Hundreds gather to honor fallen heroes, raise banned flag, and renew calls for justice and peace on Ebla 15

By Maatii Sabaa
GULLALLE, FINFINNE – April 15, 2026 (Ebla 15)

GULLALLE – Hundreds of Oromo men, women, and youth gathered today at the Head Office of the ABO (Arsi, Bale, Oromo organization) in the Gullalle district of Addis Ababa to observe Guyyaa Gootota Wareegamtoota Oromoo (Oromo Martyrs and Heroes Day), an annual commemoration held on Ebla 15 (April 15).

The event, which lasted from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, included a minute of silence for the fallen, the reading of hundreds of names of martyrs, cultural performances, and the raising of the Oromo flag – a symbol repeatedly banned in public spaces over the years. No violence or security incidents were reported.

The gathering was peaceful but emotionally charged. Attendees included elderly community members, mothers with young children, and large numbers of Qeerroo and Qarree (Oromo youth activists). Organizers described the event as a “people’s holiday” – not sanctioned by any government but observed annually by Oromo communities both inside Ethiopia and in the diaspora.

A banner at the venue read:
“Guyyaa Gootota Wareegamtoota Oromoo – Ebla 15, 2026 – Hin Irraanfatnu. Hin Lolti Dhaabnu.”
(Translation: “Oromo Martyrs and Heroes Day – We will not forget. We will not stop struggling.”)

One of the most powerful moments came when a list of martyrs’ names was read aloud. The names included individuals killed in protests between 2014 and 2026, as well as historical figures from the 19th century. After each name, the crowd responded in unison: “Nu jirra. Hin irraanfatne.” (“We are here. We have not forgotten.”)

An elderly woman, who identified herself only as the mother of a son killed in 2018, held up a faded photograph and told the crowd: “I did not come to speak. I came to show you his face. Do not let his memory die.”

At exactly 12:00 noon, two young women raised the Oromo flag at the ABO compound. The flag – which has been banned at various times in modern Ethiopian history – flew for approximately three hours before being lowered and stored in a wooden box.

Witnesses described an elderly man falling to his knees as the flag rose, weeping and saying: “Forgive us. We are still fighting. We have not given up.”

A senior ABO official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, delivered the keynote address. He outlined five core values that he said Oromo martyrs died for:

• Nageenya (Justice / Peace / Well-being)
• Misooma (Development)
• Badhaadhina (Progress)
• Dimokiraasii (Democracy)
• Nagaa (True Peace / Safety)

“These five words are not decorations,” the speaker said. “They are debts. Our heroes paid with their lives. We must pay with our actions.”

The newspaper spoke with several attendees:

Bontu, 23, university student:
“I was not born when many of these heroes died. But I carry their names in my phone. I read them every morning.”

Jirenya, 58, farmer (traveled three hours by bus):
“My brother was killed in 2015. No one was arrested. No one apologized. Today, I am his memory.”

Marga, 19, high school student:
“The next heroes are not dead yet. They are standing right here.”

Hundessa, 72, retired teacher:
“Each year, there are new names. That breaks my heart. But each year, there are also new young faces. That gives me hope.”

Ebla 15 (which corresponds to April 15 in the Gregorian calendar) has become a significant date in Oromo collective memory. While not recognized as an official public holiday by the Ethiopian government, it is widely observed by Oromo communities as a day to honor both historical figures (including 19th-century horseback warriors who fought colonialism) and contemporary martyrs killed in protests and political violence.

The ABO (Arsi, Bale, Oromo – a prominent Oromo civil society and cultural organization) has organized commemorative events on Ebla 15 for several years, though the scale and location have varied due to security constraints.

A visible but low-key security presence was observed in areas surrounding Gullalle throughout the day. No arrests or confrontations were reported. The event ended peacefully at approximately 3:00 PM, after a collective vow in which attendees raised their right hands and recited a pledge to continue the struggle for justice, democracy, and peace.

Organizers declined to provide an official estimate of crowd size, but eyewitnesses placed attendance between 300 and 500 people.

As of press time, the Ethiopian government had not issued an official statement regarding the commemoration.

