Ummanni Oromoo hiree karaa sabqunnamtii ammayyaatitti fayyadamee aadaa isaa guddisuuf, seenaa isaa barsiisuufi  falmaa mirgaatiif wal kakaasuuf isa dandeessisu argaachuu qabsoo guddaa godhaa ture; ammas gochaa jira. Gaafa Ayyuub Abubakar Moqdishotti Afaan Oromoo raadiyoo akka hin cabsine, garuu golgaa gabrummaa akka cabsu mirkaneessee kaasee falmaan sagalee saba kanaa olkaasuuf godhamu takkaa addaan hin cinne. Ayyuub   kan mootiin nafxanyootaa ajjeesiseerraa kaasee hamma gaazexeessitoota keenya kaleessa TVO irraa ugguramaniitti  gaazexeessitoonni Oromoo kaayoo kanaaf wareegama hedduu kafalaa asiin nu gayan.

Qabsoon kun bifa lamaan geggeeffamaa ture. Kan duraa Oromoonni sababa adda addaatin sirna cunqursaa jalaa ba’aanii biyyoota itti baqatan keessatti hiree jirutti fayyadamuun sabaahimaa Oromoo banuu tamsaasa eegalu. Duulli Oromoonni baqatan kun dhugaa Oromoo cunqursitoonni awwaalan baasuuf godhan dura dhaabbachuuf mootummaan Itoophiyaa sabahimaaleen isaa Afaan Oromootin tajaajila akka kennan gochuuf dirqame. Kun hiree Oromoon sabahimaaletti fayyadamuuf qabu  daranuu ni bali’se. Gaazexeessitoonni Oromoo biyya keessa jiran hiree mootummaan osoo hin jaalatin bane kanatti fayyadmuun, akka waahillaan isaan biyya alaa jiranitti siyaasaa keessa seenuu baatanis, aadaafi afaan Oromoo gurra ummataatiin gahuutti seenan.

Fakkenyaaf yeroo  Ayyuub Abubakarifi Shek Mohammed Rashaad Abdullee faan Moqdishurraa walaloofi odeeffata adda addaatiin roorroo Oromoo himuu eegalan, Haylasiallassieen Hararitti qophii Afaan Oromoo bane.Hiree kanatti fayyadamuun Abubakar Muussaa, Tamsgan Gammadaa, Abdi Mohammed (Qophee), Hussen Adamiifi  Yeshawalul Mangistuu faan biyya keessaa karaa aadaafi afaan Oromoo itti guddisan argatan. Yeroo Sh. Mohammed Rashaad walaloo warraaqsaa Moqdishuu irra kaayu, Abdi Qopheen mirriiysuu  qonnaatifi wallee jaalalaa Hararii itti bana ture.  Akka hawwiifi karoora sirna cunqursaa osoo tahee midiyaaleen Afaan Oromootin dabran lamaan walfaallessuun walfashalu ture. Dhugaan ture garuu sababa, tooftaafi bilchina gaazexeessitoota keenyaatin ummanni keenya gama lachurrayyuu fayyadamaa ture. Boodarra kana waan hubateef diinni akkaum Ayyub Abubakar Moqdishotti galaafate, Abubakar Muussaatis Hararitti ajjeefte.

Hojiin alaafi keessaan sabahimaa Oromoo jabeessuuf godhamu baroota as aanaa kanas itti fufe jira. Gaazexeessitoonni keenya hiree diphoo argatan guddifatanii ummata keenyaaf bu’aa gurguddaa buusaa jiran. Gama teliviziyoonaatin yoo laalle bara 1992 gaafa  yeroo duraatif Afaan Oromo suur-sagaleedhaan as bahuuf hiree argate san, akeekni Wayyaaneen banteef Oromoo ittiin sobuufi sossobuuf  yeroo irra jireessa ololaaf olchitus gaazexeessitoonni keenya sagantaalee akka ‘Dhangaa’ fa’atti fayyadamuun ummanni keenya aadaa walii akka baru, eenyummaa waloo akka dagaagfatuufi afaan ofiitiin bashannanuu akka mi’eeffatu itti hojjatamaa ture.

Baroota dhihoo kana ammoo,tattaaffi qondaalota muraasaatin Televiziyoonni Oromiyaa (TVO) banamee hojii akkaan nama boonsaatu dalagame. TVO irrattis akkuma gaafa ETV yeroon bal’oon oloola mootummaatif ramadamus, yeroo muraasaafi leeccalloo xiqqoo argatanitti gaazexeessitooni keenya  akka gaaritti fayyadaman. Qophiilee akka bashannanaa, aadaafi fayyaatti dhimma bahuun aartiin Oromoo akka dagaagu, sabboonummaan Oromoo akka lafa qabatuufi ogummaan gaazexeessuummaa akka  bilchaatuuf shoora guddaa taphatan. Keessattu ji’oota muraasa dabaran kana Qophii eebba Siidaa Aanolee bifa ajaa’ibaatin qindeessuun, haleellaafi arraba atileetonni Oromiyaa Baahir Daar keessatti irra gahe saaxiluufi dhimmii Maastar Pilaanii Finfinnee dhoksaan bilchaataa ture akka gurra ummataa gahu gochuun hojiin seenaan yoomiyyuu dagachuuf hin teenye raaw’atan.

Hojii boonsaa akkanaa ummata ofiitif hojjachuun ammoo wareegummaadhaan malee hin dhufu. Akkuma warreen isaan duraa tattaffii sabaahimaa Oromoo guddisuuf godhaniif du’a, hidhaa, biyyaa ari’amuu mudatan, gaazexeessitonni TVO amma ugguraman kunis yeroo jiruun akkaan qaalii taate kana keessatti hojirraa ugguramuu mudatanii jiran. Tarkaanfii isaan miidhuufi warra hafe sodaachisanii jilbiiffachiisuuf godhamu kana fashalsuuf Oromoon bakka jiru maraa waan danda’u cufaan joollee tana wajiin dhaabbachuu qaba. Hojiifi aarsaa isaanitif galateeffachuun hamilee isaanii eeguun dabalee gargaarsa gama leeccallootin isaaniifi maatii isaani bira dhaabbachuu feesisa.

Asylum, Citizenship and western passport seems to no longer protecting Ethiopia’s opposition leaders and human rights advocates from being illegally renditioned by regional and neighboring countries. Neighboring governments and humanitarian agencies are not doing enough to protect refugees who sought protection, while Western countries failing to stand up for those whom they  granted asylum and citizenship.

Bashir Makhtal, an Ogadeni businessman and Canadian citizen was arrested by Kenyan security and sent  to Ethiopia in 2006. Accused of membership to the Ogaden National Liberation Front, Mukhtal  was sentenced to life in prison in 2009 where he still languishes. Although Canadian authorities appealed for  his release, the Ethiopian regime has ignored it because the appeal was not back with any serious threat of economic or political sanction.

