Category Archives: Finfinne

General Damisse Bulto: The Forgotten Eagle of Ethiopia’s Skies

General Damisse Bulto: The Forgotten Eagle of Ethiopia’s Skies

Feb 13

Posted by

Personal Profile

Who was General Damisse Bulto? 💔

The question lingers, suspended in grief and memory. For those who knew him, he was a son of Ada’a Berga, a herdsman turned warrior, an aviator who painted his nation’s future across African skies. For those who have forgotten—or were never taught—he is a ghost in the military archives, a name erased from official histories, a body moved in secret.

This is his story.

From the Pastoral Plains

General Damisse Bulto Ejersa was born in 1926 in Ada’a Berga District, West Shewa, to his mother Adde Ayyee Jiraannee and his father Mr. Bultoo Ejersa. From childhood, he knew the weight of responsibility. While other boys played, young Damisse tended his family’s cattle, moving through grasslands that would later seem impossibly distant from the jet streams he would one day command.

But the open fields that raised him also gave him his first taste of horizons. A boy who watches the sky from the earth learns to dream of flight.

When he reached the appropriate age, Damissae traveled to Finfinne to study at the Medhanealem School. It was there, in the capital’s classrooms, that a military recruitment announcement changed everything. The Makonnen School was calling for cadets. Without informing his family, the young man enlisted—and stepped onto a path that would define the rest of his life.

The Making of a Makonnen

Three years of intensive training transformed the cattle herder’s son into a disciplined officer. By 1946, as Lieutenant Colonel, he received orders that would carry him far from Ethiopian soil.

The Korean Peninsula was aflame. The Cold War’s first hot conflict had drawn nations from across the globe into its crucible. Ethiopia, under Emperor Haile Selassie, committed troops to the United Nations forces. Among them was Damissae Bultoo—a young commander representing his ancient empire on a distant battlefield.

He served with distinction. He returned alive. He completed his consecration ceremony. And then his nation called again.

Ethiopia had no air force to speak of. The Emperor, modernizing his military, sought to build one from the cockpit up. Damissae was selected for training in Israel, where he learned the arts of aerial warfare from one of the world’s most capable air arms. He returned home a pilot—and soon, commander of the famed “Flying Leopard” squadron.

Wars and Recognitions

The 1950s and 1960s were decades of fire. When Somalia challenged Ethiopia’s territorial integrity, General Damisse took to the skies. In 1955 and again in 1957, he flew combat missions against Somali forces, his Leopards drawing blood across the Ogaden skies.

Emperor Haile Selassie took notice. The young man from Ada’a Berga, who had once watched clouds from cattle pastures, now received medals and commendations from the Lion of Judah himself. He rose through the ranks: Colonel in 1969, Brigadier General in 1972, Major General in 1977.

Each promotion marked not merely personal advancement but the trajectory of a man who had dedicated his entire existence to the defense and dignity of his nation.

The Dream of Oromia

Yet General Damisse’s patriotism was not uncritical. He loved Ethiopia—but he also saw its failures. He served the empire—but he also dreamed of liberation for his own people.

When the Derg seized power, when Mengistu Hailemariam’s Red Terror washed Ethiopian cities in blood, General Damisse made his choice. He would not merely serve. He would resist.

The plan was audacious, befitting an airman accustomed to thinking in three dimensions. On the morning of December 8, 1981, Mengistu was scheduled to depart for East Germany. General Damisse and his co-conspirators intended to shoot down the dictator’s aircraft—or, alternatively, divert it to Eritrea and capture the leader himself. A single blow to decapitate the Derg and open the path for Oromia’s liberation.

But conspiracies breathe thin air in authoritarian states. Fellow air force officers, when approached, hesitated. Some refused outright. The plot faltered, then collapsed. No missile was fired. No aircraft was diverted. No dictator fell.

The dream of an Oromo political order, forged in that moment of daring, remained unrealized.

The Exile and the Grave

What follows is contested, obscured, deliberately forgotten.

What is known: General Damisse was killed. The commander of the Flying Leopards, the veteran of Korea and Ogaden, the man who had received medals from an emperor’s hand, died at the hands of fellow officers—or of the regime they served.

His body was initially interred in Asmara, within the compound of the Catholic Church of St. Isteqs. Eritrea, then still part of Ethiopia, received the fallen general in silence. His grave marked nothing more than a name, a date, a vanished life.

But even the dead are not beyond the reach of politics.

Years later, after Eritrea had separated, after Asmara had become foreign soil, General Damisse’s remains were exhumed. They traveled south, across the border his squadron had once defended, back to the capital city where a cattle herder’s son had first dreamed of flight.

Today, they say, he rests in Finfinne. Within the compound of St. Joseph’s Church. A man displaced even in death, his final resting place known to few, visited by fewer still.

What Remains

General Damisse Bulto left no political testament. No memoirs. No public confessions or private apologies. He left only the record of his service—the medals, the missions, the promotions—and the whispered memory of a plot that failed.

To Ethiopian military history, he is an embarrassment: a decorated commander who turned against the state. To Oromo nationalists, he is a martyr: a patriot who understood that love of nation and love of people could not be separated. To his family, he is simply gone—a father, a grandfather, a name spoken in prayers.

And to the young men and women of Ada’a Berga, who still tend cattle beneath the same skies he once watched, he is a question without answer.

