As part of its Greater Tigray agenda, the Woyanne apartheid junta has been systematically attempting to weaken Ethiopian nationalism by turning one ethnic group against another. The Woyanne propaganda machine has commissioned papers and books, for example, audaciously bringing into question the Oromo people’s contribution to building Ethiopia as a nation. Unfortunately, the Woyanne propaganda is having an impact on the new generation of Ethiopians who know little about Ethiopian history. To help counter such attacks on Ethiopiawinet, poet and distinguished Ethiopian scholar Dr Fikre Tolossa has authored an article in 1992 titled: Nobles of Oromo descent who ruled Ethiopia. It’s an insightful and highly informative article. Click here to read it.
181 thoughts on “The Oromo contribution to building the Ethiopian nation”
Thank you for bringing out something positive and something constructive for building democracy and justice for all. Truth must also be told in order to develop trust and unity within diversity and then convert mother Ethiopia in to the resurgent GARDEN OF EDEN for all.
But please don’t tell this “top secret” information to parochial power hungry hidden and potential angry and bitter few tyrant elite circles like መቶ አለቃ Ayal-sew Dessye who is deeply terrorized for fear of Ethiopians demonstrating for their rights like in Egypt, Tunisia, etc. and correctly demand democracy and freedom during this new 21st century era for the coming new Ethiopia with out the old fossil medieval tyrannical soldier’s (መቶ አለቃ)permission who is potentially even much more worse than that of tyrant Meles in case he manages to grab power. NO HE CAN NOT. YES WE CAN! BEKA!
Was Queen Sheba from Oromo too? Was Menelik I from Oromo also? What about Ezana? Caleb? Zerayakob? Lalibela? Tewodros II? Atse Yohannes and the rest?
I will assure you most Ethiopians believe the Oromos are Ethiopians, and some Oromos, such as OLF, believe Oromos are not Ethiopians; therefore, they say Oromos must secede from the rest of the Ethiopian provinces. Which side are you, Dr. Tolossa?
Let me digress a little bit from the main issue here for clarity and objectivity. During the 7th century, to make himself as one of the legitimate prophets, Mohammad declared Deuteronomy 18:15 as a reference that he was indeed the one Deuteronomy 18:15 is talking about. Deuteronomy 18:15 says: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.” Even though no one sees the name Muhammad mentioned here, the Muslims still insist Deuteronomy 18:15 is talking about Muhammad. Later on Muhammad went on plagiarizing the Scriptures both the Old and the New testaments to substantiate his Quran as a holy book equal with the Jewish Torah and the Christian New Testament.
In the same way, Dr. Tolossa’s article has some hidden agenda by relating the Oromos to the Amharas royal families in order to declare Oromia as an independent nation that has a history of governing itself and governing other Ethiopian provinces; therefore, Oromia must go free. That is the message the author is trying to convey to all of us by linking the genealogy of the Oromo people to the royal families of the Amharas.
I can see clearly Dr. Tolossa has spent several times in writing this article to boost the morale of some of the Oromo people by telling them they are the sons and daughters of the Ethiopian kings and queens. He also asserts the Oromo language was once the national language of the Ethiopian people: “This was the third time in Ethiopian history when the Oromos and their language dominated the court of an Ethiopian emperor.” This means, if the Oromo language was the language spoken by an Ethiopian emperor, it must be also spoken by all the emperor’s subjects, by all the Ethiopians.
I have indeed heard Emperor Haile Selassie was fluent in French, but I have never heard, as the author confirms, he was fluent in Oromo language: “Teferi Mekonen was reputed for being fluent in the Oromo language….”
What the author is trying to say is that the Oromo language had been the language of Ethiopian kings and princes; therefore, the Amharic language must be demoted, and the Oromo language must be revived and be the national language of Ethiopia.
The author’s most hypocritical statements are the following: “Emperor Iyoas appointed Oromos to higher positions like Emperors Susenyos and Iyasu did. He preferred his Oromo kinsmen from Wollo to the Gondere relatives of his grandmother, Empress Mentewab.” If this is the case in the old Oromos’ administration in hiring only kinsmen to higher positions regardless of qualifications, then why the Oromos denounce the Woyanne government for hiring only the Tegaru for high positions?
How can you, Dr. Tolossa, assure the Ethiopian people that you will not follow Emperor Iyoas’ practice of hiring only one’s own kinsmen to high positions if the Ethiopian people appoint you as their prime minister?
I doubt Menelik II went to war to fight the Italians because his wife told him so; it is better to say his ministers told him so. The author says: “…it was she (Taitu)who encouraged Menelik to fight the Battle of Adwa against the Italians, in order to save Ethiopia from European colonization and humiliation.” No one wages a war just by the advice of his wife without consulting his war generals and ministers. Menelik II might have consulted the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church whether to go to war or not, and I am sure the Church had given him her blessings, and that was why the St. George Tabot was carried to Adwa to help the king in his fight against the foreign invaders.
Why is the highly educated Oromos, according to the author’s statements, oppose to the unity of Ethiopia unless they want the disintegration of Ethiopia? The author said some educated Oromos do not want to hear the name of Ras Gobena because he fought for the unity of Ethiopia. That is the big problem I still have with OLF who are ready to destroy Ethiopia.
Dr. Tolossa, You have listed a number of people whom you believe were Oromos, but what are your resources? Is the elderly lady whom you have interviewed your only resource? What was her name?
Finally I will say this: The Amhara blood in the Oromo people ruled Ethiopia, not the Oromo blood in the Amhara people that ruled Ethiopia. Whatever history the article tells us in confusing genealogies, the fact remains the Amharic language is the national language and the Amhara Christian dynasty governs Ethiopia for eternity.
It is good to be reminded but not surprises. let alone the history, Take a look since Wayane came to power by the help of OLF, how many Oromo students, businessmen, intellectuals rooted out from their home, school,and from their family.
even more today how many Oromos are taking chance for change.
I also wonder why the rest of Ethiopian people shay away to fight back wayane as Oromo people mainly youth do? do they think they will share power or even take power when this government go? those days are over my friends who paid the ultimate price will collect the fruits at the end. if the rest of Ethiopian people to continue stand by and watch the suffering of Oromo, believe me the outcome will shock the current observers and those who think the fight is not theirs at this time and propaganda is their take. think again, I am not opposing to propaganda, I just arguing the rest are not doing enough to fight back.
It’s funny I was just talking with someone who knows everything about Oromos who holded power in Ethiopia the good old days.The person I was talking to was very upset that “Lucy” the 3.2 million years old bones that was found in Awash Valley in Ethiopia is here somewhere in U.S.The person that I was talking thinks that Meles is not just selling lands or babies but also “Lucy” 3.2 million years old history that can not be replace.The person thinks “Lucy” is sold to some U.S based museum and he doesn’t know which state in U.S has “Lucy”.The person also thinks “Lucy” bones could belong to Oromo person.Is Meles really Ethiopian? Does Meles really care about the future of his wife,children,and Tigrea people at large? For sure I know Meles doesn’t care about Tigrea people at all…hey don’t take my words for it go see Tigrea with your own eyes or ask anyone who just came from area.
Assta, u give the word ‘ stupid ‘ a new meaning. How can u be so ignorant?
