Oromo Liberation Army

The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA; Oromo: Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, WBO) is an armed opposition group active in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The OLA consist primarily of former armed members of the pre-peace deal Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) who refused to disarm out of skepticism of the peace deal, and former youth protestors who grew disillusioned with nonviolent resistance.[7][8]

Oromo Liberation Army
Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)
LeadersJaal Marroo[1][2]

Sanyi Nagassa[2]
Gammachis Aboye[2]
Liban Guracha[3]
Sabaif Galgalo[4]
Rabira Bilisumma[5]

Qeeranso Wayu[6]
Dates of operation1974–present
Active regionsOromia Region, Oromia Zone, Ethiopia
Ideology
StatusActive; part of United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces (2021–present)
AlliesNon-state allies
OpponentsState opponents
Battles and wars
Websitehttps://www.olf-olahq.org/

The Ethiopian government now considers the OLF to be a legal political party but the OLA to be a terrorist group,[9] though the OLA is accused of continuing to act as the armed wing of the OLF.[10] In 2021, the group announced it had established a political wing and would adopt Oromo Liberation Front-Oromo Liberation Army (OLF-OLA) (Oromo: Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo-Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, ABO-WBO) as its official name.[11] The Ethiopian government refuses to call the OLA by its chosen name, instead referring to it as Shene (Oromo: Shanee, lit. 'five'), Oneg or OLF-Shene.[12][13]

Origin
See also: Oromo Liberation Front § History

The Oromo Liberation Army, then the military wing of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), was formed in 1974,[14] evolving from the Bale Revolt that started in the 1960s in response to government abuses and oppression of Oromo people .[15]

In August 2018, a peace agreement was signed between the Ethiopian government and the OLF, declaring a ceasefire, the OLF's disarming of weapons, the continuation of OLF's activities by "peaceful means", and the creation of a joint committee for implementing the agreement.[16] Some factions of OLF's armed wing, the Oromo Liberation Army, refused to disarm out of skepticism of the government's intent to abide by the agreement, thereby disassociating itself from the OLF and leading to the Oromo Liberation Army separate from the OLF in its current form.[8] Many of the OLF members that disarmed ended up flocking back to the OLA after failing to see components of the peace deal be honored.[8]

Leadership

As of the late 2018, Jaal Marroo (born Kumsa Diriba) is the commander-in-chief of OLA, largely operating with the Western Command. As of 29 November 2021, Gemechu Aboye was the deputy leader of OLA, according to Sveriges Radio.[17] The OLA international spokesperson is Odaa Tarbii (@OdaaTarbiiWBO).[18]

Aims

In January 2023 the OLF-OLA released a political manifesto in which they laid out their aims:

"We, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), fight for the Oromo people's right to self-determination. We fight for the freedom of the Oromo people from political exclusion, economic exploitation, and socio-cultural marginalization.

a) We fight to realize the Oromo people’s right to freely determine their political status. For the right of our people to determine their political destiny and establish a responsive government through freely elected representatives.

b) We fight to secure the Oromo people’s economic sovereignty. To stop the exploitation of our people’s natural and human resources. To develop these resources for the benefit of all.

c) We fight to realize the socio-cultural rights of our people. We demand respect for and full recognition of the Oromo language, culture, and history. " [19]

Recruitment

Soretti claimed that OLA was attracting recruits in July 2021 because "Oromia [was] a war zone under the administration of the Prosperity Party".[8] According to Odaa Tarbii, OLA spokesperson, 1165 Oromia Special Forces defected to the OLA with 400 of them from Laga Tafo area.[20]

Human rights

Policies

In a press release on December 10, 2022, the OLA High Command stated their war was not with any population group and called on the Oromo people to avoid the Ethiopian governments attempts at sparking confrontations with "our brothers and sisters from different communities". They further added on and called for Oromo's to protect members of ethnic minorities in the Oromia region [21]

Soretti Kadir argues that the OLA limits extrajudicial executions to officials suspected of war crimes, stating that OLA has a "grading system [to use] when applying international humanitarian law [to] Oromo people", in which people supporting OLA's opponents out of coercion or family need are "not considered a target". Those that are "engaged in supporting the government out of the desire to attain wealth, power, notoriety or, just enjoy oppressing others ... are considered a target."[8]

Accusations

The OLA has been accused of committing extrajudicial executions by the Ethiopian government. The OLA denied the accusations.[22][23][24]

On 2 November 2020, 54 people—mostly Amhara women, children and elderly people—were killed in the village of Gawa Qanqa, after government security forces "abruptly and inexplicably left", by attackers identifying themselves as OLA.[22][23] OLA denied responsibility. Instead saying:

“The OLA would like to express its deepest condolences to all the victims of these terrible atrocities. We also want to underline that we are not responsible for these acts. The local admin[instration] works alongside Oromia Police & ex-OLA defectors to carry out these operations.” [24]

In June 2022, locals on the ground in Ethiopia accused the OLA of killing over 200 ethnic Amhara. The OLA denies these allegations, instead saying the killings were committed by retreating government forces and militia.

The attack you are referring to was committed by the regime’s military and local militia as they retreated from their camp in Gimbi following our recent offensive... They escaped to an area called Tole, where they attacked the local population and destroyed their property as retaliation for their perceived support for the OLA. Our fighters had not even reached that area when the attacks took place.