Who was General Damisse Bulto?

The cattle know. The grass knows. The wind that moves across the West Shewa highlands remembers the boy who became an eagle.

But the archives are silent. The grave is quiet. And the dream he died for remains, like his body, displaced—waiting for a nation that has not yet decided whether to claim him.

💔

The author acknowledges the family of General Damisse Bulto and surviving members of the Ethiopian Air Force who provided information for this profile, many of whom spoke on condition of anonymity.

Posted in Finfinne, Information, News, Oromia

Leave a comment

Barak Mountain’s Irreechaa: A Spiritual Gathering for Peace and Gratitude

Barak Mountain’s Irreechaa: A Spiritual Gathering for Peace and Gratitude

Feb 3

Posted by

May be an image of crowd

From the Highlands, a Prayer of Gratitude: Irreechaa Tulluu Unites Community on Barak Mountain

SANDAFAA BAKKEE, OROMIA – As the first light of the autumn sun crests the horizon, the slopes of Barak Mountain are already a tapestry of movement and color. Thousands of men, women, and children, dressed in the brilliant whites and intricate embroideries of traditional Oromo attire, ascend the paths in a serene, purposeful procession. They are not mere hikers; they are participants in one of humanity’s oldest and most profound rituals: offering thanks to the divine for life’s sustenance and praying for peace in the seasons to come. This is Irreechaa Tulluu, the hill festival, and on this day, Barak Mountain is its sacred stage.

Irreechaa is not a single event but a bi-annual dialogue with nature, deeply embedded in the Gadaa system’s ecological wisdom. The first, Irreechaa Arfaasaa, celebrated at riversides in early October, welcomes the rainy season—a festival of renewal, cleansing, and thanksgiving for the promise of life. The second, unfolding now in the crisp autumn air, is Irreechaa Tulluu. As the harvest is gathered, the community climbs to the high places, turning gratitude into a physical act of ascent, symbolizing a spiritual upliftment and a reflective review of the passing year.

This season, the community of Sandaafaa Bakkee has transformed Barak Mountain into a breathtaking open-air temple. Led by revered elders, or Hayyus, who carry staffs of authority and centuries of tradition, the people climb. The air fills with the sound of communal prayer, traditional Geerarsa (praisesongs), and the soft murmur of individual supplications. At the summit, the focal point is not an altar of stone, but a shared spiritual intention. Participants bring fresh green grasses and flowers, symbols of peace and prosperity, offering them as tokens of gratitude to Waaqaa (the Creator) for the blessings of the past year and as prayers for harmony and abundance in the next.

“This mountain is our church, our mosque, our most sacred space,” explained Elder Gammachuu Roba, pausing during the ascent. “When we climb together—young and old, from all walks—we are doing more than celebrating. We are reaffirming our bond with Waaqaa, with our ancestors, and with each other. We pray for nagaa (peace) because without peace in our hearts, our communities, and our environment, no prosperity can take root.”

Beyond its profound spiritual core, Irreechaa Tulluu is a vibrant celebration of Oromo identity. The mountain slopes become a living museum of culture. The air resonates with the rhythms of the kebero drum and the strings of the kirar. Young men engage in spirited waa’ee (verbal jousting), showcasing wit and wisdom, while circles form for traditional dance. It is a powerful, collective assertion of a culture that has endured, adapted, and thrived.

For observers and visitors, the festival offers an unparalleled immersion into the “timeless richness of Oromo culture,” as promoted by the Oromia Tourism Bureau. It is a chance to witness a living tradition where faith, ecology, and community are seamlessly woven together. As the sun sets on Barak Mountain, casting long shadows over the departing crowds, the feeling left behind is one of collective catharsis and renewed hope. The prayers for peace, whispered from the highlands, are carried on the wind, a timeless echo from a people forever rooted in their land and their gratitude.

#Irreechaa #IrreechaaTulluu #OromoCulture #BarakMountain #Oromia #LandOfOrigins #Ethiopia #CulturalHeritage

Posted in Finfinne, News, Oromia

Leave a comment

Oromo Forces: New Democratic Strategies After 2018

Oromo Forces: New Democratic Strategies After 2018

Nov 1

Posted by

How did 2018 peace deal alter ODF political goals?
The 2018 peace deal fundamentally shifted the political goals of the Oromian Defense Force (ODF) and its allied groups, most notably the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), from an emphasis on armed struggle and potential secession toward renewed engagement with federal politics, negotiation, and peaceful transformation within Ethiopia.[11][12]

Emphasis on Negotiation and Peaceful Participation
Following the 2018 peace deal—brokered as part of a broader national reconciliation—the ODF and OLF renounced armed resistance, returned to Ethiopia from exile, and announced a willingness to pursue Oromo objectives through legal, peaceful, and democratic means. This marked a crucial shift from decades of armed opposition to dialogue and electoral participation.[12]

Commitment to Justice and Democratic Reform
The ODF and its political allies reoriented their platform around justice and democratization rather than outright independence. They advocated for dialogue aimed at ending repression, safeguarding human rights, and building an inclusive federal system. The peace deal made negotiation over Oromo grievances, state autonomy, and fair power-sharing a central feature of their demands.[13][12]

