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.