Kan keenyaaf – Nutuu Geenya!

Jiituu Lammii – Unbarsiitii Finfinnee

Bara duriiti. Allaattii risaa jedhamutu lukkuutti michee wajjin jiraachuu jalqabe jedhama. Allaattiin kun uumama isaa dagatee, uumaa isaatiin ala lukku wajjin daraa haadhaa, harca’aa funaanaa kosii keessa oolu jiruu godhate. Garuu akka jaraa irraa hinbareedu-waan uumaa isaa mitikaa. Galgala, dhiya aduu eegee qooxii (haraatii) yaaba. Akka kanaan jireenyi isaa dhawaata lukkuudhuma fakkaachaa deeme. Ta’us garuu, darbee darbee miira addaa, kan uumaa ganamaa keessa isaatii dhaggeeffachuu hinoolle. Gaafii gaafii miirri kuun jabaatee “ …kaatee bantii samii gargar saaqxee, goobaafi golba lafaa qaari’tee, gaafa sii gamte: gaatiraa, heexoo birbirsa feetu garbii fiixa baatee – lafa garaa kee hinqubattuu….!? Isa maaliit ati lukkuu muul’ata hinqabne waliin daaraa haadhaa ooltee galgala haraatiitti rarraata…!? Jedhee qeequu jabeesse. Gama biraatiinimmoo, haalli inni keessa jiraatuufi lukkuun inni wajjin jiraatu “ …. Ati isa kam wan ta’uu hindandeenyeefi uumaan siif hinhirre ta’uu abbalta!? Atoo silaa numa fakkaata; danaan kee cufti akkuma keenyaa- duuba mee akkamiin nurraa gargarbaatee samii keessa laboobuu hawwita…!? Safuudha! … mee hunduu haahafuutii… isa wajjiniin nyaannee- dhugne, jireenya waliin dabarsine… akkamiin dagatteeti nurraa gargar bahuu yaadda…!?” jechuun takka doorsisaa takammoo sossoobaa of fakkeesanii of birattii hambisuuf sadoo jabeessan. Risaan, utuma miira masaanuu wal mormu keessa jiraatuuti gana gaaf tokkoo otuma warri inni wajjin jiraatuu akkuma dur kosii keessatti eeganii gaaftokko lafarraa ol ka’ee balali’uu yaale. Sadoo ormaa, yaalii uumama isaa malee daaraa keessatti isa hambisuuf godhamu, fedhiifi carraaqqii warra “….of dhiisii nu fakkaadhuu jiraadhu….” Jedhanii keessaa bahee hireefi dandeettiin isaa maal akka ta’e battalumatti akeekkate. Sana booda utuma haalliifi warri inni wajjin jiraatu mormanii uumaafi uumama isaa dhaggeeffatee kossii haadhaa ooluu dhiisee samii keessa fagaatee balali’e. Ergasii lukkuun risaa samii keessatti ol eeguu malee akka dur sobdee, sossobdee… of wajjiniin daaraa keessatti hambisuu hindandeenye jedhama.

Kabajamtoota dubbistoota barruu kanaa, Sabni Oromoo uumaa isaa lagatee, eenyummaa isaa dhiisee ormi karaa ormi baaseefi haala ormi tolche keessatti qofa of hubatee fedhiif abdiin isaa gabaabbatee, gabaabumatti waan isaaf malu cufa ormaaf dhiisee, gabaabumatti waan isaaf malu cufa ormaaf dhiisee salphatee miila isaanii jala akka jiraatu fedhiif akeeka qaban dhugoomsuuf shira himamee hindhumne, garuummoo seenaan hindaganne hedduu raawwachaa turuu isaanii, ammallee ittijiraachuufi boruufis akeeka walfaakkaatu qabaachuu isaaniitu durdurii kana na yaadachiise.

