Instigating Violence Between The Two Cousins Never Stops Us From Marching Towards Our Goal.

July 20, 2014

Joint Press Statement

By Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) & Sidama Liberation Front (SLF)

Time and again we all have witnessed the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) led dictatorial regime of Ethiopia deliberately masterminding various forms of atrocities in order to remain in power. The regime uses its organized agents to deliberately instigate violence between the various oppressed nations in the country. Although the ‘divide-and-rule’ tactics have been adopted by all oppressive rulers all over the globe, the tactics of the current regime in Ethiopia differ in one key aspect. They are aimed at driving a wedge between the most closely related peoples and communities. The regime has done this between the two Kush cousins, the Oromo and the Sidama people time and again seriously undermining their basic human dignities and democratic rights.

The Oromo and the Sidama people are culturally, ethno-linguistically, socially, geo-politically & morally intertwined nations. The two largest Kush cousins also share similar ancestral origins and large expanse of territorial boundaries. The alliance between these two sisterly nations is founded on historical roots, therefore it is unshakable. Moreover, the Oromo and the Sidama nations are fundamentally democratic and egalitarianism societies and govern their respective nations by using their traditional democratic Gadaa and Luwa systems respectively. Both nations use the aforementioned noble socio-cultural and politico-economic heritages as the pillars of genuine democracy, just and fairness.  
    
The successive Ethiopian regimes are aware of the unshakable power the Kush brothers can galvanize if they are left to freely and peacefully exercise their rights.  For these simple reasons, the successive Ethiopian regimes have done what they could to instigate war between the two cousins under various pretexts although their successes have been limited to the actions of uninformed immoral messengers sent out by these regimes to do their dirty jobs in both Oromia & Sidamaland. Due to such tragedies instigated sadly by the current regime, several lives have been unnecessarily lost in the past 23 years from both Sidama and Oromo people. However, our noble elders from both nations have effectively foiled the repeated plots of the current regime time and again. In spite of the repeated attempts by the current regime to divide the two brotherly nations permanently, our beloved nations have managed to maintain peace and harmony and centuries old unity. However, this has never been palatable to the current regime. The regime is once again playing its dirty game of instigating further conflict between the two nations. Cognizant of the significance of the Oromo-Sidama alliance on its political future, the TPLF regime is sending out its messengers to fuel further instability in the neighbouring lines of the Sidamaland and Oromia.  
 
In the Angettuu district of the Bale zone in the Oromia, the Sidama and the Oromo made their unity reality by cooperation and living together for centuries. In this very region where both peoples peacefully and harmoniously lived together, TPLF’s messengers are currently sent out to instigate hatred between the two. However, they weren’t successful in doing so as both peoples fully understand the regime’s divide and rule tactics. When the Oromo elders and the wider community refused to create any disagreements with their Sidama cousins, the TPLF’s Oromo messenger cadres themselves began burning the houses of Sidama residents by demanding the Sidama people to completely vacate the area. The situation remains tense where over 40 Sidama houses have been burned to ashes by the TPLF’s Oromo messengers when the Oromo people refused obeying their orders. 

Similarly, repeated previous attempts of the regime have been foiled by the normalising actions of noble, wise and farsighted elders of both Oromo and Sidama nations.  As the Oromo and Sidama are working hard for genuine political alliances both within the country and in Diaspora, the regime feels extremely anxious and restless. Cognizant of the likelihood of the creation of a significant political alliance, the regime is working day and night to destabilise both nations.
Therefore, we call upon the peoples of both nations to be extremely vigilant and unconditionally reject the regimes divide and rule tactics by sticking together to further our struggle for liberation.

We also call upon both nations to stick to our traditional values and stand shoulder to shoulder to fight our common enemy which is robbing our dignity and pride by uprooting our peoples from their lands and incriminating those who demand for their rights. We also urge the TPLF Oromo Cadres to stop burning the Sidama houses for the political gain of the regime in power.   
Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) & Sidama Liberation Front (SLF)
July 2014

 

The Sidama Nation globally Marks the 12^th Anniversary of Sidama Looqqe Massacre!

