Oromia Global Forum (OGF) is a global alliance of Oromo Civic, Professional, and Faith-Based Organizations and individual Human Rights defenders and activists, residing in North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa. Our mission is to enhance Oromo unity, discuss, analyze and respond to man-made and natural disasters as well as human rights abuses plaguing the Oromo nation, and design and deploy strategies and interventions to mitigate the plights of our people.
It is a shame that the authors of the above paper characterized this collection of fictional political propaganda campaign as “Analysis”. Even in today’s world where the lines between facts and alternative facts are increasingly becoming blurry, this article is in a class of its own. As demonstrated with facts and figures below, the claims and allegations are not only vacuous but also venomous rhetoric. Such are the daily generated and disseminated falsehoods by Ethiopia’s current Authoritarian regime in Finfinnee (Addis Ababa) and their henchmen in the diaspora. Before we unpack and expose the lies, bogus allegations, and mischaracterizations, however, we will begin with a brief overview of the root cause of the irreconcilable discourse: the Ethiopia-Oromo conflict. Any serious analysis of such a consequential theme requires intellectual curiosity, a responsible and thorough approach which is clearly lacking in this case. Because it lacks the essential rigor fit for such “analysis”, we find it utterly deplorable. We hope you will take in our reasons with an open mind. Characterizing the quest for freedom to self-govern, be the owner of one’s ancestral land, the right to develop one’s language and religion, and equality with the Amhara doesn’t make the 50 million strong Oromo “radicals”. This can hardly be an honest analysis of the Ethiopian crisis. Rejecting historical injustices and demanding for redress is not radicalism meant to harm the Amhara, as the analysis tried to conclude.
*The views of the above article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Africa Speaks 4 Africa or its editorial team.