News: Breakthrough as government, OLF-SG agree on immediate ceasefire, encampment of rebel army in 20 days
Addis Abeba, January 24/2019 – As part of a continued peace conference held today in Ambo, 125 km west of Addis Abeba, a peace agreement was officially signed between the government and leaders of OLF-SG. Accordingly both parties have agreed for an immediate ceasefire (as of today), to be followed by demobilization and encampment of OLF-SG’s armed members within the next 20 days following which OLA members will undergo reintegration training programs.
Today’s meeting was a continuation of a peace conference organized by the Abba Gada Council and held on January 22 in Addis Abeba. At the end of the peace conference, Dawd Ibssa, leader of the OLF-SG, promised to hand over members of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) to “the Oromo people and the Abba Gadas,” a traditional council of the Oromo community which has been playing critical roles in mediating between the OLF-SG and Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), the later chaired by PM Abiy Ahmed.
Following Dawd’s pledge, a technical committee of 71 members drawn from the Abba Gadas, ODP and OLF-SG itself as well as academicians, women and other members of the Oromo community was formed to oversee the peace process.
According to the agreement signed today in Ambo, the technical committee will begin monitoring the process, which will take place in three different phases: the first phase will be to bring all members of OLA into nearby Woreda towns. The second phase will be to mobilize them into various camps prepared by the government; and the third part will be to welcome them to the camps where they will be given trainings afterward. It was also stated that the camps should be located far from areas where previous hostilities were seen between OLA and government forces.
A resolution issued at today’s meeting states that the technical committee will not only be involved in monitoring the process but also visiting the training centers once the members of OLA are accommodated. It was also mentioned that during the transportation process, federal forces will accompany OLA members to make sure the process is held peacefully. AS
Editor’s Note: this news will be updated for more information as soon as the full version of the resolution is made publicly available.
