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ONLF accuses Ethiopia of abandoning peace accord as both sides trade blame
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    Tuesday March 4, 2025


    Abdirahman Mahdi, the leader of the ONLF faction in Nairobi, told the BBC that they will no longer "cooperate with the government," accusing Ethiopia of dismantling the 2018 peace agreement.

    Mogadishu (HOL) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is at a crossroads, with a faction led by chairman Abdirahman Mahdi announcing that it will cease cooperation with the Ethiopian government, citing what it calls systematic violations of the 2018 Asmara Peace Agreement. The Ethiopian state broadcaster, Fana BC, dismissed the claim, asserting that ONLF remains committed to the peace accord and accusing the Nairobi-based faction of acting without official approval.

    ONLF's statement, issued Sunday from Nairobi, alleges that Addis Ababa has dismantled the peace process, leaving the movement with no alternative but to explore new avenues for achieving self-determination. The faction accuses the Ethiopian federal government of blocking ONLF's legal recognition as a political party, restricting Somali political participation, and failing to reintegrate former ONLF fighters, a key component of the 2018 agreement.

    "The Ethiopian government has turned its back on peace and democracy, replacing them with repression, deception, and centralized control," said ONLF spokesperson Abdulqadir Hassan Hirmooge (Adani). He further alleged that Ethiopia's Somali Regional State, under President Mustafe Muhumed Omar, is complicit in attempts to weaken ONLF by engaging with former party members no longer affiliated with its leadership.

    Shortly after the Nairobi faction's statement, Ethiopian state media published a rebuttal, claiming that the ONLF's official leadership remained committed to the peace deal. The Fana BC report, citing the ONLF Central Committee, dismissed the Nairobi declaration as illegitimate and stated that it did not reflect the party's official stance.

    "The declaration made in Nairobi does not represent ONLF. It was issued by individuals without the approval of the Central Committee, Executive Committee, or Vice-Chairman Abdulkarim Sheikh Muse," the Ethiopian state broadcaster reported. The Ethiopian government insisted that peace and development in the Somali region have progressed since the Asmara agreement and accused the Nairobi faction of acting on personal interests rather than party consensus.

    However, ONLF officials aligned with the Nairobi faction argue that Ethiopia is manufacturing divisions within the movement to sideline its leadership and suppress genuine Somali political participation. They accuse Ethiopia of reneging on its commitments and withdrawing from planned negotiations in Kenya after initially agreeing to engage in dialogue.

    Despite Ethiopia's dismissal of the Nairobi faction's stance, ONLF's dissident leadership has announced a series of public consultations to determine its next steps. Plans are in place to engage with the Somali diaspora in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa throughout March before convening a Central Committee meeting in April to finalize its political direction.

    "We will consult our people and attempt to keep the door open for dialogue, but only with those who share our vision," said Adani. However, he stopped short of ruling out a return to armed resistance, warning that Ethiopia's failure to uphold its commitments could force the movement to explore other options.

    Founded in 1984, ONLF fought for the self-determination of Ethiopia's Somali region before signing a peace agreement with Addis Ababa in 2018. The latest developments represent the most serious rupture within the movement since its transition to a political entity.

    ​Security analysts warn that the potential collapse of the ONLF peace agreement could further destabilize Ethiopia, a nation already contending with multiple internal conflicts involving various ethnic militias. In the Amhara region, clashes between federal forces and the Fano militia have resulted in significant civilian casualties and displacement. In Oromia, despite a recent peace agreement with an OLA faction, violence against civilians persists. The Tigray region, recovering from a brutal war that ended in 2022, now faces internal political disputes within the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), raising concerns about renewed instability.

     





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