The show men of Abyssinia will never show their real faces.
Ethnicity studies in history and the questions of how nationalities and nations come into being are not only the concern of the worlds of acadamia. They are still vital issues connected, among other things, to identity politics, to questions regarding social organization, access to political power and economic resources.
The new research agenda focusing on globalism have not rendered them superfluous but more relevant than ever. Yet in the Abyssinian political tradition in Ethiopia these are issues which remain still strictly taboos. Today the Abyssinian political elites in general, the Amhara elite, in particular, intentionally confuse the concepts of tribe and ethnicity and the concepts of nation, citizenship and statehood. For them the empire-state of Ethiopia is a nation state! This fits in well perfectly with the western politics, and colonial tradition, especially, of describing ethnicity in Africa as tribe. Abyssinian politics is basically the politics of many primitive and savage taboos and denials, not only in relation to nations and nationalities but also when it comes to religion. Moslems are always the minority, if mentioned at all.
Due at least in part to the influence of the liberation struggle in Eritrea, The TPLF, for the first time in the official Abyssinian political tradition, had tried to break out of this tradition of the conspiracy of silence by admitting in theory certain facts that are already there. But in practice it has never left the old ground. Those of its members who tried are sucked back automatically into the same old feudal vicious circle that animate camouflaged Amhara chauvinism. This is due mainly to the brutal and anti democratic structure of the TPLF, and to the influence of the Anglo-American circles which had helped it to power.
All the so-called Hibre Biher- pan- Ethiopian organizations- in opposition to the TPLF, are Abyssinian driven and dominated political groups. Ironically all of them are creating furore pretending love of democracy and waiting in line for the international circles to transfer political power to them as soon as possible perhaps by supporting an Amhara led Ethiopian Spring even though they see clearly that President Obama stands firmly behind the TPLF government, at least for the time being. TPLF seems to serve American interests more effectively because of its homogeneity, and single minded brutality. Sadly among those waiting in line is also our OLF.
It cannot be repeated enough that there is no time in history where Abyssinian rulers based their power on the will of their own peoples or served them- much less the conquered nations. As we know, old colonialist powers pursuing mainly their own short sighted interests had invented this empire and today’s super powers seem as ever determined to keep it alive. They do not seem to see better alternatives, even in their own best interests. The urgencies of global domination demand hollow pragmatism!
To the uninformed observer, inexplicable seem also the Abyssinian political taboos taken over consciously or unconsciously by a large section of the Oromo people especially among the Christians. Taken over is the culture of silence on vital issues, denial of facts and utter submission to indignity, and all kinds of conspiratorial methods in their worst manifestations. These are reflected also clearly in the politics of the OLF. For example, it never discusses problems that resulted from the religious divide within the Oromo nation, which complicate our struggle, partly because it is never discussed rationally and in the light of our history. This fact allows its systematic use by the Abyssinian ruling classes and their international friends to divide and keep us in chains. Likewise, OLF rarely deals openly with the multiple forms of oppression to which Oromo and other Moslems in Ethiopia are exposed. Equally an inexplicable taboo, OLF never considers in detail the importance of historical relations and ties that bind together the Oromos and other oppressed nations, especially, the Somalis, the Afar, Sahos etc. In fact, I think firmly only by working in close solidarity with them, can we challenge effectively the Abyssinian arrogance and throw off the yoke of oppression and conquest under which we all suffer together. This should have enabled us to form a strong solid common front for our liberation struggle. Moreover, not for anything in the world would OLF consider for a moment establishing and maintaining a solid relation, as EPLF and ELF did in the days of their liberation struggle, and try doing ever since, with the justly struggling Arab people who would support our just cause. The anti Arab sentiments among Oromo Christians and within OLF are as deep as among the Amharas, to tell the truth. But are our Oromo Christians more Christians than the Eritrean highlanders? Anyone interested seriously can read and reread in history how Christianity (and later Islam) came to our region through what is now Eritrea, not through Metcha-Tulema Oromo back door influence! It is time that these extremely humiliated and gagged Oromos stop further degrading themselves and listening abjectly to the Abyssinian lies and fairy- tales. Wake up now, for Heavens sake, raise your heads high and stand up firmly in practice to the Abyssinian arrogance and intransigence is what I say to my sisters and brothers in these areas as well. They are in a strategic part of the Oromoland just facing the Abyssinian strongholds to the north. They can even lead our struggle for liberation effectively if they are vigorously determined. Today, I do not see any intrinsic problems between religions in our region except the ones created by the Amhara ruling classes.
