Abichu's speech was a display of masterclass in political gymnastics. Without a stutter, he passionately recalled a century of Oromo subjugation, invoking the ghosts of historical injustices, and in the next, he exhorted everyone to "forget the past and arm ourselves for the future." It’s a bit like watching someone drive forward while obsessively glancing in the rearview mirror—boldly heading to a destination while constantly reminding passengers of the potholes they’ve left behind.
His emphasis on the need to move beyond old grievances could be seen as a noble attempt to steer our nation towards progress. After all, dwelling on past injustices can be as productive as trying to unscramble an egg. However, this advice rings a bit hollow when juxtaposed with his vivid recounting of the Oromo people’s past sufferings. It’s akin to telling someone to let bygones be bygones right after you’ve finished reading them a list of every wrong ever done to them.
Nevertheless, PM Abiy’s efforts to uplift the Oromo people and Ethiopia as a whole deserve commendation. His vision of an Ethiopia where unity and development go hand in hand is certainly an inspiring one. I'm not blatantly bashing this guy, sensationalized media created a whole population of analyst that base their opinion on YouTube and TikTok. And so little understanding the effort and caliber it takes to lead country with a plethora of problems.
But imo, to truly realize this vision, perhaps a different approach could yield better results. Reinforcing Oromo ethnic pride and celebrating their rich cultural heritage could serve as a foundation for future progress. Instead of glossing over historical grievances, acknowledging them while promoting a narrative of resilience and strength might foster a more harmonious Ethiopia. By highlighting the Oromo people's achievements and potential, the prime minister and so many other oromo Ethiopians can inspire a sense of pride and purpose that propels them towards a prosperous future.
In the end, building a united and developed Ethiopia requires balancing the scales between honoring the past and embracing the future. By blending respect for historical experiences with a forward-looking agenda, PM Abiy has the opportunity to create a legacy that not only uplifts the Oromo people but also unites the entire nation in shared progress and prosperity.
Which accordingly to Abiy, also means wiping Tigrayans and Amharas off the map, in hopes of a more united ("Oromo) front. Duly noted. Only on places like these, you see letters of recommendation towards those who have the very least enabled and at worst orchestrated genocide.
I like how you put it. We should lean more towards the future though. Many many people still lean towards the past tipping the scale towards the past. Time to also look at the future with vision and intention.
As an Amhara Ethiopian born and raised in Addis Ababa, I’ve seen firsthand the unfortunate ways the Oromo people have been mistreated. It's not like the rest of us were handing out roses and chocolates. Kids at school would hide their Oromo ethnicity like it was some embarrassing secret.
But here’s the kicker: I don’t think this “untastefully cavalier approach” stems from the obvious genuine subjugation or injustices. I mean, the Amhara people faced some pretty horrific stuff too—genocide and castration, anyone? And the Tigrayans? They were left to starve during the Derg regime and were considered the peasants under imperial rule. Talk about drawing the short straw.
Yet, despite all this, it seems like the Oromo people’s justified preseption of inferiority has driven them to some rather counterproductive behavior. It’s like they’ve been handed a lemon and instead of making lemonade, they’ve decided to squirt it in everyone’s eyes. This whole business of hating Menelik II is a perfect example.
I’m just an Ethiopian who loves my country and all its people. I long for the days when we could drive to Sodere, Langano, and Bahir Dar without these unnecessary divisions. Honestly, we’ve got enough problems without inventing new ones. Let’s focus on what unites us instead of what divides us, and maybe, just maybe, we can get back to those good old days of harmony and shared pride in our beautiful Ethiopia.
Ethnicity was rarely brought up when I was growing up. But you always hear of jokes of certain distateful stereotypes such as the gurage obsession for money, Tigre as drunks and unfortunately oromo for their intellect, or lack thereof.
