(April 21, 2013, Aftenbladet – Google translation) – Around 300 Ethiopian’s stopped the meeting in stavanger Norway for fundraising for Abay dam which is called by representatives from the Ethiopian Embassy in Stockholm Abay Mebrat Beyene.

The police feared that it would get completely out of control when people in the audience went to the hard verbal confrontation against two representatives from the Ethiopian Embassy in Stockholm who had called for and chaired the meeting.

The police gave the first message that all protesters to leave the meeting while the two embassy people and their potential supporters can be seated. This denied the attendees protesters, and several feared it would come to an open confrontation between police and people in the audience. Then, specific efforts manager Øyvind Sveinsvoll of Rogaland police to stop the meeting and clear the room.

It was a wise decision, said several of those present protesters. They did not want the two embassy people should be left as “victors” while they were evicted.
The atmosphere was tense that the police chose to isolate the two embassy people from the rest of the participants. They escorted them out to a private car that carried them away from the area. The 300 attendees were then drop out of the courtroom.
There was general consul at the Ethiopian Embassy, ​​Abay Mebrat Beyene, who would chair the meeting with embassy secretary. The main theme was collecting money in the Ethiopian exile to a very controversial oppdemningsprosjekt – a prestige project for the regime in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian authorities have tried to keep similar “recovery meetings” both in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Germany, and each time meetings have ended in massive demonstrations against human rights violations in Ethiopia. People imprisoned without trial, free elections are abolished, freedom of speech likewise, newspapers are state controlled and hundreds of journalists imprisoned.

Several took the floor during the meeting the key bydelshus and said this was not a voluntary fundraising. Those who did not pay the money, you could expect problems when they contacted the embassy to obtain a passport or ID papers.

Saturday’s meeting was the first of its kind in Norway. And exiled Ethiopians came in separate buses from Oslo, others came from Steinkjær, Otta, Stord and Bergen other part of Norway to demonstrate in Tasta bydelshus stavanger against the regime in Ethiopia.

28. April, the Ethiopian Embassy in Stockholm hold a similar meeting in Oslo.

http://www.aftenbladet.no/nyheter/lokalt/stavanger/Politiet-stoppet-mote-i-Tasta-bydelshus-3162548.html#.UXNWgrV9FrO

                                                            By Fayyis Oromia*

As we do now prepare ourselves to celebrate Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo (the day of honoring the Oromo national heroines and heroes), we can reflect on the significance of the commemoration and its impact on the future Oromo national liberation movement. The highlight of the history to be remembered in order to comprehend why we do honor this day is: “In April 1980 a ten-member high-ranking military and political delegates of the OLF were on their way to Somalia to meet with political leaders there when they were captured by Somali bandits in Shinniga desert (in Ogaden). The bandits finally ordered the Muslims and Christians to segregate before their executions. The Oromo comrades chose to stay together and face any eventualities than identifying themselves as nothing else, but Oromo. On the day of April 15, all the ten were executed and their bodies thrown into a single grave.”

Before writing about how to honor national gootota, let me operationally define what goota (a singular form of gootota) means: the term hero refers to characters, who in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and do have the will for self sacrifice — that is, possess heroism — for the sake of a greater good of certain collective or that of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence, but extended to more general moral excellence. Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples; politicians of all countries have already employed honoring a hero for their own apotheosis; here Oromo politicians are no different. But, interesting is to observe that even Abyssinians do use the Afan Oromo terms called jabduu (courageous action) andjagina (courageous person), the words which depict the fact that the Oromo people under the democratic rule of the Gadaa system were the known gootota in defending their nation from all possible attacks from alien forces. This Oromo tradition of being goota is not still broken, despite a national subjugation under Abyssinian colonizers being supported by Western imperial regimes, for the last one-and-half century. Gootota Oromo, who showed courage under such dire situation, do deserve our national respect.

Accordingly, the purpose of honoring gootota Oromo of the April 1980 as well as their likes is, firstly, to express our gratitude to their life-sacrifices for the cause of bilisummaa Oromo, and secondly, to commend and recognize the exemplary and unswerving unity expressed in their refusal to be divided and separated per region and religion. The currently living Oromo nationalists, who have nowadays become the entertainers of the dividing and fragmentalizing manipulation of our enemies, need to learn from these legendary Oromo leaders, so that we all can start to resist any sort of polarization per region, party politics and religion. Fortunately, it is clearly to be seen that the Woyane’s attempt to divide the Oromo nationals by using the cards of region and religion has already failed, but enemy’s application of the card of politics, i.e. dividing the Oromo nationalists as pro-independence vs. pro-union seems to work still. Knowingly or unknowingly, Oromo freedom fighters seemingly fall in to this trap. It is the result of such division, what we have seen over the last two months as a discord between the existing OLF factions, which are now opting to promote either exclusive independence or exclusive union, instead of being together and fight against the archenemies of the Oromo nation in unison.

