Ahmad Taqi Sheikh Mohammed Rashid (May 14, 1940 - September 6, 1974) was an Oromo nationalist.

Early life

Ahmad Taqi was one of the sons of the prominent Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Sheikh Bilal Choree. His mother was Mariyam Ahmad Hajji Salih Diimaa. He was born at Chirrati (Belbelti), in the Habro District of Hararghe province (modern-day Habro woreda in Mirab Hararghe Zone of the Oromia Region). He was the third child in his family. In his early ages, he was educated in Islam and Oromo history by his father. Being well educated and well known, his father could spread his beliefs even if the then regime banned such nationalist thoughts.

When he was only 15, he moved to Gelemso town with his elder brother Muteki Sheikh Mohammed (Muttaqi Sheek Muhammad). He lived there by working on wholesaling and trading in coffee. Throughout his career, he supported the poor and especially students of the area.

The beginning of his Career as an Oromo Nationalist

Later on, he came to know General Taddese Birru, one of the founders of Mecha and Tulama Self-Help Association, and who was under house arrest at that time in Gelemso. Tadesse and Ahmad Taqi began to teach the people that they have a right just equal to that of the landlords of the area, and being an Oromo is not a curse but a virtue to love. On his frequent travels to Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa (Finfine), he was known by famous Oromo nationalists like Baro Tumsa, Jarra Abba Gada, and Ali Birra.

His Introduction to Elemo Kiltu

At last, the Haile Selassie regime was brought down by the 1974 Revolution. Ahmed Taqi had helped Taddese Birru escape his house arrest, bringing him to Addis Ababa by night. And at his stay in Addis Ababa, He knew the activist Elemo Kiltu (also known as Hasan Ibrahim), who returned from Syria to launch an armed struggle against the government. Elemo told Ahmad Taqi the idea of coming to Gelemso and Ahmad Taqi accepted it.

The Armed Struggle

In May 1974, Elemo went to Gelemso, and made necessary arrangements to launch the armed struggle against the oppressing regime of Haile-Selassie. He visited Sheikh Mohammed Rashid, the father of Ahmad Taqi, and the sheikh advised him to begin the struggle in the mountains of Guba Koricha (50 km north of Gelemso).

Elemo went with an army of 19 persons to Guba Koricha in June 1974. Then, he and his forces started to take measures against the rural landlords. They fought against the defenders of Mulatu Tegegn who was harassing the Oromo tenants to force them to pay high tributes. The guards of Mulatu killed Hajji Omar Khorchee instantly. The rebels killed Mulatu Tegegn, a notorious landlord, and all his men at a place called Hardim. The dead body of Mulatu was brought to Gelemso. The supporters of the government were very angry and they vowed revenge. Government started to detain suspects for the case. Ahmed Taqi was one of the suspects as he used to preach national pride and self governance for the Oromos.

Ahmad Taqi escaped the arrest, and went to join the Oromo freedom army led by Elemo. As he was a merchant, he went with handful of money that might support the army for living needs. He met Elemo at a place called Bubbee (33 km away from Gelemso town on the top of Bubbe mountain). The necessary arrangements were made on the leadership. Elemo was chosen as the chairperson and Ahmed Taqi was made the commander of the army.

The army of the Oromo freedom fighters began more actions, more war and more resistance against the government forces. Ahmed Taqi was given a nickname "Hundee" by the army. But the name has long been used by his father.

The military junta of the Derg who seized power from Haile Selassie sent an army led by General Getachew Shibeshi. At the presence of the public, the then administrator of Harerghe, Colonel Zelleke Beyyene, vowed to destroy Gelemso if he could not kill Ahmad Taqi.

The search of both continued. And finally, on September 6, 1974 both armies met each other at Tiro (26 km East of Gelemso). Ahmad Taqi was killed at noon, and Elemo assumed command, continuing to fight the government forces with his few men until sunset. Finally the government forces managed to kill Elemo with mortar fire. Only three persons of his army survived the battle. Two of them are still alive.

