ULFO Executive Committee Extraordinary Meeting suspended ’’OLF’’/ Shane Gumi lead by Mr Dawud Ibsa

10, 2006, The Extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of ULFO has voted to suspend the Shane Gumi called himself as OLF from membership in ULFO, citing that the Shane has violated the principles at the heart of ULFO by joining the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy neglecting its commitment to solidifying the bases for unity among Oromo liberation forces.

Fostering cooperation among all Oromo forces that had been separately struggling for national liberation was the primary concern and demand of the Oromo people for most of the past decade. A major step forward in the struggle came when an umbrella organization known as United Liberation Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO) was formed among all independent Oromo organizations six years ago in July 2000. The overriding goal of that alliance is the liberation of Oromiyaa. In forming the unity movement, each group acknowledged the necessity for all the fronts and organizations for the liberation of Oromiyaa to coordinate their efforts politically, militarily and diplomatically.

As stated in the original document produced by ULFO, the Oromo Consensus 2000, the liberation of Oromiya was the primary long-term objective of the organization; the unity of Oromo liberation forces was the necessary short term goal. Oromos from all walks of life immediately rallied behind ULFO and its goals in the hope that a united struggle of Oromo forces would prove capable of liberating Oromiyaa. Despite wide support of the Oromo people, ULFO failed to function at its full capacity or to deliver its promise. To achieve this requires the genuine commitment of all member organizations. Regardless, within the last six years, ULFO has achieved success in creating harmony among its members by removing the culture of armed confrontation, by organizing a newsletter and creating forums in different cities of the world to assist Oromos to create and pursue an effective path to liberation. ULFO succeeded in ratifying the ULFO Program and Constitution in April 2005. After the ratification, once again, many Oromo hoped that ULFO would be transformed into the kind of all-inclusive umbrella organization that will rally human and material resources of Oromiyaa towards the cherished common goal, Bilisummaa.

As it turns out, problems inherent in member organizations of ULFO affected the umbrella organization. Among the six founding members of ULFO, IBSO I was suspended from the umbrella organization because the political tactics of its leadership directly contravened ULFO´s objectives.

Regrettably, it is the conclusion of all the other member organizations that theOLF, another of the founding members of ULFO, Shane Gumi has deliberately acted to undermine the agenda of unity of Oromo liberation forces for the last three years. The other members observe that the Shane Gumi has used ULFO for mere public relations purposes while, in practice, the Shane Gumi gave utmost priority to forging unity of purpose with the Meles government during the formative early months and years of ULFO. When the Meles government finally and decisively rejected Shane Gumi’s request for creating an agreement for a working relationship, the Shane called himself OLF resolutely turned to CUDP and EPPF, opponents, if not archenemies, of the very objective of the Oromo people's liberation struggle.

The Extraordinary meeting of ULFO finds this action of Shame ’’OLF’’ a substantial basis for suspension. The CUDP openly rejects the right of Oromo people for self-determination. They reject the principle of Oromo liberation. Under the motto of 'one nation, one language and one flag,' Abyssinian organizations such as CUDP vehemently stand against the gains that the people of Oromiyaa have achieved through their long struggle over the years. It is a cause of grave concern to all other member organizations of ULFO that the Shane worked diligently to forge an alliance with the aforementioned organizations and joined Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD) at the same time that Shane Gumi undermined the success of ULFO using various stratagems. Besides allying with groups whose goals directly contravene the goals of ULFO, the Shane Gumi dismissed the potential for ULFO to achieve the goal of unity and creation of an effective means for the Oromo people acting together to achieve sovereignty. In addition Shane Gumis's work with AFD has been carried out at the expense of strengthening and equipping ULFO. At every point Shane Gumi has safeguarded and promoted its relationship with AFD rather than nurture its relationship and execute its responsibilities within ULFO.