But still, I would like to encourage Oromo freedom fighters to try to come to our senses and abolish this division for the sake of honoring our martyred leaders, who taught us how to resist such manipulation of our enemies by opposing the maneuver used to divide us and destroy the Oromo national liberation movement. If we learn from our gootota and say big ‘NO’ to any sort of discord among us, this can really be the pragmatic, not only the rhetorical, way of celebrating the deeds of our heroines and heroes. What do I mean here by pragmatism? The word pragmatism is derived from Greek pragma, meaning deed or action, which comes from prass? = to pass over, to practice, to achieve. It is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called an intelligent practice (an evidence-based action according to the scientific realities on the ground).

In this sense, we can extract the theory of ‘unity in diversity disregarding the difference in region, politics and religion’ from the practice done by our gootota, and then apply it back to practice for the sake of promoting the Oromo national liberation movement. This is what I call a pragmatic way of honoring ourgootota. I think our hitherto ways of honoring the martyrs was mainly only verbal and mostly a virtual yearly commemoration, which is simply practiced in a ceremonial way. To make the way of celebrating our gootota be fruitful for QBO, I would like to recommend that, from now on, the honoring be in the following practically useful, i.e. pragmatic, ways:

– we better try to honor our gootota practically in the form of strengthening WBO/OLA (Oromo Liberation Army), the presently living heroines and heroes, instead of only narrating about the best ones of the past history. Furthermore, we can honor them by following their example of being martyrs together, i.e. refusing to be divided based on region, politics and religion. Just as our gootota demonstrated to us never to fall into the trap of the religious divide (Christian vs. Muslim), may Waaqa give us the wisdom also not to fall into the currently ongoing trap of political divide (as pro-independence vs. pro-union). Just like the OLF was accommodative of both the Christian and Muslim Oromo nationalists, it needs to be inclusive, in the future, regarding the pro-independence and pro-union Oromo nationalists. Both these political camps can demonstrate to the Oromo people that they are ready to sacrifice their lives by working in one and the same national liberation front, so that giving Oromummaa the priority to their favorite type of Oromian sovereignty, which they respectively will realize per public verdict after achieving bilisummaa Oromo together.

– we better strive to dedicate, commit and devote ourselves to the Oromo cause, for which thegootota gave their lives, especially in consolidating and re-uniting the vanguard national liberation front of our people – the OLF, in order to make it accommodative of all the three existing forms of factions (pro-independence, pro-self-determination and pro-union), but encouraging this inclusive OLF to use the three cards effectively based on the right timing and objective reality. As I put in my last opinion, I do still believe that one accommodative, re-united and inclusive OLF can be more efficient than the currently fragmented three separated factions with their three quasi exclusive objectives. Let alone the effectiveness of the structurally inclusive OLF, even accepting and respecting the move of the OLF-mindset of bilisummaa doing its liberating business, be it in the ruling OPDO way, in the opposing OFC way or in the disintegratedly rebelling OLF ways of the pro-independence, pro-self-determination and pro-union factions, is constructive approach of honoring the martyrs in a better manner.

Additionally important is a good investment of our talent and time on cultivating and producing the necessary future generation Oromo heroines and heroes, who will be ready to be martyrs for the cause of bilisummaa, rather than being so docile and live under the ongoing gabrummaa (slavery) / kiyyummaa(colony). To materialize this, a sort of cultural transformation is yet needed, in which the whole Oromo society at large can be converted back towards being fierce freedom fighters, as we were under theGadaa system, abandoning the presently mild way of our traditional walking on ‘karaa nagaa’ (on avenue of peace). The original meaning and importance of ‘karaa nagaa’ is actually embedded in theGadaa system with its strong military culture to defend the Oromo nation. Now, the Gadaa structure is already dismantled, and we being under garbummaa and talking about ‘karaa nagaa’ is a misconception. The true sense of the conception can be applied in the future Gadaa republic of Oromia, but not now in the colonial system of the Ethiopian empire. Similarly, re-appraisal and re-definition of some political and religious concepts now used by our colonizers to sustain their system of domination must be undertaken; for instance, the oppressors preaching us about love and unity, but directly or indirectly opposing justice and liberty, while we are under dire colonial situation is simply unacceptable to say the least.

Also, the known Oromo institutions of the three religions (Christianity, Islam and Waaqeffanna) should stop hypnotizing and pacifying Oromo nationals, if they just want to honor our national gootota; rather they ought to teach how to be the best freedom fighters like the some holy personalities, about whom we do read in the holy books (in the Bible, the Daaniyaa and the Qur’an). Fighting for freedom and being martyrs for the cause of bilisummaa Oromo and walabummaa Oromia is one of the righteous measures any Christian, Muslim and Waaqeffataa Oromo can do. So the best way of celebrating our nationalgootota at this phase of garbummaa under Abyssinian colony is to be the best fighters for freedom like them. If we are now, being under oppression, ready to honor them like this, then it will be surely very rejoicing to the Oromo nation in the future, when we will have a chance to celebrate our gootota further, after our national liberation, in the form of Oromo national ceremonies and festivities.

