Oromia Global Forum
6909 Laurel Ave, Suite 5219
Tacoma Park, MD20913
Email: oromiaglobalforum@gmail.com
Phone: 612-483-0161

To All Oromos Around The Globe,

Dear respected sisters and brothers,

We, the Oromia Global Forum (OGF), a global alliance of Oromo Civic, Professional and Faith-Based Organizations and individual proponents of Human Rights, residing in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa are writing this letter to you out of grave concern and fear for the future of the Oromo Nation. Our mission is to enhance Oromo unity, discuss, analyze and deliberate on man-made and natural disasters as well as human rights abuses plaguing the Oromo nation, and design strategies to mitigate the plights of our people.

OGF’s values are based on the egalitarian Gadaa System of the Oromo nation, in which the dignity of all human beings is equally respected and defended, irrespective of their color, culture and creed. OGF advocates for the protection and promotion of all human rights in Oromia and beyond. OGF upholds and defends the moral and ethical values of the Oromo nation, in which all human beings are equally treated, truth is defended and justice is served without discrimination. Furthermore, Oromia Global Forum (OGF) stands for, and defends Oromo national unity, integrity of Oromia, equality of its citizens, freedom of expression, social justice, self-determination and respect all forms of diversity in our society. We would like to kindly inform you that this letter of ours is based on these social, moral, ethical and human values of our Organization.

Dear respected sisters and brothers,

As you know, the Oromo nation has been impoverished and victimized since the occupation of Oromia by Abyssinian warlords. Despite uninterrupted resistance of the Oromo people to regain its liberty and dignity, the end goal has not yet been achieved. Thousands of Oromo youth paid heavy sacrifices to topple the TPLF government in a peaceful resistance between 2014-18. However, even though the resistance succeeded in removing the oppressive TPLF-led EPRDF regime, the group that took over did not make matters any better for the Oromo people. Conditions have become worse for the Oromo people. The Oromo people continued to be exploited, incarcerated, tortured, dehumanized and killed by the Abyssinian clique camouflaged as Oromo Government. Thousands are languishing in the prison chambers. West and South Oromia are under military rule for more than two years. The government has cut off communications: land lines, cell phones, the internet and other basic services to allow its soldiers free hand to torture and kill our people at will, and hide the crimes perpetrated.

Oromo students in colleges and universities are harassed, beaten and killed. Unspecified number of Oromo students are jailed in Amhara zones. More than 35,000 Oromo students are dismissed from colleges and universities around the country and languishing in cities and towns without any support. These students cannot even go back to their villages because of the war. Some of the villages are burnt down to the ground. Their parents are forcefully displaced and running away from their homes.

The Oromia Global Forum(OGF) is undertaking campaigns to expose the crimes committed by Ethiopian government, telling the international community the true Oromo stories, the sufferings of our people by writing letters to the heads of governments, parliamentarians, governmental and non-governmental officials, and by organizing media campaigns, public rallies (demonstrations) and issuing press releases from time to time.

Dear respected sisters and brothers,

As you know, the challenges facing our nation are intensifying daily. Daughters and mothers are raped. Young people are killed. Mothers are killed. Fathers are killed. Elders are killed. The dead bodies of our people are disposed into the bushes and eaten by hyena. To make the matters worse, the government of Ethiopia has illegally and forcefully extended its term in office for unlimited period to continue killing our people for unlimited time.

If we don’t not act collectively and promptly against these crimes, our nation is facing existential threat. The Oromia Global Forum believes, to avert the looming danger, all Oromos around the globe need to streamline and consolidate our efforts and resources; and act collectively and effectively.

To this effect, we respectfully and humbly invite you, the Oromo people: farmers, students, teachers, business women and men, pastors, pastoralists, sheks, activists, intellectuals, religious scholars and leaders, the media, Oromo youth (Qeerroo fi Qarree – the engine of Oromo national movement), etc. to join our hands and act together, so that we can collectively defend our nation, enhance our voices for our people and contribute to the creation of free, peaceful, and prosperous Oromia. Moreover, you are cordially invited to join us on the launching conference of Oromia Global Forum, on July 18, 2020.

We value your commitment, your cooperation and contribution, sacrificing your time, energy and other resources.

Respectfully,

Oromia Global Forum: a global alliance of Oromo Civic, Professional and Faith-Based Organizations

Signatories

1. Advocacy4Oromia
2. Bilal Oromo Dawa Center
3. Canaan Oromo Evangelical Church
4. Charismatic International Fellowship Church
5. Gaadisa Sabboontottaa KP
6. Global Gumii Oromia
7. Global Oromo Advocacy Group
8. Global Waaqeffannaa Council
9. Horn of Africa Genocide Watch
10. Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa
11. International Oromo Women’s Organization
12. International Qeerroo Support Group
13. Mana Kiristaanaa Fayyisaa Addunyaa
14. Oromo Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
15. Oromo Communities’ Association of North America
16. Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church of Washington DC Metropolitan Area
17. Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society
18. Oromo Human Rights and Relief Organization
19. Oromo Legacy, Leadership and Advocacy Association
20. Oromo Lutheran Church of Baltimore
21. Oromo Parliamentarians Council
22. Oromo Political Prisoners Association
23. Oromia Support Group
24. Oromo Studies Association
25. Tawfiq Islamic Center
26. Union of Oromo Communities in Canada
27. United Oromo Evangelical Church
28. Washington DC Metropolitan Oromo SDA Church

Melbourne, 19 June 2020

At the threshold of the historic moment when the official transfer of power was conducted, on behalf of the Advocacy for Oromia (A4O), I take this opportunity to convey our congratulations and profound good wishes to the Sidama nation who have been struggling for freedom and equality over the past several decades. Indeed, it is a matter of great joy that at last the great day has come, the day of freedom for which the Sidama nation has yearned.

