“Anniya Doyeenna Horreemo”. (I will raid after my father spied the land)

Mulugeta B. Daye

The title of this article is  derived from weedo. Weedo is a poem and dance of glorifying of peers who took part in Luwa.  The Luwa system has two important objectives. The first and the most important one is the recruitment and training of the able bodied men for the defence of the nation. the second is In the process of recruitment is all inclusive, regardless the status of wealth, social affiliation, just to accommodate somebody to participate in and to share the pride from the participation that comes from song of participation to glorify those who part take in luwa known as weedo.

However, the recruitment to a given Luwa grade does not depend on the age of the individual. It depends on the grade of one's father. For instance, if we assume that Darara is the first cycle and Mogissa is the last cycle, and if the son of Darara becomes Mogissa, a son born to a person who is a member of the Darara cycle has to wait for 32-40 years to join the Mogissa grade. Therefore, in the Luwa cycle, it is possible that a child as well as a 40 years old adult can become members of the same Luwa cycle. Thus, age is not a sole criterion in the making of the Sidama Cimeessa (respected elder).

 A person who did not pass through the Luwa cycles cannot become a Cimeessa while a younger person can qualify for a position if he fulfils all other requirements. Spying  is all about physical and psychological presence in the  territory  of enemy;  evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of  the enemy, and suggesting and instructing the comrades how to prepare over the strengths of the opponents before the carrying out actual combat.    

Spying fathers of the Sidama luwa combatants have been  instructors, strategists and educators.  They were also good communicators who mastered the content of their messages, that lead their trainees to  effective victory  over enemy territories,  expansion of the horizon of the nation and collect booty, for peer and pride for generation.


May be the most crucial question this time around is what is the content of the messages?   I am sure that you are familiar with product labels which show what is inside even before you open. The term content means for me is a  burden, essence,  gist, ideas, the matter, meaning, significance, substance, thoughts or capacity.

 If the message lucks in the contents department, then the whole message loses its purpose. The content acts as the back bone to our message and information. Imagine the human body without a back bone, the body will collapse. Therefore the content has to be taken seriously. We who are posting various messages in social media for example SUSA forum should be vigilant enough to forecast the consequences of message. We should consider when we utter a word. Because we are cultivating fertile ground for understanding the whole issue about freedom fighting with out violence.

From above words one can tell how relevant content is  to all communicators, and all the people that dare to communicate effectively with the issues affecting more than 3.5 million people. Do not post because you want to, but you should have some thing to say which is  worthy of learning that leads and contributes  to victory. 

 When you felt a burden to be freedom fighter, you do not struggle doing the work of freedom fighter because it is in you. A feeling is some time hard to manage, but  there are steps and long way of mastering it, and some  times  we need to share it with our peers before posting it, until we  attain the calling of independent writings and the level of educators.

A feeling that leads to calling through the stages of preparation to leadership and educators status is right path.Below is some of the indicators and or signs of look out for freedom educator.

1)     To be touched or internal conviction :-Begin to hate injustice (beebba) always want to help victims come out of it.
2)      Verbal expression:- Find it easy to share the message about freedom justice with others.
 3)     Performance of prescribed works:- be  a person of principle and action.
4)     Have constant passion, compassion, empathy and weeping for the victims of injustice, regardless identity.
5)     Seeing potential in people despite they do not understand you or misunderstood you. The time will come they will be touched by their encounters to step in your shoes.
.6)     Prioritising freedom in your life.
7)     Ready to pay a price.

 If   each one is reaching at least ten people,  I am honest we play a role of Dooya  for younger generation aspiration not to raid the territory of any jurisdiction but emancipate first of all ourselves, gradually  others, generations to come and beyond.

    

 

The Sidama has no grievance with sisterly oppressed Nation(s)

Mulugeta B. Daye.