History could be written in many different ways. Stop bickering about the past. Good hard working generation makes its own history. Stop wasting precious time over the past. Make history like those who built axum, lalibela and so on. The current welfare prone Ethiopian Elite is good for nothing. That is why they are wasting time over the past. Smart people make history and lazy people kill their time talking about the smart people. Whether they were Oromo, Tigre, Kembata or Amhara they made history and now nonsense and lazy elites waste time looking back endlessly. I would never waste serious time over which tribe led Ethiopia. I would read it for entertainment puropse but I could only use it to divide and conquor if I was evil.
I don’t have any idea what your children would be thinking about your filth. As much as I love my country and you people, you really make me sick to the bone. Your laziness is acidic. Look at some of this OLF leaders, TPLF leaders and so on. Their diaspora supporters are welfare recipient jobless hoodlems who are educated enough to run big companies but waste time because of their lazy minds. It doesn’t mind which tribe you come from, do you know how I know that you are all from Ethiopia ? it is because no matter how educated you all have the same genetic defect that makes you lazy, jeolous, cruel, insensitive, vengeful, treacherous, hypoctite, chauvinist, masogynist, ethnicist, selfish. You end up wasting your life hating and bickering. You are the living dead. You don’t love or live life. Hopefully when you are all gone we may live happily and never waste our time about your history and about the things you should have done. I hope we make history and never argue about the past. The lord give you mercy.
Please read on what Meles and his TPLF-comrades in corruption are working.
TPLF’s Confidential Document
Indian Ocean Newsletter N° 1211 31/03/2007
According to information obtained in Addis Ababa by The Indian Ocean Newsletter, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has written a 22 page document entitled Tigray in the new Millenium calling for a strengthening of the construction of a Tigray Regional State which is in a position to “survive on its own means if necessary”.
This text was approved by Seyoum Mesfin, Abay Tsehaye and Sebhat Nega and is now circulating in the executive circles of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF, hard core of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front in power in Addis Ababa) as a confidential document.
According to our sources, it lists the various infrastructure projects already completed in Tigray, laying special emphasis on the Tekezie hydro-electric dam for its role in the electrification of the country, calls for the expansion of other sectors of activity in this region in the North of Ethiopia and praises the close relations between the Tigray Regional State and China.
This text also considers that the Tigrayan Diaspora abroad should be “educated and mobilised to invest” in this regional state. Finally, it stresses the need to establish close relations with certain Eritrean opponents. This theoretical assemblage is similar to the thesis in favour of creating an independent state, coupling Ethiopian Tigrayans and Christian Eritreans from the high plateaux. The idea of such a Tigray-Tigrigni State was favoured two decades ago by certain Ethiopian Tigrayan and Eritrean nationalists.
Source: Indian Ocean Newsletter N° 1211 31/03/2007
Asta all your assertions defeat your purposes. You want one Ethiopia but
you deny to acknowledge people who had done that for years. By the way you can only write history and narrate it as you like it. But I am sure no any scholar or historian predicts the out comes of historical events accurately. Who thought Melese becomes a prime minister? Who imagined an illegitimate great grand son of Minilik II- Mengistu Haile Mariam becomes a president of Ethiopia?
I say; you irritate people with your old status quo and yet history will run its courses. In my own life time I had seen quite a bit. Time marches and history will have her unexpected anecdotes and man will pass away and we keep making love and rear our next generations.
Who knows to night in the biggest city that was built most probably hundreds years ago my beautiful Africans have been dating and romancing without even knowing whether they are Menzens from Tegulet or Oromos from Boran and they just throw the dices in making love and lives are generated and generations will continue. By the mere mathematical probabilities we Oromo men and women will have greater chances to produce Oromo children and one day those children will rule the Empire. Haile Sellassie was that child and Mengistu is that child and
go and hang yourself for history did not and does not and will not favor your wishful thoughts.
What about the venerated heroine becomes a princess and she is from Tigray and Oromia by blood. What would you like to call her? She is the outcome of that romantic dice game and war of sexes in Addis Ababa.
Be careful and reread an article “ What a name has to do with it.”
I do not want to argue with you and you are way out of the topic. The person was writing about the contributions and you are predicting about power in the future. You guys are too poor to keep power in the hands of the old ruling families from central Ethiopia. You may consult with queens and princes from Britain. They have power and real power and are worth more than 100 billions. What do the people from your favorite area have except themselves. Money, politics and military makes power and you have none of them.
Well,
I say well done OLF and its collaboration with Eritrea and TPLF. It is now helping to question the Ethiopians the role of Oromos in Ethiopia. They are the main drive for independence from colonization. Without ORomo we would have been colonized for sure. So OLF bring your act together and unify Ethiopians and Oromos. Stop collaborating to the ethnic agenda of TPLF and Shaebia!
The is one of the most enlightening and exciting piece of writing I read about Ethiopia in a long time. Thank you Dr Fikre. Shame on those who are trying to dishonor the proud Oromo history.
Assta B. Gettu
when ever any article which bears an Oromo name appears, you start barking from your hidding place. I believe, either you are allergic to Oromos or you have an identity complex which is forcing you to act hypocritically. Explaining another peoples story is very easy, and specially with modern technics. You are bearing a barren or arid fruitless mind which is not only harming Oromos, but also poisoning and spoiling the whole Ethiopia. You don’t have to tell the Ethiopians about the past rulers of Ethiopia, since they know it before your birth. Every Ethiopian rulers have acted and ruled the country according to that time’s conditions. But you are living in 21st century with your mentality of 19th century. You are like a bird which repeats the words of others or which sits on other bird’s nest. So please try to come out with your own ideas or solutions for today’s Ethiopia.
#6.tezibt,
You cursed us collectively and tried to banish us to the edge of the universe. “…it is because no matter how educated you all have the same genetic defect that makes you lazy, jeolous, cruel, insensitive, vengeful, treacherous, hypoctite, chauvinist, masogynist, ethnicist, selfish. You end up wasting your life hating and bickering. You are the living dead.” You wrote
That is too much but I must forgive you for chastising us collectively because you have also said, “The lord give you mercy.” We also really need mercy and buy time for getting ready slowly but surely do away with tyranny and criminal dictatorship. True, better fast than slowly as you correctly indicated but better slowly than never I also see it. Together, in unity within diversity we can still make miracles.
I agree with you that we need not concentrate on the past ALONE even though looking back will hep us understand the present and build the new future.
Mind you also the fact that all of these MASTER DIVISIVE SINS you have outlined and characterized as common “genetic defect?” are in fact NOT AT ALL GENETIC DEFECTS but consciously constructed and cleverly developed ruling elite evil instruments of division, exclusion, discrimination, subjugation, exploitation and dictatorship of the few over the clear majority, that is to say, policies that brought mother Ethiopia to its death bed and reduced the good Ethiopians to the shameful global symbol of eternal beggarmanship.
Now that mother Ethiopian is on its death bed, the Ethiopian people keep starving to death, begging international feeding hands like always while the tyrannical dictatorial criminal junta following long standing ruling elite traditions still using all the tricks of the previous Ethiopian ruling juntas/elites which you, out of frustration wrongly described as “genetic defects” that is to say, quoting you,”lazy, jeolous, cruel, insensitive, vengeful, treacherous, hypoctite, chauvinist, masogynist, ethnicist, selfish. You end up wasting your life hating and bickering. You are the living dead.”
