiru ilaachisee gufachiisuf qabsoo dhoosun finiinsaa turan amma gammoojjii ho’aa Affaaritti geeffamuun bakka,firriif lammiin hin birmanneefitti akkanattiin akka ilmoo abbaa haadha hin qabneetti rifeensa mataasaanii irraa haadun dhaanichaan gidirfamaa jiraachun dhagahame !

Hubadhaa ! Kun waan garaa nama nyaatu, xiiqii nama qabsiisudha.
Isaan numalee, nuti isaan malee hin qabnu waan dandeessan godhaa !

LESSONS AND THE FUTURE OF THE #OROMOPROTESTS

July 8, 2014 (OPride) — In his book The Dictator’s Learning Curve, journalist William Dobson writes, “revolutions, if they are to be successful, require planning, preparation, and an intelligent grasp of how to anticipate and outwit a repressive regime that thinks of little beyond preserving its own power.”

As activists around the world get more sophisticated with the use of technology and out-organize repressive states, governments have also learned to wait it out and sup momentum out of otherwise formidable movements.

In a sense, time seems to be the worst enemy for activists. Too often passion burns out and social movements falter as quickly as they begin. In the last five years, horizontal movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the Arab Spring used social media to mobilize a critical mass and proved more effective than states. However, they failed to overcome this test of time.

#OromoProtests

In one of the least connected corners of the world, students in Ethiopia’s Oromia region have also uncovered and harnessed this power of technology. Beginning in mid-April, Oromo students across various campuses in Oromia began to peacefully protest the expansion of that country’s capital — quickly getting images, videos and firsthand accounts of government crackdown out on social media.

Ethiopia criminalizes all forms of dissent and heavily monitors independent reporting. As such, the world only got a glimpse of the government clampdown on protesters via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Oromo-centric websites and blogs. With ongoing global solidarity rallies and petitions, the growing Oromo diaspora was instrumental in amplifying the students’ voices. From Malta to Melbourne, South Dakota to Toronto and anywhere in between, silence was not an option. Activists used #OromoProtests and #FreeOromoStudents across various social media platforms to draw attention to the repression and demand mainstream media coverage.

But, as with other social movements, the passion seems to be burning out. The government continues to hunt and imprison anyone suspected of organizing these protests, as the students begin to lose control of their movement, #OromoProtests seems to be losing more steam. Amid major world news events such as the turmoil in Iraq and Brazil’s World Cup, the ongoing arrest and alleged torture of Oromo students is not receiving the attention it so deserves. Hundreds of students have gone underground to avoid arrest. The lack of access to prison records and difficulty of getting facts on the ground weakens diaspora’s efforts to generate awareness. On June 27, the International Oromo Youth Association launched a three-day social media campaign to draw attention to ongoing arrests and demanding justice for those who were killed in the crackdown. While the group’s creative use of various modes of communication including a short documentary in English is commendable, judging from the reception even among the Oromos, momentum is clearly running out.

Future of #Oromoprotests

The road for Oromo recognition has not been easy. Under the circumstances, Oromo students can take solace in the amount and quality of the media coverage their movement garnered. Ultimately, politics is a game of patience and activism is fueled by passion. Coordination and centralized leadership is key to sustaining the movement, especially in a country as repressive as Ethiopia.

All successful non-violent movements had one similar characteristic: strong leadership. When leaders effectively articulate the goals and hopes of the movement, it creates a central message and a sense of unity. Take the Ethiopian Muslims movement for example. In early 2012, the movement appeared on the cusp of winning major concessions from the government through disciplined nonviolent movement. The activists were trained in nonviolent ways of resistance and responded peaceful to government provocations. Unable to slow down the resistance, the government arrested the protesters representatives (the Committee) in July 2012. The silent protests and sit-ins continued for months. But, with the central leadership languishing in jails, once the most sustained nonviolent movement in Ethiopia’s recent history (if not ever), it is now all but dead.

Nevertheless, the experiences offer valuable lessons for Oromo students. First, the student movement needs to solidify the non-violent stance. Nonviolent resistance requires coordination, discipline and patience to respond peacefully to an act of aggression. As such, even if the government responds with violence, the movement must respond with more peace, for violent reaction would only exacerbate the situation.

Second, the Oromo diaspora must also do more than holding rallies, writing press releases, changing profile pictures on Facebook and sending out few Twitter updates a day. A peaceful movement feeds off of ideas and intellectual conversations. Besides, given the ubiquity of information on social media networks, in order to make journalists and the international community understand the students’ position, reliable information should be gathered, synthesized and organized into easily accessible formats. The OromoProtests.com website was a great stride in that direction. But more can be done.

There were also other encouraging efforts (in places such as Minnesota) to hold community forums to discuss the best way to respond to the crisis. But those sessions must not be for mere therapeutic purposes where we express our anguish. Protesting in our respective communities gets the story out, but without a unified message the story fades. The #hungerstrike and resolutions passed by Minnesota legislature because of the community’s efforts are worth noting. While efforts to organize global day of action was also commendable, there appeared very little communication and coordination between the organizers. It would have had more effect if all Oromo activists across the U.S. went on hunger strike at the same time, and more local resolutions were passed. This would have undoubtedly received more media coverage and better response from U.S. lawmakers.

Third, have a clear message. The message should highlight the lack of human rights and less of the factional politics. The focus should be on getting the story of innocent student massacres into the international news cycle.

There were also moments where different factions of Oromo leaders sought to own the narrative. This is wrong. The students had legitimate grievances and their call for the respect of the constitution was unambiguously clear. We must put away our political ambitions and differences and focus on getting the information out to a broader audience.

Finally, it is important to seek out and build solidarity across ethnic lines. The government propaganda equates the struggle for Oromo rights with Oromo attempts to takeover the government. While many in Ethiopia fear an impending Oromo domination, Oromo students raised legitimate, constitutional and fundamental questions of group rights. This message of peace needs to be stressed to ensure all freedom advocates and those who feel unfairly marginalized or unjustly treated by Ethiopian government can join in efforts to make Ethiopia into a democratic nation. The EPRDF regime thrives by making different ethnic groups to fear one another. Instead of playing into government hands and perpetuating tyranny, rights advocates in Ethiopia must build bridges on common principles of human rights, freedom and justice. Patience and passion channeled into rational actions can go a long way in bringing change to Ethiopia. Factionalized outbursts of heated reactions benefit only the regime.

Source: Opride