Abdii Boruutiin*

Akkuma yaadatamu dhiyoo kana Afaan Ingiliziitiin “PANNEL DISCUSSION – What is Next for the Oromo people?” kan jedhamu mariin tokko biyya Ameerikaa magaalaa Minessota keessati godhamee ture. Meediyaalees ta’ee marsaalee gara garaa irratti kan dhaga’amaa fi argamaa jirus waayee’uma kana ilaalchisee ti. Marii sana jalqabaa hamma dhumaatti hordofuu dhaaf carraa hin arganne. Kutaa tokko tokko garuu hubachuu yaaleen ture. Anis barruu kiyya kan har’aa marii’uma kana wajjin walqabsiiseen dhiyeessa.

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Hundaa dura namoota yeroo dheeraaf waltajjii akkanaa irratti hin argin arguu koof gammachuun natti dhagayame guddoo ta’uu ibsa. Kanaafis qopheessitoota teessuma kanaa galateeffadha.

Haasaya kiyya Afaan Oromootin qopheesse; nu wal malee fira biraa hedduu akka hin qabne waan beekuufi.

Hegeree sabaa malkaa gamatti raaganii arguun hafee, kanuma nama tokkootuu, duumessaa fi waca yerootin duubatti fageessanii laalanii arguun ni ulfaata.

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This is the speech given by Obbo Abrahim Abbayyee of OLF at the OACC 4th Annual International Conference on Human Rights.

Obboleeyyan ilmaan Oromoo, firoota Oromoo har’a asitti argamttan fi kanneen karaa addaddaa walgahii kana irraa qooda fudhachaa jirttan,

Hunda dura Obboleeyyan qophee kana qindeessanii akka nuti irratti argamnnee qooda keenya gumaachinu nu afreeran galateeffachuun fedha. Mareen akkasii, bakka Oromoon itti walga’u hundatti, kanneen akka waldaa hawaasaa, OSA, waldaa dargaggoo fi kkf keessatti irra deedeebi’ame osoo qindaa’ee qabsicha ni gargaara jennee yaadina.

Xalayaan afeerraa OACC irraa nu dhaqqabe haala yeroo ammatti QnBO keessa jiru erga xiinxalee booda akka irratti yaada keenya dhiheessinu nu gaafate. Akka xiinxal kanaatti: (1) Oromummaan naannummaa, gosummaa, amantiin gargar-ba’uun bakka bu’aa jira;

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This excerpt is from the paper that Dr. Jalata presented at the 4th International Human Rights Conference organized by the Minnesota-based Oromo-American Citizens’ Council (OACC) in Minneapolis on March 13, 2010.

By Dr. Asafa Jalata*

The future of the Oromo people depends on what the Oromo liberation and political organizations and society will do to assure the survivability of the Oromo nation and its liberation from Ethiopian colonialism. The Oromo people have achieved what I have mentioned above by the determination and sacrifices of a few nationalist Oromos. Had millions of Oromos practically contributed their fare shares to the Oromo national movement, the level of the Oromo struggle would have been on the highest level or Oromia would have achieved its liberation. Furthermore, there are still millions of mercenary Oromos who are bleeding their nation by serving the enemies of the Oromo people. As I have already mentioned, some Oromo elites have promoted clan, regional or religious politics.

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The UN Human Rights Council conducted Ethiopia’s Universal Periodic Review at its 13th Session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday, March 19, 2010. Several governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) were participants at the Review.

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Mr. Garoma Wakessa, Executive Director of the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA), presented concern about the massive land grabs and their consequences in Ethiopia and sub-Saharan African countries at the UN Human Rights Council 13th Session now meeting in Geneva (March 1-26, 2010). Here’s the video of Mr. Wakessa’s presentation – from March 15, 2010; and a transcript of his speech is given below.
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By Fayyis Oromia*

Thanks to OACC (Oromo-American Citizens’ Council), to its sponsors and to OPride.com/Gadaa.com, we followed the panel discussion, which took place in Minessota last weekend.

The panelists were individual Oromo scholars and Oromo political leaders from the three factions of OLF, from OFC and from COPLF. It was a nice start for further unification of Oromo liberation forces, specially it was encouraging and uplifting to see the leaders from different groups speaking from the same podium and sitting side by side to respond to the questions raised by the public. All in the conference went good, except my disappointment by not hearing an explicit unity of Kaayyoo (unity of goal or unity of purpose) from the leaders of our liberation fronts. This disappointment does not include the leader of the federalists at home (OFC), who has already done his homework in uniting the major Oromo federalist parties.

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By Qeerransoo Biyyaa*

Top – from left to right: Dr. Fido Ebba, OLF; Dr. Merara Gudina, OPC and Medrek; Obbo Abduljalil Abdella, COPLF;       Dr. Ezekiel Gebissa, Kettering University – Assistant Professor. Bottom – from left to right: Obbo Hassan Hussein, OLF; Rev. Dr. Gemechis Buba, Oromo Evangelical Churches;       Obbo Abrahim Abaye, OLF; Dr. Asafa Jalata, University of Tennessee – Associate Professor.

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Opening Speech of Mr. Robsan Itana, the Chairman of the Oromo-American Citizens’ Council (OACC) at the 4th Annual OACC Annual Conference on March 13, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN.

Good afternoon,

On behalf of the Oromo-American Citizens’ Council, I would like to welcome honored speakers, guests, friends, brothers and sisters to this historic conference. WELCOME!

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Mr. Gebru Asrat and Mr. Andualem Arage represented Medrek, the major opposition coalition challenging the one-party Zenawi regime at the upcoming election in May 2010. The debate topic: Good Governance, Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

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By Jawar Mohammed

The honorable Bulcha Demeksa, a founding Chairman of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) and a vocal member of the Ethiopian Parliament, announced his retirement from politics when his term ended in June 2010.