That means, we now need to present our reward for their sacrifice in a form of our full engagement by giving our talent, money and time to the QBO (the Oromo national liberation struggle). The fruitful method to do this is, not only in the Pal-talking and Pal-writing as some of us usually like to do, but through practical steps on the real ground. Besides, we better learn to throw the smallest stone we do have at hand (including our petty verbal attacks) only at the oppressors, especially at the currently tormenting fascist and racist regime in Finfinnee palace, instead of directing our verbal guns at other fellow Oromo nationalist individuals or organizations. Oromo nationalists have to try to forge tokkummaa for bilisummaa, which we can present as our another gift to the national heroins and heroes. To this effect, we should try to clearly differentiate the oppressive forces in the colonizers’ bloc from the freedom fighters in the liberators’ camp, the step which is mandatory for our success in the QBO.

In this subtle differentiation process, we can simply see that any Abyssinian individual or institution opposing Oromo’s God-given right to self-determination is in the colonizers’ bloc, whereas any Oromian, be it pro-independence, pro-self-determination or pro-union, who is opting for this right of the Oromo nation is in the liberators’ camp. Only an Oromo, who is against bilisummaa Oromo, the national freedom which is needed to exercise our right to self-determination, can be considered as a collaborator of the Abyssinian colonizers. Such clarification of the difference between the foes and the friends of the Oromo national liberation movement is necessary at this time, when the Woyane cadres are doing their best to confuse, divide and frustrate the Oromo national liberation camp. It also helps the pro-independence Oromo nationals, who usually tend to be self-righteous and accuse both the pro-self-determination and the pro-union nationalists as collaborator, to moderate their view. The same is true for the pro-self-determination Oromo nationals, who recently started to designate the pro-union Oromo nationalists as betrayers and curse them as collaborators. Let’s stop such non-sense accusations and allegations of each other, if we really want to honor our gootota by presenting to them the near future success story of our national liberation struggle, which we can achieve in unison, as a gift.

In summary, we can try to make each day look like an April 15, which is the celebrated Guyyaa Gootota Oromo, so that we can honor our heroines and heroes continuously with the above mentioned pragmatic steps. These constructive actions can lead us to our common national victory, over our current colonizers, effectively. To have such a triumph against our enemy, we also need to overcome the hitherto impact of the hindering slave (colonized people’s) mentality, such us submissiveness, loss of control on our own issues and learned helplessness. It is such servant mentality of the oppressed people with certainly programmed minds to do bidding of the colonizers, which compel some part of the Oromo nationals to be traitors vis-à-vis the cause of bilisummaa. Being liberated from such slave mentality can help us be the integrators of our national liberation camp, instead of being enemy’s instrument of disintegration and division. May Rabbi help us to be the united fierce freedom fighters, not the fragmented pacifist passive people, who are too docile to accept the life under the garbummaa imposed on us by the Abyssinian ruling oppressors. To put my message in short, the pragmatic national liberation struggle is the best way of honoring the Oromo national heroines and heroes; haa jabaannu!

Galatooma!

* Fayyis Oromia can be reached at fayyis@yahoo.de.

Source: http://gadaa.com/oduu/12889/2012/03/08/oromian-pragmatic-way-of-honoring-national-heroines-and-heroes/

Dear friends, We have a big national celebration to commemorate our fallen heroes.  We believe that our living patriots are building on the achievements of our fallen heroes and heroines will liberate their people and country by any means necessary.

Event Details: (http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/11137133/?invitation=81ce2bb502)The Oromian Martyrs Day
Sunday April 21, 2013 ( 4:00PM –  8:00PM)April 15: Oromo Martrys DayApril 15th is Oromo Martyrs Day also known as Guyyaa Gootota Oromo. This commemorative day was first started by Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) following the death of its prominent leader’s on diplomatic mission enrouted to Somalia on April 15, 1980. Since then this day was observed as Oromo Martyrs Day by Oromo nationals around the world to honor those who have sacrificed their lives to free Oromia and to renew a commitment to the cause for which they have died.

Why April 15?

Mid 1978-1979 is remembered as the period when the survival of the Oromo national liberation struggle led by the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) was under severe threat of extinction. It was feared that OLA units in Arsi, Bale, and Hararghe would disintegrate and their channel of connection and supplies would be cut off by the Dergue army that just recuperated from the Ethio-Somalia war. Upon defeating the Siad Barre army, the Dergue turned its face on OLA. The OLA in the fronts of Arsi, Bale, and Hararghe fought steadfastly and scored victory over the Dergue army and regrouped once again in January 1st 1980. In the wake of their military victory, OLF intensified its political struggle inside the country and abroad. The initial political victory includes the persuasion of the Siad Barre government to allow the opening of OLF office in Moqaddisho, Somalia in 1980, to serve as a center of consultation and deliberation between OLF political and military leaders.

