Jigjiga, Ethiopia : The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has accused the Ethiopian government of violating the 2018 peace agreement, alleging that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration has systematically breached the accord and suppressed Somali voices in the Somali Regional State.
In a press release issued on Sunday, ONLF stated that the Ethiopian government had failed to honor its commitments under the agreement, which was signed six years ago to end the prolonged conflict in the Somali region.
The group alleged that its members and supporters have faced political repression and discrimination at the hands of the Somali Regional State administration, which ONLF described as a tool of the federal government used to silence independent Somali voices.
ONLF further claimed that the Ethiopian government prevented the reintegration of its former fighters, revoked its legal status, and banned the group from registering with the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). The organization also accused the government of misusing ONLF’s name to deceive the international community, pretending to engage in dialogue while actively suppressing legitimate Somali representation.
"Instead of addressing the root causes of the conflict, the government has chosen a divide-and-rule strategy, economic coercion, and military force," ONLF declared.
The group also condemned Ethiopian authorities for failing to attend scheduled negotiations and accused the President of the Somali Regional State of staging a misleading event falsely claiming to have engaged in talks with ONLF, when, in reality, he allegedly misused the group’s name to cover up the administration’s suppression of Somali voices.
"This latest deception once again proves that Abiy Ahmed's administration has completely abandoned the path of peace and democracy, opting instead for authoritarian rule, misinformation, and political repression," ONLF asserted.
As a result, ONLF announced that it will no longer engage in any negotiations with the Ethiopian government, blaming Addis Ababa for derailing the peace process and restricting political freedoms. The organization reaffirmed that the Somali people, like other oppressed ethnic groups in Ethiopia, have the right to determine their own future without coercion from the central government.
