United Liberation Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO)
Background and Justification for the Liberation Struggle
The Oromo people belongs to the indigenous North and Northeast African group of people known as the Kushites.
The Kushitic people are related to the historic Nubians, who are known for their contribution to world civilization as
manifested by the artifacts and the pyramids.
Traditionally, the Oromo people have practiced a very democratic socio-political system known as Gadaa. In the Gadaa
system, the Oromo people elect their political leaders including Abbaa Bokkuu (the President) for a term of eight years.
The Gadaa system, for the most part, is similar to a modern democratic republican form of government.
The language of the Oromo people, Afaan Oromoo, is a well-developed language used for every day life – communication,
literature, music, education, and business. Taking the number of speakers and the geographic area it covers into account,
Afaan Oromoo is the first most widely spoken indigenous African language in the horn of Africa, and the second in the
whole of African continent.
The country of the Oromo people, Oromiyaa, has a population of well over 45 million (over 50% of the population in the
Ethiopian Empire). The Oromo constitutes the largest population in the Horn of Africa. It is the second largest in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Oromiyaa has an area of about 650,000 square Kilometers. Its size is larger than the sum total area of 19 African
countries put together (Malawi, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Burundi, Rwanda, Djibouti, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau,
Lesotho, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Comoros, Swaziland, Equatorial Guinea, Mayotte, Réunion, Sao Tome and Principe). If Cuba,
Bulgaria and Britain were put together, they would be approximately equal to Oromiyaa in size.
Oromiyaa is bordered by the Somali people to the East, the Sudan and Benishangul to the West, Abyssinia to the North,
Afar to the Northeast, Kenya to the south and various nations and nationalities inhabiting the Ethiopian empire to South
and the South-West.
Resource wise, Oromiyaa is among countries endowed with the most fertile land in Africa. It has abundant fresh water and
mineral resources and the most pleasant and healthy climate in the world.
The natural blessings of Oromiyaa have created a series of sworn enemies determined to annex Oromiyaa and exploit the
Oromo people and its resources. The Abyssinian rulers are among the staunchest enemies that waged wars of colonization
against the Oromo people. For centuries, the gallant Oromo fighters crushed the successive Abyssinian invasions until
the latter part of the 19th century. The wars of Arsi, Chalanqo, Abbichuu, Gullallee, Meettaa, Maccaa, Karrayyuu, Walloo,
Booranaa, Gujii, Jiillee, Horro Guduruu and many more are still vivid in the people to liberate themselves from the yoke
of Abyssinian colonial rule.
The struggle for the liberation of Oromiyaa has evolved into a higher phase that demands an organization of superb caliber
to advance the cause of the struggle to its ultimate goal. In order to meet such a demand, the integration of scattered
political forces into a well coordinated and unified entity is quite imperative. To this effect, the United Liberation
Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO) was formed in 2000 and has been playing a role of coordinating and facilitating the road to
ultimate unification. It is in this historical perspective that the transformation of ULFO into a single unified entity
is necessitated and realized by the merger of COPLF (Council of Oromo People’s Liberation Front), FIDO (Front for Independence
of Democratic Oromiyaa) and UOPLF (United Oromo People’s Liberation Front). Hence, we, members of COPLF, FIDO, and UOPLF:
Conscious of the fact that freedom and sovereignty are legitimate aspirations of the People of Oromiyaa;
Firm in principle and unwavering dedication to the realization of this aspiration of the people of Oromiyaa
and the building of a sovereign, independent democratic state of Oromiyaa;
Determined to safeguard and consolidate the gains of the struggle and augment our efforts to dismantle the
colonial rule once and for all,
Fully aware that factional contention and division would prolong the suffering of our people and make
our beloved nation continue to be easy prey to the Abyssinian colonial policy of divide and rule;
Conscious of our responsibility to harness the natural and human resources of Oromiyaa for the total
advancement of our people's legitimate cause;
Devoted to promote understanding and collaboration among Oromo civic organizations and foster
brotherhood and unity transcending religious and regional differences;
Committed to translate this devotion into a dynamic force in the course of our struggle for freedom,
peace, and prosperity;
Recognizing the indispensability of our unity for our liberation to bring about an Independent
Democratic Republic of Oromiyaa;
hereby triumphantly transform the United Liberation Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO) into a single entity by merging all our
organizations and adopt this political program unanimously.
