Advocacy for Oromia Association

15/04/2026

PRESS RELEASE
Oromo Communities Worldwide Mark Ebla 15 – Oromo Heroes Day on April 15
Call to Honor the Fallen, Celebrate Resistance, and Reaffirm Commitment to Justice, Democracy, and Peace

[Oromia– April 15, 2026] – Today, millions of Oromo people across Oromia, Ethiopia, and diaspora communities in North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa are observing Oromo Heroes Day – known as Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo – on Ebla 15, which falls on April 15.

This annual day of remembrance honors the countless known and unknown heroes who have sacrificed their lives, liberty, and livelihoods for the rights, dignity, and freedom of the Oromo people. From 19th-century horseback warriors who fought colonialism to modern-day Qeerroo (youth) and Qarree (young women) who have led peaceful protests for justice and democracy, the day pays tribute to the enduring spirit of Oromo resistance.

A Day Rooted in Memory, Not Decree
Oromo Heroes Day is not a government-declared holiday. It is a people’s holiday – born from grassroots memory and observed with flags, songs, poetry, cultural events, and moments of silence. The date, Ebla 15 (April 15), has become a symbol of courage, particularly linked to modern uprisings where unarmed Oromo civilians raised the banned Oromo flag and demanded fundamental rights.

“We do not celebrate because the struggle is finished,” said Dhabessa Wakjira, community leader in Melbourne. “We celebrate because our heroes gave us a reason to continue. Every April 15, we remind ourselves and the world: the Oromo people have not been erased. We are here. We remember. And we will keep marching toward Nageenya (justice), Misooma (development), Badhaadhina (progress), Dimokiraasii (democracy), and Nagaa (true peace).”

Five Pillars of the Oromo Struggle
Community organizations and cultural institutions are using Oromo Heroes Day to reaffirm five core values that heroes fought and died for:

Nageenya – Justice, peace, and well-being for all, regardless of ethnicity or social status.
Misooma – Equitable development that reaches the most marginalized villages and families.
Badhaadhina – Progress, both material and spiritual, moving forward without forgetting the past.
Dimokiraasii – Genuine democracy, including free expression, assembly, and the right to self-determination.
Nagaa – Lasting peace and safety, where no family fears a midnight knock on the door.
Events and Observances
On April 15 / Ebla 15, Oromo communities are holding:

Flag-raising ceremonies (where permitted) and cultural gatherings.
Virtual panels discussing the legacy of Oromo heroes and the future of the struggle.
Poetry readings and music performances featuring traditional krar and modern resistance songs.
Moments of silence at 12:00 PM local time to honor the fallen.
Social media campaigns using hashtags such as , , , and .
Calls for International Attention
Human rights organizations and Oromo advocacy groups are using the day to draw international attention to ongoing concerns, including political prisoners, restrictions on peaceful assembly, and the continued criminalization of the Oromo flag in some contexts. Supporters are urging the international community to:

Recognize Oromo Heroes Day as a day of significance for human rights.
Call for the release of imprisoned Oromo activists and journalists.
Support dialogue and genuine political inclusion for the Oromo people, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group.
Statements from Community Representatives
“On Ebla 15, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our heroes did not have social media or international platforms. They had courage. Today, we honor them by continuing their unfinished work.”
— Dhabessa Wakjira, Oromo community organizer, Melbourne, Australia.

“The Oromo struggle is not about hate. It is about Nagaa – peace with dignity. Our heroes dreamed of a day when an Oromo child could speak their language, sing their songs, and walk the earth without shame. That dream is not yet reality, but every April 15, we get closer.”
— Yaasoo Kabbabaa, Oromo cultural activist, Finfinne, Oromia.

How to Support or Participate
Members of the media, human rights defenders, and the general public are encouraged to:

Amplify Oromo voices by sharing content directly from Oromo creators and organizations.
Educate themselves on Oromo history, including the Gadaa democratic system and the legacy of resistance.
Attend or cover local Oromo Heroes Day events (contact below for diaspora chapter information).
Use respectful language – recognize that for many Oromo, this day is both a celebration and a mourning.
About Oromo Heroes Day
Oromo Heroes Day (Ebla 15 / April 15) is an annual observance honoring Oromo historical and contemporary figures who sacrificed for the rights, identity, and freedom of the Oromo people. The day is observed globally by Oromo communities regardless of legal recognition. It is a day of cultural pride, political reflection, and intergenerational remembrance.

“Bilisummaa! Nagaa! Happy Oromo Heroes Day – Ebla 15, April 15!”

