We, the undersigned associations of Oromo communities in the United States, religious and civic organizations, write this open letter to express our profound desire to see the resumption of peace talks between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and our sincere belief that dialogue is the best avenue to end the horrific five-year conflict in Oromia that has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent and defenseless people and caused the destruction of the livelihood of millions.
We welcomed the news that a second round of talks in Dar es Salaam between GoE and the OLA after the first round of engagement ended without agreement last May. We were encouraged by reports that high-level military officers of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the OLA high- command were in attendance because their participation signaled that a peace deal was in the offing.
Needless to state that the second round of talks, once again, failed to produce an agreement despite the support of regional and international facilitators. In statements issued after the talks collapsed, both sides accused each other for the unsuccessful talks in Dar es Salaam. The OLA stated that the government was interested only in co opting OLA leaders rather than addressing the fundamental problems that underlie the country’s security and political challenges, while the government’s side cited the OLA’s intransigence, obstruction and “unrealistic demands” as causes for the failure to reach a deal.
The stated issues contradict media reports in the early phase of the talks that the discussions were “going very well” and that “both the sides are optimistic of a deal.” This sentiment is reflected in the OLA statement that it had “tabled a series of inclusive proposals” and the GoE official’s account that the government has tried to be as flexible and accommodating as possible on both substantive and procedural matters.
We believe the two sides were closer to a deal and remain optimistic that an agreement is possible. If they set political advantages aside and negotiate in good faith and with a commitment to advancing the best interest of the people of Oromia, nothing can prevent them from reaching agreement to silence the guns, achieve reconciliation and embark on a genuine path to a permanent peace. What both sides need is a realization that military victory is simply unattainable and ultimately a negotiated settlement is unavoidable.
We urge both sides to return to the negotiating table immediately. We appeal to the Ethiopian government to do what it can do unilaterally and embark on confidence and security building measures necessary to establish trust with OLA. We also urge the OLA and GoE to be mindful of the scale of destruction the conflict has wrought and agree to honorable and principled compromises. If nothing else, we beg each side to agree for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian for the sake of our people.
We welcome the statement of the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), optimism “that the two sides will initiate a new round of talks to address and resolve the remaining issues.” We appreciate the testimony of the US Special Envoy of the Horn of Africa that the United States remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and to producing the kind of peace the people of Oromia expect.
Therefore, we urge the regional and international mediators and observers to remain engaged and to use their good offices to initiate a new round of talks to resolve the remaining issues and achieve a permanent ceasefire. Without the unwavering support of outside actors, both sides do not seem they have the courage to return to negotiations in their pursuit of a peaceful resolution of the conflict and enduring peace in the region.
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Signatories
Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA)
Dallas Oromo Community, TX
Oromo Community of Arizona, AZ
Oromo Community Association of Chicago, IL
Oromo Community of Michigan, MI
Oromo Community of Iowa, IA
Oromo Community of Jacksonville N. Florida, FL
Oromo Community of Las Vegas, NV
Oromo Community of Memphis, TN
Oromo Community of Nashville, TN
Oromo Community Organization of DMV, Washington, DC
Oromo Community of San Diego, CA
Oromo Community of Seattle, WA
Oromo Community of Sioux Falls, SD
Oromo Community of St. Louis, MO
Oromo Community of Tampa Bay, FL
Oromo Diaspora Association – ODA Boston, MA
Oromo Diaspora Association of New York, NY
Portland Oromo Community Association, OR
United Oromo Community of Georgia, GA
Global Oromo Interfaith Council (GOIC)
Oromo Support Group (OSG)
Oromo Professionals Group
CC:
Ambassador Michael Hammer, U.S Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa
H.E. Jens-Petter Kjemprud, Senior Advisor & Special Envoy, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Authority on Development
H.E Ambassador Seleshi Bekele, Ambassador of Ethiopia to the US