Oromia: Alemayehu Atomsa Dies

March 6, 2014 (All Africa) — Less than two weeks after resigning from his post as chairperson of the Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organisation (OPDO) – one of the four member parties of the ruling EPRDF – and president of the Oromia Region, Alemayehu Atomsa died late on Thursday, March 6, 2014.

Alemayehu, who was an obscure figure – formerly with the EPRDF’s propaganda office and with little connection to the OPDO’s rank and file prior to his appointment as president of Ethiopia’s largest of nine regional states – was absent from office most of the time due to illness. On February 18, 2014, the OPDO disclosed that it had accepted his request to step-down from his presidency due to health related issues.

The Chinese-educated president had not previously received the go-ahead from the Party to step down, although he had tendered his resignation on several occasions. Alemayehu fell sick within months of his appointment, and had been rarely able to conduct his duties, travelling abroad for medical care for the majority of the last two years.

Alemayehu was pronounced dead at 1am on Thursday at the age of 45, after receiving medical treatment in Bangkok, Thailand. He was a father of two daughters and a son.

Born in 1969 in the Bilo Boshe woreda of East Wollega – one of the 17 zones in the Oromia Region – Alemayehu was replaced by Muktar Kedir, minister of the Civil Service & Good Governance Reform Cluster, with the rank of deputy prime minister, in both posts as chairperson of the OPDO and president of the Oromia Region.

=>ayyaantuu

The Importance of the credibility of Media outlets.

By Adugna Dinka

The newly inagaurated Oromo television (Oromia media network) aired a news on the 4th of march 2014 that said the former Oromia regional state Mr. Junedin Sado has been accepted by USA for protection and Just entered USA. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OudMp0DWmto)

But last year(around september 2013) There was a news circulating all over the cyber space specially on Ethiopia and Oromia news outlets that Mr. Junedin  Sado was killed by TPLF security forces. According to the news outlets, Junedin Sado was killed when he return back to Ethiopia from Kenya. (see
http://ethiopianewsforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=59170
http://www.ogadentoday.com/news.php?readmore=9838
http://dandi4130.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/junedin-sado-former-governor-of-oromia-was-killed-by-woyyanee/ )

Even some international websits like allafrica has reported there is a rumor that Mr. Junedin was killed. (http://allafrica.com/stories/201309161789.html). Wikipedia too has reported he was killed by government agents when he returned back to Ethiopia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junedin_Sado).

The source of this false news might be the security apparatus of the TPLF government just for a political purpose. They might be successful in confusing the media outlets of specially opposition parties, political activists and journalists, but at the end it just degrades their value when it is found out that it is a false news.

The important thing over here is, it is very important for news outlets to be credible. That means the news that is made available for the audience must be genuine and accurate. The sources must be reliable and trusted too. If the news happen as a rumour or is a mistake, it must be updated and corrected timely. 

Television information sources are perceived by public as more credible news sources than websites, magazines  and news papers. Due to this It is very important for Oromia Media Network to carefully scrutinize the news made available to it before airing.  We all Oromos want OMN a game changer in the history of Ethiopian media. We want it to be a true and credible media that provide accurate and genuine news and informations for Oromia and the Great Horn of Africa. 


Adugna Dinka (re_appear1@yahoo.co.uk)

Diddaan Qeerroo Godina Addaa Finfinnee Keessaatti Jabaatee Itti Fufe!

