Emerging Political differences between Oromo Organisations

January 15, 2014

by Dr Biri Yaya

SBS Amharic Radio

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1. OLF that is led by Ato Daud Ibsa

The spokes-person for this group, more or less, repeated the long standing political stance of the OLF that the organisation’s objective is for the ‘freedom’ of the Oromo people through a self-determination with all options under consideration(autonomy to independence).

2. Oromo Democratic Front,ODF (Re: Lencho Leta, Dr Dima Negewo)

This group is yet to establish itself as a political party. Dr Dima Negewo is a seasoned and articulate politician.

In the interview with the Australian radio, Dima repeated what the group’s most articulate spokes-person, Lencho Bati, stated sometime ago. The group is keen to find a mid-point to re-engage and energise a discourse on the resolution of the conflict by some sort of negotiation with the current ruling clique in Ethiopia.

They would like to join in hands wih Ethiopian opposition groups for the ‘proper implementation’ of the provisions of the current federal constitution that the TPLf/Eprdf uses as a device to mislead the nation.

The ODF sees Oromos as a subject people of the empire while accepting the prospect of a democratic Ethiopian state when and if one emerges in the future.

3. OLF that General Kemal Gelchu is a chairman of

This group’s stance is the most clear:

* Full acceptance that Oromos are Ethiopians who are, nevertheless, being denied of their full citizenship rights due to the undemocratic nature of previous and current regimes in Ethiopia.

General Kemal has dismissed the other Oromo groups’ political stance which sees Oromos as non-Ethiopian. He ridiculed the assumption that oromos are not Ethiopians as a shallow thinking that was accidentally borrowed from comparisons with the status of the American slaves. He is right in that!

The crucial lines of emphasis and differences in this group to notice are:

* Oromos are not colonial subjects

* The Group does not believe that there is any mileage in trying to join the tested and failed attempt of working as a ‘legal’ opposition within the constraints of the TPPLF/EPLF’s domination.

However, what is common to all the three strands of the Oromo groupings is the realization that Oromos’ rights cannot be attained without some level of cooperation with other stakeholders in Ethiopia.