Gara ijoo dubbii kiyyattan deebi’a. Isa dura garuu jabina dubbii koof akka tolu jecha akkuma dur seena darbe keessaa waa isin waliin yaaddachuun hawwe. Dubbichi akkana: Qabsoo diddaa gabrummaa, bifa haaraan dhaloonni gara FDG(civil mass disobedience movement)itti babal’isan fuuldura dhaabachuuf Wayyaanonni tooftaa tokko qindeeffatanii ture. Toftaan kun kanuma duruu jiru ta’ee garuu, bara 2005nii eegalee bal’inaan akka hojiirra ooluu ta’e. Akkuma kanaan, Aadde Azeeb Masfin duula kanatti ooggana duraa yoo taatuu, qondalonni basaasaafi aanga’oonni waraanaa dhalootaan Tigree ta’animmoo dabballoota OPDO of dura buusun walduraa duuban qindaayanii qajeelfama gubbaarraa darbu hojiitti hiikuuf qe’ee Oromootti bobba’an. Akeekni isaanii dargaggoota Oromoo qeensa laafeyyii ta’an (faayidaaf bitamuu danda’an), yookanimmoo warra Oromoo kessatti dhalatanii Afaaniif Aadaa sabichaa beekan filachuun aangoofi maallaqa guddaa ittikennuun warra isaan morman hawachuu, warra jajjabina qabanimmoo hidhuu, ajjeesuufi goolii adda addaan hamlee laaffisuu ture. Aakkuma kanaan, duulli jalqabaa lafa Oromoo Finfinneetti marfatee jiru: Buraayyuu hanga Sabbataatti; kalattii biraan ammoo Sulultaa jalqabee Laga Xaafoo – Laga Daadhii dabalatee hanga Galaaniifi Duukam gahutti hoogana Tigree jalatti cicciramee akka gurguramu ta’e. Warri lafa kana akka bitatan jajjabeeffaman saboota Oromoo hintaanee: (Tigree, Guraagee, Amaaraa, Silxee…) ta’uun ammoo duulichi Yrymyy balleessuuf ergama qarlamee qabaachuu mirkaneessa. Haaluma kanaan, yeroo gabaabaa keessattii duulli walfakkaatu Oromiyaa hundatti akka raawwatu dabbaloota gadiif qajeelfama dabarsan. Akkakanaan, magaalonni Oromiyaa hundi harka kaabineetti galee gurgurtaan lafaa hanga dhabe. Maallaqni gurgurtaa lafa Oromoo kanarraa argamu harki guddaan karaa Aadde Azeeb aanga’oota Wayyaaneef kanqooddamu yoota’u, harcaatuu ishee kadiree OPDOtiif dhiisu. Kaabineen OPDO maqaa dhahatan akka kanaan harcaatuu funaannatan konkolaataa ammayyaa (V-eight) bitatanii, sookkoo dheedhii qubaafi mormatti naqatanii, shuguxii ‘micro F’ mudhiitti kaawwatanii, haadha manaa shanii –jaha fudhanii, cooma murachaa Wiskii buufachaa, saggoon saggooratti margee, quufni daangaa dhabee Oromoo dhugaaf dubbatu, sabaaf quuqamu bahaa gala dhoowwanii gariin ajjeesanii ykn. ajjeesisanii, gariin maatii facaasee yoo biyyaa bahu, gariin roorroo kana dhoowwachuuf bosonatti gale; isa kaanimmoo akki dhibee, qe’ee dhaloota isaarratti yuuyya’ee, quucaree hafe- Seenaa hadhaawaa! Jarrii shira kana hojjatan har’a, (isiiniif margaa malee) jiruu sagaagalummaa mana bunaa keessatti dabarsaniin gariin isaanii dhukkuba HIV/AIDSn faalamanii ammas karaa biraatiin uummatatti balaan yoo deebi’an, gariin ammoo qabeenya isaan saba isaanirraa saaman Wayyaanonni harkaa butatanii kaanhidhaatti, gariin ammoo akkahintaane ta’aniiru.

Seenaa kana qalbiin erga yaadannee booda, faanni seenaa kaleessafi har’a, darbeemmoo boru garamitti akka aggaamu akeekkachuuf, caalatti ammoo hojii yeroon nurraa eegutti humna guutuun fuulleffachuuf akka tolu gara taajjabbii koo torbee lamaan kanaatti haadeebinu. Jarreen kaleessa shira olitti himame hojjataa turan har’a bubbee hamaan gola isaanii seenee dhaabbachuu dadhabanii raafamaa jiraachuu dhugaa guyyuu muul’atu ta’ullee, warra mamii qalbii keessaa qabaniif raga kaahun, wal hubachaa dhimma fuulduratti nu eeggatutti fuulleffachuuf gargaara. Kanaaf jecha, waanuma torbee lamaan kana isaan ittijiran gabaabumatti ilaaluu yaalla.