The ceremony concluded with the Oromo anthem sung by the entire crowd, followed by a slow dispersal. Many attendees lingered to take photographs with the flag and exchange contact information for future organizing.

A young Qeerroo shouted as the crowd began to leave: “Ebla 15 next year – where will we be?”
The crowd responded: “Stronger! More! Free!”

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The Fire and the Flag

On Ebla 15, 2026, at the ABO headquarters in Gullalle, Oromo martyrs and heroes were not just remembered. They were summoned back to life.

By Oromia News Agency
Photography by SBO
Magazine: The Oromo Voice / Horn of Africa Review (Quarterly Edition)
Issue: Spring 2026 – “Memory as Resistance”

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GULLALLE, FINFINNE – There is a kind of silence that does not ask for permission. It arrives before the first speaker steps to the microphone, before the first flag is raised, before the first tear falls. It is the silence of a crowd that knows it is standing on bones.

On the morning of Ebla 15, 2026 (April 15) , that silence settled over the Head Office of the ABO in Gullalle like a second sky. Hundreds had come – not because they were summoned, but because something in their blood would not let them stay home.

This was Guyyaa Gootota Wareegamtoota Oromoo – the Day of Oromo Martyrs and Heroes.

And in a country where official history often forgets the names of the fallen, the living came to remember.

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I. The Gathering: A Portrait of a People

“We do not come here to mourn. We come here to witness. Mourning is private. Witnessing is public. And the world must see.”
– Bontu, 23, university student

By 8:30 AM, the compound was already full. Not the polished fullness of a state ceremony, but the raw, breathing fullness of a people who have learned to gather in corners and behind walls.

The elders sat on plastic chairs in the shade, their walking sticks planted like spears in the earth. Their eyes were not wet. They had done their crying decades ago. Now they watched – guardians of a memory too heavy for the young to carry alone.

The mothers stood at the edges, infants tied to their backs with cotton wraps. They did not speak much. But when they did, they sang. Old songs. Songs about rivers and horses and a time before borders. Songs that grandmothers had taught them in the dark.

The youth – the Qeerroo and Qarree – filled the center. They wore the Oromo flag not as a decoration but as a declaration. Black, red, and white on t-shirts, on scarves, on wristbands, on fingernails. Their phones were out, recording everything. Not for social media fame. For evidence. For the archive that the state refuses to keep.

At the front, a simple wooden stage. No velvet ropes. No VIP section. Just a microphone, a banner, and a flag that had been folded and unfolded so many times that its edges were frayed.

The banner read:

“Guyyaa Gootota Wareegamtoota Oromoo – Ebla 15, 2026 – Hin Irraanfatnu. Falmaa Hin Dhaabnu.”
(Oromo Martyrs and Heroes Day – We will not forget. We will not stop struggling.)

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II. The Names: A Litany of the Lost

At 9:00 AM sharp, the master of ceremonies – a soft-spoken man with steel in his jaw – stepped forward.

“Before we speak,” he said, “we listen.”

One minute of silence.

It is easy to write the words “one minute of silence.” It is harder to describe what it feels like when five hundred people stop breathing at once. The wind itself seemed to hesitate. A child coughed, and the sound was enormous. An old man shifted his weight, and the creak of his sandals was a thunderclap.

Then the names began.

They came in waves. Alphabetical by first name. No hierarchy. A martyr is a martyr.

• Jal Berso Wabe (Megersa Beri) – A warrior whose name meant defiance. He did not kneel.
• Jal Geda Gemeda (Demse Techane) – A strategist. He fought not with rage alone, but with intelligence.
• Jal Dori Beri (Yigezu Benti) – A leader who carried the weight of his people on his shoulders.
• Jal Felmeta / Chechebsa (Umer) – A name spoken in two tongues, one spirit. Unbroken.
• Jal Meri Gelan – A shadow on the battlefield. His enemies saw him only when it was too late.
• Jal Aba Tiki (Aboma Mitku) – A fire that could not be extinguished. He died standing.
• Jal Ire Ana Qechele (Dinsa) – A guardian of the hills. He taught that land is not dirt – it is mother.
• Jal Feferi Doyo – A voice that sang resistance when singing was a crime.
• Jal Dhadiycho Boru – A horseman who rode not for glory, but for the next generation.
• Jal Dhadiycho Muleta – A name that closes the list but never the struggle. He is remembered.
• Jal Alemitu G. – killed, 2016, Adama.
• Jal Biruk T. – disappeared, 2018, never found.
• Jal Chaltu D. – shot, 2015, Bale.
• Jal Dawit I. – died in prison, 2020, no medical care.
• Jal Feyissa L. – 19 years old, 2014, Ambo.

