The Forgotten Oromo Heroes.
COPHATIMES, August 23/22
Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
On the left is Jaal Buqqisaa Bulee (Haaji Ahmad Bisidiimoo). On the right is Jaal Dhugoomsaa Dhugaasaa (Obboo Afdal Sheekh Muhammad Shaatoo). Currently they are the only surviving Oromos who had participated at the historical Battle of Tirro (Xirroo).
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The Battle of Tirro was fought on September 5/1974. It was on that battle that the pioneers of Oromo freedom struggle called Elemoo Qilxuu (Hasan Ibrahim), Ahmad-Taqi Sheikh Mohammed-Rashid (Hundee), Colonel Mahdi Ahmad, Sheikh Jamal Bareedaa and Sulieman Ahmad were martyred. A sixth Oromo fighter called Ahmad Kahin was captured and hanged in the town of Galamso on the same day.
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Buqqisaa, Dhugoomsaa and a third man called Boru fought steadfastly on that day. They were in the battle until the nightfall. But finally they learned that they can not confront the big "Fatno-Derash" army they were fighting with the few ammunitions left in their hand. Hence they retreated slowy to a near by hill and went down to the site of Dhungata River.
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Few days latter, they crossed to Boke District and hide at a safe place for some time. The Ethiopian government started a huge crackdown campaign to silence the Oromo liberation movement that was sparked in "Chercher" province. But it couldn't hunt the surviving heroes of the Battle of Tirro.
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Time had gone. And the three heroes started going on their way. Buqqisaa lived in East Hararge for two years and returned back to his hometown called "Waacuu". He has been engaged on a trade for a long time; but he was supporting the Oromo freedom struggle from behind. For a long time he was the only person who was traveling annually to the spot of the Battle of Tirro and commemorating the martyrdom of his comrades. He was detained and harassed by the government authorities repeatedly for doing so. Now he is living in Adama city.
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Dhugoomsa lived in the city of Harar for about a year. He joined the Oromo Libration Front when the Oromos of all regions came together under one organization and strengthen their struggle. He served in the organization on different posts, from a regular fighter to a zonal commander. He spent most of the 1980s in East Hararge Zone fighting the enemies. In 1992 he was appointed as a vice commander of the OLA in South East Oromiyaa region. He was elected lastly as a member of the Politburo of OLF. He left the Politburo (Executive Committee) few years ago due to health complications. Dhugoomsaa is living now in Norway.
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The third man called "Boru" lived in his native village called "Cirratti" for some years. It is said that he went to Somalia in mid-1980s. His final fate is yet to be determined by historians.
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The battle of Tirro was very significant in Oromo history in that it was the first battle on which the Oromos fought under a movement that bears the name "Oromo". Second, it was on this battle that the Oromos clearly displayed their own flag for the first time. Accordingly, the participants of that battle, both the martyred ones and the surviving ones, must be seen in high respect.
I haven't seen the writers of history of the Oromo liberation struggle speaking about the heroism of the survivers of the battle of Tirro. But recently a writer called Muhammad-Said Abdelrahman has revealed their truth to the public in his book titled "Seenaa fi Qabsoo Oromootaa". We thank him indeed for doing so.
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By Afendi Muteki
August 23,2022
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