On November 5, 2008, Comrade Laggasaa Wagii, Member of the OLF Central Committee and Commander of the Oromo Liberation Army Western Command, lost his precious life in the liberation war. He participated in and/or led the Oromo liberation struggle in Western Oromia for the last seventeen years. During those years, Laggasaa registered proud heritage of shining victories in the battles against the TPLF occupation army. He is a hero, whose sacrifice inspires us to double and triple the sacred struggle for liberation of Oromia.
The Oromo Liberation Front is waging a sacred struggle for the realization of the fundamental rights of the Oromo people- the right to self-determination, human dignity and the right to determine their destiny. The OLF is struggling to enable the Oromo people to live in democracy, under the rule of law, in peace and prosperity in their country-Oromia.
Successive Ethiopian tyrannical regimes, including the incumbent regime led by Tigrai Liberation Front (TPLF), showed no political will and capacity to peacefully and democratically resolve the just question of the Oromo people. Hence, the OLF had no other option but to wage an armed struggle. It is the nature of all armed struggles that it involves an ultimate sacrifice one has to make for a just cause- a loss of life of a liberation fighter. In the hitherto Oromo liberation struggle, Oromo heroes and heroines have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the Oromo liberation struggle to get here. The sacrifices the Oromo heroes and heroines is a seed of the liberation of the Oromo people.
The sacrifice of Laggasaa’s life is a great loss for the liberation struggle of the Oromo people. However, contrary to the TPLF regime’s desire, celebration and psychological and propaganda war, the sacrifice of Laggasaa is not an end of the Oromo Liberation struggle. Thousands of Oromo youth, who stood for the dignity and natural rights of their people, shall uphold high the banner of national liberation that Laggasaa died for and carry through the liberation struggle to the final victory. Laggasaa died an honorable death. His sacrifice shall propel forward the Oromo liberation struggle.
Victory to the Oromo People!
Oromo Liberation Front
November 9, 2008
