TPLF’s Denial peoples’ identity furthers the struggle to reclaim back the
lost statehood for the Sidama Nation.
The Abyssinian Empire is
built by destroying independent identities of the nations and
nationalities. In the process of building this empire and destruction of
the rest non-Abyssinian nations, various means has been utilized such as
colonial conquest by emperor Menelik, "Amharenization" Hailesellse's
version of 'modernization', communism by colonel Mengistu, Confusion and
deception by Meles Zenawi.
In the Sidama’s case the
present regime in the empire is destroying the identity of Sidamaness more
than its predecessors, Menelik, Italians Hailesellase and Mengistu.
Although, predecessors of the Woyane regime, called “Sidamo” in
Misnomer of Sidama as they do for the rest of the nations, they have made
an attempt to call people and the land they occupied by their name.
Meless Zenaw's confused
constitution, theoretically allows freedom for the nations so that they
may develop their cultures, and languages. Their language becomes the
media in their respective offices and schools, their children allowed to
learn their own values and their ethno-traditional knowledge. It gave
minority veto power. For every 100,000 people there is one representative
in the parliament for the nations whose population number below 100,000
there are twenty identified seats. Forwarding all those solutions suggests
the former TPLF, has had understood the basic problem of the Ethiopian
empire is the self determination of nations. This moderation has its own
positive impact to halt Abyssinian fundamentalism and to soothe the
nations under the prisons of the empire. In some respect some nations have
more advantage than others, while others lost their nominal autonomies.
Accordingly, Tigray
became autonomous regional state, economically most advantageous, the
nationalists who fought for Tigryan liberation settled for the domination
of other nations, and became advisors and corrupted kings makers in other
nations. Their domination included even over the Amharas.
Amharas previously
politically dominant, regionally dispersed to deceive and hide their
dominations became single regional state. Although Amhara ruling classes
destroyed the identities of other nations, they did nothing for indigenous
Amharas living in drought and famine prone areas apart from talking 3000
years rhetoric and malicious act against other nations. While Amhara
ruling classes indulge themselves for their belly there is a continuous
poverty, famine and diseases in their areas.
Vast Oromo nation has got
nominal regional autonomy thanks the sacrifice paid by OLF and the Oromo
people. But it is governed by Oromo speaking, mentally and physically
non-Oromo cadres.
The Sidama populous
nation in the empire, lost its statehood, the nominal regional autonomy
since the conquest and Woyane occupation, inherent in at least the name
Sidamo province. Sidama, is denied even the status of regional statehood
by violating 1992 proposals. Alternatively the then TPLF representative
merged more than forty five nations, under single region called Southern
Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS). However, there
were more than two dozen puppets the so called Peoples' Democratic
Organizations (PDOs) in the name of their respective nations in the south.
Due to the impact of this
confused constitution of Meles, to deceive his donors, the nations of
south in general, the Sidama in particular, continue to bear burden. The
Sidama lost its budget allocation, while the Sidama feed the empire with
shovel the Sidama is provided with spoon. Even that was from Promised Aid
budgets and from promised debt. The Sidamas share from treasure is very
minimal less than five percent for the last ten years. Possible posts and
employment opportunities in government offices also blocked for the
Sidamas. The Sidama made prone to diseases and famine after the
establishment of SNNPRS. Those Sidama nationalists who resented and
opposed TPLF's action suffered from both physical and mental tortures. The
political intrigue taking in TPLF made SNNPRS machinery point to the
preparation of the ground to commit mass elimination and genocide. The
massacre of May 24th 2002 and excess imprisonment torture and removal of
the Sidama nationals from government job by creating hitherto unknown
criteria for simple jobs that can be done by those who completed high
schools demanding Bachelors and Masters degrees.
This has been a
pre-planned motives to remove the Sidama's from the only employment
opportunities in their own land and to monopolize all government jobs from
the northern elites and their few allies.
Meles' confused regime
finalized its plan to purge Sidama Peoples Democratic Organization and
other PDOs of SNNPRS when it felt confident to appoint seven individuals
rather than organizational Participation in centralist party. This purge
of SPDOs clearly indicated that Meles's empire is so contempt while it is
confused to go further to call the Sidama and other nations by their own
names, let alone to combat poverty, famine and diseases.
Instead of accepting and
recognizing Sidama’s quest for self determination, EPRDF opted to pick
loyal personalities like Abate Kisho who later imprisoned for standing on
his own mind and Shiferawu shuguxe until he will be the victim of use and
throw game of TPLF from the Sidama Nation to deceive destruction of the
Sidama and its ‘quest for self determination.
Thus, SLF strongly
condemns Meles Zenaw's and his henchmen political motive and move to
retard nationalism and national self determination, and calls upon the
Sidama nationals and the nationals of other nations in the south to fight
such an Abyssinian fundamentalism and dangerous plan that invites more
conflicts and blood shed. The donors of the regime, international
communities, and human rights organizations should understand the
consequences of such a move will have on democracy, peace and stability,
not to make the Southern nations Second Rwanda. Therefore, the Sidama
nationals have duty to further struggle to reclaim back the lost identity
and statehood to their nation.
Sidama will regain its
name and identity over the grave of TPLF