Election Fraudulence as Part of Hindering Democracy -the Oromo Factor?! (Fayyis Oromia)

Election Fraudulence as Part of Hindering Democracy -the Oromo Factor?!

We all could observe the election (democracy) drama in the Ethiopian empire on 15th May 2010. If there was any Oromo in particular and any Ethiopian in general who expected that Weyane can leave power per ballot, he/she must be naively optimisitic. Leave alone Weyane who came by fighting from the jungle to Finfinne palace, any Habesha dominated regime will never allow a genuine democratic election in that empire as long as Oromo question is not solved and Oromo people get our right to self-determination, be it within a union of free nations in the region, call it Ethiopia/the Horn or in a form of independent Oromia without a union. It is not just by chance that the most repression and political murders on the opposition supporeters during the last election took place in Oromia. It is the fear of Habesha elites regarding the possible Oromo's overtake of power which made them to be such anti-democracy.

Ethiopia, "the ancient country with the history of 3000 years", is one of the least democratic and least developed countries in the world. Why? We can count a lot of factors as a cause like climate, still ongoing colonialism, ignorance and arrogance of the leaders, public oppression and lack of freedom for individual citizens. But all other nations who are now democratic and well developed have either tacled such problems or they are developed despite these problems. What is unique about the Ethiopian empire?

Democracy is a system of government in which either the actual governing is carried out by the people governed (direct democracy), or the power to do so is granted by them (as in representative democracy). In political theory, democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. Even though there is no specific, universally accepted definition of 'democracy', there are two principles that any definition of democracy includes, equality and freedom. These principles are reflected by all citizens being equal before the law, and having equal access to power. Additionally, all citizens are able to enjoy legitimized freedoms and liberties, which are usually protected by a constitution. Economic development refers to increases in the standard of living of a nation's population associated with sustained growth from a simple, low-income economy to a modern, high-income economy. Its scope includes the process and policies by which a nation improves the economic, political, and social well-being of its people.

In the above both senses, the Ethiopian empire is at the tail of the international community. I think the main factor for this laging behind all nations is the national oppression of the great Oromo nation, which is actually a majority nation destined to lead the empire, but this nation unfortunately had to endure the assimilation, subjugation, invasion, exploitation, etc in the last many years history of the region. Other multinational states in the world either do have "majority rule", be it democratically or dictatorially, otherwise they did disintegrate. Ethiopia is one of the very few countries where the nation of a majority (Oromo nation) is still feared and prevented from a possiblity to rule so that it is reduced to a political minority by the ruling elite of minor nationalities (by the elites of the two Habesha nations).

Nowadays almost all historians except the few Hbesha elites do agree that Oromo is the indigenous nation who lived south of Egypt for more than 5000 years. It was the expansion and invasion of the Middle-east semetics in the last three tausand years, the destruction of Meroe by the Axume empire, the islamization of the region and the European occupation of the area in the process of colonization, which reduced Oromo to its present national area.

It is almost becoming clear that the other cushitic nations in the region are either the differentiation from this original nation called Oromo or are closely related to Oromo, so are the Beja, Agew, Afar, Somali, Sidama, Hadiya, Kambata including even the semetized ones like Tigre, Tigaru, Amhara, Gurage, Harari. It seems that some are more christanized and semetized, whereas others are more islamized and arabanized. Oromo people tried to preserve our original language and previous traditional religion despite the exposure and pressure from the Middle-east and from the West. Even though many of the above branches of the Cush nation including some of the Oromo have accepted the religions from the Middle-east, the essence of Waaqeeffannaa (the previous belief system of the nation) is preserved and even practiced in the over-taken new religions. That is why we do see a lot of elements of Waaqeeffannaa in the religious practices of the Orthodox, Protestant and Islam Oromo groups.

The actual problem is specially the fact that the christianized and semetized nations, the Habeshas, look at themselves as if they are different from their origin and their elites oppress the well culturally preserved Oromo and other nations by using the chance they got in a form of help from the "christian" Western countries. This oppression and subjugation is still going on. Oromo people fought and resisted this influence from the Habesha, the Middle-east and from the West continously. We now look at the Abyssinian elites as the most externally influenced part of our differentiated Cush body. Time and again they have been instrumentalized by Arabs and Europeans to conquer and oppress Oromo. The current instrument of these foreign influence is Weyane and its supporting Tigrean elites.

Since the time that Habesha elites identified themselves with Jews (remember the expression "lion of Juda"), they had to fight against Oromo who preserved our identity including our language and religion. After they could subjugate Oromo, they always tried to hinder that they lose power to this big nation. They did every thing possible with the help of their aid from Western "christians" to suppress Oromo. It was mainly this conflict between the Habesha elites and the Oromo which hitherto hindered any sort of democratization as well as development of the empire. True and genuine democratization in the empire means Oromo taking power for it is the majority group. Habesha elites do every thing under the sun to hinder this possibility, so that there will never be a democracy as far as Weyane in particular and the non-democratic Habesha elites in general are in power.

Of course without democracy and freedom of Oromo nation and other oppressed nations, the conflict will continue and the developement we actually wish to see will not be materalized. It surprises me some times when I read some Oromo nationalists accusing the other Oromo groups with the allegation that they opted for "democratization of Ethiopia" instead of "decolonization of Oromia". Actually democratization of Ethiopia is one of the meanses leading to liberation of Oromia, if it really happens. Habesha politicains know this very well and that is why they never allow it happen. The only option left for Oromo to be liberated is actually armed struggle. No illusion! There will never be democratization and development of Ethiopia as long as Oromia is under Weyane or under other non-democratic Habesha looting and lording forces.

Oromo who resisted both the Middle-east and Western influences including the taking part in the battle of Adwa, where a lot of Oromo individuals fought against the invaders, will continue the resistance till Oromia will be free from the subjugators. My advice for Habesha elites is, instead of crying about a lack of democracy and development, they better look at this main factor of the inhibition and support Oromo nation to be free. Then even they themselves can be free to enjoy democracy and development in their respective national areas as a very good neighbour for a democratic and well developed Oromia. Otherwise we all will continue to hinder each other and live under both tyranny and poverty, which are the two anti-theses of democracy and development.

Of course other theoretical advice (I know this sounds like a joke in the ears of Habesha elites) is that they better strive to come back to their root instead of oppressing and subjugating the nation from whom they seem to have been differentiated and emerged in history. That means if they want to keep Ethiopia as it is now and hinder Oromia and Abyssinia from being separated nations, they practically need to recognize that Ethiopia (Cushland) in a wider sense means Oromia, they should accept Afaan Oromo as a a working languageof the union, they must allow Oromo values like Waaqeeffannaa and Irreechaa to be a national values and a national holydays respectively and last but not least they better know that it is only Oromo people who can decide on the type of sovereignity we want to have per referendum in a process of self-determination.

Democracy and development can be realized better in a sepatrate nation-states based on the public verdict of each national group than in a forced unity without the necessary public vote, like what we are now in. The rhetoric of Weyane, which tells us untiredly that "we do have unity of nations and nationalities based on free will" doesn't mean that there is a real unity based on free will on the ground. Let Habesha elites stop such self-deception. The way forward is to let Oromo be free to determine our destiny, be it in a form of Oromian republic (independence of Oromia without a union) or in a form of Cush renaissance (integration of all Cush nations in a form of a union of independent nations). If there is true democracy and freedom, Oromo is the last nation to fear such a union. Of cource independence without a union is better than oppression under forced unity!

Taking this Oromo factor in to consideration, it is not surprising that Weyane regime hindered the election on 15th May 2010 from being fair and free. Fair and free election means a victory for MEDREK, in which Oromo democrats organized under OFC can take power in Oromia (of course MEDREK taking over the whole Ethiopia). Such move towards genuine freedom and democracy is the move towards liberty of Oromo people and to genuine autonomy of Oromo land (Oromian autonomy). Weyane in particular and all Habesha non-democratic elites in general will never allow this as long as they are in power.