Press Release

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice, USPFJ

May 25, 2014

Since 1890s, the Sidama nation has endured various massacres of unimaginable scales most of which had genocidal intents. Time and again, the civilians of the Sidama people as a nation were deliberately targeted and slaughtered by the successive northern led regimes for no apparent reasons, but for demanding their fundamental rights. The most worst and abhorring crime against humanity in recent memory among the others is the May 24, 2002’s massacre of Sidama civilians at Looqqe village. This particular massacre is entirely peculiar & inhumane crime ever committed against the Sidama nation by the successive rulers for the fact that for the first time in Ethiopian Empire’s history the empire had a legal document known as Constitution which guarantees nations and nationalities of the country to peacefully and non-violently demand their rights without being criminalised and punished for their peaceful actions; regardless of which the Sidama civilians were slaughtered in broad day light. On May 24, 2002, the regime has indiscriminately massacred hundreds of Sidama civilians who’re demanding their rights with the manner which is stated in its constitution in black and white. The civilians were inhumanely responded with live ammunition of the regime’s army.

The Sidama civilians who sought justice were told that bullet is the only justice the current regime can give to Sidama nation. The Sidama civilians who were massacred were unequivocally shown that the current regime isn’t there to protect their rights, but to keep the repressive regime in power with all possible means. The Sidama nation as others oppressed nations demanded their rights in a civilised manner to be responded with barbarism only comparable with medieval time witch hunts and their inhumane killings. To add anguish to their already harrowing situations, the families of the Sidama civilians’ massacre victims were obliged to collect the bodies of massacre Sidama civilians on the third and fourth day of post Looqqe massacre after being coerced to sign consent stating that the killed Sidama civilians were responsible for their own death.

The late PM Meles Zenawi has assigned Melese Marimo (who has voted for Sidama civilians massacre on the eve of their killing to lead his fake so called independent investigation to please its Western donors who have demanded him to do so with international pressure resulted from Sidama Diaspora campaign), the action equivalent to laughing at slaughtered Sidama civilians. Over 15, 000 Sidama civilians were indiscriminately imprisoned after the aftermaths of Sidama Looqqe massacre and remained in jail for months and others are still languishing in prisons. Among the confirmed 69 Sidama civilians massacred on the day, several dead bodies were left to be devoured by hyenas as the families of massacred Sidama civilians’ were disallowed collecting the bodies of their beloved ones. Over 250 civilians were seriously injured.  

On May 24, 2014, the Sidama nation with its friends at global level marked the 12^th commemorative anniversary of this, one of the darkest days in Sidama nation’s history as a day of utter sorrow.  The cause for which the Sidama civilians were slaughtered remain unanswered as are those who have premeditated, ordered and the massacre, monitored the reactions of the Sidama nation remain at large. The Sidama life become much worse than it was during pre-Looqqe massacre. The regime deliberately and systematically impoverishes the nation. The regime, which is unable to address the democratic rights of its citizens can’t have moral authority to stay in power. All possible means of peacefully resolving matters and bringing those responsible to independent justice for the massacre of civilians remain remote.

Besides, the USPFJ urges the current regime to stop its inhuman actions to Sidama nation and stop the current killing of Oromo civilians who have demanded their constitutional rights. We also urge the current regime to abide to international covenant on protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and bring those are responsible for masterminding the massacre of the Sidamas, the Oromo, the Ogadenia, Gambela and  other civilians to an independent justice observed by internationally recognised institutions.

Finally, we also urge the Sidama nation to push with their constitutional demands to its political and socio-economic rights both independently and forging unity with likeminded peoples, nations and nationalities.

