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Ethiopia’s dictator wants to talk with OLF

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle | Sudan Tribune

ADDIS ABEBA, ETHIOPIA – A mediation team said that the government of Woyanne regime Ethiopia has agreed to hold talks with the rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) without any pre-conditions.

In January, a group of mediators drawn from 3 Oromo ethnic elders met OLF leaders, namely Dawd Ebsa and Temam Yosuf, in Amsterdam and signed with the rebel leaders a pact of agreement to come for peace talks under which the rebels agreed to accept Ethiopia’s constitution in principle.

“Meles Zenawi called us and told us in person that his country his junta is ready to hold talks with OLF” Ambassador Birhanu Dinka, one of the elders and also former UN envoy to the great lakes region said.

“Ethiopia agreed to come to negotiating table after the prime minister’s office looked deep into the Amsterdam’s pact of agreement reached between the three of us(elders) and the rebels last January” he added.

After both parties agreed to start talks, the third party has been holding meetings with different influential people abroad and at home.

Recently the elders group has held a two-day discussion with 125 influential elders drawn from different zones of the Oromiya region under which they urged the rebels to listen to their people and come to peace talks without any delay.

Ethiopia Woyanne has long designated the rebel group as a “terrorist” group and holds it responsible for a number of bomb blasts in the capital and in other southern towns.

Recently Ethiopia Woyanne has arrested a number of Oromos including an opposition leader for an alleged links to OLF “terror ring”.

The elders on a declaration called on both sides to show a genuine commitment to narrow their political difference which put the rebel group into nearly two decades of insurgency.

– ST

10 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s dictator wants to talk with OLF”

  1. All this can only show me one thing, that this is weakening your opponents position in the name of negotiation, so as to be able to defeat a more serious opponent(shabia)militarily. This confirms that there will be a bloody war in the north. If this is not a genuine negotiation, it shouldn’t happen. Otherwise, it is like giving a green light for the Ethiopian govenment to attack Shabia.

  2. Both the TPLF and EPLF are not trustworthy because they have attacked the OLF together. Meles Zenawi knows the weakness of the OLF and is trying to manipulate the organization to gain some political profit. The military and political weakness of the OLF can enable Meles Zenawi to negotiate from the position of strength.

  3. OLF (Office of Obo Dawud Ibssa)statement says:

    “The OLF is convinced the TPLF minority dictatorship cunningly uses ‘peace overtures’ of one kind or another, not to genuinely resolve the Oromo question peacefully but rather to distract our aggrieved population and sow discord among the Oromo liberation camp,….We would remind our people not to be deceived and confused by fake, empty and fruitless projects seemingly undertaken in the name of peace when it is abundantly clear that the TPLF is the sole perpetrator of conflicts and destabilizations at home and abroad,… the dictatorial Meles Zenawi regime had neither the desire nor the capacity to address the demands for democracy, freedom, as well as respect for human rights of the Oromo as well as other Ethiopian peoples.”

    More at:

    http://www.oromoliberationfront.org/News/2008/OLFStatementVOAInt..pdf
    http://www.ethiomedia.com/aurora/9076.html

  4. This Machiavellian move by Melles to negotiate with the OLF is based on real fear because the OLF led by General Kemal Gelchu is making real progress in the political, organizational and military fields resisting Woyanne tyranny, as we all know there is also some of the ineffective old guard OLF so called leaders who live in Europe and never made the effort to resist Woyanne tyranny effectively but have name recognition. By negotiating with these ineffective old guard “leaders” Woyanne’s main aim is to divide the Oromo people and alienate them from the heroes who are doing the fighting led by General Kemal Gelchu.

    Woyanne never wanted peace with the Oromo people, they are doing this to exploit differences among the exiled leaders of the old OLF, the new OLF in the field in Ethiopia is united and fighting Woyanne tyranny every day. The Ethiopian people in general and the Oromo people in particular will not fall for this cheap trick. I am certain that the rejected exiled “leaders” of the old OLF will sign a bogus peace accord with Woyanne because they know they don’t have a place in the new and effective OLF led by General Kemal Gelchu.

  5. I do believe in people to people negotiation but how do you negotiate with a mafia that have depends of its survival on blood shed? my friends these clique, Legesse Z, Seyoum Mesfin, Mebrahtu G/hiwot, Azeb Mesfin, and the rest of the weyane mafia MUST BE ERADICATED FROM THE FACE OF THE PLANET before any kind of negotiation can take place in Ethiopia as well as in the rest of the horn of Africa!