Frustrated SPDM on Sidamas’ commitment to abide law of the land and keeping on the demand for regional autonomy in civilised manner, opted to pervert the course of justice.    The President of SNNPRS   forced   820 cadres to declare nine points, against the will and wish of the Sidama.  This distortion was transmitted on Ethiopian Television on 2, October 2012. Nine points can be analysed into three main categories.
1)      public confession for part of the 820 Sidamas, those who are  integrated to SPDM political system that marginalised 3.4 million Sidamas for either they  are  suspected ofsupporting , sympathising and joining the struggle for Sidama’s quest for regional autonomy, that worried the president of SNNPRS who felt left alone.  

2) Reducing the demand of 3.4 million Sidamas’ for regional self-administration as the demand of internally:- parasites and rent seekers, Externally, anti-peace diasporas.

3)  ugly image creating attempt:-by presenting Sidama’s as non-tolerant for non sidama’s  particularly the Sisterly nation whose sons and daughters became very powerful in SPDM.

Primarily, In light of ignited public anger and perpetuating the Sidama’s quest for regional autonomy, based on constitution and non-violent strategy, their approach do not hold water and weightless.  It is good opportunity for freedom fighters to know exact figure and the identity of the Sidama who are integrated into SPDM and participant of miss- treating the people they are supposed to represent.  As far as their number is concerned they are just less than 0.0002%. Just they are a drop in the ocean.   Regarding their personal integrity:- they are not worth either to SPDM or the Sidama,  deficient  of firm stand. They are vulnerable to be swept when strong tide of public struggle. From their confession   we came to know what they have been doing against  SPDM line of politics and pro-Sidama interest and vise/versa.

Secondly,  quest for Regional self-autonomy and self respect is neither limited to those who are insulted as internal parasites and rent seekers, nor, labelled as  External, anti-peace element. It is the demand of 3.4 million, but both internal and external sidamas are contributing their parts to as much their consciousness allow them. They are fulfilling their historical obligation.  Rent seekers are those pretentious  who do not speak their mind and   deny giant truth while maginfying grain of truth for their unsustainable comfort. Rent seekers are over night millioners who sale the interst of the nation to which they are born for minor benefits and opportunties, rent seekers and parasites are those who enjoy on the suffering  their, mothers, fathers sisters and brothers. Rent seekers are those who do not have gut and fail  to say no when blatant attack on the national interest of the nation which they are claiming to represent, rent seekers are those purposeless and living for a day, forgetting audacious deed of their ancestors, sacrificing  the aspiration  of present generation and hope of future generation on the altar of their  belly.

Thirdly,  Reducing the Sidama’s quest for  autonomy  to ill feeling to the citizens who are born to sisterly nation is perverting the course of justice.  This is disrespect to the sidamas’ peaceful coexistence, hospitality, accommodativeness,  tolerance and forgiveness, which is admired  appreciated by  non- sidamas living in and around the Sidama, let alone peace loving non-Sidamas, the Sidama’s foe admire Sidamas Philosophy by uttering  “Sidaamu reeshsha diwe wore Diaffinni yaanno” rough translation in English “instead of avenging Sidama, cover the dead aside and probe for justice” 
 Furthermore ,The accommodative nature of the Sidama also reflected in Luwa. the Luwa is administered by an age grade system where each grade rotates every 8 years. There are five rotating grades in the Luwa system. These are: Darara, Fullassa, Hirobora, Wawassa and Mogissa. The Malga clan in Awassa district adds Binancha as the sixth grade.

However, the recruitment to a given Luwa grade does not depend on the age of the individual. It depends on the grade of one's father. For instance, if we assume that Darara is the first cycle and Mogissa is the last cycle, and if the son of Darara becomes Mogissa, a son born to a person who is a member of the Darara cycle has to wait for 32-40 years to join the Mogissa grade. Therefore, in the Luwa cycle, it is possible that a child as well as a 40 years old adult can become members of the same Luwa cycle. Thus, age is not a sole criterion in the making of the Sidama Cimeessa (respected elder). A person who did not pass through the Luwa cycles cannot become a Cimeessa while a younger person can qualify for a position if he fulfils all other requirements.

The Luwa system has two important objectives. The first and the most important one is the recruitment and training of the able bodied men for the defence of the nation. the second is   In the process of recruitment is  all inclusive, regardless the status of wealth, social affiliation, just to accommodate somebody to participate in and to share the pride from the participation that comes from song of participation to glorify those who part take in luwa known as weedo.