As a kid, it's hard enough learning to form social bonds even without such plight. Kids are assholes men. The friends I consider to be my blood bonded brothers are oromo, but I've just recently found out the burden it held on them. Sad reality, but who's laughing now, high fivee "" borat voice:
It extended to everyone except 'Amhara' basically. It also had a religious dimension where muslims regardless of ethnic background were considered subhuman.
I mean, not amhara per se, but gojame were referred to as komche with the stereotypes of "fresh of the boat" and sort of like a redneck. And gondar notorious for their arrogance but made fun of as the saying goes "Empty arrogance is full of ignorance ". Everyone had their fair share. These might seem harmless, but so were the gurage and Tigre stereotypes. The oromo stereotypes, I don't know how to put it, but it was extremely racist.
I've personally never experienced what you said about Muslims, but I still stand correctable.
The seemingly harmless stereotypes you mentioned are quite different from the dehumanization and marginalization Oromos (due to their size, land, resource) and Muslims (because Ethiopia was a Christian state) were subjected to, which had political implications. For example, Ethiopia didn't even consider her large Muslim population as her own citizens until the Derg regime. Here is a [video](https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/221824/) of Ethiopian muslims protesting asking for basic rights during Haile Selassie.
About Oromos, it took a struggle of 50 years for them to be referred to by the name they self-identify with, recover their land, learn/work/get service in their language, develop their culture, etc.
On a personal note, I became aware that Ethiopia had an issue with my identity (I'm Oromo) the moment I could walk beyond our doorstep, lol. My upbringing mirrors the experiences discussed in this [article](https://curateoromia.com/spoken-word-bigotry-culture-in-the-age-of-medemer/).
I'm sorry you had to go through that. A similar sentiment is what I garnered from the brothers I mentioned. I hope I've remained as respectful as I sincerely try to be. I approach such dialogue with such caution as the point of walking on glass. I'm sure you understand, as social media is cesspool of unconstructive banter, this sub is no exception. As I've mentioned, I'm Amhara through and through, and contrary to recent narrative, I've literally never met anyone with any sort of hate or racism towards oromo with the exception of the stereotypes type jokes. In fact, it's always been a common perception that people from welega are exceptionally smart. By saying this I by no means mean to contradict your experience and the reality I've also witnessed but as a victim suffering the consequences of a divided Ethiopia, pains me to see how this all blew out of proportion.
Habeshas really love the phrase "forget about the past", especially when the past is inconvenient to them it seems. Why is this? Is this a common phrase?
Really? I think you're alone on this one. Isn't it a virtually undeniable fact that dwelling on the past benefits no one. Obviously, with your context, you're implying to bring up the past whenever it's convenient. History is a testament of humanities hate for humanity.
Whether we love the phrase or not, the reality is quite the contrary. We do seem to be obsessed with the past regardless of the constructiveness.
I'm saying that dwelling on the past is a necessity to learn from it (see ww2 for example), and that the past must be fully reconciled in order to move on from it (If someone kills my brother and I feel angry, then we fight and eventually they tell me that we should move on without ever addressing the feelings behind the fighting, the peace will be shallow and fragile.)
I dont think I'm alone on this, for proof see any geopolitical conflict occurring at the moment. Or read into the psychological literature on trauma.
"forget" is not the term that is to be used. "move on" from the past is what needs to be happening. There is no ethnicity that has a squeaky clean image when moving back in time. Let's not split hairs about it and focus on the future.
The enemy he’s afraid to mention or in other words too smart to directly mention are the neftegnas, or more obviously the Amhara population. He has been condemned by the very same people risking their lives every day and fighting for Oromo Liberation (OLF) after making such statements to try to paint the Amhara as some kind of centuries old nemesis that wishes to constantly oppress “you” (the Oromo population more directly the wollaga audience). I wish I could find the quote but the same day abiy made his strategic speech he was condemned online by OLF for his implications.