Dabballoonni OPDO tibba kana maqaa “raawwii bara darbeefi karoora bara dhufuurratti mari’anna” jedhuun bakka hundatti guyyoota kudhaniif kora taa’aa turan. Kora kanarratti yaaddoofi abdii kutannoon yoomuu argamee hinbeekamne kan muul’ate yoo ta’u, dabballoonni tokko tokko “ … duunee awwaala keessa jirra…” jechuun haalicha ibsaniiru. Haala jara kanaa hubachuuf akkasumas, egree isaanii tilmaamuuf, iccitii dhokataa barbaaduurra, galgala yoo isaan bakka mariitii hahan dhaabbatanii akkaataa isaanii ilaaluun qofti nama seenaa isaanii durii beekuuf dhugaa tokko hima. Akka kanaan, hoolota hongeen ittidheerate fakkeenya mogoleen walrigaa, boquun gadi cabee mataa buusanii abdii malee yoo deeman ilaaluun waan isaan ittijiran akeekuu caalatti boru maaltu akka ta’uuf deemu tilmaamuuf nama gargaara.

Dabbaloonni kun, haalli isaan keessa jiran milkii akka hinqabne, abdiin irraa fagaatee egereen isaanii dukkanatti deemaa kan jiru ta’uu guyyoota kudhaniif wal harkaa fuudhanii walumatti deebisuun alatti yaaddoo isaaniif fala kaahuu hindandeenye. Dargaggoonni wal ijaaranii qabsoof qophiin godhaan jabaachaa deemuun, raayyaan waraanaa, keessumaammoo poolisoonni dhawaata qalbiin gara uummataattii dhiyaachaa dhufuun, dabbalootumti duraan amanamoo turan sirnicha dhiisuuf fala biraa barbaaddachaa jiraachuufi (karaa danda’ameen qarshii saamanii miliquun), hunda caalammoo uummataan garmalee jibbamuufi kkf. Dhimmoota yaaddoo uuman ta’uurratti walii galanillee, dargaggoota isaan nyaachuuf qophaawaa jiran faayidaa adda addaan ofitti qabuu, warra tooftaa kanaan qabamuu didanimmoo hidhaafi doorsisaan ofirraa faccisuun hanga danda’ametti lubbuu dheereffachuuf yaaluun alatti waan “… kanatu furmaata…” jedhanii ittabdatan dhabuun keessa isaaniitti yaaddoo caalu uumeera. Dabballoon kun akka kanaan erga walitti waakkaachaa turanii booda, iccitii isaanii akka uummata bira hingeenye walkaksiisuun karaa sabaa himaalee harkaa isaanii jiruun akkuma baran waan sobaa dabarsuun uummata gowwomsuuf yaalaniiru. Karaa biraatiin, nama dugduuba dubbii kanaa qola keessaa baasee ilaaleef qabsoon uummataa sadarkaa murteessaarra gahuu hubachiisa.

Gabaabumatti, yaaddoon kun dhimma duruu beekamuufi eegamu fakkaatullee, nama jiruu saba Oromoo jijjiiruuf qabsootti jiru tokkoof ergaa guddaa qabaata. Qabsoon Oromoo galma isaatti dhiyaachuu eera. Dubbiin dubbii lukkuufi risaa sana fakkataa. Har’a uummanni jara soba isaanii wajjin kosii keessatti dhiisee karaa isaaf malu qabatee fagaateera. Lafa lamuu jaraan walitti deebi’uu hindandeenye qaqqabeera. Kanaaf ammoo qaawwa ofii suphachaa, wiirtuu diinaa waraanuufi uummata diina harkaa bahee jiru caalatti humneessanii qabsoo galmaan gahuuf seenaan hiree seenaa qabu nu harkaan geesseetti.. Kuni bu’aa qabsoo bara dheeraati. Amma Qabsoo kanatti xumura gochuu gaafata. Kanaaf, akkuman duraan jedhe, humnaafi tooftaa yeroon gaafatu qindeeffachuun humnafi saffisa dabalatanii fuulduratti furga’uuf amma yeroon murteessaa ta’eera. Kun dhimma keenya. Dhimma keenyaaf ammoo nutuu geenya!!

