A good British speaker describing 22yrs atrocity against Oromos

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Trampled Grass The Human Cost of 22 years of Abuse

Keynote speech by Dr Trevor Trueman at the 27th OSA annual conference at Howard University in Washington DC. Sunday August 4, 2013
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The same old poison over and over again: response to an article entitled “History 101: Fiction and Facts on Oromos in Ethiopia”…

Dhugaa Bari (PhD student) | August 7, 2013

On July 29, 2013 an article entitled “History 101: Fiction and Facts on Oromos in Ethiopia (a guide for foreign journalists on Oromos and Ethiopian history)” was written by ‘Prof. Fekadu Lamessa’ (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july282013/oromo-truths-fl.php).  The writer claims that the aim of his article is to offer “some corrections” to “inaccuracies or biased information” al Jazeera has published about Oromo nation and struggle recently. In this regard, he outlined four core points he considered as “inaccurate” about Oromo history that al Jazeera has extensively reported, and instead offered us what he thinks are ‘facts’. For him, i) Between late 1870s and 1900, half of all Oromos (around 5 million) were not killed because in the late 1880s even the total population of the Empire/Ethiopia were less than 5 million, and thus Menelik did not commit genocide against Oromos; ii) “Oromo people have never been a predominantly Muslim people”; iii) Arabs and Somalis were the one who labeled Oromos the derogatory word ‘Galla’, not Abyssinians, and iv) Oromos were never colonized by Abyssinians (Amhara). In this article, based on available historical evidences a critically evaluation of each of the four assertions Fekadu outlines is offered.

Fekadu’s first assertion: Between late 1870s and 1900, half of all Oromos (around 5 million) were not killed because in the late 1880s even the total population of the Empire were less than 5 million, and thus Menelik did not commit genocide against Oromos.

The writer has offered us no evidence to support his claim that in the late 1880s the total population of the Empire was less than 5 million. It is a common knowledge that until the mid-1960s, a time when the first population sample survey was conducted; there were no population data for the whole parts of the Empire. Of course, there were population data from guesses by travelers and visitors for different parts of the Empire [1]. But, these guesses did not cover especially the most densely populated south and southwestern parts of the Empire, and thus there were no population data for the whole Empire until the mid-1960s [2].  So, if there was no data (guesses) about the total population size of the Empire before 1900, how comes the claim that “the total Ethiopian population (the sum of dozens of ethnic groups) was much less than 5 million in the late 1800s”. This is a question Fekadu has to answer.

Contrary to Fekadu’s assertion, Dula Abdu [3] reports that the total population of Ethiopia was nine million in the 19^th century. This 9 million total population guess is also incorrect due to two basic reasons: Firstly, for which date in the 19^th century this 9 million people was guessed is unknown, and secondly it is not possible to make a guess for the total population for an Empire in the processes making during the last half of 19 century (as its boundaries were not clearly known yet). It is pity that Fekadu is fabricating data while Dula is accepting uncritically whatever figure guessed about the total population of the Empire, but both of them blindly reject a better historical population data (estimates) about Oromos [4]and the atrocities the Abyssinians committed against the Oromos[5]. In an attempt to claim that Menelik did not committee genocide against Oromos, Mr. Dula has also gone further to apply the percentage of Oromo people from the mid-1960s sample survey to the 9 million he has proposed for the Empire, to show that there were only 3.1 million Oromos in the 19^th century. This is unacceptable not only because the 9 million was unreliable figure, but also because of the faulty assumption that the proportion of Oromos compared to the proportion of the rest population of the Empire throughout the 19^th century and first half of 20^th Century were similar, given the genocide Menelik committed against the Oromos in the second half of 19^th century. Furthermore, even the data from the above mentioned survey is unreliable because historically “it was not in the interest of the Ethiopian government to collect and publish accurate data on the ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of Ethiopia” [6].