The Prophecy of the father of Ahmad Taqi

The father of Ahmad Taqi heard the martyrdom of his son and said "My son is not dead. His blood is a seed to the future freedom of the Oromos. A seed will be a big tree one day. One day, the name Oromo will be known all over the world". So, as the sheikh said, the name Oromo is a pride for Oromos today. And Ahmad Taqi is still remembered when the Oromo freedom struggle is mentioned.

Ahmad Taqi was never married. But he has so many relatives and fans, including his elder brother Muteki Sheikh Mohammed.

[edit] Ahmad Taqi and Elemo in Art and Literature

1.The famous singer Ali Birra made Ahmad Taqi immortal by singing for him. In his song, in a very metahporic way, Ali Birra says:

"Yaa Hundee Bareeda- Yaa Finxee Midhagaa". (Hundee is Ahmad Taqi himself)

2. Theodros Mulatu, a well known Amharic novelist, used the movements led by Ahmad Taqi and Elemo for his book Akel-Dama, (the Bloody Land). However, Theodros is criticized for attaching the movement to EPRP (Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party, commonly known as "Ihaappaa")

3. The Canadian based Oromo singer Elemo Ali praised the martyrs of The Battle of Tiro in his album titled "Oromiyaa" which was released in 1992.

Ebla 15 Guyyaa Goottaa ti!!

Akkaataa fi maaliif Guyyaan kun akka murtaawe)

Ummatni Oromoo guyyaa gabrummaa jalatti kufe irraa kaasee bilisummaa fi walabummaa isaa deebifachuuf wareegama baasuu eegale. Wareegama baasuu erga jalqabee waggaa dhibbaa ol taheera. Bilisummaa isaaf jecha ummatni Oromoo har’a illee wareegama qaalii baasaa jira. Boris, ifitaanis haga bilisummaan mirkanaawuutti wareegama baasuun kan hin oolle taha. Gootoota ilmaan Oromoo kan bilisummaa saba isaaniif jecha gatii lubbuu baasan yaadachuunis dirqama ilma Oromoo mara irraa eegamu. Kanaafiis Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo Ebla 15 Guyyaa Goototaa Oromoo jechuun murteessee erga kabajamuu jalqabee kunoo waggaa 20 ol taheera. Guyyaan kun akka itti murteeffamee gad fagennaan wal hubachiisuun barbaachisaa dha. Sababa isaa hubachuun yaadannoo goonuf nu gargaara.

Gootowwan ilmaan Oromoo bilisummaa saba isaaniif jecha baatii adda addaa keessa, guyyaa adda adda keessatti kufan galmee seenaa irra jiru. Har’a illee gootowwaan keenya guyyuu diina kuffisaa kufaa jiru. Wareegama baasuun keenya osoo hin dhumatin maaliif guyyaa goototaa jennee Ebla 15 kabajanna yaadi jedhu illee namatti buluu danda’a. Seenaa armaan gadii hubachuun sababaa Ebla 15 itti kabajnuuf nu hubachiisa. Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo Ebli 15 Guyyaa Goototaa Oromoo akka tahu sababa malee hin murteessine. Innis akka armaan gad jiruu dha.

Bara 1978 walakkeessa irraa kaasee haga dhuma 1979tti ABO haala akkan rakkisaa keessa ture. Yeroon kun yeroo lolli Somaliyaa fi Itophiyaa dhumatee, waraanni Ziyaad Barree arihamee bahee, mootummaan Dargii humna ABO kan reefu ijaaramaa jiru dhabamsiisuuf duula wal irraa hin citne itti bobbaase ture. Waraanni Bilisummaa Oromoo Baalee, Arsii fi Harargee keessatti duula kana of irraa deebisuuf lola cicimaa seene. Qunnamtiin isaa addaan citee ni faca’aa yaaddoon jedhu illee guddaa ture. Qabsoon haqaa yoomuu waan injifatuuf jagnootiin WBO duula Dargii of irraa qolatanii Amajjii 1, 1980 walitti dhufanii ayyaana guddaa ayyaaneffatan.

