Burtukan Mideksa’s Memoir: A Political Odyssey
FEATURE NEWS
The Return: Burtukan Mideksa’s Memoir Set to Unveil Decades of Political Journey
ADDIS ABABA – One of Ethiopia’s most resilient and influential political figures is set to share her remarkable story in a keenly anticipated autobiography. The life memoir of Burtukan Mideksa, titled “መመለስ” (The Return / The Answer), is scheduled for release in the coming days, promising an intimate account of three turbulent decades at the heart of the nation’s politics.
A symbol of strength for many, especially women and youth, Burtukan—often affectionately called “Birtu Kan” (The Strong One) by her admirers—has navigated a journey few can match. Her forthcoming book chronicles a path that has spanned from the judiciary to political leadership, from exile to the helm of the National Election Board.
A Title with Dual Meaning
The choice of the single-word title “መመለስ” is profoundly evocative. It is a word loaded with dual significance in Amharic, reflecting the dual arcs of her narrative. It can be read as “The Return”—signifying her physical and political comeback to Ethiopia and to the public stage. Simultaneously, it resonates as “The Answer”—suggesting her response to long-standing questions about her role, her struggles, and the nation’s transformative journey. In either interpretation, the title promises a compelling and revealing narrative.
Charting a Nation’s Journey Through One Life
The memoir is expected to trace her unique passage through Ethiopia’s modern history. From her early career as a judge and her bold stance for judicial independence, to her political activism, subsequent imprisonment, and years in exile, Burtukan’s life mirrors the nation’s own struggles with democracy, justice, and change.
Her later return to Ethiopia and her historic appointment as the first woman chairperson of the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) marked a pivotal chapter, placing her at the center of the country’s most consequential democratic exercises. The book is anticipated to provide an insider’s perspective on these critical moments, detailing both the triumphs and profound challenges faced along the way.
Highly Anticipated by Scholars and Public Alike
The announcement has generated significant excitement among political analysts, historians, and the general public. Many hope the memoir will shed new light on untold stories, private reflections, and the inner workings of Ethiopia’s political evolution over the last 30 years. It is viewed not just as a personal history, but as a vital primary source for understanding contemporary Ethiopia.
A High-Profile Launch
Plans are underway for a high-profile official book launch ceremony this month. Arts TV has been named as the exclusive media partner for the event, ensuring comprehensive coverage and bringing the proceedings to millions of viewers across the nation and the diaspora.
Burtukan Mideksa’s “መመለስ” arrives at a critical juncture, offering a deeply personal lens on Ethiopia’s ongoing quest for stability and democracy. It is poised to be one of the most significant political memoirs of the year, providing answers, prompting reflection, and celebrating the return of a formidable voice to the literary and public sphere.
#BurtukanMideksa #TheReturn #NewBook #Ethiopia #ArtsTV
Celebrating Oromo Strength: Lessons from D.C. Gathering
Feature Commentary: The Covenant Renewed – How a Washington D.C. Celebration Forged a Blueprint for Continuity
On the surface, the gathering by the Washington D.C. chapter of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-Konyaa) was a familiar ritual: the commemoration of Oromo Liberation Army (WBO) Day and the celebration of Amajjii, the Oromo New Year. Yet, within the traditional prayers (eebba), speeches, and shared resolve, a powerful and sophisticated blueprint for the struggle’s future was being articulated—one that skillfully wove together gratitude, clear-eyed assessment, intergenerational blessing, and a philosophy of endurance.
The ceremony, opened by the spiritual invocation of veteran leader Jaal Qaxalee Waaqjiraa, immediately grounded the political in the spiritual. His thanksgiving prayer, “We thank God who, after years of wandering, has brought us here,” was profoundly layered. It acknowledged a journey—a long, arduous “wandering” of exile, displacement, and conflict—while celebrating the “here”: a community intact, organized, and capable of gathering in defiance of that very displacement. It framed the present not as an endpoint, but as a providentially granted platform, creating a sense of both debt and opportunity.
