Ethiopia-ONLF: The 2012 expected peace
negotiations
03 January, 2012 | By Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Anyone can give up; it’s the easiest thing in the world to do.
But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if
you fell apart, that’s true strength.“
By anonymous sage.
yet there is reliable information to that effect from trustworthy sources
that the Ethiopian government informed formally the Kenyan
government that it wants to talk to the ONLF in the presence of a
third party. The ONLF all the way through its history was maintaining
that they are willing to talk to the Ethiopian government, in a neutral
country, provided Ethiopia accepts the presence of a third party to
witness the progress of the talks.
The Kenyan government received the acceptance of the ONLF
without a delay since it was the government of Ethiopia not the
ONLF that was dragging its feet for so long from taking the offer of
peace talks in the hope that it will wipe out the ONLF through brute
military force. The Somali Region’s (Ogaden region) resistance to
occupation stretches over a century and the region was and is a battle
field between successive Ethiopian governments and national
liberation forces. The region has been treated by the Ethiopian
governments over the years as a buffer zone and its citizens as
strangers that have no right in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia through its choice tool, military option, to address the
genuine occupation question of the Somali region (Ogaden Region)
made the region the least developed region in Ethiopia. Substantial
number of its citizens grew up in refugee camps or in neighbouring
countries for the third generation and whatever left behind either
move from one IDP camp to the next at best or loiters in
concentration camps called military prisons that are spread
throughout the region at worst.
Human rights organisation’s yearly and daily reports consistently
highlight the atrocities and human rights abuses meted against the
region by the security forces of Ethiopia. The region is categorized
and recognised as famine prone by the international development
agencies and yet in pursuit of its military option the Ethiopian
government sealed the boarders Ethiopia’s starvation strategy of the
region from all sides and pronounced it as no go area for
international aid agencies, independent reporters and the likes. The
Gaza- like status, open prison, is effective to this day and among the
latest casualties of the notorious anti terrorist bill are the two Swedish
journalists who ventured into the region on a fact finding mission –
Ethiopia Jails Swedish Journalists
The people of the region have never been allowed to elect their
representatives even at village level let alone at regional level. Since
the region is garrison town under perpetual emergency rule, the army
hand picks their young informers and crowns them to high offices.
The educated and the elite of the region, who grow up in exile
through fault of not theirs, were barred from running for public office
and thus under – thirty year olds with no experience but loyalty to
their appointed Tigrean masters are at the helm of the region.
The reigning Ethiopian government, under premier Zenawi, which the
ONLF has to negotiate with, is an authoritarian state that has no
tolerance for pluralistic views in any shape or form. The politics,
military and the economy of Ethiopia is dominated by his
TPLF/EPRDF party which claimed that it won 99.6% of the latest
staged election when it is common knowledge that the reality is on the
contrary - Total Domination of Ethiopia by Ethnic Tigrean . The most
draconian anti – terrorist laws ever was introduced by his party to
criminalise any form of decent, repressive press laws that saw the
closure of all the independent media outlets is in place and rubber
stamp judiciary that are tasked to dish out lengthy prison sentences
that underwrites opposition party officials, journalists, human rights
activists and the likes are kept behind bars; works round the clock.
Real peace talks, between Ethiopia and the ONLF, that are pencilled
to start soon heralds a glimmer of hope for the Somali Region and the
horn of African countries. If the Ethiopian government is sincere
about the talks and prepared to negotiate within the framework of the
Ethiopian constitution, all signs are that a successful deal is within
reach. The core of the talks, from the Ethiopian government’s side,
should be aimed at permanently wrapping up a century of warfare,
sabotage, mistrust and mass upheaval that became the hallmark of
Somali region’s relationship with Ethiopia and a gaping sore to the
pride and the international image of Ethiopia.
