Before I go into the discussion of "scramble for land as a fashion", it's important to define Oromo Diaspora. For the purpose of this article, Oromo Diaspora includes persons of Oromo origin who left the country under one of the following pretexts:
- Diversity Visa Lottery
- Resettled as refuges from neighboring countries
- Asylee's – those who claimed political asylum due to fear of persecution upon return to country of origin.
The timeline when these people left their country goes as far back as 30 years, though a vast majority of Oromos left after the turmoil of the 1990's. Since then, most of these people either didn't visit the motherland or did so less frequently for various/obvious reasons. As such, there is a huge disconnection and greater home sickness. In their journey during resettlement, due to language and cultural differences, these people have struggled or are still struggling to manage the way of life in their host country.
One most astonishing facet of their behavior is a desire to return home after so many years and make an easy living there. That is reasonable and Ok however odd as this is not the case for European immigrants to the new world and other places. Even the most recent African immigrants in our localities don't have the same aspirations.
Realizing the strong longing, the Ethiopian Diaspora Affairs targets them upon their visa inquiry. After many years of careful underground preparation, the Diaspora affairs enlist opportunists who will in turn act as local recruiters. Here comes the issue of LAND. But before that, let me digress a bit again and define these land fashionmongers. Right from the outset, these are what we normally call "hin badadduus" (those who are careless) when it comes to Oromumma, Oromo struggle and sense of community. If we had to label community members based on their contribution/activism, these people fall in one of the following categories: · Those who either forgot the case they made up when they applied at GVA in Kenya or those who remember only that. · Those that are aging and became hopeless or impatient with the pace at which Oromo struggle is moving along.· Those who are fixated with regional or religious tendencies and hates everyone who is different from them, per say.
Now let us back track and talk about what I mean by "land grab as a fashion". Having received their piece of land in Shagar or the environs, the Diaspora affairs recruits will approach those easy targets first by telling them their success stories…how they built such and such house in Shagar…advice them to do the same…and to possibly get out of 'working to pay bills'. All these opportunists can think of is winning the hearts of these disorientated fellow Oromians. These predisposed individuals, some of whom if they didn't leave the country under alleged reason of OLF membership or fear of persecution, wouldn't even get the mere chance to go to Shagar once in their life time…so shouldn't they be saying "THANK YOU AMERICA!!"?. Hence, these thankful dishwashers/parking attendants/factory workers/cashiers/nursing home workers/janitors would gladly invest their hard earned money on a piece of land in Shagar with total disregard to the pros and cons.
Here you might ask what is wrong with building a house in Shagar or what are the pros and cons? On the surface or at its face value, investing your hard earned dollars in your beloved homeland has no harm. But there are two great dangers brought about by this campaign of "land grab as a fashion".
1. The process of acquiring a piece of land and its political victory for the OPDO.
Here is the story, having lost all confidence in Oromia in the highly contested May 2005 election, the Meles administration sought to increase its membership base outside of the country so as to minimize pressure from donors and "Ethiopian Diaspora". To that effect, the failed trips of Addisu Legesse and Minase W/Giorgsis's (imposter Abba Duula) to the Americas are fresh in our memories. In the case of Oromo Diaspora, Minase returned home having recruited enough sell-outs like him, including individuals like Nuguse Biratu, Dr Mohammed Bedasso, Duri Sharo, Mohammed Abdul-Sabur, Fikre, Hassan (who owns a barber shop at African international mall-who spoke on behalf of Oromo Community in Minnesota on OPDO agiprop claiming to be representative of the community), Mustafa Abdulahi and his brother Yusuf Abdulahi (both from MN), Dabala Rikitu (who once run an NGO by the name Peace African Community Center, pilfering money from the state by the name of grant for the center) and countless others in various places.
