ONLF made peace openly with Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland

[Old_Observer]

Some background to the relationship with all three:

After the 77/78 war there was a 4 way split among Somalis:

1. Those who were convinced the war should never have happened the way it did, they remained in WSLF and called for federalizing Ethiopia.
2. Those who enthusiastically supported the manner the war was done, started blaming others for its failure. Most of them became ONLF
3. Those who were neutral about the organization of the war, and quickly moved on to alternative means after the war was lost. Became political organizations 3-4 of them
4. Those who totally gave up the idea of joining other Somalis in one country organized in such a way that the Somalis build autonomous region and see what the future holds. 2 Organizations.

In 1991 group 1, 3 and 4 united and negotiated the federal system in Ethiopia along with other Ethnics and regions.
Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland (what later became) were pleased with this developments and encouraged them.

No.2 was hesitant, but joined none the less. But since it joined too late and got too little. So obviously went for separation, before the ink has dried and tested the new arrangement in Ethiopia. They assumed that Ethiopia is at its weakest. They could not have been more wrong. They did not understand Ethiopia. Only the Amxara were at their weakest. Many Somali still make the same mistake. They equate Amxara with Ethiopia completely. Even now with Abiy and support of Arabs, Eritrea, SFG Somalia and America, the strength is very limited. First of Arabs and Xabeshi don't mix. If they do its artificial and only Amxara. Other Ethnics don't care or hate Arabs.


When ONLF made the move for separation, they put most Somalis and also most all Ethiopians in a very uncomfortable position.

Among all Somali organzations and warlords, there was only one organization Ithad and 2-3 warlords and upcoming war lords like Ali Jama....that supported ONLF. There was also small split in ONLF.

Eritrea was not at war then, but later became main supporter through EGYPT (which was only one that showed interest on ONLF from begining).

Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland told ONLF that ONLF cannot use their territories as base to fight Ethiopian government. Considering what Somaliland did with Egypt, every Somali can be proud of them when they gave 6 months to ONLF to cease and decease open avitivities from Somaliland. Somaliland assured the Ethiopians that at end of 6 months there will not be any operations that emantes from Somaliland and for the Ethiopians not to do anything within those six months.
Djibouti and Puntland took immediate action, since ONLF tried to cheat them.


Now things have become normal.
Eritrea at least officially and visibly is out of ONLF life, since Abiy and Cagjar are in a totally different camp and ONLF finds it impossible to join them.
ONLF had sent delegation to all three and apologized for ONLF mistake in attempting to get them to go to war with Ethiopia for sake of ONLF.

ONLF has now come full circle and has become most Federalist and constitutionalist. The sad thing is they lost influence with every critical situation.

They also made an operation just for money, in the killing of Chinese and Ethiopian oil workers, which they could have warned and damaged the equipment, but those who paid them were not interested in doing a clean war, they wanted total stoppage. Arabs, America take your pick. That operation alone cost ONLF almost half of their support and a third of the leadership that negotiated and came to Ethiopia.

Don't be surprised if you see ONLF flag in Hargeisa, Djibouti or Garowe.