Dear Freinds, Over the last few days, I have avoided commenting on the issue of OMN which has been a topic of discussion for some time now. I am writing this comment in response to what is unfolding and what is being said around it. I chose to remain silent so far mainly because I thought it is an organizational- administrative issue that should be resolved by the parties directly involved in the organizational process. Unfortunately, from what I could understand from the resignation of the Board Chairman, Dr. Hamza Abdurazak, and from the public notification issued by OMN Chief Editor, the problem seems to stick and the discussions keep lingering. Needless to say, OMN is one of the excellent achievements our people have managed to secure in our recent history. They put their ideas and resources together and they devoted their time to work towards this phenomenal achievement. Since its inception, it has enormously contributed to the advancement of Oromo causes. It has been an invaluable platform for covering issues that concern the Oromo mostly from the perspectives of the Oromo person but also from the perspective of other peoples of shared experience in the region. It is also a forum for airing ideas that champion just causes for the Oromo and other oppressed peoples in the Horn of Africa region. For these, Oromo public at the large and those who actively involved in the process of realizing OMN should be given a commensurate credit. In the discussion of the past few days, we are reading unpleasant complaints and counter-complaints. OMN being a human organization, it is not entirely unexpected for this to happen. When a discord of this type happens, the problems that caused it can be, and should be, resolved in the spirit of advancing the cause and looking at the bigger picture. This, too, should have long been resolved by the Board and the Management who are directly involved in the business of running OMN. Unfortunately, the issues are now becoming a matter of the public discussion. Those of us who are not directly involved in and are informed of the issues at stake, should exert our influence to all conflicting parties to sit down, identify the real problems, and address the same in a very responsible and transparent way. Those of us who are ‘outsiders’ to the issues at stake (not that any of us are so much of outsiders, really!), should do well NOT to play a negative role by actively disseminating judgmental and incriminating comments on any of the people directly involved. For this is not a ‘fight’ in which there be a winner and a loser. We will all be losers if we fail to handle this properly. Only strengthening a strong, independent, organizationally self-sustaining, non-partisan, OMN is a victory for the Oromo people. Only then shall we all be winners. Anything less will be a loss even if individuals win or lose in their own “battles”. When it comes the issue of OMN. We either win together or lose together. We know we should win. And we CAN win. This is a challenge, no doubt. But a small challenge to a big community, that is aspiring for much bigger future. This is a small challenge, a challenge where we can show our resilience and wisdom once more. All the conflicting actors are our brothers and sisters, and all our efforts to identify the problems and to suggest remedies should be done in that spirit. Truthfulness, honesty, and courage should be our guiding principles in the process of identifying and fixing the problem. The general public should remain prudent and restrained from writing an inflammatory, one sided-and polarizing comments that take the issue to a kind of mob verdict.Hamza Abdurezak Jawar Mohammed Ahmed Gishe Solomon Ungashe Dhaqqabaa Hawaas Tsegaye F Regassa Tibebu Sime. Birhanemeskel Abebe Segni Birhanu M Lenjiso Tigist Geme Hawi Chala Kiya Koo Abiy Atomssa Roza Be Leta T. Bayissa Biftu G. Hawas Siinqe Aadaa Jarso Sagni Yadessa Badhaasaa Kutu Darara Dadhi Babsa Tula
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 03:23:24 +0000
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