Dear Friends and Colleagues:
The issue of the so called “Addis Ababa and Surrounding Oromiya Special Zone Joint Development Master Plan” has become the top current agenda for Oromo of all walks of life globally. It is in fact an issue that demands response from almost all political and non-political organizations operating in the name of the Oromo people at home and abroad. I have been closely following the salient emerging issues relevant to the Oromo people and the Oromo studies to the best of my ability. The scholarly association I am presiding over as its president was established to promote the Oromo cause by advancing scholarship and studies relevant to the Oromo and other peoples of the Horn of Africa. OSA is not a political organization and it is not expected to play a role of a political organization whatsoever.
However, in line with its established objective of promoting the Oromo cause, when necessary and circumstances demanded, it acted in the best interest of the Oromo, advocated for the protection of the basic human and democratic rights of the Oromo people, appealed to both national and international organizations and donor countries to alleviate the suffering and continued marginalization of the Oromo, and organized panels at OSA conferences to better inform all stakeholders about the past and present socio-political dynamics of the Ethiopian Empire.
OSA is the oldest and the strongest of all the non-political, academic and scholarly associations working to empower the Oromo and help realize the aspirations of the Oromo people for liberation/freedom through providing evidence-based information that informs and empowers. That is the reason why the Oromo people looked up to OSA’s leadership for conditions seriously jeopardizing the already compromised Oromo position in Ethiopia. Evidences generated by our able researchers over the past three decades unequivocally indicated that the past and present Ethiopian regimes and its rulers are in fact the enemies of the Oromo people. The Oromo has a struggle to win, a country to liberate, a pride to restore. These enemies must be defeated and this is possibly only if we are ready and willing to provide our collective intellectual resources consistently.
Over the last few days, I was urged by some of the former OSA Presidents and members to provide leadership and work with other Oromo community organizations to defend the Oromo National Interests; as we continue to organize our annual conference where studies around this and similar topics will be discussed. That is precisely what I would like to accomplish going forward. Hence, I ask for your support in this worthwhile endeavor. Thank you.
