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Re: the Statement Issued Following OLF and OFC Conference in
Finfinnee
(OLF-OLA Press Release)
Date: Febrary 24 /2025
A.We Reiterate That This "Peace Process" Cannot Be Taken Seriously
While Oromo political parties might be trying to turn the occasion into an
opportunity to further the interests of our people, the recent OLF-OFC conference
and the ensuing dialogue with the regime are fundamentally Abiy Ahmed's
projects. The regime initiated it. It finances it. It controls and dictates the scope of
discussions and the extent to which the process can proceed based on its own
goals. It is also worth noting that, despite reports suggesting only the two parties
and elders participated in the conference, at least eleven individuals from the
Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) and intelligence services were present.
The regime also began the process by lying to the elders and opposition leaders
that it was secretly in talks with the OLA in South Africa.
From the outset, the elders in attendance were handpicked using the regime's
resources. No Oromo community granted them a mandate or authorized them to
represent our people. The institution of Jaarsummaa (eldership), a revered
tradition within Oromo culture, is being exploited for cheap political gambling.
This charade has not only disgraced the revered institution of eldership but also
dishonored the opposition leaders themselves. On the one hand, the opposition
was permitted to raise demands, including the establishment of a transitional
government; on the other, the regime's media apparatus was deployed to mock
them for making such demands.
After the conference, it was announced that the elders had bestowed a "serious
mandate" upon the two parties. Only in Abiy Ahmed's Ethiopia could a randomly
selected group of elders grant opposition parties-parties that are not even
allowed to keep their offices open-the authority to end wars, maintain peace, and
establish a government. No one has questioned the legal basis, legitimacy, or
feasibility of such a mandate, nor how it could ever be realized.
Even if the statement issued by the parties were to be taken seriously, the proposal
it contains is a half-baked solution that fails to address the core issues plaguing
the nation. It does not confront the central problem of the state embodied in PM
Abiy Ahmed as a "leader", nor does it tackle the systemic issues at the root of the
body politic
Furthermore, the statement issued after the conference assigns a role to the OLA
and presumes to speak on its behalf. While this is not the primary issue to dispute
at this time-as the reality speaks for itself-it is crucial to emphasize that the
OLA is an independent politico-military institution with its own agency. No
political entity can assume responsibility for the OLA or dictate its role without
proper negotiations with its leadership.
B. Abiy Ahmed's Objectives with This Project
1. Exploiting Oromia Again
Abiy Ahmed lacks a natural constituency and has lost the indirect support he once
enjoyed, having waged war against every segment of society. By permitting the
opposition in Oromia to raise pressing issues and issue statements suggesting the
possibility of a transitional government, the regime aims to generate a sense of
euphoria in Oromia and revive its rapidly dwindling image.
The regime has wasted no time capitalizing on this manufactured wave of hope,
organizing its own "peace conferences" across Oromia. These efforts are designed
to exploit any emerging optimism stemming from the opposition's recent
statements. Should the regime perceive these efforts as fruitful, it may even extend
offers of cabinet positions to opposition leaders, co-opting them under the guise
of a "transitional" or "unity" government in the coming weeks.
We urge the opposition to thoroughly evaluate the medium- and long-term
BY Jabeessaa Qeerroo(ጀቤሳ ቄሮ)
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