Advocacy for Oromia

In the heart of Oromia, there exists more than a place. There exists a testament. Gullallee is not merely a location on a map; it is a platform, a sacred ground where the truth and rights of the Oromo people are voiced and affirmed. It is a stage where history is not just remembered but actively performed, and where the echoes of those who were silenced for speaking Oromo truth are amplified and heard. Their stories emerge here. Their legacy is made visible here.

Gullallee stands as a powerful symbol of resilience. It is where voices rise to declare dhugaa (truth) and haqa (justice), confronting oblivion and demanding recognition. It is also hallowed ground that commemorates the fallen—the thinkers, poets, activists, and ordinary people who boqotan (rest) because they dared to speak that truth. Their names, their struggles, and their principles are not buried with them; they are resurrected in the collective memory and determination of those who gather. At Gullallee, history is not a closed book but an open gathering, a living conversation between the past and the present.

The profound statement that “Gullallee is a land of history, but not only its land—it is the people who stood there, who reside there, who are the ones that possess and know history,” captures its essence perfectly. This insight shifts the focus from geography to humanity. The power of Gullallee does not emanate solely from its soil, but from the feet that have stood upon it, the voices that have resonated across it, and the communities that embody its spirit. The land becomes historical because of the people who have consecrated it with their purpose, their courage, and their unwavering commitment.

These are the people who qabu (possess) history—not as a passive inheritance, but as a living, breathing responsibility. They are the ones who beeku (know) history—not as mere facts, but as a narrative of identity, struggle, and aspiration that must be carried forward. They are both the custodians and the continuators.

Thus, Gullallee transforms into more than a site. It is an idea. A promise. A continuous assembly where the Oromo nation asserts its rightful place, honors its martyrs, and reaffirms its journey toward justice. It is where the land and its people become one—a unified, undeniable force declaring that truth cannot be silenced, and history cannot be erased.

In every gathering, in every utterance of truth, Gullallee lives on. It is the eternal meeting ground where the past speaks, the present listens, and the future is shaped.

Kora Lammii akka Dirree Sabaatti: Akkamitti Korri Lammii Buundhaa Hundee Tokkummaa Aadaa Oromoof Mootora Ta’e

Amboo Ejersaatti Korri Lammii Buundhaa ardaalee Jaha jiraniif Aadaa fi Safuu Cimsuuf Ta’e

AMBO EJERSA, OROMIA — Dirree aduudhaan jiidhe naannoo Boojii irratti, sagaleen sirba kora lammii Buundhaa waa’ee eenyummaa fi duudhaalee callisaa, gadi fagoo ta’e waliin walsimsiisaa jira. Wanti akka jalqabbiilammii keessaatti jalqabe gara taatee hawaasaa guddaatti guddateera, korri lammii haaromsa aadaa wajjin haala wal hin tuqneen wal makaa jira.

Dorgommiin Kora Lammii Amboo Ejersaa dargaggoota Oromoo ardaalee adda addaa ja’a: Itayyaa, Amboo, Meexxii, Maatiii, Waddeessaa, fi Shanan irraa walitti fiduun milkaa’inaan walitti fiduun isaa ni yaadatama. Walga’iin isaanii walgahii caalaa; itti yaadanii gocha hawaasummaa deebi’anii walitti hidhamuudha. Kaayyoon giddu-galeessaa, akkuma hirmaattotaa fi qindeessitoonni walqixa ibsaman, waancaa bira darbee kan babal’atudha: Korri lammii aadaa aadaa (aadaa) fi safuu (seera naamusaa fi naamusaa) Oromoo cimsuuf akkamitti humna cimaa ta’uu akka danda’u qorachuuf yaalii walooti.

“Kaayyoon waltajjii marii uumuu ture,” jechuun qindeessaan korichaa ibseera. “Goolii fi qusannaa qofaaf osoo hin taane, haasa’uuf, dhaggeeffachuu fi eenyu akka taane yaadachuuf. Humna korichaa fayyadamuun waa’ee bu’uuraalee keenyaa marii boba’aa jirra.”

