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

To the members and supporters of the ABO, all freedom fighters and patriots of the Oromo people, and the broader Oromo nation: Welcome, and may Ebla 15, the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes of this year 2026, meet you and us alike.

The day of Ebla 15 is a solemn and honorable day. It is the day we remember the heroes who, without hesitation, gave the most precious gift of all — their lives — to break the chains of slavery, restore the dignity of nationhood, achieve freedom, manifest a homeland we once lost, and fight for the rights of Oromo. They gave their lives.

Within the great struggle for Oromo liberation, countless heroes have fallen in the front lines and advanced the fight. They waded through blood-soaked trenches. To save Oromo nationhood from extinction, to secure the Oromia that exists on the ground today, and to bring about the rights and victories the Oromo have now achieved — tens of thousands of sons and daughters of the nation, brave ones, determined and resolute ones, whose names cannot be fully counted, have joined together in the vanguard struggle of the ABO and paid the ultimate price of their lives.

From the leaders of the organization to its members and supporters, they have written a glorious history. Thousands upon thousands have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their people. All of them shine like stars in the annals of history. They will be remembered by generations forever.

The Shiniggaa Martyrdom of 1980 holds a special place in the history of the Oromo liberation struggle. It left a unique imprint on the memory of our fighters and our people.

On that day, ten senior fighters and high-ranking leaders of the ABO — from Hayyu-Duree and Itti Aanaa — were martyred together in a single location under deeply harrowing circumstances.

What made that martyrdom most honorable and unforgettable is the manner in which our beloved ones faced their end with supreme resolve. They refused to be tied back-to-back and shot by the enemy. Instead, they embraced the unity and freedom of their people, stood shoulder to shoulder, and faced death together, falling into a single grave side by side. That is why Ebla 15 was established as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes — to be remembered forever.

When the ABO decided that Ebla 15 should be commemorated as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes, we remind ourselves repeatedly that this day is not only for remembering our fallen members. It is for all Oromo sons and daughters who died resisting the enslavement of the Oromo people — whether they fell refusing oppression, were targeted by roving violence, or exposed and fought against foreign systems of domination in their various forms. Those who believed that after slavery, in different places, the burden of subjugation must be lifted from the Oromo people so that their rights might be honored as a nation — all those who fought against the oppressive system and fell as martyrs — it is for them that Ebla 15 was established as a Day of Heroes.

The Oromo nation has paid a great and heavy price in blood for its land and freedom — this is beyond dispute. The harm inflicted under oppression is incomparable, and the number of martyrs has never diminished the resolve. Because they refused oppression and being oppressed, they continue to sacrifice for their freedom.

Many Oromo have been physically wounded in the liberation struggle, and many have lost their families and property. Young and old, every segment of society — for the sake of this struggle’s goal — has paid the highest price, even the loss of family. All the fallen martyrs shine clearly in the pages of history. Their gumaa (blood tribute) is carried forward by the success of the cause for which they gave their lives.

As we honor Ebla 15, the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes, the ABO renews its message: while remembering our martyrs and renewing our resolve, fighters, members, and supporters must continue the struggle steadfastly, undeterred by any difficulties or circumstances, so that the cause for which they sacrificed may be achieved.

To all Oromo sons and daughters who believe in the just cause of the Oromo people — freedom and the right to self-determination — and to the Oromo nation as a whole, our message is this: let us all, wherever we stand, intensify the struggle by fulfilling the pledge we owe to our martyrs — to repay their gumaa with freedom.

What makes this year’s Ebla 15, the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes (2026), distinct is that the ABO has decided, for the first time in its ongoing peaceful struggle, to participate in Ethiopia’s 7th round of elections. Through this decision, the ABO is making a historic effort to achieve peace for our people and to realize the goal of Oromo liberation — the very goal for which tens of thousands of Oromo sons and daughters were martyred — without betraying their sacrifice.

To succeed in this work, members, fighters, and supporters of the ABO must work harder than before, be prepared to overcome any challenges, and affirm with one voice that we stand with our organization in every way.

To the broader Oromo nation: to achieve lasting peace, to obtain true freedom, to secure the right to self-determination and nationhood, to attain democracy and equality, and for mutual development — we call upon you to choose the ABO, the organization in which your own children have united, fought for your rights, and paid the highest price of their lives.

Choosing the ABO means fulfilling the goal of the Oromo liberation struggle — the goal for which the heroes, the sons and daughters of our nation, fought and fell. Therefore, our message is: Choose the ABO.

Ebla 15 is the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes!

The Martyred Heroes of Oromo shall be remembered forever! They shall be sung forever!

Honor and respect to our Martyred Heroes!

Victory to the broad masses!

For the Freedom of Oromia

April 14, 2026
Finfinnee