Skip to content

OLF denies responsibility for bomb blast in Addis Abeba

Posted on

Oromo Liberation Front Statement on the TPLF Regime’s accusation

On May 26, 2008, the Ethiopian Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) dominated regime issued a fabricated statement regarding a minibus blast that occurred on May 20, 2008, in Finfinnee aka Addis Ababa. It stated that:” Some of suspects of the bombing last Tuesday in Addis Ababa of a taxi minibus killing six passengers and injuring seven others have been put under custody. …Terrorists including those now arrested planted the explosive in the minibus full with commuters heading to Lagar from Arat Kilo on 20 May 2008. Evidences indicate that this act of terror was also coordinated by the Eritrean regime and perpetrated by its stooge, the self-styled Oromo Liberation Front.”

From the outset, we would like to make it clear to all concerned that the accusation labeled against the OLF is baseless. The OLF has nothing to do with the blast. The OLF has never and will never target civilian population nor does it condone any such acts.

The OLF is an independent political organization, formed in 1973, that struggles for the realization of the Oromo people’s right to national self-determination. The OLF is struggling for the protection of the Oromo people’s political, economic, social and cultural rights. The OLF is accountable to the Oromo people and has never been a lackey of any other Government or organization. The TPLF knows this more than any other.

The OLF has never targeted civilian population or their properties in its military operations ever since its formation either against the imperial, the now defunct junta and the incumbent minority tyrannical regime of the TPLF.

It is imperative to recall that the OLF had struggled against the feudal imperial regime and the Marxist Military regime of Ethiopia. It also is important to remember that after the downfall of the military regime, the OLF was a member of the Coalition that formed the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, among others with TPLF, in 1991. The OLF joined the coalition and formed the Transitional Government with the TPLF and others, in good faith and it was committed to peacefully and democratically pursue its political objectives. To the contrary, the TPLF joined the coalition as a tactical move. The truth was the TPLF formed the coalition with a commitment of forming a one-party TPLF tyrannical rule and that was why it forced out the OLF, the only independent organization in the coalition, from the political process. The TPLF made sure that no independent political organization participated in the country’s political process. To deceive the external world /donor governments, it created several satellite/dependent organizations and appeared to have installed a multi-party system. It is a public knowledge that the OLF resorted to armed struggle, as a means of last resort, after the tyrannical TPLF minority regime closed all avenues to peacefully and democratically pursue its political objectives.

Soon after the OLF was forced by the TPLF to withdraw from the Transitional Government, the TPLF Leaders wishfully declared to the whole world that it has annihilated the OLF. The TPLF regime could not and cannot annihilate the OLF because the OLF is an embodiment of the Oromo people’s political expression and, therefore, enjoys their overwhelming support. This had been publicly expressed during the Transitional Period.

Having terribly failed to deprive the OLF of the unflinching support of the Oromo people, the TPLF maliciously and opportunistically labeled it as a “terrorist organization” and embarked on the defamation of the OLF. The target was to undermine the objectives of the Oromo people’s struggle for self-determination, which has the goal of justice, freedom, democracy and progress. The TPLF regime’s objective of labeling the OLF is to tarnish the international image and standing of the OLF and to isolate the legitimate cause of the Oromo people’s struggle. For the project of defaming and isolating the OLF, the TPLF has allocated a huge budget and has assigned a full time staff of several hundreds of agents, including highly paid lobbyists. To date, the TPLF regime’s wicked effort to defame the OLF did not succeed.

The TPLF regimes’ accusation of the OLF makes sense only to its leaders and lackeys. The TPLF never had internal legitimacy. The overwhelming majority of the people in Ethiopia lend no credence to what the TPLF Regime says. Therefore, international community, in general, and donor Governments in particular, are the targets of the manipulation malicious and trumped-up charges against the OLF.