In 2002, our heart bled with you when the late dictator, Meles Zenawi, unleashed his local surrogate on you who indiscriminately mowed you down with machine guns at Loqe. In July 2019, our heart bled with you when government forces mowed you down simply to deny you what you earned today. Your peaceful resistance, endurance and finally your success is an exemplary model for other peoples in Ethiopia who struggle to freely exercise the rights granted to them by the constitution but denied by the very government that claims to protect its people. At this moment of your freedom, the A4O is thankful for all those who have paid heavy sacrifice and is proud to stand with all those who have supported the struggle of Sidama nation.

As Sidama state is entering into the first years of National Self-Rule, we are aware that the new nation will be confronted with the daunting problems of painful political oppression and economic exploitation, healing of people traumatized by conflict, reconstructing a battered infrastructure, restoring its economy, ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law and improving the people’s standard of living. While the new Regional State of Sidama will have to face enormous challenges as it seeks to find its place as a free nation, it is also imperative that the people of Sidama who struggled for freedom and equality should not be denied the historic opportunity to start a new chapter in their nation’s history, marked by peace with justice. It is our hope that the leaders and people of Sidama will make every effort to ensure peace and stability in the new era.

Advocacy for Oromia is aware that the continuing role of the camaraderie movement is to accompany the people of Sidama in solidarity as they take up the many challenges and tasks of nation-building. It is also our sincere hope that the Sidama nation, with the support of the regional and international community, will take immediate steps to resolve the outstanding issues and to lay the foundation for a viable Sidama Regional state at peace.

Please accept our very best wishes for the bright and peaceful future of your state and nation.

Yours sincerely,

Dabessa Gemelal

Director

Advocacy for Oromia

Oromia Global Forum
6909 Laurel Ave, Suite 5219
Tacoma Park, MD20913
Email: oromiaglobalforum@gmail.com
Phone: 612-483-0161

Congratulations: To Our Sidama Brothers and Sisters

Friday, June 19, 2020

We, the Global Oromia Forum, a global alliance of Oromo Civic, Professional and Faith-Based Organizations and individual proponents of Human Rights, residing in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa extend our heartfelt congratulations to our brothers and sisters of the Sidama nation.

For millennia, the Sidama and the Oromo peoples share common border, history, culture, religious world views and mutually intelligible languages. We shared a long history of living together and learned the benefits of peaceful coexistence. We developed a strong sense of brotherhood and stood shoulder to shoulder during our happiest and saddest moments. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, we both bled together when a brutal conqueror struck us and took our lands, enslaved our people and subjected survivors to painful political oppression and economic exploitation that continued unabated under successive Ethiopian regimes. You have staged peaceful resistance since the very first day of the conquest but Ethiopian rulers responded brutally at every instance.

In 2002, our heart bled with you when the late dictator, Meles Zenawi, unleashed his local surrogate on you who indiscriminately mowed you down with machine guns at Loqe. In July 2019, our heart bled with you when government forces mowed you down simply to deny you what your earned today. Your peaceful resistance, endurance and finally your success is an exemplary model for other peoples in Ethiopia who struggle to freely exercise the rights granted to them by the constitution but denied by the very government that claims to protect its people.

Once again we congratulate you in your success and we are confident that you will convert your political victory into an economic one by tapping into your resources and raise your people from poverty to which they were subjected for over one hundred years. You are now in control of your fate that espouses greater responsibility and now is your opportunity to develop your brand new state, lay democratic institutions and become a model democracy in the region engulfed with conflicts. We at the Global Oromia Forum are strongly confident that with this remarkable victory you will prove the doubters wrong and become a role model for the rest of us.

Once again, Congratulations for the hard-won victory.

Oromia Global Forum: a global alliance of Oromo Civic, Professional and Faith-Based Organizations

Signatories

1. Advocacy4Oromia

2. Bilal Oromo Dawa Center

3. Canaan Oromo Evangelical Church

4. Charismatic International Fellowship Church

5. Gaadisa Sabboontottaa KP

6. Global Gumii Oromia

7. Global Oromo Advocacy Group

8. Global Waaqeffannaa Council

9. Horn of Africa Genocide Watch

10. Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa

11. International Oromo Women’s Organization

12. International Qeerroo Support Group

13. Mana Kiristaanaa Fayyisaa Addunyaa

14. Oromo Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church

15. Oromo Communities’ Association of North America

16. Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church of Washington DC Metropolitan Area

17. Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society

18. Oromo Human Rights and Relief Organization

19. Oromo Legacy, Leadership and Advocacy Association

20. Oromo Lutheran Church of Baltimore

21. Oromo Parliamentarians Council

22. Oromo Political Prisoners Association

23. Oromia Support Group

24. Oromo Studies Association

25. Tawfiq Islamic Center

26. Union of Oromo Communities in Canada

27. United Oromo Evangelical Church

28. Washington DC Metropolitan Oromo SDA Church