By: Najat Hamza

Qeerroo is the youth class of the Gada system, democratic and positive. They are the embodiment of what is good in Oromo society, warriors of peace and democracy and the guardians of Oromia. They fought with peaceful resistance, with brilliance, with humility and determination. They are not about violence, greed, power or vanity. They are a generation rooted in the highest moral and ethical struggle in the African continent. They are fighting with peace against a violent, repressive and unforgiving Ethiopian regime not hesitant to shoot indiscriminately towards their youthful bodies in retaliation of their chants. They fought to question a system based on false narrations and violence and to demand its death.  They fought against a government ready to murder, arrest, rape, torture and displace them knowing their odds and choosing to die rather than live under these circumstances. They defeated fear of death, of rape, of torture and displacement from the only country they have known, in the hopes of bringing positive changes to the masses. They are our heroes. They bleed to expose your lies, debunk your narration of your economic raise and the house of cards you called “government” in the eyes of the world. It was and still is a damming indictment. They accomplished this exposure through peaceful means. This youth are supposed to be nominated for the Nobel Peace price or something equal not hunted by the regime like criminals.

Qeerroo is the downfall for TPLF in one way or another. The TPLF regime has already been defeated by Qeerroo when they lost the upper hand, influence or any form of quasi legitimacy they had. Their house of cards crumbled in the glaring presence of the truth made possible by this exemplary leaders of tomorrow. The final chapter for the demise of TPLF is targeting Qeerroo as a criminal group. This will be the needle that will break the camel’s back.

My questions to TPLF and their mercenaries are “how do you scare a group who is not scare to die?” How do you scare a generation willing to give their lives for what they believe in? The answer is you cannot. I remember then Secretary of Defense  of United States Ronald Rumsfeld when asked by a reporter why the terrorists in Iraq (AL-Qaida) were hard to contain? He answered, “Put yourself in my shoes, how do you scare someone who is not scared to die?” The reporter sat down.

Our youth are on the right side of history because they are demanding the right to dignity, peace, democracy, rule of law, economic rights, land rights, the right to equal opportunity and the right to govern their own country. These are are not the demands of terrorist group or selfish individuals. These are demands of leaders and selfless heroes who want what is best for their country and their people.

Qeerroo is the force that gave OPDO their dignity back, respectability from outside and inside, gave the office of Oromia legitimacy and now, Qeerroo needs protection from you. This generation deserves what they demanded for and more. They deserve the golden key to the Oromia as whole. Most importantly, Qeerroo is our children and we will shield them with everything we have got, and they will persevere. You have targeted them for 4 years and they have not flinched, and they do not now. This is the beginning of the end for you TPLF, your countdown begins now…1…2…