This result of the last sham election is the additional wake up call for Oromo nationalists who hitherto believed in the possible democratization of the empire and with that a possible decolonization of Oromia. Habesha elites will never allow Oromo get our right per ballot. The only means left is to fight per bullet. No question strengthening OLF and OLA is the alpha and omega of our liberation struggle. That is why the already started process of the re-unification of the three factions of OLF and then a possible unification with ULFO is not some thing optional, but a life saving MUST. Oromo, let's not fool ourselves! Be united under only one strong OLF, which can be militarilly strong, can be feared by our opressors and can be respected in a field of diplomacy. The regimes in the Western world respect and support us only when they see that we are strong enough to affect their interest in the Horn of Africa. Let 's rise up together and bring the situation, where we can really say Oromai to the system of domination in Oromia and in the Horn of Africa.


Galatooma!

Editorial: Bad Company

" ... Because it is an ally against terrorism, Ethiopia has been rewarded with millions of dollars in U.S. military aid. Not only that, the U.S. government also has largely been silent in regard to many human-rights abuses in the country.

And, just as with Afghanistan, this country is unlikely to do more than mildly rebuke the results of Ethiopia's parliamentary election. The balloting Sunday occurred amid criticism by international observers that government repression had guaranteed the results before any vote was cast.

Indeed, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's ruling party appeared to have won at least 534 of 547 parliamentary seats. That ensures another six-year term for him.

Meles has been in power since 1991, when the guerrillas he led toppled the brutal Red Terror regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam, which had toppled the repressive monarchy of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974. Yes, such has been the fate of Ethiopia, which has existed since the time of Christ - one despot after another.

Thousands of Ethiopians were tortured, murdered, or "disappeared" under Mengitsu's authority. Forced relocations ordered by his Marxist government, drought, and disease had made the country a basket case by the time Meles took over. President Bill Clinton called Meles part of a "new generation" of African leaders.

In fact, Meles has moved Ethiopia forward in many respects. He has greatly improved educational and economic opportunity in the past 19 years. But, like others whose power was derived at the point of a gun, he has no tolerance for dissent. Elections are only a prop for these autocrats, who believe only they are capable of leading their countries.

Meles certainly didn't want a repeat of the 2005 elections, when an opposition coalition won enough seats to make him nervous. A subsequent crackdown on those protesting his victory as fraudulent left hundreds of people dead. Since then, political foes have been beaten and jailed.

Today, membership in the Meles party is required for almost any educational or professional advancement. Journalists are afraid to criticize the regime. So are ordinary people, who say retaliation might cost them their jobs, or worse. They have good reason to keep quiet. But what about this country? Will its war keep it from speaking the truth to an ally?"

Editorial: The Philadelfia Inquirer

The stolen "Election 2010" Results: Zenawi's EPRDF declares "winning 534 seats out of 546"!

Ethiopia's Ruling Party Wins Elections Amid Reports of Irregularities

By: Larisa Epatko

Pro-government rally in Ethiopia. Photo by Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images

A sweeping win by Ethiopia's ruling party in Sunday's parliamentary elections was clouded by allegations of irregularities by opposition parties and international organizations.

On Tuesday, the country's electoral board declared that the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front and its allies won 534 seats out of 536 declared in the 547-member parliament, Reuters reported.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi vowed to consult with opposition parties on matters and urged international leaders to respect the win.

"Even if you don't have seats in parliament we promise to consult you on issues of national concern. We consider you an important part of this renaissance," he told tens of thousands of cheering supporters at a rally in the capital Addis Ababa.

Leaders of the main opposition coalition Medrek have denounced the election results as fraudulent.

The European Union's observer mission in Ethiopia said that it saw government resources being used to help the ruling party during the campaign, according to Voice of America.

Chief observer Thijs Berman said the mission also heard reports of harassment and intimidation, and that the "sheer volume and consistency of the complaints" was concerning.

A report by U.S.-based Human Rights Watch also said the election was tainted by irregularities, intimidation by officials from the ruling party and media restrictions ahead of the vote on Sunday.

But Ethiopia's national electoral board has said the voting was free, fair and democratic.

The BBC's correspondent in Ethiopia, Uduak Amimo, filed this audio report about the election results.

Source: PBS Newshour

Reports say Prof. Mararaa, Siye, Aregash, Gizachew, Dr Nagaasoo, Peof. Beyene, Ing. Hailu, Gebru, and Even Lidetu Ayalew lost their seats

Election Updates 3

EPRDF heading to its biggest electoral win since it got to power.
Free, fair, participatory, democratic and peaceful. That is the statement of the Coalition of Ethiopian civil society organizations about the elections
All major opposition figures (Merrara, Seeye, Aregash, Gizachew, Negasso, Beyene, Lidetu, Hailu, Gebru) lost their seats.
22 out of 23 in Addis Ababa(Unconfirmed)
38 out of 38 in Tigray(confirmed)
No single opposition win so far.
You can get it all inside our detailed elections results updates.

Source

Photo: Gadaa.com

Joint Statement of the Oromo, Ogaden, and Eritrean Communities

Joint Statement of the Oromo, Ogaden, and Eritrean Communities

The Oromo, Ogaden and Eritrean Communities living in Germany and the neighboring countries came together at the town of Offenbach ,Germany, today on 22nd of May 2010 and conducted a half day seminar aiming at human right issues and the volatile political situations in the horn of Africa. The main purpose of the seminar was to raise the awareness of the international communities and, to update the respective communities on the socio-political crisis, human right breaches in the horn of Africa taking into account the case in Ogadenia, Oromia and the unstable border situation of Ethiopia with Eritrea.

The Communities conduct this seminar a day before the terroristic regime of the TPLF is running its sham election which the regime in Ethiopia is dramatizing in order to justify its despotic rule over the Ethiopian people and continue its oppression of the Oromo and Ogaden people while pursuing its destabilizing role in the Horn of Africa.

After deliberating on the current state of affairs of the Horn of Africa and thoroughly examining the issues raised by the speakers,

Fully aware that the so-called elections are bogus and that the people are not only denied to freely express their will, but are forced to cast a ballot for whoever the regime wishes to promote by using intimidation, killing ,terrorizing and economic sanctions,

Alarmed by the reports of credible witnesses, Human Rights groups and the international media about war crimes in the Ogaden,Genocide in Gambella, and oromia where the Ethiopian regular Army is burning villages, killing elderly people, kids and women, and torturing others in thousands, while many are illegally detained and suffering in concentration camps set up by TPLF,

Noting thousands had been forced to flee the country and undertaking perilous journeys that cost many, their lives and condemned the rest to live in utter misery,
Aware that Ethiopian regime has imposed an inhuman economic and aid blockade on the Ogaden people at a time of draught, where hundreds of thousands were on the verge of annihilation,

Recalling that from 1992, the TPLF regime mounted a covert war against the Oromo people, kidnapping thousands of Oromo from all walks who disappeared and are still unaccounted for,

while many are still extra-judicially executed or kept indefinitely in detention without due process in both covert and unconcealed concentration camps that condemn them to slow death.

Deeply concerned by the pre-calculated, selectively continuing harassment, killings and victimization of Oromo students, especially in the higher institutions of learning,

Aware that the TPLF regime is undertaking massive environmental degradation in Oromia by uprooting the Oromo farmers and selling their land to investors without due compensation and exposing them to starvation,

Noting with deep concern by the assassinations of Oromo and Ogaden civilians in the neighboring countries, notable of which were Mr. Jatane Ali(Oromo) in Kenya , Mr. Mullis A.Gada(Oromo) in Mogadishu (Somalia) and Mr. Sandoon in Galkaio-Somalia,

The Oromo, Ogaden and Eritrean Communities living in Germany and the neighboring countries came together at the town of Offenbach ,Germany, today on 22nd of May 2010 and conducted a half day seminar aiming at human right issues and the volatile political situations in the horn of Africa. The main purpose of the seminar was to raise the awareness of the international communities and, to update the respective communities on the socio-political crisis, human right breaches in the horn of Africa taking into account the case in Ogadenia, Oromia and the unstable border situation of Ethiopia with Eritrea.

The Communities conduct this seminar a day before the terroristic regime of the TPLF is running its sham election which the regime in Ethiopia is dramatizing in order to justify its despotic rule over the Ethiopian people and continue its oppression of the Oromo and Ogaden people while pursuing its destabilizing role in the Horn of Africa.