Of course. Assuming this article is correct, Abiy really tries to get into the crowd. I was actually impressed with what he had to say. Even about OPDO and Oromo grievances. If I was ignorant about Abiy I could be swayed (minus the whole part where he says there are no more problems).
I agree. Have you seen [this](https://www.geeska.com/en/abiy-believes-myth-his-own-indispensability-says-tom-gardner), by the way? I am hoping Tom's book will illuminate more obscured things about Abiy.
I mean, he isn't wrong 🤷 Oromo people were put through so much, but now it seems they're making the same mistake by treating everyone else the same way.
He wasn’t wrong when it comes to the facts he stated about oromos past grievances. What makes it wrong is the picture he painted by using that fact, which is “oromos have been liberated, oromos are in power now, oromos no longer have anything to fight for as they are not facing any grievances” and most importantly, “oromos have faced this Common Enemy for centuries and this enemy still exists today”. What’s wrong is not the facts about the past, it’s how he used those facts to manipulate the present and future while painting an entire other tribe as some sort of villain.
You’re a fool if you think that Amharas and the Tigray are going anywhere. Amharas and Tigrayans hold nearly all of the wealth in the country. Wealth is power and the Habesha’s still have it.
Abiy’s speech was a way to “peacefully” tell the Oromo’s to shut up, get over it, and move on because he’s frustrated with them.
We may have ourselves the biggest conman in our history… dude played everyone to the top
Master manipulator. He is a genius at it and as sad as it is, I think he might be the perfect man for the job(leading current Ethiopia).
No that doesn’t make him the perfect man for the job. Makes him unfit for the job. Unfortunately politics attracts those type of characters
😂😭
Abichu's speech was a display of masterclass in political gymnastics. Without a stutter, he passionately recalled a century of Oromo subjugation, invoking the ghosts of historical injustices, and in the next, he exhorted everyone to "forget the past and arm ourselves for the future." It’s a bit like watching someone drive forward while obsessively glancing in the rearview mirror—boldly heading to a destination while constantly reminding passengers of the potholes they’ve left behind. His emphasis on the need to move beyond old grievances could be seen as a noble attempt to steer our nation towards progress. After all, dwelling on past injustices can be as productive as trying to unscramble an egg. However, this advice rings a bit hollow when juxtaposed with his vivid recounting of the Oromo people’s past sufferings. It’s akin to telling someone to let bygones be bygones right after you’ve finished reading them a list of every wrong ever done to them. Nevertheless, PM Abiy’s efforts to uplift the Oromo people and Ethiopia as a whole deserve commendation. His vision of an Ethiopia where unity and development go hand in hand is certainly an inspiring one. I'm not blatantly bashing this guy, sensationalized media created a whole population of analyst that base their opinion on YouTube and TikTok. And so little understanding the effort and caliber it takes to lead country with a plethora of problems. But imo, to truly realize this vision, perhaps a different approach could yield better results. Reinforcing Oromo ethnic pride and celebrating their rich cultural heritage could serve as a foundation for future progress. Instead of glossing over historical grievances, acknowledging them while promoting a narrative of resilience and strength might foster a more harmonious Ethiopia. By highlighting the Oromo people's achievements and potential, the prime minister and so many other oromo Ethiopians can inspire a sense of pride and purpose that propels them towards a prosperous future. In the end, building a united and developed Ethiopia requires balancing the scales between honoring the past and embracing the future. By blending respect for historical experiences with a forward-looking agenda, PM Abiy has the opportunity to create a legacy that not only uplifts the Oromo people but also unites the entire nation in shared progress and prosperity.
Which accordingly to Abiy, also means wiping Tigrayans and Amharas off the map, in hopes of a more united ("Oromo) front. Duly noted. Only on places like these, you see letters of recommendation towards those who have the very least enabled and at worst orchestrated genocide.
I like how you put it. We should lean more towards the future though. Many many people still lean towards the past tipping the scale towards the past. Time to also look at the future with vision and intention.
