ETHIOPIA’S BORDERLESS CYBERESPIONAGE

by Felix Horne

Chinese- and European-made spyware is enabling Addis Ababa to silence dissent

April 8, 2014 (Al Jazeera) — I met Abdi (not his real name), a 32-year-old primary school teacher from Ethiopia’s Oromia region, last July while in Nairobi. Abdi had been arrested a year earlier in his hometown for organizing a protest against local government corruption. He was already under the eye of Ethiopian security officials because he refused to provide information on the activities of his students to local authorities.

Over the course of two weeks in detention, Abdi was repeatedly beaten and accused of belonging to the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which originated in nationalist movements fighting for increased autonomy in the 1960s. The Ethiopian government considers the OLF a terrorist organization and uses the threat of an armed struggle to justify repression of ordinary Oromos, who constitute Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.

The harassment continued after Abdi was released. Eventually, like thousands of other Ethiopians, he felt compelled to flee to Kenya, leaving behind his wife and two children. After some time in Kenya he called home and spoke to his wife, who told him that security officials had been harassing her since he left. That was the last time he spoke to her.

Abdi later learned from neighbors that security officials came to their house hours after his call, demanding to know who was calling her from Kenya and accusing her of being in contact with rebel operatives there. He no longer calls Ethiopia and does not know the whereabouts of his family.

Abdi’s story is not unique. In the last two decades, tens of thousands of Ethiopians have fled their country because of government repression or limited economic opportunities. Most of these migrants, especially those living in neighboring African countries, fear that if they communicate with their families back home, their calls will be traced and their relatives will face repercussions. As new research by Human Rights Watch shows, their fears are well founded. The fear that permeates the lives of many inside Ethiopia has been successfully exported to other countries.

Ethiopian expats, including those living in the United States, have become targets of Addis Ababa’s global espionage.

The state-run Ethio Telecom is the sole provider of phone and Internet services in Ethiopia. The Chinese telecom equipment and systems company ZTE is helping Ethiopia modernize its telecommunications infrastructure. The Ethiopian government uses a Chinese-developed telecom system to monitor and control the communications of its citizens and to silence dissenters both in Ethiopia and abroad. Security officials have unlimited access to the phone records of everyone in the country who owns a phone. During abusive interrogations, security officials often play back recorded phone calls to people in their custody. Those calling or receiving calls from foreign numbers are particularly at risk of reprisals by a government keen to punish those it considers a threat.

But Ethiopia goes even further to monitor dissenting voices outside its borders. The government has acquired and is using commercially available European-made spyware — namely the U.K.- and Germany-based Gamma International’s FinFisher and the Italy-based Hacking Team’s Remote Control System — to monitor dissenters in other countries, effectively extending its surveillance capabilities far beyond its borders. These tools provide security and intelligence agencies with full access to files and activity on an infected target’s computer. They can log keystrokes and passwords and switch on a device’s webcam and microphone, turning a computer anywhere in the world into a listening device. Ethiopian expats, including those living in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland, have become targets of this global espionage.

In late 2012, security officials detained the wife of Yohannes Alemu, a Norwegian citizen and member of a banned opposition group, as she was visiting family in Addis Ababa. They questioned her about her husband’s political connections. Then the security officials demanded information from Yohannes via phone and email about his opposition party colleagues. He refused; after 20 days his wife was finally released and returned to Norway.

But the incident did not end there.

One of the emails he received contained an attachment infected with FinFisher spyware. Once he had downloaded this spyware, the Ethiopian security agencies had unfettered access to all the information on his computer.

While people around the world are right to be shocked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s revelations of mass surveillance by the U.S. government, they should also be concerned that repressive governments such as Ethiopia’s are purchasing and using advanced technologies to target independent voices beyond their borders. The export and use of these European-made commercial products remains virtually unregulated. This is particularly worrying given that evidence exists that similar technologies may be in the hands of authoritarian regimes throughout the world.

These technologies enable repressive governments to monitor dissenting voices in other countries — even in countries where privacy rights are stronger and legal protections are in place to limit state-sponsored surveillance.

The United States, European Union and other donors that together provide an estimated $4 billion in annual aid to Ethiopia should take concerted steps to stop this abuse. They should support global efforts to regulate the export and use of such technologies to governments with poor human rights records. African governments should also speak out and make it clear to Ethiopia that it is an infringement on basic rights to use these technologies to spy on citizens outside of Ethiopia’s borders — people who are all too often seeking protection from repression back home.

Felix Horne is an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch and co-author of a new report, “‘They Know Everything We Do’: Telecom and Internet Surveillance in Ethiopia.”

Source: Aljazeera

AANOLEE: ‘A TRAGEDY ON WHICH ETHIOPIAN SOURCES ARE SILENT’

April 8, 2014 (OPride) – Hundreds of thousands gathered in Hetosa, Arsi zone of Oromia, the largest of Ethiopia’s nine federal states, for the unveiling of the Aanolee Cultural Center on April 6, 2014, local media reported.

The cultural center houses the Oromo Martyrs’ memorial monument, an ethnographic museum and a mural. Standing several inches on top of a tomb, the monument shows a severed hand stretched upward holding a women’s breast. It is erected as a tribute to the Arsi Oromo whose hands and breasts were mutilated by 19th century Ethiopian emperor Menelik II.

Located 150kms from the capital Addis Ababa, Aanolee is a site steeped in Oromo history. As Madda Walaabuu stood as the cradle and greatness of the Oromo, Aanolee came to represent it’s humiliation. For centuries, the Oromo were organized under an egalitarian Gadaa system. It was at Aanolee that power transfer took place among generations of Arsi Abba Gadaa leaders under Odaa Rooba, one of the five Gadaa Oromo assemblies.

In late 19th century, roughly at the same time as the scramble for Africa, emperor Menelik II set out to forcibly incorporate independent Oromo territories into his “nascent empire.” Having conquered the Wollo, Tulama and other Oromo tribes, Menelik faced a fierce resistance from the Arsi.