Each name landed like a stone in still water. And after each name, the crowd answered with the same low rumble:

“Nu jirra. Hin irraanfatne.”
(We are here. We have not forgotten.)

By the time the list ended – nearly two hours later – no one was standing still. But no one had left.

“I did not come to speak. I came to show you his face. He was 22. He loved football and poetry. Now he is a memory. Do not let his memory die.”
– An elderly mother, holding a photograph of her son

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III. The Five Pillars: What the Heroes Died For

The keynote address was not a political speech. It was a lesson.

A senior ABO official – whose name we withhold for security reasons – stepped to the microphone and asked a question that silenced the crowd:

“What did they actually die for? Not slogans. Not flags. What?”

Then he held up five fingers. One for each of the sacred pillars of the Oromo struggle.

Oromo Word	Meaning	Translation for the Living
Nageenya	Justice / Peace / Well-being	A country where your identity is not a death sentence.
Misooma	Development	A school in your village, not just a palace in the capital.
Badhaadhina	Progress	Moving forward, even when the road is soaked in blood.
Dimokiraasii	Democracy	The right to speak, to assemble, to choose – without permission.
Nagaa	True Peace / Safety / Tranquility	Sleeping through the night without fear of a knock on the door.

“These five words,” the speaker said, his voice low and fierce, “are not decorations. They are debts. Our heroes paid with their lives. We must pay with our actions.”

The crowd did not clap. They raised their fists. And for a moment, Gullalle was not a neighborhood in Finfinne. It was an idea.

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IV. The Flag: A Cloth That Refuses to Burn

At exactly 12:00 noon, the ceremony reached its spiritual peak.

Two young Qarree – sisters, no older than twenty – walked slowly to the flagpole. Between them, folded into a perfect square, was the Oromo flag.

They did not rush. Every step was a prayer.

When they reached the pole, they unfolded the cloth with the reverence of priests handling a relic. Red, Green, Red. But the meaning is the same.

This cloth has been banned. Burned. Trampled. Called illegal.

And yet, on Ebla 15, 2026, it rose again.

As the flag caught the midday sun, an old man in the back of the crowd fell to his knees. He was not praying to God. He was praying to the cloth.

“Forgive us,” he wept, his voice cracking like dry earth. “We are still fighting. We have not given up.”

No one told him to stand. No one told him to be quiet. Some silences are too sacred to interrupt.

“The old people cry. But we, the young – we are not just crying. We are planning. The next heroes are not dead yet. They are standing right here.”
– Marga, 19, high school student

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V. The Voices: What the Living Said

Here, in their own words, are fragments of the day.

Jirenya, 58, farmer – traveled three hours by bus:
“My brother was killed in 2015. No arrest. No apology. The government forgot him. But I will not. Today, I am his memory. That is why I came.”

Marga, 19, high school student – first time attending:
“I used to think heroes were in history books. Dead people. Today I learned that heroes are also the ones who show up. The ones who refuse to be silent. That is me now.”

Faarsee, 34, shopkeeper – came straight from his store:
“I did not close my shop. I left my son in charge. If I lose my business for being here, so be it. What is money without Nageenya ? Nothing.”

Hundessa, 72, retired teacher – walked with a cane:
“I have attended these ceremonies for twenty years. Each year, there are new names. That breaks my heart. But each year, there are also new young faces. That gives me hope.”