After deliberating on the current state of affairs of the Horn of Africa and thoroughly examining the issues raised by the speakers,

Fully aware that the so-called elections are bogus and that the people are not only denied to freely express their will, but are forced to cast a ballot for whoever the regime wishes to promote by using intimidation, killing, terrorizing and economic sanctions,

Alarmed by the reports of credible witnesses, Human Rights groups and the international media about war crimes in the Ogaden,Genocide in Gambella, and oromia where the Ethiopian regular Army is burning villages, killing elderly people, kids and women, and torturing others in thousands, while many are illegally detained and suffering in concentration camps set up by TPLF,

Noting thousands had been forced to flee the country and undertaking perilous journeys that cost many, their lives and condemned the rest to live in utter misery,

Aware that Ethiopian regime has imposed an inhuman economic and aid blockade on the Ogaden people at a time of draught, where hundreds of thousands were on the verge of annihilation,

Recalling that from 1992, the TPLF regime mounted a covert war against the Oromo people, kidnapping thousands of Oromo from all walks who disappeared and are still unaccounted for,

while many are still extra-judicially executed or kept indefinitely in detention without due process in both covert and unconcealed concentration camps that condemn them to slow death.

Deeply concerned by the pre-calculated, selectively continuing harassment, killings and victimization of Oromo students, especially in the higher institutions of learning,

Aware that the TPLF regime is undertaking massive environmental degradation in Oromia by uprooting the Oromo farmers and selling their land to investors without due compensation and exposing them to starvation,

Noting with deep concern by the assassinations of Oromo and Ogaden civilians in the neighboring countries, notable of which were Mr. Jatane Ali(Oromo) in Kenya , Mr. Mullis A.Gada(Oromo) in Mogadishu (Somalia) and Mr. Sandoon in Galkaio-Somalia,

Further alarmed by the Extradition of hundreds of Ogaden and Oromo civilians from the neighboring countries in violation of the UN and AU convention of Refugees,
Particularly worried by the fate of Bisharo Wacdi from Northern Somalia; Abdinur Soyan, Dhire Afi and Ahmed Terso from North Eastern Somalia; Mr. Mesfin Abebe and Mr. Tesfahun Chemeda from Kenya, who were subsequently tortured, ill-treated and condemned to death and lifelong imprisonment by kangaroo courts,

Strongly concerned by the killing of 65 Oromo refugees in Hargesa by the Bomb blast engineered by TPLF security agents,

Deeply disturbed by the practice of the Ethiopia regime in deliberately igniting conflicts between the different communities in Ethiopia in order to divide and rule which is costing thousands of lives and creating hatred and havoc among neighbors,

Strongly concerned by the continual aggression of the TPLF lead regime of Ethiopia against its neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa, including Eritrea, Kenya and Somalia. We also strongly urge the Ethiopian government to withdraw from the sovereign territory of Eritrea without any precondition.

Further deploring the unjust and preposterous decision to impose sanction on Eritrea on flimsy justifications, while allowing Ethiopia to commit genocide and War Crimes in Somalia , Ogaden, and Oromia while committing aggression and destabilizing its neighboring countries

The Oromo, Ogaden and Eritrean Communities Germany:-

Confirm their commitment to stand by their respective peoples collectively and individually in order to attain the rights, peace, stability, and friendly relationships and respect based on mutual benefits.

Recognize that the current regime in Ethiopia is a danger to its people and neighbors and the source of instability, aggression, terrorism and injustice,

Strongly condemn the violations of the Human Rights and War Crimes of their peoples and reminds the TPLF regime that they will leave strive bring to justice those responsible,

Proclaim that the current so-called elections fraudulent and as such do not represent the will of the people,

Call upon the International Community to stop aiding the pariah regime of Ethiopia and make it accountable to its crimes,

Call upon the UN and the international community to rescind the unjust UN security resolution against Eritrea and in particular the Obama Administration to be engaged in dialogue with the Eritrean government.

Declare that unless the just causes of the Ogaden, Oromos and other oppressed nations are resolved and Ethiopia stops its aggression against its neighbors there cannot be true peace and stability in the region.

Freedom, Respect for Human Right and the Rule of Law in the Horn!!

Ogaden, Oromo and Eritrean communities in Germany

Germany 22 May 2010

Britain 'keeping quiet about Ethiopia repression' (Telegraph)

Britain has been accused of allowing hundreds of millions of pounds of its aid to be used to extend state-led repression in Ethiopia, as the country voted in national polls widely seen as deeply flawed.

By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi
Published: 10:00PM BST 23 May 2010

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi Photo: REUTERS

More than �385 million of British money has been channelled to projects in the country in the last two years, making it the largest recipient of bilateral aid in Africa.

The majority goes directly to Ethiopian government projects across the country, despite concerns over how and where it is being spent.

Read more

Ethiopia votes in election clouded by fraud fears (BBC)

Ethiopia votes in election clouded by fraud fears

Inside an Ethiopian polling station

Polls have closed in Ethiopia's first election since a 2005 contest which was marred by protests that led to the deaths of 200 people.

Voting has was smooth and steady in the capital, Addis Ababa, but the opposition said there had been irregularities elsewhere in the country.

Officials have dismissed the claims.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, a Western ally against militants in Somalia, is seeking re-election.

AT THE SCENE

Continue reading the main story

Uduak Amimo BBC News, Addis Ababa

Students at Addis Ababa University began queuing an hour before the polls opened at 0600 local time.

There were separate lines for males and females and many more men turned out to vote. Students vote at seven polling stations, depending on which of the country's different regions they come from.

Most of the students at polling station six, where people from Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's home province of Tigray were voting, told me they were voting for peace, development and security. A few went further and told me they were voting for the governing EPRDF.

Most of the students at polling stations where Oromos and Amharas were voting told me they wanted change, but none of them would tell me which party they thought would deliver that. The opposition is expected to make some gains in these areas.

Ethiopia tackles election ghosts

Ethiopia's electoral commission has until 21 June to declare the results.

Officials from the main opposition alliance, Medrek, said its agents had been blocked from observing the polls in the southern Oromia region where it is expected to make some gains.

"It doesn't look like an election, even by African standards," Medrek leader Merera Gudina told the AFP news agency.

"In some areas, we even heard that ballot boxes were opened and stuffed before the arrival of our people," he said, warning that he might reject the results.

"We'll review our assessment regarding the elections tomorrow. But one thing is for sure, all this cheating was done with millions of witnesses."

Allegations of electoral fraud by Mr Meles' governing Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front's (EPRDF) led to protests and deaths in 2005.

A government spokesman dismissed the latest claims, saying the opposition must already know it had lost.

The BBC's Will Ross in Addis Ababa says voting in the polling stations he visited in the capital appeared well organised, with a steady flow of voters.

Mr Meles is widely expected to be re-elected, with the opposition seen as divided and disorganised.

But after the events in 2005, our correspondent says the reputation of Africa's second most populous country is on the line.

As the prime minister flew to vote in his home area in the northern Tigray region, he told Reuters he was confident of victory because of his record.

"Imagine a government which has delivered double-digit growth rates for over seven years losing an election anywhere on earth. It is unheard of for such a phenomenon to happen," he said.

There were thousands of local observers spread out across the country although some in the opposition do not see them as neutral.

The Ethiopian government banned foreign embassy staff from monitoring the poll. It did not see them as experts on elections and said it did not want diplomatic relations blurred.

The European Union had 170 observers on the ground - a relatively large number which our correspondent says shows how important the EU takes his event.

Chief EU observer Thijs Berman said he had heard the opposition complaints but he had not "seen anything that would inspire any anxiety".

Some rights activists dismissed the elections as a charade months ago, saying the government had muzzled the media and was effectively blacklisting opposition supporters.

The governing party dismissed such talk as propaganda.

Some 32 million people were registered to elect the 547 members of the lower House of Representatives, along with regional councillors who in turn choose the upper house of parliament.

Ethiopia poll tipped to return PM to power (CNN)

By the CNN Wire Staff
May 23, 2010 -- Updated 1239 GMT (2039 HKT)

(CNN) -- Ethiopians went to the polls Sunday in an election analysts say will likely return the prime minister back into power after more than a decade leading the Horn of Africa nation.

