Statement of the Oromo Liberation Front on H. R. 2003, the “Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007”
The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) welcomes the passage of H.R. 2003, “The Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007″by the US House of Representatives.
The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has been struggling, since its inception in 1973, to end the marginalization of the Oromo people, who make up upwards of 40% of the population in Ethiopia, and realize their inalienable political, social and economic rights. We believe the Oromo people would have everything to gain and nothing to loose from the advancement of human rights, democracy, independence of the judiciary and the supremacy of the rule of law and freedom of the press, which H. R. 2003 calls for.
The passage of H.R. 2003 is a major step in the right direction. The Bill brings to the forefront the political crisis in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian government’s large-scale human rights violations. Moreover, the Bill sends a clear signal that promoting democracy and human rights are the ways to defeat international terrorism. To the contrary, the support of undemocratic regimes actually creates conditions on which extremism could thrive.
We are particularly heartened by the H. R. 2003’s call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, over whom 80% are Oromo detained under fabricated charges of being members or supporters of the OLF. There are currently over 40,000 Oromo political prisoners in Oromia and Ethiopian regime’s federal prisons. Many of these prisoners have been in detention for over 15 year without charge or trial.
The OLF welcomes the call by the House for the Ethiopian regime to enter into negotiation with all opposition groups. The OLF has long maintained that a comprehensive political solution in Ethiopia needs dialogue among all the stakeholders.
Finally, The OLF commends the noble efforts of the co-sponsors of H. R. 2003, Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Congressman Smith (R-NJ) and their capable staffs for conceiving and bringing to fruition this important and timely bipartisan bill, H.R. 2003. At the same time, the OLF calls on the USA Senate to pass the Bill and the United States President to sign it in into law. The OLF believes that if the Bill becomes law, it would go a long way in paving the way for peace, respect for political, economic and social human rights and it lays foundation for sustainable economic development and contributes to regional stability.
Victory to the Oromo People!
Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)
October 5, 2007
18 thoughts on “Oromo Liberation Front statement on H.R. 2003”
I don’t like OLF they stand for OROMO only not for Ethiopia how they gonna separate OROMO from Ethiopia if they win the war against woyane????even if they win , they gonna have a war against the rest of Ethiopian. That’s why Ethiopian people don’t accept OLF idiology except oromo people.
victory for Ethiopia people
Akam Jirta Elias,
As always I am your admirer. But can you comment to the leaders of OLF that this bill passed because of all of us Ethiopians worked for it; not only oromos. I hate their narrow minded slogan and make me not to fully work on our enemy woyane fully. They should smell the coffee what is going on in africa and the world what is the final state of narrow nationalism.
Anget Yetale.
The leter wrote by Fetlework is caused by the false pr opoganda of woyane regime not by the reality of olf’s programme. BEWARE of WOYANES poisens and lets work together to throw away this dictators.OLF fights for democrcy and belives in vote and election it is in its blood to be democratc as it was in GEDA system of rule.
Dear FETLEWORK, OLF has nothing to do with the so called hateful things you are talking about,but it fights to gain the rights of Oromo people under the United Nation convention Act -just like your master CUD who fights to bring back the superiority of Amharas.Do not get confuse with the OLF the vanguard of 40 million Oromos. The issue you are concern with is its up to Oromos to decide their fates in which way they want to live with the rest of Ethiopian people.Moreover read its policy.
“The Oromo and other oppressed peoples are endowed with the right to decide the form of sovereignty they want, whether on their own or in a union with others on the basis of freely expressed consent of all concerned parties. To bring genuine peace and stability imperial domination must be brought to an end. To realize this objective readiness by all concerned parties is necessary to solve the political problem peacefully. Policy of shelving political problems must cease. OLF is ready to go an extra mile in search of peaceful resolution of the political crisis in Ethiopia. The OLF is ready to contribute towards any meaningful peace effort, as it did in the past, to reach at a comprehensive settlement to bring peace to all peoples of the empire” OLF
Daraaraadha Nagaati!
WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BRING ABOUT TRUE AND SUSTAINABLE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT BY USING EXCLUSIVE POLITICAL SYSTEM. THE ONLY WAY TO END TAKING POLITICAL POWER BY KILLING EACH OTHER IS COMPREHENSIVE AND INCLUSIVE PLATFORM AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION INCLUDING OLF AND OTHER GROUPS.LET US NOT WASTE OUR TIME AND SCARCE RESOURCES BY TRYING TO SOLVE OUR CURRENT POLITICAL PROBLEMS NOT BASED ON THE CURRENT OBJECTIVE REALLY BUT BY USING THE METHODS WHICH HAVE NEVER WORKED IN OUR ATTEMPT TO HAVE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COUNTRY.
Well as you knows all ppl love their democracy and their right. let me aske u one q Fetlewerk? what do you mean ethiopian? you think oromo ppl are not ethiopian? open you eye sisiter. Most ppl thye want to build new ethiopia without oromo ppl human right. come on as you know 40% of ethiopa ppl are oromo. whats wrong is that if OLF said lets have equality and human right for oromo ppl. lets give you one example when US Senetor asked birtukan Midekiso about how many ppl are in jail right now? she said only hundred kinjit menbers. What about 35000 oromo ppl in jail all over ethiopia? thye are not ethiopian? you guys push oromo ppl to become free oromo country. plz let be honest oromo ppl are victom of weyane right now. So first if you want tomo ppl a part of ethiopian respect them and don’t be ememememem
I just want to drop this point, “who will be an Ethiopian? Or how we will
Define being an Ethiopian?. Ethiopia is collection of different tribes or nationalities.
Do we need another Theodore to unite us after we defeat Woyane regime or the so called politicians has solution to united us as one state but different republics, please let us think about this issue and come up with good political, social and economical solution.
