The Enigma of the 2018 Peace Accord between ONLF and the Ethiopian Federal Government: A Peace without Political Gains
The 2018 peace accord between the Ethiopian federal government and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) appeared to be a breakthrough in the long-standing conflict between Somalis in the Somali region and the Abyssinian-dominated Ethiopian state. However, in this short essay I will argue that the peace accord did not bring any political dividend, as the historical political marginalisation against Somalis in the Somali region remains unaddressed.
The Enigma of Arrival:
The Somali region has always been considered a social, political, and cultural periphery to the Ethiopian state, dominated by Abyssinians, since the establishment of the Ethiopian state in the 19th century. Despite being forcefully integrated into Ethiopia, Somalis have continuously resisted and suffered historical injustice from various Ethiopian regimes. The feeling of “the enigma of arrival,” as famously expressed by V.S. Naipaul in his 1987 novel, is shared by Somalis in the region who feel alienated and foreign in their own land.
Liberation Struggle:
Somali-led liberation movements have been in conflict with Ethiopia since the early 20th century, starting with the anti-colonial movement led by Sayid Mohamed Abdulle Hassan and his Dervish forces. Subsequent groups aimed to create a pan-Somali state, with focus on the Ogaden region and the Somali-inhabited northern part of Kenya known as NFD picked up the torch of liberation after Somalia gained independence in 1960. This aspiration of freeing Somalis in the Ogaden region led to a full-scale war between Ethiopia and Somalia in 1977, which Somalia lost. The dream of liberating the Ogaden is then fell in the hands of various rebel groups with shifting political and ideological allegiances.
Failed Debates and Political Plans:
After the fall of the Ethiopian regime in 1991, the question of whether Somalis in the Somali region should be seceded from Ethiopia or continue to be part of Ethiopia arose. However, there was no time and space to calmly debate and decide on the future of Somalis in the Somali region. The collapse of the Somali state and the deceitful political proposal by the TPLF-led government contributed to the failure to address the political question of Somalis in Ethiopia.
The Deceitful Federal Project:
In 1994, the ONLF and other liberation fronts came to the realisation that the TPLF-led government had no intention of addressing the historical injustices that had been inflicted upon the oppressed nations and nationalities in Ethiopia. Instead, the TPLF was using the federal constitution to concentrate control over the Ethiopian state while disregarding the democratic and political rights of groups seeking self-determination, including the Somalis and Oromos. The so-called federal project was nothing more than a deceptive political tactic aimed at masking the true intentions of the TPLF’s agenda. Consequently, the ONLF launched an armed struggle to pursue their objectives.
The 2018 Peace Accord:
In 2018, the ONLF signed a peaceful agreement with the Ethiopian federal government under Abiy Ahmed, who promised to democratise Ethiopia, open up the state, free all political prisoners, call for unity, and implement the federal constitution both in spirit and by letter. However, this peace accord did not bring any political dividend, as the historical political marginalisation against Somalis in the Somali region remains unaddressed.
The way forward
The 2018 peace accord between the Ethiopian federal government and the ONLF was a significant step towards ending the conflict in the Somali region. However, it did not bring any political gains to the Somali people. The historical injustice and political marginalisation against Somalis in the Somali region remain unaddressed. Pursuing a peaceful political settlement that recognises the cultural and political rights of Somalis is essential to achieving lasting peace in the region.
My recommendation is that the ruling party( PP) should engage with the ONLF and other parties now that the civil war has ended. This engagement should focus on developing a political framework that allows the people of the Somali region to determine their own political future within a democratic and federal Ethiopia. A power-sharing arrangement or coalition between the ruling party and the opposition groups led by ONLF may be necessary to achieve this goal.
By pursuing peaceful means, the region can avoid the risk of returning to armed conflict between the Ethiopian state and Somali groups. Ultimately, the best way to protect Somali interests is through peaceful political settlement not an arm struggle.