Photo:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has his finger marked after casting his vote in the country's elections on May 23, 2010.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is a major western ally who has helped battle Islamic rebels in the region. Ethiopia neighbors volatile Sudan and Somalia, the latter mired in violence as al-Shabaab militants demand a stricter form of Islamic law.

The opposition decried Ethiopia's last election in 2005 as rigged, and has said it does not expect Sunday's poll to be any better. New York-based Human Rights accused the Ethiopian government of "waging a coordinated and sustained attack on political opponents, journalists, and rights activists" ahead of the elections."

"Expressing dissent is very dangerous in Ethiopia," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The ruling party and the state are becoming one, and the government is using the full weight of its power to eliminate opposition and intimidate people into silence."

Scores of citizens were arrested in 2005 after they challenged the vote that favored Zenawi and his party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front.

European Union observes said it fell "short of international principles for genuine" democracy.

"The counting and aggregation processes were marred by irregular practices, confusion and a lack of transparency," the observers said in a report. "The human rights situation rapidly deteriorated in the postelection day period when dozens of citizens were killed by the police and thousands were arrested."

Despite the criticism, Zenawi's government has battled challenges such as drought and border clashes with Eritrea. The nation sent its troops to neighboring Somalia a few years ago to support the overwhelmed interim government in its fight against Islamist insurgents.

However, rights groups have accused Zenawi of stifling dissent and silencing the media leading up to the election. In March, American officials condemned plans by the prime minister to block U.S.-funded Voice of America broadcasts in Amharic, the main local language.

Zenawi accused the media organization of "engaging in destabilizing propaganda" at the time and compared it to a Rwandan radio station accused of stoking the 1994 genocide that killed about 800,000 people.

A U.S. State Department spokesman condemned the accusation.

"Comparing a respected and professional news service to a group that called for genocide in Rwanda is a baseless and inflammatory accusation that seeks only to deflect attention away from the core issue," spokesman Gordon Duguid said.

Press freedom activists have accused Ethiopia of trying to limit media coverage leading up to the elections, which the government denies.

Zenawi's party has ruled the second-most populous nation in Africa since 1991.

Breaking News: In the eve of the so-called "Ethiopian Election" TPLF/EPRDF regime sentences 7 oromo nationals to Death and lifelong imprisonment

According to reliable news coming from Oromia, 7 oromo nationals were sentenced to death and lifelong imprisonment by the brutal and dictatorial regime of Ethiopia. The sentence was passed on 20 May 2010, just 3 days before the election.

1. Mrs Dirribee Ittaanaa (Death sentence)
2. Mr Degu Ittaanaa (Death sentence)
3. Mrs Urgee Abebe (Death sentence)
4. Girma Raggaasaa (Lifelong imprisonment)
5. Endale Nagarii (10 years imprisonment)
6. Workinesh Duubee (2 years imprisonment and 2000 Ethiopian Birr financial penalty)
7. Daniel Jaalataa (a person who passed away) Death sentence

According to our information, Mrs Dirribee Ittaanaa and Mr Degu Ittaanaa are a sister and a brother, while Mrs Urgee Abebe and Girma Raggaasaa are a wife and husband. It has to be remembered that the the 3^rd bench of the Federal High Court of Ethiopia, at a trial held on the 31^st of March 2010, has imposed a death penalty on Mr. Mesfin Abebe and sentenced his fourteen co-defendants to prison terms that range from the shortest of ten years to life in prison, all without parole. We appeal to oromo communities abroad and international human rights organizations to raise the these issues and appeal to the international communities to save the life of these innocent oromo nationals.

Arts as a Vehicle for Reconcilitation, Unity and Mobilization (Waamicha WAO)

Worldwide Peaceful Rallies Against Death and Long-term Prison Sentences Passed on Oromos by TPLF/EPRDF Regime

Worldwide Peaceful Rallies Against Death and Long-Term Sentences Passed on Oromos by Zenawi's Dictatorial Regime

NORTH AMERICA == Washington, DC (Flyer) Date: May 21, 2010 Place: The White House and the State Dept. Time: Starts 10AM at the White House and ends 2:00PM at the State Department Website: OneOromo.org == St. Paul, Minnesota (Flyer) Date: May 21, 2010 Place: Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM Website: OromoCommunityMN.org

AUSTRALIA == Melbourne, VIC (Flyer) Date: May 21, 2010 Place: Treasury Gardens, 2-18 Spring Street Time: 10:30AM Website: OromoCommunity.org.au The Oromo Community of Minnesota has organized a human rights rally in St. Paul at the State Capitol on May 21, 2010 at 9AM. Read More ��� Press Release from the Australian Oromo Community: Meles Zenawi - The Most Repressive Dictator in Africa

"Tension High in Key Ethiopian Election Region (Oromia)" Reuters

FEATURE-Tension high in key Ethiopia election region
Tue May 18, 2010 1:44pm BST

* Ethiopia votes on May 23

* Six people killed in four weeks

* Locals say divided over poll


By Barry Malone

MIDAKEGNE, Ethiopia, May 18 (Reuters) - Forty policemen march two-by-two through a remote Ethiopian town drawing stares from local farmers for their incongruous high-tech stab vests, body armour and riot helmets.

"Look, they are trying to terrify us," says opposition politician Teshale Idosa, his eyes widening. "And it is working. They are terrifying. We are terrified."

The tension is palpable in the Horn of Africa nation's Oromia region ahead of national elections on Sunday, with six people killed in just four weeks.

The region is home to the Oromo, Ethiopia's biggest ethnic group with 27 million out of 80 million people. The area also produces most of the coffee in Africa's biggest grower, along with oil seeds, sesame and livestock, which are all key exports.

Oromia is seen by analysts as key to the future of sub-Saharan Africa's second most populous nation, a country that is Washington's main ally in the region and a growing destination for foreign direct investment.

On the road to Midakegne, soldiers and police stop and search cars, pat people down and check IDs, sometimes taking notes. Locals often seem frightened to talk about politics.

The eight-party opposition coalition, Medrek, says two of the six dead were theirs, while the ruling party says it has lost one candidate and a policeman was killed.

Another two died when a grenade was flung into a meeting of the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation (OPDO), part of the ruling Ethiopian People's Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition

VOTER CONFUSION

Also playing on people's nerves is the fact that Ethiopia's last national elections in 2005 ended with a disputed result. Seven policemen and 193 protesters died in street riots in the capital Addis Ababa and top opposition leaders were jailed.

The opposition argues it would sweep to power if the ruling party stopped intimidating and jailing its members. The government dismisses that accusation as nonsense and says it will win easily on its development record.

The ruling party has embarked on massive investment in infrastructure such as roads and energy. The International Monetary Fund said last month that Ethiopia would excel this year with growth in excess of 5 percent. [ID:nWEQ003877]

Many people in Oromia told Reuters they were confused about how to vote, with some towns overwhelmingly supporting the opposition coalition Medrek, and others the OPDO.

Opposition figures say the Oromo have never had any power despite the OPDO's place in the government. They see that party as controlled by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's Tigrayan People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (TPLF) -- which they say runs the other three parties in the ruling coalition.

Some farmers told Reuters that officials deny them seeds and fertiliser to force them into joining the OPDO. One man said he was fired after 20 years as a chemistry teacher because he joined Medrek. OPDO members denied the allegations.

"Our party is fully independent and Oromo," OPDO official Alemayehu Ejio, told Reuters. "We are even more popular now because of our development work."

ELECTRICITY AND WATER

In Midakegne, 40 km (25 miles) from the nearest Tarmac road, the opposition says a 23-year-old activist, Biyansa Daba, was beaten to death. The government says he died of cancer and that the opposition is trying to spoil a poll it will lose.

Merera Gudina, leader of Medrek member party, the Oromo People's Congress, is tailed on the road to the secluded town by three men in a pick-up truck. His car, and another containing Medrek activists, are stopped and searched by soldiers.

When Merera arrives and makes a speech, promising more power to the Oromo people, he is filmed and photographed by the three men while armed police watch.