Finally, the Sidama has its seera Institution known as boka to ex-communicate those who alienate and offend non-Sidamas living in sidama this law or seera is Sidama’s way of life to Adopt non- Sidamas and integrate them into the Sidama identity. Nine points declared by 820 cadres of SPDM never reflect the facts in the ground.  It is mere attempt to ignite  conflict between Sidamas and non- sidamas living in Sidama-land and neighbouring  sisterly nation,  and show case for the new PM that is originated from the named nation. 

 Fourthly, those who would like to perpetuate the processes of aborting the Sidama’s quest for regional autonomy and self-administration are exerting maximum effort is   the abuse of media for malicious purpose.  The problem of how the media represents news and propagates views today is described  in the words of  Jean Baudrillard in his essay, “Simulacra and Simulations” (1998:166-184) conceptualizing the relation between perception and reality. It would note, that the Media generally follows a pattern such as this “Whereas representation tries to absorb simulation by interpreting it as false representation, simulation envelops the whole edifice of representation as itself a simulacrum. These would be the successive phases of the image:

“(1) It is the reflection of a basic reality.

(2) It masks and perverts a basic reality.

(3) It masks the absence of a basic reality.

(4) It bears no relation to any reality whatever: it is its own pure simulacrum.” In the first case, the image is a good appearance: the representation is of the order of sacrament (The “real” story). In the second, it is an evil appearance: of the order of malefice (somewhat changed). In the third, it plays at being an appearance (the story that is published): it is of the order of sorcery. In the fourth, it is no longer in the order of appearance at all, but of simulation.(rumors, and “taught views”, as well as general misconceptions formed in the mind of the viewer)”This sums up the progression of any story within the Media, and also shows how marginalization is increased (and its ebb or flow is consequently dependent upon its portrayal in the world of the Media .

 

Therefore I would urge SPDM/EPRDF  not pervert the course of justice, by reducing 3.4 Sidamas quest for regional  self administration as pressure from those who are insuted as internal parasites and rent seekers, and  externally, anti-peace diaspora.  The reason for quest of self adminstration  emanets from bad governence and the way you have been handling  the Sidama nation for the last 21 years  by abusing the power you hold, any way.  I would urge the Sidams non violent struggle followers  stand firm, united,  and calm. the false image given to you is neither new.  nor relevant to the the truth in you.  Aware that It is the continuation of the derge regime that uttered the saying   “Sidaamanna hayiixxe issinni isso Ussuranni”  Continue questing constitutional right. Victory is yours, as long as you stand firm, united.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jean Baudrillard, Selected Writings, ed Mark Poster. Stanford University Press, 1998, pp.166-184.

 

  The SPDM/ EPRDF Decision on the Sidama Regional Question .

By Mulugeta B. Daye

October 1, 2012

The SPDM and its Officials at the helm of the power in the Regional State  created by merger of 56 nations, nationalities and peoples known as SNNPRS have  been shaken down to their  foundation since the  Sidama people demanded regional self-administration.   The last week meeting of 820 cadres and loyalist in Hawassa called by the SNNPRS President of Southern region about which our various reporters have shared detailed account   has concluded on the following   three issues. These issues are decisive to existence of the Sidama people:

1)       The president of SNNPRS  forced  the cadres to accept that  the Sidama people have  denounced their  quest for regional autonomy.

2)      He forced the cadres to  agree to replace the Sidama  Administrations of Hawassa city by non-Sidamas, with implementation of the agreed upon plan postponed for little while.

3)     Regarding the release of the Sidama prisoners, who are jailed simply on suspicion of mobilising the Sidama for regional autonomy, shall be denied the release even on bail.