14/04/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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PRESS RELEASE
The Blood Tribute of the Heroes: Advanced by the Oromo Liberation Struggle
Ebla 15 – Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes – Official Message from the Oromo Liberation Front (ABO)
Finfinnee – April 14, 2026
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TO: Members and Supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (ABO), All Freedom Fighters and Patriots of the Oromo People, and the Broader Oromo Nation
SUBJECT: Commemoration of Ebla 15 – Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes (2026)
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The Oromo Liberation Front (ABO) extends its greetings to all members, supporters, freedom fighters, patriots, and the entire Oromo nation on the occasion of **Ebla 15, the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes for the year 2026**.
1. Significance of Ebla 15
Ebla 15 is a day of profound solemnity and honor. It serves as the annual commemoration of those heroes who, without hesitation, sacrificed their lives to:
- Break the chains of subjugation;
- Restore the dignity of Oromo nationhood;
- Achieve freedom and self-determination;
- Manifest a homeland long denied; and
- Defend the inalienable rights of the Oromo people.
2. Historical Background of the Day
The designation of Ebla 15 as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes finds its origin in the **Shiniggaa Martyrdom of 1980**, a pivotal event in the history of the Oromo liberation struggle. On that day, ten senior fighters and high-ranking leaders of the ABO — including those from the Hayyu-Duree and Itti Aanaa leadership structures — were martyred together under harrowing circumstances.
What rendered this event uniquely honorable was the manner of their martyrdom. The fallen heroes refused to be bound back-to-back and executed by enemy forces. Instead, they embraced the cause of unity and freedom for their people, stood shoulder to shoulder, and faced death collectively, falling into a single grave. It is in recognition of this supreme sacrifice that Ebla 15 was established as the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes, to be remembered by generations forever.
3. Scope of Commemoration
The ABO emphasizes that Ebla 15 is not limited to commemorating only its own fallen members. Rather, it honors **all Oromo sons and daughters** who have perished in the struggle against the enslavement of the Oromo people — whether they fell in direct confrontation, were targeted by state-sponsored violence, or succumbed to various forms of foreign domination. All who fought against the oppressive system and sacrificed their lives for the rights and dignity of the Oromo nation are equally honored on this day.
4. The Price of Liberation
The Oromo nation has paid an immense and irreplaceable price in blood for its land and freedom. Countless individuals have suffered physical wounds, lost family members, and forfeited their property. From the youngest to the oldest, every segment of Oromo society has contributed to this struggle. The martyrs — whose names cannot be fully enumerated — shine eternally in the annals of history. Their *gumaa* (blood tribute) is carried forward by the success of the cause for which they gave their lives.
5. Renewed Commitment of the ABO
As the ABO commemorates Ebla 15, the organization renews its call to all fighters, members, and supporters: continue the struggle with unwavering resolve, undeterred by any difficulties or circumstances, so that the cause for which the martyrs sacrificed may be fully achieved. The ABO further reaffirms its commitment to a peaceful struggle, even as it honors those who fell in battle.
6. Electoral Participation – A Historic Decision
The commemoration of Ebla 15 in 2026 carries distinct significance. For the first time in its history, the ABO has decided to participate in **Ethiopia's 7th round of national elections**. This decision reflects the organization's strategic commitment to:
- Achieve lasting peace for the Oromo people;
- Realize the goals of the Oromo liberation struggle — the very goals for which tens of thousands of Oromo sons and daughters were martyred; and
- Pursue all available peaceful avenues without betraying the sacrifice of the fallen.
To succeed in this endeavor, the ABO calls upon its members, fighters, and supporters to work with greater dedication than ever before, to remain prepared to overcome all challenges, and to stand united in support of the organization.
7. Call to the Oromo Nation
The ABO addresses the broader Oromo nation with the following appeal: to achieve lasting peace, to obtain true freedom, to secure the right to self-determination and nationhood, to attain democracy and equality, and to foster mutual development — choose the ABO. It is the organization in which your own children have united, fought for your rights, and paid the highest price with their lives.
Choosing the ABO means fulfilling the very goal of the Oromo liberation struggle — the goal for which the heroes, the sons and daughters of the Oromo nation, fought and fell.
8. Concluding Affirmations
- Ebla 15 is the Day of Oromo Martyred Heroes.
- The Martyred Heroes of Oromo shall be remembered forever; they shall be honored forever.
- Honor and respect to our Martyred Heroes.
- Victory to the broad masses.
- For the Freedom of Oromia.
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Issued by:
The Oromo Liberation Front (ABO)
Date: April 14, 2026
Location: Finfinnee

11/04/2026

13/03/2026

Advocacy for Oromia Expresses Deep Grief Over Fatal Landslide in Gamo Zone
March 13, 2026 – For Immediate Release

The Advocacy for Oromia has expressed its profound sorrow following a devastating landslide in the Gamo Zone of the South Ethiopia Region.