In 2007, despite having UN refugee protection mandate, Oromo refugees Tesfahun Chemeda & Mesfin Abebe were detained by Kenyan security on bogus charge of terrorism and illegally sent to Ethiopia against the order of the Kenyan court. The two were sentenced to life in prison. Tesfahun Chemeda died on August 2013  from injuries sustained during years of  torture.

Just last month Okello Akoy, former president of the Gambella region who defected from the regime and formed an opposition party  was arrested by South Sudan and extradited to Ethiopia. Mr Okello has a Norwegian citizenship. There is no information if the Norwegian government has said anything at all. Let’s not forget Norway signed a deal with the Ethiopian regime to forcefully deport thousands of  asylum seekers.

Now, Andargachew Tsige, the Secretary General of Ginbot 7 opposition group, who is a British citizen,  was detained last week by Yemeni authority while he was in transit. The Ethiopian  court had already sentenced Mr Tsige to death in absentia in 2009  for membership in diaspora based opposition. Aside implementation of this sentence,  he will be at real risk of torture if Yemeni decides to hand him over to the Ethiopian authorities.

These are just few of the high profile cases. Over the last decade governments of  Somaliland, Djibouti and Sudan have been arresting thousands of  refugees and handing over to Ethiopian securities. These refugees often made to disappear or incarcerated without due process.

This is dangerous trend and must be confronted. If sufficient pressure is not mounted, diaspora based activists and even regular people might be at risk of been whisked away any time they visited an African, Arab, Asian or even some Western countries.

Campaign should focus on:

1. Demanding Western countries to stand up for people they granted citizenship and refugee status. They must use their leverage to pressure these neighboring countries to refrain from illegal rendition.
2. Pressuring countries which grant refugee status to respect universal convention of protecting such individuals even in third country territories. Likewise, for those seeking asylum, UNHCR should be pressured to speak up  and ensure their safety against illegal renditions and abductions.
3. Protest against the neighboring countries  to protect those who seek refuge within their border and refrain from detaining and rendering people to Ethiopia.

Such campaign  should be coordinated with existing refugee advocacy organizations such as Oromo Support Group led by Dr Trevor Truman, the renowned humanitarian who has decades of experience in regional affairs.

atoorara warra waaree
ka jiru jiruu’n ijibbaatuu
kadu’ee mataa maree
reeffaafi raafu nameenyaa
nyaattutu cabse irree #
daddarba garbu urgooftuu
gifaara dhibe haftuu
haafoftuu si eemaree
miidhama nama ammaa
mareen hinfurre hiree!
akka waaqaatiif jirra
akka ormaa yoo laallu
silaa nam-nyaatte
sareen!!

saree qarriffaan fardaa
afracha lachuu’n qabuu
kan arginu dubbannaa
inni dhoksaan raawwatan
itti ta’eera cubbuu!
marartoo mee xinneessaa…
imimmaan lakku labuu…!
kan nu’ajjeesu warbaa
kan du’aa jirus lubbuu
lubbuun lubaa inturuu
libsuu ijaati libuu***
amma qabamee garru
amma gatanii darbuu
kan hidhaniin sibiilaa
akka ibidda dibaa
diddibaniii affeellaan
affeelanii dhimbiibu!

himannaa hinshukullee
afaaniifi xalayaan
kan himatamnuun dhugaa
kan yakkamneen Oromiyaa
Oromiyaa waaq nu-kenne
ormi kennaa fakkeessee
waaqi eenyuu awwaataa?
“itiyoophiayaa
ijjuwaan zargetaa”???
miil-Oromiyaa dhiigsee
kan baadhatuu hinboonyee
tan baadhatamtu boossee…
adunyaan kun akka akkaa
daree irkoo hinqabnee
alli taa’aa hinqabuu
manni taa’un obsine!!!!!

aanaan goromsaa ba’ee
silga ta’ee areeraa
furguggee taatu ulee
murxuxxee taatu ullaa
barri obsaa darbeeraa
mammaaksi warra golaa
kan dhokatee baafatee
kan baafate maal malaa??
xiixaaf xiixxuun yoo iyyu
iyyituun yuusee-lolaa
findigaa gaa’il durbaa
daraboo sanyii dhiiraa
wal-qabatee godaanaa
walirra du’ee galaa…!
kan waraabessaa carraa
harreef duuti galgalaa
galtee fi gantuun lammii
ayyaana qaqqajeelee
gaafuu wal-dhabbiin turee
gaafas araaraan oolaa…
aamna dhugaan deebi’e
baqataan leelee laalaa….
yaa Rabbi @-nu’oolchi
Qe’ee ofiit-kajeellaa!

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Waloon:Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Osriis amanatii kuush
amantii waq-takkaa
argama dhal-namaa
hundee Baha Afriikaa
gurraachinni dhugaa
dhugaan gurracha-haqaa
imimmaan dhalootaa
turee dhara- hankaaka….

Gumgumaan garaa cabbi
leemmoon garaa taliilaa
tokkichi maqaa dhibbaa
gurraachi garaa garbaa
waaqayyo abbaa falaa
gamna gabrummaa jibbeef
laata furmaata eebbaa!

Tulluu tabba ba’ee
malkaa hora bu’ee
irreen irreefatee
dhibee dhibaafatee
hoodasaa dhaqatee
sabi dhugaa moo’ee
waaqatti iyyannaan
mooraan milkii toltee*****
handoodee jalatti
golfaan lammii moortu
“Handaar-bachoon
Xaddee”
dhibaayyun hobbaate!!!!!

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Walaleessituun: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Moo-anbessaan hiddaa
ze’emneged  yuhuudaa
nugusa nagast
Walloo Warra Iluu
fuudhaafi heerumaan
moggeef guddifachaan
al-kudhanii lolee…
warri horteen leelee
warri ilaalchi budaa
humnaanis quphanee
Oromiyaatti galee
Goljaan warra baddaa!

ragaa bakkaa namaa
waabii hortee harmaa
danuu qabaachuu kee…
akkamiin waakkataa
Sabboonummaa Walloo
dhaloonni si’anaa?????

dirree qabsoo sabaa
sirna gadaa sagal
dirree waraan- saddeet
torbaatamii lamaa…
teewdroosii hayileen
sidulee dabareen
hortee kee awwaalee…
qabda seena suuraaa!
Irraabaraa jira
dhaloonni alanaa
qaamaa qalbiin ka’ee
dhaloonni hegeree!!!!!