There is a pattern of timing in TPLF regime’s malicious accusation of the OLF. In general the TPLF regime accuses the OLF to either deflect the people’s attention or to gain the donors’ attention. It accuses the OLF when it believes it is internationally conducive to make such labeling stick or when the regime’s internal/domestic political challenges soar or crisis worsens. These days, the TPLF regime is engulfed in crises. The country’s economy is ailing of a sky rocketing inflation and the largest majority of the people are hardly making ends meet. The imperialistic and adventurous aggression and occupation of Somalia has become a quagmire to the TPLF army and it appears that there is no strategy for victory or exit. The Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, continuous making contradictory and confused statements in this regard. The secret boundary demarcation agreement or deal that the TPLF regime made with the Government of Sudan is facing a strong opposition from the Ethiopian People. The undemocratic April 2008 local and by-election have transformed the TPLF regime from the de facto one-party to a de jure one-party- TPLF/EPRDF tyrannical rule. Now, Emperor Meles Zenawi is more naked.

Hence, the regime started orchestrating bomb blasts and blaming it on the OLF to harness sympathy from concerned corners as a victim of terrorism. For all who know the history of the TPLF regime’s leaders, such an orchestration of bomb blasts, at the cost of human lives and limbs, to make a political point, does not come as a surprise. TPLF has no regard for human life. It killed thousands, including its own base people of Tigray, on its way to power; it started killing unarmed civilians as soon as it won the political power of the country from the military junta, and it is perpetuating its tyrannical rule by killing the civilian population opposed to its dictatorship.

The OLF has all reasons to believe that the minibus blast of May 20, 2008 that happened in Finfinne/Addis Ababa was organized and carried out by the TPLF Security Agents, as usual, for the purpose of blaming it on the OLF. It is not a coincidence that the TPLF Security Agents planted the explosive on a minibus on which an American citizen of Israeli origin was a passenger. We believe that they carried this out to make it appear that the OLF targets the US and Israeli citizens, security and national interests. This action, in their calculation, will corroborate their standing effort to put the OLF on the US list of terrorist organizations. The OLF would like to unequivocally state that its objectives, struggle or operations are in no way directed at the security and interests of the US, Israel, or any other state or the well being of their citizens, or any civilian population for that matter.

It is also worthy of note that it is a practice and custom of all Ethiopian regimes to label, mischaracterize and defame all political forces opposed to their tyrannical rule. It is a known fact that the predecessor of the incumbent regime had labeled TPLF and its leaders, among others, Meles Zenawi, “terrorist and mercenaries of the Arab Countries.” One, therefore, should not give credence to or be surprised by the TPLF regime following in the footsteps of its predecessors and labeling, mischaracterizing and diabolizing the OLF. Finally, we would like to reiterate, emphasize and put to rest this issue that the OLF is neither a terrorist organization, as labeled by the tyrannical regime of Ethiopia, nor does it endorse terrorism as a means of political struggle. The OLF expresses and struggles for the legitimate political aspiration of the more than thirty million people of the Oromo nation. The fabricated and repeated accusations of the tyrannical TPLF regime against OLF is hollow and, hence, cannot depreciate the good name/record of the OLF or the legitimate struggle of the Oromo people for self-determination, liberation, justice, democracy, peace, economic, social and cultural development.

Last, but not least, when we were about to dispatch this Statement, AP reported the following news: “A Somali group called Islamic Guerrillas claimed responsibility for the Tuesday’s [May 27, 2008] bombings in Nagele, 560 kilometers (347 miles) south of Capital.” The AP further reported that, “Ethiopian Government Spokesperson Zemedkun Tekle previously said that the bombings were probably the work of the OLF group.” We added this AP report to the Statement because it corroborates all what we have been saying about the minority TPLF tyrannical regime’s accusations of the OLF. This is a vindication for the OLF. The charlatan Leaders of the TPLF tyrannical regime will be further exposed.

Victory to the Oromo People!
Oromo Liberation Front
May 29, 2008

16 thoughts on “OLF denies responsibility for bomb blast in Addis Abeba

  1. Even if thunder drops from the sky on Melles’s palace or earth quake washes away the TPLF dictatorship from the Ethiopian scene Wayanes will always accuse both the Oromos and the OLF.