In the same year, a ten member high-ranking military delegates* were on their way to Somalia to meet with political leaders there when they were captured by Somali bandits in Shinniga desert (in Ogaden). These bandits were members of a splinter group from the Siad Barre army that harbored bitter hatred towards Oromo and OLF. These bandits abused and severely tortured their Oromo captives; they were strip naked in the desert with their hands tied behind their backs. The bandits finally ordered the Muslims and Christians to segregate before their execution. These Oromo comrades chose to stay together and face any eventualities than identifying themselves as nothing else but Oromo. On the day of April 15, 1980 all the ten were executed and their bodies thrown in a single grave.
Our martyrs lost their lives while dreaming and fighting for freedom, justice, democracy and development of their people and their country.All Oromo nationalists must be cadres, teachers, students, leaders, followers, fighters, financiers, ideologues, organizers, defenders and promoters of the Oromo cause. We should not keep quiet when certain individuals attack our organizations, leaders, communities and Oromo peoplehood to satisfy their troubled ego or their masters. If we do some of these activities in our daily lives, the spirits of our fallen heroes and heroines will survive through our actions.

Venue Details:
Flemington Community Centre
25 Alexander Rd.
Melbourne, Victoria 3032

(Advocacy 4 Oromia) We Oromos in the Diaspora should follow the footsteps of the fallen and surviving Oromo heroes and heroes by contributing anything we can to support the Oromo national struggle. If the fallen Oromos had paid with their lives to liberate us, how can we fail to contribute our time, money and expertise to liberate our beloved country, Oromia?

How can we sleep when our mothers, daughters and sisters are raped in Oromia? How can we be at peace when genocide is committed on our people? Since our people live under Ethiopian political slavery and since no country supports the Oromo struggle, we must fulfill our historical obligations by supporting the Oromo national struggle.

Our martyrs lost their lives while dreaming and fighting for freedom, justice, democracy and  development of their people and their country. They recognized that agitating, educating, organizing, and mobilizing a colonized and dehumanized nation for liberation requires courage,  determination, bravery and self-sacrifice without fear of suffering and death in the hands of the enemy and their collaborators. We have moral and national responsibilities to achieve the objectives for which our heroines and heroes sacrificed their lives.

The Oromo national movement is a very dangerous project. Tens of thousands of our people have been imprisoned, tortured, raped, and received all forms of abuse from successive Ethiopian governments in general and that of the Meles Zenawi in particular. The Tigrayan-led government has been systematically targeting and killing all Oromo leaders and those who have potentials of leadership while promoting the most despicable elements of Oromo society and the children of colonial settlers as leaders of the Oromo nation.

http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=utk_socopubs

To herd cattle they have to be ready to walk for a long distance and away from home for weeks if not months. There they had to be armed with skills for protecting the herd from raiders and wild animals. There are always elders accompanying them for guidance. Whether they were around home or away from home they will make fire in the evening. They sit around it and play game of word or listening history as told by elders.

It is not known when the Oromo stopped writing. What is known is that they have no scripts though their oral tradition is so strong that each child knows what has come and passed in the life of its nation. In all corners of Oromiya it is told that once upon a time the Oromoo had qubee (letters). But it so happened that cattle became unruly and attacked home materials. It was then that they devoured all written materials.

This incident it was said to have been prophesied by ancient raagaas and so was the order of Waaq. As such no body could have stopped it. Therefore instead of people writing on parchments, Waaq would write on the suet of the cattle and experts will read the messages of providence from there, in matters concerning the future. Records will be kept in mind and past events passed to children through word of mouth.

Since then experts read the mooraa (suet) of slain animals to foretell the future and elders tell history by word of mouth to their children who will pass it down generations. The mooraa readers are called moora dubbistuu (mooraa readers). That is why the name “moor” is adopted by some to mean book rather than the Arabic “kitaabaa” or Amharic “macaafaa”. Stories are called “dur durii”, what the English start with “once upon a time” the Oromo starts with “dur, dur”.

Here it would be helpful to cite some efforts made by Oromo individuals to write in their language. Gooshuu Zawudee of Goojjam and Sana Ibsaa of Limmuu used strange letters in their correspondence around 1880; Alaqaa Zeyinaba (1860s) translated and taught the Gospel in his mother tongue, Afaan Oromo. Hiikaa Awaajii and Aster Gannoo in the same century translated the bible to Afaan Oromo. Those were so far known examples of efforts made. When was writing in qubee started? It is unfortunate we cannot conclusively tell. But the OLF should be credited to implement it in the present official standard form. The remaining Oromoo literary history needs more effort from future researchers.

Some of the games played by traditional children and story telling were also part of the teaching process.