Injifannoon Uummata Oromoof!!

=>qeerroo

Oromo Protest against the TPLF fundraising in Munich

The Embassy of the TPLF regime with it’s five to seven agents organized a fund raising event in the Bavarian town of Munich, hiring two different costly Halls to confuse our protest action. However it did not take us time till the information pointing the exact location leaked in to our ears, and then followed a sudden but very well coordinated and successfully implemented occupation plan. Together with other Protesters, the members of the Union of Oromo Students in Germany and Lovers of the Oromo Freedom struggle from the town of Munich rushed in to the Hall surprising the Organizers who were scared and chose to flee leaving their cook alone in the kitchen.

 The protesters used the stage to show their rage against the abuse of human rights in Oromia and Ethiopia, demanded the release of Political Prisoners, shouted for the freedom of religion and in support of the Muslim movement in the TPLF occupied empire etc.

 After such an embarrassing moment for those organizers who entrench themselves behind the Security men, a Chief Police officer entered to the Hall and gently greeted the more than 200 protesters who overwhelmingly outnumbered the Scene. During the discussion, many Protesters explained him the real nature of the TPLF regime. Following that he recognized our rights to protest and admitted that the situation in Ethiopia is not very well known here, advising us to bring it more to the German public.

 The occupation and blockage ended successfully at 19:00 o’clock local time. Again the Woyanes got a lesson that; Munich says here you are never welcome.

 Unity is Strength!

IUOF!!

www.tboj.de

=>bilisummaa

Kabaja Waggaa 3ffaa Yaa’ii 1ffaa Qeerroo Yuuniversitii Adaamaa

Maandhee Leenca Gaara Muul’ataa  gamtaa Qeerroo YSTA(Yuuniversitii Adaamaa)

      Gaaddisa ABO,Sochii Dargaggoota Biyyoolessaa Diimookiraasiifi Bilisummaa Oromoo(Qeerroo) Onkololeessaa 27/10/2013

Sagantaa keenyaa yaadannoo sammuu gootota haqaa,walabummaa biyyasaanii Oromiyaa fi Bilisummaa Oromoof  kumaatama,dhiiraa fi dhalaan aarsaa (kitima)lubbuu kaffalaniif daqiiqaa muraasaf yaaddannoo sammuu gochuun kan eegallee yeroo tahu,itti fufnee irbuu(waadaa )Oromummaa afuura OROMUMMAAN haaressinee jirra.

Itti fufee haasawa  sagantaa duunqoo qabsiisuu kabaja maandhee gaara muuldhataa kan waggaa 3ffaatu qabsiisame. Haasawatu taasifame walitti qabaa mandhichaa   Jaal Marii Hordofaa Gadaati.

Kaayyoo fi muuldhata ,ABO  adda durummaan fudhachuun, kaayyoon ABO kaayyoo ganamaa  ifaa fi gabbataa walabummaa Oromiyaa fi Bilisummaa Oromoof  hundeeffaa fi bu’ureeffama sirriin kan aangeffaamii fi aanjeffamee qabsoo gita hin qabne diina irraatti toofta qabsoo sasalphaa irraa hanga duula hidhannootti dhaaba  haqummaa fi eenyummaa Oromoof wareeggama lubbuu buuse,buusaa jiruufi hanga dhumaatti buusu tahu manni marii hoo’aa fi gammachuun badhaadhe irraatti darbarsee jira

Tarkaanfii ABO erga qabsoo hidhannootti galee buuse,dhimmoota Afaanii, Aadaa fi seenaa, abbaa biyyummaa waliin wal qabatee bu’aan dhaloonni qubee xiqqaattus argan  dafqa ABO tahuu firaa miti diinnii akka ragaa bahu illeen ifaan irraatti dubbannee oollerra.

