28 December 2012 | By Yaadasaa Dafa
Criticism of any struggle can emerge from different corners, by different constituents aiming to accomplish, or convey a deliberate message. One need not be blind sighted assuming that critics are a fair reactions, feedbacks, or simple statements without intentions. Depending on the identity of the criticizing individual, one can expect within a negligible margin of error the parameters and directions of the intended message without falling into the trap of “self-fulfilling prophecy”. Frankly, this is a very narrow path to walk on. But once the whole picture of any given message becomes clearer and clearer, it alleviates the doubts and can easily be channeled to its proper category. But it is at this stage where the authors and the intended audiences could descend into the cycles of arguments and counter arguments. An author who may have a natural absence of decency, may continue to claim that his/her message is/was misunderstood or misinterpreted, even if the message is/was received by his/her audiences accurately. Such authors’ original message was/is not intended to be understood in its proper context, but to conceal its vicious agenda from the general public while appearing to promote their genuine struggle and general interest. As for the majority of the Nation, usually it takes time to differentiate these hyenas in sheepskin, from the real advocates for “in the best interest” of that Nation.
It is a public secret to know naturally, the struggle for the Nation of Oromia did cultivate unselfish, and highly dedicated children of Abbaa Gadaa, as well as a very close friends for its journey for freedom from the century old Abyssinian Colonialism. At the same time, Oromo national struggle does present it’self with its own fair share of limited opposition from within, in addition to the Abyssinian colonial machine. These partially seasonal internal oppositions are all cornered around two different persuasions. The fist one comes from the Nation of Oromo themselves in different shapes and forms. This type of opposition is natural, expected, and driven by no evil calculations /intentions. For best intentions or worst, it is expressed by our middle class citizens themselves.
Presumably,nearly considerable number of any Nations’ middle class are described, and comprehended as a fluid and mobile segments of all other classes. The middle class citizen includes: professionals, para-professionals, and other learned citizens, including the people in the private and non-private sectors of the economy. This sector of the society are the most measurably affected by the presently burning circumstances that happen to disturb their every day natural flow of life such as: shortages of oil, prices of consumed products, ………..including (but not limited to) particular religious frames of references, in addition to their sharing the sufferings of every day subjugation and exploitation with the rest of their respective Nations. Here, we need to conceptualize that the above description does not apply to all middle class citizens of every and all Nations, as other vital factors also leave their heavy footprints a well. In the case of the Nation of Oromia, (of-course this subject had been a taboo to discuss so far), it is conclusively true for a few groups of people to be objecting (at a surface value) to their Nation’s struggle, as they happen to emerge from their own individualistic interpretation of life. It is a natural journey for the Oromo Nation’s struggle to be tolerant (within the limit) at this stage of its own people who unconsciously fall into this category. It also should be part of an area where the struggle needs to make more effort to involve them in their own struggle more inclusively. This segment of our Nation does not present a vivid threat to our struggle and the long journey towards the freedom, but only has the potential to be more assets. This is a valid accommodation and they deserve to know this concerns upfront. As for the enemies of the struggle of our Nation, our middle class may appear to them to have the real potential for antagonistic view points of the ongoing Oromo Nation’s struggle. These short sighted aliens, and their agents may conceptualize; once the comfort zones of Oromo middle class is being threatened, the middle class will be on our (the enemies) side. This can readily be inflamed often by the enemies’ purposeful, and intentionally divisive propagandas as seen so far at different levels within the struggle. They were wrong about Oromo’s middle class then, now, and in future. Because, once the dust settles, and the Oromo struggle regain its momentum, the potential for Oromo middle class to join their own national struggle increases very rapidly as proved in 1990 when OLF entered Finfinnee. What happened after that is another shenanigan with the other Abyssinian regime. But suffice to say that OLF did leave behind a remarkable and un-forgettable foot print beyond the expectations of the Abyssinian rulers within a very short period of time. It was/is this natural potential of the political organizations of Nation of Oromia to mobilize its Nation so rapidly, unimaginably and superbly that continues to haunt our enemies every time they happen to hear about any Oromo political entities even those who they (the Abyssinian regimes) happen to call them “Legal opposition Parties”, let alone OLF with a clear manifesto for pure Gadaa Democracy, and independence!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The second internal opposition comes from the few Oromo citizens who are consciously used as a tool and foot soldiers for the enemy of their Nation. The driving force for such few unpatriotic opportunistic Oromos do not hold that much secrecy than material GREED, and Individualistic power hunger. Yet, it remains beyond the natural Oromo cultural DNA to understand these causal factors for a pure Oromo citizen(s); for being intoxicated and blinded, and descend to such a degrading low level of Orommummaa, and allow themselves to be utilized for the continued colonization of their own Nation. It was such Oromo elements who used the weakness within the Oromo National struggle, particulars within the OLF to desynchronize the steps towards freedom and turned around and abused those teachable moments, while using those weaknesses as a license to criticize the struggle of the Nation of Oromia. No competent Oromo compatriot denies the existences of mistakes when the dedicated Oromo people are engaged in an organized fashion to combat the backward Ethiopian Colonialism including daily societal heterostructure rebuilding in the only honest way they happen to know how. Therefore, it is fair to conclude, that wherever there is a purposeful activities, expecting a perfect results would not be within the norms of human-beings capacities. But not grasping the momentums, including failing to lend the organization to learn from the past wrong decisions is an easily predictable formula for an organizational disaster. As the Oromo proverb goes “kan mamni biroo nama arrabsuurra, kan abbaan ofiisaa of arraabssutu caalaa nama guba” jedhaa Oromoon durii. The journey for freedom starts from within each and every Oromo citizens themselves. One can not free his/her Nation unless he/she frees him/her self first from the psychology of establishment, and the colonial frames of minds which had been perpetuated by exploitative alien entities through the Nation’s Educational institutions, Health systems, Financial enterprises, and all Social media….etc. Through out the past century, this topic is/was also viewed as a taboo to discuss within our communities in most areas. But it is inescapable social phenomenon that deserves appropriate exhaustion. Yes dwelling on it may produce unfavorable result for our Nation. Therefore, assuring those who still needs to be assured that there is nothing wrong with your culture, language, and history should be among the “to do” lists for all the Oromo compatriots.