It also seems to me that you are also consciously and or unconsciously being socialized perhaps out of frustration in to the so called and wrongly defined “genetic defect” theory” because you blame criminal elite instruments of subjugation as some of sort traits and genetic defects that applies to all Ethiopians across the board. In addition you equally and wrongly blame both the defensive victims(OLF) and the offensive victimizes (tplf).
If we are equally blaming a community of hungry cruel wolves and a community of innocent herd of sheep, that already explains as to in which group we are grazing and socializing. :)
But the current 21st century burning issue is to do justice for all by constructing and consciously promoting genuine and egalitarian representative democracy, empowerment, popular participation from the ground up and enable the Ethiopia of all, NOT ONLY the old Ethiopia of few rodent elite wolves many of these old chauvinists are angrily bragging day and night with their hearts in their mouth for no viable results other than keeping tyrant criminal tplf in power.
Let the Lord give us mercy and help us to do the right thing!
Bonsa#3, the ethiopian ppl know that oromos are not the only who are victims of weyane, all ethnic groups are victims including tigrais.
Dr Tolosa
I would call you the way your relatives call you, though your true name is Tolasa. Look what you friend told you, though you still cry for their Ethiopia. Read from the Assta comments above. He/She said
“The Amhara blood in the Oromo people ruled Ethiopia, not the Oromo blood in the Amhara people that ruled Ethiopia.” This is what all oromos are saying actually except you DR. Tolosa. Sorry for you, you gona be lost if you do not come back sooner, which we all brothers and sisters hope. We truely love,
Astta has apparently anointed himself(or herself)as the advocate of the Amhara people and Ethiopian orthodox church whereby he constantly blabbers and squawks against everything that promotes multi-religious and multi-ethnic Ethiopia. He sees and portrays our history differently, ignoring the fact that the Ethiopian people are more wise and pluralistic than his twisted views. Dr Tolossa did nothing but put together facts that are well documented in history books and have been always taught in schools. Yes, the Ethiopian royalties were at times of multi-racial heritage in the same fashion as the North Africans and Syrians became part of the Roman Emperorship. We will definitely see more leadership role by non-amhara people in the future as we recently witnessed with the presidency. That is fine as far as I am concerned, but it is obviously hard to comprehend for a medieval lunatic religious savage who still believes that there is an inherent difference in people’s traits. This is racism in its purest form as seen from the perspective of an ideologue. In fact, he is not only a rigid ideologue who is afraid of others but also a dangerous psycho who is unknowingly fermenting an Ethiopian Ku klux Klan.
To Assta B.gettu….I feel sorry for someone like you.Assta I heard there was a Oromo man who ruled Gondr or Gojam for 70 years.What do you think of that?If Oromo people said we are not Ethiopians why would that bother you? Why do you care if Oromos say we don’t want to be called Ethiopians? If a Amara man tells me he’s not Ethiopian he’s an Amara it doesn’t bother me at all.If a TPLF member tells me he’s not Ethiopian he’s a tigrai I have no problem with that you have my bless to pack your bags go live in north.Assta Oromo people are not out to do harm to anybody who said they are Ethiopians or whatever.
12. Mezgebu Tammirat,
I really like your civil critic on my comment. Not to be argumentative, but I stand by what I said. Yes I will recant on putting every Ethiopian Elite in one box but since there has been no scientific study done on them, I stand by most of my comment.
ASSETA B.GETTU,
IF YOU FAIL TO DEFINE YOUR SELF YOU ARE LETTING OTHERS TO DEFINE YOU.
MANY TIMES IN THE ETHIOPIAN HISTORY OROMOS FAILED TO DEFINE IT SELF FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AND AMAHARAS DEFINED THEM IN THE MOST INHUMAN WAY. NOW OROMOS STAND FOR IT SELF AND ARE REDEFINING IT SELF IN THE MOST CORRECT WAY. Whether you like it or not you will accept the current well thought and well defined orommuma. Your century onld defination of oromos are long gone and will never be relevant in our history. You terribley failed your self by a word of your mouth. In todays ethiopia oromos are well educated and well equipped to govern itself for better or worse. The day you arrogant and ignorant amhara elites decide our destiny has eroded and will never come back again. You either suck it up and move on or committ socide.
ASSETA,
You terribley failed in comperhending the fact on the ground. In todays ethiopia oromos are not acknowledging the amhara’s defination of oromumma. In the past amharas portrayed oromos as savage and inhuman. That discription went on for too long. The reason why that happened was obvious. Oromos were never allowed to define it self. Those who shared power or promoted to the higher positions in the society were forced to asimilate. They hidden their identity for fear of the ramification. Whether you like it or not you just have to accept the new reality and move on. There will never be teklaigizate or kiflegizate. If the unity of the ethiopia is a must it should allow all the nations and nationalities to have their say. No nations or nationalities rules over any body. There will be democracy and equal freedom and justice. My way or no way will just lead to the fragmentation of the country in to many pieces.
Assta asked the author quite correctly, “Dr. Tolossa, You have listed a number of people whom you believe were Oromos, but what are your resources? Is the elderly lady whom you have interviewed your only resource? What was her name?”.
I asked and you deleted it, “Teret and teret from a dean a iniversity faculty. What are the sources or refernces? Ah!HIM haile Sellasie website?”.
Hate. Would you be brave enough to admit hate is your motivation?
Yirga #11,
You have been repeating and rehearsing your logos – OLF- for 30 years, and finally you have come with the genealogies of the Oromo people as if we do not know their origins and their backgrounds. Were I you, I would never go to the jungle and stay there for three decays for the purpose of understanding the origins of the Oromo people. When you couldn’t find any thing especial that tells the genealogies of the Oromo people, you worked very hard to find a link between the Amharas and the Oromos through certain Ethiopian individuals. I have been telling you for many times Oromos are Ethiopians, and if they are Ethiopians, they are Amharas because Amharas are Ethiopians. Therefore, you don’t need to study the genealogies of the Oromos once you know the genealogies of the Amhara people. You don’t need to study the DNA of the Oromo people for all Ethiopians have the same DNA, and that DNA is the Amharas’ DNA. If you want to have a DNA different from the Amharas’ DNA, then you are looking after a monkey’s DNA.
Assta B. Gettu:
you are self sytled Ethiopian judge who wants to promote the handfull Amhara radicals ( If you find any ) and defame the rest of Ethiopia, specially the Oromos. The bargler who have entered the home does not respect the owner rather than humilating him.Your way of acting is the act of ” My way or NO way “, or one against ten. But we Oromos do not care for such a recless out dated propagand. We believe in democracy and harmony than your hatred and milicous idea. Before the disintegration of Ethiopia, which you preach around the clock, we Oromos prefer to work hand in hand with all, equality, unity and brotherhood loving Ethiopians rather than being second-class citizen and servants as you wish it for yourself. And shortly and concretely, if that will fail, NO power on this earth will hinder the Oromos to choose their own destiny.
Abeba #5,
The word “stupid” always remains the same with a meaning “obtuse,” just as OLF remains always OLF, with no change at all.
