Understanding the chains that bind, and the keys that unlock them

Introduction: Defining the Unspeakable

Oppression is a word that carries weight—the weight of centuries, the weight of tears, the weight of dreams deferred and lives diminished. It is a force that shapes not only the material conditions of human existence but the very contours of the human soul. Yet for all its ubiquity in human history, oppression remains poorly understood by those who have never felt its crushing hand.

To understand oppression is to understand the architecture of human suffering. To confront it is to embark on the most essential journey any people can undertake. To overcome it is to reclaim what was always rightfully ours: our dignity, our freedom, and our humanity.

Part One: The Architecture of Oppression

What Is Oppression?

Oppression is the systematic denial of human dignity and human rights. It is not merely individual acts of cruelty or isolated instances of injustice. Rather, it is a structure—a web of laws, customs, institutions, and beliefs designed to maintain the dominance of one group over another.

The oppressed are not simply people who experience hardship; they are people whose very existence is defined by forces beyond their control. Their identities, their aspirations, and their futures are circumscribed by systems that view them as less than fully human.

Oppression operates on multiple levels:

Political Oppression: The denial of voice, representation, and self-determination. When a people cannot choose their leaders, determine their laws, or shape their future, they are politically oppressed.

Economic Oppression: The extraction of wealth and labor without just compensation. When a people’s resources are plundered and their labor exploited, they are economically oppressed.

Cultural Oppression: The suppression of language, traditions, and identity. When a people’s history is erased and their culture denigrated, they are culturally oppressed.

Psychological Oppression: The internalization of inferiority. When a people comes to believe the lies told about them, they are psychologically oppressed.

The Colonial Model: A Case Study

The Oromo people offer a textbook example of comprehensive oppression. For over a century, they have been subjected to political marginalization, economic exploitation, cultural suppression, and psychological denigration under successive Ethiopian regimes.

“The Ethiopian Empire,” as the ABO’s analysis makes clear, “was built on a divisive nationalism that promotes ethnic chauvinism. This system of ethnic, historical, cultural, and religious division continues to be reinforced by powerful actors who benefit from it. Because the system is fundamentally based on oppression and multifaceted exploitation, nations are subjected to suffering without their fundamental rights.”

The colonization of the Oromo people did not follow the European model of overseas conquest. Instead, it was accomplished through internal expansion—an African empire building itself upon the subjugation of other African peoples. This is a particularly insidious form of oppression because it is often overlooked or denied by the international community.

The mechanisms of this oppression are familiar to students of colonial history:

• Conquest by Force: The military subjugation of Oromo territories through superior weaponry provided by European powers.
• Demographic Destruction: The systematic killing, displacement, and enslavement of the Oromo population.
• Cultural Erasure: The imposition of Amharic language and culture, the suppression of Oromo identity, and the rewriting of history.
• Economic Exploitation: The extraction of resources and labor to benefit the colonizing elite.
• Political Exclusion: The denial of representation and self-governance.

The Special Character of Oromo Oppression

The Oromo experience of oppression has unique characteristics that demand attention:

Denial of Existence: For decades, Oromo identity was not merely suppressed—it was denied. Oromo were told they did not exist as a distinct people, that their language was a “dialect,” that their culture was primitive.

Internal Colonization: Unlike colonies separated by oceans, the Oromo were colonized by their neighbors within the same continental space. This has made their struggle for liberation particularly complex, as the colonizer and colonized share geographic, economic, and administrative connections.

Religious Diversity: The Oromo people practice multiple faiths—Islam, Christianity, and the indigenous Waaqeffanna. Their oppression has been compounded by religious discrimination and the use of religious divisions to weaken resistance.

Massive Population: As the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Oromo’s oppression affects the lives of tens of millions of people, making it one of the largest ongoing human rights crises on the African continent.

Part Two: The Anatomy of Liberation

What Is Liberation?

Liberation is not merely the absence of oppression. It is the presence of freedom in its fullest sense—political, economic, cultural, and psychological. A liberated people are not simply free from their oppressors; they are free to determine their own future, to develop their own culture, and to express their own identity.

Liberation is both a process and a destination. It is the journey from subjugation to self-determination, from silence to voice, from shame to pride, from fear to courage.