Internal Divisions and New Strategies
The peace process also brought internal tensions—some factions supported disarmament and rapprochement with the government, while others (notably the OLA) argued the federal government failed to meet peace commitments, thus resuming armed resistance. Nevertheless, the declared political track for mainstream ODF/OLF post-2018 prioritized peaceful reform and legal advocacy within Ethiopia’s system.[14][15]

Dialogue on Self-Determination
Post-deal, political demands have been reframed around a self-determination process via constitutional and democratic mechanisms, rather than unilateral secession. The goals moved toward ensuring meaningful autonomy for Oromia and broad democratic reforms to benefit all Ethiopians, as opposed to exclusive focus on armed struggle for independence.[11][12]

In summary, the 2018 peace agreement redefined ODF political goals—shifting them from militant separatism to a platform emphasizing peaceful negotiation, democratic participation, and structural reform of the Ethiopian state.[15][12][14][11]

Sources
[1] Is South Sudan’s Peace Deal Falling Apart Again? https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/is-south-sudans-peace-deal-falling-apart-again/
[2] Death by Peace: How South Sudan’s Peace Agreement … https://africanarguments.org/2022/01/death-by-peace-how-south-sudans-peace-agreement-ate-the-grassroots/
[3] BRIEFING: All you need to know about South Sudan’s … https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2018/08/14/briefing-all-you-need-know-about-south-sudan-s-new-power-sharing-accord
[4] Why South Sudan’s attempts at peace continue to fail https://theconversation.com/why-south-sudans-attempts-at-peace-continue-to-fail-126846
[5] The last peace deal for South Sudan? https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-last-peace-deal-for-south-sudan
[6] South Sudan’s peace deal at risk of collapse without … https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/south-sudans-peace-deal-risk-collapse-without-stronger-regional-action-warns
[7] South Sudan’s shaky peace is at risk of collapse. Can it be … https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/04/south-sudans-shaky-peace-risk-collapse-can-it-be-saved
[8] South Sudan president signs peace deal with rebel leader https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/9/12/south-sudan-president-signs-peace-deal-with-rebel-leader
[9] The shaky peace deal in South Sudan https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa/shaky-peace-deal-south-sudan
[10] Landmark South Sudan deal offers hope, but trust ‘still … https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/09/1019242
[11] Mission – Oromo Liberation Front https://oromoliberationfront.org/english/mission/
[12] Country policy and information note: Oromos, the … https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ethiopia-country-policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note-oromos-the-oromo-liberation-front-and-the-oromo-liberation-army-ethiopia-march-2022-accessible
[13] Peace—and justice—remain elusive in Oromia https://www.ethiopia-insight.com/2024/10/17/peace-and-justice-remain-elusive-in-oromia/
[14] Oromo Liberation Front – Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › wiki › Oromo_Liberation_Front https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_Liberation_Front
[15] About the Oromo Liberation Army | OLF-OLA https://www.olf-olahq.org/about

Posted in Finfinne, Information, News

Leave a comment

Oromo Graduation Day: Celebrating Academic Success in Australia

Oromo Graduation Day: Celebrating Academic Success in Australia

Jan 29

Posted by

By Daandii Ragabaa

The Oromo Graduation Day is a significant event for the Oromo community in Australia, particularly for Oromo students. It serves as a platform to celebrate academic achievements, foster unity, and inspire the younger generation. Here are some ways it motivates and brings Oromo students together: 

 1. Celebration of Achievements: The event recognizes and honors the hard work and success of Oromo students, providing them with a sense of pride and accomplishment. This recognition can be a powerful motivator for both the graduates and their peers. 

 2. Community Support: It strengthens the sense of community among Oromo students, offering them a network of support. This camaraderie can be crucial for students who may feel isolated or face challenges in their academic journey. 

 3. Cultural Connection: The event often includes cultural elements, such as traditional music, dance, and food, which help students stay connected to their heritage. This cultural affirmation can boost their confidence and sense of identity. 

 4. Role Models: Graduates serve as role models for younger students, showing them that academic success is attainable. Hearing the stories and experiences of those who have succeeded can inspire others to pursue their educational goals. 

 5. Networking Opportunities: The event provides a platform for students to network with each other, as well as with professionals and community leaders. These connections can be valuable for future academic and career opportunities. 

 6. Encouragement and Motivation: Speeches and presentations during the event often focus on the importance of education, perseverance, and community involvement. These messages can motivate students to stay focused on their studies and strive for excellence. 

 7. Unity and Solidarity: By bringing together Oromo students from different universities and regions, the event fosters a sense of unity and solidarity. This collective spirit can be empowering and reassuring, especially in a foreign country.

Overall, the Oromo Graduation Day plays a crucial role in motivating Oromo students, celebrating their achievements, and strengthening their bonds as a community in Australia.

Posted in Events, Finfinne, News, Oromia, Press Release, Promotion

Leave a comment

Seenaa Girmaa Gamadaa: Fakkeenya Toleeyyummaa

Seenaa Girmaa Gamadaa: Fakkeenya Toleeyyummaa

Jul 7

Posted by

Girmaa Gamadaa akkamitti yaadanna?

Girmaa Gamadaa Oromiyaa keessatti dhalatee guddate. Yeroo umuriin isaa dargagoometti garuu lammii isaa akka tajaajiuuf haalli siyaasaa ture hin hayyamneef. Fedhii fi dharraan waa’ee Oromoo fi Oromummaa guddisuu garuu isa biraa hin dhabamne. Inumaayyuu dharraan toleeyyummaa kun Girmaa waliin biyyaa bahee fakkeenya toleeyyummaa Oromoo ta’e.