    The accusation is not based on objective realities and fact grounded evidences but a reflection of the genocidal minority dictator’s psychological,political and military fear of the resourc rich Oromo people as a whole that constitutes a amjority in Ethiopia.

    The TPLF is like a parasite living and feeding on human body fightin against the parasite in order to cure itself from constant sickness. Alien parasite invade the human body against its wishes and gets very agressive and angry at the body’s natural resistance to cure itself.

    Hence no wonder that a parasite constantly feeding and terrorizing the human body is constantly being terrorized due to the self curing and self defending all round natural body resistances.

  2. I admire your honest statement that proves the malicious and habitual lies of tyrant Woyane. However, I seriously curse you for not planting the bombs. Please speak the language that the murderer TPLF kings unmistakably understand, namely the language of violence, attack and sabotage! That is the only way to remove this cancer of society from throne! They have stayed too long and it is time they are gone for good!

  3. TPLF gangs lie about everything. Literally everything under the Sun. The most difficult job is to find any truth in TPLF gangs and their hired guns propaganda. Ethiopians have given up on them. No mentally sound Ethiopian, except their gangs and hired donkeys, believes TPLF propaganda. Ethiopians know TPLF gangs have been killing innocent Ethiopians to make propaganda out of the tragedy of their own making. TPLF shamed Ethiopians in what they have done in Ethiopia and Somalia against innocent people. TPLF cruelty is disturbs human conscience.

    Somali group claimed responsibility on the recent bombing. TPLF gangs have done their bombing of innocent Ethiopians and their properties a number of times during the last 17 years to fabricate some propaganda on the opposition groups.

    Meles and lies are the best of friends!

  4. This is now the OLF I like. Expose the idiot woyanes and join hands with the rest of the democratic forces of Ethiopia. We need an Ethiopia where the selfdetermination of all of us is respected, where all of us are equal and free and ONE. Who would have a problem with this

  5. As most of us know the political systematic trends from current regime in Addis Ababa, nothing is left unharmed. The regimes unsolicited hate campaign is the main sources for devistating permenant environmental changes that have brought desertifications to places that used feed the mojority of the region.

    It is to be recalled back in 1996, the regime of Mr. Meles Zenawi, despatched air crafts to spray gasoline on dense forrests of southern Ethiopia, where it lit them with fires, to flush out Oromo Liberation Front fighters, who may sought shelter in them. When such fire begun devouring, trees such as redwood and others that have lived and brought rain great climate started to burn massive Bale Mountains, Ethiopian youth, particularily students, farmers volunteered to join locals in helping to extinguish is, to no avails.

    The same regime, started campaign of hunting these voluteers and killed them indiscriminately from Ambo College and highschools all the way to Borena. The fire was set by the regime of EPRDF, accomplished many of its preplanned targets. First destructions of natural resources of Ethiopia that have earned admirations by even tourists, just because it is located within Oromia. Second, a pretext to deny Oromo Liberation Front space of hideouts. Third, impoverishing Oromos who always survived all harsh draughts Northern Ethiopia is known for. Fourth, identifying, then butchering the youth voluteers, to cause quadruple blow to Oromos sense cultural protections, in this case green lashes are always parts of Oromos ERACHA.

    But, a little they, the regime of Mr. Zenawi know, the impacts such calouse,barberica acts brought to the entire Horn Of Africa. Today, draught is taking place all over Ethiopia, Somalia, Northern Kenya. Who might be called to account for such primitive gorrila acts? So far, World Bank is paying the bill. Bills that goes to Ethiopia but somehow evaporate at Addis Ababa airport, as citizens of deliberately draighted die by tens of thausands.