Gerewew Isaatuu #8,
If the author of the article is talking about the contributions of the Oromo people to Ethiopia, why doesn’t he say so, instead of telling us Susenyos was an Oromo; Empress Wabi was an Orom; Emperor Iyasu was an Oromo; Gugssa was an Oromo; Alula was an Oromo; Empress Taitu was an Oromo; King Mikael was an Ormo; Wizero Shewarega was an Oromo; Itege Menen was an Oromo. Was Belay Zeleke an Oromo too? Was Ayalew Biru an Oromo? If he wants to tell the contribution of Alula, for example, he can simply say Alula helped Ethiopia to defeat the Italian army at Adwa; therefore, he was one of the great Ethiopian heroes. That is what he has to say.
I always want one Ethiopia, but the OLF people don’t want the unity of Ethiopia: they call Ethiopia Abyssinia, and they call Oromia Ethiopia for the purpose of dividing the country and confusing the Ethiopian people including the Oromos.
You wrote innocently without realizing the power and beauty of history: “By the way you can only write history and narrate it as you like it. But I am sure no any scholar or historian predicts the out comes of historical events accurately.” If one writes history as he wants, then that is not history: it is fiction or novel. You can create fiction, but you cannot create history. True history has chronology, date, location, scene, evidence, primary sources such as eye witnesses, court documents, and so on.
Yes, it is possible to predict future events using past and present history: many Ethiopians predicted what would happen to Ethiopia after the death of Emperor Haile Selassie. I heard some of them say that it would not be a pleasant one because the king had stayed too long on the throne until he became very old. Had he given power to one of his children when he was 65 or 69, Ethiopia would have been saved from the Red Terror of Mengistu Haile Mariam and from the Death Squad of Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi).
Some economists in the United States had predicted the collapse of many businesses, housing markets, big companies, many banks, and the stock markets, but no one listened to them. Today, they are also telling us: “Could the world economy be headed for a depression in 2011? As inconceivable as that may seem to a lot of people, the truth is that top economists and governmental authorities all over the globe say that the economic warning signs are there and that we need to start paying attention to them” (THE ECONOMIC, Market Crash on 8/31/11).
As far as I am telling the truth, I don’t care whether some people get uneasy or irritated; we know truth is not always pleasant or sweet; it can be bitter.
Assta
Your egocentric shows here. many people already told you where Oromo stands and what Ormos are up to so i do need to repeat that. it is the free world and you can write as much you want your unspecified self-centered thoughts. Oromo has been defined itself for centuries but we had Gobanas and we still do that but those are changed and as Meles said if you get under the skin all oromos support oromoma. Chauvinistic thinking and wishful thinking is the astray of brain and go ahead live the past as for oromo, oromuma is real and here to stay.
Hikka #18,
The Amharas did not give the name Oromia to the Oromos. The OLF did that for its own hidden agenda. The correct name for the Oromia was Galla, and why OLF preferred Oromia to the historical Galla is beyond my comprehension.
The Amharas’ past and correct descriptions of the Oromos stand unchallenged: the Amharas had spent a lot of time to civilize and tame the Oromos, and that is why the Oromos got the Amhara blood. As a result of this blend, some Oromos became kings and princes, thanks to the Amharas’ mentorship of such wild and truculent creatures.
#2 Comment by Assta, Dear Assta, I have always liked your comments that you give in Ethiopian Review’s article comments, specially when it comes to religion as I, myself am an ardent Tewahido Christian but your today’s comment was something I have to disagree with, specially reading it and believing it was from you caught me with a great surprise, don’t get me wrong here, I am Amhara myself, to be specific, from Menz and Gonder but their ‘re realities we can never escape from, one is, as much as the Amhara’s dominated the golden years of Ethiopia’s superiority and self dignity through out her history, many Tigrian Kings also did the same if not more, almost all Axumite Emperors were from Tigray till Mara Teklehaimanot took over, the preceding emperors contributed immensely to the ancient civilization of Ethiopia matched by any countries in the old world, so in my view, our Tigrean brothers are nothing but equal to us Amharas. These stupid woyannes can never represent the people of Tigray as the current Oromos can never represent the Oromos who served our country crushing their bones and shedding their blood, Ethiopia is indebted to the contributions of the Oromos. Tell me one Ethiopian general in thousands of years of our history who can equal Fitawrari HabteGiorgis or Balcha Safo. Even during Gragn Ahmed’s invasion against our Christian Empire, Emperor Gelawdios’ best bow artillery division belonged entirely to the Oromo clan who successfully dismantled one faction of Muslim Invaders and they stood by the side of the Christian Emperor till the end of the war costing them many of their elders. So my point is, today’s political ambition of the oromos and Tigres is just to capitalize on the laziness and fear of our generation but that should not discredit their ancestors, real oromos and Tigres respect the Amarigna language as a national language since it was declared by the great Emperor and Saint Kidus Lalibela. Yet again, both of them real ones love and respect and even defend the Tewahido faith as well as submit to the Ethiopian Lion of Judah flag and our unique and blessed Alphabet.
May the most Blessed, the Most High, the Holy Trinity bless Ethiopia and her people. Amen
Bonsa #25,
No one denies Oromia is one of the provinces of Ethiopia, and I know Oromos stand for Ethiopia and Ethiopia stands for them. If they prefer to stay with Ethiopia as one of its provinces, they are welcome to stay; however, if they want to separate from Ethiopia, then they are incurring immense damages.
Adeba garbi $22,
It is not true as what you have said about Amharas. You cannot say there are some radical Amharas: All Amharas by nature are gentle, noble, rational, brave, self-confident, princely, kingly, charming, humorous, friendly, and spiritual.
Oromos have never been second class citizens because they are Amharas’ blood: a second class citizen cannot be a king or a prince or a princess, but some of them have been to the highest echelon in the government jobs.
Ethiopia is the one that decides the destinies of its provinces; no province is allowed to go its own way without the blessings of the mother land – Ethiopia.
Asta, you are an idiot. The Oromos have every right to name themselves. Their will needs to be respected regardless of what. It is 21st century. The author is reminding Oromos their ownership of the country. Do not forget, they are the majority.
My dear Zera Yacob #27,
I’m with you and never deny there had been good Oromos who gave their lives for Ethiopia, and it is a historical fact; however, I don’t trust the OLF because OLF has its own new agenda to disintegrate Ethiopia by taking away Oromia from Ethiopia, and I am always against the disintegrations of our country. We have historical enemies around us, and I don’t want to have another independent Oromia with a big Muslim population within Ethiopia. I don’t object to having a prime minister either from Oromia or from any other Ethiopian provinces as far as that prime minister keeps the Ethiopian Christian cultures as they are without changing an iota. My fight has always been with Islam, and I don’t care as far as the Christian kingdom continues in Ethiopia. I have been told OLF is a Muslim movement ready to destroy the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and establish a Sharia law in the Oromo zone.
It is a great joy to hear you are a true follower of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, and I am glad you like my other comments about religion. I will assure you I don’t hate my Oromo brothers and sisters; what I hate is the OLF that has refused to change its name and its evil goal.
Thank you for your excellent comment and brotherly advice!
