The end of the soviet system marked the beginning of a new era in which the United States started delegating to itself the role of a world police. The terror of September 11 was used to justify this line of thinking. Endless military interventions abroad have become normality despite the suffering that they are causing. Today we see American interventions everywhere. International institutions are automatically misused to serve aggressive politics. Puppet regimes are imposed by force on helpless peoples: Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Egypt and now even Ukraine etc. In general, autocratic and authoritarian brutal ruling elites in Africa and Middle East are feasting on American sponsorship. The cow-boy mentality and politics of going it alone must have its price. Today, many countries outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, feel unsafe from the reach of American bombers. The US has ignored for too long the murmur of disapproval of its policies by peace loving peoples everywhere.
The decision by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to form a new alliance known as BRICS may be the most important event of this century.
It is too early to make safe judgements. But it points, at least, in the right direction. A multi-polar world in which oppressed and ignored nations even such as the demoralized Oromos of the Ethiopian empire can eventually be heard is a must. Arrogance and limitless greed must be checked.
This development is also a warning to European states if they heed it. They have the choice to remain vassals of American imperialism or play a more constructive, moderating role to ensure world peace and more genuine global prosperity without negating basic human rights any where. This is in their own best interest. Who does not know that Europeans have much clout with the Americans? I do not understand why they do not use it to check aggressive American aggrandizements, be it in Ukraine, the Middle-East and elsewhere while they have time.
If Europeans refuse to opt for a middle ground in the ongoing international conflicts, I am sure more and more countries will join the new alliance to defend their legitimate rights and security interests. Now it seems that the West is inviting further polarization for reasons I do not fully comprehend.
At present, most of the Western reporters on the war, from Tel Aviv, give the wrong impression that the conflict is between Israel and Hamas. What about the Palestinian issue? What has become of the Oslo agreement? It was once said the West and Israel could work with Abbas to reach a just settlement of the problem. Have they done so?
Palestinians are not Oromos. They will not accept complete defeat. My dentist is a Palestinian. He told me that from his family alone thirty five people were killed in the recent bombing of Gaza, all civilians with no direct involvement in the conflict. Yet he does not see surrender as an option. This is an international conflict. I think it can be mitigated or even solved if Europe assumes the middle ground by using its influence with the Americans and Israelis.
The newly formed alliance can be effective if it seriously tries to address and redress a number of dangerous imbalances in international politics..
My fear is that the leaders of Tigray dominated Abyssinian regime and other dictators in the region may decide to join the new alliance once they see the tide turning. Sooner or later the tide will certainly turn against Tigray elites in Ethiopia and Eritrea because of their characteristic extreme brutalities and intrigues. Mengistu Haile Mariam had opted to join the soviet bloc not merely out of ideological pretensions but mainly to serve the Abyssinian supremacy. Likewise, the TPLF and EPLF will not hesitate to do anything to remain in power indefinitely as the guardians of Abyssinian domination despite their differences.
That is also why the TPLF government sold massive amount of fertile lands to foreign companies by snatching them from the poor. Its aim is mainly to compel the companies to lobby for its grip and hold on power with their respective countries.
Sadly, in the meantime, many Oromos are still toying with the idea of democratizing the Abyssinian dominated empire. I hear that Jawar Mohammed who helped organize the Oromo Media Network flies to and out of Ethiopia without any harassment by the regime. I followed the Network interviewing OPDO supporters such as Hangaasu Waaqo and other apologists of the democratization. The moderator could not even ask why they support or work with the fascists. I do not understand all this. Is this part of free journalism?
Oromos, let us not lose heart. Let us learn from the struggling peoples such as the Palestinians. Let me repeat what I said in other articles posted here. We must not surrender to the Abyssinian arrogance even if we fail at present as individuals and groups to struggle effectively for the liberation of our people. No people with a just cause in its heart will fail for ever. The sense of responsiblity for onself that characerized the great Gada era can be reborn to energetize us for a better understanding of who we are and for a determind struggle for our rights. It is possible to achieve an independent, democratic secular Oromo republic, in which all rights, including religious freedoms, can practically be guaranteed. Actually only a democratic secular state can guarantee religious equality.
We must work to end the epedemic misuse of religion in politics. True religiosity has nothing to do directly with politics. I deeply believe that Muslims, Christians and Jews can live together in complete peace and harmony if they really want to do so freely.. They can choose war instead of harmony and leave the doors wide open to the politics of divide and rule by imperialism as is happening now. Those of you who visit this site regularly know that I champion the cause of Muslims in Ethiopia. Why? It is because I know concretely that they are treated for centuries like foreigners in their own lands. It is not because I want to see Islam imposed on anyone in any form whatsover. Besides, I realize that only a free person can be geuinely religious. There is no one single religious system that has the monopoloy over the knowledge of God or spirituality or the ultiimate meaning of life. Often, we faiil to realize how important freedom of thinking is for world peace and for our basic wellbeing as individuals and as community..
Let me make one point clear. When I say the Abyssinian dominated empire cannot be democratized, I am speaking of what I think to be true, and my own conviction. This truth and conviction is based on reality and not on ideology or on personal hate. I am not against those who genuinely believe in the democratization of Ethiopia. I am ready not only to listen to them with respect but also not to stand in their way. Let them democratize Ethiopia and prove me wrong, if they can. I will accept defeat since the final decision is for the majority to make. But honestly I am not ready to waste my energy on things that I know will not work. The Abyssinian minorities, I repeat, will never accept the majority rule. Sometimes, I do really admire the white minority in South Africa for accepting at last the majority rule. Abyssinia is a different story. One of the last articles in Gulele Post tries to disprove that the concept of apartheid does apply to Ethiopia while its main aim is to water down the concept of the right of nations to self-determination in Ethiopia by tracing its origin only to the student movement in the sixties and the seventies!
Is it not clear that even if we want to democratize Ethiopia, we cannot do so merely by organizing demonstrations in the Diaspora or even in Ethiopia with Wayane permissions? TPLF is using demonstrations to identify potential opponents with the aim of corrupting, neutralizing or eliminating them. The question is, are those in Ethiopia who champion democratization really serious and committed to use all forms of struggle to remove the brutal Wayane from power? Or do they believe that the Wayane can be pressurized to willingly grant equality and give the franchise to the masses, or accept multi-party system in some way? It is easy for us all to use democracy rhetoric to conceal our lack of commitment or to justify our opportunism. I think most champions of democracy in Ethiopia today are serving the TPLF agenda in some way. This is part of our bitter reality.
I also know that among Oromos there are many who wear the name Ethiopia like family jewels, even though, at times, they try to conceal it.. They will keep doing so even if Oromia is depopulated by the Abyssinian sickness. It is not just our lands that are up for grabs but it is also, more importantly, our identity as self respecting human beings.