SORTU wellcomes the news about re-opening of talks among the Ethiopian government and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), confirmed by Abdirahman Mahdi, founder and spokesman of ONLF.

The talks could bring an end to a decades-long conflict that has left a large region desperately in need of development, devastated and marginalized.

After the World War II withdrawal of Italian forces, Ethiopia took possesion of Ogaden, a 4.5 million population land whose Ogaadeni clan ties extend to major parts of Somalia and Kenya.

A constitutional stumbling block

Last year's talks ended when the ONLF refused to accept the Ethiopia constitution as a pre-condition to talks. Even the constitución recognizes the right to Self Determination government opposes to any mechanism for its implementation and forces ONLF to swore.

The single goal of the ONLF, is to permit the Ethiopians of the Ogaden to determine their future.
In addition to several divisions of Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) now stationed in the Ogaden, the government recruited thousands of local Somalis to form a Special Police Force stepping up military pressure on the ONLF. Government sides have been charged with abusing the civilian population by a 2010 Human Rights Watch report. Prisoners also are a concerning fact.

SORTU well come this window oportunity and call ONLF and Ethiopean Gov.to grasp it looking for a just and lasting peace based on the democrratic will of the Ogaden people.

The Basque Country September 25h 2013
International Area of Sortu