This spiritual framing set the stage for a starkly realistic assessment from chapter chairperson Jaal Bilisummaa Tasgara. By openly detailing “the current situation of the struggle,” he performed a crucial act of transparency. There was no empty triumphalism. Instead, there was a communal acknowledgment of the “complex and difficult” (ulfaataa) reality. This honesty is the bedrock of trust and mature mobilization. It prevents disillusionment and transforms collective understanding from a source of despair into a foundation for strategic perseverance. As he noted, the day was both a “day of mourning and celebration,” a duality that honestly captures the Oromo condition—grieving the fallen while celebrating the unbroken spirit.
From this realistic ground sprang the core directive: “Our people must become stronger and more resilient.” This was not a vague wish but a clear, operational imperative. The call for jabeenya (strength) and ijaarsa (building/construction) shifts the focus from merely reacting to oppression to proactively building communal, institutional, and personal fortitude. It answers the “how” of continuing in a difficult phase.
The most poignant moment of strategic continuity was the virtual participation of legendary elder Jaal Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo. His Zoom presence was a powerful technological bridge across time. By thanking him for his “guidance and perseverance,” the assembly did more than honor a hero; it ritually drew a line of legitimacy and tactical wisdom from the founding generation directly into the present. It signaled that the current path is not a divergence but an inheritance, blessed by those who laid the first stones.
This synthesis of elements reveals a sophisticated political culture. The event masterfully connected:
- Spiritual Legitimacy (Eebba) with Political Analysis.
- Honest Acknowledgment of Hardship with a Call for Proactive Strength.
- Reverence for the Past with a Practical Roadmap for the Future.
The closing reflection, “Our struggle is alive and will continue to be remembered as one with a clear direction and sustainable objective,” is thus not a hopeful slogan but a conclusion drawn from the evening’s architecture. They have defined “alive” not as mere existence, but as the state of being guided, united, building strength, and connected to one’s source.
The Washington D.C. celebration, therefore, was a masterclass in sustaining a liberation movement in the long haul. It moved beyond mere remembrance into the realm of active stewardship. It showed that the covenant of struggle is renewed not by ignoring the present cost, but by confronting it with faith, honesty, unity, and an unwavering commitment to building the resilience needed to see the journey through. The message was clear: the wandering has brought us to this point of clarity. Now, we build, we endure, and we march, strengthened by the very weight of the journey itself.
Dhaamsa ABOn Bara 2026: Tokkummaa fi Qabsoo Jabeessuu
Guyyaa Mudde 31, 2025 — Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo (ABO) dhaamsa bara haaraa 2026 isaa dabarsuun, waggaa darbe sirna fi hidhannoo hamaa keessa darbee, qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo itti fufsiisuuf, tokkummaa fi cimina ummataa waamicha guddaa taasiseera.
Dhaamsi kun, miseensota, hogganoota, deeggartoota ABO fi ummata Oromoo maraaf baga bara haaraa dabarsuun jalqabame, barri haaraas “bara nagaa, milkii, haqaa fi dhugaa” ummataaf akka ta’u abdii guddaa isa keessa qaba.
Hanga ta’us, ABOn hubachiise akka barri 2025 kanatti dhiibbaan siyaasaa fi hidhaa mootummaa Wayyaanee irra gahaa ture, gufuulee hedduu dhaaba fi miseensota isaa irratti geggeeffame. Haala kana keessatti, ABOn akka ibsutti, “sodaa fi bir’annaa tokko malee” hojii siyaasaa geggeessuun itti fufeera. Kunis, waajjira muummee Gullalleen ABO, leenjii haaromsaa miseensotaaf kennuu, fi gumiin sabaa ABO walga’ii dhaabbataa 3ffaa geggeeffachuun hojiilee dandamachaa hojjeteera.
Haala rakkoo kana keessa, dhaabichaan ibsa ulfaataa ummata Oromoo irratti roorroon itti fufuun geggeeffamaa jiru mirkaneessee, akkaataan ajjeechaan maqaan adda addaa, hidhamuun, saamamuun, fi buqqaachisni lammiilee kumootaa Oromiyaa keessatti itti fufuun “ummatni wabii jireenyaa dhabe” jedhee dubbateera.
Dhaabichaan, furmaata kanaaf, “humna Oromoon qabu inni guddaan tokkummaa isaati” jedhee waamicha jabeessaa ummataaf godheera. ABOn waamicha ummatatiin, “sab-boonummaa Oromummaa” jabeessuu, fi “ololoota farrummaa” kan ABO fi qabsoo irratti geggeeffaman irraa of eeguu qofa irratti akka xiyyeeffatan dhaammateera.