A fool and water will go the way they are diverted but not a
leader
The appalling but factual scenario in Ethiopia as mentioned above has
the potential to categorically chase away weak leaders that are
detached from their background in its entirety but on the contrary;
robust pragmatic leaders will always find, in such thorny times, an
opportunity to make a difference. UWSLF (small unknown Islamist
front) and Eng. Maow’s (expelled from ONLF central committee in
2004)one man show, after protracted and gruesome media coverage
finally concluded what the Ethiopian government christened as peace
pact with the Ethiopian government – not a single one from the
serving central committee members nor a commander was signatory
to the so called peace agreement . The terms of the pact fell short of
the expectations of many in the Diaspora and received muted reaction
from the people of the region. The two purported leaders were
offered no demonstrable concessions at all with the exception of the
release of hundreds of wrongly incarcerated members of the
thousands of the civilian inmates in the military prisons.
The ONLF swiftly condemned the leaders that opted out of the
armed struggle for few pence as sell outs. Sizable numbers in the
diaspora, who were initially sitting on the fence, after studying the
empty pact, lent their support to the ONLF. The push factor that
wooed the doubters from the fence to the ONLF camp can be
credited to the lack of noticeable and structured fundamental changes
as to how the regional government conducts its political businesses.
The Ethiopian government, as a goodwill gesture temporarily tuned
down its scorched earth campaign, to sell the empty peace agreement
– hostilities and arbitrary arrest of the innocent civilians decreased
significantly, hundreds of alleged ONLF supporters held in detention
for so long were released, the feared and often unaccountable local
police were reigned and waves of delegations from Somali regional
state visited the diaspora lands to put across their argument which
was in essence not more than the prolongation of the current
statuesque .The officer’s talks were centred around petty things such
as offering tribe X few more political posts but failed to address the
fundamentals they were expected to attend to.
A little rain each day will fill the rivers to overflowing
The current peace talks are driven by a third party (Kenyan
Politicians) who by all measures have an in-depth knowledge of the
issue and have a genuine stake in the success of the talks. The
Ethiopian government on its side understands the local and
international political gains it could reap from the success of the talks
and is in no mode to forgo the opportunity although it is not at any
price. The ONLF on their part are eager to reach nothing short of
durable and verifiable deal, with the Ethiopian government, that can
offer the masses of the vast region their full constitutional rights initially
with in Ethiopia. Full constitutional rights as understood by ONLF
and the people of the region, is the exercise of their right to freely
elect their own representatives without interference from the
TPLF/EPRDF dominated federal government with the view of
preparing the region for full referendum for independence within a
decade along the lines of Eretria and southern Sudan if the need
arises.
The 2012 peace talks calls for ONLF leaders to go to the talk’s
venue with open minds and with determination to keep the negotiating
going, no matter how many sittings, until a mutual compromise is
hammered out. The negotiations won’t be easy as some ONLF
members, although few in number, might be susceptible to fall for
external interests and could create confusion and distractions as the
highs of the talk is reached but the will and the steadfastness of the
mainstream genuine nationalists will overcome the mice traps. The
failure of the talks will have a lasting effect on the ONLF and the
Ethiopian government as this puts their leadership’s diplomatic
maturity under the spotlight for everyone to see.
The ONLF should understand that the goals and history of the
opposition movements in the north and Oramio are largely far
removed from to that of the Somali Regional State. The mantra sung
in the corridors of western government’s power houses by the varied
Ethiopian opposition groups can’t be taken at face value as most
have ethnic based agendas concealed up their sleeves. No regional
state in Ethiopia suffered as much as the Somali regional state so one
size fits all paradigms floated by the Ethiopian opposition groups can’t
address the grievances of the region but will rather further exasperate
the situation. The region’s problems are unique and hence require
tailor made solution that can redress in a significant way the long
standing grievances at least partially at this instant.
Conclusion and recommendations
The peace talk on the table is not a riddle but a simple dialogue that
only a wise and committed leaders that can put the interest of their
people before their ego can save the day. The old adage of the cow
“cow gave birth to a fire: she wanted to lick it, but it burned; she
wanted to leave it, but she could not because it was her own child.”
Our forefathers passed to us clearly points that no problem is
insurmountable. Courageous and honest leaders can successfully
circumnavigate the hurdles on the road to peace. What the region is
waiting is nothing short of able leaders of high calibre that can steer
the country from its impending self implosion.