  6. How can Woyane leadership advocates peace accord, while it is currently surrounding and capturing its opponents. Even it is intimidating the so-called “peaceful opposition parties”.
    On the other hand, it seems that the OLF hasn’t learned from its past mistakes. Signing an accord does not mean building trust. Woyane has not been changed to a democratic figure. It still consolidating its power by means of divide and conquer. What it is doing now is a continuation of its former way of handling things.
    Woyane leadership has cheated several times many parties and groups. If the OLF group one or the other doubts about the true nature of Woyane, it is puting another rope around its neck.
    Is this peace only designed for Oromos? what about the other inhabitants of the nation. Should they organise themselves and raise arms in order to talk to Woyanes?
    It is really funny.

  7. All theses up and down Woyane drama is sign of coming of their doom day soon. they are acting like mad dog…buying some so-called artist like Qamar,” inviting “ the so-called Oromo elders, on the other hand arresting any one who looks like Oromo. Every body know that Woyane attention never been for the wellbeing of the country never will be rather than how they survive on power. Don’t for get that:

    -The so-called general election 2010 is coming, painting the election with “free and supported by all opposition “to appeal to “donors”.
    -Also Bush administration left few days to leave the office for president-elect Obama , no more blank check will be provided to them.
    -Situation in Somalia is not the way Woyane planed to be called as “liberator or anti terrorist either” while they are terrorizing the Ethiopian people for so long.

    On the other hand OLFs ( I added s because it seems they are many these days) should united with clear stand ( as Ethiopian) Rather than being OLF in Ethiopia, OLF fighting Woyane thugs & OLF sitting in Europe

  8. 1) OLF is at it’s weakest point and more fragmented in groups as those who follow Oromo Politics know. Meles is looking to deliver the final blow to the weak and often opposition. OLF has potential but let’s face it, half the time, they’re not sure which direction to think let alone go or take the Oromos. I don’t think I’m being negative here.

    2) Truth be told, OLF and Meles both see the same thing at the end. Meaning, they both want Ethiopia (including Oromiya) as a regional state to develop and finally become a full independent sovreign country. Since at the ultimate goal, both OLF/Meles want this although only difference is that Meles wants this for all regional states and OLF just for Oromiya. It won’t be hard for Meles to entice them to join under some sort of an umbrella partnership and include most Oromos and lead them towards development and evnetually Secession. Evidence you say? Article 39 of EC.

    3) Ethiopians, mainly amharas or those who hate to see the country disintegrate into sovreign countries into their ethnic homelands, forget that OLF has no Ethipian agenda what so ever! OLF’s main agends is to rule Oromiya, period. Regardless of some people in the diaspora’s efforts to entice OLF members to fight for Ethiopia, it won’t happen. Eritrean gov’t and Meles gov’t both agree with OLF manifesto in general, they’re just making sure that they suck all the financial blood out of Ethiopia…of course, they’ll build institutions and make the national businesses grow and make their billions, then just when it all seems that Ethiopia is growing or the Woyane businesses seem like they’ve got enough…Surprise! Disintegration Time! Time to put the current Ethipian Constitution at play to make sure the ethnic homelands become independent countries! All legally too, adhereing to International Law!

    Well, it was a nice ride for Ethiopia…what about 2000 years? Well, everything comes to an end at some point!

    Good luck everyone!

  9. Was it possible for HITLER to negotiate with the Jews he was gassing to exterminate them? How? on what grounds? Is similar case of the victimized, mass skinned, butchered, their homelands were sold, driven off their homes in mass, tortured to death OROMOS can not speak for themselves, for millions have perished by the Tigreans killings squads! This endless acts of barbarisms, extortions are beyond calculable negotiations, for saveges have bled much of the Oromos to no returns.

    OLFITES that negotiates must be aware of his/her negotiations are too little to bring any lasting solutions to ailing trusts of THE OROMO PUBLIC on the issues of rehtorics from the NAZI CHIEF mr zunawu.

    Oromos best interests must be lasting, overhaul of nepotisms, extortions that have eaten into the cores Orommuma to be eradicated once and for ever.

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