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VI. The Closing: A Vow Made of Breath

As the sun began to soften over Gullalle, the crowd did not scatter. They lingered. They hugged strangers. They exchanged phone numbers. They stood in front of the flag for photographs that would be hidden in private albums, not shared on public feeds.

Then, a young Qeerroo – no older than seventeen – climbed onto a plastic chair and shouted:

“Ebla 15 next year – where will we be?”

The crowd roared back – not rehearsed, but raw:

“Stronger! More! Free!”

The final moment was not a speech. It was a collective vow.

Everyone raised their right hand. Young and old. Man and woman. Farmer and student. They repeated after the master of ceremonies:

“We will not forget. We will not forgive injustice. We will keep walking.

Until Nageenya is not a word, but water.
Until Misooma reaches the last village.
Until Badhaadhina cannot be stopped.
Until Dimokiraasii is for every Oromo.
Until Nagaa is not a dream, but breakfast.”

Then silence.

And then, from the back of the crowd, a single voice began to sing the Oromo anthem. One by one, everyone joined. By the second verse, Gullalle was no longer a location on a map. It was a congregation.

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Epilogue: What the Night Carried

The chairs were folded. The banner was rolled. The flag was lowered and placed in a wooden box – the same box that has carried it for years, from one secret ceremony to the next. The crowd melted back into the streets of Addis Ababa.

But something stayed.

Not smoke. Not sound. Not even tears.

Something else.

If you had stood in the compound of the ABO headquarters at dusk on Ebla 15, 2026, you would have felt it: a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun. A vibration that had nothing to do with noise.

The martyrs, it seemed, had not come to be mourned.

They had come to check on the living.

And the living, for one day at least, did not disappoint.

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Ebla 15 is not a date. It is a thread.

It connects a horseback warrior of 1896 to a Qeerroo with a cracked smartphone in 2026. It connects a mother who buried her son to a teenager who has never seen peace but still believes in it.

The Oromo martyrs and heroes did not die so that you would cry forever.

They died so that you would act.

So act.

Learn a name. Speak a truth. Raise a flag – even if only in your heart.

Because as they chanted in Gullalle on Ebla 15, 2026:

“Nu jirra. Hin irraanfatamne.”

We are here. We have not forgotten.

And neither should you.

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Bilisummaa! Nagaa!

Ebla 15 – Forever.

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A day to rise, remember, and reaffirm

By: Maatii Sabaa

Date: April 15 – Ebla 15

Location: Oromia & the world

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Prologue: A Date Written in Fire

There are dates that pass like any other Tuesday. And then there is Ebla 15 – April 15.

On this day, the Oromo people do not merely turn a page on the calendar. They turn their faces toward history. They straighten their backs. They remember.

Oromo Heroes Day is not a gift from any government. It is not a decree from any palace. It is a day carved from the bone of the people themselves – a day when the sons and daughters of Oromia pause to honor those who bled, those who fell, and those who rose again.

Ebla 15. Remember the date. Because the heroes certainly did.

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Who Is an Oromo Hero?

If you walk through the villages of Arsi, the highlands of Bale, the streets of Adama, or the neighborhoods of Minneapolis and Toronto, you will get different answers. But they all sing the same tune.

An Oromo hero is:

• The Qeerroo (youth) who stood in front of bullets so that the elderly could walk behind them.
• The Qarree (young woman) who sang resistance songs while being dragged away.
• The Gadaa father who kept the law of the Oromo alive for 500 years – without an army, without a prison – only with seera (custom) and safuu (moral order).
• The horseback warrior of the 19th century who looked a European cannon in the eye and did not blink.
• The mother who named her child Bilisummaa (Freedom) even when it was illegal.
• The farmer who painted the flag on his barn door with crushed flowers and charcoal.

Heroes are not always the ones who win. Sometimes they are the ones who refuse to lose.

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Why Ebla 15? Why April 15?

Every people have a sacred calendar. For the Oromo, time is kept not only in numbers but in spirit. Ebla is a month of transition – from dry to rain, from waiting to planting. It is a month of hope.

