By Staff Reporter
November 4, 2019 (Ezega.com) -- The political parties currently operating in the Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia have once again agreed to resolve their political differences peacefully and avoid violence that have so far plagued the region and creating instability beyond.
This is not the first time such dialogue between the various Oromia parties has been held. The parties involved have had several unity meetings in the last year or so, but with little fruit to show for it.
The agreement was reached on Sunday, November 3, 2019, after a joint leadership of the political parties also known as Gadissa Hogenssa Oromo concluded its meeting on the recent unrest which claimed the lives of 86 people.
Early last month, Dawud Ibsa, Chairperson of the Oromia Liberation Front (OLF), Merera Gudina (Prof.), Chairperson of the Oromia Federalist Congress (OFC), Lencho Leta, the Chairperson of the Oromo Democratic Front (ODF), and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Chairperson of Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), agreed to collaborate for peaceful political activities in the region.
This time around, the political forces agreed to refrain from engaging in harmful campaigns against one another in case of disagreements in the future.
In a statement the leadership issued on Sunday, the political parties agreed to get united more than ever as the current political situations of the country requires them to do so. Failing to do so would subject the fate of the people of Ormo and other nations, nationalities and peoples of the country at risk.
The political parties also vowed to strengthen the leadership of Gadissa Hogenssa Oromo and avoid suspicions among the leaders of the respective political parties.
The political parties further agreed to realize the genuine multinational federal system and work for the benefit of the Oromo people and other nationalities of the country.
According to the statement, the political parties have reached a consensus to find out the cause of the recent violence and work on bringing about sustainable solutions.
The parties have passed resolution on conducting free, peaceful and democratic elections next year.
The statement highlighted the importance of working together with other political parties to transform the nation and achieve common goals.
The parties also agreed to work together for the best interest of the Oromo people and through their umbrella consortium that will bring together all political parties in the region to undertake different activities.
It is not clear what the future holds for the Oromo political parties’ relations with ODP if the latter joins the planned single multinational party in the future ahead of the upcoming national elections to be conducted in May next year.
In the lead political position at the national level, the Oromo parties seem to have different agendas running into the national election to be held later this Ethiopian calendar year. It is unknown whether the latest understanding between the parties will hold or relations will continue to deteriorate. The unrest in Oromia is becoming of grave concern to many Ethiopians, as innocent citizens are being murdered for ethnic or religious reasons, and sometimes for no reason at all. To many observers, the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has so far been reluctant to crack down hard on law-breakers in the Oromia region for fear of alienating the Oromo public from which his party derives much of its support.
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