OLF statement on the ongoing mass arrest of the Oromo people by the TPLF Regime
Malicious Propaganda Does Not Cover Up The Truth
The TPLF/EPRDF regime is staging a hilarious drama alleging to have apprehended members of Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) leadership and others who were planning anti government activities. OLF unequivocally and emphatically dismisses such allegation as fabricated and completely false propaganda intended to confound the OLF with terrorism as well as to divert the attention of the general public from the current wave of mass persecution being committed against the Oromo people.
Contrary to what the EPRDF regime is trying to convince the peoples of the country, there is un- announced mass campaign targeting Oromos across all sectors of the society and regions. As of last week, waves of mass abduction and arrest are going on targeting Oromos in all the regions. Oromo business men, teachers, university lecturers, journalist, members of Oromo legal political organizations who have seats in the parliament, students and peasants are being rounded up and put behind bars. Even though complete list of those detained have not fully been compiled yet, an estimate of more than two hundred innocent Oromos have so far been arrested. The wave is still continuing in all regions.
The glaring evidence of this poorly managed fabrication is the exhibit of weapons displayed as evidence. The same weapons were shown while accusing another organization. How can the same weapons be in the hands of two different organizations with no relation what so ever, is a simple question of any lay person. The truth is that this propaganda of the TPLF is a fabrication that utterly failed from inception.
All these dreadful atrocities against the Oromo people is a sign of desperation and hopelessness of the EPRDF regime that thinks detention, intimidation, harassment and abduction will dampen the Oromo people’s determination and commitment to the legitimate struggle for freedom and democracy. The OLF takes this latest action of the regime as an intensification of its war against the OLF and the Oromo people. The OLF will continue to defend itself and the struggle and call upon Oromo people to intensify its struggle of self defense.
We also call on the peoples of Ethiopia and the world public at large to do everything possible to save the lives of innocent Oromo individuals who are inhumanly rounded up, incarcerated and exposed to all forms of torture in the prison cells of the TPLF regime.
Victory to the Oromo People!!
Oromo Liberation Front
November 6, 2008
10 thoughts on “OLF on the mass arrest of the Oromo people in Ethiopia”
Thank you Elias for posting this interesting statement. I’m impressed to see OLF calling all Ethiopian people to stand with the Oromo people. Here is the door once again.
How come the statement above ends with ‘Victory to the Oromo People’ only? How about the rest of the people in Ethiopia? Are they all free and they do not need no more freedom? I thought OLF has corrected its narrow nationalist policy and stood with the rest of opposition. I remember reading some articles and announcement on this esteemed website that OLF has decided to work in unison with other opposition forces in the country in fighting wrongs. United Diversity based on equality is the most viable and enduring solution in a society like ours. We should all learn from the recent presidential election results in the USA. How united diversity make something that was unthinkable just a few years ago nothing but a reality. OLF and other national fronts should review their narrow minded mottos and fight for one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all. In any case, I am confused now. I thought and I believe I had read articles on this very website that OLF has joined a united front some months ago. What happened? Was that a lie? I hope Mr. Elias will shed some lights on this for me.
God Bless and Liberty and Justice for all Ethiopians, Eritreans, Somalis, Kenyans, Djiboutians and Sudanese!!! Is something wrong with this?
Woyane is now doing on Oromos, Amharas, Ogadenis, Afars, Gambelians, Sidamas etc what Derg was doing on Tigrean, Eritreans and all who did not support him. Unfortunately Woyane has supporters as did Derg but in reality they are all killers.
It is time for all Ethiopians to unite and struggle for an Ethiopia free from tyranny and poverty. There will be no group right without individual right. Say no to state terrorism in the name of defending group right.
Wake up all hodams and teletafis, tomorrow you will be killed and imprisoned. A dictator kills and imprisons all who he thinks/imagines are against his reign.
There is one thing OLF not yet exploited, i.e using the card of the Oromo Movement for Unity (OMU). We hear, read and see a lot that Abeshas, who them selves are confused Oromos, use this card immensly. We can summarize their movement as Abesha Movement for Unity (AMU). Abeshas (confused Oromos) know how to use this unity rhetoric just to get the support of Americans and Europeans, who do have a big interest to keep Ethiopian empire intact to use her as a bull against islam countries in the horn of africa and in middle east.
Till now OLF used only the liberation card and supported all freedom movements in OPDO, in OFDM and OPC as well in ULFO. The three OLFs seem to do this job very well. OLF-K (of gen. Kemal) supporting Oromo liberation movement in OPDO, whereas OLF-D (of Ob Daud) supporting the movement in OFDM and OPC; last but not least OLF-G (of Ob Galaasa) supporting the liberation movement in ULFO. All together OLF is promoting the Oromo Liberation Movement, which is very fantastic.