April 15 has become, in modern Oromo memory, a touchstone of courage. On various years across the late 20th and early 21st centuries, this date (or its nearby days) witnessed protests, uprisings, and moments when ordinary Oromo did extraordinary things – raising a flag that was forbidden, singing a song that was banned, demanding rights that were denied.

The heroes of April 15 did not have weapons. They had words. They had unity. They had the memory of their ancestors.

And for that, the powers that be feared them.

So Ebla 15 is not a random date. It is the people’s own appointment with history – made without permission, kept without apology.

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The Five Gifts the Heroes Left Us

On this Oromo Heroes Day, let us count the inheritance. The heroes did not leave gold or land. They left something more precious: five ideas that cannot be killed.

Oromo Word	Meaning	What the Hero Demanded
Nageenya	Justice / Peace / Well-being	A world where the poor are not punished for being poor.
Misooma	Development	Not skyscrapers for the rich, but clean water for the village.
Badhaadhina	Progress	Moving forward – even one step – and never backward.
Dimokiraasii	Democracy	The right to speak, to choose, and to be heard.
Nagaa	Peace / Safety / Tranquility	Sleeping without fear. Waking without dread.

These five words are the true monument to every Oromo hero who ever fell. And they are the unfinished work that falls on our shoulders today.

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How to Truly Celebrate Ebla 15

You can post a flag on social media. You can wear the colors. You can share an old photograph of a protest or a warrior. All of that is good.

But here is how to truly make this Oromo Heroes Day worthy of the name:

1. Learn one hero’s name you have never heard before.
Not the famous ones. The unknown one. The woman who fed fugitives. The teenager who wrote poetry in blood. Speak their name aloud today.

2. Forgive a fellow Oromo.
Heroes are not perfect. The struggle has sometimes been divided by clan, by region, by ideology. Today, choose unity. Send a message to an Oromo you have been angry with. Say: “Ebla 15. Let us stand together.”

3. Teach a child the five words.
Nageenya. Misooma. Badhaadhina. Dimokiraasii. Nagaa. If every Oromo child knows these five words by heart, the struggle will never die.

4. Do one brave thing.
It does not have to be big. Speak truth in a room where silence is safer. Wear the flag pin where it is frowned upon. Post the Oromo anthem. Heroes are not special. Heroes are ordinary people who decide: Today, I will not be afraid.

5. Remember the fallen – and fight for the living.
Honoring the dead is sacred. But the dead do not need our tears. They need our action. Ask yourself: What would the hero of Ebla 15 want me to finish today? Then go do it.

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A Letter From an Oromo Hero (Imagined)

Dear child of Ebla 15,

I do not know your name. But I know your face. It is the same face I saw in the river when I was young – tired, hopeful, angry, loving.

I died so that you could read these words in your language. I fell so that you could stand. I was silent so that you could speak.

Do not waste my death on grief. Waste it on action.

If you see injustice – speak.
If you see a divided Oromo – unite.
If you see the flag burned – paint another one on your heart.

I did not die to become a statue. I died to become a wind at your back.

Now go. Ebla 15 is yours.

— An Oromo Hero

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Closing: Happy Oromo Heroes Day

So today, April 15 – Ebla 15 – we say it loudly and softly, in cities and villages, in freedom and in hiding:

Happy Oromo Heroes Day.

Not happy because everything is finished. But happy because we are still here.

Not happy because the struggle is over. But happy because the struggle has us.

The heroes of Ebla 15 are not in their graves. They are in the straight back of the child who raises the flag. They are in the clenched fist of the protester. They are in the quiet prayer of the mother.

Today, look at your reflection.

You are not just remembering heroes.

You are becoming one.

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Bilisummaa!
Nagaa!
Happy Oromo Heroes Day – Ebla 15, April 15!

PRESS RELEASE

Call to Honor the Fallen, Celebrate Resistance, and Reaffirm Commitment to Justice, Democracy, and Peace

[Oromia– April 15, 2026] – Today, millions of Oromo people across Oromia, Ethiopia, and diaspora communities in North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa are observing Oromo Heroes Day – known as Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo – on Ebla 15, which falls on April 15.

