𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞

 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞

OLF

Atrocities that ravaged Oromiya for years and then the North, have now again shifted to the South, Oromiya with its full force. The so-called ‘Coalition Force’, which constitutes Ethiopian National Defense Force, Amhara Regional State Special Force, Federal Police, and Fano, once again started their despicable onslaught on Oromiya in different directions. On the Eastern Oromiya, Fantale and Boset front, heavy fighting between the Oromo Liberation Army and the ‘Coalition Force’ has now counted its fifth day. On the Guji front, the massive operation resulted in heavy fighting. In Western Oromiya, a vast number of the ‘Coalition Forces’ invaded Metekal, crossed the Abay River through Agamsa and continued its onslaught. In North Showa, Central Oromiya, a similar war campaign is going on in Salale and Meta areas.

The most disgraceful face of the unnecessary war is that many innocent civilians are being evicted from their homes. Women, children and the elderly are left in the wilderness—no food, shelter, or medicine for the victim. The coalition force’s cruelty is reaching its maximum. The Ethiopian Government’s blatant and unpopular policy of ‘drying the ocean to catch the fish’ has continued unabated.

The onslaught is so scandalous that the whole enterprise is being led and maneuvered by an external force, namely the Eritrean Defense Forces, which has a track record of heinous brutalities in the North. Other allies are supplying drones and intelligence technologies. The Ethiopian Government bears all the responsibilities for inviting an external force to the sovereign territory they claim they have the mandate to protect but still let the massive human rights violation happen.

There is a credible report that this war is planned to intensify in the coming months. OLF is genuinely concerned that millions of civilians will be affected by this planned offensive. Displacement and civilian casualties in the deliberate use of air attack and heavy weapons in the civilian settlement will hugely affect the population. OLF again call on Regional states in Ethiopia not to send their Special Forces and militias to take part in this war. OLF has credible report of more than 27 civilians killed by Benishangu Regional Special Froce in Begi, Western Oromiya, in the last week only.

We have iterated repeatedly that the only solution to the political stalemate and conflict in Ethiopia and Oromiya is political. Military solution will further drug the poorest country of the world into a disaster that menace not only this generation but leave a lasting scar for the future generation and further disintegration of the country. OLF has not observed a genuine attempt by the Government and its supporters to make a sincere effort for a peaceful resolution with regard to the conflict in Oromiya. Here, OLF also wants to go on record that Prime Minster Abiyi Ahmed (PhD), Lamma Magarsa (Former President of Oromiya) and Berhanu Jula (Field Marshal) and Workineh Gebeyehu (PhD) are responsible for failure to implement the OLF-Ethiopian Government Asmara agreement of August 07, 2018, and for the continuation of this war in Oromiya.

We are very much dismayed by the international community’s persistent indifference while another atrocious human disaster is in the making in Oromiya. The principle of a peaceful approach to conflict does not imply any discriminatory action between people, regions, or groups. All human beings have the right to a peaceful existence, decent life and national and international protection as stipulated in different international conventions and treaties, especially of the UN. The UN and other parties who played a pivotal role in ending the conflict in North Ethiopia, Tigray, have a special responsibility to act the same way in South Ethiopia, Oromiya, when atrocities shift south.

We thus call upon the International Community, including the UN, the US, the Governments of the Republic of Kenya, South Africa, the European Union, and the African Union, to stop the bloodshed and displacement of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly in Oromiya.

Victory to the Masses!

Oromo Liberation Front

January 08, 2023.

Finfinne