Ammaan dura godina Addaa Finfiinnee A/Sulultaa,Akaakoo,Garba Gurraachaa fi Gullallee Gabir’eel keessatti diddaan sabboontota oromoon jabaatee akkasuma barattootaanis fincilli kan qabate gabaasaa turuun keenya ni yaadatama. Haaluam saniin wal qabatee gabaasaa Qeerroo magaalaa Sulultaa irra addeesaa jiruun Bitootessa 03 aanaa Gulallee Gabri’eel jedhamu keessatti barattootni mana barumsaa sadarkaa 2ffaa baratan gaaffiin yeroodhaa yerootti qeerroodhaan gaafatamaa jiru keessuma lafti oromoo hin gurguramin? barataan oromoo maalif hojii hin argatuu??? ilmaan oromoo maaliif mana hidhaatti dararamu yakka tokko malee kan jedhuuf dhiyaate ture keessatti deebiin hanga ammaatti kennamuu osoo hin taanee itti gochi kun mootummaa wayyaaneedhaan jabaachaa dhhufeera,hanga gaaffiin kun deebii argatutti nutis ta’e barataan oromoo kamuu barumsa dhaabuu qaba kan jedhu qabatanii diddaa kaasaanii jiru,Akkasuma magaalaa Akaakoo irratti manni barumsaa 1 hanga 8ffaatti barattootni osoo barsiisonni dhimma isaa adda hin baasin sochii sabboontota oromootiin gaggeeffameen mooraadhaa bahanii barumsa dhaabanii gara qe’eetti galanii jiru guyyaa lamaaf Bitootessa 02 irraa kaasanii,deebii dhaabuu gaaffii mirgaa hanga yoonatti gaafatamaa jiru sababeessuudhaan barattootni barumsa dhaabanii akka jiran akkasuma ammoo mootummaa wayyaanee balaaleffachuudhaanis sirna wayyaaneetiin hanga yoomitti gaggeeffamna kan jedhuun barumsa dhaabanii akka jiran Qeerroon gabaasee jira mana barumsaa kanattis qorannoo bal’aan gaggeeffamaa jira hedhu,sochiin Qeerroo diddaaf haalota mijeessuu dabalatee daran jabaatee itti fufa…


=>qeerroo

Siidaan Harmaa-Harka Muraa Aanolee Dhiyoottuu Eebbifama

WASHINGTON,DC — Aanolee godina Arsii naannoon Ixxoosaa lafa jabana minilikitti Oromoo fi nama hedduu naannoo sun qubata  wal-gahiif yaamanii harmaa-harka irraa itti jiran.

Mootummaan naannoo Oromoo, akka Itti Gaafatamaan Biiroo Aaadaafi Tuurizimii Oromiyaa,Mohaammad Jiloo jedhutti ummata jabana hamaa sun keessa haala hamaan suniin fixan qaabachuuf siidaan dhaabuufiitti jira.

“Laftii tun ta mootummaan minilik ka ummata Oromooti fi ummata Itoophiyaa dhibiillee humnaan bulchee aadaa fi afaan isaa humna qawweetiin irraa balleessuuf irratti duule. Haawwan harma irra ciranii,dhiiraa kolaasanii harka irraa ciran.Tun hujii Nafxanyaati.Ummata Gadaan buluu dhowwee qawween bulchuuf itti dhufe.Aanoleetti walgahii yaamee sanyii isaanii balleesse.”

Barii sun akka obbo Mohaammaditti, 1,900 keessaa minilik lafa ballifachuuf gochaa akkasii ummata irratti hojjate.

Paartiin mormituu siyaasaa Itoophiyaa ta akka MEHAD fi EDEPA faan hujiin akkanaa tun,siidaa dhaabuu tun dhaloota dhufullee haaloo fuusfitii ummati Oromo ammoo akka siidaan akkanaa ijaaramullee hin fedhu jedhan.

Obbo Mohaammad ammoo warra fedhii ummataa hin beennetti tun fedhii ummataatii miti jedhaa. jedha.

“Warraa fi paartii fedhiin ummataa maan akka taate hin beennetti tun fedhi ummataatii miti jedha.Fedhii isaa irraa kaanee hojjanneef egerilleen akkasuma.Biyya jiguu geette walti qabuutti jirra.Mootummaan durii mootummaa aadaa tokko,afaan tokko, seenaa tokko jedhee walti qabee caccarassee nama bulchuu fedhu.Warra mootummaa akkasii kuffisuuf kufee siidaa dhaabana.”

Mootummaan naannoo Oromiyaa Aanolee, Finfinnee,Adaamaa fi Calanqoolletti siidaa gootota jaaruutti jiraa,ka aanolee kana muuziyeemiillee itti dabalee qarshii miliyoona 20 itti baasee jedha gabaasii mootummaa naannoo Oromiyaa.Maqalee,BaahirDaarii faalleen siidaan akkanaa jaarumatti jrian.

Siidaa Aanoleetti dhaabuutti jiran  kun Botootessa kana keessa eebbifama.

=>voaafaanoromoo

North Norway Oromos for Human Right

North norway oromos met in Trondheim last saturday 01.03.2014 for Human right


The Trondheim Oromo Community, Trondheim OLF together with the Trondheim Oromo Asylum seekers including other asylum seekers from all over Norway has showed up their togetherness by standing for Human Right.

