A Reflection on the Ongoing Crisis in East Wallagga and Horro Guduru

By Daandii Ragabaa

To this day, the Oromo people have been subjected to the brutal force of the Fano militia. The deaths of fathers, mothers, and children—Oromo lives lost—are met with a chilling refrain: “It is nothing, be patient.”

But patience has its limits. When Oromo people are killed and their oppressors dance, those who call themselves “Fano heroes” celebrate. Yet when the Oromo rise to defend themselves, the same voices cry out: “The civilians are finished!” But the truth is simple: self-defense is a natural right. It is not a crime; it is an instinct for survival.

The Conspiracy Against Oromo Self-Defense

There is a deliberate campaign to deny the Oromo people their fundamental right to self-defense. Behind the scenes, a web of actors—some in government, others in the media, and still more in diplomatic circles—works tirelessly to conceal the truth.

The situation in the East Wallagga and Horro Guduru zones is particularly alarming. Here, a strategic ploy is unfolding. Armed groups are being systematically dismantled within the regional state of Oromia (RSO) and reconstituted under the banner of Fano. This is not a spontaneous development; it is a calculated plan that has been in motion since at least 2019.

As the Oromo people face relentless attacks, their attempts to organize and defend themselves are sabotaged from within. The message is clear: while Oromo fighters are disarmed and disbanded, their enemies are being armed and empowered.

The Cost of Betrayal

The Oromo people have been subjected to a decades-long campaign of marginalization, dispossession, and violence. The current wave of attacks in East Wallagga and Horro Guduru is not an isolated tragedy—it is the latest chapter in a long history of brutality.

But what makes this moment particularly devastating is the silence—and complicity—of those who should be protecting the Oromo people. When Oromo civilians are killed, the world is told to look away. When Oromo resistance is met with disproportionate force, the narrative is twisted to blame the victims.

This is not just a failure of governance; it is a betrayal of the most basic principles of justice and humanity.

A Call to Action

The Oromo people have waited too long for justice. They have been told to be patient while their children are killed, their villages burned, and their land stolen. But patience is not a virtue when it is used as a tool of oppression.

Self-defense is not aggression. It is the right of every people to protect their lives, their families, and their communities. To deny the Oromo this right is to condemn them to perpetual victimhood.

The international community must look beyond the carefully constructed narratives and see the truth: the Oromo people are under attack, and they are fighting for their survival.

Conclusion: The Truth Will Prevail

The conspiracy to silence the Oromo people will ultimately fail. The truth of what is happening in East Wallagga and Horro Guduru—and across Oromia—will not be hidden forever. The blood of the innocent cries out for justice, and it will be heard.

As the Oromo people continue to resist, they do so not out of hatred, but out of love for their children, their land, and their future. They fight for the right to live in peace, free from fear and oppression.

Oromoon of-ittisuu qaba. Of-ittisuun seera uumamaa ti.

The Oromo people have the right to self-defense. Self-defense is a natural law.