On the other hand, according to the population data reconstruction from the 1984 Census, in 1900 the total population of the Empire was estimated to 12 million with only 0.2% annual growth rate [2]. As the data reconstruction was based on Census data (although some level of under enumeration, for example, due to logistic problem could be expected for the 1984 census), the 12 million is a better estimation compared to Fekadu’s less than 5 million population guess for the late 1880s. It is a fact that the period between the late 1860 to 1900 was characterized by the war waged by Menelik against the Oromos and other nation and nationalities in the south parts of the Empire. The period was also characterized by disease and famine. The low annual growth rate (0.2%) in 1900 was the reflection of the high mortality rates of that period.  However, if as Fekadu claims the total population of the Empire were less than 5 million in the late 1880s, how did the total population of the Empire managed to reach 12 million in 1900 given the low level of annual population growth rate of that period? For example, if we assume the total population of the empire were 5 million in 1888, and try to estimate the total population of the Empire for the 1900 using the 0.2% , the total population  would be only 5,121,328 million (Try here: http://www.metamorphosisalpha.com/ias/population.php). Even if we raise the annual population growth rate to 3%, the highest annual population growth rate recorded so far in the Empire in the 20^th [2], which is very unlikely to occur in traditional society like that of Abyssinia in 19^th century (according to demographic transition model:http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/demotrans/demtran.htm), and then apply to the hypothetical 5 million population of the Empire in 1888,  the population size of the Empire would only be 7,128,804 in 1900. This finding puts Fikadu’s assertion that the total population of the Empire “was much less than 5 million in the late 1880s” on its head. Therefore, it is up to the writer and his likes conscience not to accept the reality that Menelik had massacred half of the total Oromo population between 1868 and 1900 [5]. But it is totally wrong and unethical to come out with fabricated data to hide the reality that Menelik has committed genocide against the Oromo people.

Fekadu’s second assertion: “Oromo people have never been a predominantly Muslim people”

The writer has used wrong data to make a claim that “Oromo people have never been a predominantly Muslim people”. According to the 2007 population census of the Empire [7], it is true that of the total population living in Oromia, 48.5% practice Christianity (Orthodox 30.4%, protestant 17.7%, Catholic 0.5%), 47.6% practice Islam, and 3.9%  practice Waaqefannaa and other religion. The same census report has also indicated that of the total population living in Oromia, 87.8% reported themselves as Oromo while 7.2% as Amhara, and 5% as other ethnic groups. However, for unknown reason Central Statistical Agency of the Empire has not yet published data on the proportion of Oromos and other ethnic groups practicing the different religions. Hence, we do not have data to see the proportion of Oromos practicing Islam, Christianity and other religions. And it is wrong to compare the percentages of the total population living in Oromia that practice Christianity and Islam, and then to run to a conclusion that “Oromo people have never been a predominantly Muslim people”. Deliberately the writer has neglected the difference between the total population (Oromo and other ethnic groups in Oromia) and the total Oromo population to make a wrong assertion. On the other hand, if we exclude other ethnic groups such as Amhara, who constitute the majority (nearly 60%) of the total population from other ethnic groups living in Oromia [7], the proportion of Muslim Oromos seem to be higher than that of Christian Oromos. As we know, most Amhara people practice Christianity. For example, 82% of the total population living in Amhara region practices Christianity [8]. And it is logical to expect at least a similar proportion of Amara people living in Oromia region to practice Christianity as that of the total population in Amhara region.

Fekadu’s third assertion:  ‘Arabs and Somalis were the one who labeled Oromo the derogatory word ‘Galla’, not Abyssinians’.

This is also a wrong conclusion. Historical literatures show that there are different hypotheses about the origin of this derogatory name [9]. However, these literatures also assert that it was the Abyssinians (the ruling Amhara-Tigre groups) [9, 10], and Arabs [10] that extensively used this name against Oromos. Here, it is important to note that contrary to Fekadu’s claim Somalis were not even mentioned as using this derogatory name against Oromos let alone labeling the name to them [9, 10]. Moreover, it is the Abyssinian (Amhara) rulers and elites that had instituted the use of this derogatory name in their dictionary, proverbs and law among other things, which is a clear act of dehumanizing the Oromo people to build the Empire. This instituting of the term has created more resentment among the Oromos. And as far as Abyssinian or pro-Abyssinian elites like Fekadu continue to attempt to hide this reality, and instead try to feed us the old poison (distorted stories) over and over again, more and more Oromos are pushed to the right wing that will speed up the death of their beloved Empire.

