In order to manipulate public perception of peace, the Abiy regime has continued hijacking our people’s sincere and desperate rallies for peace. Whereas we remain steadfast in honoring our people’s desire for sustainable peace, it is equally important to unmask and reiterate regime’s true nature and the charade itorchestrates in the name of peace. Our people rally for the peace they rightfully deserve, however, no rally that the regime has not approved or believes it cannot politically exploit is allowed in any of the areas the country under its control. What the regime calls peace is, in Orwellian doublespeak, actually war. As we have reiterated, its call for peace is not peace; it is a futile campaign of disarmament designed to strip the people their defenses, allowing the regime to continue its abuse unchecked. We remind and reiterate:
- This is the very regime that hijacked and betrayed the democratic ideals of our revolution, desecrating the sacrifices of countless heroes of the Qerroo Movement. It then filled its ranks with co-opted functionaries, who serve purposes, contrary to the ideals of the revolution. True to their vicious cycle of hijacking everything honourable, they are now seizing the public call for peace to serve the same personal agenda for which they hijacked the revolution.
- While ineffective in anything productive, this is the very regime has perfected the art of silencing Oromo voices. It began its campaign by declaring war on Oromo voices six years ago. Recall the treatment accorded to OLA fighters who put their faith in the regime, the dismantling of organized Oromo opposition that followed, and the tragic loss of Hacaaluu Hundeessaa, Battee Urgessaa, and countless others. Let us be clear: an Oromo society without the freedom to disagree, to question, and to aspire for better is not at peace; it is under siege. A regime that conflates legitimate armed dissent with mere violence seeks only to consolidate its power.
- It is a regime that has exceeded all expectations in embezzling our human and material resources. Our youth are being forced out of universities and into military camps, stifling their potential and dreams. In the best-case scenario, those from well-off families might be released after paying a hefty ransom to the regime soldiers/cadres holding them. Meanwhile, instead of investing in education and infrastructure, it squanders our resources on flashy parks, roadside lamps, and resorts—projects that the state has no business undertaking, serve no productive purpose for our future, and fail to address the urgent needs of our communities. All resources are put to serving Abiy Ahmed’s megalomania and create the illusion of progress in a few weeks.
- It is a regime that has no coherent plan for the country’s future, aside from its obsession with dismantling the delicate balance established by the existing multinational federalism. With all of its attempts, including through the so-called national dialogue, it only seeks to centralize power under Abiy Ahmed, eroding local autonomy and undermining the diverse fabric that, despite limitations, has kept the country together.
- To sustain all the above abuses and corruption, the regime wields the language of peace as one arrow in its arsenal. Unlike the OLA, the regime’s calls for peace couldn’t be further from the concept. Their version of “peace” does not address any of the above issues; it only demands disarmament, stripping the people of their defences, only to continue the corruption, abuse and oppression unchecked.
Our people desperately need actual, and sustainable peace—all peoples of the region do. We have been calling for a genuine peaceful settlement long before Bilxiginna jumped on the bandwagon about two years ago. Only those who watch war from the comfort of an office in 4-Kilo—not those who live it day in and day out—could ever stand in the way of peace. However, peace will remain elusive and hostage to Orwellian doublespeak until Abiy’s misplaced comfort in 4-Kilo is disrupted. By cloaking oppression in the language of peace, Abiy seeks to rob words of their meaning and lull the public into accepting his discredited rule. Until the entrenched power structures that shield Abiy and cronies from accountability are disrupted, true peace will remain out of reach, and the needs of our people will continue to be ignored. Real peace requires political freedom, accountability and respect for human rights and dignity.
OLF-OLA High Command
Novemeber 14, 2024