The disaster occurred on the evening of March 10, 2026, in the Laka Kebele of the Gacho Baba district, triggered by heavy rainfall that caused the hillside to collapse onto the community below.

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10/03/2026

Celebrating Women’s Month & Honoring Oromia’s Cultural Heritage! Culture grounds us. Culture unites us. Culture makes us stronger.💜💕💜

10/03/2026

Celebrating Women's Month & Honoring Oromia's Cultural Heritage!

Culture grounds us. Culture unites us. Culture makes us stronger. 💜💕💜

As Women's Month reaches its peak, the Oromo community comes together to celebrate not only the achievements of women but the cultural heritage that has sustained them through generations of struggle. In Oromia, culture and womanhood are inseparable—woven together like the threads of a traditional *gabbi* or the patterns of a *gujo* worn with pride.

Culture That Grounds Us

In a world that constantly tries to pull Oromo people away from their roots—through assimilation, through erasure, through the relentless pressure to abandon identity for survival—culture is the anchor. It reminds us who we are. It connects us to the soil of Oromia, no matter how far we roam.

For Oromo women, this grounding is particularly profound. They are the primary custodians of cultural knowledge—the ones who teach children the Afaan Oromo language, who pass down songs and stories, who maintain the traditions of *Siinqee*, who ensure that when a daughter marries, she carries with her the wisdom of her mothers and grandmothers.

Culture That Unites Us

Across the diaspora—from Minneapolis to Melbourne, from London to Cairo—Oromo women gather to celebrate the cultural practices that bind their community together. Whether at *Irreechaa* festivals marking the end of the rainy season, at weddings where traditional ceremonies unfold over days, or at community gatherings like the one at ABO Headquarters in Gullallee, culture creates unity.

When Oromo women dress in traditional attire, they are not wearing mere clothing. They are wrapping themselves in the identity of a people. They are declaring that despite everything—despite displacement, despite violence, despite efforts to make them forget—they remain Oromo. And in that declaration, they invite all Oromos to stand together.

Culture That Makes Us Stronger

The strength of Oromo women is legendary. It is the strength of the *Haadha Siinqee* who mediates conflicts with her ritual stick. It is the strength of the mother who raises children in exile, teaching them a language she may never use outside her home. It is the strength of the activist who risks imprisonment to demand justice. It is the strength of the artist like Ilfinash Qannoo, whose voice has sustained the struggle for decades.

This strength does not emerge from nowhere. It is cultivated by culture—by the stories of heroines past, by the songs of resistance, by the knowledge that Oromo women have always been fighters and will always be fighters.

A Month of Celebration and Commitment

As Women's Month 2026 unfolds, the Oromo community celebrates with particular intensity. International Women's Day events at ABO headquarters, gatherings in diaspora communities, and online celebrations all carry the same message: Oromo women are the heart of the struggle, and Oromo culture is the oxygen that keeps that heart beating.

Looking Forward

The celebration of Women's Month is not merely about looking back at achievements—it is about committing to the future. A future where Oromo girls can grow up speaking their language without shame. A future where Oromo women's contributions to the liberation struggle are fully recognized. A future where Oromo culture is not merely preserved but flourishes in a free Oromia.

Until that day, the community will continue to celebrate, to honor, and to draw strength from the culture that grounds them, unites them, and makes them stronger.

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To all Oromo women: Your beauty, your strength, your culture—these are the foundations upon which Oromia will be built. Happy Women's Month! 💜💕💜

03/03/2026

Oromtittii Day 2026: Honoring Oromo Women

What a great way to recognize, uplift, and celebrate the strength, resilience, and contributions of Oromo women! Oromtittii Day! March 21st, 2026 1:00 PM See venue details below The Oromian Women Association, Advocacy for Oromia, and the Oromo Community in Australia are coming together to celebrate and honour Oromo women in the community.

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17/02/2026

Oromo Peace in Oromia: Past, Present, and Future

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16/02/2026

Today, February 16 2026, marks the beginning of Ramadan. Advocacy for Oromia acknowledges this is an important and deeply meaningful time for many of our Muslim staff, clients and community members.
Ramadan is a month of reflection, connection and spiritual renewal. For many, it brings memories of gathering with loved ones, preparing special meals after a day of fasting, and the joy and anticipation that builds toward Eid. It is also a time to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with faith, with values, and with one another.
Advocacy for Oromia is proud to be an organisation that values cultural and religious diversity not just in words, but through everyday actions. Even small gestures of recognition can have a powerful impact, and help our people feel seen, respected and supported.
Ramadan Mubarak to our Muslim colleagues and community. We wish you a blessed month of peace and joy.

10/02/2026

“Love Starts with Understanding”: An Invitation to Cross-Cultural Connection

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