I Wish Dr. Abiy be Effective Dictator Like Meles, If Not as Good Democrat as Fayyis!

I Wish Dr. Abiy be Effective Dictator Like Meles, If Not as Good Democrat as Fayyis!

When I now see extremist Neo- Naftagnas barking louder than they can bite under the regime of Dr. Abiy, who tried to appeace and serve them for the last five years at the cost of Oromoo liberation movement, I just remembered Aite Meles Zenawi. Dictator Meles was very effective dictator, so that the Naftagnas had no chance to [deleted], let alone to bark. Dr. Abiy betrayed the Oromoo cause just to please his brothers in law and sisters in law, but earned such contempt from them. He gave them freedom to be organized and do what ever they can against Oromo nationalists. Because of their advice and consultation, Dr. Abiy imprisoned OLF and OFC leaders as well as bombarded OLA and the Oromo in Guji and Wallaga. Had it been any genuine Oromo nationalist in power at Finfinne palace, the Naftagnas could have accepted, respected and aknowledged Oromo’s legitimate rights including the leadership of Oromiffa/Oromummaa and ownership of Finfinne already five years ago. Dr. Abiy has yet a chance to correct his mistake. He Just need to reconcile absolutely with the OLA/OLF and OFC, release all Oromo nationalists from prison and take necessary steps to put the Naftagnas under control. He has to answer the key Oromo questions like promoting Afaan Oromo to primary working language of the federation, bringing back Wallo to Oromia and putting Finfinne under administration of Oromia immediately without any hesitation. He better be an effective dictator like Meles Zenawi, if not as good democrat as Fayyis Oromia.

Several months a go I wrongly wrote that Dr. Abiy already got Fayyisized. If you want to be really inclusive democrat, get fayyisized! Interestingly, the MIS (Medemer, Ida’amu & Sinergy) principle of Dr. Abiy is what Fayyis Oromia used to write for several years. The main message is that Finfinne being our heart and Oromia (Gadaa country) our body, we can expand our sphere of influence towards the whole Ethiopia (Great Oromia = Oropia), the Horn (Greater Oromia), Africa (Greatest Oromia) and the World (Global Oromia). This is one of Oromo’s Gadaa principle of inclusiveness aka Guddifachaa and Moggaafachaa! Dr. Abiy called it Medemer= Ida’amu = Synergy. But, now I feel disappointed by observing the fact that Abiy and co strive to keep the hitherto dominance of Amharigna and Amharanet through maintenance of Naftagna’s dictatorship, instead of promoting Oromiffa and Oromumma to their natural leading primary position by means of democratization. All Ethiopian polity in general and Oromo elites in particular can be classified in to 10 categories based on their political view regarding freedom of their people and sovereignty of their land.To describe the ten types and show their position, let me use Odaa tree as a metaphor. Imagine Odaa with two legs and one junction of its stem from which seven branches sprout. Put at left leg Ethio-dictators, at right leg Ethno-dictators, at the junction inclusive Democrats, on the far left branch Ethio-centeralists, next to it Ethio-referendists, at center left Ethio-federalists, at the middle Dual-federalists, at center right Ethno-federalists, next to it Ethno-referendists and at far right Ethno-separatists.

To elaborate the Oromo elites more:

O-1 are Ethio-dictators like Mengistu H/Mariam, who nostalgically wish to re-establish Derg style assimilative Ethiopia and want to keep Ethioian unity by force; such elites are comfortable in accepting and assuming to be Amharanized. Oromo elites in Ezema of Dr Berhanu belong here.

O-2 are Ethno-dictators like Muktar Kedir, who adore Woyane’s apartheid Ethiopia and want to bring back the TPLF domination as well as try to achieve ethnic rule by any means. Dr. Abiy and co in EPP are the continuation of such forces.

O-3 are Inclusive Democrats like Fayyis Oromia, who vehmently reject the above two dictatorial positions, but support the following seven visions of Oromo freedom fighters. I thought Dr. Abiy seems to promote this view of Fayyis, but regretedly wrong. Who ever wants to be inclusive democrat can get Fayyisized.

O-4 are Ethio-centeralist freedom fighters like Haile Fida, who wanted to forge centeralized democratic Ethiopia in which the Oromo play our legitimate role of majority being free from any sort of domination and marginalization.