The Liberation Framework

The ABO’s understanding of liberation is comprehensive and principled. As articulated in its guiding documents:

1. Self-Determination Is Non-Negotiable

“The Oromo people and other oppressed peoples have the full right to decide freely whether to live independently or to unite through dialogue and mutual agreement.”

Self-determination is the foundation upon which all other freedoms are built. Without the right to determine their own political status, peoples cannot be said to be free.

2. Justice Is Universal

“The ABO’s struggle is for just liberation and the recognition of Oromo rights. The struggle waged by the Oromo people is just and rightful. This is a fundamental right recognized in the UN Charter.”

Justice is not a gift to be begged from oppressors; it is a right to be claimed. The international community has recognized this right through numerous treaties and declarations.

3. Unity Is Strength

“The ABO’s vision is a liberated Oromiya, free from colonial rule, with a sovereign Oromo government established. The foundation of our national unity is one country, one people, and one nation.”

The liberation struggle cannot succeed without unity. Divisions among the oppressed serve only the interests of the oppressor.

4. Solidarity Is Essential

“The ABO believes in mutual support and cooperation among peoples struggling for liberation. It has worked to unite oppressed peoples against the common enemy and develop solidarity.”

No people can liberate themselves in isolation. Solidarity among oppressed peoples and with progressive forces everywhere is essential to success.

Part Three: The Means of Liberation

The Question of Means

How is liberation achieved? This is perhaps the most debated question in the history of resistance movements. The ABO’s approach, like that of many liberation movements, combines multiple strategies:

1. Political Struggle

The ABO has pursued political solutions to the Ethiopian political crisis, engaging in dialogue, advocacy, and the articulation of a clear political program. The party’s Political Program, first released in 1974 and revised multiple times, provides a comprehensive vision for the resolution of Ethiopia’s political problems through peaceful means.

2. Armed Struggle

“Because successive Ethiopian governments—including the current one—have refused to respect Oromo rights, the ABO is waging an armed struggle to secure them.”

Armed struggle is not a first resort but a last resort, undertaken only when all peaceful avenues have been exhausted and when continued oppression leaves no other option.

3. International Advocacy

The ABO has worked to bring Oromo issues to the international stage, engaging with human rights organizations, international media, and governments. The movement has sought to build a coalition of support that can pressure the Ethiopian government to respect Oromo rights.

4. Grassroots Mobilization

The 2015 Qeerroo movement and the nationwide uprising across Oromiya demonstrated the power of grassroots mobilization. The ABO’s work to educate, organize, and empower the Oromo people creates the foundation for lasting change.

5. Institution Building

The ABO has invested heavily in building organizational structures that can sustain the struggle over the long term. This includes establishing branches in the diaspora and developing administrative and governance capacities.

Part Four: Challenges to Liberation

The Weight of Oppression

The oppressed carry not only the external weight of their oppressors but also the internal weight of their oppression. Overcoming this internalized inferiority is one of the greatest challenges of the liberation struggle.

Psychological Oppression: Generations of denigration and subjugation have taken a toll on the Oromo psyche. The liberation struggle is as much about reawakening pride and identity as it is about political change.

Economic Dependence: The economic structures of oppression create dependencies that make resistance difficult. Breaking these dependencies requires both political liberation and economic transformation.

Division and Cooptation: Oppressors have consistently used divide-and-rule strategies to weaken resistance. Co-opting elites from oppressed communities, creating proxies, and pitting groups against each other are standard tactics.

The Enemy’s Resources: The Ethiopian state has access to substantial resources—military power, international support, and the machinery of propaganda. These resources make the struggle asymmetrical and difficult.

Part Five: The Vision of Liberation

What Freedom Looks Like

The ABO’s vision is not merely negative—the absence of oppression—but positive—the presence of a free, just, and prosperous Oromiya.

Political Freedom: A democratic system in which Oromo and other peoples can determine their own governance, participate in decision-making, and hold their leaders accountable.

Economic Justice: A system in which the wealth of Oromiya benefits its people, where economic opportunity is available to all, and where exploitation is a thing of the past.

Cultural Renaissance: The flourishing of Oromo language, culture, and identity. The celebration of Oromo history and the recovery of what was suppressed.

Social Justice: A society in which all people—regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender—are treated with dignity and equality.

Peace and Security: Freedom from the fear of violence, displacement, and persecution.

Regional Cooperation: A liberated Oromiya contributing to peace, stability, and cooperation in the Horn of Africa.