But now the trend must be changed to neutralize Abeshas (confused Oromos) Movement for Unity on the international arena. OLF should come out with new strategy, i.e advocating for UNITY. Of course the unity advocated by OMU, which is also supported by OLF, must be very different from that of AMU.
Oromo Movement for Unity (OMU) should strugglle to realize 5 important points in its progremme:
1) Gadaa-democracy to be excercised in the future united country for it is the original and domestic way of living democracy, of course it must be modernized to fit the current situation in the world.
2) Afaan Oromo as a language of the majority and as an original language of most nations in the empire including the Amharas and Tigarus must be the working language of federal government instead of Amharinya. By the way Amharas, Tegarus, Agews, Afars and Somalis are originally Oromos, who lost their identity in the last 3000 years of semetization, christinization and arabization. Oromos should help them come back to their root aka being Oromo.
3) The flag must be GDA (Gurraacha, Diima, Adii) instead of ABQ (Arenguade, Bicaa, Qeyy) for this is the original flag of Kush and Abbaa-gadaa. The semitizied Kush in Amhara and Tigrai also should come back and rally behind this which is their original flag.
4) Call the whole country Oromia instead of Ethiopia for two reasons: first we are not burned face as the Greeks called us, secondly Oromia is the home also for the semetized Oromos (Amharas and Tigarus) and for arabanized Oromos such as Afars and Somalis.
5) All citizens of the country should come back to their original monotheistic religion called Waaqeffanna, instead of adoring its derivatives i.e Orthodox christianity and Islam which we took over from the middle east.
So let’s Oromos fight for such UNITY. If Abeshas (confused Oromos) are against this noble cause, then we have to laugh at their cry for unity which is at the cost of Oromo identity (which is also their own original identity).
actually as a compromise we can also call our common country ETHI-BIA (not Ethiopia) which literally means Biyyaa Ethio(Kush) aka Land of Kush (Ethio).
Your 5 points of Unity are not bad, but to be realistic, let’s make a compromise, here are the realizable facts:
1) a modernized Gadaa-democracy as our common ideology,
2) either English or bilungual solution (Afaan Oromo & Amharinya) as federal language,
3) ABQ (Arenguade, Bicaa & Qeyy) with Odaa in a center as our flag,
4) Ethio-bia (land of Cush) instead of Oromia as a name of the country,
5) Waaqeffanna flourishing as free as other religions
This can be very fair to be accepted by all organizations struggling for UNITY, be it the struggle by confused Oromos or conserved Oromos!!!
Fayyis,
what a fantastic idea!! Oromos have never been for separation, for they know that the confused Oromos are part of Oromia (Ethio-bia = Cush-land). Now you came with very good idea. Now I know why Oromos should fight for both Liberty of conserved Oromos and Unity with confused Oromos!! Galatoomi.
Fayyis..Thank you for such detailed analysis and plan for the future of the people in the Horn of Africa. Wow!!! All current Amharas, Tigrayans, Afars and Somalis have their work cut out for them. As far as the rest of nationalities such Sidamians, Kefichos, Gimiras, Ahmers, Konsos, Kembatas, Ittus(who Mogasized me when I was 6 months old), and others that are not mentioned in the analysis should and will face annihilation unless refute their identities and convert into Oromos now as we speak. That sounds like a well thought out plan to me. What do you think folks? Lets kill all these Amharas and Tigrayans because whether poor of rich, they are all fascists and do not deserve to live. Then kill the rest of all Somalis, Afars and every nationality other than the Oromos because we know they will refuse to convert into Oromos any way. This is very simple and they will all die without any resistance because they are known to be cowards any way. Then the almighty liberators will turn their face to Kenya and The Sudan. We will not rest until we reach Mali on the west and may be Yemen on the East. Piece of cake!!!
By the way, which group mentioned in the analysis I belong too. Now I am even more confused.
This is not a response to the analysis but a natural reaction.
Gabra,
why do you cry now by reading Afaan Oromo instead of Amharinya to be federal language and Oromia instead of Ethiopia to be the name of our future common country?? Is melting all nations to be Amhara hollier than bringing back the confused Oromos back to their root?? This is a basic difference between your Abesha Movement for Unity (AMU) and Oromo Movement for Union (OMU). If my position is radical for you, just check how also radical your position is. The reconciliatory position given by Ogina above is very constructive. So from now on, be carefull, when ever you talk about Unity!!!
You are aware of the fact that I may speak and write Afaan Oromo better than you do. As someone born and grew as an Ittu Oromo, Oromiffa is not an issue with me. I am content to live in peace and harmony with my neighbors irrespective of their creed, affinity or color. I said I am content to leave in peace with my neighbors. Get it? And I and my neighbors know what to do once we managed to leave in virtual peace and harmony. It seems this peaceful unity that is based on equality scares the wits out of you. I think you are spewing something out of place on this website which is adored by those who really love their kin and kit people and the country they live in. This is the last time you will hear from me in response. If you insist, get lost!!!!!