Anyone who follows bariisa.com knows how critical I am of the Eritrean opposition groups based in Ethiopia for their collaboration with the Woyane. But to be fair, I must also admit here my admiration for, and sympathy in many regards with, most of the Eritrean opposition groups despite my points of difference. Unlike the opposition cliques and groups in Ethiopia, including the OLF, there is a high degree of transparency within and among the Eritrean opposition groups and organizations. Everything is open to discussion: history, politics, ethnicity, religion, culture. They must have realized that political taboos breed fear, hatred and mutual suspicion. They educate their peoples politically at different levels. Eritrea is under dictatorship but the political awareness of its peoples is extremely admirable. The relationship of the Eritrean opposition to the Woyane is itself discussed openly in their media. Nothing is left aside or hidden completely. Taboos are exposed by stripping away false sentiments logically. That is why all of their groups are connected at some level despite huge differences. There is a genuine dialogue there across all sorts of divide. What is humanity without a peaceful dialogue among opponents? Anyone who doubts this can visit awate.com, asmarino.com, meskrem.net etc. I only hope they will manage to turn the tables on the brutal TPLF before it turns Eritrea into a satellite state or tries to re-occupy it in concession to Amhara dreams.
Why do we not learn certain things from the Eritreans so close to us? If not from them, from whom do we learn? I see no other reason than the Amhara political mentality and culture, saturated with intrigues and conspiracy, from which we all in Ethiopia suffer and by which we are generally influenced albeit in different degrees.
Today there are two major categories of political organizations in Ethiopia. The first category comprises national liberation fronts, the second the so-called pan-Ethiopian organizations. These last refer to the organizations of the first category as tribal, narrow, ethnic or separatist or even kahadi. There is no common ground for genuine dialogue, the Abyssinian groups rejecting without exception the right of nations and nationalities to self determination altogether in the most belligerent and fanatic terms possible despite their lip-service to democracy and human rights. The really most sordid irony and, at the same time, paradox is that these so-called pan-Ethiopian organizations (the CUD, UDJ, AEUP, UEDP, Ginbot 7, EPPF, EPRP and some others whatever their names and abbreviations may be) are in fact the most ethnic oriented chauvinist organizations at all in the Horn of Africa, being entirely Amhara dominated, with all the hybrids that the Amhara domination over centuries has produced used effectively. But as always, the show men of Abyssinia will never show their real faces even though we know for sure who they are. TPLF itself, the incumbent fascist ruling party, started theoretically as a liberation front of Tigray people, but then turned back on itself in a thundering rage of imperial power mania.
Today, these various Amhara groups bring back to my mind the image of that great sea serpent with multiple heads that grow again doubly if removed or cut off – known in Greek mythology as hydra. They multiply themselves, disperse and regroup as easily, depending on the situation. Many of their elements have mysterious relations with the TPLF, others are openly loyal! I must admit, the singularity of their mottoes and motives is impressive, their shifting positions, their unbelievable fluidity and volte-face.
The disenchanted elements in the TPLF – Arena Tigray, TAND and the TPDM- are working hard to build bridges with this hydra or some of its heads and may succeed in doing so especially if it tolerates a strong Tigray presence in the army, which is not impossible.
Defending the unity of the empire is their common number-one ultimate priority in their agenda. They are all itching and burning with desire for further, more extensive land grabbing. There are no two opinions here. Their old ideological reference is completely outdated and cannot be reformed. Even the really existing modern global system is getting out of control. and does not seem capable of genuine reform, to say nothing of a system that encourages dead Abyssinian feudal pageantry and bragging. Anyone following their media, including the ESAT television, can see for her/himself these days how they are polishing the images of their brutal emperors, how they are promoting even Mengistu’s book shamelessly. They are as unrepentant and as defiant as ever. I must emphasize here again that they are not interested in a democratic dialogue at all. They are absolutely determined to enforce as always Ethiopian unity by sheer force and violence.
