The Election Board of Ethiopia Has Renewed its past decision regarding the General Assembly of the OLF
OLF Statement – 28 March 2022
The OLF has issued a statement on 16/03/2022 regarding a visit of the Election Board of Ethiopia representative to the Resident of OLF Chairman Mr. Dawud Ibsa who had been under House Arrest for over a year. As the development to this initiative the OLF would like to inform you that the OLF has received the decision on the General Assembly and related issues from the Election Board of Ethiopia on 24/03/2022.
The Ethiopian National Electoral Board informed us that they made the decision based on complaints submitted between OLF leaders and related court order that instructed them to make administrative decision on the issue. However, the OLF had received similar decision from the Board on the same matter one year ago and confirmed that it had accepted the decision at the time. The current decision, although have some minor changes, is same decision we received a year ago.
The OLF has been asking the Election Board of Ethiopia for over a year to open its offices that were illegally closed and to release OLF members and members of Central Committee (Member of National Council) as well as to free the OLF Chairman Mr. Dawud Ibsa from house arrest and allow him to freely move as a citizen and excel his duties as a chairman of a legally registered political party. The OLF also repeatedly requested the return of OLF properties including computers, mobile devices, documents, and vehicles that had been illegally confiscated by the security of ruling party.
However, the OLF appreciates this new initiative of the Board and we hope that this decision would be implemented in a transparent way with close communication and consultation with the OLF. We would like to stress that any action or media campaign on OLF issues and in the name of OLF without the knowledge of the OLF and its legal Chairman is not acceptable. Any individual or entity who wants to speak or act in the name of the OLF should not be entertained apart from the legally registered OLF led by Mr. Dawud Ibsa. Also, we would like to highlight that any media should refrain itself from misleading the facts and aggravating the situation. Any institution or media interested in working with the OLF must follow legal structure and accepted communication channel with the OLF.
The OLF would like to remind the Election Board of Ethiopia to make close follow up to the situation and make efforts to implement the decision in a legal and procedural manner of dealing with relevant stakeholders in this regard. OLF would like to ask the Election Board again to make necessary efforts for the release all Oromo political prisoners, members of OLF leadership and to open OLF offices as well as seek solutions stop the ongoing hunting and arresting of OLF members and supporters.
Finally, we thank the Oromo people, Oromia citizens and Ethiopian peoples who had been tirelessly fighting for justice and for the release of Oromo political prisoners and to maintain institutional guarantee of the OLF. We would like to ask the Ethiopian peoples and the international community to continue working towards peaceful resolution to the political crises through genuine political dialogue in Ethiopia and campaign for freedom and inclusive democracy in the country.
Victory to the Masses!
Oromo Liberation Front
March 28, 2022
Finfinne