The Arsi were not new to their Amhara neighbors to the north. In their encounters in battle, the Arsi did not consider their future nemesis to be much of a contender. The Arsi had, as they still do, much respect, both in war and in peace, for their southern neighbors – particularly the Sidama known for their fiercely warrior tradition. Besides, the Amhara did not know how to ride horses and the Arsi did not see any reason to be worried about loosing in battle to them. When news came that an invading army was arriving, the Arsi simply asked, “Is this the Sidama?” When told it was not, the Arsi scoffed, lowering their guards.

When Menelik’s Shoan army, equipped with modern firearms acquired from western powers, arrived in the 1880s, the Arsi was in for a rude surprise. Buoyed by a tradition that bestowed Wayyooma (an almost sacred high honor) accorded to those distinguished in war as in peace, the Arsi waged a valiant war of resistance. The Arsi repeatedly ambushed and kept Menelik’s forces at bay for six years between 1980-86 — winning all 38 running battles. In one instance, in 1985, after Arsi warriors wiped out his elite imperial guard in a nightly ambush at the battle near Mount Albasso at Doddota, Menelik fled to save his life, leaving behind his wife and Negarit (the imperial drum). Menelik’sremaining soldiers, awed by the bravery of their opponents, snug: Doddota ye wandoochu bootaa (Doddota land of the brave).

On Sep. 6, 1886, at a place called Azule, Menelik’s state of the art armaments outmatched the spears and shields of the ferocious Arsi fighters. After in a single day an estimated 12,000 Oromo fighters, faced off against a superior force led by Shoan general Ras Darge, perished, an armistice was declared. The Arsi then “suspended their struggle to save whatever could be saved,” according to Oromo historian Abbas H. Gnamo, author of a recently published book, “Conquest and Resistance in the Ethiopian Empire, 1880-1974 – The Case of the Arsi Oromo.”

But the suspension of open hostility did not end Menelik’s apetite to crush and humiliate the Arsi. In 1887, the Shoan forces came back to avenge their repeated defeat at the hands of local Oromo fighters and to terrorize the remaining populace into total submission. Ahead of a schedule Buttaa event, a power transfer ceremony under the Gadaa system, Ras Darge called for a meeting to “make peace” with the Arsi and “deliberate” on future administrative matters. Thousands gathered at Aanolee. Aanolee was strategically chosen because it was a symbolic site of Arsi power and what is reverently referred to as Arsooma, a custom by which the Arsi Oromo settled inter or intra clan disputes — the super glue that held the Arsi tightly together.

- For Full Content Opride

OLF Statement on Current Situations of Oromo Refugees in Kenya: Baqataa Seerawaa Miidhuun Tarkaanfii Namoomaan Alaa fi Seera Addunyaa jiru Dhiitu Dha | Abusing Legitimate Refugees is Violation of Human Rights and International Conventions

Posted: Ebla/April 7, 2014 · Gadaa.com

The following is the statement of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) on the current situations of Oromo refugees in Kenya. The statement is in Afan Oromo and English.

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Abusing Legitimate Refugees is Violation of Human Rights and International Conventions

OLF Statement Regarding the Oromo Refugees in Kenya

Citizens flee their own countries for different reasons. Some of the causes are short term incidents while others are long term, requiring radical solutions. Natural calamities like drought, flood, earthquake and the like; and man-made causes like civil war, economic and political crises can force people to flee their own countries. Everyone wants to return to one’s own country once the cause for the flight is solved. Of the huge number of the current refugee in the Horn of African countries the Oromo predominates. The majority of them fled their country for none other than a deep-rooted political crisis that cannot be solved overnight. They apparently began this flight, right after the conquest during the last century,to save their lives and human dignity. Thus the Oromos have managed to survive in all the neighbouring countries for a long time. The OLF likes to express its gratitude to the countries that had harboured these refugees for such a long time. However, some developments of the last two decades are worrisome.

After building special relation with the current regime in Ethiopia the neighbouring countries have repeatedly violated the rights of these refugees who are recognized by appropriate UN agencies to be accorded proper protection. The fact that such acts, which have been reported by different human rights agencies, are perpetrated by the security and armed forces of these countries, have spread terror among the refugees.

Out of hundreds of thousands of refugees registered by the UNHCR in Kenya, Oromos constitute a big chunk. Many of such legitimate refugees in general and the Oromo in particular have been constantly maltreated, forcefully returned to the regime that they fled, robbed of their belongings and shockingly harassed. A case in point is an incident on April 5, 2014 when Kenyan armed forces broke into the houses of Oromo refugees beat them up, robbed them of their properties and detained them in mass while many disappeared. No tangible effort of the UNHCR to protect these refugees was observed.

The OLF requests the Kenyan government to immediately halt this recurring vicious abuse of legitimate refugees in general and the Oromo refugees in particular, release those detained, return their robbed properties and provide them the protection they deserve. We implore the concerned UN agencies to pay attention to this ordeal of the Oromo refugees and make sure that they get appropriate protection as well as finding permanent solution to this endless saga.

Victory to the Oromo People!

Oromo Liberation Front

April 7, 2014

Baqataa Seerawaa Miidhuun Tarkaanfii Namoomaan Alaa fi Seera Addunyaa jiru Dhiitu Dha

Haala Baqattoota Oromoo Biyya Keeniyaa Laalchisee Ibsa Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo

Lammiileen biyyoota gara garaa sababoota adda addaan biyya isaanii keessa jiraachuu dadhabu irra abdii of jireessuun biyyoota ollaatti baqatan. Sababni ittiin baqatan gariin kan yeroo gabaabaa keessatti furmaata argatu tahuu danda’a. Rakkinni yeroo gabaabaa keessatti hin furamne yeroo dheeraa fi jijjiirama hundee barbaadus jira. Sababa umamaan rakkooleen dhalatan kan akka hongee, lolaa, kirkira lafaa fi kkf akkasumas, rakkoolee namootni dhalchan kan akka lola biyya keessaa, rakkina dinagdee fi rakkoon siyaasaa sababoota madda baqatummaa ti. Sababoota lammii biyya tokkoo biyya ollaatti baqachiisan keessaa garii wayta furamanitti kanneen qe’ee fi biyya isaanii irraa buqqa’an jireenya isaaniitti deebi’uu irraa rakkoon hin qaban. Kan biyyatti deebi’uu hin dandeenye kanneen mootummaa fi sirna jiru waliin wal dhabbii qabani dha. Ilmaan Oromoo baqa kana biyyii weeraraan qababuun booda Jaarraa tokkoon dura lubbuu baafatuu fi kabajaa namooma isaanii tikfatuuf jalqaban,