Injifannoo karaa waraanaan argames karaa jaarmayaan itti fufuuf hogganooti ABO Arsii, Baalee fi Harargee keessa turan baatii Bitootessa keessa walitti dhufan. Hogganooti ABO biyya alaa turanis mootummaa Somaliyaa irratti hojjachuun waajjirri ABO Moqaadishootti bara 1980 keessa baname. Haala mijjataa kanatti dhimma bahamee hogganooti biyya keessaa fi ala jiran qaamaan wal arganii dhimmaa jaarmayaa dhaaba irratti murtii irra gahuun akka barbaachisu hubatame. Akka kanatti hogganoota yeroos dirree turan keessaa jilli tokko kan Dura Taa’aa fi I/A/Dura Taa’aan keessatti argaman akka Moqaadishoo deeman murtaawe. Akka kanatti jaallan namni kudhan gara Somaliyaatti socho’an. Isaanis:

1. Jaal Barisoo Wabee (Magarsaa Barii) - Dura Taa’aa

2. Jaal Gadaa Gammadaa (Damisee Tacaanee)- I/A Dura Taa’aa

3. Jaal Abbaa Xiiqii (Abboomaa Mitikku) – miseensa Koree Gidduu

4. Jaal Dori Bari (Yigazu Banti) – miseensa Koree Gidduu

5. Jaal Falmataa /Umar/Caccabsaa

6. Jaal Faafam Dooyyo

7. Jaal Irra’anaa Qacalee

8. Jaal Dhaddacha Boruu

9. Jaal Dhaddacha Mul’ataa

10. Jaal Marii Galaan (Mohammad Ibraham) turan.

Jaallan kun amna isaanii itti fufuu dhaan gammojjii Ogaadeen bakka Shinniggaa jedhamu yeroo gahan haalli isaan hin eegne isaan mudate. Bakka kana humni waraana Somaliyaa irraa hafee kan biyya saamuu fi jeequ shiftaatu ture. Jaallan kun osoo hin beekin harka waraana shiftaa kana bu’an. Waraanni Somaalii kun jibba guddaa ABO fi ummata Oromoo irraa waan qabuuf jaallan keenya guddaa hiraarse. Uffata irraa baafatee paantii duwwatti hambise. Harka duubatti hidhee reebee miidhaa guddaa irraan gahe. Osoo isin hin ajjeesin warri kiristaanaa taatan gam tokkotti, warri islamaa taatan gama biraatti bahaa jedheen. Jaallan hogganoota dhaabaa garuu nuti Oromoo dha, amantii fi gosaan adda hin baanu jedhanii didan. Shiftooti Somaalii jaallan hoggannoota keenya Ebla 15, 1980tti rashanamanii boolla tokkotti awwaalaman. Tokkummaan ummata Oromoo amantii fi gosaan kan adda hin baane tahuu jaallan keenya guyyaa kana dhiiga isaaniin mirkaneessan.

Jaallan hogganooti ABO dirree bahaa fi dhihaa keessa jiran oggaa odeessa kana argatan naasuu fi gadda guddaatu itti dhaga’ame. Miseensoti hogganooti hubatoo fi qaroon kufuun isaanii yoo dhaga’an abdii kutannaa fida jedhamee sodaatame. Haata’u malee qabsaawaan ni kufa qabsoon itti fufa! Gumaa jaallan keenyaa bilisummaa dha! jechuun qabsoo itti fufan. Kufaatii jaallan kanaas akka shororkaa hin uumneef dhaaba keessatti osoo hin labsamin ture. Walgahiin Koree Gidduu Godina Bahaa bara1984 baatii 7ffaa Harargee dhihaa, Ona Daaroo Labuu bakka Sakkattee jedhamutti teessuma irra osoo jiruu waraanni Dargii lola itti banee lola kana irratti miseensoti Koree Gidduu sadii wareegaman. Lolli xumuramee walgahiin itti fufee wareegamun hogganootaa akka miseensaaf labsamu, ittis dabalee Ebli 15 guyyaa gootota Oromoo jedhamee akka bara baraan yaadatamu murtaawe. Dhaaba keessatti sirnaan kan ayyaaneffatamuu jalqabe garuu Ebla 15 bara 1985 ture. Kun egaa bara kana irraa kaasee guyyaan yaadannoo gootota Oromoo waggaa waggaa dhaan yaadatamaa har’a geenye.