Oromoof Oromiyaa
dullii nafxanyootaa
duruu itti- jiraa
teewdroostu cabsee
Oromoota Walloo
dallaayatee shira
Warqitiif Mastaawat
banaatii dubbisaa
injifannoo boonsaa
wal-aansoo handhuuraa…

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Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

The killing of a Somali businessman in a busy marketplace in Garissa, Kenya this past week was the latest outbreak of violence in Kenya’s increasingly volatile county. The shooting of shopkeeper Mohamed Hassan led to a chaotic scene in which bystanders managed to apprehend one of the the assailants, who was later handed over to Kenyan police. Security officials in Garissa county later identified the assailant as an Ethiopian national and member of the Ethiopian security forces.

According to Kenyan criminal investigation commander, Musa Yego, in recent months teams of Ethiopian security personnel from the Somali region of Ethiopia have been sent into Kenya through the Moyale and Mandera border crossings with the task of killing suspected Ethiopian opposition members and supporters. “The passport carried by the suspected killer who was arrested in Garissa briefly after killing a businessman indicates he entered the country through Moyale border before heading to Nairobi, where we believe he met some people, before travelling to Garissa to cause a felony” Yego said. A team of five men, 3 believed to be Ethiopian security personnel along with 2 Kenyans, are in custody in connection with shootings. Kenyan sources identified two detainees, Khalifa Hassan and Abdirahman Abdi (Hijra), as the team leaders. Three clerics were also killed last month in a similar shooting in Garissa town.

In a county wracked with rival Somali tribes clashing and spillovers of the conflict in neighboring Somalia, Ethiopian government counter-insurgency operations have largely gone under the radar. Only on rare occasions do the illegal activities of Ethiopian security and intelligence personnel gain coverage in the Kenyan media, such as the kidnapping of 2 Ethiopian opposition diplomats belonging to the ONLF in Nairobi earlier this year. However, the presence of Ethiopian hit squads on Kenyan soil does not come as a surprise to Ethiopian refugees and rights advocates. In fact it is widely known that the Ethiopian embassy in Nairobi is frequently used as a headquarters for Ethiopian intelligence and security personnel waging war on suspected opposition activists and sympathizers on Kenyan soil. Ethiopian government personnel have often been implicated in assassinations and abductions involving suspected opposition activists from the Oromia and Somali regions of Ethiopia. However, Kenyan officials and media outlets often overlook such incidents, often placing the blame on unknown bandits or Ethiopian rebel groups attacking from across the border, even when evidence indicates otherwise.

With the glaring evidence that Ethiopian security officials – who have now been identified – are involved in the killing of Kenyan citizens in Garissa county, Kenyan authorities are once again in a bind; They can either hold their counterparts accountable, or continue to look the other way as the Ethiopian regime  operates without boundaries.

Ta jibban duraanuu
madhaa maatii dhaaltii
arat kiiloo miti
tee Tulluu Daalattii
sadist kiiloo miti
Caffeen Tumaa keeti
Oromoon habashaa
Oromiyaan xoophiyaa
jennaan jenne malee
adurreen adalaa
hiddi odaa kanaa
hidda odaa gamaa
Addiis dhabaa miti
Finfinnee  handhuurti!!!!!

qaraaniyoo qaraa
lafti isaa Jaamoo
baambisis hinjennee
Malkaa Obboosheeti
maqaan dachee qomoo
markaatoo barandaa
massaalamiyaa’n lilmoo
amaanu’eel hospitaal
Sokorruudha sonni
magaalaan Finfinnee
maqaamnisaa naannoo#

Karaa Akaakooti
bishooftuu man-gaddii
Karaa Miixxee gori
goojjaam man-badii
Karaa Aloo qabi!
ka- hayilee man-didi !
Tulluu Fichee-shogolee
Laaftoo Tumtuu-nifas silk
fel wehaan- boorahe
Hor- Finfinnee maddii…

Harbuun kee kaazaanchiis
Araadaan kee piyaassaa
Mana Abbichuu haalee
faransaay lagaasiyoon
Madaroo ayyarxeenaa
Tulluu Xixaa maqsaa
inxooxxoo moggaasee
qaajjibuun arfaasaa
Finfinnee qorqatee
hoomaan awwaannisaa!!!!!

Dhummuugaa- ginfillee
Dhakaa Araaraa-fit bar
Dhakaa Booraa-22 maazoraa
Mujjaa-shiroo meedaa
Golboo-goofa safar
Jaajjaa-Beera xiggee
Waayyu –madaanaalam
Tulluu Diimtuu-baat-garbeel

Garbi –sangaa taraa
Akaakuu –raagu’eel
Xarroo –haxanaa dharaa
Tullu Ejersaa –maaraam
Dachee Golbaa golgee
argee Addis katamaa ??
moofan manzee yaraan
Diddiimtuu-beenshaangul
Harbu Irreechaa-reef-hayilu
Sulula Garbii-taklaaymaanoot
Boroo Kormaa-gollaa mikaa’el
Qabbanaa’a-qqabbannaa
Baddaa Ejersaa-reef-kaasaa
Adaamii-ruufaa’eel
Masoo Maqaan Holaa\!…..*

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Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Shanoonis  “qimbibit”
Ejeree “addis alem”
Haxaayee “efetseyon”
Collee “debresina”
Qaree gohaa “gowatsiyon”
Ifaanis  “yifaati”
Angoo lolaan dhabne
“angowalel” furrifnee
gumaa sa’aa  namaa
irbuu seenaa baafna….!

Dhummuugaa “tumugaa”
Lammiin ta’ee “lamii”
Roobiin ta’ee “roobit”
Hankoobar “anko ber”
Mana jaarii “menjaare”
ijaaratte qawween
Dhalli qalbiin diiga*

Tulluu maraa “tulu amaara”
Tulluu cabbirraa “chaber”
ciincaa warra dharaa
Naqamtee “leqemte”
Leeqadhaaf handhuura
Haroo Saabbuu firaa
“Alam teferi”dhaan
Buusan jarri yaraa!

Bootee “alem tena”
Horaa Laaqi Danbal
Waayyu ta’ee”zeway”
Bishooftuu “dabrezeyt”
Adaamaa “nazeret”
Bultii Bulikaa keef
“bulga”n bulgu bayaa!!!…

Jiruu’n miti “jerru”
Haara Re’ee “hararge”
Dirre-dhawaa “dire-dewa”
Afata- isaa “afettessa”
Eerar miti “yerer”
Ka-barri ukkaamse
Bobokokee dhoosa!!!!!*

Dheedheeraa’n “dadere”
Haqaaqii’n “aqaqi”
Hamma-Re’ee-Sa’aa
hanqatee qalamee
reeffa ekraa jumlaa
jildii ta’e awwaalli
“hameressa” dhaqi #

Bishaan Diimoo“bisdimo”
Malkaa Sa’aa “melkasa”
Haroomaayaa “alemaya”
Afran qal’oo Ituu…
Mataa Haaraa goobsaa
”metehara” lootuu
Oborraa’n waboodha
“webera”nis galtuu
Cuqqaalaa “zeqewala”
Oolan Citii’n lollaan
“walenciti” mootu*****

Abboomsa “tensae berhan”
Arba Juujuu “arba gugu”
Caancoo “debere selam”
Gunaa “debere werk”
Angaado “teferi berhan”
Ardaa Ittaa “ardeta”
Sa’a Gurree “segure”
Arsii miti “arusi”
Hassallaa “asela”
Aanoleen siif irree!!!