OPDO officials in Midakegne repeated that Biyansa died of cancer, but three people separately approached Reuters to say he was severely beaten.

Earlier the same day, as the OPDO held a large rally in the town of Gorosole, locals told Reuters they would vote for the ruling party because they were grateful for electrification and the provision of safe drinking water to the town's school.

The ruling party often points to its development achievements. Signs of progress in Oromia since the 2005 elections are evident.

An impressive road network has been built, towns have electricity and telephone masts are everywhere.

Just as the meeting is about to reach its climax -- the unveiling of the new water tap for the school -- Merera and his supporters appear in two cars and drive through the crowd. They throw leaflets into the air, and at the OPDO officials.

"Look at them," shouts Yohannes Mitiku, Merera's rival for the area's parliamentary seat. "They are trying to ruin our rally because they see that people support us."

"They say we intimidate them but yet they feel free to do this," he told Reuters.

Once the tap is unveiled, people filter back to villages in the surrounding hills, their absence revealing an empty street littered with leaflets and flags.

"Yes, the OPDO have been developing Oromia," says an old man who has watched the commotion. "But it's development and repression at the same time. They can build roads to the moon but I won't vote for them until we're equal."


Reuters

Profile: Ethiopia's Merara Gudina (BBC News)

Profile: Ethiopia's Merera Gudina

By Uduak Amimo BBC News, Addis Ababa

Merera Gudina wants to 'transform' the country before getting married

Merera Gudina started opposing governments as a high school student in Ambo in the vast Oromiya region of Ethiopia.

He was part of the student movement who helped overthrow the imperial government of Emperor Haile Selassie.

As a student of political science at Addis Ababa University, he carried on agitating, this time against the communist government of Mengistu Haile Mariam.

His efforts landed him in prison for seven years with no charge.

Upon his release, he went to Egypt to continue his studies at the American University in Cairo.

In 1996, after the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had swept into power after overthrowing Mr Mengistu, Merera Gudina created the Oromo National Congress (ONC).

Oromo rights

The party's main aim is self-determination for the Oromo, Ethiopia's most populous ethnic group.

It also wants the Oromifa language to become one of the country's national languages, alongside Amharic.

As a student of politics, I don't believe that killing a policeman 200km away from Addis Ababa will bring us to power Merera Gudina Ethiopia 'silencing its critics' Profile: Meles Zenawi

The Oromiya region is in the south of Ethiopia.

And most Oromos resent hundreds of years of subjugation by the north, first under Amhara emperors and now, they say, from the minority Tigrays - the prime minister's ethnic group.

Mr Merera's party was renamed the Oromo People's Congress (OPC) in 2007 after its previous name was awarded to another group.

He now juggles his day job as an associate professor of political science at the University of Addis Ababa with being the leader of Medrek - the eight-party opposition coalition that is fielding the second largest number of parliamentary candidates behind the EPRDF.

Mr Merera is standing for re-election in Ambo, his birthplace, and is widely expected to retain his parliamentary seat.

But when asked whether he believes the election will be free and fair, he quotes the Soviet leader, Josef Stalin: "People vote, we count."

Legal problems?

Government Communications Minister Bereket Simon has accused Mr Merera of inciting the recent killing of a policeman in Oromiya.

Mr Merera has denied the charge.

"As a student of politics, I don't believe that killing a policeman 200km away from Addis Ababa will bring us to power."

But speaking to foreign journalists at a media briefing, Prime Minister Meles said that crimes committed during the campaign period may be prosecuted after the conclusion of the elections.

"If I'm detained, there are more than 30 million Oromos who can take up the struggle," Mr Merera told the BBC.

At 55 years of age, he is still unmarried. Marriage and children, he laughs, will come after the 23 May parliamentary elections.

He says for now he is committed to transforming the country.

Source: BBC News

Let's say Oromai to the System of Domination in Oromia and Ethiopia/the Horn (Fayyis Oromia)

Let's say Oromai to the System of Domination in Oromia and Ethiopia/the Horn

I wish that it would be now the right time for Oromo people in particular and for all oppressed nations in the empire in general, including the oppressed mass in Amharia and Tigrai, to say Oromai (it is an end or is completed) after their struggle for more than a century against the Abyssinian nafxena's system of domination. We are at the cross road now to get rid of the current oppressors, the Weyane neo-nefxenyas, and to move forward towards the liberty of citizens and the freedom of nations as well as to the multi-national democracy, including the self-rule of nations in the empire. Simply put, we are on the verge of dismantling the empire system of domination in order to build a genuine union of free nations.

Recently one blogger on the newly started website of the online Addis Neger came up with an interesting topic: "An Oromo Obama: The Audacity to Reinvent Ethiopia". The blogger tried to express his wish that Oromo people take a responsibility to democratize Ethiopia, rather than the attempt to decolonize Oromia. He came up with the "either - or" thinking as if decolonization of Oromia and democratization of Ethiopia are exclusive to each other (thinking in a "parallel framework"). An anonymous author on Gadaa.com reacted with a very good precision showing how both decolonization of the nation Oromia (being free from the hitherto system of domination in the empire) and democratization of the region called Ethiopia can go hand in hand.

I just say, any Oromo Obama, who may ignore the existence, decolonization and independence of Oromia, be it within the clothing/mask of the region, Ethiopia, or within the Horn is doomed to fail. The only Ethiopia which might have a chance to survive is the one based on free Oromia and on the free will of Oromo people. Thinking otherwise and still preaching a democratic unitary Ethiopia, where Oromia will be dismantled or dominated, is an obsolete mindset of the "modern" descendants of the old nefxenyas and the thinking of the currently ruling neo-nefxenyas. The only way of democratization which can be accepted by a certain Oromo Obama is a multi-national democracy after/with self-determination of Oromia.

It is only after/with the self-determination of the oppressed nations in the region including the Afar, Ogaden, Oromo, Sidama, Anyuwak, Benishangul, etc that a true democratization of the region, be it in a from of Ethiopian union or Horn union, can take root. Trying to democratize an empire is simply a self-deception just as it was during the past Teferi Mekonnen's "aristocratic democracy", Mengistu H/Mariam's "autocratic democracy" and the present Meles Zenawi's "ethnocratic democracy". We can just talk about this buzz word democracy, but we continue to suffer further under tyranny. The elites in that empire, specially the Habesha elites should come to their sense and smell the coffee. The era of decieving Oromo people and other oppressed nations with the sham democratization of Ethiopia is almost over.

That is why it is now the time for calling ALL oppressed nations to rise up against the worst only one EVIL (the ruling fascist neo-nefxenyas) in the region. No question that the devil in the Horn of Africa now is this fascist rule of the neo-nefxenyas. All nations in the region have this one common enemy. Nations in the current Ethiopian empire like Oromo, Amhara, Gurage, Sidama, Somali, Afar, Welayita...etc and even the neighbour nations like Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia should have certain de facto alliance against these fascists.

I think the "multi-national" forces of freedom and democracy like G-7 starting to cooperate with the national liberation fronts like OLF is the new version of the alliance yet to be fostered similar to the past AFD. This new alliance of the "iilegal" forces of freedom and democracy in addition to the alliance at home will definetly be the beginning of the end for the devil of the Horn. One of the best sentences said by Dr Berihanu Nega until now was: Weyanewoch iyekefafelun yalut, kenesu bilxinet yetenesa sayihon, kenya monyinet yetenesa newu.

This wise assertion is the call for the alliance of all against tyranny to struggle together having the following two phases of the ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy, which was previously planned by AFD and now propagated by G-7 and others:

- first phase to achieve our freedom from tyranny or from the system of domination, i.e decolonization.
- second phase to build multi-national democracy in the region Ethiopia or the Horn, i.e democratization.

Here we see that decolonization of the nations like Oromia and that of the regions like Ethiopia/the Horn comes prior to the democratization. Decolonization is the very good prerequisite for democratization. Other way round, theoretically, democratization of Ethiopia can be a very good means for decolonization of Oromia. But thinking to democratize an empire is a pipe dream. Now we are in the first phase, the phase of decolonizing nations in Ethiopia, where we ALL need to cooperate for freedom from the neo-nefxenyas' lording as well as looting and thereafter in the second phase or in the phase of democratization, we all can compete for power in the future genuine union of free nations in a democratic way.

