HENOK MERHATSIDK 1.pdf - Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia is a black colonizer. Moreover, the Oromos argued that Menelik conquest of their
area in 1880 th was brutal and it confiscated land from the indigenous people and made them
tenants for Menelik soldiers (Merera, 2003: 4-8).
The combined effect of the above events led to armed struggle by Oromo’s in different parts
of their regions. The Bale peasant revolt was one of Oromo’s resistances against the Emperor
regime Mach- Tuuluma Association was another threat for the Haile Sellasie regime and both
efforts were controlled by the government. The Temporary form of Oromo resistance is the
OLF; it was fighting the Derg regime along with EPLF and TPLF. In 1991 OLF was one of
active participant in the adoption of the Transitional Charter of Ethiopia. The charter was
generous enough for ethnic movements and the emphasis on Ethnic federalism that
theoretically granted freedom of association, self rule, cultural autonomy, as well as
secession but practically the charter proofed unimplemented. Therefore, opposition political
fronts like OLF immediately withdrew from the Transitional government and started fighting
in various Oromia regions. The engagement of OLF in armed struggle against the EPRDF
was not sustained. The OLF fled to the neighboring countries of Kenya and Somalia (Kidane,
2001:20-25; Wondwosen, 2009: 62)
The Oromos have ethnic link with the Kenyans in Northern part of the country, this helped
them to hide in Kenyan territory and launch their attack on Ethiopian military inside the
Ethiopian soil. The infiltration of OLF into the Ethiopian border is some times hot some
times cold issue (MOI, 2002:100). The Ethiopian and Kenyan officials discussed on the issue
of OLF, they agreed to stop OLF operation in the border area but the result obtained from
their agreement is not implemented. The security situation in the common border area some
times deteriorated because of the OLF. (IGAD, 2009: 11-14) The Ethiopian and Kenyan
officials are trying to fight the OLF by approaching the local communities in both sides;
extensive discussion was taken place under CEWARUs (Conflict Early Warning and
Response Units). 3
3 Interview with Machani Nathan, First Secretary of Kenyan Mission in Ethiopia on Thursday15/11/2010.
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