Field Activity

1. Geengoo/Korboo (wheel): a wheel usually made from vine is thrown across a field in any direction. All children had sharpened spear like sticks. They will try to stop the wheel by spearing through its center. This besides helping as athletic competition teaches children to target running object. This art helps in later life hunting expedition. It is also an introduction to the art of war.
2. Kollee/qillee (hokey): kollee is similar to ice hokey. A butt cut from tree branch and a ball made from joints of branches are made. There are houses (goals) of opposing teams on opposite sides of the field. Two teams play against each other
3. Utaalchoo (Jumping): two poles are put in the ground and another tender stick is put across at different levels. The one who jumps the highest level is the winner. Poll volt was also a known practice
4. Utaalchoo lafaa (long jump): lines are made on the ground. One who jumps beyond the furthest line is the winner
5. Furguggee: swings made of vines naturally hanging from branches of trees are used to play swinging.
6. Waldhaansoo/ waldhaantoo (wrestling) kids and addle play it
7. Garmaamsa (horse race) the Oromo are renowned horse men. Children learn about horses and how to use them at early age
8. Saddeeqa: parallel rows of eight holes are made on the ground. Each person will be given equal numbers of pebbles. The game is played by putting the pebbles in each others whole and getting the pebbles of the other. It is capturing the others whole like in checkers. 
9. Waantaphee (Toys): Waantaphees are made from wooden objects or mud. Each child creates its own toy. Utensils, guns and airplanes and cars were made. Flat bars of wood tied on tip of long string was also rotated to make a buzzing sound
10. Sigigoo (slide): steep grounds are wetted with water if it was not already muddy and children slide on their buttocks or on their feet. Sometimes they also use banana branches to sit on and slide
11. Shekkelloo (hoping): parallel lines are drawn on dusty ground. A pebble is put at one and hopping on one leg and pushing the pebble from one end to the other the game was played
12. Walee (yodeling): children from across a river or from a distance call each other and call names by yodel. They put their index finger on their wind pipe and harp on it as they utter a word and saying “walee” in between (changing frequently from low to high pitch)
13. Dancing and dating: Dancing is performed during holidays and ceremonies. There are romantic dances, war dances, religious dances and work dances. To mension some names of dances, ragada, dhiichisa, gelloo, sirba mormaa, shaggooyyee, goondaa, kukummee, iyyaasee, shubbisa, gajjafa, dalaga etc. Romantic dances are held mostly during weddings. They start days before wedding ceremonies near the brides and bride grooms houses during moony nights. Dancing during such occasions is only for young unmarried men and women. Married men can participate in dhiichisa or war dances but this may vary from community to community. Youngsters sit with girls there. It is called qabdoo sitting (date sitting). They fondle and kiss each other under their linen or toga and no hanky panky before marriage. Young people date each other at river sides or when they go for collecting wood. There they sit qabdoo. They sit on leaves as cushion prepared by the boy.  In some areas they can be naked above the waist. They are called michuu (sweat hearts). In many communities a girl introduces her michuu to her parents. He wouldn’t be the future husband but a protector until her marriage.

The above and more are all field performances and part of the informal education.
Religious dances are performed at the temple or Galmaa of Warra Ayyaanaa (Qaalluu) also at child birth it is called faga, gajjafa or dalaga.

Home Activities
Each evening fire will be made in the living room or the same fire for cooking is used for warming. All residents of a house except the ones cooking sit around the fire place. Then elders tell history as well as stories they inherited from the past and those they went through. Children attentively listen to what they were told.

Especially they should be well versed in their family tree otherwise they will be shamed by strangers who ask them to identify themselves. Each child must count at least seven generations. If it can’t do that, it will be suspecting for being from unknown origin. In addition children had games they play with each other. In most of them, the children start by making statement or question or posing a problem. In the following we shall use Q for problem and A for Response.

1. Hibboo: hibboo is puzzle in which statements are made symbolically and guessing is requested. One who puts forward the puzzle begins by saying “hibboo” the replier says “hiph or hibbakka” then the puzzle is stated. Example:
2. We are eating together why are you emaciated?
3. The answer is spoon

Q. The red man is shouting standing in a stream.
A. The reply is tongue
Q. corpse when asleep lion when awake.
A. the reply is gun

1. Hibboon ten (Hibboon xar): this requires awareness of the neighborhood. One of the children says hibboon teen. The others say teen, teen. In the question heifer means girl, bull means boys. Example:
2. Hibboon ten
3. Ten, ten
4. Husband; wife; heifer, heifer, heifer; bull, bull; dependent, dependent (birtaa’o), whose house is that? (guest and visitors are all birtaa’o)
5.  Mr. Jaarsoo’s
6. No
7. Lie on your back and drink spiced butter 
8. You prepared I drunk, yours is by the lid mine is by madaala (big milk utensil). Pass under bent stub and fart for ever. Lean on cactus lose you psyche. I will not insult you more than this let hyena devour you down so and so stream. It was embarrassing for the loser to be ridiculed in front of peers.
9. Bino: one child starts the game by saying binoo (animal)! The others say bineensa (wild animal)! The one who started asks what? Then one of the children starts naming animals it knows fast, with the other saying what after each animal, after some time it says what do you eat? If he mentions animals which are not clean at that juncture, he will be laughed at and loses the game. Example:

Q. animal?
A. beast
Q. which ones?
Q&A. lion, which? tiger, which? Leopard, which? Gazelle, which? Pig, which do you eat? Dog (laughter)

1. Jimmaa jimmitoo (jimmiitee): this is a test for being capable of keeping quite. One begin the game by saying jimmaa jimmitoo or jimmiitee, all the children say jijim (hush). It names rotten of animals by mentioning the name of animals and offensive rots of other things one by one. Then he says any one who utters or made to utter until my hen reaches the seas and comes back and crows shall eat all said rots and the rotten ciimmaa (rheum) and pus of the back of Haadha Baqqoo and all her girls. Unless the beginner crows no one can utter a word or laughter. It is difficult to keep quite for a long time, some one usually bursts with laughter and eats every thing and the hen crows and saves the strong.  