We salute the Sidama heroes and heroines who have paid ultimate sacrifices with their precious life for the just cause of the Sidama nation. We also solemnly promise that we never rest until justice is being served on behalf of the cause for which you have sacrificed your lives and until those who have massacred you are brought to justice. At this very critical moment for the Oromo nation whose civilians are recently being slaughtered demanding similar rights, we also send once again our heartfelt condolences. The situation in all regions is dire. We are witnessing the fact that on daily basis the regime is slaughtering civilians in all regions; thus unity at this critical moment is paramount. We also send our condolences to the families of the massacred civilians in various regions of the Country.   

Our unforgotten Looqqe massacre victims, your soul may rest in peace and we never forget your sacrifices!! The Oromo civilians who have been recently massacred, may your soul rest in peace. The civilians of others nations and nationalities who have been massacred in all regions, may your souls rest in peace as we never stop the fight until justice is being served on behalf of all victims!

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ), May 25, 2014  

The Indiscriminate Killings of Oromo University Students and Other Civilians by Ethiopian Security Forces is Deplorable!

Press Release

By United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ)

May 7, 2014

It has been confirmed that the Ethiopian regime’s security forces have indiscriminately massacred over 50 unarmed Oromo University students who were all peacefully demonstrating against the plan of the regime to uproot Oromo peasants from the outskirts of Finfine/Addis Ababa. The casualties were said to have included children of age 6 and the elderly who were marching against the proposed plan.  Over 250 Oromo youth and other civilians were seriously injured during the shootings which is said to be continuing sporadically as we speak. More than 2000 Oromo University students and other members of the Oromo nation were unlawfully detained. There is also allegations of torture of those detained.  All Universities throughout Oromia were targeted and being encircled by the regime’s killing squad, the infamous ‘’Agi’azi’ special force, the force feared for being merciless when dealing with peaceful and unarmed civilians.

The massacre began on 29th of April 2014 when Oromo University students peacefully expressed their dissatisfaction and anger over the TPLF/EPRDF’s government’s master plan to expand the territory of Finfine/Addis Ababa. The demand of the Oromo students emanates from the fear that if the plan is implemented, it leaves Oromo peasants who have got strong attachments with their lands without hope and aspirations. This has been the case with hundreds of Oromo peasants around Buurrayyuu areas; who have been deceived into selling their land to the TPLF’s business companies and others for little amount of money only to become beggars in their own land, few months after they lost attachment to their legitimate lands. 

The regime which claims to have a Constitution that clarifies the rights of Oromo nation when it comes to the use of land within Finfine/Addis Ababa and its outskirts in black and white, does the opposite when it suits its own interests. When the people of the Oromo nation demand these rights to be respected the response of the regime is live bullet, torture, and unlawful imprisonment.  The killing of the Oromo civilians who have demanded their constitutionally guaranteed rights in a peaceful and nonviolent manner is totally unacceptable and is deplorable.  

The Government in its 2 May 2014 statement tried to repeat its usual deceitful manipulation of blaming “anti-peace and anti-development agents” for causing the death of Oromo civilians.  It is equally deplorable to always label civilians who echo legitimate demands as anti-peace and anti-development agents to systematically shift blames away from the regimes trigger happy security forces.  We have witnessed the same pattern of blame game during the past 23 years against massacres of other Cushitic peoples such as Sidama, the Ogadeni Somalis and Afar among others. 

In particular, it is unsettling to learn that the regime is attempting to divert the legitimate demand of the Oromo civilians by stating that the Oromo people are planning to drive other ethnic groups out of the Oromia region.  We view this as blatant diversion of the genuine demand of the people and an attempt to saw seeds of conflict among peace-loving Ethiopian peoples.  We urge all nations and nationalities of Ethiopian to stand in unison to condemn the repression and the extrajudicial killings of the Oromo civilians. 

While we condemn its brutal crackdown on Oromo people, we urge the Ethiopian government to abide by the rule of law and its own constitution when addressing the grievances of the country’s citizens. We also urge the regime to unconditionally release all Oromo prisoners and bring those who have massacred the civilians to justice. We urge the international community and donors to review their relations with the Ethiopian regime which continues to grossly violet basic human rights. We urge Human Rights organisations and global civic societies to condemn the inhumane acts of the regime against the Oromo people and other oppressed peoples of the country. 