Mul’ata kanaaf dhugaa ta’ee, cinaa fi iddoowwan hawaasaa naannoo dirree jiran gara waltajjii marii boonsaatti jijjiiramaniiru-marii hawaasaa bal’aa, gadi fageenya qabu. Maanguddoonni, daawwattoonnis hojiirra oolmaa qabatamaa safuu jireenya ammayyaa keessatti, kunuunsa afaanii fi seenaa afaaniin dubbatamu, akkasumas gahee dargaggoonni akka guca aadaatti qaban irratti ofumaan marii irratti bobba’aa jiru.

”Korri Lammii kun maagneetiidha, garuu haasofni kun qabeenya dhugaati,” jedhan jaarsi buleeyyiin yeroo akeeka isaa ibsan. “Miseensi Kora Lammii Waddeessaa akaakayyuu Itaayyaa irraa dhufe tokko waliin taa’ee waa’ee kabajaa fi hawaasaa haasa’uu arguun… aadaan akkasitti hafuura baafata. Duudhaaleen kun kitaabota qofa keessatti osoo hin taane, gocha keenya guyyaa guyyaa keessatti akka ta’an akkamitti mirkaneessina.”

Miirri garmalee hirmaattota biratti mul’atu gammachuu fi itti quufinsa gadi fagoodha. ”Hirmaachuuf qofa hin dhufne,” jedhe miseensi Kora Lammii Buundhaa irraa dhufe. “Walqabsiisuuf dhufne. Jarreen kana waliin walarguu, achiis nyaachuu fi booda isaan waliin haasa’uu-dallaa ijaan hin mul’anne ni diiga. Akka ummata tokkootti akka cimnu nu taasisa.”

Miira namoota hedduu kan dhageessisan, hirmaattonni saganticha gaalee Afaan Oromoo humna guddaa qabuun wal irraa hin cinne ibsu: “Korre lammii kun waan haalan nama gammachisuu dha,” hiikni isaas, “Lammummaan hawaasaa kun waan gammachuu gadi fagoo, onnee irraa madde fiduudha.”

Korri Lammii Buundhaa Amboo Ejersaa akka moodeela dirqisiisaa sochii aadaa bu’uuraa ta’ee dhaabbatee jira. Meeshaaleen lubbuu ummata tokkoo kunuunsuuf gargaaran yeroo hunda dhaabbilee idilee keessatti akka hin argamne, garuu jaalala waloo kora lammii, dorgommii fi eenyummaa waliinii irraa maddu akka danda’an agarsiisa. Taphi kora lammii yommuu dhihaatu, injifannoowwan waaraa asitti argaman qabxiidhaan osoo hin taane, walitti hidhamiinsa cimee fi waadaa haaromfameen hambaa Oromoo boonsaan fuulduratti ceesisuuf akka madaalamu ifaadha.

Subtitle: Generations of Buundhaa Return Home, Spark Cultural Revival and Unity in Boji

AMBO, OROMIA – The dusty fields of Boji have transformed into a vibrant arena of unity and cultural pride. This week, the Ambo Ejersa social fabric and shared identity kicked off, achieving what few events have done recently: seamlessly bringing together the sons and daughters of Oromia from towns across the region and beyond its borders.

In a powerful display of shared identity transcending geography, generations of Buundhaa from the local Boji area have been joined on the pitch by teams representing Oromo communities from Itaya, Ambo, Meexxii, Maatii, Wadessa, and Shanan. The gathering, organized at a grassroots level, has become more than a local meeting competition; it is a homecoming and a unifying social festival.

“This is truly something that brings joy to the heart,” said one elder spectator, watching a match. “Seeing our generations, from here and from distant places, compete as brothers, wearing our shared identity with pride… it is powerful.”

Beyond the thrilling matches and skilled displays on the field, the community gathering around the tournament has taken on a deeper significance. Attendees, from players to elders to families, have spontaneously engaged in collective discussions, or marii, focusing on vital issues of Oromo culture (aadaa) and moral-ethical values (safuu). These dialogues aim to revisit, reaffirm, and revitalize these core societal pillars in a contemporary context.

“This tournament is a goal scored for our unity,” said a local organizer from Ambo. “We came to play our commitment, but we are staying to rebuild the bonds between us. We are talking about who we are, our values, and how to carry them forward. The energy is incredible.”