Gooda Bombii “tatek sefer”
Oolan Komii “welenkomi”
Bubbee “yerga dejen”
Yaa’aa Bal’oo “yabelo”
Kuukkuu “hagere mariam”
Adoolaa “kebere mengest”
Ciroo “asebeteferi”
Hoolotaa “genete”
Walisoo “giyon”
Amboo “hagere hewot”
Hadhaa Adii “adadi”
Maqaan jijjiiramu
Magaalota Oromoo
keessaa alaa didi

Wacaalii Walda’aa
“wechali weldeya”
Warra Himannoo
“werayemanu”
Jajjuu ta’ee “yeju”
Ganda Aliyyuu“gendeliyu”
Amba Aasel “ambasel”
Marsaa “merresa”
Ambaa alagee “ambalage”
Walloo Oromiyaa
Oromummaan dhiige!

Mandayyaa ree Baalee
Karaa Maraa” karramerra”
Gaara sibiilu “menelik”
Waabee “webe” laalaa
Buree Abbaa Gunaa
“bureabAguna”faallaa
Ilmaan Dheensaa Aabbaayaa
“elmana densa abay”
“fasil awraja” mi
Shabalii“shebele”
Hawaasa “awaasaa”
Iluu Abbaa Booraa
“elubabur” qara
Dabbasoo “melekiya”
Dabeessaan mormaatii
Gameessaan Ofkola…

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Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Bara afaan kan kee
arrabaafi hidhii
xuuxuu bira’n darbin
dubbataa arraataa
dubbachiiftuu aasxaa
dabareen dhalootaa
bira gahee’n argin
hirmaata dubbiitin
laafaafi jabaa kee
jabeessi laafaa kee
tumsi sabboontota

amaanan kee dhiigaa
jigee lafa’n badu
hiddi kee ni lataa
dhugaan ati qabdu#

tokkummaan dhalootaa
fiixaan kee-daraaree
akka Odaa Nabee
akka Odaa Roobaa
akka Odaa Bultum
akka Odaaa Dubluq
akka Odaa Bisil
akka hortee kuushii
magaree dagaagee
bara baraan cehee
callaan kee bargaage~~~

akka biiftuu Iyyaasuu
baatee ati’n lixxu
hinboorahu garaan
dhiira dhalee mixu
xaraa bonni wixeef
jawween ganna xiixxu!!!!!

ulfinni ati dhabde
boorotti deebi’aa
bobbaafi galli kee
bari’ee hanga’aa
agareen kee badee
dukkan- duubaan
ba’a…*
birmannaa hirmaataa
dubbiin kan kee moo’aa %

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Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Badr Magazine 23 (Aug. 2014)
በድር መጽሔት፤ (ነሐሴ 2006)
Abadir M. Ibrahim*

In his Accra speech and, to some extent, in his Cairo speech, President Barack Obama put forward a message that African activists and scholars have been reiterating for decades. He took a shot at, among others, African dictators and kleptocrats who blame colonialism and the cold war for their own failures and excesses. The factual accuracy of the contemporary irrelevance of colonialism or the cold war is at best sketchy as colonial borders are still in existence and the effects of the cold-war are still pungent. Notwithstanding this important fact; the message of his speech was very powerful: Africans must take hold of their own destiny and look to the future rather than the past. However, a caveat President Obama could not have mentioned is that one of the things African human rights and democracy activists must withstand is the unruly enforcement of U.S. counterterrorism policy which is strengthening the hands and hearts of the same dictators he criticized.

The threat of terrorism of the Qaeda variant to countries in the Horn of Africa and to U.S. interests is immense. These are indeed difficult times for many African countries, especially in those with significant Muslim populations. Putting aside North Africa, Djubuti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and even Uganda, have seen some form of violence directly related to radical Islamist groups. While the U.S. lends a welcome support to African states in fighting terrorist organizations, it is interesting how the people living in these countries, and not least democracy and human rights activists, might not appreciate these efforts. The primary reason for this is that the U.S. often ends up supporting regimes that continue to cause their populations intense and prolonged suffering – or one should say – cause the root causes of terrorism. There are signs that this may be already the case in the Horn region and especially recently in relation to Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian regime has been a very important ally of the U.S. in the Horn of Africa, not only because Ethiopia is the largest and a comparatively more “stable” country in the Horn, but because it has been a vital windbreak against the expansion of Al-Qaeda’s influence in the region. The most audacious act of the Ethiopian regime that earned it the status as an indispensable ally was its invasion of neighboring Somalia to rid it of radical groups that, at the time, were controlling most of the country. While American alliance with Ethiopia is understandable from a short-term strategic point of view, the fact that Ethiopia is also a neopatrimonial dictatorship causes one to pause and think about what the long term consequences of such an alliance could be. There is no doubt that the U.S. has supported the Ethiopian regime in actual counterterrorism. However, it is also clear that the Ethiopian regime has been able to turn its new found counterterrorism resources and narratives towards its peaceful opponents and critics. The problem has been especially acute in relation to Ethiopia’s Muslim human rights activists whom the regime has found convenient to label as terrorists and subject them to terrorism trials.

Tension between the Ethiopian regime and large segments of its Muslim population arose when the regime took inane steps that are possible only under dictatorships. It decided that it will counter what it claims to be a local radical Islamist threat by forcefully propagating a sect alleged to be an adversary of radical Islamism i.e. the Ahbash sect of Lebanon. The same year that the government was making outlandish claims about impending Salafi radicalization and attendant threats, however, a book containing detailed empirical data was published by an independent scholar showing that the government’s claims could not have been true. According to this book, and according to later academic article, it is clear that not only is it untrue that the country faced imminent violence from Salafi organizations but it is in fact the unjustified violence from the government that could sow the seeds of radicalization in the future.

As may be expected, of course, the government’s ploy at social engineering has raised outrage on the side of Ethiopians, both Muslim and Non-Muslim, and has led to the most protracted same-issue protests in the country. At the time of writing protests were still going on and so were the persecution of protestors and activists. In response to the peaceful protests, the Ethiopian government unleashed an “Anti-Terrorism” campaign which saw security agencies perpetrate violence against peaceful critics of the government’s involvement in the praxis of takfir and excommunication. It was not uncommon for the government to crackdown on organized interest groups in the country in the name of protecting the constitutional-order. However, this was the first time that the regime would explicitly get in the business of the cosmic-order. Not only did it deploy Ahbash henchmen at its side but even the security agencies began getting involved in factional polemics.