Finally, we extend our deepest condolences to the families of Oromo civilians who lost their lives and the grieving Oromo nation for their losses at large. Once again USPFJ on behalf of the Sidama nation, assures the Oromo nation that the Sidama people will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Oromo people for freedom and justice.

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ) May 7, 2014

  

 

ገዥው ፓርቲ ሲኣን/መድረክ በሃዋሳ ከተማ የጠራውን ህዝባዊ ስብሰባ ለማደናቀፍ ያደረው ጥረት ሳይሳካ መቅረቱ ተሰማ

April 04, 2014

ሲኣን/መድረክ ባለፈው ሳምንት በሃዋሳ ከተማ የፖለቲካ ፕሮግራሙን ለኣባላቱ እና ለደጋፊዎቹ ለማስተዋወቅ የጠራውን ህዝባዊ ስብሰባ ገዥው ፓርቲ የመሰብሰቢያ ኣዳራሽ በመከልከል እና የሲኣን/መድረክ ኣባላት በስብሰባው ላይ እንዳይሳተፉ ተጽዕኖ በማድረግ ለማድናቀፍ ያደረጋው ጥረት ሳይሳካ ቀርቷል።

 

ሪፖርተራችን ጥቻ ወራና ከሃዋሳ እንደዘጋበው የሲዳማ ኣርነት ንቅናቄ ከመድረክ ጋር በመተባበር በሃዋሳ ከተማ ባለፈው ሳምንት ያከሄደው ታላቅ ህዝባዊ ጉባኤ ልካሄድ የነበረው መጋቢት 2/2007 ኣ/ም ቢሆንም፤ የሲዳማ ዞን እና የሃዋሳ ከተማ ኣስተዳደር ኣዳራሽ በመከልከላቸው የተነሳ ወደ መጋቢት 20 2006 ኣ/ም ለማስተላለፍ መገደዱ ታውቋል።

 

ጉባኤውን ለማካሄድ እንደኣማራጭ ተይዞ ከነበሩት መሰብሰቢያ ኣዳራሾች መካከል የሲዳማ ባህል ኣዳራሽ ኣንዱ ሲሆን፤ ባህል ኣዳራሹን የሚያስተዳድረው የሲዳማ ዞን ኣዳራሹ በተመሳሳይ ቀን በሌላ ሰብሰባ መያዙን የምገልጽ ምላሽ ሰጥቷል።

 

በሁለተኛ ኣማራጭነት የተያዘው በሃዋሳ ከተማ ኣስተዳደር ውስጥ የምገኙ ኣደራሾች ሲሆን፤ የከተማዋ ኣስተዳደር የመሰብሰቢያ ኣዳራሽ እንድፈቅድ በደብዳቤ ተጠይቆ ዛሬ ነገ በማለት ምላሽ ሳይሰጥ ቆይቶ በኃላ ላይ ኣዳራሽ እንደሌለው በመግለጽ ምላሽ መስጠቱ ታውቋል።

 በህዝብ ገንዘብ ለህዝብ ግልጋሎት እንድሰጥጡ የተገነቡትን እንዚህ ኣዳራሽ ለመጠቀም የተደረገው ጥረት በገዥው ፓርቲ ኣስተዳደሮች በመከልከሉ ሲኣን/መድረክ ፊታቸውን ወደ ግል ኣዳራሾች በማዞር በሃዋሳ በሴንቴራል ሆቴል ኣዳራሽ የተከራዩ ቢሆንም፤ የሆቴሉ ባለቤት በገዥው ፓርቲ ኣባላት ማስፈራሪ እንደደረሳቸው በመግለጽ ለኣዳራሽ መከራያ የተሰጣቸውን ገንዝብ መልሰዋል።

 

