Ogaden: ONLF Signs Agreement for Mutual Cooperation
On Friday, 8 February, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) signed an agreement with Somali authorities to affirm commitment in face of the fact that extreme poverty and human rights abuses remain problematic for both parties. The joint agreement is the next step in developments since 5 July 2018, when the government of Ethiopia removed ONLF from the list of terrorist organisations.
This article was published by Africa News:
Ethiopia’s Somali regional state on Friday signed an agreement to disarm and reintegrate members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) into the state’s security forces and civil service.
ONLF was one of the organisations that were previously labelled terrorist organisations, until the Abiy Ahmed led government introduced political reforms that called upon rebels and Ethiopians in exile to return home.
The Somali state and ONLF also agreed to work together to end decades of poverty, human rights abuse and maladministration of the Somali people, according to local media portal Addis Standard.
Hundreds of Somalis celebrated the historic agreement in the state’s capital of Jigjiga.
Below is a timeline of events leading up to Friday’s historic agreement;
July 5, 2018: Ethiopia’s parliament removes ONLF from list of terrorist organisations August 12, 2018: ONLF declares unilateral ceasefire in Ogaden region September 18, 2018: Ethiopia government holds peace talks with ONLF in Asmara, Eritrea November 21, 2018: ONLF rebels return to Ethiopia (Jigjiga) from their base in Eritrea December 1, 2018: ONLF leaders return from Eritrea to Ethiopia (Addis Ababa) February 8, 20148: ONLF disarms fighters, signs agreement with Somali statePhoto courtesy of Wikipedia
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