Fekadu’s fourth assertion: “the Oromo nation as a whole was never colonized by” Emperor Menelik (Amhara).

This claim is not only wrong but also inconsistent with the history of colonization worldwide. On the one hand, the writer is telling us that “when it comes to the Emperor Menelik era, all historians have argued that…a predominantly Amharic language speaking community…conquered a predominantly Afan Oromo language speaking community in the 1800s.” But, on the other hand, he claims that Oromos were never colonized by Amhara. It is clear that no Oromo Organization and scholar have claimed that all Abyssinians (Amharas) came to colonize Oromia. The writer is just trying to confuse the Oromo people to attain his hidden agenda- bringing back all the distorted stories related to Oromo history as a last effort to save the decaying Imiye Itopiya.  From world history we know that the whole English or French people (or any colonizer we could mention) did not come, and colonize Africans or Asians or South Americans or even some of their neighbors (e.g. the English colonization of Ireland). Furthermore, the Europeans were used some of the local chiefs and people to colonize many African countries, for example. So, Menelik’s systematic use of some Oromos to Colonize Oromia was not a peculiar event, and it does not change the fact that the Amharas subjugated the Oromos in the late 19^th century. The writer is also trying to defend his claim by making reference to some of the earlier battles between Abyssinians (mainly Amhara) and Oromo, and their earlier commercial contacts. Such reasoning is irrelevant. It is clear from the world history that European colonizers, for instance, did not fall out of the sky overnight and colonized African countries. They had been in contact for long time through missionaries, trade etc… with the people and countries they later colonized.

As we know after Menelik fully subjugated the Oromo people and land, a large number of Abyssinian soldiers and other Amharas were settled in Oromia as migrants which is similar with what European colonizers did in their colonies. For example, 2.5 million Birtish (military personnel and other migrants) were settled in Canada upon colonization [11]. So, the reason why Amhara constitutes 7.2% (which is nearly 60% of the total population from other ethnic groups living in Oromia) of the total population living in Oromia region [7], and 47% of the total population living in Finfine/Addis Ababa [12] is because Menelik colonized Oromia and encouraged the migration and settlementsof his fellow Amharas in Oromia.  In addition, the reason why the names of many towns changed to Abyssinan names, and why millions of Oromos were also forced to change their names to Amhara names, is because of the Amhara colonization and the genocide they committed against Oromo culture.

In conclusion, Fikadu’s article is just a personal opinion, whereby fabricated and wrong data were used to back some of his claims. Generally, his article is one of the many distorted articles and books written by Abyssinian and pro-Abyssinian scholars that have been poisoning Oromo history over the past two centuries. In this sense, the article has nothing new to offer to educate us as well as the World at large about Oromo history. It is just the old poison that the writer wants to feed us again with a hidden agenda of attempting to hide facts about Oromo from the world and international media like al Jazeera to be able to undermine Oromos just cause and struggle for liberation. A simple reading of the title of the article especially the one in the parenthesis- “a guide for foreign journalists on Oromos and Ethiopian history” makes its hidden agenda unequivocally clear. The message his article aims to perpetuate is this: The World and international medias (journalists) must not talk to Oromo people and scholars to learn and report about Oromo people and history, rather they should blindly take and use the text from his article and the distorted stories written about the Oromo people by his predecessors as ‘god’ given. The other serious hidden agenda of the article is to divide Oromos along religion (Islam vs. Christian) and subgroups such as Macca, and Tulama vs. other Oromos to weaken Oromo unity and their struggle. But the hidden agendas as well as all the wrong assertions of Fekadu’s article have already failed on all fronts but one- i.e. it has sent a crystal clear message to all Oromos that the Abyssinian and pro-Abyssinian elites are still determined to stick to the distorted stories they created about Oromo people as the only means to save the Empire about to wreck. The route they chose, however, is only deepening a ditch, where the Empire will be buried once and forever.