Yeoo ammaa kana biyyootni Gaanfi Afriikaa baqataa hedduu keessummeessaa jiran. Baqattoota biyyoota hedduu biyyoota Gaanfa Afriikaa gara garaa-tti baqatuudhaan baqattummaan jiraataa jiran keessaa tokko lammii Oromoo ti. Oromoo biyya isaa jiituu fi badhaatuu hojjatee keessa jiraachuu danda’u irraa kan isa baqachiisaa turee fi jiru rakkinni uumaa isa mudate jiraatee ykn jireenya isaa wayyeeffatuuf biyya isa irra kan biraa caalsifatee miti.

Baqataan Oromoo hedduun dirqamuu fi lubbuu isaaf sodaatuu irraa jireenya baqatummaa kan eegale gabrummaa jalatti kufuu irraa eegalee ti jechuun ni danda’ama. Akka kanaan baroota dheeraan durattii eegalee biyyoota ollaa isaatti argaman hunda keessa baqattummaan jiraatee lubbuu isaa dandamachiisuu danda’eera. Kanneen yeroo dheeraaf Oromoo akka baqataatti fudhatuun keessummeessaniif ABOn galata galchaaf.

Haa tahu malee waggoota digdamaa as haallan mul’atan kan duraan ture irra adda tahaa jiran. Keessattuu biyyootni ollaa sababa adda addaan mootummaa Wayyaaneetti michoomanii fi mararfatan baqataa baqattummaan isaa qaama seerawaan mirkaneeffamee jiru irratti deddeebi’anii miidhaa adda addaa irraan gahuu baay’inaan mul’ata. Tarkaanfii seera addunyaa cabsu kana baqattoota irratti kan raawwataa jiru qaama tikaa fi waraanaa mootummootaa tahuun ammo baqattoota kan yaaddessuu fi dhiphisu akka tahe hin gaafachiisu. Dalagaan seeraan alaa baqattoota irratti raawwatamaa tures irra deddeebi’ee kan ibsamaa fi jarmayaalee mirga namaaf falamaniin kan saaxilamaa ture tahuun hin dagatamu.

Keenyaan biyyoota gaanfa Afriikaa baqattootni kuma dhibboota baay’een lakkaa’aman keessa jiraatani dha. Lakkoobsi baqataa Oromoo Jaarmayaa dhimma baqataa Mootummoota Gamtoomaniin (UNHCR) galmaa’ee kan seeraan jiraataa jiru lakkoobsaan guddaa akka tahetti beekama. Haa tahu malee yeroo gara garaatti baqataa waliigalaa fi addatti Oromoo seeraan jiru, biyyatti deebi’uu kan hin dandeenye tahuun isaa beekamu irratti roorrifamuun, mootummaa baqatee dhufetti ukkaamsuun kennuu, saamuu fi miidhaan gara garaa deddeebi’amee haala sukanneessaa taheen irratti raawwatamaa jira. Haalli gaddisiisaa kun dhaabbatuu irra itti fufee Ebla 5, 2014 humni waraanaa mootummaa Keenyaa manneen baqataa Oromoo humnaan seenuudhaan qabeenya saamuu, baqataa reebuu, jumlaan hidhuu fi balleessuudhaan miiddhaa irraan gahaa jira. UNHCR kan baqattootaaf gaafatama qabu kana ittisuuf carraaqii mul’ataa godhu hin jiru.

ABOn gochaa waraanni mootummaa Keenyaa baqattoota sirnaa irratti garaa laafina tokko malee fi deddeebi’ee raawwatu kana daddaffiin akka dhaabu, qabeenya saamame akka deebisu, kanneen hidhaman akka hiikuu fi mootummaan Keenyaas rakkinoota baqataa waliigalaa, addatti haala baqataa Oromoo hubatuun tikaa fi eegumsa barbaachisu akka kennuuf gaafata. Jaarmayaan baqattootaa Mootummoota Gamtoomaniis miidhaa baqataa Oromoo irra geessifamaa jiru beekee tinnisaa fi kooluu (protection) barbaachisu akka godhuuf yaadachiisaa karaa itti rakkoon kun furamaata maayyii argatu irraatti akka faluuf ABOn yaadachiisa.

Injifananoo Ummata Oromoof!

Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo

Ebla 7, 2014

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Amma yoomittii Meeshaa Wayyaanee Taanaa? Ifaatiin Wayyanee Nu Hin Gahuu?

Alemayehu Tilahun G | Ebla 4, 2014

Sababa “misooma waliinii” jedhuun godina addaa naannawaa finfinnee magaala finfinnee jala galchuuf akkuma karoorfametti yeroo ammaa pilaanii waliinii kana hojiirra oolchuuf sochiin guddaan godhamaa akka jiru odeeffannoon karaa mootummaa ballinaan nutti himamaa jira.

Akka maastar pilaanii harawaa baheetti bulchiifni magaalaa finfinnee lafa heektaara kuma 54 fi godinni addaa magaalota 6 fi aanaalee baadiyyaa 17 walumaa galatti lafa keektaara miliyoona 1.1 kan haammatu dha.

Kan nama gaddisiisu garuu dhimma kana ilaalchisee dhaabbilee fi namoonni Oromoo bakka buuna jedhan tole ykn bade jechuu dadhabuu isaaniiti. Kuni gaaffii guddaa dha. Ummatni naannoo kanaa uummata Oromoo godinaalee kamiyyuu caala rakkoo guddaan saaxilamaa kan jiruudha. Sababni isaa ammoo magaalaa guddoon biyyattii uummata kan gidduutti hundeeffamuu isaati.