- OLA International Spokesperson "Odaa Tarbii" in a message to AP News[25]

In their January 2023 political manifesto the OLA reiterated their calls for independent investigations into atrocities or reports of atrocities committed in Oromia, saying "We strongly encourage the international community, through the United Nations and/or other mechanisms, to find out the truth and live up to its pledge of 'Never Again.' On our part, we continue to call for credible, internationally mandated independent investigations into the atrocities or reports of atrocities committed in Oromia."[19]

Military actions
Main article: Oromo conflict (2021)

By late October 2021, the OLA controlled various areas in the Welega Zone, Oromia Region including East, West, Kellam, Horo and Illu[26]. On 1 November, Jaal Marroo stated that the OLA had taken "several towns in western, central, and southern Oromia, facing little resistance from government forces who were retreating."[27]

The OLA also used the opportunity presented by the Tigray War to take brief control of Kamisee on 31 October 2021, as the Tigray Defence Forces advanced on Kombolcha.[28]

In late October 2022, the OLA launched a large-scale military offensive into West and East Welega.[29] On 6 November 2022, they entered Nekemte town where they engaged in urban fighting with Ethiopian state forces before a same-day retreat.[29]

Meta(Facebook) designates OLA as "Dangerous Individuals and Organizations" on its list of organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence.[30][31]

On 6 May 2021, the Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives declared OLA to be a terrorist organisation.[10]

Analysis

Soretti Kadir claimed in July 2021 that OLA's actions were "responding to systemic and enduring state violence" by the federal Ethiopian government.[8] Nagesa Dube argues that "OLA does apparently target civilian government employees to instill fear in the public".[10]

References
  1. "USA TODAY". www.usatoday.com. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  2. "ETHIOPIA : Who's who among Abiy's Oromo foes - 06/01/2022". Africa Intelligence. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  3. Turtii Gaaffii fi Deebii Ajajaa WBO Cibiraa Soddom-booroo Jaal Liiban Gurraachaa waliin ONM - ABO (in Oromo), retrieved 1 December 2022
  4. ONM-ABO - Jaal SABAA'IF GALGOO, Ajajaa WBO Zoonii Kibba Baha Oromiyaa waliin turtii qabaanne (in Oromo), retrieved 1 December 2022
  5. Turtii Ajajaa WBO Godina Gujii Lixaa Jaal Rabbirraa Bilisummaa Waliin dhimma Lola PP fi WBO irratti (in Oromo), retrieved 1 December 2022
  6. Marii Ajajaa WBO Zoonii Kaabaa Jaal Qeerransoo Waayyuu Waliin Gurraandhala 4, 2022 (in Oromo), retrieved 1 December 2022
  7. St, Addis; ard (15 April 2022). "Op-ed: The boomerang effect: How political betrayal transformed Oromo youth protest to armed resistance". Addis Standard. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  8. Kadir, Soretti (27 July 2021). "Ethiopia: The Oromo Liberation Front is not a terrorist organisation". The Africa Report. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  9. ,"Fed. Attorney General says terrorist designated "Shene" refers to Oromo Liberation Army; OLA responds, vows to "engage in total war"". Addis Standard. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  10. Dube, Nagessa (18 June 2021). "Ethiopia: Victory for the Oromo will come from winning hearts and minds, not terrorising people". The Africa Report. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  11. "Announcement from the OLF-OLA General Assembly - Oromo Liberation Army". olacommunique.com. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  12. Mekonnen, Siyanne (28 August 2021). "News: OLF slams rights commission's report on recent East Wollega conflict, calls for independent investigation". Addis Standard. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  13. "Ethiopia to designate TPLF, OLF-Shene as 'terror' groups". Al Jazeera. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  14. Tolessa Bessa, Tesfaye (2019). "A history of Oromo literature and identity issues (c. 1840-1991)" (PDF). Addis Ababa University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  15. "Insurrection and invasion in the southeast, 1963-78" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  16. Shaban, Abdur Rahman Alfa (7 August 2018). "Ethiopia govt agrees peace deal with Eritrea-based 'ex-terror' group". Africanews. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  17. Myrenberg, Richard (29 November 2021). "Oromo-gerillan: Abiy är som en döende häst" [Oromo guerillas: Abiy is like a dying horse]. Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  18. "Register". Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via Twitter.
  19. OLF-OLA (23 January 2023). "A BRIEF POLITICAL MANIFESTO: From Armed Struggle to the Prospect for Peace" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  20. Ethiopia called on its citizens to take up arms as rebel forces advance toward the nation's capital city, 4 November 2021
  21. "The Revival of a New Social Movement Across the Oromia Region – (OLF-OLA Press Release)". 10 December 2022.
  22. "At least 54 killed in Ethiopia massacre, says Amnesty". The Guardian. 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  23. "Ethiopia: over 50 killed in 'horrendous' attack on village by armed group". Amnesty International. 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  24. Zelalem, Zecharias (20 March 2021). "Worsening violence in western Ethiopia forcing civilians to flee". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  25. "Witnesses say more than 200 killed in Ethiopia ethnic attack". AP NEWS. 19 June 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  26. Zewdu Teshome, Moges (20 October 2021). "We must end the civil war to save Ethiopia". Ethiopia Insight. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  27. "Oromo Liberation Army: On the ground with Ethiopian fighters". BBC News. 1 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  28. "Tigrayan and Oromo forces say they have seized towns on Ethiopian highway". TimesLIVE. 1 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  29. Legesse, Getahun (9 November 2022). "News: Civilians killed following intense fighting between rebel group, government forces in Nekemte, western Oromia region". Addis Standard. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  30. "Dangerous Individuals and Organizations | Transparency Center". transparency.fb.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  31. Facebook Dangerous Individuals and Organizations List (Reproduced Snapshot), The Intercept, 12 October 2021, retrieved 19 February 2023
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