GUMII BILISUMMAA OROMIYAA
(Oromiyaa Liberation Council)

FAMINE AS A POLITICAL WEAPON & THE HUMAN TRAGEDY IN THE MAKING:
The case of the Oromo people in the Ethiopian empire

DECEMBER 12, 2002

The world community is once again witnessing an extremely shocking human tragedy. The famine crisis in Ethiopia has escalated to a degree that has never been registered ever before. Reports from various sources show that over 14 million people have been affected. Of this staggering statistics, about 5 millions are Oromos. To say the least this is a horrendous crisis. The international community is yet to see disasters of colossal proportions should it fail to help seek a lasting solution and continue on doling out aids that usually treats the symptoms and not the root cause of the Ethiopian famine. Should a lasting solution were sought to this recurring crisis, not only would it benefit the peoples directly exposed to it, it would also create a mental relief for the international community as well.

It is therefore quite appropriate here to let the world community know and understand why famine is recurring in Ethiopia and why even a surplus grain producing Oromiyaa is now engulfed with famine. Many including the current rulers of Ethiopia have given various causes that have contributed to the current famine. Mother nature is the first culprit on the roster. Included on the roster are overpopulation, degradation of natural resources, and international debt payment. Rarely we also see few fair-minded international media blaming the famine on 'bad governance'. Undoubtedly the factors outlined above have exacerbated the famine situation. Nevertheless, the underlying cause is the political ailment of the Ethiopian state.

The Ethiopian Empire State, as its political history attests, is established through a violent means. Many nations and nationalities that today are grossly called Ethiopians had been annexed and incorporated into the Ethiopian state through brute force. It is not a state built through the consent of these various peoples. As a result, since the inception of this state, all nations and nationalities trapped in it have been struggling for their freedom. On the other hand, the Ethiopian rulers have been pre-occupied with wars that counter the aspirations of its subjects and maintain 'the territorial integrity of the state'. The intransigence of the successive Ethiopian regimes to resolve this chronic political problem shackling the state by merely military means remains the underlying cause why Ethiopia suffers from recurrent famine. Unless this problem is resolved once and for all through political means, irrespective of the generous support the international community provides from time to time, famine and human tragedy is going to stay in this part of the world.

In the case of the Oromo people, had Oromiyaa been a free state and administered by its own leaders who feel the pain and agony of their people, despite the drought, such a disaster wouldn't have occurred. Its resource would have been appropriately utilized, and the potential it has would have been fully harnessed in order to avert it. It is simply ironical that Oromiyaa, endowed with favourable climate and abundant natural resources is unable to feed its people. Whereas Tigray, the homeland of the dominant ruling party, naturally prone to such a calamity is spared from the famine. This clearly demonstrates that famine in the Ethiopian empire is not mainly the result of environmental pinch, as the Ethiopian government wants the world to believe, it is predominantly the making of this very government.

The well being of the people of Oromiyaa, Sidama, Ogadenia, Afar etc. is not a concern of the present TPLF-led government of Ethiopia. As it considers them threat to its political dominance, it uses every opportunity and means to get them submit to its rule. As it turned out the current famine is one means for the TPLF. It is using the famine as a political weapon against non-Tigrean peoples it perceives as adversaries. It is for this very reason that it allowed the drought outside its homeland of Tigray to escalate to famine situation.

The current crisis could have been at least mitigated had the TPLF government been responsible for the welfare of the peoples it rules. The irresponsibility of its government is well demonstrated by its track record. Close and objective examination of its policies and priorities over the last decade clearly reveals that it has been purposely condemning the non-Tigrean peoples to misery. Policies and actions of the government that have led to the current famine in Oromiyaa are many. The most significant ones are the following:

