When I started bariisa.com, my main aim was to stimulate peaceful discussion of our basic problems. I wanted to make heard the suppressed voice of nations and nationalities who have fallen victims into the abyss of horrible oppression, exploitation and despair since the creation of the empire-state of Ethiopia dubbed now a federal republic…These are peoples who have been numbed into silence becoming sitting ducks for the most brutal form of militarism without parallel in modern times, ignored by the entire world. Among them are the Oromo people to whom I belong. At the same time I wanted to encourage a transparent democratic dialogue for genuine, peaceful and just resolution of our problems.
However, all such attempts at dialogue have been rebuffed up to now by all Abyssinian political elites, by the ones in power as well as well as the ones in opposition, refusing practically to recognize the right of oppressed peoples to self-determination. Most of the Amhara elites shamelessly deny even the existence of nations and nationalities and consider Ethiopia a one nation-state made up of tribes. To advance their politics, they are engaged gingerly as ever in using the opportunist and weak minded elements from the oppressed peoples for propaganda reasons.
Among Oromos, general Kemal Galchu is becoming one of their most notorious favourites. They are trying to transform him into a Moslem Gobena. This is perhaps as modern as they can be! The Arsi, the clan to whom he belongs, are among the most brutalized Oromo clans by the Abyssinian repressive military machine. I have no doubt they will be the first to reject him. The Amhara groups are running desperately to foist him on the Oromo people as the only legitimate representative of OLF. This shows their immense contempt for our people. It shows also their immense ignorance of the changing times. For most Abyssinians, politics and intrigues still mean the same thing. Lies and character assassination are normality in their old parochial mind-set. Zerraaf, the old war-cry, is still at work. Their historians are still engaged in romanticizing their brutal emperors and counting their history thousands of years backwards misusing religion as ever. Genocides, war crimes and land grabbing are totally absent from their records as always. They pay lip-service to democracy to appeal to Western powers and public opinion. But privately they consider any serious discussion on democracy as saccharine sentimentality.
I must pause here. The centre of the city of Aachen around the famous dome is lively right now with Christmas decorations and hopeful bright faces. Perhaps it is better for me to stop, at least for a while, judging others’ actions too much to consider and feel my own compassion and my own love for this planet with all its creatures, including non-human forms. No matter what happens our connectedness and our interdependence is undeniable reality, though we may not perceive it all the time.
I would like to point out that the map in my last article is somewhat inaccurate pulling, in the words of an Oromo in a Paltalk room, Abyssinia down into Oromo area. That is true. The aim is only to show the degree of the Abyssinian conquest and aggrandisement at the expense of others, and the fallacy of the claims of three thousand years history of present day Ethiopia.
I am departing soon for America. I will be interested to feel what the USA looks like from inside, as it is my first visit. I look forward to meet some old friends and relatives as well who made it their second home.
In the meantime, bariisa.com will be updated freshly. I must thank all the individuals, among the living and the dead, who keep inspiring me to keep writing. I express my special gratitude to my friends Ulrich Kiwus, Gabriel Heuser and Jureck Jupi whose cooperation in maintaining the website has been invaluable. Finally I wish peace and happiness to you all.