References and notes

1. Hailemariam, A., 1990. Population dynamics in Ethiopia, DTRC, Addis Ababa.
2. Teller, C. H., T. Gebreselassie & A. Hailemariam. The lagging demographic and health transitions in rural Ethiopia: Socio-economic, agro-ecological and health service factor effecting fertility, mortality and nutrition trends, http://uaps2007.princeton.edu/papers/70214 Last visited on August 3, 2013.
3. Abdu, D. Anti-Ethiopia article from American University Faculty and Al Jazeera,http://nazret.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/23/anti-ethiopia-article-from-american-university-faculty-and-al-jazeera?blog=15  last visited on August 3, 2013.
4. Salviac, M. d.1900. Un Peuple Antique, Ou Une Colonie Gauloise Au Pays De Ménélik: les Galla, Grande Nation Africaine. Paris.

Salviac estimated the Oromo population between 1850 and 1870 at about 10 million.

1. Bulatovich, A. K. Ethiopia Through Russian Eyes: Country in Transition, 1896-1898. Translated by Seltzer, R.

Bulatovich noted that through the war of conquest Menelik exterminated about half the population the ten million Oromo.

1. Baxter P. T. W. 1983. The Problem of the Oromo or the Problem for the Oromo? In: I. M. Lewis (ed.} Nationalism and Self-Determination in the Horn of Africa.  Page 135.
2. The 2007 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia, Results for Oromia Region. Chapter III Ethnic group, mother tongue, religion and marital status, pp. 243-372.http://www.etharc.org/resources/download/finish/68/389, last visited on August 4, 2013.
3. The Regional State of Amhara.http://www.ethemb.se/Regional%20States/Amhara_regional_state.htm, last visited on August 3, 2013.
4. Jaenen, C. J. 1956. The Galla or Oromo of East Africa. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 12(2):171-190.
5. Werner, A. 1914. The Galla of the East Africa Protectorate. Part I. Journal of the Royal African Society, 13 (50):121-142.
6. Wikipedia. Colonialism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism, last visited August 3, 2013.
7. The 2007 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia, Results for Addis Ababa Region. Chapter III Ethnic group, mother tongue, religion and marital status, pp. 28-77,http://www.etharc.org/resources/download/finish/68/381 last visited on August 7, 2013.

–Reference to: History 101: Fiction and Facts on Oromos in Ethiopia

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Detailed points by Jawar Mohammed on EthioTube about OSA, Oromo 1st, Mencha and other issues

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‘OROMO FIRST’ Community Engagement World Tour: 1st Stop in Minneapolis on Aug. 10 at South High School @ 3:30pm

The first stop of the ‘OROMO FIRST’ Community Engagement World Tour will be in Minneapolis, MN, on August 10, 2013 starting at 3:30PM at South High School (Address: 3131 S 19th Avenue, Minneapolis). Panelists at the event will be Obbo Jawar Mohammed, Adde Arfasse, Obbo Mohammed Ademo and Dr. Gemetchu Megerssa. Facebook Event Page

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Update: Melbourne included as one of the destinations.

‘OROMO FIRST’ Community Engagement World Tour:Obbo Jawar Mohammed with Prof. Mohammed Hassen, Prof. Gemetchu Megerssa, Prof. Ezekiel Gebissa, Dr. Ali Birra, Obbo Jafar Ali, and other intellectuals, prominent elders, spiritual leaders and journalists.

City/Date:
- Minneapolis: August 10, 2013
- San Diego: August 17, 2013
- Seattle: August 18, 2013
- Atlanta: August 31, 2013

More Cities/Countries To Come Soon:
- Washington DC; Dallas; Toronto; Calgary; London; Norway; Munich; South Africa; Melbourne (Australia)

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How far TPLF government of Ethiopia does infiltrate Oppositions at home and abroad?

By Adugna Dinka

Infiltrating one’s opponents existed as far back as conflict existed in human history. It is used for espionage and dividing the opponents for the purposes of weakening and having victory upon the opponents in any form. Those organized groups or parties with superior infiltration ability get the upper hand in most cases.

It is mostly a process of getting one’s member to enter in the enemy territory or enter opponent group as their member and work as a spy or facilitate the division of the opponent organization making them to break apart and weaken. In some cases the infiltrator may go up the ladder of power and share power.