Qabxiin itti aanu  hojiilee Maandheen keenyaa gamtaa qeerroo Leenca Gaara Muul’ataa yuuniversitii Adaamaa waggoota lamaan darbee raawwatee tokko tokko kaasne irraatti marii baldhaa geggessinee jirra. Kannen guyyoota kan  FDG  sadasaa 9 fi guyyaa gootota Oromoo Amajjii 1 kabajuufi barrulee qeerroo mooraa keessaatti bakkee adda addaatti  maxxaansuun diinaa raasuufi ilmaan sabaa hamillee kaasun dabarsaa tureerra. Ayyaanlaallattuu,galttuu fi fakkaattuu diinaa waliin ergama diinaa dhimmaa Oromoo itti bobba’an tokko tokko dhaabaf saaxiluufi duraa dhaabbachaa hojii sabboonummaa dabarsaa tureerra.walumaa gala dhimma Oromoo fi Oromiyaa gaafa rakkoos ta’ee gaafa gammachuuf akka quba wal qabannuuf jaarmiyaa dhaabbatee tahuu asuma fuulleen gabaabsee ibsuun barbaada. Guca gaaddisa Oromoo,dhaaba dhiigaa ABO irraa gaaffii inni gaafatu kamiifi  deebii akka taanu  walii gallee,itti galuu  keenyaas cimsinee hubachiisu barbaadna. Dhumarraatti bara kanatti hojii boonsaa fi fooyyee qabu dhimma qaboo  irraatti waadaa Oromummaan haaressani marii keenyaa kan goolabne tahuu sin hubachiisna.

Injifannoon Uummata Oromoof!

Gadaan Gadaa Bilisummaati!

=>qeerroo

A Brief History of the Oromo People: A Mini-Documentary Film Presented on the Annual Refugee Film Festival 2013 at the British Film Institute (BFI), London

=>gadaa

Waamicha FDG Oslo Norway

 HDn ABO Jaal Dawud Ibsaa irratti ni argamuu!!!

ABOni Kutaa Iskandinevia akkuma aadaa isaatti guyyaa FDG Sadaasa 9/ 2013 Magalaa Oslo, Norway akka kabajuu Fulbaana 16/ 2013 waamicha  dabarsuun isaa beekamaa dha. Ammas waamicha kana haaroomsun ilmaan Oromoo kutaa Iskandinevia fi Awurophaa bakka addaa addaatti argamtan akkasuma biyyoota Awuroophaa ala ta’an keessa jiraattan akka irratti argamtan kabajaan isin afeerra.  Akkuma kanan dura ibsaa bahe keessatti beeksifne qophii seminaaraa fi galgaala aadaa qabna. Seminaarri keenyas kan itti xiyyeeffatu akeeka gotooti ilmaan Oromoo qabsoo keessatti bifa addaa addaan bakka adda addaatti  irratti wareegaman fiixaan baasuuf tumsa barbaachisu gochuuf oromoo irraa maaltu akka eegamu mari’achuuf gahee keenya gumaachuu taha. Mata dureen seminaaraa akka armaan gadii ti.

1. Haala Qabsoon bilisummaa Oromoo keessa jiruu fi Oromoo irraa maaltu eegama
2. FDG tooftaa qabsoo keessaa isa tokkoo tahee, itti milkaa’uuf haalli guutamuu qaban maali?
3. Mannii hidhaa Waayyaanee afaan Oromoo dubbata, Oromoo hidhuun  oromoo jiilchee qabsoo bilisummaa dhiisisaa?
4. Qooda shamarran Oromoo qabsoo hidhannoo keessatti

Qophii FDG, 2013 kana irratti HD. ABO Jaal Dawud Ibsaa qamaan irratti argamuun ibsaa haala qabsoon ABOnni geeggefamu latu.

Akkuma aadaa turettis qophii galgala aadaa guyyaa kana ni jiraata.

Artistoota: Galagala aadaa irratti bo’aarsuuf qophii irra jiran artistoota oromoo bebbeekamoon akka armaan gadii ti

1. Ilfinesh Qannoo
2. Hayiluu Kitaabaa
3. Hawwii H. Yesuus
4. Daangaa H. Yesuus
5. Yohaannis Abaatee
6. Asaantii Hajii

Bakki walgahii Galma:
Det Chilenske kulturhus.
Veitvetvn  8, Oslo

Guyyaa: Sadasaa 09/2013.

Akkaataa bakka galmaa gahan: Oslo Center bus 31 Grorud jedhu fudhattanii bakka Veitvet jedhutti buutu.
Baabura (Metro) lakkoobsa shan Vestli jedhu- gara bahaatti (East bound) qabatanii Veitvet buutu

Yeroo Sa’aa 11:00 akka Oslootti

Koree qindeessittu.