So, it is now a time for all opposition democratic parties and the liberation fronts including both the "legals" and the "illegals" to come to their sense, after the past 19 years of foolishness. Let all of them agree on one common ground, i.e on one common purpose: national independence like independent Oromia with regional union like Ethiopian/Horn union. It is encouraging that we started to observe that Habesha dominated organizations like G-7 and UDJ started to talk that they are fighting first for freedom from tyranny and then struggle for a possible multi-national and multi-party democracy. Now, there are four groups of politicians in the empire regarding this common purpose:

- the fascist neo-nefxenyas, who claim to have achieved both national autonomy for all nations in the empire and claim to have forged a federation (unity) based on "free will" of these "autonomous" nations.

- the reactionary descendants of the old nefxenyas, who do reject national independence (autonomy) of nations in the empire and who do cry only for Ethiopian unity (an euphemy to keep the empire with its system of domination), by which they mean amharanized unitary Ethiopia.

- the radical liberation fronts of Oromo people and some other liberation fronts, who do seem to ignore now the possible regional union, but do struggle vehemently for only national independence like for the independent gadaa republic of Oromia, disregarding the possible benefit of a regional union of all nations on the grave of the hitherto empire.

- the momentarily weakened AFD as well as the presently strong Medrek including some other moderate organizations, who seem to struggle for establishing a regional union (Ethiopian union) with the possible national independence (freedom/autonomy) of all nations in the region. I think this was the vision of OLF from the very beginnig to achieve both Oromian independence (national freedom) and if possible, based on the free will of the concerned nations, to forge Ethiopian/the Horn union (regional integration).

I hope the liars in the first group will be compelled to stop their deception. Fortunately those in the second group are seeming to lose their mass base. Those liberators and politicians in the third group need to come to their sense and join the fourth group, for the current momentum is in favour of the fourth group and it is becoming clear that the national Oromian independence and the regional Ethiopian/the Horn union are not exclusive to each other per se. Based on public verdict of the Oromo, the independence of Oromia can be respected within or without the regional union. I do think those fronts and parties with common purpose of national independence within regional union must forge a new all inclusive alliance, not only at home like Medrek, but also in diaspora in order to get rid of the barbaric and fascist neo-nefxenyas.

It is only such clear vision and mission of all nations in the empire which can give birth to the Oromo Obama of the coming true union. As the author on Gadaa.com rightly put, there can't be any Oromo Obama to adminster the currently apartheid and enslaving empire. As Mandela adminstered the post apartheid democratic South Africa, and as Obama was elected in the post slavery democratic United States of America, a certain Oromo Obama can emerge and adminster only in a democratic union of independent nations on the grave of the hitherto domination system of the Ethiopian empire. Is the blogger of Addis Neger ready for such union to be build on the grave of the empire? I doubt for he seems to have no place of coginition for the recoginition of Oromia.

So I would like to suggest to Habesha "democrats", who want to instrumentalize Oromo, as they seem to do now regarding Adde Birtukan Midhagsa, to just stop beating around the bush and to recognize the right of Oromia to exist and to be emancipated. If they take such step and be ready for the regional union to be build on the stable rock of an independent democratic Oromia, I am sure not only one Oromo Obama, but hundreds can rise up against any sort of injustice in the region, we call it Ethiopia or the Horn. Let them learn to decolonize (make free from the tyranny of the neo-nefxenyas) the nation-states like Amharia, Tigrai, Afarland, Oromia, Ogadenia and other nations in the empire by being cooperated and coordinated with the freedom fighters of the oppressed nations like OLF and ONLF.

The possible upcoming genuine Oromo Obama is not the one who sings the song of the unitary imiye Ethiopia at the expence of Oromian independence, but the one who struggles for Oromian independence and unity, being open for the regional union which includes all other free nations in the present Ethiopia. Even Adde Birtukan Midhagsa, whom the Habesha elites and the Western powers seem to prepare to play this Obama role can't be accepted and respected by Oromo, when ever she is/will be anti-Oromia. Only when and where she is ready to accomodate and promote both Oromian liberty and Ethiopian/the Horn union, it is possible that she can garner the support of Oromo.

The problem Oromo people do have is not the problem of not giving birth to such Mandela or Obama, but we do have the problem of not seeing any Frederik Willem de Klerk and Helen Suzman from the camp of Habesha elites. Is the blogger who wants to see Oromo Obama a person who can think, talk and walk like Helen Suzman of South Africa? Is there any political leader, who is ready to act like de Klerk, from the side of Habesha elites, who are still the authors and perpetrators of the Abyssinian system of domination? When we do see the de Klerks and the Suzmans from the camp of Habesha elites as well as when the time comes that we do see enough Habesha politicians accepting and respecting the right of Oromia to exist and to be emancipated from the hitherto system of slavery, then it is really Oromai for the tyrannts in Oromia and Ethiopia/the Horn and it will be the time to see the Oromo Obamas coming and growing out of the liberated nation.

Sure is that, be it happen during the coming sham election or thereafter, Oromo people are already determined to say Oromai to the system of domination in Oromia in particular and in the region (Ethiopia/the Horn) in general. All democratic forces and all freedom fighters, who do have such vision and mission should now come together and organize the upcoming potential public uprising in the empire against the fascistic and tyrannical rule of the neo-nefxenyas. It is now evident that the cadres of the neo-nefxenyas are making much noise to persuade the genuine opposition parties like Medrek to boycott the sham election to hinder the possibility of exposing their already programmed vote rigging and to inhibit the chance of initiating the public uprising following the rigging.

I personally recommend not to boycott, but all anti-neo-nefxenya forces to be ready for the possible peaceful public uprising. It is good that Oromo nationalists are now organizing demonstrations in Washingiton and Malbourne/Australia. But this is not enough, there must be similar steps to be taken in the empire after the next vote rigging. All oppressed citizens and nations must rise up and say Oromai to the tyranny by the neo-nefxenyas in Ethiopia in general and in Oromia in particular. FDG (Fincila Diddaa Garbummaa = peaceful uprising against tyranny) must be intensified. Let's all oppressed citizens and nations say together Oromia to the system of domination in Oromia and in Ethiopia/the Horn. I also do like to say Oromai.

Galatooma!!

Bereket Somon says "OPC arranged killing of a policeman" . Another TPLF Tactic to arrest Prof. Merara Gudina of OPC/ Medrek?

Ethiopian Opposition Leader Implicated In Murder Scheme

VOA News

13 May 2010

Ethiopia's government is implicating a senior opposition leader in the politically-motivated killing of a police officer. The opposition leader described the allegation as a 'desperation tactic' indicating the ruling party may be in trouble in Ethiopia's most populous region.

Photo: Bereket Simon of TPLF/EPRDF
Government Communications Minister Bereket Simon says a local official in opposition leader Merera Gudina's Oromo People's Congress party (OPC) arranged the killing of a policeman in hopes of inciting violence in the politically tense Oromia region. The officer was stabbed to death last Saturday in the Ilulagan district of Oromia.

Speaking to reporters, Bereket said three suspects had confessed to the killing and told police they had been been promised protection from Merera if they were caught.

"The alleged killers have been apprehended, they have told their stories that a certain person called Mengesha who works as a subordinate to Dr. Merera ordered them to take this punitive measure, and that same person has assured the perpetrators to be confident that Dr. Merera will talk and make sure they are released," he said.

Photo: Prof. Merara Gudina (targeted by TPLF/ EPRDF regime)

The police officer's death is one of several killings attributed to political tensions in Oromia ahead of this month's elections for parliament.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has warned any violations of a recently passed electoral code of conduct could result in prosecution after the election, but Bereket declined to speculate on whether Merera would be charged.

Reached by cell phone in western Oromia, where he is campaigning, Merera called the allegation an 'outright lie' designed to divert attention from what he called the ruling party's own crimes. He questioned how the killing of one policeman would bring his party to power.

Merera said the main opposition bloc, Medrek had filed more than a hundred complaints against the ruling party on charges ranging from murder to harassment of candidates.

