SNLF Congratulates Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) For Its Extraordinary Achievements On The Occasion Of Its 50th Anniversary.

July 02, 2023

Press Statement by Sidama National Liberation Front (SNLF)

Since the Ethiopian empire was created in today’s form after the conquest and colonisation of Menelik II’s assimilationist army in 1880s, there was no time when nations and nationalities of the empire remained silent. Instead, all nations of the political south have resisted the occupying colonial forces in both organised and informal manner. From those nations who have resisted Menelik II’s colonial expansionists from its onset is the Oromo nation as did the Sidama, Wolayta, Afar, and the rest of political south. From the Oromo’s over 150 years struggle, the Oromo’s national interest vanguard, the Oromo Liberation Front, (OLF) was born 50 years ago.

We congratulate the OLF and its leadership for their visionary leadership under difficult situations, tenacity, and resilience even under extreme circumstances whilst the rulers of the empire were doing all at their capacity to abort the Oromo struggle for freedom and self-determination; and for their unwavering determination to push forward with their struggle to date. In fact, the OLF’s 50 years struggle is one of the key contributors that have toppled the Derg in 1991 and EPRDF’s regime in late 2017 respectively.

Moreover, the OLF’s role in conscientizing the wider Oromo nation and in mobilising the Oromo youth- that was eventually called ‘Quubbe Generation’, was enormous although the enemies Oromo nation water down OLF’s noble achievements. The development of Oromo language and culture, mentality of being an Oromo known as ‘Orommuma’ were incepted and developed by OLF and its far-sighted leadership. Although the recent success was hijacked by the remnants of EPRDF’s brutal regime whose rulers to date are trading in the name of the Oromo; the OLF has played key role in mobilising Qeerroo/Qaarree led revolution (late 2014 to late 2017) to bring an end to the EPRDF’s 27 years reign – in late 2017.

Therefore, the SNLF sends its fraternal congratulations to ‘OLF’ on its 50th anniversary, albeit with a heavy heart simply because dozens of OLF’s prominent leaders and tens of thousands of Oromo youth are to date languishing in Prosperity Party’s prisons throughout the entire Oromia and the Oromo nation is subjected to ongoing war and government planned famine. Furthermore, Prosperity Party whose leaders have hijacked the fruit of Oromo struggle are yet embarked on genocidal war involving the Oromo, Tigray, Amhara, Benishangul, Agaw, Kemant, previously Sidama, Gedeo, Ogadenia and elsewhere. We are hundred per cent certain that, OLF did not wage its liberation war to commit genocide on other nations and nationalities. Instead, its objective was and remains unambiguously clear as it was and is demanding the Oromo’s and other nations’ rights to democratic rights and unrestricted self-determination.

Once again, we send our warm congratulation to the OLF, its leaders and the wider Oromo nation for whose cause tens of thousands of Oromo sons and daughters have sacrificed and are sacrificing their precious lives on its 50th anniversary. We also urge the Oromo nation and nations and nationalities of the empire to stand by the OLF and its leadership as they fight for the cause all nations are fighting for. We urge the PP’s brutal regime to unconditionally release all Oromo political leaders and the entire Oromo prisoners and unconditionally stop its war on Oromo, Amhara and the rest of nations.

Finally, we urge the Ethiopia’s PP regime to unconditionally remove all foreign forces from Ethiopia and allow unfettered access to humanitarian support in war torn Tigray, Oromia, and elsewhere where humanitarian assistances are gravely needed. We also urge the international community to hold Abiy’s regime accountable for genocide his regime has committed and committing on civilians of Tigray, Oromia and various nations of the empire since 2019.

We condemn with the strongest possible terms the reckless, criminal, immoral, and short-sighted actions of the current PP’s Ethiopian regimes to citizens and demand it to immediately step down to allow all-inclusive transitional government to pave an avenue for the creation of a country that caters the interests of all nations and nationalities under the current constitutional framework.

Issued by Sidama national Liberation Front (SNLF) on July 02, 2023

For immediate release!