The ONLF leaders ought to understand that the Ethiopian
government headed by premier Zenawi and the ONLF are conjoined
twins that can’t be separated for the time being as they live in the
same body called federal Ethiopia. In the short-term however
unattractive Zenawi may appear to some members, the organization is
obliged to do business with his government in the long-term therefore
necessity dictates that he should appear, in the eyes of the ONLF
leadership, more gorgeous than for instance president Isias Afewerki
of Eritrea or for that matter any other head of state. Although I am
not condoning oppression in any form or shape but at same time I fail
to see the compulsion for endless armed struggle that most often than
not only harms the same people both claims to striving to better their
lives.
The Somali regional state is acknowledged as the key holder to the
stability and developmental aspirations of both Ethiopia and Somalia.
All the ills of Ethiopia historically stem from the Somali region and its
fallouts spoils the political and economic health of the region albeit to
different degrees. It is said “Compromise, if not the spice of life, is its
solidity. It is what makes nations great and marriages happy.” ONLF
at this historical juncture is expected to look at the big picture
carefully and to sign the agreement if it confers the people of the
region their full constitutional rights or else risk to end up in the
museum where failed organisations are safely parked.
“It is said a proverb is the horse of conversation: when the
conversation lags, a proverb revives it.” As a concluding remark I
would like to emphasise that the Ethiopian government should
understand that the ONLF stands for the aspirations, full constitution
rights for all, of the Somali regional state citizens. The ONLF is the
current bearer of the torch of struggle that resistance movements have
been handing down for generations and should in any way confused
with the packaging of the organisation. Those who aren’t members of
the front share with it the strategic goal the front is fighting for but
might have a little difference on the tactical side that is bound to be
ironed in the near future.
Two decades of federal army’s mass killing at industrial scale coupled
by five years of Liyu Police(local government armed marauding militia
) and the shadowy peace deals with individuals with no military or
political influence didn’t divide the ONLF nor brought the region
closer to peace. The Ethiopian regime should understand that century
old conflict is a political one and can only be ended with robust
political solutions.
--------------------------------------
Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh
WardheerNews
Email: abdikarimbuh@yahoo.com
Courtesy
negotiations
03 January, 2012 | By Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Anyone can give up; it’s the easiest thing in the world to do.
But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if
you fell apart, that’s true strength.“
By anonymous sage.
- The students of Ethiopian
politics perceive the forth
coming peace talks between
the ONLF (Ogaden National
Liberation Front) and the
Ethiopian Government as one
of the toughest talks ever
entertained by any Ethiopian
government. Even though the
yet there is reliable information to that effect from trustworthy sources
that the Ethiopian government informed formally the Kenyan
government that it wants to talk to the ONLF in the presence of a
third party. The ONLF all the way through its history was maintaining
that they are willing to talk to the Ethiopian government, in a neutral
country, provided Ethiopia accepts the presence of a third party to
witness the progress of the talks.
The Kenyan government received the acceptance of the ONLF
without a delay since it was the government of Ethiopia not the
ONLF that was dragging its feet for so long from taking the offer of
peace talks in the hope that it will wipe out the ONLF through brute
military force. The Somali Region’s (Ogaden region) resistance to
occupation stretches over a century and the region was and is a battle
field between successive Ethiopian governments and national
liberation forces. The region has been treated by the Ethiopian
governments over the years as a buffer zone and its citizens as
strangers that have no right in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia through its choice tool, military option, to address the
genuine occupation question of the Somali region (Ogaden Region)
made the region the least developed region in Ethiopia. Substantial
number of its citizens grew up in refugee camps or in neighbouring
countries for the third generation and whatever left behind either
move from one IDP camp to the next at best or loiters in
concentration camps called military prisons that are spread
throughout the region at worst.
Human rights organisation’s yearly and daily reports consistently
highlight the atrocities and human rights abuses meted against the
region by the security forces of Ethiopia. The region is categorized
and recognised as famine prone by the international development
agencies and yet in pursuit of its military option the Ethiopian
government sealed the boarders Ethiopia’s starvation strategy of the
region from all sides and pronounced it as no go area for
international aid agencies, independent reporters and the likes. The
Gaza- like status, open prison, is effective to this day and among the
latest casualties of the notorious anti terrorist bill are the two Swedish
journalists who ventured into the region on a fact finding mission –
Ethiopia Jails Swedish Journalists
The people of the region have never been allowed to elect their
representatives even at village level let alone at regional level. Since
the region is garrison town under perpetual emergency rule, the army
hand picks their young informers and crowns them to high offices.