"I have reported to the elections board, telling them about 101 incidents about Oromia," he said. "The government is frightened that millions of Oromos probably will vote against it, and it is isolated from the Oromo people, and the government is trying to make Merera a culprit."

Merera predicted opposition parties would win in Oromia if the election is fair. He said the charge that the OPC was involved in murder is a sign of the ruling party's desperation in Ethiopia's largest region, which elects nearly 1/3 of the parliament.

Government spokesman Bereket, however, said the ruling party is confident of winning in Oromia and nationwide.

"The government this level of development doesn't need any coercive measures to be elected. The balance of power is skewed in favor of the ruling party in any form," said Bereket. "Regarding democratic process, people have their own take. They know for sure the future lies with this government."

Bereket also confirmed that the government has denied requests from foreign embassies for permission to send diplomats to observe polling stations on election day. Embassies have also been advised to inform the foreign ministry of any staff travel outside Addis Ababa during the election period.

A US embassy spokesman says the restrictions are line with an advisory issued last month cautioning Americans about traveling in Ethiopia. The advisory noted past elections had featured violence throughout the political season, especially in the days and weeks following announcement of the results. Voting is set for May 23. Results are to be announced June 21.

About 3000 Oromos expected at Mass Rally in Washington DC on May 21 2010

May 21: About 3,000 people are expected to attend a protest against the Ethiopian government outside the White House that is being led by the Oromo Community Organization.

Be there! Make the voice of the oromo nation heard! Thanks in advance for your participation on this mass rally against the brutal Ethiopian regime.

Tokkummaa maaf Lagattee? (Walaloo Suraa Dhugaa)

Tokkummaa Maaf Lagattee?

Walaloo Suraa Dhugaa*

Tokummaa maaf laggattee?

Jaladeemtuu filttee?

Qufaaf ganda hin deemani

Mana ofiitti nyaatani

Kan garaa guttataani

Halagaan kadhatin

Keesi hormaaf hin latiin!

Tokummaa hin dagatiin!!!

Hinumaan hukukkuraa
Akka quunnaa gurguraa
Diddee na sugrguraa
Kunnoo nara tutturaa
Bara kamtu nafuraa?
Galmi tokummaa dhabee
Akka kormaa wal yaabee
looni yoo abba dhabbee
Hundumtuu hin qallaa qabee
Isa kaanis gugubbee
Ni afeelam aguggee
hunduu lafaraa dhumnaan
malumaa ta'aa eegge?

Uttuu barana jennu
Uttuu bara egger jennu
Lafti nuraan soktee
Yyartuun nutti kolftee

Gadheen numanaagattee
Nurratti barganfattee
Qe'ee keenya dhunfattee

Hallagaan maali nugoottee?
Gantuu lammii nunyaattee!

* The author can be reached at suraadhugaa@yahoo.com.

"The Oromo University Students Are Under Attack by TPLF Regime" - OLF Statement

The Oromo University Students Are Under Attack by TPLF Regime
Statement of the Oromo Liberation Front

Oromo All Star Night: Live from Minneapolis on May 29 2010

" ...Governments like China, Ethiopia, ... curtailed freedom of expression ..."

"While people gained greater access than ever before to information through the internet, cell phones and other forms of connective technologies, governments like China, Ethiopia, Iran, and Venezuela curtailed freedom of expression by limiting full access to and use of these technologies."

US President Barack Obama said yesterday in his statement on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day

Kora Kutaa Continental Europe (ABO Kutaa Giddu Galeessa Awuroopaa) fi Seeminaara Gaanfa Afrika

Tokkummaa Of Oromummaa For Bilisummaa - The Panacea?! (Fayyis Oromia)

Tokkummaa Of Oromummaa For Bilisummaa - The Panacea?!

Fayyis Oromia

Oromo people as a collective entity are without any question suffering under garbummaa (slavery or tyranny) since the end of the nineteenth century. This collective entity is trying to get back its lost bilisummaa (freedom) since the time of occupation or colonization by the invading nefxenyas (war lords) of Abyssinians. Oromo fought against the old nefxenya Amhara elites till 1991 and now these same occupied people are fighting against the neo-nefxenya Weyane, since the later took power from the old nefxenyas. Now it seems the descendants of the old nefxenyas are trying to come back and the neo-nefxenyas are doing their best to stay in the very lucrative power in Finfinne palace. The question to be asked again and again is: what do Oromo people should do? Still fight each other as our enemies in both the old and the new nefxenya camps want us to do?

I do write this short essay after visiting the website, bilisummaa.com, where some "leaders of Oromo liberation" do write their articles opposing tokkummaa Oromo (Oromo unity) and the paltalk MMTUO (mana marii tokkummaa uummata Oromo = paltalk discussing about Oromo people's unity)), where anti-tokkummaa-Oromo individuals are vehemently fighting against the current move of Oromo nationalists to bring together Oromo liberation forces in general and the three factions of OLF in particular. I am amazed to hear and read from such "Oromo" individuals. I put here the word Oromo in qutation mark for the highest probability is that they are Afaan Oromo speaking part of our "smart foes" or of course the misguided from our own society. Otherwise, I don't see any logic, why any reasonable Oromo should campaign against tokkummaa of Oromummaa for Bilisummaa (unity based on Oromoness to achieve liberty) at this particular time of our worst condition of slavery.

I tried to understand these "Oromo" individuals opposing tokkummaa and to find out the reason they do have to be as such anti-tokkummaa. I just found the following main reasons they do pray daily as a mantra:

- "tokkummaa tokkummaa diigu hin barbaadnu (unity which dismantels unity is not needed) or what is now propagated and going on is tokkummaa sobaa ti (it is a fake unity)";

- "tokkummaa suggested and lead by obbo Leenco Lataa is fake";

- "tokkummaan Sorressa Jaarraa Abbaagadaa hin daballe, tokkummaa dhugaa miti (unity excluding Jaarraa Abbaagadaa is not true unity)";

- "WBO must not be exclusively controlled by ABO (Oromo liberation army must not be exclusively controlled by Oromo liberation front)", etc

Before trying to comment on these points of arguements, let me try to define opperationally the concepts tokkummaa (unity), oromummaa (Oromo nationalism) and bilisummaa (liberty). I do this simple job and I will repeat what I already wrote 3000x till both our "smart foes and stu*pid friends" do comprehend, if they really can or want to understand.

Tokkummaa Oromo is the unity which should take our diveristy in to consideration and Oromo nationalists must have the future democratic federal Oromia in mind. In such sense of a possible federation of Oromo people from different regions, clans and religions, tokkummaa is to be defined from the latin word foedus meaning covenant. Such tokkummaa is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal") government. In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states is typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of the central government. A covenant, in its most general signification, means any kind of promise or contract, whether it be made in writing or by parol. In a more technical sense, and the one in which it is here considered, a covenant is an agreement between two or more persons, entered into in writing and under seal, whereby either party stipulates for the truth of certain facts, or promises to perform or give something to the other, or to abstain from the performance of certain things.

In such sense, Oromo individuals or groups (based on region, clan, party and religion) should be able to forge such covenance, promise, agreement or contract in order to build a common purpose of establishing future independent federal Oromia, be it within or without a union of free nations in the region or have a covenance in order to abstain from any sort of destructive words and works which hinder Oromo from achieving the common purpose. For this free Oromia to be realized, the positive Oromo nationalism (patriotism) or oromummaa must be the common ground for all Oromo individuals and groups. What is this common identity, oromummaa (Oromo patriotism)?

Patriotism is love and devotion to one's country. The word comes from the Greek patris, meaning fatherland. Patriotism, however, has had different meanings over time, and its meaning is highly dependent upon context, geography, and philosophy. Although patriotism is used in certain vernaculars as a synonym for nationalism, nationalism is not necessarily considered an inherent part of patriotism. Among the ancient Greeks, patriotism consisted of notions concerning language, religious traditions, ethics, law, and devotion to the common good, rather than pure identification with a nation-state (nationalism is such identification). Some scholars even write that patriotism does not require one to agree with everything that his country does and would actually promote analytical questioning in a quest to make the country the best it possibly can be.