=>qeerroo

Canadian free expression group denounces mistreatment of journalists in Ethiopian prisons

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression 

Mr. Michael Tobias Babisso, Consul General
 
Consulate General of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
 
5080-3080 Yonge St
 
Toronto ON M4N 3N1 

Dear Mr. Tobias, 

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world. 

CJFE is troubled by the illegal detention of journalists and other dissenting voices in Ethiopian state prisons, particularly in light of reports that these individuals have been denied basic needs and subjected to physical abuse. 

According to a report released by Human Rights Watch, the Maekelawi Federal Police Crime Investigation Sector has been the site of several miscarriages of justice. Individuals exercising their right to free expression are often denied legal council, visits from their family, and are physically harmed. Respite from such ill-treatment is used as a bargaining tool by officials at Maekelawi to extract false confessions that are later used against the defendants in formal legal proceedings. 

These forced confessions not only lack legal validity, but also serve as a form of intimidation against others exercising their right to free expression. As a democracy, Ethiopia should embrace open conversation and debate surrounding its elections and government in order to fairly represent all of its citizens. These violations of the rights of detainees not only breach international laws, but Ethiopia's own constitution, requiring officials to protect anyone detained from such brutal conditions. 

CJFE urges the Ethiopian government to take immediate steps to cease unlawful detention, prevent the extraction of forced confessions, and improve legal safeguards for journalists and political prisoners in the country. 

We thank you for your attention and I look forward to your reply. 

Yours sincerely, 

Arnold Amber, CJFE President 

Cc: His Excellency David Usher, Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Djibouti, and Permanent Observer of Canada to the African Union. 
The Honourable John Baird, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

=>ifex

OSA Letter Requesting the Correction of Erroneous Oromo Language Classifications Published on Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Website.

To: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
200 Catherine St.
Suite 101
Ottawa, ON
K2P 2K9
Date: 11-02-2013

Subject: OSA Letter Requesting the Correction of Erroneous Oromo Language Classifications Published on Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Website.

Dear Sir/Madam;

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), a multi-disciplinary scholarly international organization established in the United States to promote studies relevant to the Oromo people. Recently members of OSA identified erroneous classifications of Oromo language on the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship (CIC) Agency’s language database linked to an online immigration forms designed to facilitate immigration application processing (see Appendix 1). The database identifies four different “variants” of Oromo languages as depicted in Appendix 1. The classifications adopted are not only erroneous but at least one of the designations used – “Oromo-Qotu” - is derogatory and extremely insulting to the great Oromo people of East Africa.

We believe that the linguistic sources behind this erroneous classification has its roots in historical misinformation campaigns perpetrated against the Oromo people by successive Abyssinian (Ethiopian) rulers, and therefore, it is very important to put this erroneous classification in a historical context. The Oromo people in Ethiopia have been subjugated by the Ethiopian rulers since the last quarter of 19th century. Since then, the Oromo language was banned for use in education, the mass-media and public life; Afaan Oromo was banned first during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie and subsequently during the communist regime that followed the Emperor’s overthrow. Since 1992 the ban has been lifted and the language is used in the Oromiya State with some restrictions.

All along the successive Ethiopian regimes, including the current regime, have embarked on deliberate and systematic campaigns of misinformation about the Oromo people, its language and culture in order to sustain the subjugation of the Oromo people. Volumes of propaganda literatures have been written that are designed to de-humanize the people, ridicule its culture and deliberately fabricate artificial linguistic classifications among inhabitants of the various regions of Oromiya. The ultimate goal of such campaigns is to create false stories designed to weaken the unity of the Oromo people and to misinform the international community who would rely on these propaganda literatures for information on Oromo issues. We suspect the sources for the CIC’s Oromo language classification is directly based on such literatures or it is based on some genuine independent works that might have been influenced by the former. For instance, the World Languages, a Virginia-based language organization that provides information on world languages to government agencies and businesses, erroneously classifies Afaan Oromo (Oromo language) into three regions; Western, Eastern and Southern Oromo languages.

Contrary to the misinformation campaigns, linguistic evidences clearly demonstrate the uniformity/singleness of the Oromo language both in its spoken and written versions in all regions of Oromiya. In recent years, the Journal of Oromo Studies (JOS) documented the uniformity of the Oromo language and published research papers.