የሆነ ሆኖ ለጉባኤው ሶስት ቀናት ሲቀሩት ሲኣን/መድረክ የጠራውን ህዝባዊ ጉባኤ ማካሄጃ ኣዳራሽ በገዥው ፓርቲ ተጽዕኖ ማጣቱን በመግለጽ ያለውን ሁኔታ በተመለከተ ጋዜጣዊ መግለጫ ለመስጠት በመዘጋጀት ላይ እያለ ከሲዳማ ዞን ኣስተዳደር “እኛ እንደእናንተ ኣንሆንም” የምል መልዕክት ኣክሎበት የሲዳማ ባህል ኣዳራሽን እንዲጠቀሙ በስልክ መፈቀዱን ታውቋል።

 

ከዚህ ሁሉ ትግል በኃላ መሰብሰቢያ ኣዳራሽ ብገኝም በሃዋሳ ከተማ ኣስተዳደር ገዥው ፓርቲ ለክፍለ ከተማ እና ቀበሌ ካድሬዎች ኣበል በመክፈል የሲኣን ኣባላትን 1 ለ 5 ኣደረጃጀት በስራ እንደያዙ በማድረግ በጉባኤው ላይ እንዳይሳተፉ ኣድርገዋል።

ከዚህም ባሻገር ጉባኤውን በተመለከተ በሃዋሳ ከተማ ውስጥ ቅስቀሳ እንዳይካሄድ እና ስለ ጉባኤው የሚያትቱ በራሪ ወረቀቶች እንዳይስራጩ የከተማዋ ፖሊሶች ኣድርገዋል።

በተመሳሳይ በሲዳማ ዞን የወረዳ እና የቀበሌ ኮሚቴዎች የሲኣን ኣባላት በጉባኤው ላይ እንዳይሳተፉ በማስፈራራት እና 1 ለ5 ኣደረጃጀትን በመጠቀም በስራ የማጥመድ ስራ ስርተዋል።

 

የሆነ ሆኖ የሲኣን/መድረክ ኣባላት እና ደጋፊዎች የገዥውን ፓርቲ ተጽዕኖ በመቋቋም በህዝባዊ ጉባኤው ላይ በመሳተፋቸው ጉባኤ በተያዘው ፕሮግራም መሰረት ያለምንም ችግር በተሳካ መክሉ መካሄዱን ሪፖርተራችን ጥቻ ወራና ዘግቧል።

 

Source:-http://worancha.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/blog-post_4.html

 

 

በሲዳማ ያለው የሰብኣዊ መብት ጥስት ተባብሷል፤ የመንግስት ጸጥታ ኃይሎች በተማሪዎች ላይ ጉዳት ማድረሳቸው እየተነገረ ነው

     

Serious Human Rights Violations in Sidamaland: State-Sponsored Violence in Continuity as Ever.

By: Hawassa Times, 03 April, 2014, (Hawassa, Sidama).

 

Hawassa city under Ruthless security grip following legitimate quests by students.

 

At least the main gates of the city and all schools compounds are surrounded by armored gunmen. 

 

Several shot by police and many wounded by police action since yesterday.

 

Social unrest and public arousal felt in Sidamaland.

 

It has already been asserted that the rigorous human rights violations under the rule of parochial TPLF leadership became the contemporary reality in Ethiopia. Many international human rights activists and organizations have outpoured and lauded their voices regarding the bitter situation of the rights contravention, and so explicitly along the ethnic lines. Sidaamaland has specifically been subjected to endless human rights abuses, massacres, killings and arbitrary detentions since the turn of 1990’s and ultimately culminated in the shockingly brutal ‘Looqqe Massacre’ in which hundreds of unarmed civilians lost their lives unlawfully by the state armed security forces. This continued to live as a collective memory among the suffering Sidaama public today. Letting aside repenting for its extremely disproportionate military actions on the peaceful demonstrators who were claiming their constitutional rights to regional self-administration, the regime continued to act vehemently rather in a way to suffocate peaceful political atmosphere in the region.