Another land mark case was the death of three prominent Oromo nationalists and leaders… the honorable Haji Adam Jilo, Obboo Sisay Ibsa and the late general Waqo Gutu. When the bodies of these highly honored freedom fighters was sent home to be buried at the place of their birth, OPDO made a sharp move organizing an honorary and ceremonial welcome. What a tragedy. The very quisling who forced their exile now showering praise on the fallen heroes---hating them alive, now loving them when dead. Some of those who went home to bury the remains of these great leaders including their own son's became sell-outs. This is the case of Mohamed Adam Jilo, Awal Bune, Hangasu Lugo and co, Bushra (from DC accompanied the body of the late Sisay Ibsa) and the list goes on. These sellouts were highly welcomed, were given Land Cruisers, their hotel expenses covered, and land was given to them at no cost in return for their influence in the Diaspora community…and future venture to recruit more OPDOs in Diaspora using their influential status as relatives of prominent Oromo leaders. This has played a key role in overturning former members of Waqo Gutu's party. Charlatans like Muranne (Mohamed Haji) and Fikre (another traitor from MN) who made dividing Oromos their main occupation are not major land owners in Oromia---- they both has reportedly 10,000 hectares of prime land...Not to build an estate but to sell and make huge profits at the expense of poor Oromo peasants from Adama and its environs.
What most people don't understand is the sophistication of the process of acquiring land…today if you want to buy a land in Oromia, you will be practically asked; if you took part in the protest against Minase's visit to the Americas, your name will be compared to the list of individuals they obtained from the Diaspora affairs sell-outs and an ID will be issued for you indicating membership to OPDO. Moreover, you will be asked for a reference from at least one secret Diaspora affairs agent in your host country and locale. They pride themselves with the political victory in this regard and its one proof to take it to their godfather (Meles). Does this benefit us as a nation? I will leave it to your judgment.
2. Land ownership issue and forced relocation or displacement
Historically, the Abyssinian northerners came to Oromia and took our land in thousands of gasha's...and gave it to their respective galtu's. Almost ironically, even some Oromos also bought land in thousands of hectares…becoming Abba Lafaa's. After the "land to the tiller" campaign and the land proclamation …that trend was reversed and the Naftagna's/Abba Lafaa's lost their huge land holdings. Today the same trend continues where rich Tigrians, Amharas and others, this time from the Diaspora, are taking land away from the poor Oromo farmers in Shagar, its environs and elsewhere. These poor farmers were given little or no money as a compensation for their land…and were dispossessed with no consideration to where they might end up. Most of them are becoming homeless beggars or alcohol addicts. Once again, I will leave to your rational judgment what kind of impact this will have in the long run on those communities and on our nation at large.
Finally, I would like to conclude by simply reiterating what happened in early 1990s when TPLF came to biyya Oromo. These TPLF guerillas were so dumb that they didn't know the difference between egg and potatoes as eloquently put by the late singer fighter Eebbisa Adunyaa. It was an Oromo who brought them to our mountains, valleys and our villages…only to imprison, torture and kill innocent civilians for alleged connection with Oromo Liberation Front that helped oust the communist regime. This trend continues to this date only because of OPDO…Wayane's can kill/torture/exile as they wish fit…and you all will agree that their days in Oromia will be numbered if not for OPDO.
In this free world therefore; where you can say what you want to and get away with it and at this age where technology is at our finger tips, I feel obliged to expose some of their Diaspora associates that covertly live among us and pretend to be nationalists.
The following pictures were taken during the "official visit" of the disgusted "Oromian regional government delegation" to the U.S. I would like to make clear that these pictures are given to me by one of their associates who once tried to recruit me – safuu. He finally decided to share it with me and also expose these few individuals who are becoming the neo-gobenas, after he was thrown out of the circle. Though I am thankful for his effort, I am not sure why he refused to disclose the identity of some of the people pictured.
In the following pictures the so called OPDO delegation members headed by Dr Mohammed Hassan; including Muktar Kadir (Vice-President of Oromia regional state), Alamayo Atomsa, Fikadu Tassema, Mangistu Hailu and Getacho Badhane are pictured more than once
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This Picture shows Nuguse Biratu of DC taking a gift from an OPDO delegation member. |
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Nuguse Biratu opening his "well-deserving" category gift and you name the rest. |
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In this picture are most of the delegation members, Nuguse Biratu, Dawud Shifa (pictured next to Nuguse) and other gantus. Please identify the rest of the sell-outs, so that the public know who is who. |
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Another picture of the sell-outs, name the trio on the far right hand…if you live in DC. |
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A PICTURE OF THE SELL-OUTS with addition of Ali Nur of Tokkichummaa (wearing eye-glass behind Muktar Kadir) and Fikadu (the chief recruiter of the SELL-OUTS, pictured seated). |
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*Abdi Saba is based in US. He can be reached at oromia4life@msn.com