In an interview on ESAT, the boss of Ginbot 7, the Amharized Gurage demagogue, is heard saying that he had decided to get seriously involved in politics on hearing Oromo prisoners talk about the Abyssinian colonialism and the right of their people to self determination! Yet we see some elements from OLF factions licking his boots.
Many simple minded Oromos in the Paltalk rooms and elements inside OLF factions seem extremely at loss about what would happen if the TPLF falls apart suddenly. Some of them are trying all sorts of rapprochement with the Abyssinian groups, so that they will not be left out in the cold in the ensuing race for power.
I think the Abyssinian opposition organizations and cliques will realign themselves swiftly to fill any vacuum, if there is one at all. The monarchists, the Derg cadres (many Oromo elements among them did play decisive role in the OLF, and their history is a taboo that needs to be debunked and explained by historians in future) and the former leftists who are the advocates of democracy and free market today, and who, at the same time, like to recycle and echo their emperors’ deeds, words and achievements, have all already strong underground and open presence inside Ethiopia and in the Diaspora, with strong connections to the international circles which support the Abyssinian domination as ever. They have infiltrated the Woyane bureaucracy at different levels. They have enough cash to effectively fund their agenda. In the event of the TPLF disintegration, all they need is a strong man that pulls their strings and conspiratorial webs together if necessary by force, a figure head who can be worshipped on all fours, and behind whom they can rally, re-enacting an old Amhara political practice. The monarchists together with the church would be glad to produce such a figure, a la mode Abyssinie.
In these last few decades we have seen so many dramatic changes of little substance in the empire-state of Ethiopia, all major issues remaining entirely unadressed. It is clear, for those who can see, that for the oppressed nations and nationalities there is no short-cut to liberation. For the OLF leaders this is a painful statement. But some of them do count on the same international circles that uphold the Abyssinian supremacy, hoping to be taken on board if they dilute, water down or even drop altogether the principle of the right to self- determination.
What can we do? What do I mean by “we”? Let us be serious in the first place. Without seriousness no commitment is possible. Without commitment talking about freedom and liberation from oppression is wasting time. So the first question each of us affected by oppression and possessing some political awareness and integrity should ask her/himself must always be: Am I serious? It is easy to see that we are facing an enormous challenge. My message is this: the best thing we can do is to check out of the rat-race for political power, and the idea of a quick fix, have a breathing- space somewhere, and go down to our people to start at their level, with what they have and can. We are mostly serving voluntarily or involuntarily the Abyssinian supremacy, directly or indirectly. Why not serve instead our peoples freely, with clear conscience?. But first comes first: we must overcome the culture of frivolity and pretended seriousness. This is not just preaching you, my honourable readers. I am also addressing myself. This means sincerity here and now, at present, is the most important thing, not constantly harping on the no doubt good records and examples of those heroic Oromos who sacrificed and still sacrifice their lives even in the absence of a serious political leadership. Sincerity is absolutely a must. If we really love our people, we must live with them, learn from them and organize them from below. This needs a life time devotion and service to the cause of our peoples. It is not a Nebenarbeit, a secondary objective. I am convinced those of us concerned with the fate of our peoples need to reorient ourselves in the first place along these lines. The alternative is clear: most of us in the Diaspora can eke out an existence of a sort in exile and live for ourselves as best we can, forgetting the rest, which is what most of us are doing anyway.
Finally we need to overcome psychological fear, Angst, and terror to revise, broaden and deepen our understanding of our own reality not as dictated to us by the mighty and the powerful and their media but as we perceive it ourselves naturally. Since the down-fall of the Soviet ” communism” the Anglo-American circles want to impress on the oppressed and exploited peoples everywhere by all means, including by making extensive show and application of their military superiority and technology, that the era of societal and national liberation struggle is over and that only changes and reforms acceptable to them have a chance of succeeding. That is why London and Washington are the Mecca of our self-appointed clever demagogues, our easily manufactured democrats, reformists, career academics and dictators alike. We need to be free from such influence as much as we can. None of them can control time and honest human aspirations, as human solidarity intensifies worldwide inevitably. Though I have nothing, I look confidently ahead. I know my articles in bariisa.com sound to many casual readers pessimistic and excessively critical. It may be better for me to tone down my criticism and limit myself mostly to reporting news and events. For the moment I cannot help it.