Oromo OLF says Ethiopia ruling party toils to disrupt opposition alliance

No.: : 035/ABO/2006

June 8, 2006 — Ever since it came to power the EPRDF/TPLF did not have the support of the people in Ethiopia. Its cling to power rested on its control of the security forces and its readiness to use it mercilessly and the use of “divide and rule” tactic of sowing discord and conflict between organizations and people who lived together harmoniously for generations. Since the leading opposition organizations and liberation fronts met in Utrecht, Holland and founded the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD), the regime has become even more desperate and unsure of what to do. Out of desperation it has resorted to spreading fabricated and blasphemous lies to create mistrust among the organizations that formed the Alliance and their constituencies.

The EPRDF regime banked on the false hope that organizations like the CUDP and OLF would not come together and work for a common objective. So long as these organizations remained at loggerheads, it felt it would not face a serious and imminent threat to its monopoly on power. The formation of the AFD, whose constituencies form the overwhelming majority of the people in Ethiopia, has dashed this hope and

brought the EPRDF into a tailspin. The formation of the Alliance itself has brought shockwaves and fear into the very heart of the EPRDF.

The fact that member organizations of the Alliance are united in their determination to deal with the root causes of the denial of freedom, justice and peace to the people in Ethiopia and won the overwhelming support of those inside and around the world has wrought havoc within the ranks of the EPRDF, including its security forces. On the other hand it has already raised the expectation of the population for a day when the repression and misery will end once and for all. The EPRDF is fully aware that the Founding

Agreement between the members of the Alliance would shorten its hegemony. That is why it begun to fan inter-communal violence in many parts of the country spread false propaganda to divert the attention of the people, and to undermine and sabotage the noble efforts of the Alliance. In the countryside it is engaged in pitting communities against each other. In the schools it is pitting students against each other using a policy of divide and rule.

Worried by the level of criticism it is facing from the international community due to the work of the Diaspora, who are relentlessly raising their voice on behalf of all those who are denied this right in Ethiopia, the TPLF has created a new “Diaspora Affairs” department to derail this commendable work of the brave men and women. This could not hinder the formation of AFD.

In the past the EPRDF have been making different video fabrications to tarnish the good image of the OLF. In 1992 it massacred peaceful demonstrators in Baddanno and Water and blamed it on OLF. It committed horrendous crimes in Jimma area around Sigmo and Gattira as well as many places in Bale and other regions and then tried to defame and incriminate the OLF. However, these shameless acts only served to underscore the cruel nature of the TPLF and its determination to commit any crime to maintain its grip on power. Many former leaders and members of the EPRDF who knew these crimes have come out and exposed TPLF’s treachery.

The EPRDF propaganda targets creation of mistrust within the Alliance and prevents them from working

together and overcome common challenges through united action. To put this sinister plan into practice, agents of the TPLF have recently posted a document purportedly from the OLF. This document is a pure fabrication of the TPLF. The source of this dastardly and shameful act will be exposed in due time. In addition, its agents are distributing a new fabricated map entitled “Ethiopia in the Year 2009” that shows an enlarged size of Oromia incorporating major regions of the Southern and other regions. This is aliciously

done to sow suspicion between peoples. To those who have been exposed to the mischief of the TPLF, this is not new.

The OLF, while condemning this act in the strongest terms, wants to remind and forewarn everyone that the TPLF will go to any length in fabricating anything to discredit the Alliance and its member organizations. The OLF therefore calls on those inside the country and those forced to flee their homes in search of freedom and security not to fall victim to the machinations of the TPLF. We call on you to rally behind the noble

objectives of the Alliance and work to realize our common dream to see freedom and democracy in practice.

We call on all not to be deceived by the Machinations of a desperate minority clique that wants to cling to power by any means and at all costs. We are embarked on a just road, our objectives are clear and our victory is assured.

Freedom and Democracy for all!!

Victory to the Oromo People!!

Oromo Liberation Front

June 8, 2006

Oromo Liberation Front P.O. Box 6973, Tel. 2911-150548, Email: [email protected], Eritrea, Asmara