Among the African ruling elites there are many unconvincing converts to democracy. They use all kinds of stereotypes and political clichés to conceal their egotistical interests, protected by foreign powers within the artificial colonial boundaries. Their stock phrases must present selfish interests as interests of their peoples. Their expressions appeal to reason and to emotions to cover up the totalitarian nature of their regimes. They make considerable use of the imperative to underscore their appeal to their local and international audience. What makes Abyssinia unique in this context is that it is the only African colonial power in its own right which acquired vast colonies at the expense of non-Abyssinian peoples in what is now Ethiopia.
Unlike other African entities Ethiopia is by nature a fascist empire. No amount of propaganda by its ruling elites and their international sponsors can hide this cardinal truth. This is not to say that truth cannot be suppressed systematically even for centuries. But does that change its nature? The Abyssinian ruling cliques as well as the Abyssinian opposition squander their energy most of the time trying to hide the colonial and fascistic nature of their empire behind a normative grammar. In the meantime the thuggery and brutality of the militarist rulers continue non stop all the way. It is a paradox that they have become nowadays peacekeepers in the region. This is supposed to improve their image.
The appointment of a non Abyssinian puppet figure for the first time to the highest office in the camouflaged empire and the recent reshuffle within the TPLF dominated EPRDF serve the same purpose. The brutal nature of Abyssinian supremacy has always remained the same, unchanging constant, in any new development- in any new anything in Ethiopia. Brutal military takeovers, covered up ethnic cleansing and genocide are the order of the day. There has never been a change of government in Ethiopia as a result of genuine peoples’ revolution. It will remain so as long as there is no real revolutionary challenge to dismantle the Abyssinian hegemony by the oppressed nations and nationalities of the empire.
Notwithstanding this fact, some Eritrean highlanders are now becoming louder advocating reunion with Ethiopia simply because it is now under Tigray domination, trying to nullify the thirty years of armed struggle by the Eritrean people to scape from the grip of Amhara fascism. This is understandable as a manifestation of the Tigrayan version of Abyssinian Chauvinism invigorated by a new massive American commitment.
But what can we say about Oromo cliques vying with one another now and pretending to democratize the Abyssinian dominated fascist empire? I have read the new manifesto of the Oromo Democratic Front, ODF, formerly known as Oromo Democratic Frorum, also ODF, led by the OLF veteran Lenco Lata. As if by a magic wand a forum is suddenly transformed into a political front. It is hailed by the Abyssinian cliques as a turning point. Yet this transformation in itself is not a big deal.. The question is, why should Oromos try to democratize the Abyssinian empire, and can they?
I put this question to an ardent member of Kemal Galchu group whom I met by chance during my last trip. He was smart. His answer was brief and seemingly logical: remove the minority of a few clever Abyssinian elites at the top from power, and you have a democratic Ethiopia. I pointed out that it is not a matter of removing from power the few at the top. Even most ordinary Abyssinians will not accept a majority rule by colonized peoples they consider second class citizens especially if they happen to be Moslems. They are, I added, in the grip of century-old, supremacist paroxysm of rage and aggression. Here is a culture that considers itself blessed while it is determined to marginalize all others by all means. There is, I went on, no prospect of real change in their attitude in the foreseeable future. Surprisingly, my interlocutor accepted my argument, but he said politics must be seen as expedient rather than principled.
Now, there is hardly any point in discussing here in detail differences among the Oromo cliques wanting to be brokers of democracy in Ethiopia. They are all seeking some sort of accommodation with different sections of the totalitarian Abyssinian political elites, for different reasons, with the help of international players, even trampling over one another. Non of them enjoy grassroots support of any significance within the Oromo people, and they do not seem to care about that. Is this right or am I exaggerating? This is not to understate anyway their capacity to further demoralize and create confusion in the minds of ordinary people.
Meanwhile some spin doctors of the Abyssinian opposition groups are purposely trying to exaggerate the importance of the ongoing peaceful Moslem protest as a harbinger of good things to come, evoking in their audience positive associations concerning the prospect of democracy in Ethiopia. Others follow the situation with stony silence and fear.
For the Tigrayan regime itself the Moslem protest is its strongest card to ensure still more intensive American involvement in its agenda.
For this regime, prospective democratic changes in Somalia are a real nightmare. To sabotage them, it will do all it can to plunge Somalia into further chaos. It has enough leverage with the warlords it brought back to Mogadishu with its tanks and with the ruling cliques in Puntland as well as Somaliland. Knowing the nature of the present Ethiopian regime, I think that it does not hesitate to employ Somali speaking professional assassins or death squads (especially from the Somali region under its control) in parts of Somalia, as at home, blaming their blatant crimes on Alqaeda directly or on Alshabab.
Equally a positive change of the regime in Eritrea constitutes yet another nightmare for the regime. Had the coup attempt succeeded there and its democratic demands met, Ethiopia might have intervened militarily to torpedo any democratic change there as well. Is it not better, in this case, from the Woyane point of view, to leave the Eritrean dictator alone in peace?
Thanks to the informal American empire, up to dominate the weak in the world, Tigray dominated Abyssinia (Ethiopia) is becoming a military superpower in black Africa. Hurrah for good times! This is one reason why today even some respectable Oromo political elites- to say nothing of the pseudo Stalinists or political hooligans- are constantly faltering. Most of them seek accommodation rather than liberation. Yes, why not keep hurtling up and down in the pursuit of easy gains in the service of the mighty in this era of global capitalism while there is time!
Again and again the question must be, what can we do? Those of us at the receiving ends who are seriously opposed to the Abyssinian despotism and stupidity have a number of real choices. Let me mention the easiest one. Paradoxically the easiest one is the one that requires higher intelligence, higher degree of integrity and a long term commitment. It does not require us to carry weapons even in self defence. No, not at this stage at least. If we trust ourselves and one another, who will stop us from getting clandestinely organized all over Oromoland in groups of ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand etc? Does this need great indoctrination? Have others not done this in their own way? No power in the world can prevent such groups from springing up in every corner of our land. What we need: trust, organizational skills and a democratic organizational mechanism that coordinates our initiatives and activities around a minimum political program acceptable to the majority of the Oromo people. The same must be said of other oppressed peoples of the empire. These are qualities and qualifications that cannot be borrowed from others or bought with money. Instead of cultivating in themselves the natural seeds of human dignity some of our elites try to copy the Abyssinian model of political action. They should be systematically exposed.
I may be part of the Oromo fringe. Yet I like to voice my deepest conviction. The problem is, the Abyssinian Dark Age that is still hanging on and in our heads has succeeded beyond its dreams in destroying much of Oromo self-confidence. Most of us have lost the capacity to trust ourselves. Any opportunity to deal with organizational issues gives rise immediately to petty power struggles and intrigues even where there is no power, in vacuum. Often we cannot pin something down, to define something exactly. We dodge logical arguments and accurate assessments and anything that smacks of genuine discipline at times even by resorting to quarrel and name calling to avoid the issue under discussion. So we have to get down first to work on this. That done the winds of change will come and nobody can defy them, including the paymasters of the Abyssinian militarists. Let us not forget the Oromo saying: sirbaaf bahanii morma hindhoyfatan.
Finally I must thank all those individuals who, during my last trip, passed along constructive information and thoughts to me concerning the nature of the largest Oromo Diaspora that I could not reach. I must mention my personal gratitude to those with whom I stayed for their kind and warm Oromo hospitality.