O-Dispatch #6: Reclaiming the Oromo Voice: What Leaders, Youth, and Movements Must Do Now

 By Bantii Qixxeessaa

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Movements don’t just collapse under repression or internal conflict; they collapse in silence. Not the silence of weariness, but the kind born from hesitation, ambiguity, and fear. That silence is growing louder in the Oromo liberation movement, and it’s threatening to unravel hard-won gains. The core question today is not whether the Oromo people desire justice, liberation, self-determination, or independence. It’s whether those who claim to lead, represent, or advocate for them are willing to speak with the moral clarity and political courage the moment demands. This is a call to act. To abandon half-truths, to shed whispered convictions, and to speak boldly and publicly about what the Oromo people have long known: that their struggle is not about marginal reforms, it’s about reclaiming dignity, identity, and sovereignty.

Whether the ultimate goal is full independence or genuine self-rule, the path forward must be marked by unapologetic conviction, strategic flexibility, and unified communication.

The foundation of any serious movement is truth. It begins with stating goals clearly. If independence is what the people seek, then that must be voiced openly. If self-determination is the principle, it must be defended in public, not reserved for closed meetings or diaspora fundraisers. Leaders cannot afford to avoid the language of liberation because they fear labels. Truth cannot liberate if it is never spoken.

In the current climate, the label of “secessionist” is a political weapon, wielded by centralist regimes to delegitimize any demand for national self-determination. But history shows us that many peoples once denounced as separatists later stood recognized as sovereign nations. Demanding independence is not a crime, it is a right, protected by Article 39 of the Ethiopian Constitution and enshrined in international law. This right should not be feared but reframed: independence is not rebellion; it is justice. To advance this narrative, leaders must educate both domestic and international audiences, while Oromo youth must shed the burden of inherited guilt and reclaim a history too often distorted or dismissed.

Even for those who view independence as a long-term goal rather than an immediate demand, it must remain in public discourse. Removing it from conversation has real consequences. It turns federal reform into the ceiling instead of the floor. It signals uncertainty to both friends and foes. And it sows confusion and distrust among the people. Independence is more than an endpoint, it is a tool. Even if not pursued today, the right to demand it must be vigorously defended.

That doesn’t mean movements shouldn’t be flexible. Mature movements distinguish between principle and tactic. Tactical alliances, pauses in conflict, or negotiations are not betrayals, so long as they remain grounded in a clear, principled vision. Strategic ambiguity can be useful, but only if tied to firm long-term goals. The Oromo movement can survive internal disagreements. What it cannot survive is a vacuum of vision.

This moment demands action from every corner of the Oromo struggle.

Oromo advocacy groups in the diaspora must adopt a long-game strategy. They should take cues from the work of the Oromia Support Group, which systematically documents state atrocities. Messaging campaigns must focus not just on grievances, but on the principle of self-determination, human rights, and the legal foundation of the Oromo cause. Instead of relying solely on street protests, the diaspora must invest in professionalized storytelling, advocacy infrastructure, and coordinated lobbying efforts that move governments and media.

Political and military organizations such as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) must stop speaking in half-measures. Their goals must be publicly clarified, in language that leaves no room for ambiguity. Political and military wings must align their narratives and embrace the legal instruments at their disposal, most notably the constitutional right to self-determination. Silence is not a strategy. Power concedes nothing to hesitation.

The Oromo youth, often at the front lines of protest and sacrifice, must also take a new direction. Their organizing must grow beyond reactive anger to rooted clarity. Cultural revival, through Oromo history, literature, and music, must power political awareness. Youth should also forge coalitions with other oppressed groups, both within Ethiopia and globally. And when current leadership hesitates or falters, young people must not be afraid to demand generational change.

A key part of this transformation lies in narrative. The digital space must become a battleground for truth. Oromo creators must invest in content that doesn’t just respond to violence but tells stories of resilience, hope, and sovereignty. Short films, podcasts, music, visual art, TikToks, and YouTube content in both Afaan Oromo and English, the likes of those produced by Birmaduu Media and others,  should reshape the way the world sees the Oromo struggle. Digital engagement must be strategic, consistent, and professional, designed not just to express frustration, but to build legitimacy and shift perception.

Ultimately, the Oromo voice must be reclaimed, not merely represented. No leader or organization can claim to speak for a people unless they are willing to say what the people know to be true: that the Oromo are not a region within someone else’s empire. They are a nation. Representation that lacks the courage to affirm that truth is not representation, it’s capitulation.

This is a pivotal moment. The silence that threatens to smother the Oromo struggle must be broken, not tomorrow, but now. The future will belong to those who claim it with purpose and speak it into existence.