Mootummoonni hundi miniliki irraa eegalee hanga ammaa kan jiran uummata kana buqqisuu malee ijaarsa guddina magaalaa kana keessaatti osoo hin hirmaachisiin lafa isaanii irraa fudhachuun akka uummanni irraa buqqa’ee badu godhamaa tureera ammas itti fufee jira.

Sababni Oromoon naannoo kanaa caasaa mootummaa federaalaa fii bulchiinsa magaalaa finfinnee keessaatti hirmaachuu dhabeef sirni mootummaa miniliki irraa eegalee hanga ammaatti kan jiru Afaanii fi aadaa saba kanaa jibbuu fii jibbisiisuun afaanii fi aadaa isaanii fudhachuu dhabuun uummatni kun akka aadaa fii afaan isaatti qaana’u/saalfatuu fi gadaantummaan itti dhagaahamuu itti yaadamee waan hojjetameefi.

Sirna amma jiru keessatti naannawaan kun yeroo jalqabaa godinaalee shawaa arfan jalatti caaseffamanii akka bulan godhamee ture. Yeroo dhihoo qabee ammoo maqaan godinaa addaa naannawwaa finfinnee jiedhu kennameefii jira. Garuu caasaan ammaa jirus ta’ee kan duri uummata kana buqqisuurraa hin ambifne.
Rakkoon uummata kana qunnamaa turee fi ammas jiru lafarraa buqqa’uu qofa osoo hin taane, sababa keemikaala industrii adda addaa keessaa baahu osoo kunuunsi naannoo hin godhamiiniif gadi gallakkifamaniin faala’iinsa bishaanii fii qilleensaatiin dhibeen sanyii balleessu (genetic problem) tiin saaxilamaa jiru.

Gama siyaasaatiin yoo ilaalle fedhiin habashootaa uummatni kun akka buqqa’u gochaa jiraniif, Oromoo fi Oromiyaa kan jedhu giddu gala biyyatti irraa fageessuun tokkumman Oromoo akka hin cimne gochuudha. Karoorri waggaa 25 dhufutti karoorfamaa jiru naannoo shawaa jedhamu hanga kilo meetira 150 mootummaa giddu galeessaa keessa galchuu dha. Kana jechuun maappiin Oromiyaa ammaa bakka saditti cituun dirqii ta’a. Kun ammo tokkummaa Oromoo akka cabsuu beekkamaadha. Bu’aan siyaasaa kanaan wal-qabatee irraa argatan, naannoon Oromiyaa jedhamu tarii sodaa naannoon kun gara biyya Oromiyaa jedhamutti ce’uu danda’a jedhamee shakkamullee abdii akka hin qabaanne gochuudha. Karaa biraatiin tuffii uummata kanaaf qabaniin buqqa’iinsii fi rakkoon saaxilamuun uummata kanaa habashootaaf homaa jechaa miti.

Kanaaf jecha Oromoonni hundi dhimmi kun nu hin ilaalu jennee ilaalla taanaan (hanga ammaatti callisnee ilaalaa jirra), rakkoon kun rakkoo uummata kanaa qofa akka hin taane beekuu qabna. Giddu galeessi biyyatti hanga km150 Oromiyaa irraa cite taanaan maqaan Oromiyaa jedhu akkamitti jiraachuu akka danda’a namni sammuu qabu yaaduu waan danda’uu dha.

Karaa biraatiin uummatni tokko lafa irratti dhalatee, horee, jiraate irraa sababa misoomaatiin buqqa’uu jechuun namni kamiyyuu akka dhala namaatti callisanee ilaaluun rakkoo maaliirraa akka maddu naaf gala hin jiru. Hardha lafa irraa buqqa’uunii fii weerrarri lafaa maqaa inveestaraan naannoo Gaambeellaa, Beeneshaangul, uummattoota kibbaa miidiyaa addunyaarratti darbaa jira. Kan qote bultoota naannoo finfinnee garuu akka waan hojii qulqulluu ta’eetti namni abbaa kanaa jedhu hin jiru. Kuni maaliif ta’e laata? Ammas kan anaan nadhibaa jiru callisuu habashootaa ykn mootummaa Itiyoophiyaa miti. Kan ajaa’iba natti ta’aa jiru kan Oromoota mirgaa Oromoof qabsoofana jedhanii sadarkaa adda addaatti wal-ijaaraa jiraniiti. Dhimmi kun dhimma Oromoo fi ajandaa Oromoo hin taane yoo ta’e ammo ifaan ifatti itti himamee uumatni kunis baree furmaata mataa isaatii qopheefachuu qaba. Akka qaama Oromoo fii Oromiyaatti dhimmi uummata giddu galeessaa kanaa Oromoota naannoo biroo biratti fudhatama hin arganne taanaan, faayidaan waliin jiraachuu maalinni? Uummatni kun karaa isa baasuun mirga dhalootan qabu addunyaatti iyyatee ofiisaatiin Oromiyaa irraas ta’ee finfinneen ala of bulchuun aadaa isaa fii afaan isaatiin dhimma bahuu akka danda’us baruu qabna. Uummatni kun osoo rakkoo irra jiruu lafa isaa kan saamaa jiru habashoota ykn mootummaa qofa miti. Oromoonni naannawaa biroo illee lafa uummata kanaaa saamaa jiru. Kanaaf uummatni kun fedhii mataa isaatii hin qabu kan jiraachuu qabu faayidaa namoota birootiifi moo maal jechaa dha? Dhimmi kun kan akka salphaatti ilaalamuu miti, boru hunda keenya akka Oromootti kan nu gaabbisiisu ta’uu irra deddeebinee osoo ilaallee gaariidha. Waggaa 100 oliif sabni kun ba’aa nafxanyootaa baatee jira. Ammas rakkoo bara minilikii caaluun saaxilame malee waanti bu’eef hin jiru. Adeemsa kanaan gara fuulduraattis yoo Oromoon akka waliigalaatti mirga isaa gonfate iyyuu uummatni giddu galeessaa kanaatiif waanti bu’u akka hin jirre muuxxannoo argame waan tokko nutti agarsiisaa jir!