Assta,
Normally, there are few Amaras who speak out on behalf of Amara and if they do, it is rational. That is why I speak out mostly on the narrow mindedness of TPLF and OLF because of their believe for pro ethnic rule leaving out other ethnic groups who reside in Ethiopia. You are then one of the few ignoramus, probably from Gonder and Gojam who are fanatics. Remember, you are speaking only of the Amara rule just because they managed to dominate that is all. It is funny also you ruled out Tigryans who were once very much part of the dominance. Although leadership in Ethiopia occured mostly in the North history shows it is not just Amara. In fact, go back in history a little what of Queen of Sheba, etc, are you going to say she was specificly an Amara? Common sense tells us she is a combination of many probably Nubian, Arab and Cushite, Norther region of Ethiopia, etc… Remember, most Oromos even have to change their name to be part of the Amara leadership. It is people like you who are denying the fact and flaming the peaceful of other ethnic groups. Amara systematically ruled through stereotyping other ethnic groups, favoring most Amaras in the better position. Heck, Haile Selassie has to hide his Oromo and Gurage side to claim the crown from his Amara side. Obviously he has shun speaking ORomo. IT is possible that he spoke Oromo only his relatives if they tell the truth can testify that. In fact, he made sure also his mother and where she came from remained secret, rumor has it every household that have his mother’s picture was ordered to burn the picture.
By your logic, if you say that the past kings were not Oromos, and you are trying to prove that to Dr. Tolossa, then isn’t that the main reason for their struggle to equality and leadership today although I personally do not support OLF? Are you then suggesting that it is okay for continuance of Amara domination because in history they have ruled? If that is you are suggesting, I am so sorry for you that other ethnic groups, including Ormos have already said enough is enough. My belief is that we can still preserve our history of innovation, languages, etc but it is time to bring democracy and equality with all ethnic groups and this maybe achieve under a very moderate Oromo in one Ethiopia. If you don’t want then good luck in your already experienced loss of power under TPLF.
Long live Ethiopia!
Tezibt,
Well said,
Mulugeta from Germany,
Ocean News Letter is a legitimate News and I don’t know, if this doesn’t wake up Ethiopians as a whole, I don’t know what will. We always think TPLF maybe mobilizing by buying Tanks, etc but in fact it is to annhilate Ethiopians if we attempt any resistance. ER, I suggest you circulate and in fact there should be immediate emergency meeting regarding the Ethiopian people. Otherwise we will find ourselves naked in the very near future. There should be Emergency meeting for entire Ethiopians all over the world and discuss this issue. I have always thought with the help of Shaebia they can achieve the greater TPLF. Eritreans really do not want to be called Eritrea as it is given to them by colonist. They also hate Ethiopia, the only pride they get is from Greater Tigray, as if they struggled along with Tigrayans to form the Greater Tigray therefore their own empire. I do have a feeling two things could happen:
1, The greater Tigray may include by expanding all the way to Wollo. With strong Tigrayns and Shaebian army they will quickly annex them because they need the fertile land. The rest of Ethiopia that is left will be lead by OLF, which OLF will very much agree happily to this since its dream of Oromya.
2. The other option could be the Amara region could be part of Oromiya while Greater Tigray is formed. As for the muslims in Eritrea will be quickly dominated by the two christians so there won’t be a problem.
3, ONLF will gladly take its land.
This is very much doable people as the ball is in their court. In addition, Shaebia and TPLF can easily influence Egypt and Sudan against any resistance mostly by Ethiopians from Amara, Souther peoples and some Oromos.
Time to wake up.
The issue is how many Ethiopians of all ethnic groups will be willing to give up Ethiopia, Ethiopia with its name in the Bible and Quran. How many will give up ETHIOPIA that made history? How many will give up Ethiopoia for the benefit of the few ethno fascists and outside? Those for Ethiopia not just have to mobilize as quickly as possible but also bring this hard evidence of Ethiopia in the Bible and Quran mobilize the people of the world to preserve ETHIOPIA! As for OLF and TPLF of course like the European colonialist they are going to cut and paste Ethiopia’s land as they please to finally wither Ethiopia away but if they want secession it is their choice to form Oromia and Tigray, but there are also many who want to live in the ancient nation of Ethiopia and we need to preserve this. Of course I am assuming if Oromia and TPLF would leave in peace which I doubt so unless we Ethiopians become strong, OLF and TPLF will make sure we don’t exist and the Ethiopians will be cut and be pasted either in Oromia or Tigray. Over all, my hats off to the genious work of Shaebia who orchestraged all this for its independent. In order for Eritrea to achieve its indpendence, it has to mobilize OLF and TPLF. Wow! Is all I can say.
I have a feeling as I always have Assta is here commenting to incite hatred between Amaras, Oromos and Muslims, Christians that unites Ethiopia. Obviously he/she must be TPLF/Shaebia/outsiders like the Egyptian who calls himself Professor Shamssadin on American Chronicle against Ethiopia. The OLF lame excuse one of the main reason is even more about stereotyping of Amaras on Oromos. Oromos should know better and desensitize themselves as it is just words. Now, the best way to attack Oromos as Assta is doing is through this stereotype and insulting words to annoy ORomos. If ORomos are sensitive enough, that is very easy then to get to get to them. However Oromos should be enlightened and talk about main issues of inequality rather than feeling like childish and being sensitive to every word thrown to them. They should remember, the Gurages have been more stereotyped by Amaras than Oromos so disregard their sensitivity and focus on peacefule and democratic solutious for all for Ethiopia.
People,
Please disregard Assta, especially his comment in #21 very much makes me suspicous of him that he is Amara. He must be Egyptian Prof. Shamssadin of American Chronicle who is against Ethiopia and insites hate among the NOrthern and Southern Ethiopians so that Egypt can control Nile, or he must be TPLF since TPLF feeds on Ethiopians divisions or he must be Shaebian who also wants Ethiopians division and weakness to preserve Eritrea. When Assta especially speaks of defending Amara and Amara’s domination, I have never heard any Amara especially today talking this way as they know the danger so since Amara is the uniting factor of Ethiopia, Assta wants the people to comment and be against Amara. This is a calculated comment he is making. So ignore him, he will wither away or he will come back changing names like Gragn Mohammed or something. Look even though I am very moderate Oromo, he made me very upset as you can tell from my comments, this is exactly what he wants and we should know better. As he is aware of the sensitivity of Oromos towards stereotyping he is playing that game and so that as usual the OLF will say this is why we want to secede from Ethiopia, when they should say, we will reform people like Assta. IF he is Amara which I doubt is problaby from Gonder and Gojam that tend to be fanatic. Every region where few other ethnic groups live and interact is where you find racism, it is common fact, look in the South part of America they tend to be more racists. So every region in Ethiopia has this tendency. Unfortunately the people in power, TPLF and OLF it is those type of people that have power in them where they have no knowledge of thier lives with other ethnic groups as the melting pot Addis Ababa, that is why they favor pro ethnicity as supposed to inclusiveness.