      Release on the bail means, in Ethiopian system; If the accused given the right to release on bail the accuser secures the detainees   appearance in court, when the person is needed to do so.  This can be attained in Ethiopia, primarily, by some of money deposited to secure an accused person’s temporary release from custody and to guarantee that person’s appearance in court at a later date. If the person fails to appear in court on the date set, the money is forfeited, Secondly, released under security:-  temporary release from  custody after bail has been paid. This indicates the mistreatment of  the Sidama political prisoners, who have no other criminal records.  They are feared and  suspected only of mobilising the Sidama people to echo the demand for regional self administration and the entire Sidama community  honoured and respected  them.
       Further more, mis-treatment of sidama political prisoners is so harsh,  particularly those who are respected by the sidama community, that ranges from simple psychological  torture such as demoralising, discouraging, bullying, teething by criminals in jail lose of Job and physical torture such as  beating  the person in the custody  which is also violation of human right, the recent heart-breaking news  form Hawassa according to Sidama Worancha reporter net work , unknown criminals  attempted  to commit unsuccessful assassination to Dukkale Lamiso 55,
      prominent Sidama politcal prisoner   Dukkall'e Laamiso, witnesses this case.

Amharic report taken from Sidama Worancha Blog reads:
     "የ55ዓመት እድሜ ባለበት የሆኑት እና በአሁኑ ወቅት በማረሚያ ቤት ሆነው በስኳርና የደም ግፊት እየተሰቃዩ የሚገኙት ካላ ዱካሌ ላሚሶ፣ በነሐሴ 10/2004ዓ.ም ከስራ ቦታቸው ታፍነው እስር ቤት የተወረወሩት፣ እስከዛሬ መስከረም 15/2005ዓ.ም ድረስ ክስ ሳይመሰረትባቸው በማረሚያ ቤት የሚገኙት እና ለሲዳማ ሕዝብ መብት ሕይወታቸውን ሙሉ ሲታገሉ የኖሩ፣በግብርና ዘርፍ ማስተርሳቸውን በእንግሊዝ ሀገር በ1980ዎቹ ያገኙት አቶ ዱካሌ ላሚሶ መስከረም 14/2005ዓ.ም ከጠዋቱ 4 ሰዓት ላይ በቴክኒክና ሞያ ት/ቤት አካባቢ ከወህኒ ቤት በፖሊስ ታጅበው ለደም ግፊት ህክምና ወደ ሃዋሳ ሬፈራል ሆስፒታል ሄደው ሲመለሱ ማንነታቸው ባልታወቁ ሰዎች ከተጫኑበት ባጃጅ ጭምር ታርጋ በሌለው መኪና ተገጭተው 4 ሜትር በሚረዝመው የአስፋልት ጠርዝ ገደል ውስጥ ጥለዋቸው ለጊዜው ተሰውረዋል፡፡በዚህም አደጋው በደረሰበት አካባቢ ህብረተሰብ ርብርብ ሕይወታቸው የተረፈ ሲሆን ታርጋ የሌለው ተሸከርካሪም ለጊዜው ተሰውሯል"፡፡  Which means roughly:" Dukkale Lamiso 55, is the diabetic and suffering from blood pressure. He was  kidnapped and later found himself in one of notorious jail, on 17^th of August 2012, he was not charged until 22/09/2012.  Mr. Laamiso is  MSc.  In agriculture [ graduate of Reading in 1999] United Kingdom. On 21t of September at 10: am local time was being escorted to  Hawassa Referral Hospital. On his way back to jail he was narrowly escaped death trap. The culprits were unknown in a vehicle without plate number who crashed  Laamiso’s taxi  and throw him in 4 meter deep canal  beside road, he was survived by the help of local community, shortly  after the culprit disappear the crime scene." [ other sources claim  that assassination attempt was organised by the government security forces]    


      This turn of events shouldn't be a surprise to anybody who understands African political tradition in general and Ethiopian politics in particular. It is unfortunate that the government opted for All or None approach and denied the Sidama people's constitutional right, the right the Ethiopian constitution(Article 39) grants to all Ethiopian nations, nationalities, and peoples, without restriction.
 

  Sidama's quest for regional status is neither new nor unreasonable request. Both the federal and   regional governments had enough time to explore various solutions, including temporary solutions that could be revisited after a specific time period in the future to come up with a better solutions that both parties can live with. Unfortunately, that is not how the government saw the issue. Well, we are where we are and the question we have to answer is: "Where do we go from here?" The simplest answer is to pick up the next higher card, which makes the issue the matter of international law. In other words, the quest becomes the right of general/external self-determination(--Territorial title, authority, political right).