It was around 11:00 when the gathering started in Trondheim, Norway. There was around 100 people who gathered at Trondheim torg, to say ''No'' to torturing and human right violations by the Ethiopian Regime against peaceful Political opposition groups, journalists, Oromo political activists and other politically concerned people.

The Ethiopian Government is known for using the 2009 terrorist law to classify and label journalists, opposition groups and activists who oppose the regimes political system as terrorists.

The Oromo’s who gathered today in Trondheim has got a clear message '' Human Right First'' '' Free political Prisoners'' and '' Political Opposition is not terrorism'' "stop kidnaping Oromos from exile" "freedom and justice from oromo people".

Mr Bent Houge who is  advisor on human rights law in Trondheim has read a speech about human rights law.

=>oromiapost

Alemayehu Atomsa has Passed Away

Our sources reveal that Alemayehu Atomsa, the former president of both OPDO and Oromia Region has passed away. We will update you as more information comes in. Alemayhu was recently reported to have resigned as a result of health issues. He has been battling with severe diseases for the past few years. ESAT Television had reported that close to two million birr has been spent in his treatment. There were also claims he was poisoned by government agents and forced off his position.

=>oromowiki

A Tribute to the Late Dr. Paul Baxter (1925-2014)

By Abbas H. Gnamo, Ph.D.*

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of Dr. Paul Baxter. I join Prof. Mohammed Hassen, OSA Board Chair, and Dr. Ibrahim Elemo, OSA president, in expressing my sorrow and my tribute to an astute anthropologist, and a meticulous ethnographer, a great friend of the Oromo people.

Dr. Baxter studied the Oromo society, culture and its principles of social organization rigorously and thoroughly, and disseminated his findings through his numerous publications. He left us with a treasure accumulated over half a century. I have cherished his writings, and read many of his chapters, conference papers and articles with delight, and learned a lot or better understood our culture and the functioning of Oromo society (both in Kenya and Oromia) and its institutions. His writings reflect the breadth and depth of his knowledge accumulated over decades of observation and careful analysis of the Oromo ethnography. I have benefited from his remarkable works and rich data for my dissertations and other writings. I am quite sure, that his works will remain the place to start for those who would like to explore Oromo culture and social organization.

My first contact with Dr. Baxter goes back to 30 years, when I was still a Graduate Assistant at Addis Ababa University. I wrote a letter requesting for two of his articles inaccessible in Ethiopia. Instead, he sent me 8 of his articles and chapters in books at his own cost, a testament to his generosity. He, jaarsa faranjii as he was known, was adored in Kofale where he conducted his fieldwork in the late 1960s, the basis for his popular articles, such as Atete, Weellu, etc. He kept sending me letters although many of them were opened as his name was on a black list of theDarg regime. Until a decade ago, he was available to help anyone and he reached out to many Oromo scholars and students he knew, specially those who studied in UK.

Above all, there is something special for which the Oromo do remember him. Dr. Baxter was one the rare people to show the Oromo predicament in the Ethiopian empire, and their political oppression and cultural marginalization openly and courageously. As far as I Know, he was the first expatriate professional and social scientist to put the Oromo question on global politics. His grounding breaking article: “Ethiopia’s Unacknowledged Problem: The Oromo”, African Affairs, Volume 77, Number 208 (1978): 283-296, is the case in point. Ever since he became persona non grata, a public enemy, in Ethiopia. Not surprisingly, he was denied a visa to attend Ethiopian Studies conferences. However, he did not bow down as he chose not to be among the “pleasers” of the empire and its politico-intellectual elites. In fact, the Oromo question was important then and now. At very least, we know much better than 40 years ago.

I highly value his scholarship and immerses contributions to Oromo studies as well his genuine friendship with the Oromo people. My thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends.

May his soul rest in peace.

* Abbas H. Gnamo, Ph.D., has authored a monograph, and many articles on Ethiopia and the Oromo as well as the book, “Conquest and Resistance in the Ethiopian Empire, 1880-1974 – The Case of the Arsi Oromo.” He has been affiliated with several research centres in Canada, and has taught at some major Canadian universities, including Ryerson, York and the University of Toronto.

=>gadaa