ONLF Signs a Peace Pact with the Government

By Gubae Gundarta

After 18 years of dissident struggle, the Ogaden National Liberation Front, ONLF, finally signed a peace deal with the Ethiopian government on Tuesday, 12 October 2010 at Sheraton Addis in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian government was represented by Dr. Shiferaw Teklemariam, Minister of Federal Affairs while Salahadin Abdurahim Mao, the front’s chairman signed the document. According to the agreement signed, all ONLF rebels who have been put behind bars for criminal charges would be released and exonerated.

Shiferaw said the talks that culminated in the signing of the protocol started when the two sides met in Washington last August. Pursuant to this initial deliberation a series of negotiations between the signatories at both managerial and societal level took place. The minister pointed out that the Ethiopian government did welcome the leaders of the rebel group and henceforth they would be provided with all the necessary financial support for further rehabilitation efforts.

“ONLF has done an act of valor by undertaking the signing of this deal than declaring guerrilla warfare 18 years back in the Somali Region’s Fiq Zone, in a specific place known as Gerri Goan,” Shiferaw said. The ceasefire was declared a week ago at Gerri Goan where higher management members from Somali Regional Government and ONLF leaders as well as community members were in attendance.

Sisay Abay, security affairs advisor to the Prime Minister, said on his part that the signing of the peace agreement between the two parties marked a milestone and indicated that the gesture showed a responsible leadership of Salahadin. “Those who have always hijacked the issue of ONLF as an ingredient of their claims of the prevalence violation of human rights in the country will have no chance of doing that hereafter.”

The Chairman of ONLF, Salahadin said the Ogaden people have been suffering from various problems for the last 18 years and that the rebel group has thus learned its lessons. “Violence never solves the problems of the people but rather results in a boomerang effect that exacerbates existing difficulties. It is with this understanding that we have decided to sign this agreement.”

Salahadin stated that all members of the Ogaden community who live in exile in foreign lands have decided to get back home and ONLF would work alongside the Somali Regional State in facilitating their return and rehabilitation. He also promised on the occasion that ONLF would work in cooperation with the government in tackling problems of the same ilk in the country.

NewsDire Staff Writer
By Gubae Gundarta (c) 2010 NewsDire.com, all rights reserved; can not be used without permission