The Nature of Victory

Injifannoon egeree qabsoon Oromoo argatu waraana tokkootiin utuu hin taane, karaa dheeraa fi rakkisaa ta’ee jira. Waraanni tokko hin mo’atu; hojii dhaloota baay’ee keessaatti hojjetame. Of kennuun dhaloota ittaanuuf bu’uura dhiisuun, dadhaboon qajeelchuun, fi jajjaboon guddisuun.

Part Six: The International Dimension

A Common Struggle

The Oromo struggle is not an isolated phenomenon. It is part of a broader global movement for human rights, self-determination, and justice. From Palestine to Kashmir, from Western Sahara to Kurdistan, peoples around the world are engaged in similar struggles.

The ABO has sought to build solidarity with these movements, recognizing that the struggle against oppression is a universal human endeavor. As the party’s documents state:

“Individuals, organizations, and forces—from within and without the oppression—who recognize, respect, and support self-determination, democracy, and peace are friends of the Oromo struggle.”

The Response of the International Community

The international community’s response to the Oromo struggle has been mixed. While some human rights organizations and governments have raised concerns about the treatment of Oromo, others have remained silent or actively supported the Ethiopian government.

This mixed response reflects the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa—a region of strategic importance, where international actors have competing interests. The ABO has called on the international community to:

1. Respect the right of the Oromo to self-determination
2. Condemn the oppression and human rights violations in Oromiya
3. Support a peaceful resolution to the political crisis
4. Recognize the legitimacy of the Oromo liberation struggle

Part Seven: Lessons for All Peoples

The Universality of the Struggle

While the Oromo struggle is unique in its particularities, it offers lessons for all peoples seeking liberation:

1. Oppression Is a System, Not a Series of Incidents

Understanding the systemic nature of oppression is essential to overcoming it. Addressing individual injustices is insufficient; the system that produces them must be dismantled.

2. Liberation Requires Unity

Divisions among the oppressed serve only the oppressor. Building unity—across ethnic, religious, and political lines—is essential to success.

3. Hope Is a Weapon

Despair is the oppressor’s greatest ally. Maintaining hope, even in the darkest times, is an act of resistance.

4. Justice Is Universal

The principles of justice, dignity, and self-determination are not Western or African—they are human. They apply to all peoples, regardless of their circumstances.

5. The Struggle Is Long

Liberation is not achieved overnight. It requires patience, persistence, and the willingness to sacrifice today for the freedom of tomorrow.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

The oppression of the Oromo people is one of the great unresolved human rights crises of our time. For over a century, tens of millions of people have been subjected to political marginalization, economic exploitation, cultural suppression, and psychological denigration.

Yet the Oromo people have not been destroyed. They have maintained their identity, their culture, and their hope. They have built organizations, developed programs, and fought for their rights. They have refused to accept their oppression as permanent.

The solution to oppression is liberation—complete, comprehensive, and uncompromising liberation. This liberation must be political, economic, cultural, and psychological. It must restore the Oromo people to their rightful place among the free peoples of the world.

As the ABO’s vision declares: “A liberated Oromiya, free from colonial rule, with a sovereign Oromo government established.”

This is not merely a dream—it is a goal, achievable through sustained struggle, unity, sacrifice, and hope. The path is long, but the destination is certain. Justice will prevail. Freedom will come.

The question is not whether the Oromo will be liberated, but when. And when that day comes, it will be a victory not only for the Oromo people but for all those who believe in justice, dignity, and the fundamental equality of all human beings.

“Cunqursaa dhabamsiisee ummatni Oromoo akka mirga kana gonfatu godhuu dha. Kaayyoo kana bakkaan gahuuf, ABO qabsoo akeeka dimokraasii irratti hundaa’e gaggeessa.”

Oppression must be eliminated so that the Oromo people may attain their rights. To achieve this goal, the ABO wages a struggle based on a democratic ideology.

The struggle continues. The victory is certain. And the freedom of the Oromo people will be the freedom of all. Afaan Oromoon kun: Qabsoon itti fufa. Injifannoon murteessa. Bilisummaan Oromoo bilisummaa hundaati.

This feature article draws on the foundational documents of the Oromo Liberation Front (ABO), including the Political Program, Constitution, and organizational analyses. It reflects the principles and vision of the Oromo liberation struggle as articulated by the ABO.