The educated and the elite of the region, who grow up in exile
through fault of not theirs, were barred from running for public office
and thus under – thirty year olds with no experience but loyalty to
their appointed Tigrean masters are at the helm of the region.
The reigning Ethiopian government, under premier Zenawi, which the
ONLF has to negotiate with, is an authoritarian state that has no
tolerance for pluralistic views in any shape or form. The politics,
military and the economy of Ethiopia is dominated by his
TPLF/EPRDF party which claimed that it won 99.6% of the latest
staged election when it is common knowledge that the reality is on the
contrary - Total Domination of Ethiopia by Ethnic Tigrean . The most
draconian anti – terrorist laws ever was introduced by his party to
criminalise any form of decent, repressive press laws that saw the
closure of all the independent media outlets is in place and rubber
stamp judiciary that are tasked to dish out lengthy prison sentences
that underwrites opposition party officials, journalists, human rights
activists and the likes are kept behind bars; works round the clock.
Real peace talks, between Ethiopia and the ONLF, that are pencilled
to start soon heralds a glimmer of hope for the Somali Region and the
horn of African countries. If the Ethiopian government is sincere
about the talks and prepared to negotiate within the framework of the
Ethiopian constitution, all signs are that a successful deal is within
reach. The core of the talks, from the Ethiopian government’s side,
should be aimed at permanently wrapping up a century of warfare,
sabotage, mistrust and mass upheaval that became the hallmark of
Somali region’s relationship with Ethiopia and a gaping sore to the
pride and the international image of Ethiopia.
A fool and water will go the way they are diverted but not a
leader
The appalling but factual scenario in Ethiopia as mentioned above has
the potential to categorically chase away weak leaders that are
detached from their background in its entirety but on the contrary;
robust pragmatic leaders will always find, in such thorny times, an
opportunity to make a difference. UWSLF (small unknown Islamist
front) and Eng. Maow’s (expelled from ONLF central committee in
2004)one man show, after protracted and gruesome media coverage
finally concluded what the Ethiopian government christened as peace
pact with the Ethiopian government – not a single one from the
serving central committee members nor a commander was signatory
to the so called peace agreement . The terms of the pact fell short of
the expectations of many in the Diaspora and received muted reaction
from the people of the region. The two purported leaders were
offered no demonstrable concessions at all with the exception of the
release of hundreds of wrongly incarcerated members of the
thousands of the civilian inmates in the military prisons.
The ONLF swiftly condemned the leaders that opted out of the
armed struggle for few pence as sell outs. Sizable numbers in the
diaspora, who were initially sitting on the fence, after studying the
empty pact, lent their support to the ONLF. The push factor that
wooed the doubters from the fence to the ONLF camp can be
credited to the lack of noticeable and structured fundamental changes
as to how the regional government conducts its political businesses.
The Ethiopian government, as a goodwill gesture temporarily tuned
down its scorched earth campaign, to sell the empty peace agreement
– hostilities and arbitrary arrest of the innocent civilians decreased
significantly, hundreds of alleged ONLF supporters held in detention
for so long were released, the feared and often unaccountable local
police were reigned and waves of delegations from Somali regional
state visited the diaspora lands to put across their argument which
was in essence not more than the prolongation of the current
statuesque .The officer’s talks were centred around petty things such
as offering tribe X few more political posts but failed to address the
fundamentals they were expected to attend to.
A little rain each day will fill the rivers to overflowing
The current peace talks are driven by a third party (Kenyan
Politicians) who by all measures have an in-depth knowledge of the
issue and have a genuine stake in the success of the talks. The
Ethiopian government on its side understands the local and
international political gains it could reap from the success of the talks
and is in no mode to forgo the opportunity although it is not at any
price. The ONLF on their part are eager to reach nothing short of
durable and verifiable deal, with the Ethiopian government, that can
offer the masses of the vast region their full constitutional rights initially
with in Ethiopia. Full constitutional rights as understood by ONLF
and the people of the region, is the exercise of their right to freely
elect their own representatives without interference from the
TPLF/EPRDF dominated federal government with the view of
preparing the region for full referendum for independence within a
decade along the lines of Eretria and southern Sudan if the need
arises.