    I appeal to, those who call themselves OLF, to address these and the current claims of earthquackes are the works of OLF and Eritrea claims of Melesites operatives to UN, tribunes, Red cross, UNHCR, HEADS of industrilized donors, as well as
    World enviromental protection agencies. I know, that No one cares for Africa or African people, but, but.. for the recod, to show the Xenophobia against the Oromo people,is being funded by, only you. Those who are arming environmenta l and regional terrorist regime of Mr. Meles Zenawi, who even does not represent his 4-5% Tigrean people, but his eager greed driven grabs for loots, or burn down what he and his thugs can not relocate to his mini region of tigrea tribal state.

  6. I can understand the reason to clarify false accusation and to set things straight. Yet the conclusion of the statement sends shivers in my body “Victory to the Oromo People” what a narrow minded slogan! Your statement calls the TPLF being a Minority government. But you are also fighting for your ethnic group alone? Guess what, God forbid if you become to rule Ethiopia or as you wish the Oromo people you will be another parasite sucking the blood of our people.
    As for the bombing of our cities and people, I will not discount OLF or TPLF as culprit.

  7. “Victory to the Oromo People!”

    This reimided me of the derg slogan. Enashenfalen!!!

    All of us need to work together. We are all born in Ethiopia
    Ethiopia is for all For all man kind, not only for oromo, tigre, amahara, gurage we are more than 80 tribes we need to
    come together teach our boothers and siters Peace, love, all
    the good things…………… Peace For All!!

  8. Yes, Victory to the Oromo People!

    Yes, Oromia shall be FREE!

    “Liberty, in modern time, is generally considered a concept of political philosophy and identifies the condition in which an individual has the ability to act according to his or her own will.”

    And we’ll do whatever we will.

  9. Victory to all !! Gurage!! Ganbella!! Sedama!!!!!! all us that
    live in the land of Ethiopia. We are one people.
    My mother is oromo, my father hamara. I am one. I am one. Peace for all!
    Peace for all!!

  10. We might soon demand the same slogan from the Oromos similar to that of professor Mesfin’s who stated that Amharas don’t exist.

    What a lie and what a shame!

    Of course Amahras, Oromos, Tigres, Somalis, Sidamas and all else etnicities in Ethiopia really exist folks.

    Diversity is a greatest gift of the beautiful nature and the sources of all creativities and innovations!

    What we must be talking about is unity within diversity for the joint creativities and national innovations that are greater than sums of all these individual nations and nationalities.

    Imitating 18th century dishonest despotic dictators still delivering the last kicks of the dying horse serves no postive purpose.

    Until just a few years ago the Turkish government was closing its eyes firmily and denying the very existance of the Kurdish minority in Turky.

    But the motivation to join the European Union forced Turkey to white wash its white lies and admite the existance of the Kurdish minority previousely just lumped together and labeled as Turks alone.

    This maight be just a minor example to learn from even for some our parochial corner patriot dressed with cut to fit white lies.

  11. hagerbet:

    You are on the right track and keep treking!

    To form unity out of diversity we must necessarily say, victory to Gurages, victory to Gambellas, victory to Sidamas, victory to Amharas, victory to Somalis, victory to Oromos, first and foremost in this order and then come together and say jointly “VICTORY TO ETHIOPIA!” Keep this in mind, lest you may get lost in the wilderness.

    It is like building from the ground up with solid basis and lasting structures.

    Otherwise we might be just trying to put together a house of cards that may crumble with any passing light wind just like our very familiar near and dear Ethiopia years in and years out.Hmm…

    13# hagerbet says:

    Victory to all !! Gurage!! Ganbella!! Sedama!!!!!! all us that
    live in the land of Ethiopia. We are one people.
    My mother is oromo, my father hamara. I am one. I am one. Peace for all!
    Peace for all!!

  12. divide and rule italy’s policy did not work for them. TPLF has tried to apply and this terrorist group has used this policy for the last 17 years, but now the time is over.All TPLF’s criminals will be hunted out where ever they will go and they will face justice. I have never had any thought that tegeres are lying, but since the tegary terrorists entered in minilik’s palace, I know they are number one one liars.

Leave a Reply