Qaamni kamiyyuu maqaa Oromootiins ta’ee habashaa kan barbaadu uummata kanaaf akka darbu osoo hin taane lafa uummata kanaa saamuu akka ta’e hubannoon hedduun argamee jira. Giddu galli Oromoo fii Oromiyaa osoo horfamaa jiruu fi qaamni afuura baafatu bakk hin jirretti bilisummaa Oromoo fi mirga Oromoof qabsoofana jechaa of gowwomsuu Oromo saamsisuufi meeshaa alagaa ta’uu otoo dhiifnee gaarii natti fakkaata.
Galatooma.

BUQQIFAMA OROMOOTA SHAGGARII fi NAANNOO ISAA – Kutaa Afraffaa

Taammanaa Bitimaa irraa | Ebla 3, 2014

DURAANDURSA

Dubbiftoota barreeffama kanaa jaalatamoo fi kabajamoo, kutaalee sadan dabran akka argattanii dubbiftan nan abdaddha. Amma kutaa isa kana bakkuma isa dabre dhaabne sana irraayyi itti-fufnaa, yoo yeroo fi wanneen biroo isiniif hayyaman mee duukaa-bu’uuf yaalaa! Xumura kutaa sadaffaa gara dhumaa irratti, murteen yaa’iin Oromoota Kurnaan Gullallee seena-qabeessichi sun dabarse, isiniif dhiyaatee ture. Murteen sun walaloo-dhaan dabarfamuun isaa barreessumsa (ogubarruu) Oromoo keessatti, walaloon bakka olaanaa qabaachuu isaa nutti agarsiisa. Dabaleesoo: “Kurnan Gullallee murtee kana dabarsee, kutannoo daran jabaadhaan waraana Habashaa isa ibidda tufaa, margaa-muka, sa’aa-nama barbadeessaa deemu sana dura dhaabate. Booda dubbiin dubbii meeshaa-waraanaa isa kan ammayyaatii, akkuma uummanni keenya jedhu sana, “qawwee ibiddaatiin” gubatee moyamuu dandaye“, jedhamee ture.

Waraanni Minilik kan meeshaa-waraanaa isa ammyyaa biyyoota Oroppaa irraa argatee, loltoonni isaas leenjiftoota Faranjiitiin leenjifamaniin Oromoota Gullallee callaa otoo hin taane, Oromoota biroos cabsee Oromiyaa qabachuu dandaye. Erga Oromoon Gullallee moyamee, uummanni akka loltoota Amaaraa kana mana-manaan hiratee sooru taasifame. Jarri wanni isaan Biyya Amaaraa irraa qabatanii dhufan wanneen afur qofa ture: a) gaangotaa fi fardeen dureewwan waraanaa yaabbatan, isuma keessayyuu garri irra caalu kanneen Oromoota: Abbichuu, Jirruu, Jiddaa, Salaalee, Darraa, Galaan, Ada’a Liibanii fi Gimbichuu faa irraa boojiyani b) Galaa hamma Biyya Oromoo dhaqqabanitti isaaniif gawu c) Qawwee fi rasaasa Faranjoota irraa argatan sanaa fi d) bututtuu, waarroo fi dabaloo uffatan sani. Kanaa achi isaan qawween doorsisanii uummata dirree-waraanaatti humna meeshaa-waraanatiin cabsame sana akka ergamtuu fi wandaqaatti ergachuu dha ture gochi isaanii. Ilaamee, inni kun armaa gaditti baldhinaan ibsama.

SEENSA

Silaa Oromoon mana-manatti akka isaan hiratu taasifamee, kan fardeenii fi gaangota isaanitii okaa haamu Oromoo dha. Kan miidhaan daakee, tolchee isaan sooru dubartoota Oromooti. Kan miila isaanii dhiquu fi uffata isaanii miiccu ijoollee Oromooti. Midhaan nyaatan, bishaanii-aannan, dammaa-farsoon dhugan faas kanuma Oromooti. Jarri mindaa wayiituu hin qabanii, mindaan isaanii uummata Oromoo ture. Jarri kun uummata Oromoo Gullallee waan sodaataniif, waan hin amanneef guyyaa-guyyaa qawwee rarraafatanii oolu. Halkan-halkan immoo qawwee boraafatanii rafu. Akkuman kanaan dura jedhe: “yoo baalli shokoksellee, yoo shimbirroon bar-jattellee Oromoon na qabate jedhanii wareeruun ol-utaalu.” Halli kun gara waggaa sadii fudhate. Ganna-ganna naannoon Shaggar Jiddu-galeessaa naannoon amma: “Biheeraawii“, Istaadiyuma, “Abiyoot Addabaabyi“, Finfinnee, Dhaaba Sangaa (“Sangaa Taraa“) faa roobaan dhoqqaawa. Kanaaf, Oromoota Gullallee keessaa warreen gandeen kana keessa jiraatan, loon ofii ooffatanii gara baddaatti: Sululta, Meettaa Roobii fi Meettaa Hoolotaa faatti darabaa galu. Ji’a Waxabajjii keessa deemanii ji’a Fulbaanaa gara dhumaa, ennaa lafti qooru loon isaanii ooffatanii deebiyu.