Supported and closely assisted by its puppet regional affiliate-SEPDM, the TPLF’s aspiration to sustain hard won victory and maintain political hegemony in the country’s body politics have forced the authoritarian TPLF to undertake tremendously hazardous measures against the clearly stipulated constitutional covenants-contravening its own declarations for ‘human rights protection, ethnic right to self-determination, equality etc’. The Sidaamas are particularly vulnerable to TPLF’s abusive measures since this people are the famous and leading ones to challenge specifically the regional restructuring of the federation-being forcedly amalgamated in to the so called SNNPR-‘prison house’ of more than 56 Nations, nationalities and peoples.

Since the unfolding of TPLF’s ethnic federal arrangement in the country, Sidaamaland has been under a special focus as the said people have been vigilantly claiming to exercise their right to regional self-determination. The TPLF actors, on the other hand, saw this as an assault on their pragmatic/sensible political settings which originally aimed to sustain their hegemonic power positions. Since the Looqqe mass murder, different tumultuous occasions have taken place where the regime took ruthless measures on the Sidaama civilian population and its young elites in order to crush potential challenge in their bid to endlessly transfer the Sidaama resources to their homeland, and ease the political friction which may occur when Sidaama’s continued call for regional self-administration is to materialize. This has given a rise to endless turmoil in the region where assault on the fundamental rights of the Sidaama nationals has become the order of the day.

In June 2012, the regime introduced a very niggling and/or troublesome agenda in their continued bid to put out of articulation/displace Sidaama administration from their home city-Hawassa-by rearranging the administration of the city through making the responsibility of administering the city common for all ethnic groups. Their stipulation clearly preordained that the Sidaamas must surrender the administration posts to either federal or regional government and has no right to claim whatever about the city. This necessitated the unprecedented mobilization of the entire Sidaama public as a national call agenda to defend, safeguard and free their ancestral land from ‘politicized invasion’ hitherto unparalleled in the history of the country. 

 

This resistance movement resulted in the worsening of the already deteriorated peace in the area in which hundreds of the citizens were forcedly put in to jail, tortured, several shot and victimized. According to some analysts, the chorocratic TPLF has maintained this divide-and-rule policy on Sidama by controlling and mentoring its affiliated regional parties and effectively recruiting and mobilizing top officials against the Sidaama public.

Though the current situation and its whereabouts of the party’s said agenda cannot be stated in precise terms, the Sidaama public, at least curbed the detrimental ‘metropolitan agenda’-as it was called- by paying life sacrifices. By looking at the ostentatious reality, commentators on the politics operational in Sidaamaland came to observe that ‘the TPLF/SEPDM’s anti-Sidaama measures-to weaken the Sidaama nationalism, dismember/dissect their ancestral territory and split their resistance-has taken a form of constant and perpetual shape in post 1991 Ethiopia’.

This year as well, following some manifestly legitimate quests from the Sidaama high school students, the regime has unleashed the ‘hostilities of terror’ against the Sidaama public in general and the incapable and innocent students in particular. The claims of the students-in line with the very policy of the regime- is the quest to learn in their own mother tongue, to rename the schools’ name along the Sidaama parlance and safeguard their constitutional interests-the quests which are quite legitimate and do not negate the rights of others. These are some of the enduring questions which are deep-seated in the Sidaama public as well.

However, the incumbent military regime with fake civilian coat staged to take unnecessarily harsh and repressive measures against the innocent students rather than to deal with the issues amicably. A belief in military might-inherited from its past successive Abyssinian authoritarian traditions-is still found to be impacting the peaceful dialogue and democratic consensus resulting in the prevalence of conflicting tendencies in the greater Sidaamaland-this also negatively impacting the incentives of social transformation and improvement in public life.

Since April 2014-this month-Hawassa city, a capital of Sidaamaland-has been put under the security clench as it is common phenomena in the area under the leadership of this regime. The regional special security force, Ag-az-the cruel federal police branch and others have been engaged in shootings and firing on the unarmed and peaceful-innocent students for the simple reason that they are Sidaama or speak Sidaama language.

