The Gazira Press

Photo of Mogadishu, Somalia - 1980's "I brought you a guest today" said Abba Yusuf as he entered and greeted my father. Abba Yusuf was the organizations envoy in Mogadishu for almost 20 years. He was practically raised by the organization and was in charge of all of it's dealings in the city. On this occasion he was hosting the OLF's Head of Political Affairs, Nadhi Gamada, who was in Mogadishu to officially open diplomatic relations with the Somali gov't. The meeting was brief and they agreed to meet again the next day for lunch. When Nadhi arrived in Mogadishu he was briefed by Somali National Security, who told him that he was free to move about in the city. But they placed undercover agents outside of his hotel to watch him. This was done so that they can identify and gather information on OLF members in Mogadishu (incase relations went bad and they needed to round them up in the future). However, Abba Yusuf came up with a clever plan and they were a...

Written on Feb 8th 2014 With the recent kidnapping of ONLF diplomats in Nairobi, my mind wandered back to the rendition of Tesfahun Chamada, and Mesfin Abebe, the killing of Jatani Ali, and the murder of one of the unsung heroes of the Oromo resistance, Abba Yusuf. Surprisingly I've never seen anything written about Abba Yusuf, the veteran OLF diplomat killed in Nairobi, Kenya in 1 999. So I would like to share what I have heard about him. Abba Yusuf, born Muhammad Amin, hails from the Jarso county of eastern Hararge. Like many young men following the Ethio-Somali war he sought refuge in Somalia. He joined the OLF where his talent was immediately recognized and his discipline and commitment helped him quickly rise through the ranks of the organization. While attending Gamal Abdelnasser School in Mogadishu as a full time student Abba Yusuf was entrusted as the organizations envoy in Mogadishu. He was remembered as charismatic and friendly, but also a skilled diplomat and politicia...

Callaa's Angriest Day "TPLF soldiers were combing the streets rounding up suspected OLF members and supporters after a fire fight. I had nowhere to go so I ran into a nearby house, took a marxoo and took a seat in the living room. An elderly woman walked into the living room and saw me. She said nothing. She knew who I was and that the soldiers outside would do anything to get their hands on me. When she left, some younger ladies came. They shouted at me "Get out! Get out! You wanna get us killed!?". I got up and left. With nowhere to go I went and sat on the pavement. I really didn't care if they caught me. I had never been so angry in my life. I was angry at myself. A short while later a voice over my shoulder shouted  "what are you doing out here? Get in!" the elderly lady from the house ran up to me, grabbed me and pulled me back into the house."

Dhuma bara 1875 kheeysatti bulchaan biyya Misraa, Khedive Ismaa’il Baashaan, mootummaa isaa gaanfaa Aafrikaa keeysatti gad dhaabuuf magaalaa Harar (ykn Adaree biyyoo) dhunfachuu karoorfate. Baatii Fulbaana kheeysatti waraana isaa kan Jeneraal Raa’uf Baashaadhaan hoogganamu, bahara Zeeylaa tiin seensisee gara Biyyoo Adareetti bobbaase. Zeeylaa fi Harar idduu fageenya amna guyyaa 10tu jira (guyyaa 8 gammoojjii Issa kheeysaa dabartee, guyyaa 2 biyya Noolee kheeysa deemaa oolta). Oromoon Afran Qalloo kan sirna Raabaa Doorii jalatti if bulchaa turan waraana Misraa ifirraa deebisuudhaaf qophii turan. Magaalaan Harar walakkaa biyya Afran Qallootti waan argamtuuf, humni guddaan kan waraana Misraa dura dhaabbatu waraana Afran Qalloo akka tahe qajeellootti hubatee ture Baashaan. Haa tahu ammo magaalaan Harar bulchiinsa walabaa kan Amir Muhammad Alii dhaan hoogganamu jala ture. Bulchiinsi Harar sirna Raabaa Doorii jala hin turre. Garuu bulchaan Harar, Amir Muhammad, bifa sadiini sirnich...

By Jilcha Hamid Sunrise brought calm and serenity over the village of Walensu and villagers woke up to the call of the roosters. The farmers washed up for the morning prayer, had breakfast and headed out to their fields for another day of work. It was another day in the village. Well...almost. “Do you have anything in your pockets?” Ararso asked a man laying on the floor mat. “..hin qabu” replied his guest, quietly. “Okay, hold this and come outside. You can't sit here by yourself.” The man reluctantly complied as he was handed a farmers tool. Although he was somewhat suspicious of his host, he had no choice but to comply. After all, he was a guest. As the farmers worked in the fields a column of soldiers entered the village and began questioning people about last night. Their base came under heavy fire and they believed that their attackers may have come from Walensu, or at least passed through the village. It was a common occurrence and the villagers had grown...

