Oromo Community in Victoria Marks New Year’s Eve with Vigil for Fallen Fighters, Vows to Continue Struggle

VICTORIA – In a gathering marked by both reflection and resolve, members and supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)-Konyaa ABO Victoria convened on December 31, 2025, to usher in the new year. The event, characterized by shared meals and quiet conversation, transcended a typical celebration, becoming a vigil for those lost in the long-running conflict in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.

The atmosphere blended familiar camaraderie with what participants described as a “profound and collective gravity.” Speakers framed the evening as a confluence of two powerful themes: the universal hope of a new beginning and the specific, solemn remembrance of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and its sacrifices since its founding.

The emotional core of the evening was the acknowledgment of those sacrifices. An elder’s voice resonated through the hall with a simple, powerful prayer: “God bless our sons who sacrificed for us.” This sentiment connected the diaspora community directly to the personal losses endured by families across Oromia.

The acknowledgment took on a sharper, more political edge from current Oromo fighters present. One stated plainly, “We were able to come out in the open because of the sacrifices of a few people.” The remark highlighted a perception that their ability to gather publicly was a hard-won space, paid for by others’ lives.

This reflection on the past quickly pivoted to a commitment for the future. Organizers reported that the celebration evolved into a collective covenant. The final, prevailing message to emerge was a call to continue the struggle with the explicit aim of ending the cycle of sacrifice.

“The ultimate honor to the fallen,” a summary of the closing remarks noted, “is not just in remembrance, but in forging a future where such sacrifices are no longer required.” The evening concluded, balancing the joy of community, the sorrow of memory, and a reinforced determination to continue their political journey.

The OLF, and its armed wing the OLA, have been engaged in a protracted conflict with the Ethiopian federal government, fighting for what they describe as the self-determination and rights of the Oromo people, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group. The event in Victoria underscores how the diaspora community remains deeply engaged with the political and human cost of the ongoing situation in Oromia.

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About OLF-Konyaa ABO Victoria: A chapter representing the views and objectives of the Oromo Liberation Front within the Oromo diaspora community in Victoria.