GIRMAA GAMADAA: Fakkeenya Toleeyyummaa Oromoo

Toleeyyummaan aadaa tola hawaasaaf hojjachuu dha. Aadaan kun hojiilee hawaasaa fi biyya fayyadu hojjachuu dha. Namoonni hundi dandeettii toleeyyummaa qaban; garuu namni hundi jiruu fi jireenya ofii bira darbe kan hawaasa biraa fayyadu hin hojjatu. Namootni kennaa kana waliin dhalatan garuu of dhoksuu hin danda’an. Hiree kana yeroo argatan waan saba isaanii beeksisuu fi guddisu hojjachuu jalqabu.

Namoota Oromoon akkanatti qabaatee ture, yeroo gabaabaa keessatti dhabe Girmaa Gammadaa akka fakkeenyaatti ilaaluu dandeenya. Girmaan biyya Oromiyaa irraa sababa siyaasaatiin dhiibamee biyya baqannaa Keeniyaa, Naayiroobii, keessa jiraatee ture. Sana booda biyya Kanaadaa, magaalaa Torontoo keessatti qubate.

Yeroo san irraa kaasee hanqina Oromoo karaa beeksisaa fi odeeffannoo jiru furuuf hojii jalqabe. Yeroo gabaabaa keessatti sirboota Oromoo karaa addaddaa beeksisuu, postara addaddaa hojjachuun akka guddatan taasise. Hawaasa keessattis beeksisa ayyaanotaa fi taatotaa qopheessuun akka beekamu gochaa ture. Waldaalee Oromoo addaddaaf beeksisa hojjachaa ture. Waldaan Waaqeffannaa akka beekamuu fi guddatu dhaadhessa hedduu qopheessuun qooda guddaa gumaache. Ayyaanni Irreechaa akka sadarkaa addunyaatti beekamuu fi guddatu gahee olaanaa gumaachaa ture. Ijaarsa Oromoo kan akka OMN, waldaa ispoortii fi ijaarsa hawaasa Oromoo mara keessatti hirmaataa ture. Seenaa qabsaa’ota Oromoo kan akka Jaal Bureyesssoo fa’aa akka ummanni Oromoo beekanii fi faan-dhahii isaanii hordofaniif hojii bu’ura qabu hojjachuun yaadatama.

Jawaar Mohaammad gumaacha Girmaa OMNf godhe of kennuu ol’aanaa ta’uu yaadateera. “Boqonnaa Girmaa Gammadaa dhaga’uun gaddisiisaa dha. Hiriyaa dhugaa fi tajaajilaa ofittummaa hawaasa keenyaa dhabneerra. Girmaan namoota kutannoo fi wal irraa hin cinne waggoota kurnan oliif waliin hojjechuuf mirga argadhe keessaa tokko ture. Guyyaa tokko irraa kaasee, bu’aa ba’ii hunda keessa nu waliin ture. Nagaa siif haa boqottu obboleessa. Maatii isaa fi hawaasa Toroontootiif jajjabina onneen qaba.”

Girmaan erga Oromiyaa irraa dhufee waggoota 20 dura jechuun ni danda’ama, filannoo nyaata galaanaa irratti mala michuu fi odeeffannoo qabuun maamiltoota tajaajilaa tureera.

Girmaan dhukkuba ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ykn Lou Gehrig’s disease) jedhamu kan baay’ee hin mul’anne fi jireenya namaa jijjiiru qabamee ture. ALS dhukkuba niwurooloojikaalaa kan niwuroonota sochii qaamaa miidhudha; motor neurons seelii narvii sammuu fi lafee dugdaatti sochii maashaalee fedhii isaaniitiin to’atanidha. Qorannoo kun Girmaan kana booda akka durii hojjetee maatii isaa guutuu hin danda’u jechuudha.

Kana booda hojii tola ooltummaa Giddugala Hawaasa Oromootiif graphic designer ta’ee itti fufuus ta’e fedhii suuraa isaa hordofuu hin danda’u jechuudha. Girmaan dandeettiin suuraa ka’uu isaa Maraatoonii Toroontoo Waterfront, Afrofest Toronto fi African Fashion Week Toronto irratti uwwisa isaa irratti mul’ateera.

Girmaan dhukkuba narviitiin wal’aanamaa ture. Haa ta’u malee yaalaan fayyuu hin dandeenye. Adoolessa 4,2024 addunyaa kanarraa boqote. Girmaan abbaa mucaa tokkoo ture; haadha warraa fi mucaa isaatiif jajjabina hawwina.

Namoota akka Hawwinee Alamayehutiif Girmaan gorsaa obbolummaa ture.”Sabboonaa, ogeessa cimaa, goota namaa, anaaf obboleessa gaarii ofii irraa si dhabuun gadda jabaa jechaa ol ta’edha.”