These recent JOS publications on Oromo language include:

i. Dr Tilahun Gamta’s article, Qube Afaan Oromo: reasons for choosing the Latin Script for Developing an Oromo Alphabet in the Journal of Oromo Studies, Summer 1993 Volume 1 Number 1 (see page 36). Professor Tilahun wrote that over 1000 Oromo scholars convened in Finfinne (Addis Abeba) on November the 3rd, 1991 to adopt Latin scripts for Oromo writing system, known as Qube, in order to improve education process for Oromo masses.

ii. Journal of Oromo Studies 1995 Volume 1&2 and Number 1 &2 has details on earlier research conducted by Oromo Students Study groups in Europe in 1972. Dr Feyisa Demie wrote an article titled Special Features in Oromiffa[Afaan Oromo) and Reasons for Adopting Latin Scripts for Developing Oromo Orthography (p. 22).

iii. Another very important source that demonstrates Oromo language as having uniformity is the bilingual Oromo-English dictionary written in 1913 by Edwin Foot and Liban Bultum and published by Cambridge Press. In the preface of the dictionary, Edwin Foot states the following regarding the Oromo people: "Though there are marked local differences in dialects even in Abyssinia itself, as for instance between that of the Oromos of the highlands and that of the Borana, yet the language is so essentially constant that the women and children of the Gurri tribe [nation], who inhabit the El Wak oasis and surrounding districts under their chief Gababa, talk the same dialect as those of the Walega; though the men of the tribe [nation], who travel about and have dealings with other tribes[nation], use many Somali and even Arabic words."

Above all;

iv. The current Oromiya State, where Afaan Oromo is an official language, does not recognize any Oromo language classifications and it uses one single Oromo language in its law courts, schools and official communications. There is only one official Afaan Oromo that the Oromo know.

As mentioned earlier, the Oromo language has dialects and accents as do most other world languages. However, as far as we know language classifications can never be based on minor differences of dialects. For instance, the Swedish language has more than half a dozen dialects. The differences between some of Swedish dialects are much pronounced than the differences among Oromo language dialects, yet Swedish language is not erroneously presented as separate languages in CIC’s database. Similarly, American English spoken in New York and Southern States, such as in Alabama, are not categorized as separate languages requiring unique translators even though distinct dialects and accents are apparent. The Ethiopian Amharic language has more than three dialects, but it is presented as one single language in CIC’s database. There appears to be a double standard here due to, perhaps, the lack of awareness among your linguistic specialists about the historical context in which the Oromo language operates.

Call for Action

We understand that not enough information is published regarding the Oromo people, its language and culture that are readily available to the international community. However, over the past decades the Oromo Studies Association has diligently worked to provide key information to Human Rights organizations, researchers and policy makers. It is important to recognize that within the Oromiya State of Ethiopia, Oromo language is a uniform single language used in school text books, Oromo law courts and official communications. The language is not written in different dialects nor is there any classification of Oromo language recognized neither by the current Oromiya State nor by the Oromo people at large. All Oromo students from all over Oromiya take the same standardized Afaan Oromo tests before enrolling in college and in college.

In light of these glaring facts, we urge you:
• To correct your database to include ONLY ONE Oromo language – spelled as “ Afaan Oromo”;
• To review the sources of the information used to erroneously classify the Oromo language to ensure similar mistakes will not be repeated in the future;
• To use Oromo scholarly sources for Oromo cultural, linguistic and political issues in order to ensure accuracy and acceptability to the target population;
• To engage Oromo Studies Associations in all future collaborative efforts on Oromo cultural, linguistic and political issues.

Sincerely,

Ibrahim Amae Elemo M.D., MPH
President, Oromo Studies Association
Address: Email: ielemo@weisshospital.com
Oromo Studies Association, P.O.Box: 6541
Minneapolis, MN 55406-0541


CC:
1. About World Languages: The Technology Development Group: Leesburg, VA:http://aboutworldlanguages.com/oromo
2. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: Washington, D.C. http://www.uscis.gov/
3. International organizations broadcasting in Afaan Oromo and providing translation services to Oromo refugees worldwide

Appendix 1. Screenshot of Oromo language classification from Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

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