Ethiopia. The Oromia proclaims a Transitional Regional Government after claiming important victories against the federal army.
The Oromo Liberation Army claims a series of victories over the Ethiopian federal army just 40 km from the capital Addis Ababa. While the government publishes the partial results of the elections of 21 June, announcing a great victory for Premier Abiy Ahmed Ali in Oromia; the main Oromo opposition parties: OLF and OFC declare the elections void and proclaim a transitional regional government to be opposed to the government Prosperity Party Regional Government and the Ethiopian Premier accused by them of illegally occupying government office.
Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) spokesman: Odaa Tarbii has declared an offensive underway against government forces in the central areas of the Oromo State Region: West Shawa and West Arsi, about 40 km from the capital Addis Ababa. The Oromo Liberation Army published three war bulletins on its official page (olocomminique.com) on 29 June, 4 and 5 July respectively, providing detailed information on the progress of the civil war resumed in Oromia last February.
In the first bulletin of June 23, OLA states that its Cibra Soddom Borro brigade attacked the military barracks of the federal army located near Malka Guba, in the district of Gumi-Eldalo. He claims heavy defeats inflicted on the feds including a Colonel, without giving his personal details. The clashes would have started on 21 June and ended on 23 June. The OLA claims to have killed 24 federal soldiers and wounded 33 others. It does not specify whether the military base was captured or destroyed. Also according to OLA, a column of reinforcements directed to the Malka Guba barracks was intercepted, destroying it. The same bulletin states that the Cibira Odaa Bulluq Brigade has managed to stop an offensive attempted by the federal army in the district of Nunu Kumba.
Bulletin no. 2 states that between 01 and 3 July the Cibra Shanan Gibe Brigade repelled an offensive by the feds in the districts of Dabo, Begi, Ganji, Abe Dongoro and Horo Guduru. The bulletin announces an offensive by the Oromo Liberation Army which aims to “free” Western Oromia from Federal Army (ENDF) military presence.
The offensive is still ongoing and at the moment OLA militiamen have launched 21 attacks on the federal army killing 250 enemy soldiers in the West Walaga area, central Oromia. It also proclaims that it has assumed control of the city of Kobara.
No confirmation or denial comes from the Addis Ababa government, as if the ongoing war in Oromia was not real. The only (meager) reference to “sporadic fights” against “terrorists” of the OLA dates back to 11 June. According to the official statement, the federal police reported a landslide victory against some units of OLA “terrorists”.
To reinforce the thesis that there is no civil war in Oromia, yesterday, July 7, 2021, the Ethiopian electoral commission provided some partial data from the elections of last June 21. According to these data, the Prosperity Party (founded by Premier Abiy in 2019 and currently under the control of the nationalist Amhara leadership) would have won a landslide in all 49 seats subject to the counting of votes. The Oromo Enat Party and Ezema parties reported an unspecified insignificant percentage of support. In the Amhara region, the victory would have been won by the far-right nationalist parties in the lead with a total of 8 seats including 5 in the House of People’s Representatives and 3 in the regional council.
The main opposition parties Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) did not participate in the elections as the majority of their leaders are in prison. OLF and OFC consider the elections of 21 June as null and void as they do not meet the minimum criteria for free elections. According to the Oromo opposition, the elections were held in a context of civil war in Tigray and Oromia, with the two largest Oromo political organizations forced to withdraw from the competition and an impressive number of Oromo political prisoners still being held in prison. OLF and OFC also denounce that all their representative offices in Oromia were force to close before the elections.
In a statement dated 1 July, the OLF and the OFC announce the establishment of a national transitional government in the Oromia region. The two main Oromo parties announce that they have been force to assume the duty to support the aspirations of the Oromo people by forming this transitional government, which is also composed of intellectuals, professionals and civil society leaders who do not belong to the OLF and the OFC.
“The Oromia Regional National Transitional Government (ORNTG) is inaugurated at a very critical moment in the history of our region, at a time when the Tiger People’s Liberation Front is regaining control over Tigray after a bloody war against federal forces, and at a time when the whole country is increasingly engulfed in chaos and unrest. These political developments and deteriorations discussed above make the creation of the ORTG imperative — to protect all citizens of Oromia and better serve its people ”, states the statement published on the Oromo news site: Ayyaantuu.Org English version.
The two Oromo opposition parties do not hint at any intention of declaring independence from Ethiopia but proclaim a regional government parallel to that established by the Prosperity Party, accusing the Amhara leadership of wanting to colonize Oromia through total control of the PP. The Oromo Liberation Front and the Oromo Federalist Congress proclaim that they have assumed the right of territorial defense, the financial and political management of the Oromia Region and the prerogatives of public security and judicial.
The ORNTG transitional government will remain in office until free and democratic elections are held in Oromia, which must be organized within three years, specifying the intention to address them even earlier depending on the end of the ongoing war. The promoters of the transitional government say they are ready to collaborate with the United Nations, the African Union, the United States, the European Union and all international associations in defense of human rights and NGOs.
The firsts demands addressed to the federal government are: the unconditional withdrawal of federal troops and Eritrean troops present in Oromia. Reimbursement of all material damage caused by the “occupation armies” during military operations from last February to today. Proclamation of an immediate truce and calendar for peace talks between the Oromo transitional government and the central one. Independent investigation into the state assassination of the singer and activist Oromo Hachalu Hundessa a year ago in order to bring principals and perpetrators to justice.
The creation of a Commission for Reconciliation and Justice with the participation of other Ethiopian and international entities responsible for investigating and legally prosecuting all crimes committed against Ethiopian citizens of Oromo origin from 2012 to today.
Formation of a provisional national unity government at the national level that fosters inclusive dialogue of all Ethiopian actors and the organization of free and transparent elections at the national level. The Prosperity Party is excluded from this government of national unity and Abiy is considered as a usurper who illegally occupies the position of Prime Minister.
At the moment there are no reactions from the Addis Ababa government or from international institutions and Western powers. Regional observers say that for the moment the OLF and the OFC do not have the material capacity to impose control of the administration of the Oromia Region, controlled by federal forces. However, they point out that the Oromo Liberation Army is strengthening its military capacity and the claimed victories could be real, at least in part.
According to these observers, the OLA is beginning to become a serious threat to the nationalist leadership of Amhara and to the federal capital of Addis Ababa itself. It is reported that the OLA has launched an enlistment campaign to which the young Oromo are responding with heavy enthusiasm, while the Eritrean troops present in Oromia are no longer fighting but preparing themselves to retreat in order to protect their country from a possible TPLF aggression from Tigray. .
Regional observers say the Oromo political and armed opposition alone would not be able to overthrow the Addis Ababa government but if it joined the TPLF, the situation would change drastically in their favor. Of the same opinion is the Professor of History and Institutions of Africa at the University of Macerata Uoldelul Chelati Dirar.
“The whole Oromo region, which has in fact been in armed revolt against the government for a year, a year and a half, well before the war in Tigray, and if TPLF and OLA groups made a tactical anti-Abiy convergence, then the premier would be finished ”, Says Professor Dirar in an interview with the Italian magazine Africa Rivista.
