What Do the Oromo Want? Looking Back and Looking Forward on Oromo Studies
by Bonnie K. Holcomb | October 13, 2012
Keynote Remarks, Oromo Studies Association
Annual Meeting
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
July 14-15, 2012
The Oromo want dignity, self-expression, self-governance.
The Oromo want their voices to be heard.
The Oromo want sovereignty
They want to live together at peace with their neighbors, who themselves also live in freedom exercising their own sovereignty.
The Oromo want friends and allies across the world who will work with them to protect their forests from decimation, their water from pollution, their animals from starvation, their minerals from exploitation, their sons and daughters from capture.
The Oromo want to protection from dispossession of their ancient homelands.
The Oromo want control of their own story.
The Oromo want security.
The Oromo want healthy babies.
They want a clean water supply, and even plumbing.
They want to be free of AIDS, thyroid diseases, malaria and toxin-borne diseases introduced by unregulated industries.
The Oromo want to live in and govern their own land filled with their own trees, in which live the birds whose calls they know well.
They want freedom of communication
They want access to the Internet, a window on the world – which requires electricity, education, languages, spelling
Oromo want to be part of the global conversation
They want to form their own association
They want to form their own associations.
The Oromo want experts and specialists to assist them on their terms rather than impose alien ways on them.
Oromo want cell phones,
Oromo want education.
Oromo want freedom to express their culture.
- They want to dance without fear
- Dress in ways that they find beautiful, comfortable and meaningful.
- To hear and respond to the cries and interpretations of their poets and theirmusicians without fear of reprisal
- They want to drink their own coffee.
They want jobs.
Their list is the list of aspirations of those who suffer oppression and injustice worldwide. How do they get it? Let’s talk about that in terms restricted to this association.
When the world hears the Oromo aspirations and grievances loud and clear, they will stand with the Oromo as they did with the protesters in the Arab Spring. The Oromo will know that they are not alone that others do stand behind them. But Oromos must also stand with others, make connections, establish two-way streets in the formation of alliances. How can this come to pass? What is the role of the association of Oromo Studies?
The natural allies of the Oromo are everywhere. Oromia is a case study in the major issues of the day, but her voice is not clearly heard. OSA is now strong enough to consider taking on initiatives which encourage and equip activists to join forces with others internationally who suffer and with those who work to bring justice and peace.
–Full Report OSA Annual Meeting July 14-15 2012 Partial Report
Info should be on time! July 14???
Realy every body shoud know as Oromoo is a nation & Oromia is a country.
Thank You Bonnie K. Holcomb
That is the perfect expression of Oromos’ Aspression. I really appreciate the way you present it.
Jira,
The video of the speech was made available in the week of July 16, immediately after OSA conference. However, it took a while until the full text was put together, organized, edited, and presented in writing. “Better late than never”, as the saying goes.
Korme/Jima/
Maqaa bira baafadhu waaqa jedhi. Nama dogongorsu dhisi. Tasuman arge gochaa akkana. “Cyber” irratti eege hin danda’u. Maqaan kanaan nama arabsanis isatu arabsedha. Waan gaari yaadi. Safu kan jennus tokko kanuma bar. KKK
This is in response to Habtamu Dhugo’s cronology of ODF
Dear Habtamu,
I did not expect such a low level writing from you. You basically turned into big mouthed good for nothing shanee dabballes. All they do is disrespect and insult Oromos who happen to think different from them. Dabballeen shanee nama abaaruu fi salphisuudhaan kabajaa waan argatan itti fakkaata. Akka gaariitti si leenjisanii jiru, jabaadhu.
I thought you had a journalistic background. Am I wrong? I thought journalists are supposed to dig deeper & find the truth, find the real facts, not just scratch surface. You seem to look though Dawwits glasses only. My advice – take Dawit’s glasses off and put an Oromo glasses. What do you get from disrespecting maanguddo ? unless you are Wayyaane agent ? I have listened to all the interviews… no part of your “facts” represent these manguddoo. None what so ever… did you listen ? does it sound someone who has no Oromo interest at heart ? Remember they created OLF. They told you who you are.
Here are the facts for your info. The whole Kamal Galchu debacles attested to the failed leadership of Daud Ibsa. Kamaal nama Wayyaaneef umurii isaa guutuu lolaa ture guyyaa takkittiitti fidee ajajaa waraanaa WBO godhe. Mee namni mataan nagaa kana ni dalagaa ? Fuudhee samii irraa kaa’ee, osoo xiqqoo hin turre ammo fuudhee lafa illee miti boolla keessa kaa’uu barbaade. Kamaal is human being too, he refused! Amma ati as teettee xibaaruun salphaa dha. If Kamal didn’t have Oromo interest at heart why would he risk his life ? the fact is we have leadership problem. I really don’t think it is initially Kamaal’s fault, whatever he did after that was just confusion. The real problem is Daud Ibsa is not fit to lead any human being. Look at what he did to QC.
Couple of points Ato Habtamu, you said “The ODF disowns the Oromo….” I could not stop laughing on this one, Oromoo tahuu kee iyyuu jaarrolee kanaatu sitti hime tortoraa!
“ODF leaders lecture the general public always on a single topic” ODF held only two public meetings, what do you mean by “always” ? you are messed up man ! Shanee has been addressing the public on one topic for the last 10 years…. Why didn’t you say anything?
The policy of Daud Ibsa boils down to this assumption: if we prop up an artificial hope long enough, it will magically become real. If we gave false hope and pretend you are fighting, the suffering of the Oromo will stop and Oromiya will be liberated. This is an extraordinary assumption: that the process of artifice will result in artifice becoming real.
This is the equivalent of a dysfunctional organization presenting an artificial facade of freedom to the Oromo and expecting that fraud to conjure up real freedom. We all know it doesn’t work that way; rather, the dysfunctional organization that expends its resources supporting a phony facade is living a lie that only increases its instability. It’s time to tear down the wall, expose the true Shanee and free our beloved Organization from hostage of Daud Ibsa and Company. It’s not too late to build from scratch if need be. As long as we are on the right track, it doesn’t matter how far we have to travel… we will liberate Oromiya. But Daud Ibsa is leading us south thinking it’s north. We will never get there. So Ato Habtamu stop propping up the tried and felled policies of Daud Ibsa. Stop being a mouth piece ! Do your job right . It’s time to wake up ! stop perpetuating a destructive illusion.
Sorry poeple I know I posted here on purpose because Ayyaatuu.com removes comments if you don’t agree with their tried and failed ideology.