Ethiopia: Over 50 Oromo rebels turn themselves in to government

By Tesfa-alem Tekle

September 15, 2008(ADDIS ABABA) — The Ethiopian government says over 50 rebels of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) have surrendered to Ethiopian authorities in the southern Oromia region over the past week alone.

Ethiopia claims that the numbers of OLF rebels who are turning themselves in to Ethiopia government are recently increasing from time to time as a result of uprising internal division of OLF leadership for power, which the group rejects such claims.

Among the surrendered rebels, former parliament member for the Oromo Congress Party, Tefera legesse is included.

Others included university students, workers and trained commandos.

The rebels jointly have expressed their deep regrets to the harm and crimes they have committed to their own people by being tricked by the false propagandas of the rebel group.

They have also promised to repay their society by engaging themselves in the developmental activities, taking the advantage of the better political situation of the nation.

Established in 1973, Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which Ethiopia considers it as “Terror group” has been fighting for the liberation of the southern Oromo region since 1993, alleging government discriminates the Oromos, largest ethnic people of the nation.

(ST)