My point of discussion over here is not the art of infiltration but about the ability of TPLF/EPDRF to infiltrate opposition parties at home and abroad. It is obvious that the first organization the TPLF with Shabia had well infiltrated was the derg government of the Ethiopian empire of Mengistu H/Mariam. At the end of the fall of the derg government, TPLF used to get victory again and again. Sometimes the military of the derg government get attacked before they reach the battle front or they surrender easily. This shows that the TPLF and Shabia have enough information about the deployment of the derg army before it happens. That means there was a high level of TPLF/Shabia infiltration in the derg government and military. So, they won that war easily and controlled the empire.

In 1991/92, Oromo liberation front was the member of the transitional government of Ethiopia. It was also a strong opponent of the TPLF/EPDRF led government. OLF used to control the country side of most parts of Oromia, while TPLF/EPDRF controls all other regions plus important parts of Oromia (cities, towns and areas along the main roads). This time was the time when most Oromos supported and joined OLF. It was nationalistic and hot time for Oromos because it was the time when Oromos start knowing one another from North to South, East to West.  It was an emotional time in the history of Oromos. During this time it was just an easy job for TPLF/EPDRF to infiltrate OLF.  So, weyane easily camouflaged itself into OLF and this was one of the reasons that enabled weyane to overcame OLF in 1992 when conflict arisen between them.

Since then OLF was breaking apart day by day. AWO (adda walabummaa Oromo) break away from OLF. Then OLF ‘change’ break away, and recently the ODF (Oromo democratic front) was formed by an old OLF members. The division of the organization grew its root to the Oromo public especially in diaspora. It appears that the TPLF has managed to infiltrate OLF to the top level.  What is worrying is at what level they infiltrated OLF and when this division is going to stop.

It is very easy for TPLF/EPDRF to infiltrate home based oppositions. They are well experienced at it. I don’t be surprised if half of the members of opposition parties at home are the members of TPLF too. TPLF/EPDRF with party members of more than 5million can easily manage to register their members into other home based parties. To imagine how far they can go up in the ladder of power of the opposition parties is difficult.

The main opposition parties are not based at home. 10s of them reside abroad. Some like OLF (Oromo liberation front), ONLF (Ogaden national liberation front) and SLM (Sidama liberation movement) are organizations that have bases in diaspora and military wings in the deserts and forests of their respective nations. That means they wage armed war against weyane at home while they are active diplomatically abroad.

There are other diaspora based organizations like Ginbot 7 which controls the vast diaspora economic support with the media power of ESAT satellite television.  This opposition organization for sure is a big interest for TPLF just for its media power alone which of course is supported by diaspora economic power house of those who support the Ethiopian empire unity based on the old system. This organization not only controls the diaspora wealth of the old Ethiopianists, but also the power of acquiring information (due to the economic support it has from the diaspora). Information by itself is a source of power and having the mouthpiece like ESAT to disseminate it is an immense power.

The TPLF/EPDRF government of Ethiopia can actually easily infiltrate all these, though it is difficult to do that to the military wing of OLF, ONLF, and SLM. As far as the military wing is under the command of the central leadership of the organizations, if the TPLF infiltration has managed to reach the main leadership, they still can affect the decision making process and enable the direct information flow to TPLF. They can also initiate conflict and division among the leadership of any organization.

It is very interesting to witness the political interest of people in diaspora at this time in history. Many people are travelling abroad for study from Ethiopia. In most cases these people embark on becoming the member of an opposition political organization from their ethnicity. They try to appear that they are really critical of the TPLF led government of Ethiopia. Practically they are just gathering information about any opposition member at any level.  Their targets are mostly OLF, ODF, ONLf, G7 and the like. Over here it is also important to mention that TPLF/EPDRF has trained many people linguistically so that they can fit into any ethnic group opposition organization they want to infiltrate.

Overall, organization like TPLF/EPDRF with more than 5 million active members and with a good incentives (good job, better pay, educational chance at home and abroad ETC.) can infiltrate any opposition parties (abroad or at home). They can also go up the ladder of leadership to influence the decision making process and insure the flow of information to TPLF once they are a member. TPLF/EPDRF members at this time are well educated just like any body and they can blend with any group or any opposition organization. That means there are no criteria to exclude them from being a member of any party. They all travel abroad with a clear mandate. They are not in 100s, but in thousands. They can reach any corner where any diaspora opposition lives. So it is up to the opposition organizations to watch out.