This annual day of remembrance honors the countless known and unknown heroes who have sacrificed their lives, liberty, and livelihoods for the rights, dignity, and freedom of the Oromo people. From 19th-century horseback warriors who fought colonialism to modern-day Qeerroo (youth) and Qarree (young women) who have led peaceful protests for justice and democracy, the day pays tribute to the enduring spirit of Oromo resistance.

A Day Rooted in Memory, Not Decree

Oromo Heroes Day is not a government-declared holiday. It is a people’s holiday – born from grassroots memory and observed with flags, songs, poetry, cultural events, and moments of silence. The date, Ebla 15 (April 15), has become a symbol of courage, particularly linked to modern uprisings where unarmed Oromo civilians raised the banned Oromo flag and demanded fundamental rights.

“We do not celebrate because the struggle is finished,” said Dhabessa Wakjira, community leader in Melbourne. “We celebrate because our heroes gave us a reason to continue. Every April 15, we remind ourselves and the world: the Oromo people have not been erased. We are here. We remember. And we will keep marching toward Nageenya (justice), Misooma (development), Badhaadhina (progress), Dimokiraasii (democracy), and Nagaa (true peace).”

Five Pillars of the Oromo Struggle

Community organizations and cultural institutions are using Oromo Heroes Day to reaffirm five core values that heroes fought and died for:

• Nageenya – Justice, peace, and well-being for all, regardless of ethnicity or social status.
• Misooma – Equitable development that reaches the most marginalized villages and families.
• Badhaadhina – Progress, both material and spiritual, moving forward without forgetting the past.
• Dimokiraasii – Genuine democracy, including free expression, assembly, and the right to self-determination.
• Nagaa – Lasting peace and safety, where no family fears a midnight knock on the door.

Events and Observances

On April 15 / Ebla 15, Oromo communities are holding:

• Flag-raising ceremonies (where permitted) and cultural gatherings.
• Virtual panels discussing the legacy of Oromo heroes and the future of the struggle.
• Poetry readings and music performances featuring traditional krar and modern resistance songs.
• Moments of silence at 12:00 PM local time to honor the fallen.
• Social media campaigns using hashtags such as #OromoHeroesDay, #Ebla15, #April15, and #Nagaa.

Calls for International Attention

Human rights organizations and Oromo advocacy groups are using the day to draw international attention to ongoing concerns, including political prisoners, restrictions on peaceful assembly, and the continued criminalization of the Oromo flag in some contexts. Supporters are urging the international community to:

• Recognize Oromo Heroes Day as a day of significance for human rights.
• Call for the release of imprisoned Oromo activists and journalists.
• Support dialogue and genuine political inclusion for the Oromo people, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.

Statements from Community Representatives

“On Ebla 15, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our heroes did not have social media or international platforms. They had courage. Today, we honor them by continuing their unfinished work.”
— Dhabessa Wakjira, Oromo community organizer, Melbourne, Australia.

“The Oromo struggle is not about hate. It is about Nagaa – peace with dignity. Our heroes dreamed of a day when an Oromo child could speak their language, sing their songs, and walk the earth without shame. That dream is not yet reality, but every April 15, we get closer.”
— Yaasoo Kabbabaa, Oromo cultural activist, Finfinne, Oromia.

How to Support or Participate

Members of the media, human rights defenders, and the general public are encouraged to:

• Amplify Oromo voices by sharing content directly from Oromo creators and organizations.
• Educate themselves on Oromo history, including the Gadaa democratic system and the legacy of resistance.
• Attend or cover local Oromo Heroes Day events (contact below for diaspora chapter information).
• Use respectful language – recognize that for many Oromo, this day is both a celebration and a mourning.

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About Oromo Heroes Day

Oromo Heroes Day (Ebla 15 / April 15) is an annual observance honoring Oromo historical and contemporary figures who sacrificed for the rights, identity, and freedom of the Oromo people. The day is observed globally by Oromo communities regardless of legal recognition. It is a day of cultural pride, political reflection, and intergenerational remembrance.

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“Bilisummaa! Nagaa! Happy Oromo Heroes Day – Ebla 15, April 15!”

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