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PDFEthiopia: OPDO’s Opposition to Afan Oromo – Paranoia or a Scare Tactic?
By Jawar Siraj Mohammed*
I listened intently to the Voice of America’s report about “Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO’s)” opposition to Medrek’s proposal to make Afan Oromo a federal language. However, I was not shocked by the position as much as I was amazed with the lousy reasons given by a certain Mesfin Assefa. I was not shocked because I knew this was coming – it was part of the grand strategy devised by Meles Zenawi to remain in power. I was amazed by how increasingly paranoid the ruling party was becoming. In campaigns, an incumbent party is supposed to bring out its positive accomplishments.
OPDO is using its failure as an excuse to block the well intentioned proposal. In this short piece, I am not going to make a case for making Afan Oromo a national language. That will be done in due time. I will focus simply on the strategic rationales driving the ruling party’s new position.
1) Failure Is Not an Excuse
[OPDO] says “Afan Oromo, which was established as a written language just two decades ago, hasn’t sufficiently developed to serve as a national working language.”
First correction: Afan Oromo was not “established” two decades ago, if the statement is referring to it becoming a working language, then it is also important to note that in the process of developing a writing system for the Oromo language, rigorous research has been conducted for over a half a century. Intellectuals, such as Sheik Bekri Saphalo, Haile Fida and Sheik Mohammed Rashad, spent their life time developing and advancing the study of the language.
Nevertheless, how underdevelopment of a language prevents it from becoming nationalized is simply unheard of. I thought linguistic development and nation building are mutually reinforcing, and are supposed be undertaken simultaneously. But, even if we accept this lousy rationale, whose fault is it that the language’s development has stagnated? Wasn’t it the same party that was in power during this period? Unless Mesfin is one of the newly baptized cadres, I am sure he is aware of the hundreds of students who languish in jails across Oromia simply because they had demanded the formation of Gumii Dagagiina Afaan Oromoo (Afan Oromo Development Clubs) in their schools.
Does he know that my dear friend Nasir Abdo was tortured until his kidney busted because he was one of the student leaders demanding the formation of such clubs that could have been instrumental in the development of Oromo language?
Unless OPDO is suffering from amnesia, it should have known that the stagnation of the language is caused by the forced exodus of almost all Oromo linguists. Where are the likes of Abdulsamad Mohammed, Askale Lemma, Tilahun Gemta, Mahadi Hamid Muudee …? During the 1990′s, it was a policy of Meles Zenawi and his cronies to eradicate Oromo intellectuals from Oromia under the motto that said, “Hayyoonnii gurguddoon farra dimokraaisiiti” – [Oromo] intellectuals are enemies of democracy. I challenge Mr. Mesfin to dig through the files of his party and find the little yellow book crafted to urge cadres to target intellectuals.
Therefore, OPDO/EPRDF is solely responsible for preventing Afan Oromo from developing in the speed and intensity that it started in early 1990′s. By expelling almost all the intellectuals, weakening the institutions established to standardize the language, and routinely harassing, executing and imprisoning Afan Oromo teachers accusing them of “narrow nationalism,” the regime effectively prevented the development of the language. Now, it wants to use its own failure as an excuse to prevent further development.
But why is OPDO coming out against this proposal at this time?
2) Fear Mongering Is Meles’ Hallmark
The OPDO official, Mesfin Assefa, warns that, “such a move [making Afan Oromo a federal language] would create disastrous violence among nations and nationalities in the country.”
Once again, how an underdevelopment of a language causes conflict among different nationalities is beyond my comprehension. Yet, the aim of this statement is clear. It is an attempt at scaring the rest of Ethiopians about the coming of Oromo hegemony that will forcefully impose its language on others. Remember divide and rule has always been the grand strategy of the ruling party. Hence, it must use every opportunity to create rift within the opposition and the electorate, and distract them from focusing on their collective campaign. In the past, it was able to use ideology (nationalism) to prevent formation and sustainability of strong adversary.
Now, Medrek seems to have made such a strategy obsolete since member parties have made serious compromises to form a consensus based alliance. Hence, the regime is attempting to fabricate and devise new scare tactics. With this particular tactic, the ruling party is trying to appease – both the Oromo and the non-Oromo constituencies, while also pitting them against each other.
First, the ruling party cites the underdevelopment of the language to comfort and promise the Oromo a new era. The message is this: “it is premature to make the language national, we should development it ourselves first” … going even further to formulate a ridiculous suggestion that making Afan Oromo a national at this time will negatively impact development of the language.