 

It is imperative to consult some legal documents, in light of breaching the article 39 of the Ethiopian constitution, by those who are supposed to defend it The  supremacy clause of the constitution is a shorthand expression of the fact that constitutional principles are sources of ‘an objective normative value system, a set of values that must be respected’ (I. Currie and J. de Waal 2005: 32).   Whenever, laws are passed, interpreted or applied, and decisions are made or actions are taken. It is a local Grundnorm which, once established, becomes a wellspring of the normative order from which a country’s overall legal system, institutions, procedures, processes and substantive principles flow (E. McWhinney1985: 1986)

 The objective normative order and value system established by a constitution should provide a yardstick against which the legal validity of legislations and governmental (in)actions are measured (W. K. Geck, W. K. 1996: 25). Under the Ethiopian constitution, ‘[a] ny law, customary practice or a decision of an organ of state or a public official’ risks nullity if it deviates from the constitutional Grundnorm, the objective legal order sought to be installed by the constitution (FDRE Constitution, article 9(1). As well as all citizens, political organisations, other associations and their officials, all organs of the state have an explicit ‘duty to ensure observance of the Constitution and to obey it’(Ibid., article 9(2))

Nevertheless, the constitution cannot create ‘a track from which no one can deviate. It is simply not humanly possible’ (Willis,1997:30). The best that can be hoped for is for it to provide an overarching framework that can ‘facilitate the co-existence of all socially constituted entities, extending in size from the socially constituted self to the political community-at-large’ (Ibid.: 3). A deviation from the constitutionally established ‘objective legal order’ is obviously unconstitutional, but questions arise in relation to the determination of whether a law, decision or practice of a state organ is indeed unconstitutional.

At the risk of a degree of oversimplification, it may be stated that attempts at guaranteeing constitutional supremacy involve three steps(Bobbs-Merrill 1971) The first step is to codify meta-constitutional norms, higher societal values, into constitutions. This process ‘positivises’ the country’s guiding principles and values and somewhat insulates them against their violation through constitutionally entrenched guarantees. The second step is to rigidify the constitutional principles and values, ‘conferring a relative immutability on the superior law and the values it enshrines’(Ibid) .The final step is to provide for an institutional guarantee for insuring against or remedying executive or legislative encroachments on the values and principles so consecrated. This, more often than not, would entail adjudication of complaints of unconstitutionality of legislative acts or executive conduct or both. It is in this third aspect that nations’ experiences vary greatly in terms of the procedures and institutions designed to adjudicate constitutional disputes.  

 We, the Sidama people have strong case that witnesses the breach of constitution, it is needless to detail historical background here, as both regional, and federal governments of Ethiopia are fully aware of  it.   The Sidama people’s demand for regional autonomy has been placed in front of politicians step by step, using every acceptable procedures. The former PM head of Ethiopian government accepted the legitimacy and the legality of the demand.

It is more than 6 years while the Sidama’s official quest for regional autonomy was filed, the response was however systematically delayed, and now denied. Therefore the   Sidama case   should go to:

1)     Constitutional court if there is any in Ethiopia.

2)     If the Sidama’s, demand for self-Administration has no response form constitutional court in the country, the campaign should be launched to make African Union Aware of the issue.

3)      If African Union fails to consider this case  Sidama’s issue,  the United Nations should be made aware of the breach of constitution, as the Sidama people numbering 3.4 million continue to be denied fair treatment, under the   Ethiopian administration. Therefore all, Sidama people including , councils of elders, students, men, women, and those in diasporas should join hands to contact the African Union and the Untied Nations and other global Human rights organizations  and invite them to probe  the continued unconstitutional mistreatment of the Sidama people including the continued persecution, abuse, harassment and torture and gross violations of human rights for protection.

Dukk'ale  Lammisso, one of the Sidama political prisoners , after surviving fresh car accident.

Free all Sidama Political Prisoners!!!