"Boruuyyee boruuyyee, boruu abbaa bariisooyyee Galgala abbaa galgalooyyee, galgalli naan dubbatee boruun naan marihatee Roorroo hamtuu agarraan kan Oromoo saba khooti, khiyya garaan hammaatee hadhaa du'aa filatee Mucee Aammad Mucee gaafasuu numa beekhe, garii boolla qoteefi Yaayyaa Ali Siree sa eenyumaa himeefi? Khanniisaan itti duule qabrii hawaash godheefi Foonii moorgaya saanii soora saree godh eefi Wey lafee warseeysaa wanni biraa hin cabsine yoo waliin cabsan malee Isinuma wal wallaalchise waliin isin cabse amma yoo beeytan malee Baarillaan(?) nu foohatte, suukhanni nutti hafte Kha jiruu yaa'uu dhiisii saba khiyya, kha du'eefuu sheenaan nutti hafteee"

Bar khurnee 1980oota kheeysatti mootummaan Dargii amatatti qarshii miliyoona 75 (75 million birr) exportii oomisha Harargee irraa galii argachuu turan. Haa tahu ammoo galiin san dantaa mootummaatiif malee  ummataaf hujiirra ooluu hin turre. Duuba maaltu diinaggeeyiin ummata jiraachisuu ture? Exportiin mootummaa qarshii ykn birrii miliyoona 75 hoggaa tahu, exportiin kontrabaandii qonnaan bultoonni fi daldaltoonni Oromoo kharaa Soomaalee fi Jabuutiin dalagaa turan walii galatti amatatti qarshii biliyoona 1.7 (1.7 billion birr) ummataaf galchuu ture. Maddi: Kitaaba Dr. Ezekial Gebissa “Khat & Agricultural Transformation in Harerge, Ethiopia 1875-1991”

The History of Miila Bakhar by journalist/writer Jafer Ali is downloadable now thanks to Calanqo Tube. Miila Bakhar, which translates to "Bakhar's Leg" is the story of the battle of Chelenko fought between the Oromos of Eastern Hararge and  the invading army of the Abyssinian Emperor Minelik. Jafer Ali named the radio play "Bakhar's Leg" in memory of the Raba Dori's army commander Bakhar Waare, who lost his leg in the battle. Bakhar Waare led the Oromo cavalry in battle and lost his leg during the battle and did not realize that his leg was missing until one of his soldiers informed him. Hence the common phrase in Hararge when something goes missing, "achi buute miila bakhar". Audio:  http://goo.gl/p6JhlR

By Jilcha Hamid With roughly 15000 troops commanded by Colonel Zeleke Beyene converging on the area of Kharro in Haromaya county, the small group of OLF fighters had now been surrounded and outnumbered. In late 1978, following the end of the Ethio-Somali border war, the attention of the Derg regime and its governor in Harar was now focused on defeating the Oromo rebels which had established themselves in the eastern highland regions. The rebels had been active throughout the Ethio-Somali conflict, attacking both the Somali and Ethiopian armies while steadily building up their strength. The Derg on its part was eager to end the rebellion once and for all and eliminate the shadowy rebel leader, known as “Jarra”. This was their opportunity. Jarra was among the roughly 300 rebels surrounded at Kharro. But inside the rebel camp Jarra's calm demeanor gave away his experience in similar situations. He knew that the Ethiopian army would only fight during the day, so he organized a ...

"Wa’eela too takka Haati maatii waatii Naaf osoo fiigduu tii Dhabde lubbuu siitii Rabbi araaramiif Isii naa rahmatii Haadha abbaa gootee Yatiima kan kootiif Galanni khee hin badin yaa Mootii Hunda fedhiin teetii Galanni khee hin badin yaa Mootii Hunda murtiin teetii"

Jiilchaa Haamidiin Wadaay: Aboo dubbii teedroos afro dhageeysanii? Araarso: Ee dhageenye jirraa mi. Anilleen sossooha boycottbaddelle keeysatti hirmaachaa hin turre? Wadaay: Magan.. Araarso: Maali hoo? Wadaay: Aboo shariyaan keenya farshoo hin dhoorkine? Araarso: Duuba niin dhuge wahiin je'e? Wadaay: Waan hin dhuyne akkamitti boycott goota? Araarso: Sossooha kana deeggaruun khiyya, dhuguu fi dhuguu dhabuu khiyarraa osoo hin taane, iyyinee iyya dabarsinee, warra farshoo khana dhugu dhageeysifne, dubbii hubachiifne akka hin dhuyne godhuu dha. Nafxanyaa qabrii kheenya gubbaan dhiichisu spoonsara isaa irraa muruu dha. Sani wanni nuti itti hojjachaa turre. Wadaay: Duuba milkooytanii? Araarso: Eee molkooyne..Dheengadda khunoo labsa Heineken irraa arkanne, teddy afro maallaqa irraa muruu isaanii.. dubbisi mee Wadaay: Haaya bada boo...*blup blup blup blup* (shiisha) Araarso: Akkam jettan? Wadaay: Lakki nuti dubbii farshoo kheeysa hin seennu...isinummaan irraa fixadhaa. *Jamal seene* Jamal:...

By Jilcha Hamid "Qaraa billawni koo gamni lachuu  khaniin adawwiidhaan halaalchu Maalayyaa isaaniin wal fakkaachuu Nu hin feenu isaan wajjiin jiraachuu Lakii, bu'i narraa, y aa Injiree mataa Hin bu'u yoo jette summiiniin si gataa Yoom ta mataa qofaa, ta huccuu nu' jiraa Ta dhiiga nu xuuxee nurraa fixxe coraa Arraa Boru jechuun, anaatu fi' laafee Tanaafiin si jalatti ukkaamamee hafee" These are lines from the poem written and performed by Abdi Habib, one of the classical Oromo artists hailing from Dirre Dhawa. He originally performed it at the Dirre Dhawa city hall in the late 1970's in fron t of a jubilant audience which errupted after hearing those lines. Abdi Habib was not well known before that performance (a perfmormance which got him arrested as soon as he left the stage) but after this performance his name rose to prominence. Everybody in Dirre Dhawa was singing "Qaraa billawni koo.." . According to witnesses one of the Derg sold...