These Muslim-constituency based protests are unique and interesting in many respects. First, unlike in most religiously oriented movements in the region, Ethiopian Muslim protesters and activists were calling for greater secularization rather than the infusion of religion into law and politics. Second, U.S. hegemony has not been an issue with Ethiopia’s Muslims. As a matter of fact, protesters have been trying to bring U.S. influence to bear on their side. The movement is also supported by Ethiopian communities in the U.S. who profess to deriving inspiration from the civil rights movement. Third, so far, protests have been distinctively peaceful, more peaceful than previous protest movements in the country, more peaceful than the ones that brought down Mubarak or Ben Ali and certainly more peaceful than the U.S. civil rights movement. Fourth, although initially confined to Muslims, it looks as if support for the Muslim protests has now gone mainstream. Backing is given to the protesters by major political parties with Christian constituencies and by prominent Christian community leaders. Support for the Muslim protest movement has therefore defied religious, ethnic and sectarian lines.

The peaceful nature of the Muslim protest movement and the impropriety of the crackdown against it have been widely recognized in human rights circles as confirmed by public statements by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Different U.S. agencies have also spoken against the Ethiopian regime’s excesses, in effect, providing third party confirmation of the legitimacy and the peaceful nature of this movement. For example, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recognized the peaceful nature of the protests and expressed concern over “increasing deterioration of religious freedoms.” The U.S. Department of State, on the other hand, has recognized that the trials of Muslim protesters are politically motivated.

Despite recognizing the violation of human rights, the U.S. has not made visible attempts to dissuade the Ethiopian government from violating its own citizens’ rights or abusing the counter-terrorism resources, capabilities and the narrative provided by the U.S. In a recent visit to Ethiopia, John Kerry made numerous speeches without reaching out to the Muslim community whose leaders were at the time sitting in cells tending to their tortured bodies. By not making a stand against the abuse of religious freedom and other rights, the U.S. may be undermining its own core interests and the region’s stability in the long run. It should be conceded that U.S. military support to Ethiopia can hold-off immediate collapse of a country that is considered to be among the most fragile in the world as revealed, among others, by the indices compiled by Foreign Policy, the Fund for Peace, and the Center for Systematic Peace. However, the long term stability of Ethiopia will depend on greater protection of human rights, safeguarding interests of major socio-political groups, decreasing group grievances, and increasing elite consensus and state legitimacy.

In the long run, both Ethiopia and the U.S. risk the permeation of radicalism for which fertile ground is provided by the alienation of large constituencies and especially the Muslim population of the country. There simply was and is no good reason to create concrete and personal local grievances where there are none. It would be unreasonable to expect the U.S. to cease promoting its core interests in favor of the promotion of its peripheral interests such as the protection of human rights. However, prioritizing the buildup of security infrastructure at the expense of other stability factors is, in the long run, detrimental to the core and strategic interests themselves.

While one could genuinely be concerned that U.S. policymakers might not be aware of, or do not personally care about the long term effects of their shortsighted policies; it is impossible to impute such distance and detachment to Ethiopian decision makers. Not only are Ethiopians personally closer to the facts and should be aware of them, Ethiopians should be concerned about the wellbeing of their own citizens. Terrorist attacks or police/army brutality hurt us in very personal and direct ways. The current shortsighted policies are currently exposing us to the later while only delaying the former.

A politically unstable security state that nervously awaits the next wave of political and civil strife should understand that the more time passes the more political and social trust among different groups will erode. With such erosion the chances of political stability are increasingly compromised. Without trust or political stability the strength of the security forces will only go so far. Let the recent experience of countries like Mali and Nigeria be a lesson. Both, known for their security centric stability and for contributing peacekeepers to ensure the stability of other countries, were unable to do anything in the face of their own deterioration. Soldiers and guns will always remain to be necessary to keep the peace, but they are not sufficient in themselves to build a country. For this lesson we only need to look back to our own history!

* Abadir M. Ibrahim is J.S.D. candidate; L.L.M in intercultural human rights law; LL.M. in international law; L.L.B.

Nuti kobbee qabnaa
jira “warraaqaanu”
tolchaa saba keenyaa
kan ittiin katabnu
isin “irsaas” qabduu
“qaataa”nuu-qaqqabaa
kan ittiin leenjinu
matadureen dhiibbaa!!!!!

“face book”i
“email”i
bilbilaan nu-doowaa
waraqaa sagalee
hinqabneen haasawaa
agaree dhageetti
jiraa du’aa keenyaa
giddu-loowaa dhoowwaa
akkamiin leenjiidhaan
gowwaan gartuu haalluu
qalam-qaroo  moowa!

qabannaan kobbeedhaa
qubi qeerroo mirgaa
qalmi jara mooraa
mortuun isaa ambaa
kumaafi kitilli#
haallu barattootaa
Odaa-urjii-bakkalchaa
booreen diimee marga
***************************
Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

gosa muka ibiddaa
balbalti sagalii
kudhan manni jirmaa
kan Ulee Maxxaarrii
boba’aan kobootaa
bar-badaan dibamaa*

muudi qaallu eebbaa
maxxaarri qabaataa
muknii qoraan bobbaa
maaxariif hiixataa
waddeessa ‘hinqabu
afuuffaan kobootaa~

faltiin waan loonitii
kooshen maq-gubbisaa
bubbeen booron baatii
qaanqee aartuu aarsaa*****
ulee maxxaaritiin
ibidda qabsiisa!!

********************

Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Ijaarsi man-tokkoo
takkarraa jalqabaa
sunsumaan sadi’ii
walitti utubaa
abbaa haadhaa ilmatti
baayyateera dhiibbaan…?

sunsumaan boroodhaa
bakkaan buqqisanii
lama addaan cabaa
tokkooni ciminni
waayyuu jalli tokkoo
kan gargar goggoru
falfaltuudha finni ~!~

sabi waliif soddaa
nagayoo waliifuu
sunsumi waayyuudhaa
gungumee dubbataa
dubbiin waliin horfuu
kan walisehe wajjiin
waboon jedha oofuu*****

firri garaa aannanii
daraaraafi bunaa
korma walii kitimee
walirraa kadhatee
walitti^i heerumaa
ijaafi arrabaan
‘Na hanqadhaa” jedha
sunsumaan abboomaa
********************
Waloon : Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

mogaati ilma duraa
sirnisaa gubbisa
moggee ilma garaa
sirnisaa guddisa
ka gubbìsaa goobee
maqa baasaa qabaa
ka guddisaa eegee
maqaan qabu ambaa
ilmaan kormaa adullaa
ilmaan jaarsaa durba!