Guyyaan yaadannoo kun kan dhaaba tokkoo duwwaa miti. Gootowwan Oromoo yaadannu warra miseensota dhaaba ABO duwwaa osoo hin taane gootowwaan Oromoo dhaabota adda addaa, kanneen ijaaramaniis osoo hin ijaaramin diina falmuu irratti wareegama lubbuu kaffalan hundaa yaadanna. Guyyaan kun idileetti guyyaa ummatni Oromoo gootowwan isaa itti yaadatuu dha.

Guyyaa kana yeroo yaadannu faaruu goototaa faarsuun, dhaadannoo gumaa wareegamtoota keenyaa bilisummaa dha! jedhu dhageessisna. Gumaa gootowwan kufanii baasuuf qabsoo finiinsuuf waadaa keenya haaromsina. Tokkummaa ummata Oromoo wareegama gootowwan keenyaan bu’ureeffame tiksuuf irbuu keenya haaromsina.

Guyyaa kana akka lamatti yaadanna. Tokko gaddaan yeroo tahu inni kaan ammoo gammachuu dhaan. Jaallan keenya lubbuu isaanii geeddaraa hin qabne of cinaa dhabuu keenyatti ni gaddina. Waliin hiriira lolaa seennee jaallan bilisummaaf kufan dhabuu keenyatti ni gaddina. Gama kaaniin ammoo osoo isaan hin kufne tahee ifa bilisummaa har’a argaa jirru arguu hin dandeenyu kanaaf ni gammadna. Har’a Oromoo tahuu keenya mataa ol qabannee himanna. Biyyi Oromoo Oromiyaa tahuu diinni iyyuu osoo hin jaallanne amanee jira. Kun Oromoof injifannoo guddaa dha. Injifannon kun kan argame wareegamuu jaallan keenyaatiin waan taheef, jaallan gootota akkasii qabaachuu keenyaaf ni boonna, ni gammadna. Ummatni goota hin qabne mataa ol qabatee hin jiraatu. Goota qabachuun kabajaa namatti hora. Kanaaf Oromoon gootowwan qabaachuutti ni boona.

Hunda caalaatti xurree gootowwan keenya lubbuu isaanii itti wareeguun nuuf saaqan irra buunee kaayyoo isaanii bakkaan gahuuf didhaan nurra jiru yaadachuuf, itti cichinee hojjachuun nurraa eegama. Diinnis wareegama gootota keenyaa gatii dhabsiisuuf dhaaba keenya ABO diiguuf kan isaa danda’ame hundaa godhaa jira. Kanaaf nuti miseensoti ABO, deggertootii fi ummatni bal’aan Oromoo kaayyoo bilisummaatti cichinee, tokkummaa sabaa fi dhaaba keenyaa tiksinee, ilaalchaa fi gochaa nu diigan rukutaa, qabsoo finiinsuu nurraa eegama. Kana yoo goone wareegama gootowwan keenyaati firii godhuu dandeenya.



Qabsaawaan ni kufa, Qabsoon Hin Kufu!

Kaayyoo Wareegamtoota keenyaa Bakkan geenya!!



Injifannoo Ummata Oromoof!!

DDSJ – ABO

Ebla 2010