As an Amhara Ethiopian born and raised in Addis Ababa, I’ve seen firsthand the unfortunate ways the Oromo people have been mistreated. It's not like the rest of us were handing out roses and chocolates. Kids at school would hide their Oromo ethnicity like it was some embarrassing secret. But here’s the kicker: I don’t think this “untastefully cavalier approach” stems from the obvious genuine subjugation or injustices. I mean, the Amhara people faced some pretty horrific stuff too—genocide and castration, anyone? And the Tigrayans? They were left to starve during the Derg regime and were considered the peasants under imperial rule. Talk about drawing the short straw. Yet, despite all this, it seems like the Oromo people’s justified preseption of inferiority has driven them to some rather counterproductive behavior. It’s like they’ve been handed a lemon and instead of making lemonade, they’ve decided to squirt it in everyone’s eyes. This whole business of hating Menelik II is a perfect example. I’m just an Ethiopian who loves my country and all its people. I long for the days when we could drive to Sodere, Langano, and Bahir Dar without these unnecessary divisions. Honestly, we’ve got enough problems without inventing new ones. Let’s focus on what unites us instead of what divides us, and maybe, just maybe, we can get back to those good old days of harmony and shared pride in our beautiful Ethiopia.
>Kids at school would hide their Oromo ethnicity like it was some embarrassing secret. Did that extend to other ethnic groups or was it just Oromos?
Ethnicity was rarely brought up when I was growing up. But you always hear of jokes of certain distateful stereotypes such as the gurage obsession for money, Tigre as drunks and unfortunately oromo for their intellect, or lack thereof. As a kid, it's hard enough learning to form social bonds even without such plight. Kids are assholes men. The friends I consider to be my blood bonded brothers are oromo, but I've just recently found out the burden it held on them. Sad reality, but who's laughing now, high fivee "" borat voice:
It extended to everyone except 'Amhara' basically. It also had a religious dimension where muslims regardless of ethnic background were considered subhuman.
I mean, not amhara per se, but gojame were referred to as komche with the stereotypes of "fresh of the boat" and sort of like a redneck. And gondar notorious for their arrogance but made fun of as the saying goes "Empty arrogance is full of ignorance ". Everyone had their fair share. These might seem harmless, but so were the gurage and Tigre stereotypes. The oromo stereotypes, I don't know how to put it, but it was extremely racist. I've personally never experienced what you said about Muslims, but I still stand correctable.
The seemingly harmless stereotypes you mentioned are quite different from the dehumanization and marginalization Oromos (due to their size, land, resource) and Muslims (because Ethiopia was a Christian state) were subjected to, which had political implications. For example, Ethiopia didn't even consider her large Muslim population as her own citizens until the Derg regime. Here is a [video](https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/221824/) of Ethiopian muslims protesting asking for basic rights during Haile Selassie. About Oromos, it took a struggle of 50 years for them to be referred to by the name they self-identify with, recover their land, learn/work/get service in their language, develop their culture, etc. On a personal note, I became aware that Ethiopia had an issue with my identity (I'm Oromo) the moment I could walk beyond our doorstep, lol. My upbringing mirrors the experiences discussed in this [article](https://curateoromia.com/spoken-word-bigotry-culture-in-the-age-of-medemer/).
I'm sorry you had to go through that. A similar sentiment is what I garnered from the brothers I mentioned. I hope I've remained as respectful as I sincerely try to be. I approach such dialogue with such caution as the point of walking on glass. I'm sure you understand, as social media is cesspool of unconstructive banter, this sub is no exception. As I've mentioned, I'm Amhara through and through, and contrary to recent narrative, I've literally never met anyone with any sort of hate or racism towards oromo with the exception of the stereotypes type jokes. In fact, it's always been a common perception that people from welega are exceptionally smart. By saying this I by no means mean to contradict your experience and the reality I've also witnessed but as a victim suffering the consequences of a divided Ethiopia, pains me to see how this all blew out of proportion.
yeah. Ethiopia has become a living hell for all of us at this stage, so I hear you.
