Press Statement by SNLF On Ongoing Massacre of Civilians in Both Regions!

The Oromo And Ogadeni Somali Nations Should Reject The Desperate TPLF Measures Of Divide And Rule!

We are extremely saddened and deeply disturbed by TPLF planned and stage managed ongoing massacre of hundreds of our Oromo and Ogaden Somali brothers and sisters. The relentless killings of unarmed civilians in Oromia and Ogadeni Somali region is carefully planned and implemented by the TPLF regime. The Oromo and Somali nations are ancient indigenous Cushitic language speaking dwellers of northeast Africa who lived in this part of the world for over ten millennia in peace and harmony. The ongoing killings of the civilians on both sides is not a result of any inherent conflict between the two sisterly nations as the TPLF regime desperately attempts to paint it. Neither is it a conflict over territory, a grazing land or other natural resources. Instead, it is a desperate measure of the decaying TPLF regime to divide and rule both Oromia and the Ogadeni Somali nations by pitting one nation against the other. We are certain that, the liberation leaders of the two nations have carefully observed the malicious intentions of the rogue TPLF regime over the past three years. No one in Ethiopia is in doubt that, the TPLF regime is behind all conflicts rampaging the two regions and the entire country.

The TPLF regime is determined to tear the unity of the Oromo and Ogadeni Somali nations apart, simply because the Oromo and Somali nations are the two largest Cushitic nations in the Horn of Africa. If the two nations remain united, the barbaric TPLF rule will be over in a very short period of time. It is a ‘do or die’ moment for the TPLF regime to extend its total grip on over a 100 million Ethiopians, by brutally slaughtering hundreds of innocent civilians in Oromia and Ogadeni Somali region, as well as the rest of the country. To achieve its divide and conquer objectives across the country, the TPLF regime managed to buy small sections of society in all regions and Oromia; and the Ogadeni Somali regions are no exceptions. These rogue elements have been used by the TPLF to quash the aspirations of the various nations for freedom and democracy in the past 27 years. Since the 2015 uprising of the Oromo nation, the TPLF regime trained and armed some of the bandits such as Special militia, primarily to attack Ogaden Somali people under the pretext of uprooting of the ONLF, and since the indicated Oromo resistance of 2015, the same recruits are assigned to attack Oromo civilians. Therefore, hundreds of lives have since been lost on the Oromia and Ogadeni Somali sides. Besides, these small group of bandits in each nation do not represent the will and the aspirations of the Oromo and Ogadeni Somali nations and the various oppressed nations of the country.

The Sidama National Liberation Front (SNLF) condemns in the strongest possible terms, the barbaric ongoing massacre of the Oromo and Ogadeni Somali civilians by the TPLF regime and its bandit collaborators. The TPLF regime is solely responsible for the ongoing massacre of the innocent civilians in Oromia and the Ogadeni Somali region. Therefore, all peace loving nations of the world should condemn the TPLF regime and hold it accountable for the losses of hundreds of lives in the two regions of the country in particular in the past three years. Finally, we urge both the Oromo and Ogadeni Somali brothers and sisters to understand the unequivocal fact that, it is the TPLF’s regime which is planning and managing the ongoing relentless massacre in both nations. Hence, both nations need to work hand in hand to fight the common enemy than tiring themselves on antagonising agendas. We also urge all peoples of the country, to work hand in hand until our common enemy is removed from power; for us all to be able to restore freedom, justice, human dignity and rights to genuine self-determination for all nations and peoples of the country. Unless we stand together, we must not forget that, we are tragically helping the regime to remain in power to increase the sufferings of the nations and peoples of the country.

Freedom, Democracy and Equality for all peoples of Ethiopia!

May the souls of those Oromo and Ogadeni Somali and the other victims of the TPLF atrocities in Ethiopia rest in peace!

The Sidama National Liberation Front (SNLF); December 20, 2017
December 20, 2017