Diversion of resource: A substantial amount of resource generated in Oromiyaa is never reinvested for its development. Rather it is mostly diverted to help finance development projects of Tigray. Or it goes to finance the war of the TPLF against neigbouring nations. A case in point is its recent war against Eritrea. The TPLF spent several billions dollars on armaments to wage the war. The major source of this money is Oromiyaa. The TPLF exacted it from poor workingmen and women of the Oromo people. Had this money squandered on senseless war were used for agricultural development in Oromiyaa today so many Oromos would not have been victims of the current famine. Stifling rural development initiatives: Development projects that could potentially improve the lives of the Oromo people are non-existent. They never get initiated. The TPLF exacts hefty taxation from Oromo farmers but never establishes and finances any meaningful projects geared to improving their productive capacity. They receive hardly any technical and development assistance. Any initiative that farmers cooperatively make on their own to help themselves is systematically discouraged. Levying heavy taxation: The TPLF imposes heavy taxation on Oromo peasants to deliberately impoverish and make them economically powerless. As most of them are subsistence farmers, they hardly come by enough resource to pay taxation. Regardless, the TPLF cadres collect tax from these poor farmers by forcing them to sell their last meagre resource and exposing their families to starvation. Price control of agricultural inputs and products: No agency other than the government and its cronies supply farmers with agricultural input such as fertilizer. Often times the government sells fertilizers to farmers at an exorbitant price. Rather than assisting farmers through subsidizing this farm input it is profiteering from it. On the other hand farmers are forced to sell and pay off their loan and tax when the supply side of farm products is relatively higher than demand and the price is exceedingly low. As a result of this situation, farmers cannot set aside any saving that can help them as a cushion for a difficult time. Exploitation and no conservation of environmental resources: The TPLF has progressively exploited and in some instances deliberately destroyed the natural forest of Oromiyaa causing environmental degradation that has far-reaching implications. Banning indigenous Oromo relief organizations and self-help associations: Using various pretext the TPLF banned organizations or associations working as development and relief aid agencies in various Oromo regions for the purpose of denying the Oromo a voice and helping hand during crisis situation such as this. Eroding the fundamental basis for economic and social development: Under the dictatorial regime of the current Ethiopian regime, the Oromo people have literally no political freedom to have a say on the development of their communities and the affair of their country at large. As political persecution is so rampant and our people live in fear and hopelessness they find making any economic and social progress nearly impossible. When productive manpower of Oromiyaa, farmers, workers, intellectuals, businessmen and other professionals, are devoid of the opportunity to play their respective roles in the society and rather put in jails, killed or forced to flee their country, it is very unlikely to build a healthy and prosperous society. So it remains that the primary cause for famine, disease, abject poverty, an all out misery and wretchedness in Oromiyaa is the complete erosion of political rights, economic and social justice and the rule of law.

In sharp contrast, the policy of the TPLF-led Government is discriminatory and openly favours ethnic Tigreans. Under its policy, the people of Tigray enjoy favourable political and economic treatment. For this very simple reason, and not because mother nature now uniquely spared Tigray from calamity, the famine situation grinding the rest of the empire has been averted in Tigray. Better safety net that relieves the people of Tigray from food shortage has been set up. Foodstuff donated from international agencies and garnered mainly from Oromiyaa are saved for an emergency food aid purpose in silos across Tigray and made available to its people in the event imminent drought situation occurs. The relief agency of Tigray (REST) enjoys full TPLF support to mobilize resource both nationally and internationally and work on relief, rehabilitation, and development oriented projects in Tigray. While millions of Oromos and non-Tigreans face the scourge of AIDS and other diseases, unemployment, generally deprivation of political and economic rights, ethnic Tigreans get better education, health, social services, employment opportunity, and higher degree of freedom. The disparity of development level that unbiased eyes can see between Tigray and the rest of the empire is clearly the function of the lobe sided policy of the current regime.

Emboldened by the silence and acquiescence of the international community, the Ethiopian dictatorial regime continues on its policy of subjecting the Oromo and other non-Tigreans to untold plight and agony. The outcry of its subject peoples remains unheeded. Consequently Ethiopia is incessantly marred in chaos and crisis. It is therefore no wonder whenever Ethiopia makes international headlines, it is because of war, wanton violation of human rights, extra-judicial killings, social unrest, the spread of diseases, recurrence of devastating famine never seen else where in the world.

In light of the above glaring facts and out of deep concern for more escalation of the human tragedy as a result of famine in Oromiyaa, the Oromiyaa Liberation Council (OLC) appeals to:

The international community to generously provide financial and material support directly to NGOs engaged in relief work in Oromiyaa. As we have every reason to believe that food aid that gets in the hand of the Ethiopian Government or its relief organization (most notably The Relief Society of Tigray – REST) will be diverted to Tigray or end up enriching the coffer of the government or its cadres, we appeal that any aid not to be channelled through the government. The western governments to give your support but with a string attached to it. We appeal to every government that the financial and material aid Ethiopia gets be monitored whether or not it reaches the target population – famine victims. United Nations, European Union, the IMF, World Bank to stop doling out international aid to the TPLF-led Government of Ethiopia that is inept and untrustworthy, and represents less than 5 per cent of the peoples it rules. Last but not least, as treating the symptom without targeting the disease can't be a remedy, we strongly appeal to all freedom loving people to support us in our just struggle for the self-determination of the Oromo people and bring about a lasting peace and prosperity in the Horn of Africa.

Oromia Shall Be Free!!!

Oromiya Liberation Council (OLC)/GBO