On March 9, 2010, Mr. Bulcha told Namoo Daandii of the Voice of America (VOA) that he tried his best to fight for the right of the Oromo people, equality of all people and establishment of a just and democratic system in Ethiopia.

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Gadaa.com conducted an interview with a young Oromo political analyst and social commentator, Mr. Jawar Mohammed, about his childhood, political views and visions. He also shared his views on the state of politics in Ethiopia and the Horn, the Oromo struggle and the upcoming election. Here’s the interview.

Gadaa.com: Tell us about yourself.

Jawar Mohammed (JM): I grew up in Dhummugaa, a small rural town on the Arsi-Hararge border in Oromia. I think of Dhummugaa as my hometown – the place where I came of age and where I attended elementary school until I got kicked out and left for Asella. There, I went to a Catholic school for a year and Cilaalo secondary school for another year until I once again had to move to Adama, where I took my high school national exam.

From there, I won a scholarship to attend the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore, where I studied Afaan Oromoo and other subjects. Upon completion of my studies there, I came to Stanford for my undergraduate degree and graduated this past June. Currently, I have just completed an internship in Washington, DC; and I am now conducting an independent research. I plan to start graduate school this coming September.

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2009 Human Rights Report: Ethiopia

U.S. State Department
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010

Ethiopia is a federal republic led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The population is estimated at 77 million. In the 2005 parliamentary elections, the EPRDF won a majority of seats to remain the ruling party for a third consecutive five-year term. In local and by-elections held in April 2008, the EPRDF and allied parties took virtually all of the more than three million open seats contested nationwide. Prior to the vote, ruling coalition agents and supporters used coercive tactics and manipulation of the electoral process, including intimidation of opposition candidates and supporters. Political parties were predominantly ethnically based, and opposition parties remained splintered. During the year fighting between government forces, including local militias, and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), an ethnically based, nationalist, insurgent movement operating in the Somali Region, resulted in continued allegations of human rights abuses, particularly diversion of food aid from intended beneficiaries suffering from a severe drought. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were numerous instances in which elements within those forces acted independently of government authority.

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The state-owned ENA reported the following.

Addis Ababa, March 9, 2010 (Addis Ababa) – Bob Geldof said in Nairobi, Kenya that donor organizations involved in the distribution of relief in 19984/85 famine in Ethiopia at the time had condemned BBC’s recent allegation while discussing with Prime Minister Meles Zeanwi on Monday.

BBC’s allegation alleges that millions of pounds raised through Bob Geldof’s Live Aid concerts were diverted to fund rebel military operations in northern Ethiopia.

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By Tizita Belachew
Washington, D.C. – VOA Horn of African Service

Horn of Africa reporters have been tracing the aggressive entry of foreign investors who have leased from Ethiopian government large tracts of arable land. Reporter Tizita Belachew gives an overview of what some critics have called the “new colonialism.”

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Photo/Story: AddisFortune.com
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Mr. Sebhat Nega – affectionately called Abboy Sebhat by his supporters, is the most influential member of TPLF – even more than Mr. Meles Zenawi, who’s also Mr. Nega’s nephew. Mr. Nega was interviewed about EFFORT in June 2009. In the interview, he has disclosed what business areas TPLF had involved in during its rebel years.

Some say the recent BBC exposé about TPLF’s famine aid scam is old story and not relevant to the present. They add, “BBC has just exposed to the world a story that’s 25-years old;” that’s because, without looking at EFFORT, the REST spin-off, the story won’t be complete and current.

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The OSA (Oromo Studies Association) 2010 Call for Proposals is now open!

The 2010 Oromo Studies Association’s 24th Annual Meeting will be held July 31st and August 1st at the campus of the Howard University, Washington, D.C.. This year’s Annual Conference theme is “Oromia and East Africa in the 21st Century: Rethinking the Urgency of Paradigm Shift for Democracy, Human Rights and Social Injustice in the Age of Intensified Globalization.” We have deliberately chosen a theme that is broad enough to accommodate wide-ranging interests, but we propose the following sub-themes as a guide:

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Call for the Resignation of the Co-Chair of the UN’s Climate Financing Group over Famine Aid Abuse

An exposé broadcast on BBC World Service reports how aid money earmarked to help the famine victims of 1984/85 in northern Ethiopia, Tigray, was diverted to purchase weapons by TPLF rebels while hundreds and thousands were in need of food.

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An exposé broadcast on BBC World Service reports how aid money earmarked to help the famine victims of 1984/85 in northern Ethiopia, Tigray, was diverted to purchase weapons by TPLF rebels while hundreds and thousands were in need of food.

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An exposé broadcast on BBC World Service reports about how aid money earmarked to help the famine victims of 1984/85 in northern Ethiopia, Tigray, was diverted to purchase weapons by TPLF rebels while hundreds and thousands were in need of food.

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According to a news report posted on its website, the Oromo Liberation Front claims putting 54 troops out of action in Eastern Oromia. Here’s an excerpt of the report.

The hope and shield of the Oromo people, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) Eastern Command, reported that our gallant freedom fighters have put over 54 Woyane [Ethiopian] invading troops out of action in a two-day operation at two separate locations in Western Harargee zone on February 18, 2010 and February 25, 2010, OLF News correspondents reported from Eastern Oromia.

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Here’s an excerpt of a letter from Senator Russ Feingold, the chair of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Africa. The letter is addressed to the U.S. President, Mr. Barack Obama.

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Feingold Statement on the Fragile State of Democracy in Africa

For the Congressional Record

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