Can the people of the Horn of Africa establish a common union based on justice and equality?
October 25, 2012 (Ogaden National Agency)–We’re witnessing lately the formation of sub-regional unions and the coming together of nations who share adjacent geographic locations, interests and common destiny. These unions are necessitated, among other things, by their mutual inter-connection and desire to survive collectively in this rapidly changing globalized world, and to compete internationally.
It has been established that no nation can participate and succeed in the fierce global political and economic competition, alone, without the backing and protection of regional and continental groupings. That is why the nations of Europe have formed the European Union (EU), and the American continent has the OAS (Organization of American States). The African continent is represented politically by the African Union (AU), while the Middle East and the wider Asian continent have several formations such as The Arab League (AL), the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). These continental, regional and sub-regional groupings, serve as a bulwark and protection (for smaller nations within them) against unfair competition, exploitation and environment pollution, by the predatory powerful countries of the world. They also foster and promote inter-regional cooperation and development.
But before such regional integration is formed, it is important for the constituent parts – that is, the peoples and nations inside the mega union – to feel to belong to the project and own it. The communal and citizens’ rights within nation states must be respected and safeguarded, and the citizenry must be given the right to choose to join such a union through referendum. To a certain extent the EU has succeeded in this endeavor by giving its member states and those applying to join it to so through the referendum process.
The people and nations of the Horn of Africa, unlike other parts of the continent, share many commonalities which can help them set up strong alliances and play their role in the global competitions. But this can only take place if historical injustices are addressed and the inhabitants of this region are accorded equal rights and opportunities to decide their destiny.
Finding just solutions to the long simmering mishandled historical causes is a pre-requisite to achieving stable geographical alliances, be them federalisms or confederation of states. Anything short of that is tantamount to a flammable material waiting to be ignited at the slightest moment.
The breakup of the former Soviet Union and the old Yugoslavia illustrate this matter very well. And if it is thought that separation through self-determination is a thing of the past, and a relic of the 20th century, the rise of independency-seeking nationalists in elections held in Quebec, Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque region in Spain, point to the other direction. But while Europe and North America have embraced inclusionary politics of their minorities, and granted them the right to self-determination, the same cannot be said about the African continent: Eritrea and South Sudan, which are the latest African nations to emerge, managed to break-away from the brutal colonization of Ethiopia and Sudan after a long, bloody and bitter struggle for independence which had cost them dearly.
The main reason such disintegrations occur is that people were coerced to such nation states and federations or that they feel the original compact system and ensuing social contract was done without their consent. Nations states that have emerged out of this perverse situation, and who do nothing to ameliorate this thorny issue, risky imploding and eventually disintegrating.
The Somalis in the Ogaden are determined to free themselves from the grip of black colonialism imposed on them by Abyssinia kingdoms of late 19th century and successive Ethiopian regimes. After that, they are ready to live in harmony with other nations and peoples of the Horn of Africa, and set up together a lasting union based on freedom, equality, justice and development through regional integration and mutual cooperation and co-existence.
Oh my long time dream!!In this respect all regions in Ethiopia including Oromia,Amahara Ogaden and other hhould have autonomous under the union!
Good idea. I fully support this
I wonder why Malagasy is included here. I think it is more asian in context and African only in proximity. Even then, a Union of South African states mwould be thew right place for it.
Please take note and correct – it’s a news agency (Ogaden News Agency) and not national agency.
Sharmarke,
Don’t feel ashamed for saying/reporting National. Already the real citizens of the great Republic Oromia and Ogaden are accepted that their nations.The phrase-National Agency sound well……Viva Ogadenian!
Warr is the only solution for freedom.
“—Oromo’s End Goal (KAAYYOO) is Sovereign State of Oromia in a United State of Africa—
When we want to look at Oromo’s history, we just need to consider and ask the question: “who wrote it?”. Is it the Abesha elites who used to tell us that we came out of River? Is it some Oromo nationalists who tell us that we are from Mada Walabu and we have been colonized by Abyssinians? Is it some “modern” historians like Prof. Shamsadin who do write that we are related to Meroe of north Sudan, and the name Ethiopia actually belongs to Oromos, not to Abeshas? and so on. Did Oromos “migrate” from south towards north or were we pushed from north (Meroe) towards south? I personally would like to leave history to historians.
But, I am not too naive not to recognize that we Oromos were and are the indigenous people in the Horn of Africa, and we were pushed by christian Europeans and Muslim Arabs as well Turks from different directions and squeezed to our present national area. Additionally, we, being originally Waaqeffataas, tried to resist the BIG religions, and we preserved ourselves as Oromos in our current geographical region. Let me raise certain questions: are the Christianized and Semetized Amharas and Tigrayans biological Oromos or are they other Cushitic nations like Agew? Are the Islamized i.e Arabanized Afars and Somalis also biological Oromos? I do ask these questions for there are certain historians who do consider Oromo as a stem for almost all other Cushitic nations in the Horn.
Unfortunately, all the above groups narrate their versions of the past Oromo history in order to instrumentalize it to justify their versions of future Oromo destiny, i.e what they wish and want to achieve for Oromos in the future:
- Abesha elites narrate that we Oromos are the new comers (immigrants) from somewhere (Madagascar, the River, and so on) just to justify their theory that most parts of Oromia originally belonged to Abyssina, so that it is legitimate to have the future unity of the IMIYE at the cost of Oromo liberation.
- Pro Walabumma (pro independent) Oromia fronts of Oromo people narrate that Oromia was not part of Abyssinia, but became the colony of Abysinian rulers in the end of 19th century, so that it would be legitimate to fight against the colonialism and to separate Oromia from Abyssinia/Ethiopia.