Girmaan nama guddaa karaa hedduun jabaa ture. Bu’aa ba’ii Girmaa Gamadaa hawaasa biratti akka gaariitti yaadatamu Tulluu Liiban ragaa ba’aniiru. “Waggoota kurnan 2 darban hojiiwwan kalaqaa isaatiin kaayyoo Oromoo beeksisuuf urjii ifaa ta’ee kan ture Girmaa Hordofaa Gemeda, yeroo malee Ameerikaa Kaabaa keessatti du’aan addunyaa kanarraa boqote, dhibee isaa irraa ni fayya jedhee abdate bira darbee Kan nama dhibu ilmi namaa gad of qabuu fi qulqulluun kun hin jiru.”

Dandeettii hojiiwwan isaa tolaan fedhiidhaan agarsiisaa tureera. Kana malees Girmaan meeshaalee maxxanfamuu danda’an kanneen akka T-Shirt, caps, banners, artifacts, logos etc. dizaayinii fi gulaaluu kooreegiraafii fi suuraa irrattis gumaacha godheera Girmaan Oromo keessatti taateewwan barbaachisoo ta’an hedduu galmeessee jira. Gumaacha gatii guddaa fi kutannoo umurii isaa guutuu ummata Oromoof kenneen dhabame.”

Girmaan har’a nu waliin hin jiru. Hojiin toleeyyummaa isaa bara baraan nu waliin jiraata. Namoonni akka Birhaanuu Olaanaa ogeessa Oromoo baay’ee of kenne ta’uu yaadatu.

“Girman ilma Oromoo cimaa ture. Ogeessota akkanaa yeroo barbaannu halkanii guyyaa nu gargaaraa akka ture ogeessa kaameeraa fi giraafiksii cimaa turee fi takkaa kaffaltii nu gaafatee hin beeku; kaffaltii tajaajila isaaf kaffalu.”

Posted in Finfinne, Oromia

1 Comment

THE OROMO NATION HAVE RIGHTS TO CELEBRATE IRREECHA FREE FROM ATTACK

Sep 30

Posted by

(A4O, Press Release, 30 Sept 2020) We support the right of the Oromo people in their home state of Oromia to peacefully celebrate one of the most important Oromo cultural holidays, Irreecha, on October 3-4, 2020.  Each year, massive crowds gather in Finfinnee and Bishoftuu, Oromia for the Oromo annual festival, Irreechaa.  

The Irreecha -Oromo Thanksgiving Day, has gone on for many years to celebrate the harvest season. Irreechaa is celebrated as a sign of reciprocating Waaqa in the form of providing praise for what they got in the past and is also a forum of prayer for the future.  In the past, it has also been a forum for peaceful political protest and expression.  In Oromo culture, both types of peaceful demonstrations are fully permissible.

This year’s festival, on October 3 and 4, occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions and unrest in Oromia. Both federal and regional officials have stated that they will limit participation and political expression in this longstanding peaceful celebration. What is perhaps most concerning is the increased military-style presence of security forces in Oromia.

Our Appeals

We view the government’s attempts to limit participation in Irreechaa with suspicion. Though, reasonable restrictions on public gatherings may be justified during this pandemic period, the government should show restraint at upcoming festival.  

In this forum, the Oromo people have every right to peacefully voice their opposition to the government’s policies and governance.  Any effort by the security forces to stop such free speech should be considered a limit on freedom of speech and unacceptable.

We urge caution by Ethiopian security forces and respect for citizen rights to avoid a repeat of 2016 attack and aggression that left hundreds of dead.

The Oromo nation have rights to celebrate Irreechaa free from any repression and attach.

Thanks to God for all the blessing

This festival is a spectacular show of cultural, historical, and natural beautification in their full glory at the height of the season. It has spawned somewhat of a science of knowing just when the blooms will peak at blooms and decline, depending on the wind, rain, and sunshine they get.

Now it is the beginning of 2020 Irreechaa celebrations, the premier holiday of the Oromo people marks the end of the dark-rainy season and the beginning of a blossom harvest season. The event is very important for our nation as it brings the nation together and helps to connect and share experiences in their day to day life.

The theme of this year Irreechaa is “Moving Forward: A Year of Consensus” in which it aims to celebrate Irreechaa as a medium for bringing all Oromias together to promote a process of our tradition group decision-making where the members are willing to work together to find the solution that meets the needs of Oromo people.

Together, we can make our destiny better everywhere.

press-release-irreechaa-2020-1Download

Yours faithfully,

Dabessa W Gemelal,

Director, Advocacy for Oromia

Posted in Events, Finfinne, Information, News, Press Release

Leave a comment

Reform From ‘Fake Democracy To No Democracy’ And Horrific Inhumanity Of The Ethiopian Version!

Jun 15

Posted by

By: Workineh Torben, PhD & Dessalegn Guyo,PhD

Democracy

File photo: The Ethiopian soldiers standing on the neck of a dying student (A) and brutally kicking the necks and throats of a group of students (B) in Oromia region of Ethiopia. The lastest report by the rights group Amnesty International Issued Friday, May 29, 2020 a report that displayed the endless Ethiopian’s security forces of extrajudical killings, mass detantion, massive human right violations, proprety damages, burning unharvested crops, animals, wildlife, coffe plants, forest and homes in the restive Oromia region as the chemeleon reformist prime minister was awarded the ‘Nobel Peace Prize’.

