FROM OROMO LIBERATION FRONT

 

        Date: 07/12/2010

His Excellency The Honourable Mwai Kibaki, C.G.H., M.P.

President of the Republic of Kenya

Office of the President

Harambee House

Harambee Avenue

P.O.Box 62345 - 00200

Nairobi

Kenya

 

Your Excellency,

 

We the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) are alarmed to learn the recent full-fledged military campaign by Kenyan armed forces against our organisation. We are particularly concerned that Kenyan forces joined the occupying Ethiopian forces fighting against the OLF. 

 

Whilst we recognise that Kenya has the right to enforce peace and security within its territory, we are unable to understand the reasons why Kenyan armed forces are engaged in a military campaign against our forces. Although Kenyan authorities have been repeatedly quoted by the media, saying the objective of their military campaign is “flashing the OLF from the countryâ€?, as a justification for their aggression against us, we would like to reassure you that we have no bases on Kenyan soil and fully respect the territorial integrity of Kenya. 

 

We believe that military confrontation between Kenya and the OLF is not in the best interest of either of our countries. In fact, the actions of the Kenyan forces are uncalled for and can destabilise the region that is already troubled by a number of long standing conflicts. We do not understand why Kenya should involve itself in the struggle between Oromia and Ethiopia and we hope that this is not your policy. We hope that your government will respect the rights of the Oromo people to free themselves from the brutal Ethiopian colonial system. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which your country is a signatory, reaffirms the right to self-determination.

 

The peoples of Oromia and Kenya share a longstanding cordial relationship. In particular, Kenya, as a democratic and stable country, continues providing safety for a significant number of Oromo refugees fleeing from persecution by the Ethiopian state. However, we are also gravely concerned that recently a large number of Oromo refugees have been handed over to the Ethiopian authorities by the Kenyan authorities. These refugees are sent back to inhumane torture and certain death in the hands of the Ethiopian security agents.         

 

We believe Kenya could play a positive and constructive role in supporting a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Oromia and Ethiopia and that would make Kenya a legitimate player in the international arena. 

 

We respectfully urge you to appraise the situation and reconsider your policy and assure supporting the just cause of the oppressed Oromo people rather than assisting the bloodthirsty regime in Ethiopia.

 

Yours respectfully,

 

Mulugeta Mosissa

Mulugeta Mosissa

Head of Diplomatic Division of the OLF    

 

cc: Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga, E.G.H., M.P. Prime Minster of the Republic of Kenya

 

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