Oggaa dhiironni Oromoo gara darabaatti godaanan sana loltoonni Amaaraa dubartoota Oromoo qawween doorsisanii gudeedu. Isa kana dubartoonni gandan-gandaan akkuma walbeekanitti walitti himani. Lafa-jala dhoksaan walmariyachuu jalqabani. Dubbiin ture: “abbootii warraa keenyatti ni himna moo ni dhoksina” kan jedhamu. “Yoo itti-himne dhiironni aaranii Sidaamtotaan lolu. Silaa qawwee hin qabanii warra qawwee fannifatee deemutoo nu jalaa isaan galaafata.” Karaa cabe haa yaasu malee, “ofis biyya keenyas salpphifnee hin jiraannu” jechuun, dhiirotatti himuuf waliigalani. Yommuu warri dhiiraa darabaa irraa galan: “nuti dhirsa lamaa-sadii qabna moo” jechuun dhiirota xiiqii fi booree garaa kaayani. Amma silaa yaa’iin Gullallee dhoowwamee, dhiironni dhoksaan walmariyachuutti ka’ani. Dubbiin “nutoo qawwee hin qabnuu maal goonee isaaniin lollaa” dha ture. Ni lollaa irratti waliigalanuun malaa fi tooftaa lolaa baafatani. Lafti fi gandeen Kurnan Gullallee irra qubate marti guyyaa mortaawe tokkotti, galgala waarii jala oggaa lafti dukkanaawe daamotii (ibsaa, guca) qabsiifatanii gadi-bawuun iyyu. Iyyi seena-qabeessichi kun*:

“Uu uu qabi, dhayi!
 Uu uu qabi, dhayi!
Uu uu qabi, dhayi!
Uu uu qabu, dhayi!”

Kan jedhamu ture. Biyyi Gullallee guutuun ibsaa akkasii fi iyya akkasiitiin ennaa yaa’u, loltoonni Minilik wareeranii mana-manaa bawuun baqachuu jalqabani. Oromoon Gullallee dukkana gaachana godhatee: shoota, eeboo, hablee, gajaraa (mancaa) fi qottoo fayiin diina akka awaannisaatti isarra qubatee, isa nyaachaa baye sana haleele. “Sidaamni Oromoo se’ee dukkana keessa walitti dhukaasuun walumaa galaafate.” Kaan otoo baqatuu laggeeni fi hallayyaatti nam’ee dhume. Oduuf jecha, namoonni xiqqoon ganda Minilik jiru san, Ankoobar-ttii deebiyani.

Minilikii fi abbootiin duulaa (generaalonni) isaa aarii-salphinaantiin gubatanillee, ennasuma hatattamaan waa gochuu hin dandeenye. Gara baatiiwwan sagalii sonaan itti-qopphaawanii nama kanaaf, jechuun uummata isaanitti ka’e gaccabsuuf muuxannoo qabuu fi dabrees kan Minilik amantaa guddaa irraa qabu filatanii, gara Biyya Oromoo isa Kurnan Gullalleetti, bara 1878 keessa ergani. Namni isaan filatan kun kann Dajjaach Mashashaa Seefuu jedhamu ilma obboleessa Minilik yoo tahu, inni kanaan dura nama Oromoota Darraa (Salaale Kaabaa) kan akkasitti warra Minilik ollachiisu san humna qawwee Oroppaatiin cabse sana. Uummanni Gullallees akka isaan dhufaa jiran waan dhagayeef, akka gaariitti itti-kurfaawee ture. Haatahu malee, Oromoon Gullallee kan qopphaawe karaa: malaa fi tooftaa lolaa, uummata cufa akka nama tokkootti hamilee fi labsiin kakaasuu fi ijaarsa barbaachisu maraan walgurmeessuu malee, meeshaa-waraanaa isa ammayyaa kan biraa hafee qawwee tokkoo fi xiyyiitii takkallee hin qabu. Ammas dubartiin Oromoo Kurnan Gullallee asxaa bilisummaa dubartii kan tahe sana Siiqqee ishii harkatti qabattee, mundhii ishaa sabbataan shab-godhattee gandeen keessa labdee biyya labsuutti kaate. Uummanni Oromoo Gullallee akkuma jirutti olka’ee, fardaa-namaan diina ammas deebiyee dachee Oromoo qabachuuf dhufe dura gore. Jarreen maqaa Kiristaanummaa isaanitiin,”Oromoon nu warra Kiristaanaa fixuufi” jechuun, meeshaa-waraanaa kan ammayyaa humnota Oroppaa irraa argatanii mataa irraa hamma miilaatti hidhatan san, Oromoon Gullallee meeshaa-waraanaa kan duudhaa: eeboo, wantaa (gaachana), shootala (“goraadee“), furrisa, furguggee (murxuxxee), gajaraa, ablee, qottoo fi shimala fayin, irra caalayyuu onnee Oromoo biyya ofiitii du’uu yookaan diina biyya-ofii ajjeesuu, jettu saniin dura dhaabate. Warri abbootii qawwee ibiddaa sun Oromoota Gullallee akka laayyootti mowuu hin dandeenyee, guyyaa guutuu irraa fudhate.

Dacheen abbootii Gadaaa fi haadholii Siiqqee diinaan barbadooftee Oromoon dhiiraa-dubartiin, jaarsaa-ijoolleen warra Minlikiin akkuma Oromoota Arsii fi Oromoota Barentuutti biyya ofiitiif jecha, akka okaatti haamamanii booda kan hafe harka-kennate. Minilik uumaan akkuma keenya namaa, garuu garaa-dhaan bineensaa sun kun itti-hanqatee gadoo (haaloo) hamaa baafachuu jedhee, Oromoota Finfinnee Shaggar jiddu-galeessaa isaantu kana dursee sade jechuun, akkuma jiranti buqqisee loltoota isaatiin oofsisee Arsii naannoo Asallaa qubachiise. Buqqifama isa kanatu Buqqifama Oromoo Gullallee isa tokkoffaa dha. Warri Minilik kun yoom kana duwwaatti dhaabatanii hafani, biyya Kurnan Gullallee guutuu keessa labanii namoota keessumaa gayeeyyii fi dargaggeeyyii akka bineensa daggalaatti adamsuutti ka’ani. Akkuma kanaan dura jedhame san: “Oromoon Gullallee wiirtuu Shaggar, naannoo Hora Fifinnee faa jiraatu, warra warraan faffaca’ee, gara obbolaa isaa gara naannoo Oromoota  birootti baqate. Kaan Meettaa, Galaan, Sooddo, Bacho, Ada’a Bargaa, Waliso, Kuttaayye faatti baqatee, boodas isaaniin moggaafamee hafe. Waggaa kudhan booda (1887-1888) oggaa Minilik Inxooxxoo irraa gadi-bu’ee, Shaggar magaalmataa impaayara isaa godhatu, Oromoon Gullallee inni naannoo amma “Araat-Kiiloo, Siddis-Kiiloo“, “Lidataa”, Markaatoo, Kasaanchis, Piyaassaa faa jiru, buqqifamee Arsii naannoo Asallaa qubachiifame.“**