Q. Jimmaa jimmitoo
A. jijim
Q. rot of donkey
A. jijim
Q. rot of dog
A. jijim
Q. rot of garbage etc.

1. Uummoon maal baattee dabarte (carrying what did the hornbill passed)? The response is “haamtuu dhaa fi cidii” (sickle and straw). Then the questioner says with it her neck? The responder says “cut” fast after her neck. Questioner continues “her neck?” Then suddenly says “your neck?” If the responder says cut, he will be laughed at, and gives up his turn. Example:
2. Ummoon maal baattee dabarte
3. sickle and straw

Q. with it her neck?
A. cut
Q. her neck?
A. cut
Q. your neck
A. cut!  he loses

Count down
The questioner asks what is a unit. The responder says unit is finger; then what is two? Two is tit of goat, one is unit. What is three? Three is tripod, two is tit of goat, and unit is finger. What is four? Four is tit of cow, three is tripods, two is tit of goat, and unit is finger. What is five? Five is fingers of the hand, four is tit of cow, three is tripods, two is tit of goat, and one is unit. In this manner it goes up to possible relations. The usual is up to ten:

1= tokkeen qubaa
2= lamaan mucha reettii
3= sadan sunsummanii
4= arfan mucha saayyaa
5= shaman qubaa harkaa
6= ja’an jabbii qaraxa (dowry calves)
7= turban torbee sanbataa (7 week of Sabbath)
8= saddeettan dhala leencaa (eight cubs of lion)
9= salgan yaa’ii Booranaa (nine assemblies of Boorana)
10= kurnan kurnii Waaqayyoo (ten tithe of God)

Story telling
Most stories revolve around animals and human like creatures like Bulguu, Hilluu, Adii, Haadha Sharraxee (sorts of boggy man), imaginary figures, human relations like children and step mothers, strong persons. Stories could be constructed by story tellers.

(The Oromian Story, 24 September 2011) Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba, former Secretary General of Mecha-Tulama Self-help Association, is held incommunicado at the Maikalawi Prison Center (locally known as the Torture Center of Melese Zenawi) in the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa.

According to reliable sources,the Zenawi regime denied all forms of access to Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba including visits by family, lawyers and medical doctors since his detention on August 29, 2011.  Family and close relatives of Mr. Dhaba are in state of grieve and serious worries since both of Mr. Dhaba’s arms and hands were broken during torture and severe beatings in earlier detention. Mr. Dhaba is the victim of the ongoing waves of arrests by the ethnic minority regime of Meles Zenawi targeting the Oromo cultural leaders, community elders, students and teachers.

Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba is 58 years old Oromo Elder from Dandi District in Western Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. Legesse was born and raised on his ancestral homestead in his home village of Kere Garie in Dandi District. He is a husband and father of five Children, two sons and three girls. He is the only breadwinner for his family.  Mr. Dhaba also supports his 89 years old elderly mother who lives with him. Mr. Dhaba’s elderly father died while he was in Melese Zenawi’s prison.

Mr. Legesse Deti is a well liked and well respected elderly person in his community and among the Oromo people nationwide. His knowledge of the history of the Oromo people and culture amazes those who know him closely. He is particularly very knowledgeable and well liked due to his narration of the oral history tradition of the Oromo people including stories of traditional tales and cultural ceremonies such as weddings, Christening, Thanksgiving (Irreecha). It was his knowledge of the history and culture of the Oromo people which prompted the elders of the well respected and oldest Oromo Self-help Association, Mecha-Tulama Self-help Association (MTA) to approach Mr. Dhaba to be a member of the Association. Mr. Dhaba was ultimately elected to serve as Secretary General of Mecha-Tulama Self-help Association for the year 2002 to 2003. Mr. Dhaba has been the Chairman of History and Culture Committee of MTA, the Committee responsible for the organization of the yearly Oromo Thanksgiving Holiday ( Irreecha) and other cultural events.

Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba is a very resourceful person with all rounded personality. In addition to being a well respected elderly person among the Oromo people, he is a trained accountant, economist who attended Addis Ababa University and aviation technician. In fact, till his detention, Mr. Dhaba was working for MIDROC Aviation. MIDROC Aviation is the aviation wing of MIDROC Ethiopia, a holding company for over 30 companies operating in Ethiopia and owned by the Saudi Billionaire, Mohammed Al-Amoudi, who is closely connected with the brutal Meles Zenawi regime. Mr. Dhaba was well respected and highly regarded employee at MIDROC Aviation. He travelled to a number of countries including the United States on the business of the company.

Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba was detained on August 24 on his way home from a social event in his home District of Dandi. He was returning from a celebration of Gubaa Ceremony, one of the oldest Oromo traditional holidays celebrated in connection with the beginning of the New Year in early September. As local elder, he was invited to the event to pray on the Gubaa Ceremony. It is on his way home that he was detained by the local regime agents. At the time of his detention, Mr. Dhaba was with Mr. Mulugeta Rikitu, Director of Private School and Board Member of MTA; and Student Sisay Serbesa, 3rd year Information Technology Student at Addis Ababa University (5 Kilo Engineering Campus). They were all detained together at Ginichi Town Police Station, the capital of Dandi District.