godiyaan sabummaa
gammee guddifataa
godiyaa ilma ormaa
dhiiratu dubrummaaf
shurrubbaa dhahataa
dubratu dhiirummaaf
gaayyaa harkifataa
dhalli akka dhabee
ka sila wal-dhaalu
kormoomee maseene
dhawaanni dhalootaa?

galma man-gubbisaa
waddeessaan dhaabanii
galma gar-guddisaa
shiboón ejjeeranii
kan biyya danqare
dongoraan sibiilaa
bitimaa cuffanni

Waloon: Lanjoo Galchuu Ida’aa

dhaha keenyarratti
ayyaana mee dhahaa
shanan urjii boodaa
kudhaniifi tokkoon
korbeessa hariyyaa
tokkicha gorra’aa
bona booqe warraa
bittinsaati “luqaas”
kudha torbaan ba’aa…
bitaan baasaa  mirga
digdamiifi torbaan
torbaanin hobba’aa*****

“luqaas” ree dullachaa
dullachi luqqa’aa
duraa balloo laalaa
laalaa urjii-bakkalchaa
dhaha jireenyaatin
jiraa du’aaf laachaa
jara jaarraa moo’aa
labsadhaa moo’icha#

ayyaani ilmaan kormaa
areerri ilmaan jaarsaa
adullaan keeny-duraa
dureen keenna aarsaa
kan sodaatan caalaa
kan fedhantu dursa!

 Qabsoo ummanni Oromoo gabrummaa jalaa bahuuf godhaa jiru keessatti injifannoon hamma yoonaa galmaawan heddu. Injifannoolee tana galmeeysuuf, biyya keessa qofa odoo hin taane, biyyoota alaa keessattiis wal’aansoo cimtuu tu adeemsifame. Akkuma kan biyya keessaatti, wal’aansooleen biyya alaatti godhamaniis seenaa if dandaye qabu.

Biyyoota sabni Oromoo maalummaa isaanii falmachuuf qabsoo cimtuu itti adeemsisan keessaa takka Somaalee dha. Tan lamadaa Jabuuti. Biyya Jabuutii keessatti maalummaa ifii beeysisuuf wal’aansoon Oromootaan godhamte, tan biyya Soomaalee tiin waldhabbii qabaattullee haala walfakkiitiis guddo qabdi. Kan biraa yo hanqate, hawaasa biyya sanii Oromummaa fudhachiisuuf qabsoon godamtee fii wareegamni saniif bahe tan biyya Soomaalee irraa gadii miti.

Akkuma kan biyya keessaatti, wal’aansoolee biyyoota alaatti godhaman keessattiis namoota seena qabeessa tahan tu jira. Haala kanaan, qabsoo Oromummaa beeysisuuf biyya Jabuutii keessatti adeemsifamte keessatti, warri maqaan isaanii alagaa fii lammii biratti sadarkaa duraatti beekkame keessaa tokko kan Aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo ti. Aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo, abbaa isii Obbo Aammad Muummad Galmoo fii haadha isii Aadde Aaminaa Alii irraa Bitooteessa 15, bara 1930-tti magaalaa Dirree Dhawaatti dhalatte. Abbaa fii haati aadde Faaxumaa, isii malees, ilmaan dhiiraa sadihii fii tan dubartii afur horan. Warri aadde Faaxumaa, Warri Galmoo, warra guddaa Dirree Dhawaa fii naannoo isiitti haalaan beekkame.

Gaafa umrin aadde Faaxumaa heerumaaf gaye, hireen bultii, Obbo Aammad Sheekh Usmaan Qawwee, nama dhaloonni Yakkaa, kan barnoota amantii tiif qe’eerraa fagaatee odoo daddeemuu Dirree dhawaa qubate, waliin walitti hiite.

Obbo Aammad akka aaddee Faaxuma fuudheen, bara 1964 keessa, hujii baabura gubbaa tan hojjachaa tureen haala walqabateen, gama Jabuutii deemuu mudate. Akka achi seeneen, warra aadde Sa’iidaa Abdallaa Kaamil, haadha warra Usmaail Galmootti dhihaate. Haati warra Usmaa’il Galmoo nama saba Affar irraa dhalate. Soddoonni obbo Aammad Jabuutii keessatti arkate gargaarsa barbaaduun itti dirmatanii, akka xiqqo tureen, hujii mootummaatti galmeeysan. Inniniis akka qubachuu isaa mirkaneeffateen, bara 1968 keessa, maatii isaa Dirree Dhawaa irraa if biratti godaansise.

Yaroon aadde Faaxuma biyya Jabuutii itti seente, yaroo warri biyyaa bulchiinsa Faransaayii ifirraa kaasuuf qabsaawaa turani. Aadde Faaxuma, nama sossoohinsi Afran Qalloo Dirree Dhawaa keessatti duruu onnee danfise waan taateef, dhibdee warra biyyaa hubachuuf yaroo irraa hin fuune. Falmaa abbaa biyyummaa fii fincilli sirna koloneeffataa ifirraa buqqaasuuf biyya Jabuutii keessatti godhamaa jiru, haala biyya abbaa isii tiin waan itti walfaakateef, guututti bira dhaabachuun barbaachisa tahuu daftee hubatte.

Aadde Faaxuma, sossoohinsa ummanni biyya Jabuutii godhaa jiran, kan ija isii tiin agarterraa hiis hubannootaa fii dammaqiinsa gudda arkatte. Kuni dammaqiinsa sossooha Afran Qalloo irraa arkatte daranuu keessatti cimse. If bira tartee, dubartoota Oromoo kanneen dammaqiinsa akka isii qaban, warra akka aadde Zeeynabaa Ibraahimii fii Halloo Sheekhaa (Habo Halloo) waliin tahanii, sossooha warra biyyaa maddii dhaabbachaa, ifiifiis wal gurmeeysuu jalqaban.

Haalli kuni, mootummaa Hayle sillaasee tan Jabuuti falmachaa jirtuu fii aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo walitti buuse. Embaasiin Xoophiyaa haala kanarraa isii qophuuf, waan itti jirtu dhiiftee, jaarmaya Waldaya Gargaarsa Dubartoota Iteege Manan kan ja’amu, kan maqaa niitii Hayle Sillaasee tan xiqqo dura duuteen moggaafametti akka makamtu ajajan. Saniifiis xalayaa miseensummaa dhaaba isaanii manatti erganiif. Garuu, onneen aadde Faaxumaa jibba gabroomsaa tiin guutamtee waan turteef, amrii gabroomfataa gurrattuu hin-qicanne. Inumaatuu, gochi jaraa, haala itti jirtutti daran akka cimtu godhe.