It is part of Oromo culture not to view one-self better than any of the other Oromo brothers and sisters because of going to School in Oromia in a particular period of time, say in the 60s, 70s, or 80s when Amharic was the Oromo School’s recognized official language. As a matter of facts, the absences of afaan Oromo in the Oromia Schools during those days were one of the inspiring forces that made “Hirmaata Dubbii” the widely studied book among Oromo Students in the middle 70s, and 80s. Thanks to OLF and the dedicated compatriots as well as the founding fathers of OLF, Qubee became the media of instruction in Oromia Schools starting the 1990s. Even if the “Land Reform” and the introduction of the Qubee as an officially recognized afaan Oromo means of instruction (both engineered by Dr. Haile Fidaa) did deliver a huge blow to the Ethiopian Colonial system, the Nation of Oromia remains with a long way of journey towards becoming a free Nation. It is at this juncture that OLF recognized the importance of standing together by working on eliminating all artificial hindrances that drove the able Oromo forces apart for more than 12 years. This is just a start, and we all do have more homework to be done, including utilizing the active and consciously motivating inclusiveness frames of references at the basic and grass-root level in all Oromo societal activities at all levels and places. Remember!!! “What we commonly share as Oromos, much over weighs our differences”.
Organizationally, it is one thing to comprehend the appropriate and the length of journey it entails for National struggle to succeed. But at the same time, it is inexcusable shortfalls to repeat the same mistake all over again at an individual level, let alone at the National stage. This is why we need to exercise our honored gadaa cultural heritage by respecting our elders, our neighbors, our brothers, and sisters including our selves. One of the fundamentals according to Gadaa is to be humble and listen to your people, including your elders, and, even adversaries. It is when you become humble and reflect back on your past deeds, with the ability to listen and accept the criticism with a respectful manners that you learn a great deal about your accomplishments. You may even surprise yourself by gaining more wisdom to make a decisive decisions on what you need to do more, or alter your ways of approach all together. In this manner one gains respects for him/herself, as well as earning the rightfully deserving admiration for his/her National cause. Otherwise, one easily becomes part of the problems, and gives the seal of approval for those who continue to run around in search for any visible reason to utilize as a license to criticize the struggle of the Nation of Oromia. So far, one way or the other, be consciously, or unintentionally, yes, we have facilitated more opportunities, and ample open venues for the struggle of Oromia to be targeted for unfair criticism. It is true that as far as there remains struggle, there will be always those who criticize the struggle of our Nation just for doing what needs to be done, or falling short of accomplishing what to be done. But, it becomes another level when we, ourselves provide a fertile ground for rumormongers to acquire the license to criticize the struggle of the Oromo Nation with a sheer quackeries!!!!
The reconciliatory agreement between the two OLF groups was great news and our people from every corner of the World congratulated this overdue news enthusiastically. The reconciliation and unity agreement that was accomplished between OLF-SHG and OLF-QC in November 2012 took considerably a lengthy time, but was concluded with consorted efforts from the shakers and movers of both OLF groups. This was/is what most of the Oromo people had been patiently waiting for years. We all said: “it is much better to be late than never”. On the other-hand, the pessimists wasted no time, afforded no regrouping chances, but commenced on their hunt for rumors to justify their license to criticize the validity of the announced reconciliatory agreements between OLF-SHG and OLF-QC. There is nothing wrong with a constructive criticism. We all do that, and I am one of the strong believers that “constructive criticism” from an independent mind is critically essential for the Oromo cause advancement, and eventual success. But we need to differentiate between those who criticize while dreaming to demoralize, discourage, and defeat the cause of Oromo Nation. Such individuals have take criticism to totally a new level as observed. On the other side, the procrastination of the implementations of the agreed upon points also facilitates an erroneous message both for the pessimists, as well as positively sentimentalists. Furthermore, it can indirectly bread the seal of approval for those did convince themselves to posses the license to criticize the struggle of the Oromo Nation unfairly.
Ulfina wojjin,
Yaadasaa Dafa can be contacted at yaadasaa@gmail.com
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