Who are the Rulers of Ethiopian Empire?

When we talk of governance in Ethiopia we may not get a clear picture unless we separate the rulers and the ruled. The ruled are hardworking God fearing Africans. Though they were the ones that safeguarded rulers’ pleasure with their sweat and blood; developed literature, arts and crafts that history never forgets they had never been treated by their rulers as free and sovereign people. With myth created for them in foreign land by foreign gurus in collaborations by foreign powers, rulers’ authority became indisputable. They believed in what they were told, the need to die for rulers, faith and country. All the way they came dying for what they were told without question, not knowing they were under spell. They did not know their government was sharing governance and benefits that the country could offer with foreign powers. The same foreigners a proud Habashaa despises from the bottom of his/her heart. Rulers were encouraging that type of pride to insulate them from the ongoing truth.The Habashaa are divided into two major groups, Amhara and Tigrawayi. Most of the time, Amhara groups participated in governance. This time the minority Tigrean ruling group shares the saddle.

The native rulers stay in power only as long as they play according to tunes of foreign partners. Such tunes are not openly heard by the people. Living aside the post Libina Dingle and Grany period, foreigners initially helped Teedros to assert power but dethroned him when he refused to obey orders. Yohannis was diverted to Matammaa to save Egypt and help a fledgling obedient Minilik replace him. Iyyaasuu was over thrown by a coup d’état manipulated by governance shareholders because he showed independence in taking actions, in particular his venture to help Somali national resistance movement against imperialists. Tafarii was helped to power after him. He was also imposed on patriots that liberated the country by the British despite British officers appeal to spare the Oromo from his rule. In old age Tafarii (Hayila Sillaasee) was abandoned by Western allies because he could no more hold internal pressure. Mangistuu could no more be supported by his mentor that cannot support even itself so have to go. Wayyaanee was welcome because it is a minority that cannot command loyalty from natives so can easily be black mailed by super powers. Its symbiPublishotic relation with foreigners is clearer than its predecessors. It is protected from people it governs, as long as it doesn’t fail in its service.

The myths and brain washing carried out with the help of their foreign partners made the Habasha masses to meekly obey whoever comes to power. When they were told the state had been there for over three thousand years, no body doubted, there are even those who believe in that today. But in this era of information revolution the truth is there in the open. It is only necked force that can keep people suppressed not myth. Just like there had been foreign interest groups that helped in manufacturing and implementing policies filled myth, today also there are those that help manufacturing lies and deceit and covering them up. A wise Habashaa elderly once advised the emperor that it is the gun and crown that are now keeping the empire together and unless he makes people participate in governance it will be difficult if the gun is out of control and if he were gone. He did not heed the advice thinking partners propping him from behind the curtain could save him. But the partners abandoned him and partnership changed hands after him.

The present era is an era of advancement of human knowledge for that reason people cannot be fooled easily. If not all there are segments of each society that are exposed to the same information technology as world rulers. The same model for political socialization as in the past cannot help. The Habasha farmers were mobilized against adversaries of the ruling class for defense and conquest by spreading fear that “heathens are coming to take your private land, your wife and destroy your religion”. All these can no more serve as basis for agitation. Habasha rulers have no more monopoly over a single church, Coptic Orthodox. Many sects have penetrated the society as Orthodoxy did to others. The “Muslim sea” can no more be presented as a threat because the island is no more distinct. Keeping or giving up colonial lands is only problem fort he rulers and families that have so far benefitted from it (Nafxanyaa remnants) nothing will change for the masses. Finfinnee is a center piece of Oromia, its beauty. Residents require only the rule of law not who administers it. It is the town of migrants. They have never had security for their life and property since its formation. Oromia being known for the rule of law since time immemorial gives better hope than all.

Africans are not known for extremism so far and that cannot be an excuse to galvanize oversea alliance against the indigenous. In particular the Oromo are known for tolerance and patience to whichever faith they belonged. The ambitions and vanity instilled in Habashaa farmers has expired and they will have no more reason to look down the colonial people as inferiors and cowards. They have the chance to see them first hand to prove their rulers wrong. The Habashaa have to work hard on how to liberate their people rather than trying in vain to keep the colonies under control for that is too late. It is a waste of time to dwell on others country and right when Abyssinia is under threat of vanishing in the hands of messenger of doom. Freedom of the colonies will certainly usher freedom of the colonizer. The Amaaraa from its tradition knows how to handle the types of Wayyaanee without the colonies. If wisdom returns to them they will start viewing peoples of their colonies as African siblings and eternal neighbors.