O-5 are Ethio-refendists like Birtukan Midhagsa, who persued the idea of having referendum on centeralized Ethiopia vs geo-federalized Ethiopia after freedom from the system of domination.

O-6 are Ethio-federalists like Andargachew Tsige, who believe in geo-federation as an optimal solution after freedom.

O-7 are Dual-federalists like Marara Gudina (once I heard him saying ethnic federalism is not bad, but the Oromo should not die for it; as far as there is freedom, the Oromo get no disadvantage from geo-federation), who are open for both geo-federalism and ethnic federalism.

O-8 are Ethno-federalists like Bulcha Damaqsa, who advocate for ethnic federalism as best type of sovereignty after our freedom.

O-9 are Ethno-referendists like Daud Ibsa, who promote self-determination in a form of public verdict on ethnic federation vs independence.

O-10 are Ethno-separatists like Galasaa Dilbo, who fight for an independent republic of Oromia unconditionally.

The first two groups are reactionary anti-freedom movements, the last seven are all freedom fighters and the third position is inclusive to help the freedom fighters agree on their common agenda – freedom and then leave the decision on the post-freedom type of sovereignty for public decision. Dr. Abiy initially inviting all spectrum of political movements to participate in Ethiopian politics supported this view. But now he betrayed the Oromo liberation forces and opted to serve Naftagna System of domination. Furthermore, recent events have crystallized the normally cloudy Ethiopian political spectrum; clear distinctions have emerged among the various forces playing major roles in Ethiopian (Great Oromian = Oropian) politics: the opposition camp (comprising of Unitarists and Federalists), the rebel camp (Unionists and “Secessionists”) as well as the camp hitherto in power (Hegemonists).

One of the major revelations of this spectrum is that the hegemonists had other middle-seeking competitors, namely the federalists like in Medrek as well as the unionists in PAFD. It is to be noted that, for about 27 years, the TPLF has been colliding elements in the unitarist camp with elements in “secessionist” camp so that it can be regarded as an inevitable “arbitrator” in the middle between these two uncompromising camps. As Medrek and PAFD emerged as middle forces mobilizing peoples in Ethiopia from north to south, from west to east based on policy of consensus, TPLF has sensed that as a threat and sided with extreme unitarist elements to derail the democratization process based on real (true) language-based federalism principles inside one Ethiopia, as stated in Medrek’s political program. “Secessionists” are simply unionist liberation fronts, which opt for unconditional independence because of the position of unitarists and hegemonists, who try to block free move of nations in the direction of true language-based federation and constructive union.

Otherwise, we have never heard or read member organizations in such fronts explicitly opposing possible future union of free peoples in this globalized world. They are simply frustrated ones, who are accused by TPLF as “secessionist” because of their legitimate demand for national liberation. Potentially, this group can be inline being positioned between Federalists and Unionists considering the short-goal, middle-goal and long-goal of Oromo liberation movement. Federalists are for the first goal, “Secessionists” for the second and Unionists for the third. Unitarists also talk about federalism, but their version of federalism is geography based, and they mainly aim to dismantle Oromia. Additionally, they vehemently oppose the right to be politically organized as mono-national party. They claim to be multi-national party even though they are de facto nationalist organization promoting Amhara national interest.

The difference between Federalists and Unionists is that the federalists want to achieve regional Ethiopian union before or without national sovereignty like Oromia’s independence (it is pre-independence union), whereas the Unionists want to promote a regional union after or with national sovereignty (post-independence union). According to unionists, it is only the free will of liberated nations/peoples which should give up certain part of national sovereignty for the sake of common regional benefit, just as nations in European Union gave up certain part of their sovereignty to forge EU. I think Dr. Abiy could have chosen this inclusive democratic move in order to have such benevolent result. Unfortunately, he opted to support the Neo-Naftagnas and crack down on genuine Oromo nationalists. Any one, who believes in the inclusive approach of Fayyis Oromia can get fayyisized. How ever long it may take is, the Oromo shall own our Finfinne, rule ourselves in Oromia and share our part at levels of Ethiopia (Oropia), the Horn, Africa and the Globe. May Waaqa help all of us!

Galatooma