I respect Dr Fikre Tolosa, he is a ture Ethiopian too! Anyway, here are my comment on the issue, part of it was in the International website sometimes ago. Here, what I would like to advise the readers of this commentary form the outset is that, I would say, the Oromo history in this commentary is almost consulted & quoted from “M. Abir, ETHIOPIA AND THE RED SEA, 1980, Frank Cass And Company Limited.” This intensive and credible research on Ethiopian history on such details has got paramount role in assisting to envisage and assert the true history of Oromo migration in Ethiopian statehood. What is more interesting is that, there are plenty of tangible resources such as: (Pereira, F. M. E; Beccari, Vol. X; Budge, Vol. II; and Rossini, Sarsa Dengel, and many more), for those who seeks to know how the Oromo clans migrated to Ethiopia in the 16th century.
Meanwhile, when I encouraged others to consult these pieces of historical documents it is only from historical perspectives, otherwise, we don’t forget a bit what the true proud Oromo society in Ethiopia had contributed in the creation of our common Ethiopia. Their fate is now indispensable and interwoven with ours. We are the people of one Nation, “ETHIOPIA”. For that matter, although, our current struggle’s result are not seen yet, I believe, without achieving and realizing the equality and justice of each and every society in Ethiopia including Oromo’s, we have no peace to rest and mission not yet accomplished. Moreover, it is a bare fact that the Oromo society like any other of the Ethiopian societies has been under suppression by the then backward and feudal administrative systems as well as now by racist TPLF.
To begin with, I quote some points “… According to Galla ritual, members of the second class of the gada could not be initiated into the next class unless they killed a warrior (or a dangerous animal) and fought an enemy which had not been previously attacked. Such a system gave rises to endemic raids and the constant extension of the radius of Galla penetration. . . . By the middle of the sixteenth century, moreover, the population growth and substantial increase of Galla cattle, accompanied by a few years of drought, undoubtedly influenced the pattern of Galla migration” [Abir, p. 136, 1980]
We can see how the gada system was devised as means to wage war against the innocent Ethiopians within their homeland.
“…the Savannah and the semi-desert which they inhabited to the south of Bali could no longer support their growing numbers and their herds and Galla began to move into the southeastern peripheries of the Ethiopian plateau. The struggle between Gran and Christian Ethiopia undoubtedly facilitated the Galla migration into the highlands. But this expansion was later curbed by Gran’s armies and by Gelawdewos…” [Abir, pp. 136-7, 1980]
Nevertheless, the confrontation between Gelawdewos and Nur Mujahid, [Gran’ armies general], Gelawdewos and the Adal after Gran’s death and the chaos within Adal, gave the chance for the Baraytuma group to migrate deep into Chercher-Harar peripheries and into different other directions.
“…Thus, exploiting the absences of Nur and the bulk of the Muslim army, the Galla overran most of Harar’s territories and threatened the town proper. It was in this period, during the cycle of luba ‘Mesle’, (1556-1564), that the pattern of the Baraytuma’s expansion changed dramatically and became a full-scale migration.” [Abir, p. 137, 1980]
“Nur ‘the Just and Pious’ is even more glorified by Harari traditions that Gran ‘the Conquerer’ because he saved Harar from the Galla and dedicated himself to its protection. Nur’s armies continued to hold most of Waj and Fatagar even after 1560, when they were reported to have been defeated by Hamalmal. But rather than carrying on the traditional war against Ethiopia, from 1559 to the time of his death in 1567, Nur gave his undivided attention to the growing pressure of the Galla. Although Nur was unable to dislodge the Galla from the parts of the Chercher-Harar plateau which they had overrun and settled, his tireless campaigning and the wall which, according to tradition, he had built around the town, temporarily curbed the advance of the Baraytuma and saved Harar. ” [Abir, p. 137, 1980].
The Baraytuma Galla, especially the Ittu, Humbana and Karayu tribes, renewed their advance in the Chercher-Harar plateau [Abir, p. 138, 1980].
“. . . the Baraytuma swept the area and destroyed many hamlets and villages as fas as the hirterland of Zayla. The town of Harar itself was besieged for a time and had it not been for the timely arrival of reinforcements from the coast it might also have fallen to the Galla. . . .” [Abir, p. 139, 1980].
“. . . Harar, however, gradually declined because its economy was adversely affected by the occupation of most of its lands by the Galla . . . “the fortunes of Zayla were always closely connected to those of Harar. It was, therefore, badly affected by Harar’s decline and the deterioration of law and order in the whole region”” [Abir, p. 140, 1980].
“As the Baraytuma began their advance into the Harar-Chercher plateau and along the verges of the eastern escarpments in the 1550s they gradually vacated Bali with its excellent grazing lands and left it to their Borana brethren.” [Abir, p. 150, 1980].
Hamalmal was the powerful military figure of Gelawdewos and later to Minas. When Gelawdewos died in battle with Adal in 1559, Minas (r. 1559-1563) the third son of Queen Mother Sebla Wengel of Gojjam was crowned in Gojjam to succeed Gelawdewos. And the cousin of the young king Hamalmal was given more power in the southeast and its peripheries. His confrontation with Nur gave the Galla an ample chance to spread around Harar and its peripheries.
On the other part, Bahr Negaash Ishaq who was appointed by Gelawdewos was carefully watching the activities of the Turks and their allies, the Egyptians and the Yemen, in the peripheries of the Kingdom. But as he was not consulted about the crowned Minas, the most influential Ishaq protested against the young King. But Minas chased Ishaq from Tigray to the coast. Nevertheless, the influential Ishaq collaborated with Uzdamir, the Pasha of Turk in Egypt, had fought with Minas. As Minas was at the sometime fighting with the Adal and Nur, the Oromo got the chances to raid most areas of the southeast and its peripheries.
Enthroned Mina’s son, Serse Dingils’ (r. 1563-1597) was also preoccupied with defending the Turks’ enforcements from the Pash of Egypt and Yemen in the northern and eastern part of Ethiopia and with Oromo migration forms the south into different parts of Ethiopia.
Apparently, when the monarch left the area, the Oromo migration was more frustrating. “With the rise to power of a new luba in 1571/2 and the rituals related to the initiation into a new gada, the Galla, exploiting Serse Dingil’s unwise policy, began to invade Ethiopia proper from several directions. The Baraytuma increased the momentum of their migration and the Marawa, followed by the powerful Karayu tribe, raided westwards through Amhara as far as Begemder, Gojjam, and northern Showa. The Borana were quick to exploit the power vacuum created by Serse Dingil’s activities in the south. . . .Thus, while the ruler was in Dambiya, the Borana Galla in Bali and Dawaro crossed the Rift valley into Sidama –populated southern Ethiopia – sending raiding parties as far as Showa.” [Abir, p. 151, 1980].
“… the Borana renewed their westward migration immediately after the monarch left the area. However, they prudently adopted thereafter the tactics which had proved successful in the Baraytuma encounters with the Ethiopians along the eastern escarpments. Refraining from presenting the enemy with a ‘hard’ target, a raiding party accomplished its limited objectives and quickly retreated to a pre-prepared forward base or to a rear base, where the majority of the tribe and its cattle were located. The terrorised population conditioned throughout centuries to leave fighting to the professionals, rather preferred to escape to sheltered places than face the Galla.” [Abir, p. 151-2, 1980].