Oromoon Kurnan Gullallee biyya isaa fi birmadummaa isaatiif jecha akkasitti dhumullee, akkasitti humna qawweetiin naannoo awwaallan haadholii fi abbootii isaa itti-argamu irraa buqqifamullee, kaan faffacayee naannolee Oromoo birootti baqatullee isa hafee hamileen isaa hin cabne. Gaaf tokko ka’ee biyya abbaa isaa akka deebifatus gonkumaa hin mamane. Ani Oromoo Gullallee ijoollummaa kiyya irraa kaaseen beekaa, kan ogguu na maalalu (dinquu) jabina hamilee fi safuu isaanii isa akka sibiilaa jabaatu sani. Hamilee fi safuu kanatu, jaalala biyyaa fi Oromummaa isaa kanatu Shaggar shaggaa biyyaa, garuu isa nafxanyoonni Habashaa boongoo (waasshaa) yeeyyiiwwanii fi majaa-leetti (waraabessa akkan hamaa) geeddaratan kana keessatti, hanga hardhaattuu isa hambise. Oromoon Gullallee akkuma Oromoota biroo isaan ani amma kanaa olitti, isiniif ibse kana dhalawwan ofiitti himaa guddifata. Isa kanatu kubee (“encyclopedia“) cimaa kan koloneeffatoonni Amaaraa gubanii balleessuu hin dandeenye tahuun asiin, ee bara Dhaloota Qubee kanaan isa gaye.*** Amma kanaa gadittan tuullaa beekumsa Oromoo isa afaanii-afaanitti, dhalootaa-dhalootatti dabraa as gaye keessaa hamma tokko, kanan walitti qabe keessaa isiniif dhiyeessa. Ani bara mootii-mootolii sanan walaloota uummata Oromoo kan Oromiyaa Waltajjii irraa, jechuun Tuulama guutuu fi Macca Bahaa irraa walitti qabeeyyu. Kana irraa bara 1983 keessa hacuuccaa fi roorroo, gabrummaa fi gabbaarummaa Oromoo Gullallee fi kanneen biroo kan ibsu waa ifa godheen ture. Amma isa keessaan waa isiniif dabarsa.****

QAAMADUBBII

Oromoon Gullallee gabrummaa fi biyya isaa irraa-buqqifama walaloolee sirbaa kanneen addaddaatiin ibsata. Keessumaa walaloolee naannee, geerrarsaa, seeyyii fi dhiichisaa keessatti harqoota gabrummaa Habashaa kan isarra jiruu fi abdiibilisummaa fi walabummaa biyya ofii addeeffata. Akkanatti gabrummaa fi gabbaarummaa Habashaa kan isarra jiruu fi dharraa birmadummaa fi bilisummaa kan ibsatu Oromoo Gullallee callaa miti. Akkan argee fi dhagayetti kun naannolee Oromiyaa maraa fi gosolii Oromoo hundumaa biratti waan beekamu. Otoo abdiin Oromoo keenyaa inni cimaan kun jiraachuu baatee, yoon silaa hundi keenya: Azbixee fi Gonnixee, Aadafris-ii fi Ashabbir, Difaabbaachaw-uu fi Gizaachaw, Laxxibaluu fi Ziqqibaluu, Aalgaanash-ii fi Yawhaalaash faa taaneeti turre. Ilmoo namaa ilmoo namaa wanneen taasisan keessaa inni tokko abdii dha. Abdiitu uummata Indiyaa kan waggaalee 100 koloneeffatoota Ingilizii jala ture, uummata Giriikii kan waggaalee 367 Osmaan Turkii jala ture, uummata Albaaniyaa kan waggaalee 431 Osmaan Turkii jala ture, uummata Sarbiyaa kan waggaalee 338 Osmaan Tarkii jala ture, uummatoota Arabaa mara kanneen waggaalee 400 gabroomfatoota Osmaan Turkii jala turan, uummatoota Ameerikaa Kibbaa kanneen waggaalee 300 koloneefatoota Ispaanyaa fi Portugaal jala turan, uummata Aljeeriyaa isa waggaalee 132  gabroomfatoota Faransaa jala ture, Afrikaa teenya guutuu tan Koloneeffatoota Oroppaa jala waggaalee dhibbaa ol turte, bilisummaa fi walabummaan kan isaan gaye abdii dhala namaa kana. Abdiin kun nu Oromootas, obboleewwan keenya Somaalotaa fi Sidaamotas, Walaayitoota fi Hadiyyootas, Gambeelotaa fi uummatoota Sulula Omoo faas harqoota gabrummaa Habashaa kana jalaa akka nu baasuu shakkiin tokkollee hin jiru.

Isa kanaa olitti jedhame kana Oromoonni Kurnan Gullallee kunoo, akka kanaa gadiitti himatu. Kanas akkuman ennaa sana Afaan Oromoo fi Afaan Ingiliziitiin walmaddii kaawuun, baase sanattan dhiyeessa. “Tamene Bitima: On Some Oromo Historical Poems; in, PAIDEUMA 29, 1983, pp. 317-325″:
“Inxooxxoo dhaabatanii,*****
Caffee gallaaluun hafee,
Finfinnee loon geessanii,
Hora obaasuun hafee,
Tulluu Daalattiirrattii,
Yaa’iin Gullallee hafee,
Gafarsatti dabranii,
Qoraan cabsuunis hafee,
Hurufa Boombiirrattii,
Jabbilee yaasuun hafee,
Bara jarri dhufanii
Loon teenyas indhumanii,
Idda mashashaan dhufee,
Birmadummaanis hafee!”