Vain glory cannot save any one from agonies being inflicted by abusive systems. Pride should come from advancement in technology, peaceful and democratic governance, and productiveness not from reminiscing baseless history of three thousand years. Three thousand years is more of Oromo history. They do not say to others, don’t claim our history. Had it been beneficial Oromo could have dwelt on Kushitic history from the pyramids to the great Zimbabwe ruins.That had served those eras not now. Now all are under different people and we are left with story. What good is it for us except form empty pride? It only shows that we are left frozen in past history. Now it is the wellbeing and productive ability of the present generation that matters. The past that made some of us victims and some of us victors is gone. We all have our identities that we have to recognize for each other if we have to live in peace and develop. We each are what we are, not what others want us to be. Now it is an era of enlightenment. The Oromo cannot continue as it used to be. The status quo has to change for the better. The better is what they want to be. They are choosing death than to continue living in unending agony. Anyone that wants to talk to them should not mention about the loyal servants in colonial courts of the past or those servant to be, but about their revolution and revolutionary generation of today.

Habashaa rulers and their allies have come down doing all they can to maintain the status quo.Their allies, in most cases Europeans and Americans had helped them to keep Oromia under control as their legitimate area of influence, a continuation of the imperialist era practice. The changing of domestic hands in governance did not change the interest of the imperialist powers then and of transnational corporations now. That is how Wayyaanee’s and their interest got interwoven that one finds it difficult to separate one from the other in the liberation struggle. Wayyaanee can never keep Oromia under control without foreign support it gets in all aspects, military, diplomacy, administration and even national budget in return for free hand into the empires economy and market. As a result the economy is concentrated in the hands of few compradors and big international corporations and rich individuals. People are impoverished by evictions and maladministration. Continuous draught has led to famine. Despite unprecedented poverty being manifested financial institutions are telling of Ethiopia’s double digit growth. That is part of the cover up for bad governance and human right abuses.

The people could no more bear the abuses and the heavy burden loaded on them. They stood up for their freedom and sovereignty over their land. In particular, Oromo protest that flooded over the whole region of Oromia surprised not only the illegitimate Habashaa government and its partners, but also peoples of the empire and all supporters of human rights in the world. When the violation of rights became so flagrant even partners of the regime started to cry “foul!” as not to be blamed by their taxpayers. They did that for momentary diversion while it did not take them time, in particular US and EU to sign defense and friendship agreements with this government despite its continuing genocide against Oromo and other people’s. They are of course, angry at Wayyaanee not because of killing unarmed Oromo kids and pregnant women but it exposed their contradictions of principles. They are neglecting the endangered human life for small benefit they get from their messenger boys around there. Being chased by children for a butterfly is question of life and death, while it is a game for children. They have to be reminded that their support to Wayyaanee is a question of extinction as a nation for Oromo. Wayyaanee is culling and killing vibrant kids and the learned to deny Oromo leadership and futurity. It has to be stopped by all means for the sake of humanity.

The Ethiopian government we said never ruled over their people as well as the colonies alone. There were always foreign hands to guide them. Therefore the oppressed and colonized peoples are fighting against conglomeration that contains Habashaa totalitarians and foreign backers. That conglomeration is the real ruler of Ethiopian empire. In addition they are members of a club, UN, that doesn’t give up on them easily. In Oromia they say ones there was scoundrel. That scoundrel lived by stealing and plundering others property. Once he stole an ox of a neighbor, slew and relished it. Hue and cry was raised and the neighborhood including the thief went out in search of the ox but in vain. The thief was a feared person and led them away from the track. At another time when asked if he had recovered his ox, the owner said, “How can I get my ox while searching with one who stole, slew and ate it?” He had a hunch that someone among them was the culprit.

The same thing is happening to victims of Ethiopian atrocities. They are appealing to international bodies, without whose support, those atrocities could not have been committed. They pretend to sympathize with the victims but make all efforts to covering up the genocide track. Nobody should be fooled by their crocodile tears but rely on own struggle and try to dislodge them from their blind interest. Otherwise they are the government and the government is they. Never undermine yourself. They have more plan than this to hit Africa with African hand. For this they use the comprador. We have so far come struggling to survive as a people. They tell us that advancement of globalization will make the world one village; that comes with development and we may not be able to hinder it. But we have to make effort to get our share with all-inclusive struggle we wage. To give up is death; we should not listen to those that say let us die and wait for it.

Freedom fighters have to primarily be self-reliant. The Oromo says, “The army cuts the throat of what diplomacy puts down”. Diplomatic efforts could help to gain understanding even from biased quarters. Statement of Lord Palmerstone over two centuries ago, “Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests.” is still valid for Western governments’ thinking. The presently oppressed people have to understand the essence of that interest and design their diplomatic policy accordingly. However nothing should precede determination and commitment to a goal which requires formidable rear and self-reliance. Any group to a dealing concerning Oromo nation have to have a deep root in its present day movement. Quitters and runaways cannot fulfill their promises to anyone. It is only group with deep root that can assure good relations with all interest groups. The Big Powers have no especial marriage bondage with Wayyaanee,divorce is a possibility. Otherwise the struggle shall continue until they are tired of killing or the last Oromo puts down the hand it crossed over the forehead for the final action. Victory to the victimized! Oromia shall be free!

Honor and glory for the fallen heroines and heroes; liberty equality and freedom for the living and nagaa and araaraa for the Ayyaanaa of our fore parents!

Ibsaa Guutama
April, 2016