“No democracy no cooperation” of long ago was proved to be empty promise. No wander, initially the TPLF went for pseudo multiparty system with external pressure. In addition it was advised by a Western guru to form a dominant peasant oriented party ignoring what was provided in the written constitution. The advice was accepted for it fits Habashaa political thinking in general and Tigrawayi’’s in particular. It is with that in mind that the 2015 May election has to be viewed.Already it is much talked about around the world by friends and enemies of the regime. It is election of a one party system however it may pretend to be otherwise. That means the result is predetermined. The complaints and lamentations by the opposition amounts to what is said “much ado about nothing”.Democratic countries accepted the rule of law after struggle that cost many necks. They found some points from the ancient Greek democracy which they developed and adopted. Greek democracy was a practice among free men of Athens and did not include foreigners, women and slaves, groups which were in majority. Still this trait is reflected in western democracy though not so flagrantly. De jure everyone is equal but de facto some are more equal than others. This is not more vivid than election campaign costs which the have-nots cannot afford. Any one that got power by force or election would not hate to hang on forever. But the West has thwarted such thought by introducing constitutions that created check and balance system through division of power. The Americans went further by limiting elected president to run only for two terms. Countries which do not have such a system remain at the mercy of leading elites. Ethiopian empire is yet in pre Magna Carta era (1215) in its political practice.It might have been after bitter struggle that the Oromo founded the Gadaa democratic system of governance. Society is divided into predetermined five parties (gogeessa) that could stay in power for eight years to come back only after forty years with different actors on the saddle. Since the sequence is arranged generationally there was no overshooting the eight years; the office has to be evacuated immediately. To see that political tradition is honored there is a party of previous rulers for overseeing. Three generations, Raabaa Doorii, Luba and Yuba, check the balance of power and respect for the rule of law and tradition. In that way ancient Oromo prevented autocratic rule. The present Oromo generation has a system to fall back to and emulate if it desires.
Wayyaanee had setup guiding rules for its own activities and that which it wants the world to consider as a constitution. It is a document imposed on the people not vis-versa. It is more written for international recognition than to guarantee rights for peoples in the empire. According to this document it has created federal administrative structure. It has also created Election Board of its own choice and federal police. The federal police are its long arm without limited jurisdiction and authority. It has proclaimed many oppressive laws, the most flagrant of them being the proclamation against terrorism. All organizations that oppose its constitution are branded as terrorists. The West is shying to endorse it probably for not yet defining terrorism based on its own democratic tradition. But it is tacitly accepting what its terrorist turned disciple fed it.
Any person that the Wayyaanee did not like “color of the eyes”, that walks, talks or sneezes like any of those designated as terrorists will be subjected to assassination, disappearances, persona non grata, or imprisonment. It also commits genocide. Because it has proclaimed OLF as “terrorist” under that pretext it is putting in jeopardy Oromo that are not members of its party. Wayyaanee will do anything that it thinks will make it maintain the monopoly of power forever. It will continue manufacturing terrorists as long as its international partners want to use it. That is the nature of power and the unbridled powerful. It is up to the Habashaa people to keep their house in order. They are the ones that have to put a leash on their leaders. The way the empire is ruled cannot continue as it used to be. The world is not in 19th or 20th century but the 21st century which is an era of advanced information technology. Foreign relations are no more in the confines of government alone but open to world public scrutiny. This has added more vigor to the rising political consciousness of the peoples to demand for their legitimate rights.
Every subjugated people want to be independent and free. To recognize this without further blood shade requires understanding of how serious the consequence would be. As a signatory to UN charter and its conventions on people’s rights Habashaa rulers have a duty to help subjugated people anywhere to be free. When the case is of their own empire they become more duty bound to release them if they have to continue as legitimate partner to the world body. It is by understanding this and accepting freedom as dictates of natural law that the Oromo demand for independence of Oromiyaa not for fair and free election while colonized. The election is internal affairs of Habasha.
Several parties that have accepted Wayyaanee “constitution” are going to take part in the May election. There are powers that advocate for maintenance of the status quo in the name of peace and stability of the region. But there will be no peace and stability if there is intraregional harmony. It is not something that could be imposed from outside. On the contrary Wayyaanee’s unruly nature is helping the rise of Amaaraa extreme right wing fascism that could create more devastation than its own. On the other hand Oromo value Nagaa and Araaraa (Peace and Conciliation?) more than anything else. There are no extremists among their nationals but freedom lovers. Wayyaanee’s cry of “terrorist!” is meant to serve as scare crow designed for International Community. Whether it is Waaqeffataa, Christian, Moslem or others, Oromo have the same national character and ethical standard or “safuu” when it comes to human rights irrespective of their faith. It is safuu (taboo) to attack any one that is not armed, and that did not come to deny them their freedom. The Oromo are not what their subjugators propagate but are people of highest moral principle by any standard. Therefore all that have biases against them in the past prompted by influence of Habashaa and cronies have to pause, enquire and reconsider their position.
Whichever party wins in the election it has to answer the Oromo question for independence. That could be the Wayyaanee, other Habashaa groups or galtuu, it does not matter. But by design it is and must be the Wayyaanee that wins the election; it cannot commit suicide by subjecting itself to dictates of the ballot box. All criminal codes applied by international court of justice seem to have been adopted to try it. Tempted by that Amaaraa elites have already started inflammatory propaganda against Oromiyaa and the Southern States. They are crying about ethnic cleansing of the Amara at different spots of the empire state. Clash among national groups have been and are happening everywhere in the empire. It is Habashaa inherited policy of divide and rule that is the culprit; so they cannot wash their hands off the crime for which they were the major actors in instigating. Genocides against Oromoo like those in Gujii area during the Darg era, recent massacre in Dhiddheessaa valley and eviction and attack on Oromo peasants throughout Eastern Oromiyaa, are issues nobody should overlook. It is inexcusable to condone or hide suffering of the innocent for any reason. Trying to use such events for group propaganda is also no less a crime. Habashaa Election 2015 is not of Oromo concern except for information it imparts. Struggle for independence shall continue !!
Honor and glory for the fallen heroines and heroes; liberty equality and freedom for the living and nagaa and araaraa for the Ayyaanaa of our fore parents!
Ibsaa Guutama
Feburary 2015
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