New York Times reported about Mr. Abiy Ahmad’s factious reform of Ethiopia in the Horn (Matina, Oct. 11, 2019). Here are few of the facts, which are ironically incredible to learn the confusing political atmosphere of the African country where human right violations are still unbelievable. Apparently, the political transformation and the wrongly hailed reformers transformed the fake democracy of the TPLF regime to no democracy at all.  Amnesty International highlighted a few credible facts related to the dysfunctional leadership of Abiy Ahmad in its latest report (amnesty.org/Index: AFR 25/2358/2020). However, the PM of Ethiopia blatantly disagreed with the quality report of Amnesty International. That is never a surprise to hear from Mr. Abiy, who has been committing shocking crimes against peaceful citizens including kids, elementary students, high school students (please look at the pictures A and B, gives the glimpse of  shocking human right violations in the Ethiopian Empire but it is immoral and against the human value to list numerous images which we cannot post in public). Over 35, 000 students were dismissed from Universities in the entire nation  just for being Oromo.

Abiy hijacked the multigenerational movement of the Oromo youth by unique political strategies. He started as a sympathizer of the marginalized people and representative of the Oromos until he secured power. The international community barley understands the Ethiopian politics, because it is complex and unique to the rest of the world. Most writers, bloggers and owners of medial are the beneficiaries of the dysfunctional system. Only a few are honestly describing the nature and the underlying problems of the Ethiopian Empire. For example, Amnesty International  recently disclosed credible facts related to several in humane killings by security forces of  Mr. Abiy Ahmad.

The Ethiopian politics is dysfunctional by nature because it was built on the pretext and pretentious  political elites rhetoric supported by misguided powers. The political dramas of Ethiopia need a sincere attention of the international community. It is becoming the most disgraceful and dangerous for peaceful citizens and the Horn of Africa. The government of Ethiopia is terrorizing Oromos (Human Rights Abuses Committed by the Ethiopian Army in Different Parts of Ethiopia); the Oromos have been under command post since Abiy Ahmad took office, and at this critical time of Coronavirus pandemic, internet and telephone access has been limited or sometimes completely disconnected in the entire Oromia. The world must tell us if the definition of terrorism has a different meaning than what is happening to over 55 million Oromos where human is daily killed, tortured, even beheaded and thrown to wild scavengers like hyenas?

The prime minister of Ethiopia was a key security personnel of the Ethiopian ruling party Ethiopian People revolution Democratic front (EPRDF) who did not remember his regimes shocking crimes. He systematically manipulated the international community through systematic approaches and shrewdly trained political games of making plagiarized speeches directly taken from intelligent politicians like Barak Obama’s

or

Then he was wrongly praised by the western communities. Some of the purposeless politicians nominated him for noble peace prize that he won in early stage of his governance.

Abiy Ahmad is implementing terrorizing strategies which are chronic problems of Ethiopia.  He is moving Ethiopia back to where it had been in 1950 and 1960s. His deception is incredibly dangerous that has been resulting in massive atrocity against humanity and significant violations of basic human rights; and his falling power is primarily restricted to the capital and to the state-controlled media.

Since Abiy Ahmed came to power the country’s ruling pattern has changed from pseudo civil administration to complete military marshals which evade the constitution of the country. He has been still using illegal ‘Command Post’ rule to control the most marginalized Oromos. The Oromo people are determined majority citizens of the country to dismantle lawlessness.  He has been using all kind of inhumane strategies under his command post to weaken the refusal of the desperate and resolute Oromos for freedom. Abiy committed several unique crimes way more than the previous murderous tyrants; for example, his untrained security indiscriminately killing children, elderly, helpless mothers, students, entire family; his national Airforce is bombarding farmers and their cattle, burning unharvested crops, wildlife, and coffee plants. Whenever they are committing crimes, they cut all kind of public communication systems, internet and telephone (wireless and landline) connections in the entire Oromia. As the result, significant number of Ethiopian citizens, particularly the Oromos barley heard about Coronavirus (COVID-19). Clearly, the Ethiopian government is creating a dangerous territory where the emerging virus will continue to kill people and potentially keep the transmission of the deadly infections around the world.

The newest shameful political strategies of Abiy Ahmad are disgraceful and dangerous to the entire world.

The question that Abiy and his administration failed to understand is that ‘state terrorism’ can never be a wise strategy to unify and build a nation. Abiy himself publicly mention about the terrorism strategies of his previous TPLF led government during his parliament speeches; he publicly mentioned that the unsuccessful TPLF was terrorizing the people. We appreciated his honesty about that particular claim, in fact it was confirmed by WikiLeaks. The problem is, Abiy Ahmad repeated the same and even worst terrorism strategy. He failed to understand the fact that the multigenerational movement against inhumanity is unstoppable and will soon squib his regime easily. The Oromo people have been marginalized over 150 years and from the history of the naturally democratic Oromos that UNESCO registered in 2016, one can learn that as the tyrants get murderous against Oromos, the tougher and stronger they are becoming because their peaceful and welcoming mutual coexistence has been challenged Abiy’s misguided politics of hate.   His counterproductive approaches to govern in Oromia will remain the nightmare of the illusionist politician who became a ‘Nobel peace’ laureate at the expense of the fearless Oromos particularly the ‘Qeerroos’. Qeerroo is unmarried youth in Oromo language, unfortunately the youth who transformed the political atmosphere in the Horn are massively targeted by the fake ‘Nobel peace’ laureate.