The problem here was that, once the inhabitancies were forced to evacuate their area because of Oromo raids, the professionals were neither able to get military logistic nor food, water and shelter to stay there and defend the Galla raids. As a result, the Oromo got an ample condition to replace the then vacate villages.
Besides, one of the terrible political mistakes committed by Serse Dingil was, his decision to dismantle the Chewa army to build a royal army in 1564-1567 for two reasons. “Serse Dingil’s decision to dismantle the Chewa defence infrastructure in critical provinces just at the time when the Borana and Baraytuma clans simultaneously erupted into Ethiopia. This disastrous decision was the outcome of the king’s mistaken sequence of priorities and distorted perception of the Galla migration …” [Abir, pp. 152-3, 1980].
As the Borana Galla migration was intensified, “…Supreme efforts were needed in Serse Dingil’s last years, therefore, to maintain the road between Gojjam, Damot and the southwest open and to protect Gojjam against Galla attacks.” [Abir, p. 163, 1980].
“By 1570, exploiting the topography of Amhara and the character of its government and population, the Baraytuma began to raid westwards into Ethiopia’s heartlands, as far as Gojjam and Dembiya. In the 1570s and 1580s, using Angot and Amhara (where the Wollo group began to settle) as their main bases they (mainly the Karayu-Azebu) pillaged Tigre, Begemder, northern Showa and parts of Gojjam. The Borana renewed their westward advance immediately after the departure of Serse Dingil in 1572. No longer hampered by the network of Chewa and the presence of royal army, they submerged the southern provinces and by 1576/7 penetrated Showa. In the coming years the numerous clans of the Mecha group moved west of Showa and began to raid Damot and nearby territories. Concurrently, their Tulama brothers began to settle in western and norhwestern Showa and to raid Gojjam across the Abbay. During the 1580s, while the Abitchu penetrated southern Showa, the Mecha and related groups occupied Bizamo and overran a large part of Damot. From there or from Showa their Sadetcha clans continued to expand towards the Omo-Gibe basin while, at the same time, their Afra-Gudru clans reached the Abbay from the south and increased their pressure northwards on Gojjam and westward on Damot.” [Abir, p.164, 1980].
Historically, Damot was a very big and strong region around what we call it now Ambo, Ginche and its peripheries which that was eventually overran by the new comers and amalgamated into Oromo clans; it was one of the main strong hold of the Amhara society. During that time the near by region was called Sidama, there was no any region called Welega until very recently.
After Serse Dingil death 1597, there was a power struggle between claimers. Yaeqob of the seven-year-old was crowned and the Zadingil, exiled to Lake Tana island, but latter he, Zaselassie, and Susinyos confronted until Susinyos crowned in Gojjam in 1607 in Adiete, near Bahir Dar. Susinyos (r. 1607-1632) crowned in Gojjam and to legitimize his coronation he want to Tigre in 1609 to be himself crowned in Axum by Abuna Simeon with all the pomp and according to all the ancient tradition of Ethiopia. At this time, the Galla got other opportunities to raid new areas.
The war between Spain and British in 1584 and the British attack of the Portuguese shipping line in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean to avenge Spain, as Portuguese was under Spain control, were a setback to the then Ethiopian Kings who were badly seeking Spain’s/Portuguese’s help in their war with the Galla raids. “Despite his faith in Catholicism it is curious that Susinyos decided to commit himself fully to the Roman faith at a time when he had given up hope of receiving aid from Spain and when he realised that Catholicism divided rather than united Ethiopia.” [Abir, p. 221, 1980].
Eventually, Susinyos shift his military command from Gojjam to Dembiya, which he named it later Gondar and nominated his son Fasilidas in 1624 to replace him in the future. During his time, i.e., after 1632 Fasilidas, consequently, changed/moved the seats of the national monks (including the 44 church and the Eteges/Queens and their families) form Deberlibanos to Azezo, and unlike previous king of kings Fasilidas used to spent most of his time with his wives chasing love, eventually this angered the Showa and the Gojjam nobles that results the event of warlord’s era. Unfortunately, during this era Ethiopian influence and territorial integrity that was starching to the Indian Ocean in the Southeaster and Medhine in the West to, now in proper Sudan, weakened much more than expected until the courageous and mythical throne-name Tewodros, attempted to re-establish it again in 1860th.
So the most intensified migration period of the Oromo is mainly between the year 1540 – 1640, Libna Dingil (r.1508-1540) to Susinyos 1632, latter Fasilidas and during the Warlords era.
I bet, Meles and his puppets are laughing their heads off and doing what they do best–looting, killing and selling Ethiopia while Ethiopians have chosen to take their eyes and attentions off from TPLF to argue with each other. Ethiopians shame on you all, you have handed what Meles and his gangs always want. I wonder, what the Amhara and Oromo Ethiopians who are rotting in Woyane prisons think if they have the luxury to read all your comments? Very disappointing in deed.
Asta,
Please get the clue that the majority of Ethiopians don’t agree with your irrational and always inflammatory views.
Yene Assta,
Just gone through your posts. Boy, without realizing you are same old Assta that is determined to kill Ethiopiawinet. Believe it or not the old days are gone for good except in your dreams, even you best allies are realizing and accepting the fact.
Cheers & Salam
Mentally living and thinking in the 19th century, cunning fox Assta B. Gettu tirelessly tries to divide and conquer back the Oromos for the second time. Good luck Lucifer!
#14.Anonymous,
I would call you the way your relatives call you, though your true name is Tolasa…” ‘He/She said’
“The Amhara blood in the Oromo people ruled Ethiopia, not the Oromo blood in the Amhara people that ruled Ethiopia.” you quoted.
The way I see it clearly, there is NO reason for Dr. Tolasa or people in his good category to be choosing this or that side based on his/her ethnic blood composition. That composition is always a blessing and a bridge between two rivers that connects two fertile green cultural value farmlands. Rather, what is necessary is siding with the historically and currently victimized and promoting justice for all.
Everyone of us can be ourselves, nothing but ONLY OURSELVES. First and foremost respecting ourselves, our rights, our identities then it naturally follows that we stand to respect others and others rights too. When two people who respect themselves and respect others come together everything works harmoniously.
What the provocative vocal remnants of the 19th century black Nazis propagate has no value in this 21st century era of enlightenment other than acting as an attention diversion from the main issues and ongoing agendas. But if they try to resurrect their old mythologies wrapped up with their poisonous theologies in order to impose on others their usual killing orgies, one only needs to get organized and stand to the challenges on the ground. What is the big deal!
What is important is promoting equality, inclusiveness, justice for all,etc., through supporting genuine democratic changes will benefit all parties regardless of ethnicity, region, religion, gender, etc. Genuine democratic change is what we Ethiopians want. YES WE CAN!
We are so sad you guys the way talking about two or three ethnic groups by the name of Ethiopia. So the other ethnic are not Ethiopian. but you call them what?
love #32,
Fortunately, Gondar and Gojam have produced millions of highly educated Ethiopians, but a nescient person like you never comprehends the religious, political, historical, and social sophistications of these two provinces, Gojam and Gondar; therefore, there are no ignorant people either in Gojam or Gondar as you boldly assert.
