Less free people are less productive

By Alemu Hurissa

There is no question about how much freedom and justice are important for an individual, a society and country. I also believe that no one would argue except Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and its satellite Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO) and others who have gained benefit from corrupting TPLF regime, about the importance of democracy, freedom and justice for peace, stability and development for one country.

For example when someone starts business may be after he/ she got economic assistance from relatives or close friend, then the TPLF regime put him/her under what woyane is called qorannoo/investigation and one woyane cadre will be assigned to follow after him/her, finally that person will be accused or condemned of being a supporter or member of Oromo Liberation Front,OLF with no proof whatsoever, just for the only reason that the individual background is from Oromo ethnic group and because of this false accusation his/her property will be confiscated and the person will be arrested. No way to come back for this innocent Oromo person to continue his/her business again and he/she will be no more productive. According to the law of the country, everyone has the right to run any kind of business if not contradict the constitutions of the country and also will be treated with the same respect and given equal value whether he/she is from Oromo ethnic group or other tribes. But what we have seen the last 23 years is that it is only Tigray people who have the right to run any kind of business. Which means in this case repression and discrimination by TPLF regime and its members continued against Oromo and other people. On other hand this is one of the causes for people not to do what they want freely and we,Oromos and other nations and nationalitities who have been oppressed by TPLF have to fight to stop TPLF favoring only one group, which is the Tigray people.

Another example is Mecha and Tulama Self-Help Association which is named after two of the major Oromo clans Mecha and Tulama. It was established in 1960’s as a self-help club dedicated to promoting Oromo self-identity and improving the lot of the Oromo.(From Wikipedia) The Association’s office has been closed many times, their leaders have been arrested and the organization property and documents have been confiscated by making false accusation that the organization had link with the OLF without having any proof. As I a clip from Wikipedia explained The Macha- Tulama association is formed just to assist any Oromo who need help, it has nothing to do with OLF which again TPLF regime proved for Oromo people that the Oromo people have no freedom and right to form association.

The question is how can we stop TPLF from favoring only one group?

If anyone wants to bring a meaningful development and sustainable future stability for the people who are hunger for freedom and justice in Oromia and other regions, we must stop TPLF from favouring only one group. All oppressed nations and nationalities should be united in struggle against TPLF regime and establishing a true democracy in Ethiopia by overthrowing the TPLF government which is the only alternative.

They are many true Oromos who concerned about the suffering of innocent Oromo people but few Oromos by overlooking the tyrannical repressive state of TPLF have been cooperating with the corrupt TPLF regime just to have a good life.This is a very few example among the reasons why Oromo people are not productive and which in fact the main causes for many of them to live under difficult economic situation. If a person is an Oromo and not collaborated with repressive TPLF regime, then whether the person is an educated, a farmer, business man, or old has no possibility to do freely his/her work.

They are many educated Oromo who would have made a huge difference in Oromia and left the country to save their livies. On the way to flee the country, many of them have been eaten by hyena and other wild animals and some of them also were drowned in the sea before they arrived their last destination. These bright Oromos are among those who could change Oromia to a better level socially, economically, politically, not only Oromia but who could also lead the whole Africa to a better level in many ways, because they are people who left homeland with massive human resources and became productive resources in developed countries.

Most will agree that this is one of examples among those factors which make people less productive.

No one is denying the massive sufferings that the Oromo people have undergone for many years and now TPLF also want to treat us as slave as Ethiopian Empire and Abyssinian rulers did some years ago. Today many Oromo University students have been dismissed from their study, beaten, tortured and even killed, on the same fashion, Oromo farmers have been evicted from their garden and farm, tortured by TPLF security forces and Cadres. It is enough to watch a video clip from interview of Ermias Legese who was former Minister D’etat in Information Ministry for 12 years in Ethiopia by Ethiopian Satellite Television journalist.

One thing must be clear for TPLF that the more pain and suffering Oromo people went through,no matter how it is painful, it makes us more strong to resist against the brutal regime of TPLF and our Qeerroo/young generations are also fully determined to pay which they have already started, whatsoever price to protect and set free Oromia from TPLF neocolonialism.

People are mentally destroyed of being afraid of TPLF’s shadow, citizens instead of thinking to create better life and future they are busy in thinking for the security of their lives which in fact it makes people to be less productive. However all these problems and difficulties will never stop our struggle for freedom and justice. So instead of waiting until Woyane completely destroyed our people, get our struggle started with doing the most task to achieve our goal which is freedom.

What I have tried to address all oppressed people is  how lack of freedom makes people less productive, the one who caused this problem and what needs to be done to resolve this problem. So I urge all Oromos and other people who are subjected to subjugation to be united and stand with our Qeerroo/Young generation in our common struggle against our common enemy,The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front/EPRDF and its members in order to bring freedom and justice in Oromia and other regions so that our people become more productive rather than less productive.