Oromo nationalism

Oromo nationalism is an ethnic nationalism advocating the self-interest of Oromo people in Ethiopia and Kenya. Many Oromo elites, intellectuals and political leaders struggled to create an independent Oromia state throughout 19th and 20th century, since the start of Abyssinian colonialism under Emperor Menelik II. No consensus has been reached yet regarding the motives of this type of nationalism, whether the Oromos librate themselves to form a nation-state or offer self-determination in federal Ethiopia.

Oromo nationalism is viewed as opposite of the Ethiopian nationalism like other form of ethnic nationalism, which support civil nationalism and pan-Ethiopianism. It also accused of fomenting various conflicts within Ethiopia and increasing anti-Amhara sentiments.^[1]

Concept

The rise of

Oromo nationalism viewed as a recent phenomenon and has been controversial subject among the Oromo elites. This fluctuates between Oromo self-determination and creation of independent Oromia state within the federal law of Ethiopia. The Oromo elites and nationalist always perceive the Oromo people as "oppressed people" by Ethiopian colonial rule, they suggested in their thesis that Oromia and Ethiopia are mutually exclusive, believing one should be destroyed while the other grow. Gemechu Megersa said that "there is only one big problem for Ethiopia and that is Oromia, and there is one big problem for Oromia and that is Ethiopia".^[5]

History

During the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Oromo nobility sided to Italy hoping to exercise their power and taking advantage to return their lands. The Italian appointed them as governors of their former lands. In 1935, Raya Azeboos Oromos attacked the Abyssinian armies during the Battle of Maychew. Also, in 1936, Oromos in Jimma expelled Amharas officials to defy the colonial rule. Hence, the Oromo nobility in western Ethiopia declared an independent Oromia state called Western Oromo Confederation (WOC), expressing a mandatory state to the League of Nations. After the end of Italian rule in 1941 and Emperor Haile Selassie return, the Oromos broadly contested the Abyssinian rule and started rebellion against the Shewa Amharan nobility. However, such events were not mentioned in the Ethiopian historiography.^[6][7]

In 1973, the Oromo nationalist founded the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and its wing, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in order to counter oppression during Haile Selassie's rule.^[8] During the Derg rule, OLF had fought against the Derg administration to create Oromia state. Although OLF marginalized with other rebel group such as Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia (IFLO) and the Oromo People's Liberation Front (OPLF), they were able organizing into smaller units like clans and villages.^[9][10] The Oromo resistance continued through the end of Ethiopian Civil War and the rise of EPRDF government in 1991.^[11] They sometimes coordinated with but rebelled against the EPRDF to gain autonomy.^[12] For instance, the OLF fought small guerella war in the southern Ethiopian region in order to liberate Oromo ethnicity in that area from the central government, while IFLO and OPDO resorted to the government alliance. This resulted in an intragroup conflict between those factions, notably the OLF and IFLO. In July 2000, both groups reached a peace agreement, but this could not allevate the clashes thereafter, most notably between members of OPDO and Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), and numerous Oromo political organizations.The Oromos took small demonstrations to show their representation in all Ethiopian universities.^[13] The Tigrayan-dominated government perceived the Oromos as the major threat to their power and persecuted them in various occasions.^[14]

Since Abiy Ahmed took power in 2018, many radical Oromo reactionaries attacked him for his working as "neftenya agent" and eroding Oromia constituency.^[15] Politicians like Jawar Mohammed stated that only EPRDF could save Ethiopia from disintegration because it exercising a strong military, police and bureaucracy structure. He argued opposition groups had no wielding power during the transition. On other hands, activist Eskinder Negga and Bekele Gerba have another outlook. Eskinder, a pan-Ethiopianist, supported a transition government, though Bekele would prefer transitional administration led by Lemma Megesa. ^{[citation needed]}

Oromummaa

Oromummaa is an Oromo nationalist and ethnocenteric term.^[16] It is thought to define the Oromo integrity, and cultural expression. Commentators cited example of Oromummaa tenure to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed administration since 2018 and has been linked to Nazism.^[17] In terms of explanation, Oromummaa has a cannonation of many social norms associating the Oromo identity: worldview, philosophy, arts, beliefs, traditions, territory, democratic rules, symbolism and social integration derivated from moggasa/guddifacha (adoption by consent). Oromummaa is linked to anti-Christianity, Islamophobic violence, and treated as an example of ethnic violence of from its extremist elements, such as Oromization of Ethiopia, which seeks Oromo domination of the country in every aspects.^{[18][19][20][21]}

References