The ULFO Executive Committee in its Extraordinary Meeting held on July 10, 2006 finds, therefore, that this recent act of ‘’OLF’’/Shane Gumi stands against the central objective for which ULFO is founded. It undermines Oromo Consensus 2000, grossly violates ULFO program and constitution, impedes the progress and growth of ULFO and compromises the security of the other member organizations of ULFO. At the minimum, the alliance Shame Gumi/’’OLF’’ created within AFD will open a conducive venue for the enemy of Oromo struggle to sabotage the Oromo cause and, at most, if the CUDP could succeed, using the Shane Gumi ’’OLF's’’ help, to get back into state power once again, they will do anything it takes to reverse the Oromo people's struggle.

Based upon the principles enshrined in Oromo Consensus 2000 for the establishment of ULFO and further according to articles from:

A) ULFO program ratified April, 2005;

1. Article 3 #1: “To pull the talents, resources and efforts of all sectors of the people of Oromiya as well as that of member organizations to wage a coordinated struggle to speedily liberate Oromia from brutal occupation;”

2. Article3 #10: “To promote the unity of the people of Oromiya and to stand up in unison against the divisive efforts of our internal and external enemies.”

3. Article 4 # 4: “The objective of ULFO is to liberate and enable the people of Oromiya to attain their right to national self-determination. The people of Oromiya shall decide the final status and political disposition of the future state of Oromia through a free and democratic decision.”

4. Article 6 #6.2 2: “ULFO and its member organizations do not ally nor associate with any and all global, regional and domestic organizations that promote an ideology of inter-communal hatred and propagate an extremist political or religious program and advocate a plan to undemocratically impose their will on the people.” and

B) ULFO Constitution ratified April, 2005

1. Article 1 #2: “ULFO is an umbrella organization of the Oromo liberation Forces committed to the Liberation of the Oromo people.”

2. Article 3 # 14: “The independence of member organizations includes the right to create alliances with other organizations, including those outside of ULFO that uphold the right of Oromo people for self determination.”

3. Article 6 # 4:10: “The Executive Committee may suspend a member organization and report it to the next meeting of the Council of Delegates. Such a suspension shall be taken by a two-thirds-majority vote of the EC. Activities that call for suspension are those, which jeopardize the security of ULFO and its member organizations.”

Therefore, based upon violation of the above principle of ULFO, the ULFO Executive Committee at its Extraordinary Meeting has suspended the Shane Gumi/’’OLF’’ from ULFO membership. The suspension of Shane Gumi ’’OLF’’ from ULFO takes effect as of July 11, 2006.

Based on ULFO Constitution article 6 #9; "The Executive Committee shall suspend an official representative and assign a replacement from within the Council of Delegates within 30 days. The Executive Committee shall take this measure by a simple majority." the extraordinary meeting of ULFO Executive Committee further suspended Mr. Daawud Ibsaa, the chairman of ULFO who shelved the duties of ULFO chairmanship and has been indirectly engaged in dialog with Meles regime and later tirelessly worked to bring AFD into existence and has assumed its leadership. ULFO Vice chairman Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa has been assigned to take the responsibility as the acting chairman, effective July 11, 2006.

ULFO Executive Committee recommits itself to pursue the goals upon which ULFO was founded, to work diligently to forge a real and practical unity among Oromo who will create effective means to achieve Oromo sovereignty in the current era. Further, the Executive committee extraordinary meeting calls upon all Oromo who wish to rise to this challenge and to be a part of the project of finding an effective path to the liberation of the Oromo to join the continued effort.ULFO will reinstate the Shane Gumi by the name of OLF to full membership at such time that OLF again demonstrates a full commitment to the objectives of working in unity with Oromo groups and with them strengthening the bases for Oromo liberation.Regarding ULFO Executive Committee Extraordinary meeting’s decision on revitalizing ULFO and mobilizing human and material resources of Oromiyaa please refer to the Resolutions of the Extraordinary Meeting.

Unity is strength!
Oromiyaa Shall Be Free!