“No more standing on Intotto,
to look down at the pasture below.
No more taking cattle to finfinnee,
to water at the miniral spring.
No more gathering on Tulluu Daalattii,
where the Gullallee assembly
used to meet.
No more going beyond Gafarsa,
to chop firewood.
No more taking calves,
to the meadow of Hurufa Boombii.
The year the enemy came,
our cattle were consumed.
Since Mashasha came,
freedom has vanished!”

Mashaashaan walaloo kana keessatti kaafame eenyu akka tahe kanaa olitti ibsamee jira. Isatu ka’iisa fi fincila Oromoo Gullallee isa bara 1878 kana cabse. Inni sana dura akkuma irranatti tuqame waraana Oromoo Darraa (Salaalee Kaabaa), isa goota daran beekamaa Hasanuu Wadayiin gaggeeffame humna qawwii ibiddaatiin cabsuu dandaye. Hasanuu Waday seena-qabeessichi kun, uummata isaa biratti maqaa sangaa fardaa isaatiin irra beekama: Abbaa Kuraaraa. Erga waraanni Minilik isa moyee: “harka kiyya diinni hin qabatu, farda kiyya diinni hin yaabbatu“, jedhee farda isaa shan utaalee diina akka inni kashakkashu godhe sana, ajjeesee booda ofis ajjeessuun seenaa Oromoo kan gara isaatiin jiru dhiiga ofiitiin barreessee dabre. Walalooleen Oromoonni Gullallee lafarraa buqqifama nafxanyoonni Habashaa isaan irratti, adeemsisaa turanii fi ammallee itti-jiran ibsu danuu dha. Akka kutaan kun nutti hin dheeranneef, “haa-bultu dubbiin” jechuun asuma irratti dhaabnaa, mee cufti keessan nagaa fi badhaadhinaan naa bubbulaa!

Itti-fufa —!

==============  HUBACHIISOTA MIILJALEE  ==============

* Taammanaa Bitimaa: “SEENAA OROMOOTA FINFINNEE-SHAGGAR”; MANDIISUU, Hidhaa 6, lakk.1, Bitootessa 2004, fuulee 25 ilaalaa.

** Isuma kanaa olitti jedhame > (IKOJe), fuulee 25-26 ilaalaa.

*** Kubee (“encyclopedia“) <  kuusaa beekumsaa.

**** Walalooleen uummataa isaan jedhaman kun: “Tamene Bitima – On Some Oromo Historical Poems; in, PAIDEUMA 29, 1983, pp. 317-325″, keessatti bayani.

***** Walaloo kana akkuma jirutti jechuun isa Afaan Oromoos, isa Afaan Ingiliziis barreessitoonni tokko tokko madda isaa jallisuun yookaan otoo madda isaa sirumaa hin kennin, barreeffatoota isaanii keessatti dhimma ittiin bayanii jiru. Dhimma ittiin bayuun daran gaarii dha. Garuu, barreessitoonni keenyas seeraa fi duudhaa barreessitoonni addunyaa qaban keessaa bawuu matumaa hin dandayani. Dursee bara 1991 fi 1992 keessa oggaa gaazexoonni fi kitaabeewwan Afaaan Oromootiin bayan akkasitti nuuf maddan sana, tokko tokkoon isaanii walaloo bara 1983 keessa baye kana madda wayiituu malee, baasaa turani. Ani bara 2009 keessa Waashingitan Diisiin ture. Booda Oromoonni waggaalee hedduu dura na beekan, barroo obboo Tasafaayee Gabra’ab kan “Yagaazexanyaaw Maastaawashaa” jedhmu bituun naa kennani. Obbolaan kiyya sun kitaaba san bananii fuulee walaloon amma kaase kun, irratti baye natti agarsiisani. “Kun balleessaa cimaadhaa mana seeraatti dhiyeessuu dandaasa“, naan jedhani. Ani kitaaba bareedaa san, silaa ani qilleensa irra (samii keessa) rafuu hin dandayuu, balaliyaa-dhuma (xayyaaruma) keessattin dubbisee fixe. “Ani obboleessa kiyya nama Afrikaa mana seera Faranjii hin dhaabu jedheen” itti-dhiise. Obboo Tasfaayeen ee lammiin Oromiyaa, ilmi Bishooftuu teenyaa maaf akka madda isaa kennuu dide ani hin beeku. Garuu, kitaaba isaa san keessatti madda biroo, jechuun kan wanneen biroo warreen biroo irraa-fuudhe sirriitti kenna. Otoo dubbannuu: ijoolleen warra nafxanyaa obboleessa keenya kana: “maaf waan Oromoo dubbatta?” jechuun, duulaa hamaa irratti deemsisaa jiru. Yeroo, bakkaa fi haalatu isaanii hin taane malee, silaa isa yoona ni fannisuuyyu. Nuti dhalawwan Oromoo kanneen kitila hedduun lakkaawamnu, isa cinaa fi duuba dhaabannee eeboo jarreen tanaa irraa qoluu qabna! Inni lammii fi ilma Oromiyaatii, wanni isaan galchu tokkollee hin argamu!

Amma bara kana keessallee namoonni keenya tokko tokko madda walaloo kanaa keennuu irra, gara biraatti kakkaachuun madda dugda duubaa kennanii argamu! Raajii dha! Sammuu fi qubni barreessaa, safuu fi safeeffanni barreessaa yoo isaaniif hayyame, akkanumatti itti-fufuu dandayu. Garuu, isa jechoota duraan walaloo sana keessatti dhiyaate,  dabsuu otoo dhiisanii wayya. Inni kun Oromoonni durii akka itti-dubbatan waan nutti agarsiisuuf, seenaa Afaan Oromootii hedduu barbaachisaa taha.

Oromo Voice Radio Broadcast on April 2, 2014

Oromo Voice Radio