The 2012 peace talks calls for ONLF leaders to go to the talk’s
venue with open minds and with determination to keep the negotiating
going, no matter how many sittings, until a mutual compromise is
hammered out. The negotiations won’t be easy as some ONLF
members, although few in number, might be susceptible to fall for
external interests and could create confusion and distractions as the
highs of the talk is reached but the will and the steadfastness of the
mainstream genuine nationalists will overcome the mice traps. The
failure of the talks will have a lasting effect on the ONLF and the
Ethiopian government as this puts their leadership’s diplomatic
maturity under the spotlight for everyone to see.
The ONLF should understand that the goals and history of the
opposition movements in the north and Oramio are largely far
removed from to that of the Somali Regional State. The mantra sung
in the corridors of western government’s power houses by the varied
Ethiopian opposition groups can’t be taken at face value as most
have ethnic based agendas concealed up their sleeves. No regional
state in Ethiopia suffered as much as the Somali regional state so one
size fits all paradigms floated by the Ethiopian opposition groups can’t
address the grievances of the region but will rather further exasperate
the situation. The region’s problems are unique and hence require
tailor made solution that can redress in a significant way the long
standing grievances at least partially at this instant.
Conclusion and recommendations
The peace talk on the table is not a riddle but a simple dialogue that
only a wise and committed leaders that can put the interest of their
people before their ego can save the day. The old adage of the cow
“cow gave birth to a fire: she wanted to lick it, but it burned; she
wanted to leave it, but she could not because it was her own child.”
Our forefathers passed to us clearly points that no problem is
insurmountable. Courageous and honest leaders can successfully
circumnavigate the hurdles on the road to peace. What the region is
waiting is nothing short of able leaders of high calibre that can steer
the country from its impending self implosion.
The ONLF leaders ought to understand that the Ethiopian
government headed by premier Zenawi and the ONLF are conjoined
twins that can’t be separated for the time being as they live in the
same body called federal Ethiopia. In the short-term however
unattractive Zenawi may appear to some members, the organization is
obliged to do business with his government in the long-term therefore
necessity dictates that he should appear, in the eyes of the ONLF
leadership, more gorgeous than for instance president Isias Afewerki
of Eritrea or for that matter any other head of state. Although I am
not condoning oppression in any form or shape but at same time I fail
to see the compulsion for endless armed struggle that most often than
not only harms the same people both claims to striving to better their
lives.
The Somali regional state is acknowledged as the key holder to the
stability and developmental aspirations of both Ethiopia and Somalia.
All the ills of Ethiopia historically stem from the Somali region and its
fallouts spoils the political and economic health of the region albeit to
different degrees. It is said “Compromise, if not the spice of life, is its
solidity. It is what makes nations great and marriages happy.” ONLF
at this historical juncture is expected to look at the big picture
carefully and to sign the agreement if it confers the people of the
region their full constitutional rights or else risk to end up in the
museum where failed organisations are safely parked.
“It is said a proverb is the horse of conversation: when the
conversation lags, a proverb revives it.” As a concluding remark I
would like to emphasise that the Ethiopian government should
understand that the ONLF stands for the aspirations, full constitution
rights for all, of the Somali regional state citizens. The ONLF is the
current bearer of the torch of struggle that resistance movements have
been handing down for generations and should in any way confused
with the packaging of the organisation. Those who aren’t members of
the front share with it the strategic goal the front is fighting for but
might have a little difference on the tactical side that is bound to be
ironed in the near future.
Two decades of federal army’s mass killing at industrial scale coupled
by five years of Liyu Police(local government armed marauding militia
) and the shadowy peace deals with individuals with no military or
political influence didn’t divide the ONLF nor brought the region
closer to peace. The Ethiopian regime should understand that century
old conflict is a political one and can only be ended with robust
political solutions.
--------------------------------------
Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh
WardheerNews
Email: abdikarimbuh@yahoo.com
Courtesy
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