Second talks between Ethiopia and Oromo rebels end without agreements

[Deeq A.]

The second round of peace talks between the Ethiopian government and rebel group Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) ended without any agreement on Tuesday, said National Security Adviser to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Redwan Hussien.

The Government, with a desire to end the suffering that has been occasioned due to the conflict in some parts of Oromia region has been engaging in peace talks with Shene/OLF-OLA (the name used by the authorities to refer to the Oromo rebels). The two rounds of talks have come to an end without an agreement,” Redwan said on his social network X account on Tuesday night.

Redwan added that the Ethiopian authorities had attempted to seek peace by maintaining the country’s territorial integrity, the unity of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, and respect for constitutional norms while still trying to be as flexible and accommodating as possible.

However, he regretted “the intransigence of the other party” which, according to him, caused the talks to fail.

“The obstructive approach and unrealistic demands of the other party are the principal reasons why these talks could not succeed,” he said.

Shortly after Redwan posted these messages, the OLA issued a statement accusing Ethiopian federal government negotiators of “co-optation of the leadership” of the rebel group “rather than beginning to address the fundamental problems that underlie the country’s seemingly insurmountable security and political challenges.”

According to the insurgents, who seek independence of Oromia, they presented “a series of inclusive proposals” to “negotiate a space for a meaningful change in the governance” of the region.

“While we recognize that institution-building is an ongoing process, a historical opportunity to take a leap in the right direction has been lost because of Ethiopian government failed to course correct,” it said.

This second round of negotiations began on Nov. 7 in Tanzania with the leaders of OLA and senior representatives of the government and Ethiopian Army participating.

The first round between April 25 and May 3 in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar also ended without any agreement, triggering a new escalation of hostilities that left 859,000 people displaced, according to the United Nations.

The OLA split from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) after that party laid down its arms to return to the country and engage in politics at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2018 when he came to power.

Since then, the group, based in Oromia, has been seeking the self-determination of the historically marginalized Oromo people.

OLA attacks are often directed at Amhara people, the ethnic majority group in the region, with a presence in some areas of Oromia.

EFE

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