The international community, and donors of the baseless instability generator government must realize the ultimate outcome of the massive human right violation in Ethiopia. It will be regrettable again. The impacts of the evil actions we see against Oromos is shameful and the lawlessness of Abiy regime is becoming catastrophic against human values in the Horn and it must be condemned by all nations who have interest to maintain peace in Ethiopia and the region.  We must fight lawlessness and we are calling the International community, United Nations, Human Rights Watch, International Legal Experts and interested individuals, groups or institutions to join our efforts to held criminals and massive human right violators accountable at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Abiy Ahmad hijacked the multigenerational movement to win a ‘Nobel prize, but he still prefers ignoring the importance of honest equality, democracy, respectful co-existence and collective respect to all human values. The world must tell us if there is a different definition of terrorism than what Abiy Ahmad is doing. He is designing a disgraceful suicidal network that will disintegrate the nation that is increasing the chances of inevitable civil war in Ethiopia.

Posted in Events, Finfinne, Information, News, Oromia

Leave a comment

Calling from Dr Ibrahim Amae Elemo: Stand in solidarity, fight for justice and fight to end the oppression

Jun 13

Posted by

By Ibrahim Amae Elemo

Image may contain: one or more people, outdoor and nature

Dear all:

We have watched in anguish the senseless killings of innocent people in Western and Southern zones of Oromia under the illegitimate government of ODP, and now Prosperity Party of Abiy Ahmed and the government of kleptocrats.

We as a society that paid heavy sacrifices to fight injustices under TPLF rule should have never given their accomplices and stooges another chance to rule or transition Ethiopian people to democracy. They never knew or made to understand the basic principles of human dignity and the rights of people to live a life free from harassment and intimidation by forces loyal to the government.

For the last two years we have watched time and again, government sanctioned extrajudicial killings of innocent civilians and families of people who stood against injustices. We witnessed properties of business owners being destroyed or confiscated by paramilitary police and soldiers deployed to enforce the state of emergency. When all these horrendous crimes happened, the person at the helm of the government never publicly condemned the actions of the security personnels he deployed or acknowledged the widespread existence of such types of actions, nor did he promise to investigate or put forth a strategy to make sure that these types of senseless killings don’t happen again and again.

Some of the members of Opposition and the general public watched these crimes happeing in front of their eyes, hoped that a better day would come and that there is eventually going to be a free and fair election leading to a formation of a democratic and accountable government. Those hopes have become daydreams. The Oromo people have once again found themselves in a situation where there is no option left but to rise up in unison to end the vicious cycle of brutal killings, out cries for the regime to be held accountable for its actions and more of the same. The Oromo are left with no option but to defend itself against genocide and government sanctioned war to silence the general public and rule with iron fist.
Such efforts failed after long fight with past regimes and it will fail sooner with this government of kleptocrats and maniacs.

I as a person have come to believe that the only viable option left for our people is to get rid of the this brutal regime for once and for all by using all means at its disposal. We have to stand behind the Oromo Liberation Forces, mobilize resources to fund the men and women who put their lives in harms way to bring a better day for their people; and call for the opposition to denounce these senseless actions of the government paramilitary forces and call for protests nationwide where appropriate.

Enough is enough! This is a time not to denounce and cry for justice, but a time for actions to save the lives of the Oromo people against these blood thirsty prosperity Party led regime which is an authoritarian regime in its infant stage of creation. We Must end it! For the good of all peoples of Ethiopia.

We can’t stand by and watch our people being killed with impunity and its hope for Justice and democracy being wiped out day by day.

I said no to extrajudicial killings! I said enough is enough!

I hope you too would say the same and we join hands to not only be a voice for our people but a force to reckon with.

The Blood of the fallen innocent lives are calling for us to stand in solidarity and fight for justice and fight to end the oppression and make sure that they have not died in vain!
Kaayoo Qabna.

Posted in Events, Finfinne, News, Oromia

Leave a comment

Tags: ,

Ethiopia’s security forces accused of torture, evictions and killings – report

May 29

Posted by

(A4O, 29 May 2020, Oromia) Prime minister Abiy Ahmed has been lauded for his democratic reforms. But Amnesty International are now urging him to investigate allegations of serious human rights abuses

in Addis Ababa

A man waves an Oromo flag
 A man waves an Oromo flag as people from the community gather in Addis Ababa in October 2019, on the eve of Irreecha, their thanksgiving festival. Photograph: Yonas Tadesse/AFP

Ethiopia’s Nobel peace prize-winning prime minister Abiy Ahmed has been urged to investigate allegations that state security forces have committed a raft of serious human rights abuses including torture and unlawful killings since he came to power in 2018.

According to a report by Amnesty International, published on Friday, Ethiopia’s military and police in its two most populous regions arbitrarily detained more than 10,000 people, summarily evicted whole families from their homes – some of which were burnt and destroyed – and in some cases were complicit in inter-communal violence targeting minorities.

Federal authorities have not responded to the report, which focuses on the period between January and December 2019 in the regions of Amhara and Oromia.

“Given the gravity and the duration [of the period in which abuses were reported] I cannot believe top officials are not aware of what was happening,” the report’s author, Fisseha Tekle, told the Guardian. “And if they are not then it is a dereliction of duty.”

In Oromia, security forces are waging a counter-insurgency campaign against rebels from the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an armed guerrilla movement demanding more autonomy for Oromos, which returned from exile in 2018 after Abiy removed it from Ethiopia’s list of terrorist organisations.