Second, the regime would like to scare the non-Oromo population telling them that the language is going to be imposed on them. It warns that there will be a disastrous ethnic violence. Fear mongering has always been the hallmark for this regime. Any proposal that threatens Meles’ rule is said to lead to genocide and disintegration of the country.
During the last election, when he realized that the opposition was on their way to soundly defeat him, he accused them of planning “interhamwe” against Tigreans. It warned the Oromos about the resurrection of Minilik and re-institution of the nafxanyaa system. Recently, even the self-censoring Voice of America did not escape as the Prime Minister shamelessly accused it of inciting genocide. Since this backfired on him, he is now trying to incite Oromo phobia. The Oromo has no desire to unilaterally impose our language over our brothers and sisters. We know the pain of learning a forcefully imposed language, the trauma is still fresh.
The decision and process of making Afan Oromo a working language of the federal government requires sober discussion and consensus. Learning Afan Oromo significantly benefits the non-Oromo Ethiopians. In Ethiopia almost 85% of the educated population is employed by the state, and as a matter of fact the vast majority of these jobs are in Oromia. Learning the language, therefore, will only allow non-Oromo Ethiopians to compete and access these jobs.
However, no language should be imposed on anybody without the consent of the people. Neither should fear mongering be used to block proposals. What Medrek has right now is just a proposal. The merits of this proposal need further public deliberation, consultation and consensus among all stakeholders.
* Jawar S. Mohammed writes a regular political commentary on Ethiopian Politics. He can be reached at jawarmd@gmail.com. His articles can be accessed at www.dhummuugaa.wordpress.com
6 Comments
Abdii Boruu said,
May 6, 2010 @ 4:20 pm
“Kan humna qabu dhaanee (tumee), akka hin boonye godha”
Dhaabni, uummata Oromootiif dhaabbadhe jedhu kun (OPDOn) otuu dhuguma kaayyoo dhugaatiif garaa qulqulluu dhaan saba Oromootiif kan hojjetu ta’e, bar-kurnee lama keessatti dhiisii waggoota shan keessattuu waa baay’eetu hojjetamuu danda’a ture; guddina hamma kana hin jedhamnetu argamuu danda’a ture jechuu dha.
Guddina saba tokkoo keessatti ammoo guddinni Afaanii isa hunda caalaa fi murteessaa dha. Afaan (language) meeshaa waan hundaa ti; bu’ura guddina diinagdee ti. Guddinni Afaan tokkoo waa hundaaf karaa bana ykn karaa baasa.
Haa ta’u malee, guddina Afaan Oromoo yoo ilaalle fi hubanne, waggoota diigddamman dabran kana keessatti, Afaan keenya akka guddachuu qabutti guddachuu hin dandeenye. Afaan Oromoo Oromiyaa keessatti Afaan hojii ta’e jedhanii akka injifannoo fidaniitti ittiin dhaadatu malee, guddina isaatiif yaalii fi tattaafii barbaachisaan hin godhamne. Dhugaa dha, warri kana godhuu yaalani illee ija biraatiin ilaalamanii, sababoonni gara garaa itti uumamee, akka hidhaman, dararaman fi biyyarraa illee akka baqatan godhaman.
Kanaaf, Afaan keenya kun abbaa isa guddisu fi dagaagsu dhabee, guddina barbaachisaa otuu hin agrsiisin hafe. Asirratti wanti hubatamuu qabu, guddina aadaa Oromoo fi Afaan Oromootiif sirumaa hoomtuu hin godhamne jechuu kiyyaa miti. Sadarkaan guddina Afaan keenyaa, kan har’a inn irra jiru, akka bar-kurnee lama dabarseetii miti jechuun barbaade. Guddinni isaa baay’ee duubatti hafe jechuu ni danda’ama.
Kanaaf ammoo kan itti gaafatamu isuma dhaaba uummata Oromootiif dhaabbadhe jechaa garuu diina tajaajilaa jiru dha. Dhugaan kana ta’ee otuu jiruu, Afaan Oromoo waan sirriitti hin gudatiniif Afaan hojii kan Federaalaa ta’uu hin danda’u ykn tajaajiluu hin danda’u jechuun isaanii akka makmaaksa Oromoo “Kan humna qabu dhaanee (tumee), akka hin boonye godha” waan ta’uuf, kan nama dinquu miti. Kana hundaa seenaan hin dagatu.