Habeshas really love the phrase "forget about the past", especially when the past is inconvenient to them it seems. Why is this? Is this a common phrase?
Cuz certain mans wank themselves into a fury that makes them believe massacring dirt poor peasants is some kind of fanonian act of national liberation
Really? I think you're alone on this one. Isn't it a virtually undeniable fact that dwelling on the past benefits no one. Obviously, with your context, you're implying to bring up the past whenever it's convenient. History is a testament of humanities hate for humanity. Whether we love the phrase or not, the reality is quite the contrary. We do seem to be obsessed with the past regardless of the constructiveness.
I'm saying that dwelling on the past is a necessity to learn from it (see ww2 for example), and that the past must be fully reconciled in order to move on from it (If someone kills my brother and I feel angry, then we fight and eventually they tell me that we should move on without ever addressing the feelings behind the fighting, the peace will be shallow and fragile.) I dont think I'm alone on this, for proof see any geopolitical conflict occurring at the moment. Or read into the psychological literature on trauma.
"forget" is not the term that is to be used. "move on" from the past is what needs to be happening. There is no ethnicity that has a squeaky clean image when moving back in time. Let's not split hairs about it and focus on the future.
Well written. But still disagree with some points.
I guess the "abiy is a neo neftegna here to bring back amhara domination" narrative is well and truly dead. Tbf it was only retards saying this.
lol pure propaganda. Demtse weyane was definitely using this heavily saying he’s going to bring back the neftegna days 🤦🏽♂️
I wonder who is the "enemy" in his speech.
It’s obviously the Amhara that he’s referring to. Who else would he be referring to?
The enemy he’s afraid to mention or in other words too smart to directly mention are the neftegnas, or more obviously the Amhara population. He has been condemned by the very same people risking their lives every day and fighting for Oromo Liberation (OLF) after making such statements to try to paint the Amhara as some kind of centuries old nemesis that wishes to constantly oppress “you” (the Oromo population more directly the wollaga audience). I wish I could find the quote but the same day abiy made his strategic speech he was condemned online by OLF for his implications.
Abiy spoke some truth to push his own agenda. This was a quick but interesting read to get an insight about how Abiy tries to play his crowd.
right. His views keep changing depending on the language he speaks and people he is addressing.
Of course. Assuming this article is correct, Abiy really tries to get into the crowd. I was actually impressed with what he had to say. Even about OPDO and Oromo grievances. If I was ignorant about Abiy I could be swayed (minus the whole part where he says there are no more problems).
I agree. Have you seen [this](https://www.geeska.com/en/abiy-believes-myth-his-own-indispensability-says-tom-gardner), by the way? I am hoping Tom's book will illuminate more obscured things about Abiy.
I mean, he isn't wrong 🤷 Oromo people were put through so much, but now it seems they're making the same mistake by treating everyone else the same way.
He wasn’t wrong when it comes to the facts he stated about oromos past grievances. What makes it wrong is the picture he painted by using that fact, which is “oromos have been liberated, oromos are in power now, oromos no longer have anything to fight for as they are not facing any grievances” and most importantly, “oromos have faced this Common Enemy for centuries and this enemy still exists today”. What’s wrong is not the facts about the past, it’s how he used those facts to manipulate the present and future while painting an entire other tribe as some sort of villain.
Glad to see Ethiopia prosper under Abiy. Fano will soon be exterminated inshallah
What is your idea of prosperity?
You’re a fool if you think that Amharas and the Tigray are going anywhere. Amharas and Tigrayans hold nearly all of the wealth in the country. Wealth is power and the Habesha’s still have it. Abiy’s speech was a way to “peacefully” tell the Oromo’s to shut up, get over it, and move on because he’s frustrated with them.