The spontaneous cultural discourse alongside the cultural event highlights a community-driven initiative to strengthen social fabric and shared identity. The return of strengthen social fabric and shared identity to participate has infused the gathering with a renewed sense of collective purpose and optimism.

Local administrators have praised the peaceful and constructive nature of the event, noting it as a model for community-led engagement and social cohesion.

As the strengthen social fabric and shared identity progresses towards its final match, the sentiment on the ground is clear: the true victory is not just the lifting of a trophy, but the strengthening of a people. The Ambo Ejersa has become a living testament to the enduring power of shared identity, culture, and community to inspire and unite.

Waan haalan nama gammachisudha, as the people here say—it is indeed something that brings profound joy.

By Alemayehu Diro

Commentary

When two intellectual pillars of a people fall within a span of two months, it is not merely a moment for mourning. It is a historical event, a closing of a distinct chapter, and a profound test of a community’s capacity to be its own custodian. The passing of Professors Hamdeessaa Tussoo and Asmarom Leggesse represents precisely such a rupture. Their collective departure compels a reckoning not just with what has been lost, but with the monumental, unfinished work they have bequeathed.

These were scholars whose lives formed a powerful dialectic. Professor Tussoo, a foundational pillar of the Oromo Studies Association, wielded the scalpel of political science and history. His works—The Survival of Oromo Nationalism, The Oromo Problem and U.S. Foreign Policy—were acts of intellectual demystification, systematically dissecting the structures of domination and articulating the “Oromo question” on a global stage. His was the scholarship of confrontation, dismantling the “mythical Ethiopia” brick by academic brick.

Professor Legesse, in contrast, wielded the archeologist’s brush and the anthropologist’s deep gaze. His seminal works, Gadaa: Three Approaches to the Study of African Society and Oromo Democracy, were acts of majestic reconstruction. He did not just study an indigenous system; he resurrected its sophisticated architecture for the world, proving that democracy, checks and balances, and rule of law were not Western imports but African traditions practiced for centuries. His was the scholarship of reclamation, restoring a pillar of cultural and philosophical identity.

Together, they formed a complete intellectual front: one deconstructing the prison, the other rebuilding the home. Their shared mission was to arm the Oromo people with the two most powerful weapons against erasure: a true history of their oppression and a true understanding of their innate capacity for self-governance.

The personal recollection of Professor Legesse in forums like the GPAAC meetings is illuminating. His insistence on discussing Gadaa even while representing Eritrean civil society was not mere academic interest; it was a lifelong vocation. His profound insight—that Oromo unity (tokkummaa) is not an abstract goal but a lived reality woven through the exogamous fabric of their social life—reveals the depth of his understanding. He saw the political in the cultural, the unity in the everyday, long before it became a slogan.

This is why his unfinished agenda, shared in private conversation, is not a personal footnote but a collective mandate. His five visionary projects—from translating Oromo Democracy into Afaan Oromoo to developing a Gadaa-based educational curriculum—are not merely items on a to-do list. They are the blueprint for the next phase of intellectual sovereignty. They represent the critical work of moving from explaining a system to institutionalizing its wisdom for future generations.

Herein lies the true challenge and the call to action. The passing of this generation of intellectual giants—Tussoo, Legesse, and before them, figures like Sesay Ibsaa—creates a daunting vacuum. But it also presents a clear, urgent charge. Their legacies are not passive monuments to be admired; they are active toolkits to be used. The responsibility now falls squarely upon institutions like the Oromo Studies Association, universities within Oromia, and a new generation of scholars to pick up the threads of these unfinished projects.

To honor Professor Tussoo is to continue the rigorous, unflinching analysis of power structures. To honor Professor Legesse is to build the educational systems and cultural institutions that can breathe continuous life into the Gadaa philosophy. Their work was, in essence, a single project: the restoration of Oromo agency in history and in the future.

Their physical voices are silent, but their scholarship shouts. The question now is who will answer. The highest tribute to these “giant scholars” will not be found in eulogies alone, but in the determined, collaborative effort to complete the monumental tasks they envisioned. To ensure their history remains dignified, their memory indestructible, and their contributions timeless, the work must continue. Bol’a isaanii daadhiin haa guutu—may the earth rest lightly upon them. But may their unfinished work weigh heavily upon us, guiding our hands and sharpening our minds in the struggle they so brilliantly illuminated.