- Those, who do argue with “post-modern facts” that Oromo is the stem for even Tigrayans and Somalis, who are culturally Semetized, but biological Oromos, try to tell us that we belong to the Cushitic nations, including the Semetized ones like Tigrai, Amhara, Gurage, Silxe, Argoba and Harari – who are originally Oromos or Agews. With this theory, they want to suggest that the Horn of Africa is Cushland, to whose unity Oromos should dedicate ourselves.
As far as I am concerned, I do believe that the third version is a most probable truth. But, considering the development of the various nations into speaking different languages, I would like to accept that all language groups do deserve their national autonomy in the future Union of all Cush people in the Horn.
Other very important factors to be given attention in Oromo history are its Gadaa system (indigenous democracy) and its Waaqeffanna religion, which is the preserved representative of all African religions (monotheistic belief in one God). The Gadaa system must be modernized and used in the areas it will be accepted as a home-grown African version of democracy, instead of importing the non-functional Western democracy, which usually is difficult to be exercised in Africa. Reviving Waagqeffanna in Oromia means a Renaissance of African religions asserting itself against the three major imposed religions aka Christianity, Islam and Judaism, that used to demonize African religion as the work of Satan.
This way or that way, the reality on the ground now is that Oromos are under the yoke of national occupation/colonization/oppression. We, Oromos, are struggling now to free ourselves from such slavery. Our spiritual organization (Dhaaba) aka OLF, the mindset we all Bilisummaa loving Oromos do have, is moving in every level to realize our emancipation. I think this liberation spirit moves now at three levels:
- at the level of the governing party OPDO to keep the status quo of a limited cultural autonomy i.e to hinder the backward move to the status we were in till 1991, the time there were no Oromia as a state, no use of Afaan Oromo in Oromia, no limited cultural rights which we do have now.
- at the level of OFU (Oromo Federalists Union) in MEDREK, the opposition movement which tries to achieve a genuine autonomy for Oromia in federal Ethiopia, Oromia as the national state being liberated from the current Weyane looting and lording.
- at the level of OLF-proper to lead us to self-determination, be it per ballot or per bullet. I do include all rebel Oromo organizations organized under ULFO to be part and parcel of this level of Oromo liberation movement.
Leaving the study of our history to historians, we need to agree on our future destiny. Our destiny is to be determined by the liberation movement from status quo to freedom of Oromo people and to sovereignty of Oromoland. We need to determine our fate and be Abbaa-biyyaa (owner) in our land. To this end, we need to discern our own wish from the wish of our colonizers. We know that Abesha elites want that we unconditionally accept their mantra about UNITY of the empire. This is the precondition they always put even when forging an alliance with Oromo political organizations against the fascist Weyane. But, we, Oromos, should clearly articulate that our desire is to foster our national self-determination which can result to autonomous Oromia with in the Union of nations in the empire as well in the Horn or to independent Oromia without the aspired union. There will be no compromise on our self-determination which is the key to our destiny.
To forge our End Kaayyoo, we need to synchronize it with the international and continental developments. Now, it is historical fact that Africa is developing gradually towards a federal arrangement aka the United State of Africa. Oromos’ Kaayyoo then can only be to foster a State of Oromia in a United States of Africa, Finfinne being the capital of both Africa and Oromia. We hope that Abesha elites come to their senses and accept this endeavor so that we will have Tigrai state, Amharai state, Ogadenia state, Oromia state, and so on in a United States of Africa. At the time Abesha elites accept this common Kayyoo, then all of us can be partners to foster it for common benefit. It is the acceptance of this common goal which may help to promote the needed alliance of pro-democracy Abesha forces like G-7 with the pro-liberty Oromo fronts like OLF against the current fascistic regime in the empire.
No question, the optimal Karaa (way) to the above Kaayyoo is the very much desired unity (Tokkummaa) of Oromo people and of the Oromo political organizations for liberation (Bilisummaa). The current main obstacle on the way to our goal is Weyane. To get rid of this fascistic looting force, the following factors are necessary as chronologically put, based on their importance:
- 1st, we need Tokkummaa of all Oromo organizations for Bilisummaa of Oromo people.
- 2nd, we can forge an alliance with all oppressed nations who can move with us till our END.
- 3rd, we can have an alliance with Abesha democratic forces (of course, not with dictatorial forces, such as AEUP and EPRP), that, at least, respect the freedom of Oromo people, even though they do oppose our effort to establish the sovereignty of Oromoland. The dictatorial Abesha forces accept and respect neither freedom of Oromo people nor sovereignty of Oromoland.
We can move with the pro-democracy Abesha froces a half way to our goal. To be clear, this half way can be a United States of Ethiopia (genuine Language Based Federation (LBF) of Ethiopia). A culturally, economically and politically federated nations in Ethiopia can be a precursor for the genuine integration of all African nations. This seems to be the goal of all politicians who forged MEDREK at home. We hope that we will have similar TIBIBIR in Diaspora for such common goal and common good. So I would like to recommend “USE” (the United States of Ethiopia) as a common denominator for the Unity forces of Abesha like G-7 and the liberty forces of Oromo like OLF – also as a uniting mechanism against the common enemy aka the fascist Weyane. Then, it would not be necessary to disintegrate the already integrated nations of the empire in order to foster the sovereign Oromia state in the future United States of Africa. The modern and enlightened elites of Amharas, Tigrayans, Ogadenis, Afars, Gurages, Welayitas, Hadiyas, Kambatas, Kafas, Sidamas, Oromos, Gambellas, Benishanguls, and so on can come together and transform the status quo of the empire through building United States of Ethiopia as a very good base for the United States of Africa.”
Galatoomi Blise
Let others read your idea it is perfect I like it.
Thank you very much