On the morrow, August 25, 2011, alarmed by the unlawful detention of Mr. Dhaba and his companions, relatives and family members contacted local lawyers. Their lawyers immediately filed a habeas corpus petition asking the Court for the immediate release of the detainees on lack of probable cause for their arrest, and arrest warrant. The District Court ordered the regime’s security agents to present the detainees before the court and reviewed the petition of the detainees. After reviewing the petition, the District Court ordered the immediate release of the detainees for want of probable cause or even reasonable suspicion of any wrongdoing. The police defied the court order and refused to release the detainees.

On the morrow again, August 26, 2011, the lawyers of the detainees filed a petition at the District Court of Dandi District for the Court to enforce its order on the release of the detainees. The District Court reviewed the petition and gave appointment to hear the petition on contempt of Court by the local police on August 29, 2011 at 2:00 P.M.

On the morning of August 29, 2011at 8:00 A.M. the unthinkable happened. The Meles Regime sent about twenty (20) Tigrigna speaking security forces with machine guns, satellite phones, sharp shooting snipers and military pickup trucks in this rural community in the heart of the Oromo nation. Oromo speaking local regime agents were told to step aside. Tigrigna speaking regime’s forces then started terrorizing the local population with show of forces and sense of disdain for the local population with foul words against bystanders, according to local peoples present at the scene.

The drama was over at about 9:00 A.M. The Detainees were thrown on board the military pickup trucks while being beaten and insulted. Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba, Mr. Mulugeta Rikitu, School Director and Board Member of MTA; and Sisay Serbesa, 3rd Year IT Student at Addis Ababa University, all of them disappeared with their Tigrigna speaking capturers, the security forces of Meles Zenawi who come from his ethnic homeland of Tigray two thousand kilometers away to this evergreen and pristine Oromo District.

The District Court Judge of Dandi District, seeing what happened that morning, never showed up for the hearing at 2:00 P.M. on that beautiful August 29, 2011 afternoon. There is no law left form him to enforce. The ethnic militia of Mr. Zenawi knows no law and they think they are above the law at least in Ethiopia and until Zenawi is in power. A frustrated local farmer told us “there is no law for the Oromo people under this regime except gun carrying cadres of the who raid our villages now and then to terrorize and kill our people.” Meles Zenawi and his security forces might have been over rejoiced by the humiliation of Oromo elders in their hands and in front of their family, relatives and countrymen; but many Oromo youth also took note of what befell them under this lawless and brutal regime.

This is brief account of how the regime of Melese Zenawi conducts its hidden and brutal war on the Ethiopian people. Mr. Dhaba, Mr. Mulugeta Rikitu and Student Sisay Serbesa are all held incommunicado at the Maikelawi Torture Center in Addis Ababa. There is serious concern as to the safety and wellbeing of these detainees. The Ethiopian regime has well documented history of using torture on detainees, and extrajudicial execution of detainees in cold blood.

Families, relatives and friends of Mr. Legesse Deti Dhaba, Mr. Mulugeta Rikitu and Student Sisay Serbesa seek your help to petition the Obama Administration, European governments, your local and federal elected officials, human rights groups and political leaders to urge the Ethiopian regime to release these innocent detainees immediately and unconditionally; and stop its ongoing war of intimidation and terror on the Ethiopian people.

Source: http://ayyaantuu.com/horn-of-africa-news/oromia/victims-of-the-hidden-war-of-meles-zenawi-profile-of-mr-legesse-deti-dhaba-an-oromo-elder/#more-3841

I do not mean to disturb your mentality with some horrific truth about my people, but I must mention my identity and my causes for being driven out of my country and many others like me in Diasporas.

I got to know CMY when I was doing my VCE in 2009 during ESL classes. I was shown the advantages of being in Australia and the support that I could get from the organisation. But my strong connection was not made until March the next year. After I got a high score in VCE and secured a spot at Deakin University, a nasty surprise caught my attention. The Department of Immigration had not processed my papers and I was not a permanent resident even after two years of being in the country.

What did this mean to me? I had to either raise at least $10,000 or take off a year from my education. The latter seemed unbearable and the former impossible. as I was not working and was not even receiving a full social welfare income. I was going to be treated as an international student at the university and pay that amount. With that followed the question of “where do I get the money from?” I had no job, no experience and so forth. My world came crashing down on me. I had planned to do a double degree in International Studies and Law straight after my VCE, but in time I realised that was not going to happen.

That is when I contacted CMY. They helped me contact the immigration department, and helped me with lobbying and advocating my case. It is through CMY that I got a volunteering position at Springvale Community Centre. That kept my head busy, at the same time my search for a solution seemed to ease as I came across a wide range of people. My youth support worker Maya Chandra was there with me throughout, listening to me when I needed, sitting there and writing my letters and giving me ideas on how to go about things.

