A Feature Article Based on the Reflections of Hinsarmuu Shiferaw

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In the quiet corridors of political memory, where the past whispers its lessons and the present demands its reckonings, there exists a voice that refuses to be silenced. It is a voice that has witnessed decades of struggle, felt the weight of collective sacrifice, and now calls for a moment of profound clarity. This is the voice of Hinsarmuu Shiferaw, whose recent reflections offer not just a chronicle of Oromo political history, but a roadmap for the soul of a movement at a critical crossroads.

“The words have been many,” Hinsarmuu writes, “and the ideas pouring forth are abundant. Yet among all these thoughts, there are those whose names we must hold tightly to our hearts.”

The Pillars of Memory

In a gesture that transcends mere remembrance, Hinsarmuu calls upon us to honor five individuals whose contributions have shaped the trajectory of the Oromo struggle:

1. Ob. Dirribsaa Daamxee – whose steadfast commitment to the cause became a beacon of resilience

2. Ob. Girmaa Xurunaa – whose vision helped chart the course of resistance

3. Ob. Jawaar Mohammad – whose intellectual contributions continue to reverberate

4. Ob. Ashennafii Addunya – whose global perspective bridged local struggles with universal aspirations

5. ABO – the collective embodiment of Oromo resistance, the movement that gave voice to millions

And alongside these, Dachaasa Wiirtu and others whose efforts, while perhaps less celebrated, formed the bedrock upon which the struggle was built.

The Turning Point: 1993 and Beyond

“We have held the struggle from 1993 in our grasp,” Hinsarmuu reflects, grounding us in a specific historical moment that marked a decisive shift in the Oromo political landscape. It is a reminder that the journey has been long, the sacrifices immense, and the stakes perpetually high.

But here lies the crux of Hinsarmuu’s message: “What has passed must not return.” The past, with all its triumphs and tribulations, serves as teacher rather than destination. The call is for clarity—for the movement to stand firm in its current position, to examine itself with unflinching honesty, and to chart a path illuminated by hard-won wisdom.

Five Pathways to Renewal

Hinsarmuu articulates a five-point vision for what the movement could achieve through this moment of reflection:

1. Comforting the Weary

Those who have lost sleep witnessing the movement torn apart deserve solace. The wounds of division run deep, and healing must begin with acknowledgment. Grief that has gone unrecognized must find its recognition; weariness that has been dismissed must find its rest.

2. Easing the Burden of Sacrifice

The blood and bone of our heroes—those who gave everything in Kenya and beyond—demands more than passive remembrance. Their sacrifice calls us to action, to ensure that what was given was not in vain.

3. Recalling Those Who Strayed

“Halagaa/orma harka fuudha dhaquu”—those who were led astray, who departed from the path. The movement must grapple with its losses, not through condemnation alone, but through a reckoning that seeks understanding and, where possible, reclamation.

4. Reclaiming Political Space

There exists a hidden plan from the post-Amman era to dismantle Oromo political participation as a unified people. This strategy seeks to scatter, to weaken, to atomize—a tactic of division that must be recognized and resisted. The call is to reinforce the collective political share that Oromos rightfully hold in the country’s governance.

5. Confronting the Instrumentalization of Faith

Perhaps most urgently, Hinsarmuu addresses the manipulation of religion—both internal and external—that seeks to divide and conquer. “The religion being weaponized against us,” he writes, “this new wave that seeks to entrap us”—must be met with unity, not fragmentation.

The Danger of Empty Rhetoric

“The harm that has come from excessive talk, from words that have been unleashed and scattered,” Hinsarmuu warns, “must be gathered and examined.” There is a call here for accountability, for the movement to own its missteps, to confront the ways in which division has been sown—sometimes intentionally, sometimes through carelessness.

The past, he insists, “offers no guarantees for the future.” The comfort of yesterday’s victories cannot shield us from tomorrow’s challenges. To assume otherwise is to court the very dangers that have plagued the movement before.

A Call to Action

The closing words of Hinsarmuu’s reflection carry both urgency and invitation:

“To my brothers and sisters: Stop where you stand. Look at what surrounds you. Consider what you have built—and what you have allowed to crumble.”

It is a call to presence, to awareness, to the kind of stillness that precedes true movement. In a world that demands constant action, Hinsarmuu asks for the courage to pause, to reflect, and to choose deliberately rather than reactively.

The Road Ahead

As Ethiopia continues its complex political transformation, and as the Oromo struggle navigates the treacherous waters of contemporary politics, the reflections of Hinsarmuu Shiferaw offer not just analysis but prescription. They remind us that movements are not merely collections of strategies and tactics; they are communities of memory, webs of relationship, and vessels of hope.

The path forward, Hinsarmuu suggests, lies neither in nostalgic return nor in reckless abandon, but in honest assessment and courageous adaptation. The names he calls to remembrance are not mere historical footnotes; they are living invitations to a different kind of politics—one rooted in accountability, animated by vision, and sustained by collective purpose.

“What we have endured must become what we have learned,” he seems to say. “And what we have learned must become what we do differently.”

The echo of his words invites us not to repeat the past, but to transcend it—to build a future worthy of the sacrifices that have brought us this far, and to ensure that those who come after will have less cause for grief and more reason for hope.

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This feature article draws on the personal reflections of Hinsarmuu Shiferaw, whose words speak to the enduring questions of political struggle, collective identity, and the transformative power of honest self-examination.