The Oromo liberation movement stands on the shoulders of countless martyrs—women, men, and children who paid the ultimate price for justice. As we honor them this April, their blood whispers a sacred charge: Never forget. Never relent.

1. The Weight of Sacrifice

• Generational Loss:
  • From the Macha-Tulama martyrs (1960s) to the Irreecha Massacre victims (2016), each death etched resilience into Oromo DNA.
  • Unmarked graves dot Oromia’s landscape—silent witnesses to state violence.
• Names That Live:
  • Comrade Bariso Wabe (Jaal Magarsa Bari) – The then OLF Chairperson (martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Gada Gamada (Damise Tachane) – The then Deputy Chairperson of the OLF (martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Abba Xiqi (Aboma Mitiku)-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Dori Bari (Yigazu Banti)-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Falmata /Umar Chachabsa-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Fafam Doyo-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Irana Qachale (Dhinsa)-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Dhadacho Boru-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Comrade Dhadacho Mulata -(martyred on April 15, 1980) and
  • Comrade Mari Galan-(martyred on April 15, 1980)
  • Baaroo Tumsaa (sacrificed his life for the freedom of the Oromo nation in 1978)
  • Haacaaluu Hundeessaa (singer, murdered 2020)
  • The 862 documented killings during the 2014–2018 protests (Ethiopian HRC report)

2. April: A Month of Fire and Memory

• Historical Flashpoints:
  • April 1974: The Derg’s crackdown on Mecha-Tulama leaders began.
  • April 1992: OLF forced into exile after elections turned violent.
  • April 2014: Student protests sparked the #OromoProtests movement.
• Rituals of Remembrance:
  • Candlelight vigils at Finfinnee Square (despite bans)
  • Secret weedduu (prayers) at riverbanks, invoking martyrs’ names
  • Art as Resistance: Poets recite geerarsa (praise songs) for the fallen.

3. “Their Blood Waters Our Resolve”

The martyrs’ legacy demands more than grief—it demands action:

• Protect the Living:
  • Support political prisoners (e.g., Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba).
  • Document abuses via OLLAA (Oromo Legacy Leadership & Advocacy Association).
• Amplify Their Stories:
  • Teach children about Madda Walaabuu (Oromo origin site) and its defenders.
  • Screen banned films like “The Oromo Martyr” in underground screenings.
• Internationalize the Struggle:
  • Pressure the UN to investigate the 2016 Irreecha killings.
  • Demand #JusticeForHaacaaluu at global forums.

4. A Vow to the Fallen

“We will not let your death be a period—only a comma in our people’s story.”

• Farmers sow seeds where activists fell.
• Artists tattoo martyr’s names on their skin.
• Mothers whisper “Bilisummaa” (freedom) over newborns.

This April, we remember not with tears, but with tightened fists.
Qabsoon itti fufa—The struggle continues.