Adugna Dinka (re_appear1@yahoo.co.uk)

Kofele Massacre

VOA Techemari Zegeba Sele Kofele Muslim Chefchefa	Sadiq Ahmed report about massacre in Kofele
VOA Techemari Zegeba Sele Kofele Muslim Chefchefa

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OSA 2013 Conference Forum: OROMO SELF-INTROSPECTION

Panelist Tesfa Guma | August 5, 2013

I hope that you are all aware of the Oromo political dilemma, the subject which I would like to address today.  This is only an attempt to put our innate problems in perspective as I see them.  It is a national concern which is critical to all of us and therefore when I say, they, I am pointing fingers at all of us starting with myself because we are all in it together.

Oromo nation is in a political predicament with no apparent end in sight. The leaderships appear to have lost their way and no one seems to know what to do or which way to turn. The fundamental question is, “what is wrong with Oromo”? The search for why and how and the solution for the problem is the subject of this talk. It involves national self- examination. Instead of the usual finger pointing at someone else it is time for OROMO SELF-INTROSPECTION , which is the title of my presentation. In the course of addressing this Oromo national consciousness we will make a brief mention of the nation and the country before the invasion by Menelik. We will then analyze why and how the invasion took place. Next we shall talk about the colonial period and its effects during the domination. We will conclude by suggesting the way out of the plight. Our main focus will hence be onOromo short comings.

A: Oromo Before Menelik

As the largest member of Nagada Kush, Oromos enjoyed freedom until they fell mostly by their own devise. Added to that, the relation with the neighbor has never been one of peaceful coexistence. For centuries before the recapture of Biyya Oromo by Boran and Barentu, the neighbors invaded and caused havoc on Oromo. They sold out thousands of Oromos as slaves and killed many more, leaving large spaces of land unoccupied.  On one hand, the return of Borana and Barentumma followed by the expansion period, was the most glorious period   in the nation’s history. On the other hand, the fragmentation of Odaas caused by the expansion  started  the  destruction of Oromo Tokummaa.

B: The Conditions which helped the Invasion

The abundant resources of Oromia and the hard life of the neighbors in the mountains were the two natural conditions which made the invasion seem necessary. Added to this is the Oromo self-imposed weakness which farther whetted the neighbor’s appetite and made colonization a viable venture. In preparation for invasion the colonizers took advantage of our shortcomings enumerated as follow:

1. Odaa fragmentation caused by expansion which renderedcommunities too far spread out therefore too weak for self-defense hence ready for exploitation.
2. Ofittumma by the Gadaa leaders which resulted in  Motii/ dictatorial system destroying Gadaa and Oromo unity.
3. Competition and fighting between Odaa leaders/ Mootiis which weakened Oromo fighting forces.
4. The Gadaa rule of holding Caffee / National Gummii Gaayyo  every eight years which made it all the more difficult for Odaa Communities to convene  timely gatherings  for  consultation especially when war came.
5. Religious differences which created dislike between the followers of the three religions further aggravated the problems of misunderstanding between the communities.
6. Isolation of Oromo from neighboring countries which impeded acquisition of war materials.
7.   Lack of political and diplomatic skills which subjected Oromos to succumb to Habasha political duping. No nation would come to help Oromo.

With Oromo in these situations Menelik found a weak nation ready for invasion.  He decided to use the opportunity to attack each Oromo community one by one to fulfill his grand ambition which was to colonize Biyya Oromo, subjugate and if possible totally decimate the nation and instill Gabrumma in the people.

C.   Weaknesses Which helped Subjugation

To hold fast on to his new colony Menelik decided to exploit more of the following Oromo weaknesses which are extension of the previous enumerated short comings.

