By Tesfa-alem Tekle
Meles Zenawi
The OLF is an organization established in1973 by Oromo
nationals to promote self-determination for the majority Oromo people against
what they call "
In January, a groups of mediators drawn from 3 Oromo-ethnic
elders met OLF leaders namely Dawd Ebsa and Temam Yosuf in Amsterdam and signed with the rebel leaders a pact
of agreement to come for peace talks under which the rebels agreed to accept
Ethiopia’s constitution in principle.
"Ethiopian PM, Meles Zenawi called us and told us in person that his country is
ready to hold talks with OLF" Ambassador Birhanu
Dinka, one of the elders and also former UN envoy to
the great lakes region said.
"Ethiopia agreed to come to negotiating table after the
prime minister’s office looked deep into the Amsterdam’s pact of agreement
reached between the three of us(elders) and the rebels last January" he
added.
After both parties agreed to start talks, the third party
has been holding meetings with different influential people abroad and at home.
Recently the elders group has hold two-day discussions with
125 most influential elders drawn from different zones of the Oromiya region under which they urged on the rebel to
listen to his people and come to peace talks without any delay.
Another elder Priest Itefa Gobena to his side said that the peace talks will solve
long suspicions of authorities over the Oromo for possible links to OLF.
"A number of Oromo-national scholars, investors have
been reluctant to return home and serve at home due the fears to what they hear
at home” He said adding “The start is a major break through to bring an end to
it”
Recently
The elders on a declaration called on both sides to show a
genuine commitment to narrow their political difference which put the rebel
group into nearly two decades of insurgency.
Source: Sudan tribune