Finding a job now became a little bit easier since I could see myself doing something. I could list skills and responsibilities on my resume more than just jotting down my subjects in high school. While looking for work, volunteering and lobbying the immigration department, I also participated in community work. It gave me a sense of pride when I got people patting me on the back saying, “You will get there”. What I achieved from the above actions was the skill of multi-tasking. Previously all I had to do was go to school and read, only that. After these broader experiences however, the world wasn’t just that, it was different and I needed to explore my abilities and this came through with the help of my family, community and CMY.

Around May 2010 my youth support worker called me up and informed me of an opportunity to work with other young people on a project. I was thrilled beyond words, but at the same time I was not sure of what I was expected to do or the type of young people I was going to face. One thing I was ready to do was explore Australia and be a charitable person just like the workers that supported me throughout that despondent period of letting go of my studies. The group was started by three young ladies (including myself) from refugee background and two youth workers who supported us throughout. We were given the freedom to come up with ideas and then create a project that would be suitable for young people from diverse backgrounds. You couldn’t be given more than this, so we got our heads together, brainstormed the ideas and finally came up with the full version. CMY helped in writing up our ideas and also greatly invested on finding funds for the whole program. Briefly, the program was divided into three parts. It included the group having fun like travelling to places that we would not be able to do alone, learning a leadership program and giving back to the community. It was designed for people aged between 15 and 21 years.

It was not long after this get together, through this experience and meeting different people and actively looking for a job that I landed anadministration job for a small business. Now everything seemed to be falling into place, and by November I had been granted my Permanent Residency. But by the time I had the job and my permanent residency, it was late for me to enrol for my bachelor at Deakin University. However, I was able to plan things easily and get myself ready for school payment for the following year and support myself financially.

When we got 10 group members, we came up with the group name  ‘Invincible’, this was a new vocabulary for me. It just showed the power of working with different lots of people. Then we set off exploring Australia and having fun as planned. When we headed to Parliament house we learned about the political system, when we visited Wileys Publishing we learned about books, but more so about the experiences of people who have made it to good positions in life and in work places. When we held a session for homelessness, I was appalled by the number of homeless Australians and young people who are stuck in this mess. It taught me how to appreciate what I have more than ever and to lend a hand to others. When I saw a picture of our group in the local paper creating awareness about homelessness, I could not feel any better satisfaction. We were heading somewhere.

Then came the big day in everyone’s mind, the camp! It was going to be my first time spending nights away from home with my friends and the best part was that I had helped create the whole idea. We set off to Phillip Island in the second week of December 2010. At the camp we worked together, set up the tents, took turns to cook and clean up. Taking on responsibilities at the same time as working together with others really taught me lessons about respect, sharing ideas, respecting different values and many more. In one big word, the experience of being with other people taught me the power of harmony. That is when I thought to myself ‘I wish the government of my country could just respect me and my people for who we are’. Our achievements and happiness can only be explained explicitly by the number of photos we took and our facial expressions. We laughed and smiled the whole time. I doubt if I did not smile in my sleep.

It is from all these that a got an opportunity to travel to Sydney to attend the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition's annual national conference. Travelling to Sydney for a good cause, representing the voice of my group and the youth at large. What could be a bigger honour at this at this stage of my life? During our stay at Sydney I enjoyed every second of it, listening to people from different experiences,  meeting other young people. By the time we had to present our half an hour session, we were already inspired and were determined toshow our super project to the crowd. And we did it well. The audience responded greatly and for us, it was an achievement to be able to share our  experiences, abilities and contributions with other people. At the end of the three days all I could see was that youth are so powerful; that
if given the chance and support at all times, we could make this world a better and best place to live in.

The journey has inspired me to be a better person in my family, my community, at my work and in the world. I remember posting on my Facebook wall ‘I hate 2010’, but now if I was still using Facebook I would post otherwise. I have been inspired by those who have dedicated their time, effort and finance to get me to where I am. I cannot thank CMY workers and the groups I have worked with enough for being the backbone of my successful journey.

When Ralph came to award me a certificate from ‘Creating Dreams’ it showed me the power of caring for others and also recognition. He drove from Sunshine to Dandenong to hand me a certificate of achievement. Somebody was acknowledging my abilities and encouraging me to pursue my dreams. What ‘Creating Dreams’ did for me to travel to Sydney only shows that there are people out there who are more than willing to do anything, even sacrificing their wages to put a smile on someone’s face. All I can say is a gruff ‘Thank you’ to you all, those who we’ve worked together and those who have supported me without face to face meeting. You all contribute to my future even more.

To finish off, I am currently in my first year of Bachelor of International Studies at Deakin University while working and still  engaging with CMY. I am one of the committee members for CMY’s Youth  Advisory Group, composed of young people who work together to represent the interests of young people and also pursue to influence the policies of our government to cater to the needs of youth and families. Our issues include government funding to combat homelessness, education for migrants, and the lack of jobs for culturally diverse youth. I intend to complete my bachelor and work as human rights activist in the future. It is through these efforts that I want to be a voice for Oromo people, who still fight for their freedom by giving up everything, even lives.

Source: http://www.cmy.net.au/SinkesJourney