1. Ofittummaa , Gullibility and lack of confidence which trapped and pegged  down the leadership. Farther more fear, tactlessness, stubbornness and inability to keep followers united , inaction, lack of vision for Oromo as a nation, lack of political and diplomatic skills, and dishonesty with the people they claim to lead all but left the leadership irrelevant. Some examples for the gullibility characteristics  are that of Susnios fooling leaders of Innarya Oromos; Menelik in a woman’sdress to appease the well known Oromo General, and Ras Teferi humbly bowing to the unsuspecting great Oromo political genius. These were graphic examples of Habasha politics. There were even more military Rases and generals under Haile Selassie who were in perfect position to take power. But they never had the confidence to do so.  Even today Examples of the recent ones include the deployment of priests in the name of religion to entice and arrest, imprison, and murder the leaders of Maccaa and Tulamaa. The Oromo elites who taught the ways of Communism to the Derg but later were eliminated.  The duping of the leadership of OLF in 1991 as well as the imposed Oromo political party since then, is an on-going damage from which Oromo is yet to recover.
2. The colonizers all needed the support of the gullible Oromo leaders whom they later methodically eliminated. Those who survived elimination were made puppets by those who duped them. These leaders could have assumed power only if they could listen to advices from their own people, did away with ofittumma and gullibility, committed themselves to Oromo cause and acted with confidence. Instead their decisions were to help the colonizer.
3. Oromos in general, following the examples of the leadership Ofittummaa, have adapted some destructive behaviors which starts with Wal-daguu. They turn against each other and becomegantu, untrustworthy, traitors, defectors, deserters, enemy informants, betrayers and mercenaries to help the colonizers to subjugate none other than their own people. Today we find these behaviors in every Oromo village. Of all our weaknesses this act of people working against each other is playing havoc on Oromo’s quest for equality.
4. The continuing Regionalism and religious differences which have farther caused deterioration of Oromo Tokkumma. Again, this was all to the advantage of the colonizer.
5. 5.     Oromo introvert nature resulting in disinterest between communities and other peoples which has left us friendless. This has benefitted none but the invaders.

These weaknesses have played the decisive role in the demise of Oromo.

1. Colonial Rule of Subjugation  

Once Oromo totally surrendered, the next policy was to destroy Oromo Tokkummaa in order to render the society powerless, without the chance of recovery. The strategies to subjugate the colony were to :

1. Eliminate indigenous leadership by outlawing Gadaa system.
2. Deprive Education to the Gallas : (Re. Gen. Taddese  Birru vis P. M. Aklilu
3. Intensify Oromo Isolation from the neighbors:
4. De-Oromize the people by changing the name to Galla , marry into them, give them Habasha names, render them extinct and unknown to the world.
5. Aggravate religious differences, pit them against each other and weaken their unity.
6. Regionalize Oromia into Xeqlay Gizat, Awrajas, Woredaas and Kebelees and minimize contacts between these communities.
7. Denigrate, intimidate and terrorize the people to total submission.

Oromo Life as a Colony

The present day Oromo, having been born under colonial rule, really never had the taste of true freedom. We have become a nation without a country or government of our own. We are citizens of another nation, and tenants/share croppers on our own farms. We have become a submissive nation to do as told, live as ordered, behave as instructed, and vote as dictated. Under the guise of another name, Galla, our Oromo name we had known for thousands of years became unrecognized by the world. Only we Oromos brought all these upon ourselves. Our own weaknesses made us to give it all away. I hope at the end of this Self-introspection we will all agree to quote a French general who once said, “we have met the enemy, it is us”.  Without question, only Oromos must find a way to put an end to this self-destruction.

THE WAY OUT

I believe that there is a way out; and it can be done. We can achieve it by doing away with our weaknesses. If we don’t, we are contributing to the demise of Oromo. We should start with Oromo Civic Education and teach the people to embrace Oromummaa. This should create a sense of belonging to Oromo society and instigate national action with determination. The main objective of Oromo Civic Education program should be to inculcate the love of Oromoness which should evolve into Tokkummaa.  This is a challenge for Oromo Studies Association on whom we can rely to analyze each shortcoming, and formulate strategies focusing on the teachings of Oromo  short comings, all geared to awaken the nation. I suggest, OSA can use the helps of a team of Oromo experts, especially Oromo Historians, Sociologists, Socio economists, Anthropologists, political scientists and those with diplomatic skills. Once the teachings are embraced by the people and once the leaders gain confidence in themselves and take action with commitment, the other related problems will take care of themselves.  If we do this we can revive the nation and save it from its own self destruction. This, I believe, ladies and gentlemen, will be the beginning of the end for Oromo demise and   in deed save the nation from total decimation.

>ayyaantuu