The dilemma of being citizens of Ethiopia and saluting the empire’s flag

September 16, 2014 | By Rundassa Asheetee Hundee

When we talk about history, our mind automatically switches to think that history is the basking afterglow of victory that one group scores against the other. We do that because groups or nations write complimenting their victory most warmly and by belittle the loser side. Special elation of such successes and enjoying the gratification they get from beating an opponent or the weak has been a part of human history through which the winners gain confidence and think of themselves as “born to rule” formidable force.

If we weigh the history of empire Ethiopia on similar common scale, we understand why the victories of Tewodiros, Yohanis and Minilik were told in similar way, where the losers were degraded, despised and belittled while their invasions were glorified.

Goobaz iyee heedee, yaasgebiraal yetim,
Mareet yee hulum naat, baalebet yeelatim.
This Amharic poem attests the fact that invasion, looting, belittling and murdering are achievements and life’s series of necessary game. With that in mind, the designers of the Ethiopian flag came up with the meanings of the Green, Red and Yellow colors and looked into the future of empire Ethiopia but the losers disagreed, and the race between those who wish to dominate and those who oppose to it continues. Nonetheless, the winners always seem fail to understand that the winners often lose to the losers and then the losers become new winners. This is because humans are led to believe that winning is required to write history. Winning and losing are one and the same. For example, did the Tigreans really win anything when they took their predecessors position and adopted the behavior of the winners before them? Are these types of winnings new?
If we look back into the history of other nations, we realize that Greece use to be the great and unique city of the world. But it’s past glory and the grandeur of old Rome didn’t make these two cities today’s commerce, art and science center. Similarly, Minilik’s garrison city Addis Ababa appears to be a disgrace to the Oromo, as much his history is seen as a product of dishonesty and cowardice, in the eyes of the losers. Because of it, we fight, not on better ideas but to preserve what each think is sacred to us. This means, for those who think they are the winners, fighting to keep what they have built by force is the right thing to do but the losers fight to gain what they have lost. As a result, all of us don’t share the same idea about being citizens of Ethiopia and salute the Green, Yellow and Red colored flag and pledge our allegiance to it.
Basically then, the rejection and the acceptance of the so called Ethiopia’s flag is initiated by an outgrowth of feelings that this flag is everyone’s flag on one hand, and a strong belief that accepting this flag is recognizing the winners history on the other. In this case, no one is a winner even though the story written about this flag has a salutary effect upon those who feel they are the winners.
What is very important to understand here is that the evolutionary process of change will never stop. It rather will continue, with modifications, until it becomes the standard behavior of those who endorse similar feelings and agree to bring a complete change in the principle, in this case, concerning the ideas that revolve around the Ethiopian flag.
For the Oromians, Black, Red and White color of the Oromo flag contains an inflexible law written on it and it has a code of conduct known as Safuu Oromo.  All the three colors contain in them a statement of principles that guides and  reminds the Oromo people that God is Black, Red is Humanity’s interconnection and White is History. These principles are the same principle that the Christians expect from their followers and it is no less than might be required by great institutions. The Oromo Safuu is a guide, but it is not a rigid set of rules, and it does not try to address every specific issue like organized religious institutions do, and yet it is flexible enough to allow the Oromo nation freedom in application. It represents an attempt to express an expected behavior and the principles set forth in Waaqeffanna, the Oromo religion that promotes honesty, truth, benevolence, virtuosity, and doing good to all humanity.
On the other hand, according to the Tigre tribe’s flag, the green color of the empire’s flag represents hope and the fertility of the land, yellow symbolizes justice and harmony, while red stands for sacrifice and heroism in the defense of the land.
Interestingly, “Heroism” is understood as defense to the land they conquered by force. Comparing the red color meaning in the Oromo flag to the Tigre Red color on the Ethiopian flag, we find no element of civility toward others in red color contained in Ethiopia’s flag as opposed to the Oromo red that carries a sense of civilization with the essence of love and politeness and consideration of others. This of course is what the Oromo people feel lost to the aggressor’s invasion and cruelty.  Worse of all, when the Oromo and other nations who lost their civilization to empire Ethiopia’s endless barrage of faultfinding and criticism spewed forth by those who think that they are the winners, wars brake and deaths and injuries take place as the smirk of arrogance is inflected upon the loseres by those who think of themselves as superior in intellect, in riches, and in station in life.
None of these men, however are brilliant or well-informed to understand the pains of the losers and judge the wisdoms of each Oromo generations trashed away in the laboratory of the winner’s history. As a result, every young Oromo generation is boiling with anger as they asked oneself why they should not be given full freedom so that they can exercises their Waaqayyo given rights.  Others who came to realized that the winners will never relinquish power so easily have already made a commitment to give their time, strength and energy to work with singleness of purpose; to educate their minds, their hearts, their hands, and their spirits so that they can gain what they have lost.

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