The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) National Council has successfully completed its 4th regular session held from July 2nd up to July 10th 2010. During its session, the council has heard and endorsed the reports of the Executive Committee and the Discipline and Control Committee, deliberated on, among others, a wide range of issues: Organizational matters, the Oromo liberation struggle, the situation of the Oromo nation, other nations and nationalities in Ethiopia, the TPLF regime, regional and global situations relevant to Oromo liberation struggle. After thorough assessment and discussions the Council passed the following resolutions:

1. The May 2010 sham election orchestrated by the TPLF led regime substantiated a long held position of the OLF that TPLF is not capable and willing to hold free, fair and transparent election. The 2010 election proved that TPLF ceased pretending democratic and emerged as a one party dictatorial minority ethnic based rule that has no political will to transfer power through a democratic means. The outcome of the May 2010 election was an embarrassment to the TPLF backers; and as such they have no more excuses to talk about democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human right under the TPLF rule.

2. The TPLF rule is oppressive, repressive, and exploitative to all the peoples in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the political suppression and marginalisation, the economic exploitation and dispossession of the Oromo people is getting worst in each passing year. The Oromos are disproportionately subjected to gross violations of human rights. Oromo political prisoners crowd the notorious TPLF prisons. Oromos are routinely subjected to fabricated charges and mock trials that resulted in death, life and long–term imprisonments. Many Oromos are also killed in extra judicial and arbitrary actions of the TPLF regime’s security forces. Thousands of Oromos are forced to flee their country due to discriminatory political repression.

3. The fertile farmlands in Oromia are given in a long-term lease to alien contractors by forcefully evicting Oromo farmers from their farmlands without their will and compensation. This unjust land deals have subjected thousands of Oromo farmers and their families to an abject poverty and helplessness. The dispossessed Oromos are forced to work for the alien contractors by a salve wage. The land lease and the irresponsible commercial farms are seriously jeopardizing the ecological balance of Oromia and it will have a long-term impact on the life and well being of the Oromo people and other nations and nationalities in Ethiopia. Hence, the national council strongly condemns the TPLF regime for the dire situation of the Oromo people. As long as the Oromo people and the OLF are concerned, the land deals between the TPLF regime and the alien contractors are null and void. We would like to strongly state that the TPLF regime and its contracting parties of the land deals bear the sole responsibility for the consequences on the ecology and the well being of the peoples.

4. It goes without saying that the TPLF regime is an enemy of all the peoples in Ethiopia. All the forces opposed to the dictatorial regime of the TPLF and struggling for liberation, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, peace, and prosperity have no more option left except to rise up in unison and struggle to get rid of the tyrannical minority rule. We believe that it is long over due for the forces of liberation, freedom and democracy to assess our hitherto struggles, set our priorities in order and forge a meaningful alliance against the TPLF rule. To this end, the OLF announces its readiness for a meaningful cooperation and alliance with serious political organizations fighting and struggling for liberation democracy, the rule of law, and human rights and human dignity for all the peoples in Ethiopia.

5. The AU, Democratic Governments, and International Communities who turned blind eyes to the sufferings of the Oromo and all the people in Ethiopia under the dictatorial TPLF regime share the responsibility. To date, the Western democracies practiced double standard policies, in violation of their declared policies and values, and provided all round support to the minority tyrannical TPLF regime. The misguided and contradictory policies they pursued towards the TPLF regime are purportedly to assure peace and stability in the region. In our view, a tyrannical regime that suppresses the fundamental rights of the people it rules cannot be a partner for peace and stability. Therefore, the OLF National Council calls up on the USA, EU, Canada, in particular and the international communities in general to seriously review their policies toward the dictatorial regime in Ethiopia and stand with the Oromo and other people in Ethiopia struggling and longing for liberation, freedom, democracy, justice, the rule of law, peace, long lasting stability and prosperity.

Victory to the Oromo People!
Oromo Liberation Front, National Council
July 10, 2010