Gama siyaasaa biyyattii ilaalchisee, ABOn mormiin isaa sirna PP fi’ila isaa irratti fooyyeessuun, rakkoon siyaasaa fi dinagdee biyyattii “karaa siyaasaa, dinagdee fi hawaasummaan dabalaa jiru” jedhee dubbateera. Kanaaf, ABOn, “qulqullummaan gadi taa’ee qaamota dhimmi ilaalu waliin marii nagaa” geggeeffamuun furmaata argamsiisu irratti yaamicha deebise.
Xumurri dhaamsaa kanaatiin, ABOn ummata Oromoo fi qabsaawoota isaa “irbuu keenya yoom illee haarawaa, abdiin keenyaas guddaa” ta’uu wal irratti abdanna jechuun, qabsoo jabeessuun daandii filannoo biraa hin qabne ta’uu mirkaneessee, barri 2026 bara “ajjeechaa, roorroo fi gidiraan irraa dhaabbatu” akka ta’u abdii guddaa dabarseera.
Dhaamsi ABO kana, fiixaa fi kaka’umsi qabsoo Oromoo itti aanuuf bu’uura cimaa fi waamicha tokkummaa ummataa ta’uun, rakkoo fi dhibee waggaa 2025 keessa mudate irraa ka’uun, qabsoo itti fufuuf yaada gama hundaan qaba.
Remembering Aayyoo Asinaa Abduramaan: A Legacy of Strength
A Pillar of the Struggle Departs: Mourning the Passing of Aayyoo Asinaa Abduramaan, Mother of Jaal Hundee Daraaraa
The Oromo global community is in mourning following the passing of Aayyoo Asinaa Abduramaan, a revered matriarch and steadfast symbol of resilience, who died today after a prolonged illness. Her departure marks not just a personal loss for her family, but a profound moment of collective grief for a nation that saw in her the unbreakable spirit of Oromo motherhood.
Aayyoo Asinaa was more than a mother; she was an expert in life and a mother of freedom fighters. She lived a life defined by immense sacrifice and unwavering dedication to the cause of Oromo liberation. While her own children dedicated their lives to the struggle, she bore the heaviest of burdens, suffering the ultimate loss and enduring hardship without complaint.
She was the mother of Jaal Hundee Daraaraa (MGS_ABO), a freedom fighter of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). In the pursuit of Oromia’s freedom, she gave her sons, experiencing both the pain of their loss and the suffering of those who returned bearing the scars of battle. She endured these trials with a heart that remained a source of strength for others, even as her own body and spirit carried wounds that never fully healed.
A Personal Testament to Her Strength
A community member who witnessed her fortitude firsthand shared a poignant memory: “I saw Aayyoo Asinaa for the first time in 2018 when OLF leadership returned to the country. During a public event in Ghindhir town, as leaders addressed the crowd in the South-East region, she saw Jaal Hundee Daraaraa. Remembering her son, lost in the struggle for so many years, she collapsed in tears. It was a heartbreaking scene. She was a consoler of others, a mother of fighters, and a heroine who displayed exceptional grace for Oromia. Her passing leaves a deep ache in our hearts.”
Her life story embodies the quiet, often overlooked, heroism of mothers in liberation movements—those who send their children to the front lines and must find a way to live with the consequences, becoming pillars for their communities while nursing private grief.
A Legacy of Sacrifice and Strength
Aayyoo Asinaa Abduramaan’s legacy is one of profound sacrifice and unyielding dignity. She navigated a path of personal tragedy without allowing bitterness to overshadow her love for her people and their cause. Her life was a testament to the Oromo proverb that true strength is often found in silent endurance.
The community now rallies around her remaining family, offering prayers for strength and unity. “May God grant her mercy,” the statement concluded. “May He provide patience, solace, and resilience to Jaal Hundee and the rest of the family.”
As news of her passing spreads under the hashtag #AayyooAsinaaAbduramaan, social media is filling with tributes, honoring a woman whose name will be remembered alongside the freedom fighters she raised and supported—a true Aayyoo (revered mother) of the nation.
Rest in Power, Aayyoo Asinaa. Your struggle is now your eternal peace.
Oromedia 