History of General Tadesse Birru - Seenaa Jeneraal Taaddasaa Birruu

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Tadesse Birru (1920 - February 19, 1975) was an Ethiopian Empire army colonel and Oromo nationalist and rights activist. Tadesse was initially an advocate of Ethiopian unity but later, in the 1960s, he turned into a fighter for Oromo rights and equality. Hence, he tried to overthrow the government and later tried to overthrow the government by military means. He was captured and killed by the Derg government during this struggle. Tadesse is regarded as the father of Oromo nationalism.

 BACKGROUND 

Jarra Abba Gadaa was born in 1936 in Mudir Gooroo village, Gaara Mul’ata district, Eastern Oromia, to Ibrahim Hamid and Momina Ebo. When he was old enough to go to school, he went to school.

 CHILDHOOD HISTORY 

Tadesse was born in Salale, Shewa, in the Ethiopian Empire during the reign of Haile Selassie. His father, Mr. Birru, died of poison gas in the Italian army. His mother died three months later.

 BEING A SOLDIER 

After his parents died, Tadde joined his cousin Beka, who was a member of the Arbanyochi, the Italian rifle-soldiers fighters. He was later arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment and forced labor in Mogadishu, Somalia. He was there until the British occupied and liberated Mogadishu. After his release, Tadesse went to Kenya for military training and returned to Ethiopia. He was then promoted to the rank of lieutenant and enrolled in the Holeta Military Academy. There he served as a teacher for a long time.

In 1954, Tadesse was promoted to lieutenant colonel; he was transferred from the army to the police force. He was also tasked with modernizing the police force. He was appointed chairman of the "Faxnoo-Daraash (Rapid Forces)". He also played a major role in thwarting the 1960 coup and demonstrated his loyalty to Haile Selassie. It was during his tenure as chairman of "Faxnoo-Darash" that he trained South African apartheid fighter Nielsen Mandela. He was also the one who gave Mandela the Liliesleaf candle. Tadesse was promoted to Brigadier General. During this time he was chairman of the "Faxnoo-Daraash", deputy commissioner of the National Police Force, commander of the regional army and chairman of the National Literacy Campaign.

 IN THE MACCA AND TUULAMA ASSOCIATION 

Tadesse Birru did not initially condemn the Oromo nationalist movement. After talking with Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewold, Tadesse was changed. As the chairman of the National Literacy Campaign, Tadesse sat in a meeting with Aklilu Habtewold and Aklilu told him that it was not good to have Tadesse learn Oromo and recruit Oromo as soldiers because he did not know that he was Oromo. This word caused Tadesse to change his mind and in October 1964 he became a member of the Macha and Tulama Foundation. He was very active in this association.

The popularity of Tadesse Birru increased the acceptance of the Macha and Tulama Foundation; in addition, his leadership skills transformed the party into a party fighting for the rights of the Oromo. Through this party, Tadesse Birru taught the Oromo to learn and become self-reliant. Following Tadesse's example, many military leaders, civilians, educated people, businessmen and religious leaders joined the Maccaa and Tulama movement. Many of these people even hid their Oromo identity and saw their joining the party as a re-declaration of their identity.

 OPPOSING GOVERNMENT 

Tadesse Birru's joining the Maccaa and Tulama Foundation increased the party's acceptance. This angered Haile Selassie and his officials. Prime Minister Aklilu Habtewald, in particular, began to view Tadesse as a enemy. Aklilu shutdown the Maccaa and Tulama Association causing the bombings in Finfinnee and the uprising of the Oromo in Bale. Many of its members were arrested, many were killed, and many fled the country. Tadesse escaped all this but was kept under house arrest. He disappeared from the house arrest three years later. They then attempted a coup d'etat with high-ranking Oromo soldiers; They planned to kill Haile Selassie. The coup, however, failed. Tadesse was arrested , despite his old age, and severely beaten. His death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. Many of his coup plotters, however, were killed.

Taddesse was later released and placed under house arrest in Galamso. Tadesse also met with prominent Oromo leaders such as Baro Tumsa, Elemo Qilxuu (Hasan Ibrahim), Ahimad Hundee Taqi, and Sheikh Bakri Saphalo during this time.

In June 1974, Ethiopia fell into chaos and the Ethiopian empire weakened. Tadesse took the opportunity to escape from Galamso and returned to Finfinne. The Derg, the army that seized power, asked Tadesse to become the minister of interior. Tadesse refused to accept this. After he refused a second time, the police force was ordered to arrest him; Tadesse escaped this and began to organize rebel troops for war in Shewa. He was joined by these former comrades in the army such as Colonel Haile Raggasa, Major Abeba Gebremariam and finally General Jagema Kelo. They started operating under the name of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in honor of the martyred hero Elemo Qilxuu.

 HIS DEATH 

Taddasa Birru was leading the rebels and was betrayed by General JagEma Kello and captured with Hailu Raggasa. Tadesse and Hayilu were also sentenced to life imprisonment. This was later turned into murder by the Derg. Tadesse Birru, Hayilu Raggasa and many other Oromo leaders were killed on February 18, 1975. The OLF, however, continued its struggle and in 1976 became part of the OLF.

 REMEMBRANCE 

Tadesse Birru is regarded by many as the father of modern Oromo nationalism. His teachings on Oromo identity inspired a new generation of Oromo. This led to the development of Oromo culture, language and identity as well as the Oromo freedom movement.

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