Friday October 18, 2024
FILE - Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) spokesperson Abdiqadir Hassan Hirmooge (Adani) during a press interview. Adani has been vocal about the ONLF’s frustrations with Ethiopia’s failure to fulfill key provisions of the 2018 peace agreement, calling for its reassessment in light of recent tensions.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (HOL) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has announced it is reassessing the 2018 peace agreement it signed with the Ethiopian government, citing a lack of progress on key provisions. While the deal brought an official end to decades of armed conflict, ONLF leaders argue that many core promises remain unfulfilled, threatening both the stability of the Somali region and the future of the peace process.
ONLF's leadership has called for an extraordinary Central Committee (CC) plenary session on October 26-27, 2024, to formally reassess the 2018 peace agreement. The meeting will address the status of the peace accord and ONLF's strategic direction amid rising tensions in the Horn of Africa.
ONLF spokesperson Abdiqadir Hassan Hirmoge (Adani) stated that while the group has maintained a peaceful approach since the agreement, major commitments such as the reintegration of ONLF fighters and the resettlement of displaced civilians have not been realized. "The only success is that we've maintained peace, but the other commitments—resettlement, reintegration, and addressing the conflict's core issues—have not been fulfilled," Adani told the BBC.
The ONLF's decision comes as Ethiopia continues to experience political transitions following the change of leadership in recent years. "We gave Ethiopia time because they were in a transitional phase, but now, with the challenges the Horn of Africa is facing, we feel it's time to take another look at the situation," Adani explained.
Signed in 2018 in Asmara, Eritrea, the peace agreement aimed to end the ONLF's decades-long armed struggle for the self-determination of the Somali people in Ethiopia's Ogaden region by shifting to a political movement. The deal paved the way for ONLF to participate in Ethiopian politics as a legal party. However, ONLF estimates that only 20% of the promises made under the agreement have been implemented.
The reassessment comes during heightened tensions, exacerbated by controversial remarks made by Ethiopian military chief General Birhanu Jula. In a video broadcast on Ethiopian media in September 2024, General Birhanu allegedly described the ONLF as an "enemy" of Ethiopia, backed by Egypt. ONLF strongly condemned the remarks as provocative and accused the Ethiopian government of undermining the peace process.
"We were surprised by these statements. To suggest that we are aligned with external forces to destabilize Ethiopia is both false and a deliberate provocation," Adani said. ONLF warned that if the Ethiopian government does not retract or clarify these comments, it could signal that they no longer recognize the ONLF as a legitimate political entity, jeopardizing the 2018 agreement and the peace it brought.
The same month, ONLF officials accused the Ethiopian government of violating the rights of the Somali people by forcing elders and community members to renounce their Somali identity publicly. The group also expressed concerns about rumours that Ethiopia may change the name and flag of the Somali State, which they view as an attack on Somali identity.
In addition to the unmet commitments, the ONLF has raised concerns about political suppression in Ethiopia's Somali region. In the June 2024 Jigjiga city elections, ONLF alleged that the Ethiopian government manipulated the vote by transporting supporters of the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) and threatening government employees with job loss if they did not vote for the ruling Barwaaqo Party.
"The discrepancy is striking. We were confident in our numbers, but the final count favoured the Prosperity Party. It's as if you're in a busy market where you see more of your people, but in the districts, the votes suddenly lean the other way," Adani explained.
The ultimate goal of the ONLF has always been the self-determination of the Somali people in the Ogaden region, a right enshrined in Article 39 of Ethiopia's constitution. This right guarantees self-determination for Ethiopia's nations and nationalities, allowing regions like the Somali State to determine their own political futures, including the possibility of secession.
In a 2023 interview, Adani emphasized that ONLF remains committed to allowing the Somali people to decide whether to remain part of Ethiopia or seek independence. "We are on the path to self-determination. There is little time left for self-governance and independence. If we don't act now, we risk losing everything," Adani warned.