Waxabajjii 27, bara 1977, ummanni Jabuutii bulciinsa Faransaayii jalaa walaba akka tahaniin, Oromoonni biyya san keessa jiran, waldaya wal-gargaarsa Oromootaa kan Caayaa Oromoo-tti beekkamuuf jiraatu heeraan galmeeyfatan. Mootummaan Jabuutii, Maabara Xoophiyaa biratti Caayaa Oromoo galmeeysuun faallaa fedhii mootummaa Xophiyaa ti ture. Garuu murtii akkasii akka fudhattu an dirqe, tin’sa aadde Faaxumaa fii Oromoonni biyya san keessa turan qabsoo bilisummaa isaanii tiif godhani.

Caayaan Oromoo Jabuutii dhaabota biyya alaa keessatti maqaa Oromoo tiin jaaramanii heeraan galmeeffamaniif kan angafaa ti. Caayaan dhaabbatte, lammii Oromoo biyya san keessa qubatan gurmeeysuu malees, sossooha qabsoo bilisummaa Oromiya kan biyya keessatti jalqabameef dugugguuruu (lafee duuydaa) taate. Caayaan Oromoo Jabuutii damee lama qabdi. Dameen tokko kan Dhiiraa yaroo tahu kaan han Duartootaa ti. Damee lameen keessaa kan dubartoota haalaan cimaa ture. Kanaafiis sababni aadde Faaxuma. Gaafa Caayaan dhaabbaterraa, aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo, hooggantuu Caayaan Oromoo damee dubartootaa taate.

Caayaan Oromoo Jabuutitti dhaabbachun, yaroo mootummaan Soomaalee lafa Oromiyaa irraa hamma tokko kutachuuf, Dargii, warra Hayle Sillaasee iraa aangoo fudhatan waliin lola cimaa adeemsisaa turani. Lolli kuni, ummata Oromoo jalaa gubbaan ibiddaaf saaxile. Soomaaleen jalaan, Dargiin gubbaan, madaafa ijaa-gurra hin qabne waliti haruun, namaa-sa’a Oromoo qe’ee gugachiisuu jalqaban. San malees, yaroo sanitti, Dargiin Oromoota magaalota keeysa jiran Soomaalee gargartaniin araraasutti seente. Haalii kun Oromoota magaalotaa fii baadiyyoota lollii keessatti deemaa jiru, baqaaf qaadhime. Xiqqaa fi guddaan hawaasaa, Sheekkotiin, hayyoonni, manguddoon, waliigalatti, qarayyoon lammii odoo hin feene, qe’ee itti dhalatanii guddatan irraa biyyaa fii hawaasa hin beeyne, kan Somaalee fii Jabuutiitti, koluu bahuu jalqaban.

Aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo, tan yaroo tanatti Haadha Abdii taate, haala Oromoota mudate kanarraa akkaan gaddite. Isii fii aabban warraa tiis, ummata yakka tokko malee, qabeenyaa fii biyya isaanii irraa arihaman duratti jiruu sadoo jiraachuu maganfatanii, qabeenyaa fii onnee isaanii lammii isaanii tiif banan. Manaa fii mooraan isaanii kan baqattootaa tahee, Beet-Refuujii, ja’amutti seene.

Haadha Abdii tii fii mieensoonni Caayaa Oromoo Jabuutii, odoo dhibdee haalli armaa olii hawaasa Oromoo mudeef rakkatanuu, haalli qabsoo Oromoo biyya keessatti babal’atee, inniniis gama isaa tiin baqattoota alatti yaasuu jalqabe. Kuni Oromoota Jabuutii keeysa jiran kanneen ifiifuu jiruu jiraa gadii jiraachaa jiranitti ba’aa biraa dabale.

Yaroo tana, aadde Faaxumaa, yaroo hujii xixiqqoo cinatti hojjattee maatiif galii ittiin argaamsiiftu baqattoota gargaaruu irratti fuulleeysite. Baqattoota ummatarratti hiruun, warra ugummaa adda addaa qabanii hujii soquun, warra afaan hinbeeyneef simaa-baloo tahuun, kanneen dhukbsataniif qoricha barbaaduu fii mana yaalaa geeysuun hujii isii tahe.

Gama biraa iin, yo namni Oromoo toko du’e, khafana barbaaduun, lafa qabrii qotuu fii tajaajila reeyfaaf barbaachisu godhanii heeraan awwaaluun hujii abbaa Abdii yo tahu, awwaalchaa fii taaziyaa galte gurra namaatiin geeyuun hujii haadha Abdii tahe. Kana godhuuf, oowwa biyya Jabuutii kan halkanii fii guyya adda hin filanne keeysa, fooxaa isii mataarra kaayyattee, haga tokko lafarraa harkisaa, akka nama maratetti gandarra daddeemti. Haala isii kanarraa qalbiin fayyaa miti warri jechaa turan heddu. Awwaala boodaas, gaddi nama fira hin qabnee bakki itti taa’amu, yaroo baayyee, mana haadha Abdii ti. Akkasiin haati Abdii kan du’e awwaaltee, kan awwalcha dhuufe nyaachifte, addaan galchiti.

Haati Abdii, oggaa nama Oromoo tokkorra rakkoo tu gayee jachuu dhageeyse, gargaarsaaf yaroo itti lafaa kaatu if quba hin qabdu. Akkuma yaroo gaddaatti, fooxaa lafarra harkisaa, gandarra kaatti. Warra hojii qaburraa maallaqa hamma danda’an irraa funaantee kan rakkate rakkoo baafti. Waliigalatti, magaalaa Jabuutii keessatti yo namni Oromoo tokko hidhame kan gargaarsaaf yaammatu ykn himatu aadde Faaxuma . Kan dura dirmatuus isuma tahe.

Rakkoon baqataa Oromoo tii fii Oromiyan gabrummaa Habashaa jala jiraachuu haadha Abdii tiif takkaa hiriiba hin laanne. Dhuma bara torbaatamootaa, obboleeysi isii sab-boonaan, sossooha Afran Qallootiif utubaa ture, Obbo Usmaa’il Galmoo, manguddoota sossooha san tin’isaa turan waliin qabamee mootummaa Dargiitiin hidhame. Dargiin, isaa fii warra kaaniis hamma tokkoo eega mana hidhaa keessatti eega araraasan booda, galgala Waxabajjii 07a, bara 1979ii, mana hidhaa keessaa dhooysaan baasanii hiraataaf rasaasa nyaachisan. Kan kana godhaniif, firoottanii fii Oromoota biraa ittiin doorsisuu fi. Haa tahu malee, kuni, garaa aadde Faaxumaa daranuu jabeeysee, murannoo qabsoo bilisummaa tiif qabdu caalaa godhe.

