Ethiopia has an Oromo problem

Girma Gutema

Just now · 

Ethiopia has an Oromo problem, but the opposition has certainly an Amhara problem

At least over the last three years, we have established a well researched truth to the world that Ethiopia has a gigantic Oromo problem.

Ethiopia can not, will not and must not continue while oppressing its 40% of the population: the Oromo nation. The ongoing ‪#‎OromoProtests‬ has completely shattered the ''developmental democracy'' and ''building one socioeconomic'' narrative the regime propagates domestically and to the international community. The narrative has been used to justify the unfair, unjust and oppressive Ethiopian government policy against Oromos and other indigenous people of the south in the name of development.

Ethiopia must not develop by destroying the Oromo nation. If development is to mean to destroy the Oromo nation, let Ethiopia stay in eternal destitution! It is beyond the conscious of any sane human being to even imagine a country oppresses its 40% of the population. The bottom line: destitution is MUCH MUCH better than oppression on the hands of colonizers; eating one dignified meal a day is MUCH MUCH better than eating three meals a day in slavery.

But I believe we can compromise on how to ensure sustainable development though democracy, equality and freedom of all nations and nationalities. And that is absolutely impossible within the current political system where a minority ethnic and aristocratic group has a grip on the monopoly of power, economy and military; and it will not let go simply by bowing for democratic principles.

Removing TPLF is difficult not because there is no support for the popular rebel movement, but because of political dynamics it might lead to complicated outcomes unless understanding and agreement among different parties will have been reached. In fact Oromos of just one zone alone are capable of removing TPLF from power. If you ask for specifics, there should a roadmap between all of these adversaries and opposition wings on the way forward after TPLF.

One political constituency remains defiant to even ascertain its own self. The Amharas, although some of the elites recently progressive, remain shy or deliberately calculated not to organize themselves on the line of their own self i.e Amhara nationalism.

The entire idea of ‘’Ethiopian nationalism’’ or being one is crafted for the Amharas to escape from being themselves. It is a good strategy for people who fail even to recognize the existence of the Amhara nation. The Amhara elites want to avoid the risk of internal problems within themselves by simply asserting their identity as ‘’Ethiopian’’.

Historically, the Abyssinian monarchs have always relied on the Oromo military help to seize their ‘’God-given’’ ‘’Solomonic’’ power. In Gonder, in Ankober and later in Finfinne, they used Oromo military generals to maintain their control. Things have changed since. We have now new kind of Gobanas: OPDO. Even then OPDO is still nationalist and the time Amhara elites can use submissive Oromo Gobana has gone for good. The only way forward for Amharas is to organize themselves as such and cooperate with Oromos on the basis of mutual respect and understanding.

The roadmap of the future is in the full interest of the Amharas. The future is very important for Amharas as it is for Oromos. As the two largest communities, they can benefit from democracy. Keeping Ethiopia together is not just the Amhara issue, a country built on a just and fair system is also the aspiration of the Oromo people....Biyya Oromia