Internal Communication Reveals Ethiopian and Eritrean Leaders’ Concerns Over War Crimes Accountability

5 February 2026 – Internal communications from the early stages of the Tigray War, revealed in former Ethiopian official Gedu Andargachew’s open letter, show that the leadership of Ethiopia and Eritrea privately expressed concern over potential legal consequences for alleged human rights violations, while publicly denying them.

According to the letter, in January 2021, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed tasked Gedu with delivering a message to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The message included a warning that “supporters of the TPLF and foreign forces who do not want good relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have launched a widespread defamation campaign through various international organizations and media regarding human rights violations.”

The message, as conveyed by Gedu, stated that this issue “could expose us to serious accountability if left to fester, so we must exercise shared caution.”

President Isaias Afwerki’s reported response, as detailed in the letter, was one of alignment and caution. He allegedly agreed that “all possible caution should be taken” and that both sides should issue instructions to their respective structures. He then reportedly added, “Beyond that, there is still much work to be done based on the agreement that Isaias and I have reached.”

The letter states that Gedu, after receiving these instructions, reported back to PM Abiy that the meeting had been positive and that Isaias emphasized the need for caution regarding human rights allegations.

This private exchange, now made public, stands in stark contrast to the official wartime narratives from both capitals, which largely dismissed reports of atrocities. It reveals that at the highest levels, the potential for “serious accountability” was a recognized risk from the outset of the conflict.

Gedu’s letter presents this communication as evidence that his mission to Asmara was focused on coordinating a political and legal defense, not on addressing the humanitarian situation, stating that “no message whatsoever concerning the suffering of the people of Tigray was conveyed.”

For more detail see the official Amharic letter of Gedu Andargachew

Oromo Federal Congress Honors Professor Asmarom Legesse: “The Star of Your Scholarship Will Not Fade”

(Finfinnee, Oromia – February 5, 2026). – The Oromo Federal Congress (OFC) has issued a powerful and culturally resonant statement mourning the passing of Professor Asmarom Legesse, hailing him not merely as a distinguished scholar but as a “hero of great intellect” whose life’s work was a “sacrificial investment” in Africa’s intellectual reawakening.

The statement, rich with tributes to his scholarly legacy, positions Professor Legesse’s work as a defiant act of intellectual reclamation. It asserts that at a time when African political systems were “dismissed as relics” by Western scholars, Professor Legesse “provided scientific evidence” to prove the Oromo people possessed a sophisticated system of “negotiation, equality, and democracy” long embedded in human history.

The OFC specifically highlighted the professor’s foundational texts, “Gadaa: Three Approaches to the Study of African Society” and “Oromo Democracy,” praising them for doing more than recording history. These works, the statement says, “restored the dignity” of the Oromo people and irrefutably proved that democracy was not a “foreign concept imported to African countries” but a lived reality for the Oromo for centuries.

The Congress emphasized the practical impact of his research, crediting it with playing a “leading role” in the successful inscription of the Gadaa System as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage. Furthermore, his work ensured the Gadaa system was recognized globally as a “source of world democracy.” For the KFO and the Oromo people, the statement notes, his research formed a “great foundation for the development of our culture and unity.”

Looking toward the future, the OFC underscored the enduring relevance of his scholarship. By studying the checks and balances and peaceful transfer of power within Gadaa, Professor Legesse provided the current generation with “a great tool of knowledge” to build their identity and governance upon. His work, the statement declared, has provided “indisputable evidence” for the Oromo struggle for self-determination and democratic rights.

The tribute concluded with a poetic and culturally profound farewell, stating: “Although his body has departed from us, his soul will not die; his light will remain in the orbit of the Gadaa star forever. Professor Asmarom Legesse, may the earth rest lightly upon you.”

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About the Oromo Federal Congress (OFC):
The Oromo Federal Congress is a political organization advocating for the rights and self-determination of the Oromo people within a federal Ethiopian framework. Its statement reflects the deep intersection of academic scholarship, cultural identity, and political aspiration in the Oromo national movement.