Haati Abdii, guyyaan hunda caalaa isitti hammaate, kan isiin iraanfachu hindandeenye, bara 1991 keeysa, gaafa ummanni Issaa baqattoota Oromoorrati duula bananiin lammii isii bayyinaan qaqqalan tahuu mararfattee dubatti. Gaafana, baqattoota dhibba lamaa olii tu mana isiitti dhokote. Guyyaan kun guyya dukkanawaa jireenya isii tahee hafe.

Aadde Faaxuma, haala armaa olii tiin, jireenya sii guutuu, manaa fii maatii isii hadiyyeessitee, hara-galfii malee, arjummaa hambaa hinqabneen, baqataa Oromo tii fii qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo gargaaraa akka turte, Oromoota haala baqattummaa tiin Jabuutii keeysa dabran, saboontaa fii qabsaawota bira dabree alagaanilleen ragaa bahaniif.

Haati Abdii, nama faxina dafee waa hubatuu fii baratu. Nama yaroo waa’ee saba isii haasawutti kaate, yaanni akka galaanaati qoma keessaa burqu dhagayamee hin quufamne. Nama odoo mana barnootaa hin dhaqin, afaan Oromoo malees, kan Arabaa, Soomaalee, Affaar, Amaara, Adaree fii Faransaayii sirritti dubbatu.

Jaalalti haati Abdii bilisumaa ummata Oromo tiif qabdu hoonga hin qabdu. Haa tahu malee, dhibdee dadarkaa umrii fii if tajaajiluu dhabarraa itti dhufteen, baroota as aanaa kana dhukubsattee siree mudatte. Yaroo hamma tokkoof, maatii isii tiin odoo tajaajilamaa jirtuu, bilisummaa saba isii tiif hawwitu odoo ijaan hin arkin, Fulbaana 09, bara 2014, biyyuma baqattoota Oromoo kumaatama gargaaraa turtetti, gara fuula Rabbitti deebite.

Haati Abdii, Abdi malees, haadha Fooziya (Hiddii), Usmaan, Sa’iida, Aniisaa fii Aaminaa ti. Aadde Faaxumaa Galmoo, seena fincila diiddaa gabrummaa kan bara dheeraaf deemaa jiru keeysati qoodni laatte haalaan gudda. Qooda qabsoo saba Oromootifi gumaachite, seenaan qabsoo bilisummaa Oromiyaa bara baraan yaadata.

Rabbi jannataan haa qanani’u.

Qabsaawaan ni kufa, qabsoon itti fufa!

Oromiyaan ni bilisoomti!

Abbaa Faayoo / Abbaa Urjii

This chart, sent to us by well placed source, shows ethnic composition of employees of Ethiopia’s  federal government. The data shows huge disparity when compared to ethnic composition of the country, even if we use the disputed 2007 census.   Amharas make up 51% percent of the employees, which is twice the size of their proportion of the country’s  population. Oromos make up 12.7% which is one-fourth of their population size. Somalis, the third largest ethnic group in the country,  make up about 6.2% of the total population but  they only constitute just 0.07% of the federal government’s workforce.

There is a group categorized as ‘unidentified/ undisclosed’ constituting  23.7% of the federal workforce. While its not clear what criteria is being used to categorize them as such, we can assume these are people who refuse to identify their ethnic background. The likely candidate for this are Amharas who oppose ‘ethnic’ politics and Tigreans whose identity are hidden by the ruling party in order to suppress the ratio of Tigreans in federal government. Therefore, the proportion of Amharas and Tigreans is likely to be higher.

What explains such disproportionate share of Amharas in federal workforce? History!  Its not secret that  historically administrative functions were the domain  of Amharas. Their proportion has decreased in regional states due to federalism and  change in working language that opened the room for native civil servants. But the federal system still remains the same. Under the supposedly diversified federal cabinet lies an Amhara dominated bureaucracy  in control of and running the machine.
Finally, while not equitable, women’s representation is quite reasonable. They make up 50.6%  of the whole population and  39.2% of the federal workforce.

You can find the English version of the document here

Gaazexessaa Misoomaawaa(GM)fi Leenjii Leenjifamtoota(LL)

GM:mee maqaa keessan?

LL: maqaan dur nubadee ammaaf feetan harree, farda, gaangee, yooki sangaa nuun jettanis komii hinqabnu?

GM:maalirraa kaatani akkas jettu?

LL:galma abbaa gaddaati kaaneeti ! dur dur fardaa sangatu leenji’ee garbuufi bishaan soorata, amma gaangee harree taaneetoo akaayii garbuufi bishaanin leenji’aa jirraafu…

GM:leenji kanarra maal hubattan ? garaagarummaa sirna duriifi ammaa jiddu jiru akkamiin gamaagamtu?

LL: akkuma qorannoon gamaagamamnutti ! sirna darbetti dargaggoonni keenya adda waraanatti fudhatamanii dhumaa kan turan haala mijaa’aa mootummaan dimokraataawa kun amma uumeen ilmaan biyyaa osoo qe’erraa fagaatani baasi dabalataaf hinsaaxilamin rasaasa hinbeenneen qalamaafi waraqa wajjiin laalcha misoomaawaa akka qabaatan tokko shaneefi raayyaadhaan ajjeefamusaanitiini

GM: mee walqixxummaa koorniyaa mirkaneessurratti waan hojjetamaa jiru akkamiin ilaaltu?

LL: ija tarsiimotiin ilaalla ! maaliif yoo jettan biyya tana keessatti tanaan dura gaaffi mirgaa gaafachuuf baayyinnaan kan sodaataa turan warra dubaraati amma garu mootummaan nageenya lammiileetiifi misooma ariifataa itti-fufsiįsuf echa humnoota farreen nageenyaarratti tarkaanfi doorsisaa,hojjirra ari’uu,baqachiisu,hidhu akkasuma bakka argametti adamsee ajjeesutiin walqixummaan dhiiraa dubaraa mirkanaa’ee dhirri cufti dubartoome walfaana qixa du’aa jirra

GM: hordoftoota keenyaaf dhaamsa yoo qabaattan?

LL: leenjii garbuu faanti kooraa …faanoo fafaa qeensan dabraa…

GM:wanti hindabarre maali?

LL:SEENAA

Barru :Lanjoo Galchu Ida’aa

The following  document contains names of individuals and companies who borrowed money from a branch of Development Bank of Ethiopia located in Western Ethiopia  for the purpose of investment on farm land development.  We have redacted some information to protect our sources.   The data shows how much money has been borrowed, by whom and where the supported farm land is located. With exception of few cases, most of the land is taken from Gambella. The document is yet another concrete evidence for magnitude of land theft and which segment of the society is been given both the money and the land.  Note that, the  Development Bank is owned by the federal government, the same entity charged with giving away land.  Also note that this data is just from one branch of the bank. ( We leave the responsibility of guessing ethnic background of the beneficiary to the reader. This can easily be done by looking at names).