January
22, 2009, ADDIS ABABA [AFP] — A rebellion by ethnic Oromos in Ethiopia is at its
weakest state after years of internal divisions, a former rebel leader said
Friday, claiming it had "zero" chance of toppling the government.
Six senior members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which for more than
three decades has fought for independence of the Oromia region, crossed over
from Kenya and surrendered earlier this month, along with 250 fighters.
"The OLF was meant to liberate its people, but divisions and a lack of vision
has hampered its cause," Lucho Bukhura, a former central committee member, told
journalists here.
Lucho said the group had splintered into three factions "based on geographical
background" since its inception in the 1970s.
"It has been disintegrating for the past 17 years. They have zero fighting
capacity at the moment and zero chance of overthrowing the government," he said.
Lucho, who spoke along with three other former rebels, said they surrendered
after holding negotiations with the authorities and obtaining guarantees on
their treatment.
The OLF insisted in a statement this week that its operations would not be
affected by the defections.
"Those who surrendered... are traitors, who had contact with the tyrannical
minority regime's intelligence network and had, for a long time, been sources of
problems in the area," the statement said.
The OLF was part of Ethiopia's transition government from 1991 to 1995, after
the fall of the Marxist regime of Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam.
After numerous disputes with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's EPRDF party, it quit
the coalition and demanded the creation of an independent state to be called
Oromia.
Since then, Ethiopian police have routinely blamed the group of carrying out
"terrorist activities" and fomenting insecurity, while opposition leaders of
Oromo descent accuse the government of arbitrarily detaining hundreds from the
region on suspicion of supporting the group.
Lucho said he had handed recommendations to the government to resolve the issue
peacefully and was scheduled to meet the prime minister this week.
"The government needs to come out and work with the people. We have given
recommendations in order to uplift the Oromo people," he said.
Oromos are the largest ethnic group in the Horn of Africa nation, comprising
more than 30 percent of the population of 80 million.
___
OLF
plays down defections
By Argaw Ashine [DN] January 20, 2010
A
recent defection of 80 Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) fighters to Ethiopian
authorities in Northern Kenya will not affect the struggle, OLF says from
Asmara.
OLF issued a statement from Eritrean capital Asmara today saying the recent
surrender of its 80 fighter forces in northern Kenya was a conspiracy between
Ethiopian intelligence and OLF traitors dismissed from the group a year ago.
Those who surrendered to Ethiopian regime are traitors, who had contact with the
regime’s intelligence network and had, for a long time, been sources of problems
in the area, OLF added.
OLF said, traitors shall not determine the Future of the Oromo Liberation Front
or the Destiny of the Oromo Nation.
OLF expressed its disappointment on the report on January 14, 2010 on the issue
from the ground.
“It’s misleading and unbalanced” the rebel group said.
OLF is fighting with Ethiopian governments since 1970s for independence and
autonomy mainly based in northern Kenya and Eastern Ethiopia regions.
Now days OLF senior officials based in Ethiopia’s arch foe Eritrea.
----
OLF
suffers defection of fighters
ADDIS ABABA, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Ethiopia has taken
more than 100 Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) rebels into custody after they
surrendered and handed over a cache of arms, the government said through state
media on Sunday.
A number of rebel groups operate in the Horn of Africa country, launching
hit-and-run attacks and worrying potential investors in oil and gas exploration.
"Members of a political force operating under the name of the Oromo Liberation
Front (OLF) handed over themselves to the government in an organised manner,"
state-run Ethiopian Television (ETV) reported.
The group included Lucho Burbura who has been one of the group's top military
commanders and its head of foreign relations, ETV said.
The OLF did not immediately deny the reports but said on Sunday it had killed
three Ethiopian troops and captured five in renewed fighting.
The OLF has fought for autonomy for its southern homeland since 1993. The Oromos
are Ethiopia's largest ethnic group but have not held power in modern times.
The Ethiopian opposition says the government falsely accuses Oromo politicians
of OLF membership as an excuse to arrest them before national elections in May.
Oromo politicians in the capital Addis Ababa, who did not want to be named, told
Reuters on Sunday that the reports on state television looked credible.
A government official in neighbouring Kenya, who also asked not to be
identified, told Reuters the OLF rebels had been hiding out on their side of the
border.
"More than 103 fighters were brought here (Moyale) by hired trucks (and) taken
to Ethiopia, where they gave all their guns and uniforms," the official said.
The official said Kenya was about to deploy thousands of troops to flush the
rebels back into Ethiopia. He said Ethiopia would offer defectors amnesty.
Ethiopia -- which has a system of "ethnic federalism" under which major ethnic
groups control the regions where they are the majority -- fights other
separatist groups, including the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Ogaden is eyed by foreign oil and gas companies who think its huge deserts might
be rich in mineral deposits.
Analysts expect the rebels to try to disrupt the national elections. (Additional
reporting by Noor Ali in Isiolo; editing by David Clarke and Charles Dick) ADDIS
ABABA, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Ethiopia has taken more than 100 Oromo Liberation
Front (OLF) rebels into custody after they surrendered and handed over a cache
of arms, the government said through state media on Sunday.
A number of rebel groups operate in the Horn of Africa country, launching
hit-and-run attacks and worrying potential investors in oil and gas exploration.
"Members of a political force operating under the name of the Oromo Liberation
Front (OLF) handed over themselves to the government in an organised manner,"
state-run Ethiopian Television (ETV) reported.
The group included Lucho Burbura who has been one of the group's top military
commanders and its head of foreign relations, ETV said.
The OLF did not immediately deny the reports but said on Sunday it had killed
three Ethiopian troops and captured five in renewed fighting.
The OLF has fought for autonomy for its southern homeland since 1993. The Oromos
are Ethiopia's largest ethnic group but have not held power in modern times.
The Ethiopian opposition says the government falsely accuses Oromo politicians
of OLF membership as an excuse to arrest them before national elections in May.
Oromo politicians in the capital Addis Ababa, who did not want to be named, told
Reuters on Sunday that the reports on state television looked credible.
A government official in neighbouring Kenya, who also asked not to be
identified, told Reuters the OLF rebels had been hiding out on their side of the
border.
"More than 103 fighters were brought here (Moyale) by hired trucks (and) taken
to Ethiopia, where they gave all their guns and uniforms," the official said.
The official said Kenya was about to deploy thousands of troops to flush the
rebels back into Ethiopia. He said Ethiopia would offer defectors amnesty.
Ethiopia -- which has a system of "ethnic federalism" under which major ethnic
groups control the regions where they are the majority -- fights other
separatist groups, including the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Ogaden is eyed by foreign oil and gas companies who think its huge deserts might
be rich in mineral deposits.
Analysts expect the rebels to try to disrupt the national elections. (Additional
reporting by Noor Ali in Isiolo; editing by David Clarke and Charles Dick)