Karaa biraatiin ammoo, Afaan keenya Afaan hojii kan Federaalaa yoo ta’e, guddina fi dagaagina isaatiif gaarii ta’a malee, wanti faayidaa dhabsiisu jiraachuu hin danda’u. Akkuma baran, sabab uummatoota ittin sodaachisani fi walitti buusuu barbaada waan ta’eef malee, Afaan keenya guddatus guddachuu baatus ykn Afaan hojii kan Federaalaa ta’us ta’uu baatus, nagaa sabootaa booressuu dhaaf kun sababa ta’uu hin danda’u.
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Abdii said,
May 6, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
Jawar, ammas yaadni ati caqaste quubsaa dha. Akkuma atiyyuu tuqxe “wayyaaneen” amma yeroo dhumaatiif diinummaa isii Oromoo irratti diddiguuf kan kutattee kaate fakkaata. Egaa wanti hundinuu yeroo nu harkaa sarbamu callifnee teenyee turre ykn qabsoo qindaa’aa osoo hingodhiin turreerra. Inni karaa Afaan Oromoo nutti dhufuuf jedhu kun garuu kan obsa nama gaafatu miti. OPDO’n jalee wayyaanee ta’uu isii mirkaneeffachuuf waanuma “gooftoliin” isii isiin jette raawwatti malee sammuu kamiin garagalchitee yaaddiree? SHAME ON THOSE OPDO MEMBERS!
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Galan said,
May 6, 2010 @ 6:13 pm
A well reasoned argument. Thank you Jawar.
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Dibaba said,
May 6, 2010 @ 6:47 pm
Dear Jawar,
Thank you for the thoughtful and thought-provoking arguments on this matter. I am very familiar with your beautifully articulated thesis not just on the language issues but on more fundamental questions of Ethiopian body politic. However, I wish to propose two more questions that I would like to hear about Afan Oromo and the recent debates from rigorous intellectual such as you. First: I think there is more reason for a non-Oromo Ethiopian to claim for bilingual Ethiopia than for anyone else. Quite a few astute intellectuals have already identified that the nation cannot continue to deny its cradle-pillar i.e. de-aligning federal state from any particular identity is an existential question for all of us and the first step towards that is recognizing that the state is no one’s private dominion but of everyone else as well. Thus, Afan oromo is the Ethiopian existential imperative. I mean officializing Afan Oromo would deter the fragmentation of Ethiopian identity thereby save a greater space for all Ethiopians. Do you agree with that?
Second, the existing politico-legal context, including the global one, no more tolerates Oromo hegemony. Officializing Afan Oromo cannot be coercively imposed on anyone anymore due to the federal structure and the already almost entrenched rights structure both locally and globally. Instead, the economic and socio-political situations may facilitate integration and re-integration of the multiple nations. Anyone who does not speak Afan Oromo will find it easy to participate in the Oromo social, cultural, political and economic sphere once Afan Oromo is officialized. So far so good. But what is your thought on the cost of administering two official languages given our current wealth? What is and would be the status of English?
I am sure nothing is new in these questions– You have at least implied most of these points. I thought it would a great public deliberation if you could explain in more detail.
With thanks!
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Waralata said,
May 6, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
As you put it correctly the whole issue is about the Language but dived and rule as agitating the public in general against the Oromoos.Language is only one issue among multiple violations of the human Rights of our people Since TPLF knows that Oromo majority scares them to death.So as much as possible Meles has to play continuously intimidation tactic to hurt the feelings of the Oromoos as if they don’t count.The uncooperative nature of the way all of us struggle also even give the tyrant more fertile ground.In general OPDO is a shadow of the despot.They the name of our people but don’t defend them.The expulsion of Oromo students from the University as well as the massacre of the innocent Oromos by Gumuze people says all about OPDO.So let us encourage every one to stand together and give the people chance to elect their leaders.THANKS.
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Kuulani said,
May 21, 2010 @ 6:06 pm
OPDO’s current opposition against Afaan Oromo being the working language of the federation is the calculated move of Weyane to try to provoke Amhara concervatives and other small nationalities against the “planned Oromo hegemony”. The calculation failed for there is no echo from Amhara conservative forces and from other nations against Afaan Oromo being federal working language. It is clear that there are still very few Amhara conservatives covertly opposing this possibility of Afaan Oromo being the federal language. But, can they imagine Ethiopia with only Afaan Oromo as a “national language”? If they agree with this, I am ready to learn the “3000 years history of Ethiopia” and I will blame Oromo students, who do reject to learn this! They can enjoy the following to understand what I mean: http://gadaa.com/oduu/?p=760 . If they don’t agree with this, then English should be the only working language of the Union/Federation. Let them enjoy it here: http://www.voiceoforomia.com/99913.html
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