 

Despite the cruel police measure including shootings, torture and inhumane treatment of those arrested, the students have continued their peaceful quests for their genuine demands mentioned above. The situation is worsened when the students in rural high schools are also joining the stage. As of April 2, 2014, the police shot dead 3 and wounded many in Hawassa Tabor and Alamura high schools, and much more catastrophic injuries according to reliable local sources and eye witnesses. This figure of death is subject to increase or double since the hunting and torturing students continued unabated. As a result, the situation is feared not to result in another tense social annoyance and arousal which-in the due course-may mobilize and join the discontented Sidaama public in the struggle against the allegedly discriminatory and abusive TPLF rule.

Whatever the trend and the far-reaching consequences may be, the concerned state organs should deliver appropriately fitting solutions for the quests of the students-which are also quests of the larger Sidaama community. The military action under the guise of ‘maintaining public security’ has much exceeded its upper limit drawing its past experience of assault on the Ethiopian public at large. The regime must become conscious that military measures could not be-in the long run-a sound and lasting solution-rather than worsening the already deteriorated social harmony and peace-largely occurring between the Sidaamas and the incumbent regime-typified as vertical conflict.

Here, it is commendable to propose that the right-based, legitimate and genuine demands of the students and the public at the back of them should be addressed through compromise and peaceful dialogue. If opted different way, its detrimental/destructive consequences would be far-reaching and requires second thought!

 

Source:- http://worancha.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/blog-post_3944.html 

 

 

Proliferation of Political Organizations Does Not Address the Sidama National Question.

Press Release

United Sidama Parties fro Freedom and Justice (USPFJ) 

Ever since humans established the first form of states in the four fertile river valleys: The Tigris-Euphrates valley, the Nile valley, the Indus valley and the Huanghe valley, political organizations evolved in various forms and shapes.  History has it that the Sumerians were the first to organize into a city-state system of administration in southern Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE, followed soon by the Egyptians in the Nile valley and the Harappans at Indus valley at around 3000 BCE. The main objectives of the political organization of these ancient societies were to develop their culture and language primarily through invention of scripts that were used for accounting, poetry and literature for political propaganda. Equally important were trade among other societies, in particular exchange of goods, domesticated crops and animals as well as ideas with other societies at similar stages of development. The initial stages of the development of these ancient political systems (states) were less despotic and less violent. Nonetheless, with the rise in accumulation wealth, competition over control of resources gave rise to conflicts among various groups within and outside of the early states leading to domestic political dictatorships and external conquest and subsequent subjugation of weaker societies by stronger ones.

Although political systems and institutions evolved tremendously across the globe over the 5 and a half millennia since humans first formed states, their fundamental tenets still remain invariably intact today.  The stronger and powerful states or societies or ethnic groups continue to suppress and exploit the weaker and the less powerful societies within and outside of certain political boundaries. The response of the suppressed groups have accordingly taken various forms and shapes ranging from passive resistance and disobedience to the rules of the oppressors to armed uprisings and confrontations with varying degrees of success.

During the heyday of the Sidama civilization, political, social and economic affairs of the society were managed through an indigenous African, pluralist and egalitarian political system. These systems comprised of the Songo (supreme legislative council of political, economic and social governance) under the leadership of Moote (Kings). The Kings were supported by the institutions of Woma and Luwa (an age-grade administrative and cultural system similar to the Gada system of the sisterly Oromo society), which anchor the administrative, cultural and defense structures of the society.  This nonetheless came to an abrupt end in 1891 when Sidama was for the first time conquered and forcefully incorporated into the modern day Ethiopia by the invading army of King Minelik II.