The move was part of a package of democratic reforms which won the prime minister widespread acclaim and, along with making peace with neighbouring Eritrea, secured him the Nobel peace prize last year. Shortly after becoming prime minister Abiy also confessed that security officials had in the past committed torture, and promised to ensure the sector was fully accountable in the future.

But the OLA has since returned to armed conflict, and accuses the government of failing to deliver its promises of more democracy and self-rule for Oromos.

Fighting in western and southern parts of Oromia has involved targeted killings of local officials and community leaders and what the UN has described as “serious human rights violations”. In Oromia’s Guji district the unrest had driven 80,000 people from their homes by the start of this year.

Amnesty said it had a list of 39 people suspected of supporting the OLA who had been unlawfully executed in two parts of Guji since January 2019. It also said that on a single day in December 2018, soldiers from the federal military killed 13 people in the town of Finchawa in West Guji. One of those killed was an old woman selling milk on the street, according to an eyewitness who spoke to Amnesty.

Security forces are estimated to have detained more than 10,000 men and women suspected of supporting or working for the OLA, among other abuses documented by the organisation.

Many were detained for several months without being charged, in violation of both national and international human rights laws, under conditions which at times amounted to torture, the report found. Detainees were made to undergo two months of “training” in subjects such as constitutionalism, the rule of law and the history of the Oromo people’s struggle.

In Amhara, according to the report, regional police, militia and local vigilante groups engaged in targeted attacks on ethnic Qemant, a minority group demanding more autonomy, in inter-communal violence which resulted in at least 130 deaths last year. In January 2019, at least 58 people were reportedly killed in less than 24 hours and buried in mass graves.

Nobody has yet been held accountable for the atrocity.

Amnesty said it had sought responses to its findings from nine government offices including the defence ministry and the attorney-general’s office but had only received a response from Amhara’s regional security bureau, which denied that state security forces had been involved in any atrocities.

The rights group called on the government to carry out full investigations into human rights violations and to order security forces to stop carrying out unlawful executions, arbitrary arrests and detention, as well as forced evictions and destruction of property belonging to people suspected of supporting opposition political parties or armed groups.

In February last year the former head of the Ethiopian army said it had embarked on “deep institutional reform” as part of the democratic changes sweeping the nation.

The head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, Daniel Bekele, told the Guardian: “While the Amnesty findings and ongoing reports of killings and arrests in parts of Oromia region should be taken seriously and fully investigated, it is also important to understand the complex nature of the security operations where armed groups are seriously destabilising the affected areas.”

The prime minister’s office said it would put the Guardian’s request for official comment to the peace ministry, which did not respond in time for publication.

Source: The Guardian 

Posted in Events, Finfinne, Information, News, Oromia, Promotion

Leave a comment

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE ADVICE

May 17

Posted by

By  Teshale Aberra

I came across something in a book I grabbed this morning called “POLITICS BY OTHER MEANS: Law in the struggle against apartheid. 1980-1994.”

Somewhere in this book, it says the following about apartheid South Africa ‘s Courts:

“[They] occasionally invalidated racist actions by the executive or legislator, such as segregation of public accommodation or disenfranchisement of Cape Coloured voters.”

Apartheid South Africa courts were not the ideal types of courts. No sane person is meant to praise that era’s judicial system, as there is nothing praise worthy about them.

And yet, there were instances where they were used by the oppressed majority black people to defend some of their rights. They were used as a channel through which oppression was aired, dramatized, exposed and challenged.

In short, even apartheid South Africa Courts were used to challenge the force of apartheid.

My question is, can Ethiopia’s courts, both Federal or States level draw some lesson from apartheid South Africa’s Courts?

To be honest, I have always thought that way and puzzled by this comparison.

I say so, because, leave alone judges who are paid by the government and frequently removed from office, allegedly, for lack of loyalty to the ruling party, even private attorneys (lawyers) are not free to take up cases which they think could call the attention of the ruling party. Fear of reprisal is real.

We witnessed time and again while lawyers decline cases for fear of reprisal. I am sure the South African lawyers were not totally free to represent the victims of the system of apartheid.

But they tried their best and some judges did what they had to. They are, as judges and their decision as the work of courts is remembered for the good work done.

I think Ethiopia’s courts may try to follow their suit.

Just imagine what could happen if lawyers brought a legal case at Ethiopia’s courts to challenge ‘the recent government measure of deployment of the deffense force, which put a large part of the country under miltary administration, suspending civil and political rights of people in those areas and caused huge loss of life and property, all in clear violation of the constitution!

Perhaps the lawyers who contributed to this kind of effort and the judges who could have made a decision to stop this kind of madness would have been remembered for generations. Above all they could have contributed something towards the continuity of Ethiopia as a state/nation.

More importantly they could’ve contributed in efforts of or wishes to establish a somehow independent judiciary.

Rather than participating in the melodrama and orchestration of breaking the constitution, as we saw on TV yesterday, judges, legal scholars and lawyers better spend their time on devising strategies on how to pull the entire judiciary out of the deep crisis it puts itself in, or the crisis forced on it by the system.

THIS IS JUST A LITTLE ADVICE

Posted in Events, Finfinne, News, Oromia, Promotion

Leave a comment

← Older Posts
Newer Posts →