When I am speaking about the glorious Amhara rules, I am talking about the Axumite rules, about the Oromos’ rules, and the rules of other Ethiopians. The Amharas represent all the other Ethiopian tribes. In the same way, the Oromos represent all the other Ethiopian tribes, and the same is true with the rest of the Ethiopian tribes. Especially, you cannot separate the Tegaru from the Amharas: they both have the same culture, the same tradition, the same history, and the same religion. It is your naivety to say I have ignored the Axumites’ ancient history that had opened the window of civilizations for all Ethiopians. Law, order, art, Christianity, and spirituality emanate from the Axumite Christian kingdom; therefore, Axum is the cradle of Ethiopian civilization, and I am proud of the Axumite civilization as I am proud of the Amhara Christian kingdom.
You wrote blindly: “Amara systematically ruled through stereotyping other ethnic groups, favoring most Amaras in the better position.” You are absolutely wrong, and you have no clue about the natures of the Amharas. They have had the correct and equal representations of all ethnics. Some may have favored their own relatives in offering some jobs, and no one is free from such kind of behavior. In fact, the author of the article have pointed out that Emperor Iyoas preferred his Oromo kinsmen in offering them higher positions. So no one is free from doing some favor for one’s own friend or relative.
I am glad you do not support OLF, but I have never said the Oromos had never ruled Ethiopia, some for 3 years, some for few days, and some, perhaps, for a longer period. I am not talking here about the duration of their rules, nor am I talking about their genealogies. What I am talking here is that the Amharas have ruled Ethiopia gloriously and still they are her legitimate rulers. You said, “…the Oromos have already said enough is enough.” They have been saying that over one hundred hears, and if they are saying enough is enough to the Meles rule, why don’t they rise up, overthrow the Woyanne government, and be the rulers of Ethiopia, instead of telling us their genealogies? They claim they are the majorities, if so, why do they need the help of the Amharas? You think the Amharas have lost power; they have never lost power. Who do you think is ruling Ethiopia now? The Tigreans are ruling Ethiopia, and I have explained to you already Tigreans and Amharas are the same; one cannot differentiate between the two, and if the Oromos were the rulers, I can still say to you the Amharas are the rulers because the Amharas are in the Oromo’s blood.
Bye-bye!
#36.Kassa,
The oromos have been denied to speak their language, to write in their language, to translate even the bible in to their language, to worship their god, to own their land, natural and human resources, so that their history must not be written by themselves but by the most cruel and brutal conquerors and their foreign midwives.
And what you are conveniently puling out of your crime cave wardrobe and displaying in front of us as an evidence of Oromos none ingeniousness is a fake and self serving folk story written by the equally or even more fake folk story line of king of kings court and their foreign midwife scribes manicuring and pedicuring their cruel ugly faces of conquest and occupation.
If you want Oromo history please ask from the Oromo historians themselves otherwise even your own history can also be conveniently told by the Oromos just in the same way that your freely take the privilege of writing Oromo history from your own perspective and for your own agendas like always.
Overall, eager manufacturing of folktales and fox bells helps no one at the moment other than diverting attention from the cruelty of the tplf dictatorship unless you are actually that very cruel tplf tyrant cunning fox dressed in sheep skins and spreading divisions before the uprisings that are raging around you may come to swallow you for ever. What a shameless cunning fox! ):
Assta must be with alterior motive in this forum once again.I have always thought you as a lone ranger who want to popularize a view point of 1860s.You are a typical Lalibela based extrimst Amhara. Any type of extrimism is very dangerous for Ethiopia:extrimist OLFits as well as TPLFits won’t have any space to influence political events one way or the other in future Ethiopia.Assta,you need to know the Ethiopian people are too wise to be mislead by any extrimist zelout or to sponser apolitical view that is detrimental to their very survival. They know no matter what the ellits of each tribe is contempleting,they know they have lived side by side for centuryies,and are not to fall for any entrapment. No matter what the extrimists and the anarcists may be say they won’t prevail.
Just as we are witnesing in the U.S, age old hate and animocity between races is being recounciled through acceptance ,tolerance,trust,I believe Ethiopians also will follow similar path of peace to resolve the social problem.In the end I tend to believe Love and sex will prevail over hate and separation. The young generation of Ethiopians will play a positive and constractive role in our soicity.They appear to be comfortable to mingle outside their influence.And may be may be the across mairage,and relationship experimented by the rising generation will bring healing to that country.
why do we still talk about our long time history and ethnics while a ruthless scavenger, Melese, is eating us alive???
Assta B. Gettu,
as you are considering yourself and acting, if you are really historian and know the history, you are not an Ethiopian as you call yourself, but an Abyssian who is hidding under the cover of Ethiopian curtain and promote your and your likes interests. The true Ethiopians are all the Kushtic peoples of east Africa except the Abyssians who have crossed to African continent from Yemen. The criminal Abyssian rulers have destroyed the Agaw dynasty, Yaju dynasty all Oromo kingdoms, Sidama kingdom and the others and have defamed the peoples of Ethiopia by calling them ” Shankiloch “, ” Bariyawoch “, ” Galloch “, and etc. These are your grand fathers dirty back ground history, but the Oromos and the young generation Ethiopians are not tied to histroy as the slaves. Therefore, we leave the past for history and work for the future of today’s Ethiopia without paying attention to advanturist like you. I believe that the new generation of Abyssia does not care for your conflict mongering narration except some few stubborn old Debteras.
let as work for united ethiopia. there is no peace in ethiopia with out oromo wedednem telanim no oromo no ethiopia. ewnatu from Japan
Kassa #36,
Thank you for exposing the historical pugnacious behaviors of the nomadic, opportunist, and invading Oromos who have occupied parts of the Ethiopian lands through savagery and plundering invasions. Following their ancestors’ steps, the OLF has attempted many times to take the South by burning houses and by damaging the crops of the innocent peasants. […]
love #34 & 35,
I don’t think you mean it from your heart when you pretend you are for the unity of Ethiopia. Realistically, what is in your heart is the emancipation of the Amhara land – Oromia – you have invaded in the 16th century, and you are still occupying it as your own. Your immediate problem is how to get there and how to take away that beautiful land of the Amhara and be her illegitimate ruler. To achieve that goal, you are deluding those gentle Amharas to join you in your cowardly straggle to liberate Oromia. Once Oromia is free, then you will betray the Amharas as you betrayed the Ethiopian Amhara Freedom Fighters in Asmara and brought them to their destructions by allying yourself with the Eritrean government. The Amharas know better than your shenanigans and will never trust you any more. Once you got Oromia, then you would say to the few Amharas in Oromia to pack up their belongings and leave the region and go either to Gondar or Gojam; if not, you would threaten that you would kill them. I know what is going on right now in Oromia between the Amharas and the Oromos, but I don’t want to exacerbate the problem by revealing it here.
I know my comment has offended you to a great extent that you are advertising to the world that I am not an Ethiopian, but the problem is you do not know how to advertise your point. This is how to do it:
Warning! Warning! Warning!
The main targets: The Amharas!
The following Oromo-born person by the name love or Mulugeta from Germany has been propagating the demise of Ethiopia by conspiring against the unity of Ethiopia. Himself a fool, and yet he wants to fool the gentle Amharas to help him succeed in his conspiracy. Give a deaf ear to his endless blubbering, carping, and whimpering.