This summer in front of our eyes Leenco Baati and Hassan Hussen declared in Minnesota, MN that they fired the legitimate OLF leadership through a mob action and would lead the Oromo national movement by remote control. They declared that they appointed former Meles general, Kamal Galchu, who fought against the OLF for almost two decades and promoted to this position by killing Oromo nationalists. Kamal was appreciated to run away from the Ethiopian government and to join the OLF. But he did not yet shoot one bullet to promote the Oromo struggle. Before trying to lead the Oromo national movement, he should fight for the Oromo people and prove that he can be an Oromo general.

Promoting Kamal Galchu and attacking those who have given all their lives for the Oromo cause can only be done under clan politics. Clan politics has brought together members of OPDOs and other organizations in attacking the non-Arssi OLF leadership. The mob group in Minnesota claimed that they contributed more than 200,000 dollars this summer. Whey did not this group contribute this much money when they were part of the OLF? Wasn't the OLF their organization then? Was it because their clan men controlled the OLF leadership now, as they claimed, they had to contribute a lot of money? Or Did the TPLF agents' contribute some money to attack the OLF within the organization.

We wonder what would Oromo heroes such as Magarsa Bari, Goota Bobas, Gutama Hawas, Adam Jillo, and Nadhi Gamada say if they were alive. Leenco Baati and Hassan Hussen should have carried on the torch of these heroes rather than using clan politics to fulfill their delusionary dreams. Opportunists, former Derg cadres and OPDOs who did not yet prove themselves through bitter struggle that they are Oromo nationalists cannot be leaders of the Oromo national movement.

However, Dawud is responsible for appointing Kamal in the Oromo Liberation Army; this is morally devastating for OLF commanders such as Furgas Qajeela, Abdata Basire, and Legesee Wagi. How can a person in his right mind put Kamal in such position? How could under the leadership Dawud Ibssa, Leenco and Hassan organize a clan organization within the OLF? Or did not he know the difference between clan politics and Oromo nationalism? Did Dawud make such decisions individually or did he consult experienced Oromo politicians and intellectuals on such matters? Does he lead the OLF individually? If the answers to all these questions are yes, he has created favorable conditions for opportunist infiltrators, enemy agents, and clan politicians.

The OLF is the heart and brain of the Oromo national struggle and it cannot be left to an individual or individuals who cannot understand the complexity of the Oromo national movement. The OLF can be only victories by overcoming leadership arrogance and by embracing humility and an Oromo democratic ethos and by positively managing clan relationships, regional and religious diversity. Lennco Baati, Hassan Hussen and other Oromo leaders should be exposed and criticized for engaging in clan or regional politics at the cost of Oromo nationalism.

A dangerous political trend has emerged in the OLF, and we need to take actions to divert them. One of these trends is that almost all Arssi Oromos, whether they are OLF members or not, have joined and supported the clannish political trend by attacking the non-Arssi OLF leadership. All of them have criticized the non-Arssi OLF leadership while exonerating the OLF leadership of Arssi origin, namely Leenco, Hassan and those who live in exile. For almost two decades, Leenco Baaati and Hassan Hussen were the shakers and movers in the OLF leadership. They should be evaluated for their achievements and failures like other Oromo leaders from other areas. It is morally, ethically and politically wrong that they hide under clan politics because of the number of the Arssi Oromo Diaspora who are in and out of the OLF and who support their wrong actions of these individuals.

We appreciate the involvement of the large numbers of Arssi Oromos in the OLF when the majority of other Oromos are passive or hiding in churches/mosques. In order to play a leading positive role in the Diaspora, the Arssi Oromos should not attack other Oromo leaders while defending Leenco, Hassan and others who wish to emerge as new leaders without being evaluated for their tragic leadership failures and for inciting clan politics that might destroy the future of Oromo society if it is not stopped immediately.

All Oromos from all regions must learn from this Diaspora political debacle. If all Oromos from all Oromo clans, branches and regions do not participate in the Oromo national struggle to balance power of forces, opportunist and reactionary Oromos in the movement can hijack the Oromo national struggle for opportunistic reasons. We support the idea of evaluating the progress of the Oromo movement and the contributions of all Oromos to the movement to critically identify the strengths and weaknesses of the leadership and Oromo society. There is an urgency now to clearly know the differences between Oromo nationalism on one hand and clan/regional/religious politics on the other in the Oromo national struggle. If we want to destroy our future as a society we mix all of fracture identities with Oromo nationalism.

Victory to the Oromo People! Oromia Shall be Free! Down with Ethiopia and its supporters!