To Set the Record Straight

Statement of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) Regarding VOA Interview on Negotiations
with the TPLF Regime

In an interview with the Voice America Amharic Service, and also reported by the Afaan Oromoo Service, on November 14, 2008, Rev. Ittafaa Goobanaa, as Representative of the Oromo Elders, stated, among others, that the OLF has accepted, in principle, the TPLF/EPRDF (Ethiopian) Government’s Constitution, to negotiate a peaceful resolution of “the political differences” between the two. The OLF is compelled to respond to the issues raised in this interview to set the record straight. To begin with the OLF has a clear and standing policy regarding negotiations with the TPLF regime. It is true that in January 2008, the OLF delegation met with the Oromo Elders group, in the presence of a third party observer and facilitator, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The OLF Delegation went into the discussion with these elders respecting the traditional position of elders in our society without questioning the motive, the identity or the feasibility of their project. All the OLF Leadership’s contacts with the Oromo elders were conducted in the presence of a third party facilitator. The OLF delegation has made clear to the elders the OLF’s long standing policy of negotiation with the TPLF regime (Ethiopian Government) among which is that no precondition should be attached to it.

It is also true that the Oromo Elders Group presented to the OLF delegation their proposal to the OLF and the Ethiopian Government to enter into negotiation. The presented proposal requires the OLF, among others, to “Accept, in principle, the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.” After an extensive discussion, the OLF Leadership delegation agreed, despite clear contravention of the earlier understanding and its policy, to present the proposal to the OLF Executive Committee (EC) and communicate its decision to the Oromo Elders Group, via the facilitator, in two weeks. This was the only promise that the OLF leadership delegation made to the Oromo Elders Group.

Accordingly, the Elders’ proposal was presented to the OLF EC. On February 26, 2008, the OLF EC communicated, via the facilitator, its decision to the Oromo Elders Group that the OLF will not accept any precondition to enter into negotiation with the TPLF regime, as this will contravene its policy. The OLF EC’s decision, communicated to the OLF Elders Group stated that, “this latest Elders’ proposal asking the OLF ‘to accept the Ethiopian Constitution’ is once again in contrary and contradiction to the above mentioned understanding within which the OLF entered into discussion with you.” Furthermore, the OLF EC restated the long standing policy of the OLF pertinent to the peace negotiation with Ethiopian Government and informed the Oromo Elders Group that, “The OLF-EC, therefore, reiterates its commitment to dialogue without precondition in the presence of third party.”

On March 7, 2008, the Oromo Eluders Group Representative sent a letter to the Chairman of the OLF and confirmed the receipt of the above mentioned letter of February 26, 2008, and requested for “a face-to- face meeting” between the Elders Group and the OLF Leadership. The requested “face-to-face meeting” did not take place to date, as it was not necessary to enter into discussion on the OLF’s position with the elders. The above is the whole truth.

The interview on the VOA seems to convey that the OLF delegation agreed to the precondition
and, also fails to inform the audience that the OLF EC has accordingly responded to the proposal on time. We implore our elders to adhere to the established tradition of Oromo elders and safeguard the reputation of that respected institution.

Victory to the Oromo People!
Oromo Liberation Front
November 15, 2008

Oromo Nationalist and Prisoner Mesfin itana In Danger of Losing His Life

Save Mesfin Itana!:
Oromo Nationalist and Prisoner Mesfin Itana In Danger of Losing His Life

(OLF News (October 23, 2008): Mr. Mesfin Itana was arrested from his home 6 years ago accused of having link to the bombing of Tigrai Hotel in Finfinnee (Addis Ababa). Since then he is reported to have been brutally tortured and beaten on a regular basis in the notorious Kalitti prison, as a result of which he now incurred a fatal illness and he is currently on the verge of death. Caused by infections due to the constant torture and a severe malnourishment in a prolonged detention of over six years, it is reported that Mr Mesfin Itana is subjected to two surgeries of his reproductive organ in just one month. The Wayyaanee “ health professionals” later claimed to have made mistakes in the first two surgeries and reportedly tried to make a third one. Feared for his life, Mr Mesfin Itana refused the third surgery of his reproductive organ, and is now in a critical condition.

It is to be noted that one of the torturing methods of the current regime is to hang a bottle of water on the men’s reproductive organ (testicle) and leaving there for a long time causing a severe pain. The idea is to force the victims of the torture “confess the crime” they claim the prisoners have committed and have the victims solicit the names of other Oromo individuals who they think may have participated in the said crime. However, more often, when victims are unable to stand the brutal torture, they simply tell the names of their friends and relatives to get a temporary relief from the severe pain. One such incident is, when an Oromo farmer was asked what kind of weapons he hid in his area, he listed to the TPLF agents all kinds of weapons he knew. But the TPLF cadres are never satisfied, and they continued asking the farmer “what else”? Then the farmer responded that he buried a tank in his backyard. Such is the result of blind brutal torture.

Meanwhile, the beating and torture of Mr Mesfin Itana continued even when he is severely ill, inflicting a deadly wound on his forehead, and he is forced to have three other surgeries on his head just recently. Consequently, Mr Mesfin Itana is on the verge of losing his life in prison, just as so many Oromo prisoners died in Kalitti detention center and many other jails in Oromia and elsewhere in the Empire.

It is to be recalled that several Oromo prisoners such as Mesfin Mosisa, Wako Tola, university students Alemayehu Gerba, Gadisa Hirphasa, Morkata Iddosa, and many other Oromo prisoners lost their lives in detention centers in exactly the same situation as a result of an unbearable beating and torture. Our reporters from Finfinnee alarmed that Mr Mesfin Itana will very likely lose his life soon in the hands of TPLF/Wayyaanee forces.

All Oromo nationals living in Oromia and abroad have been urged to appeal to humanitarian, governmental and non-governmental organizations to save the life of Mr Mesfin Itana and thousands of other Oromo prisoners suffering in several detention centers under Meles Zenawi regime.

For most humans the worst thing they fear is death. But for many Oromo nationals the worst thing they fear, even more than death, is falling in the hands of TPLF beasts who do not have the slightest sympathy not only for any Oromo individual’s life but also for their suffering. Mr Mesfin Itana and many Oromo nationalists who fell in the hands of TPLF forces are simply peaceful civilians who have had unlucky day of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.


OLF News (October 23, 2008
oromiannews@yahoo.com