FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OGADEN NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (ONLF) STATEMENT ON RESIGNATION OF ETHIOPIA CABINET MINISTER FROM SOMALI REGION
27 September 2021

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) welcomes the courageous decision of Cabinet Minister Filsan Ahmed to resign from her position as Minister of Women, Children and Youth of Ethiopia. The Somali people of Ogaden/Somali State continue to be denied their collective rights and face marginalization at all levels of the Ethiopian government. Despite assurances by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen that decades of marginalization would come to an end, it has become clear to Somalis that there is no political will to recognize our rights and aspirations. Somalis will no longer accept this treatment and will not yield to anyone our right to human dignity and self-determination.
The ONLF also wishes to take this opportunity to emphasize that we have withdrawn from the so-called ‘elections’ in the Somali Regional State because of widespread fraud as initially confirmed by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). Despite the clear submission of evidence to NEBE no action was taken. As such, the so called elections scheduled for 30th September 2021 is solely a Prosperity Party affair with all other opposition groups also withdrawing and does not represent the free expression of the political will of the Somali people in the Somali State/Ogaden. It is further a part of a pattern of marginalization of Somalis at all levels of the Ethiopian government. The ONLF reiterates that the right to self-determination of the Somali people is non-negotiable.

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).

ONA.

The Prime News