Jigajiga (AX) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has hit back at allegations made by Ethiopian military chief General Berhanu Jula, who has claimed the group is a state adversary funded by Egypt.
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Recognized as a legal political entity, the ONLF demanded an urgent clarification from the Ethiopian government on Thursday, warning that the accusations jeopardize the 2018 peace deal.
General Jula’s contentious remarks surfaced in a video broadcasted by Ethio-Forum on September 8, 2024, where he seemed to charge ONLF with working against Ethiopian interests.
In response, the ONLF slammed the allegations, labeling them baseless and detrimental to the peace process. “These claims threaten the integrity of the 2018 peace agreement and the trust cultivated over years. We urge the Ethiopian government and General Jula to promptly verify the video’s authenticity and retract the statement if it has been misrepresented,” they stated. “If the allegation stands, the government must immediately distance itself from this perilous rhetoric.”
Signed in Asmara, Eritrea, in 2018, the agreement concluded decades of strife between ONLF and Ethiopia, compelling both factions to pledge peaceful cooperation, particularly in Ethiopia’s Somali region.
Esteemed as a significant move towards resolving longstanding tensions, the peace accord led ONLF to disarm in return for political legitimacy. Despite this progress, the recent accusations have cast a shadow over the delicate peace.
While reaffirming their commitment to peace, ONLF cautioned that ignoring these provocations might necessitate a reassessment of their government relations. “We refuse to let our legal stature or the trust built through this peace accord be compromised,” the statement concluded.