ST
addissian i’m not talking about OROMO people , i’m talking about OLF..OLF IS very narow nationalist, what is OLF’S destination? to separate OROMO ppl from the rest of Ethiopia? this is unacceptable idiology. OLF should strugle for Ethiopian not for OROMO ppl only , OROMO is Ethiopian and Ethiopia is belongs to OROMO so. instead of fighting for OROMO they should fight for Ethiopian ppl against Woyane to bring Democracy and freedom in the country.
Daraaraa ! CUD fights to bring freedom and democracy for Ethiopian ppl in cluding you.
Dear Addissian, Last time I checked, Birtukan Midekisa is Oromo. She is from Ethiopia, therefore, she is an Ethiopian. You know who is confusing us?? The so called elites; who used Ethiopian(our) money to get their education and now they make a living out of one party or another. Think about it… We are taking care of them, while they feed us hatred, narrow minddness..etc. Don’t let them trade on us. We are Ethiopian!! It is woyane who hates unity (united Ethiopia) not Oromo people. UNITY!!!!
Ethiopia will be United and death to zenawi.
Is OLF fighting to become anothr TPLF? Those who are capable of learning, should have learned from the people of Tigray and Eritrea. Freedom and Democracy never comes from the so called “LIBRATION FRONTS”
Oromo are probably the true and genuine Ethiopians, both historically and anthropologically. Because, the true Ethiopians are in fact the Kush, but however things have turned around over the last 70 or so years and the Abyssinians claimed Ethiopianess and started using the name officially. They not only started using the name but gave it Amhara identity. Ethiopianism became a tool for maintaining Amhara supremacy and a tool for oppressing decent. Today the Tigreans have picked up this, though they are not good at it. They suddenly became the ‘Ethiopianess guardians’. Yes Ethiopianism is the way to power and control in Ethiopia, that is why woyyane is trying hard to imitate what Amharas once tried to perfect. Unfortunately things have changed now the slogan is not working for woyyane and there is no reason why it is going to work for hate monger Amhara nationalists.
The base of my argument is that if any of you Abyssinian nationalists try to portray OLF and Oromo nationalism as anti Ehiopianism you are probably making a grave mistake. As I said before it is not even you that should claim Ethiopianess, it is the Oromos. So the cry of Ethiopianism doesn’t have any rational base other than being used as a tool for mobilizing support for one’s political goal, and also to suppress the right of the nations and nationalities in Ethiopia who are victims of Ethiopianism.
The other grave mistake made by Abyssinian nationalists is trying to prescribe an old solution to a new problem. The Oromos and others have said time and again that the old concept of what I call Imperial Ethiopianism doesn’t bring unity to Ethiopia, the only way to go is through an honest dialog without suppressing voice and decent. Why do you guys try to create a solution that will definitely become a problem? I believe it is time for Abyssinian nationalists to learn and change. Though hating OLF and Oromo nationalists and cursing them where ever you go may give you a temporary peace of mind deep down in your heart you know that it is not going to work. Come clean and show that you have changed, if not I assume that you have a learning disability.
Dear Derrarra
I agree with most of what you said and politically you are right. I would have been a number one supporter of OLF if the party has the agendas you mentioned. I fully agree the problem what the oromo people has been facing. I also feel a serious political solution is needed.BUT when you come to OLF,Its has uncountable problems.The main problem with the party is that its fundamental principle is HATRED. As a person born in oromia and a half oromo, I am exposed well to OLF politics.To be honest our country could be like ruwanda if OLF assumes the office.
To Time has changed:I don’t think your time has changed yet. If you read your message very well I am sure you will understand that you are still on your inferiority complex voyage.you still have a problem with the old regime that is history now. You have to wake up from your nightmare.Majority of Oromos believe in their Ethiopians only few of you are trying to destroy our unity.The good thing is you are few.All Ethiopians are intermarried to different tribes.What you should do forget being an enemy to our motherland and live peacefully with the rest of the people. Think of being Ethiopian first instead of being narow nationalist learn form Melles and Afworkie mistake .We need love,respect and work together in order to see Democratic Ethiopia.
Addisu:
That was exactly what I was trying to tell you guys. First, you don’t understand the Oromo people, you need to understand how Oromos feel about their right. Second, you again make a mistake of thinking that any one who airs concern about Oromo rights is a minority. You are stack in the past my friend. The unity you talk about is only by your own definition of unity, Oromos definition of unity is different from yours. We don’t want imperial unity, but together we can redefine it. If you are not ready for that my friend you will continue to suffer from your leaning disability.
Lets not fight on this pls. We are trying to build a new democratic Ethiopia only based on dialogue and the people of Ethiopia will have the chance to vote what they want. Everything has to be based on the Ethiopian peoples’ vote. But first Lets struggle the Meles regime for once and for all We are diverse but our diversity is our beauty it is not our weakness SO IN UNITED WE WIN IN DIVISION WE FALL!!!!!
I wonder how people become so narrow minded… let us first give Ethiopian People (including Oromo) the right to choose for themselves. The Oromo people (especially the one I grow up with, Wollega) had elected OLF to be thier party… but what happened then? they talked haterd politics,,, they preached our Oromo friends not to talk to us and told them we are using thier resource … wake up you diaspora people you live in other peoples county (why ? to get a better life) so what is wrong to go from Gonder to Wollega or Jimma to seek for a better opportunity … Leave us alone, Diaspora politics is not gone save Ethiopia … if there is going to be a change it has to come from within like the Kinijit election of 2005 … our fellow friends died for that cause ….
I believe with my Ethiopianess.I don’t support OLF.I want to live, work,travel.etc. all over Ethiopia with out anybody asking me which tribe I am from.I was born Ethiopia I am an Ethiopian period.