Since the conquest and forced annexation by the new Ethiopian empire, the Sidama people have relentlessly resisted the occupation, the wanton economic exploitation and social and cultural denigration through armed confrontation of the successive oppressive systems. In the early 1970s, the armed resistance hitherto scattered across the Sidama nation took was reorganized under a unified political structure, which in late 1970s evolved into the Sidama Liberation Movement. The Sidama Liberation Movement mobilized the Sidama people in the scale hitherto unknown in the history of the Sidama nation and waged overt armed struggle against the militarily regime for over 7 years liberating a number of highland districts. The struggle for self-determination by the gallant Sidama heroes and heroines cost the Sidama society over 30,000 lives from both sides who were obliged to take arm against each other during this period alone. The Sidama people made enormous contributions in Ethiopia’s struggle to overthrow the socialist -cum-military dictatorship and therefore had high hopes that their age old demand for regional self-determination would be addressed when revolutionary forces finally over threw the military regime in 1991.  But that was not to be. Instead, the Sidama people for the first time since 1891, lost their nominal regional identify and were once more forcefully subsumed under the Southern Region comprising of over 50 small ethnic groups.

In the wake of what one would regard as the nation’s second political tragedy in a century, patriotic Sidamas demanded unwavering leadership form the Sidama Liberation Movement.  Unfortunately this was not to be either. The leadership of   the movement became effectively feckless.  Various attempts to reform the movement fell on deaf ears of its key leaders. At that historic juncture, the patriotic Sidamas had only two choices. Either abandon the age old struggle for self-determination for which thousands of lives have been sacrificed or form alternative political arrangements that could resuscitate the national struggle.  That gave birth to the Sidama Liberation Front (SLF) and later the Sidama National Liberation Organization (SNLO). These organizations had not only rejuvenated and sustained the Sidama struggle for self-determination until today but also succeeded in reintegrating the veteran political organization, the Sidama Liberation Movement in a land mark political deal to create the United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ, for short) in 2012.

At the time when political opposition of the oppressed nations has been significantly weakened in Ethiopia due to disagreements over political objectives, the union of the three independent Sidama political institutions under one umbrella was indeed a significant success and was an envy of many. Nonetheless, to the shock and dismay of many Sidama compatriots, we have witnessed in this last two months an attempt by certain individuals to create a new political organization in the name of the Sidama people: the “Sidama National Democratic Movement”. In a modern democratic system individuals are free to express their own opinions. We are not against the freedom of individuals to do whatever they want. This is fundamental human freedom for which our gallant Sidama heroes have spilt their blood for decades. Nonetheless, this freedom should not be misconstrued to mean the use of the name of a society to advance individual interests without a clear alternative vision to change the plight of that society.  We have ascertained this from two vivid evidences. First, the website of the so called democratic movement has contained information plagiarized from the websites of the Sidama National Liberation Organization, Sidama.org and the Sidama Liberation Front, without due permission of the institutions who possess copy rights to these reports. A little manipulation of and additions and deductions of the phrases of these reports does not make them the original ideas and thoughts of the individuals who committed these appalling acts. If the individuals do not have their own ideas and thoughts about their new political structure, what alternative vision do they have for the Sidama society? Secondly and most shockingly the plagiarized copy of the overview of the Sidama Resistance Movement in the web sites of our political organizations mentioned above is posted as the political program of the so called “democratic movement.”  We hope the Sidama people and the readers would understand what we mean when individuals should desist from abusing the name of a society to promote self-interests.

This is not the time for duplication of political organizations in the name of the Sidama society. This is the time for consolidation of efforts to galvanize the limited resources to harness the struggle of our society for self-determination.  We warn the individuals behind the botched attempt to form a new political organization NOT to use the name of the Sidama society to form alliances with right wing chauvinist organizations that are hell bent to reverse the democratic gains made during the past two decades. Rest assured that the Sidama people will gallantly guard, as they have done time and again in history, the democratic gains achieved through their precious lives.

And finally, we demand that the reports unduly and unethically plagiarized from our websites be removed from the websites of the “Sidama National Democratic Movement”, your website, as immediately as possible!

 

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ)

04 April 2014