In this sense, let me take the beneficial definition, i.e patriotism as a devotion to the common good. What is the common good for Oromo at this particular time? No question moving from the hitherto garbummaa (slavery) to bilisummaa (liberty) of the future is the common good all Oromo individuals and groups need to devote to now. This devotion of Oromo, despite all the diversities in the nation, to the common good is what I would call a true oromummaa (patriotism). The tokkummaa we are now struggling for is the tokkummaa based on such oromummaa.

The ultimatum goal of this tokkummaa of oromummaa is bilisummaa in a sense of national self-determination including individual liberty. Self-determination is a process by which a group of people, usually possessing a degree of political consciousness, form their own state and government. According to the UN charter, a people has the right to form itself into a state or to otherwise determine the form of its association with another state, and every state has the right to choose its own political, economic, social, and cultural systems. Moreover, the administering authorities of dependent territories are to ensure political advancement and the development of self-government in those territories.

It is such bilisummaa of Oromo (self-determination), which needs to be taken as a common good. Additionally bilisummaa in a sence of individual liberty is to be persued in a future federal democratic Oromia within or without a union of nations in the Horn. Bilisummaa in a sense of liberty has found philosophical expression in individualism. It is the conception of the individual as having certain natural rights that could not be denied or taken away by society or by any external authority, it includes rights possessed by people living in a "state of nature" and not surrendered, only modified, in the social contract by which they agreed to live together in society. Political scientists point out that even in a "state of nature", people are subject to the law of nature and that the rights enjoyed by them in society are historically acquired and not natural except in a strictly social sense. Liberties are acquired through the joining of like-minded individuals to gain special privileges for themselves.

So if we do understand bilisummaa in such individual sense (liberty) and in collective sense (self-determination), no question that Oromo do struggle for bilisummaa in both senses. Tokkummaa based on oromummaa (respecting our diversities in region, clan, party and religion) is the best means we need to achieve the bilisummaa in the above both senses. From this perspective, we just ask who are those individuals against our tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa? As usual I do see two types of personalities behind this opposition: our "smart" foes and our "stu*pid" friends.

Then the next question is, who are those Afaan Oromo speaking people in MMTUO and those Afaan Oromo writing on Bilisummaa.com and are vehemently opposing the current move of Oromo nationalists and Oromo people to forge and consolidate this best instrument, tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa? Are they misguided Oromo with genuine arguement for they probably see any sort of danger in this tokkummaa or are they a well paid and dispatched Weyane cadres just to disurb Oromo unity for they know that this unity is the only power Oromo do have? To the cadres, I just say: you are doing good job; regarding the misguided Oromo, I would like to advice them to keep quite, if they have a position not supporting the current tokkummaa for some reason. The misguided Oromo better do no harm to their own nation rather than to be instruments of our foes knowingly or unknowingly.

Time will show who these anti-tokkummaa individuals really are, but undisputable is the importance of tokkummaa Oromo for bilisummaa we want to achieve by any means necessary. Oromo is enslaved in addition to the help our colonizers got from their Western friends, because of the fact that we gradually lost the tokkummaa we had under Gadaa rule. History shows us that the old nefxenyas could conquer Oromo by dividing and using certain parts of Oromo elites; they also ruled till 1991 by instrumentalizing again some Oromo elites. The neo-nefxenya modernized this trend of using the collaborators by organizing them under one "Oromo political party". So they tried to fool Oromo people by saying: " here you are already liberated and you are now ruled by Oromo political party".

Of course Oromo people are not as such fool to buy such insulting of our intelligence. We know the Afaan Oromo speaking Habeshas and the few previleged Oromo mercenaries in the "Oromo party" ruling Oromia are there just to keep the status quo. They keep the hitherto victories out of fearing Oromo people and inhibit further liberation movement just to benefit their masters who are in Finfinne palace. Further liberation move means a lose of the lucrative power for their masters from Tigrai. Now being very rich as they are, these Weyane elites can buy any mercenary Oromo or any Afaan Oromo speaking others to sow a discord among Oromo nationalists using the paltalks and websites as shown above. No wonder that these new nefxenyas do any thing under the sun to inhibit tokkummaa of oromummaa for biliosummaa.

Are the assertions I heared/read in MMTUO and Bilisummaa.com and I listed above the legitimate reason for the opposition by the individuals against the ongoing tokkummaa? What does "tokkummaa tokkummaa diigu hin barbaadnu" mean? Did the individuals want tokkummaa being controlled by Weyane? Is any tokkummaa not accepted by Afaan Oromo speaking and Afaan Oromo writing anti-Oromo a fake? Who are they to discredit and demonize obbo Leencoo? Did they contribute one hundredth of what he did? Are they really concerned that Jaarraa Abbaagadaa is "excluded" or did they now get another way of dividing Oromo nationalists (OLF vs ULFO)? Why do they cry and try to separate WBO from ABO, is this really healthy approach? Is it again the new way of dividing Oromo nationalists: ABO vs WBO? Let the readers answer these questions themselves, I just leave the questions as such.

Thanks Waaqayyoo/Rabbii, despite these all efforts of our "smarts and stu*pids", Oromo community all over the world is engulfed by the notion of tokkummaa and no power on the earth can hinder it. We have seen tokkummaa forged by some of our hitherto mini- liberation forces. Now we are waiting for the best breakthrough, i.e re-unification of the three factions of OLF. Of course then can follow the possible unification of OLF with ULFO and the possible cooperation of struggle with OFC and even with the true Oromo face of OPDO, i.e genuine and non-criminal Oromo nationalists in OPDO (ignoring the Weyane face of OPDO or those serving their master Weyane). Such tandem action of Oromo nationalists in OPDO, OFC, ULFO and OLF is the worst thing our enemies, be it those longing for the coming back of the old nefxenyas or those trying to keep the new nefxenas in power, can experience. So no wonder if they do everything to make sure that Oromo will not be united.

They tried the division by presenting as if there is irreconcialable difference of Kaayyoo between different liberation forces of Oromo. I hope now many Oromo nationalists (except few, who still pray the old mantra) have got the truth that there is no conflict of Kaayoo per se. I repeat it as often as possible that there is only ONE Kaayyoo-Oromo (bilisummaa in a sense of self-determination) with three possible sub-kaayyoo's (sub-goals): tactical goal/kaayyoo-tooftaa (Oromian autonomy in Ethiopian context), CORE goal/kaayyoo-ijo (Oromian independence) and strategical goal/kaayyoo-tarsimoo (union of independent nations in the region). Is this hard to understand or is it a "secret" not to be revealed to our enemies? I think, both our foes and our friends must understand what we want to achieve. This way or that way, freedom is not free! There is nothing our foes give us because of their benevolence.

We just forge tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa and then compell our colonizers in Finfinne palace to give up their subjugating grip on Oromo nation. We advice also the Amhara mass and the Tegaru mass to distance themselves from both the old nefxenyinet (war-lordism) and the new nefxeyninet respectively and struggle for the liberty (self-determination) of their respective nations, so that we can build a UNION of free nations in the Horn/empire/region for our common economical benefit. Until the great Oromo nation be free from Abyssinian colonization/domination, there will never be the required peace and stability in the Horn, for which both the Abyssinians and their Western freinds long, as a prerequisite for development. So liberation of Oromia is good not only for Oromo, but also for the other stakeholders of the region.

Last but not least, the beginning of this regional union is the tokkummaa of Oromo as a covenant for our national common good. Now it is a time for Oromo groups from diverse regions, clans, parties and religions to undertake such covenant to move together under the common identity of Oromummaa with the positive Oromo nationalism (patriotism) towards the common good, i.e bilisummaa. After achieving bilisummaa Oromo, there is nothing under the sky which can prevent the free Oromo nation and the free other neighbour nations from fostering the highly advantegeous cultural, economic and political union. I hope both our foes and friends will comprehend this move of Oromo and then accept as well as respect our legitimate move which is ultimately advantegeous for all stakeholders. That is why I dare to say tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa is not only the right way for Oromo, but also a panacea for all economic and political problems in the Horn. Otherwise, I just say, let Waaqayyoo/Rabbii open the minds of all the concerned including the oppressors so that they understand not only what is good for themselves, but what is common good for all in the region!

Galatooma!