FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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PRESS RELEASE

The Blood Tribute of the Heroes: Advanced by the Oromo Liberation Struggle

Ebla 15 – Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes – Official Message from the Oromo Liberation Front (ABO)

Finfinnee – April 14, 2026

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TO: Members and Supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (ABO), All Freedom Fighters and Patriots of the Oromo People, and the Broader Oromo Nation

SUBJECT: Commemoration of Ebla 15 – Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes (2026)

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The Oromo Liberation Front (ABO) extends its greetings to all members, supporters, freedom fighters, patriots, and the entire Oromo nation on the occasion of **Ebla 15, the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes for the year 2026**.

1. Significance of Ebla 15

Ebla 15 is a day of profound solemnity and honor. It serves as the annual commemoration of those heroes who, without hesitation, sacrificed their lives to:

– Break the chains of subjugation;

– Restore the dignity of Oromo nationhood;

– Achieve freedom and self-determination;

– Manifest a homeland long denied; and

– Defend the inalienable rights of the Oromo people.

2. Historical Background of the Day

The designation of Ebla 15 as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes finds its origin in the **Shiniggaa Martyrdom of 1980**, a pivotal event in the history of the Oromo liberation struggle. On that day, ten senior fighters and high-ranking leaders of the ABO — including those from the Hayyu-Duree and Itti Aanaa leadership structures — were martyred together under harrowing circumstances.

What rendered this event uniquely honorable was the manner of their martyrdom. The fallen heroes refused to be bound back-to-back and executed by enemy forces. Instead, they embraced the cause of unity and freedom for their people, stood shoulder to shoulder, and faced death collectively, falling into a single grave. It is in recognition of this supreme sacrifice that Ebla 15 was established as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes, to be remembered by generations forever.

3. Scope of Commemoration

The ABO emphasizes that Ebla 15 is not limited to commemorating only its own fallen members. Rather, it honors **all Oromo sons and daughters** who have perished in the struggle against the enslavement of the Oromo people — whether they fell in direct confrontation, were targeted by state-sponsored violence, or succumbed to various forms of foreign domination. All who fought against the oppressive system and sacrificed their lives for the rights and dignity of the Oromo nation are equally honored on this day.

4. The Price of Liberation

The Oromo nation has paid an immense and irreplaceable price in blood for its land and freedom. Countless individuals have suffered physical wounds, lost family members, and forfeited their property. From the youngest to the oldest, every segment of Oromo society has contributed to this struggle. The martyrs — whose names cannot be fully enumerated — shine eternally in the annals of history. Their *gumaa* (blood tribute) is carried forward by the success of the cause for which they gave their lives.

5. Renewed Commitment of the ABO

As the ABO commemorates Ebla 15, the organization renews its call to all fighters, members, and supporters: continue the struggle with unwavering resolve, undeterred by any difficulties or circumstances, so that the cause for which the martyrs sacrificed may be fully achieved. The ABO further reaffirms its commitment to a peaceful struggle, even as it honors those who fell in battle.

6. Electoral Participation – A Historic Decision

The commemoration of Ebla 15 in 2026 carries distinct significance. For the first time in its history, the ABO has decided to participate in **Ethiopia’s 7th round of national elections**. This decision reflects the organization’s strategic commitment to:

– Achieve lasting peace for the Oromo people;

– Realize the goals of the Oromo liberation struggle — the very goals for which tens of thousands of Oromo sons and daughters were martyred; and

– Pursue all available peaceful avenues without betraying the sacrifice of the fallen.

To succeed in this endeavor, the ABO calls upon its members, fighters, and supporters to work with greater dedication than ever before, to remain prepared to overcome all challenges, and to stand united in support of the organization.

7. Call to the Oromo Nation

The ABO addresses the broader Oromo nation with the following appeal: to achieve lasting peace, to obtain true freedom, to secure the right to self-determination and nationhood, to attain democracy and equality, and to foster mutual development — choose the ABO. It is the organization in which your own children have united, fought for your rights, and paid the highest price with their lives.

Choosing the ABO means fulfilling the very goal of the Oromo liberation struggle — the goal for which the heroes, the sons and daughters of the Oromo nation, fought and fell.

8. Concluding Affirmations

– Ebla 15 is the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes.

– The Martyred Heroes of Oromo shall be remembered forever; they shall be honored forever.

– Honor and respect to our Martyred Heroes.

– Victory to the broad masses.

– For the Freedom of Oromia.

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Issued by:

The Oromo Liberation Front (ABO)

Date: April 14, 2026

Location: Finfinnee