TPLF's Murad Mussa denies involvement of his government in Abduction and Killing of Oromo Refugees in Kenya

Oromo must lay down arms if they want a stake in Ethiopia
Publication Date: 1/11/2006
We have read with a deep disappointment two articles titled "Abductions cause panic among Oromo refugees in Nairobi" and "Fighting for peace beyond the borders" (DN, January 2), which contained nothing but malicious propaganda against Ethiopia.
It is the considered opinion of the Ethiopian Embassy that the opinions about the situation in Ethiopia had no relationship with the facts on the ground.
The writer's curious lack of balance ended up prejudicing your readers to draw the wrong conclusions. It is part of a larger conspiracy to speak for the terrorist element in the sub-region. It was not difficult for us to decipher the misguided sympathy by some individuals for the Oromo Liberation Front, whose commitment to violence is well-known.
Right now, the Front claims to be working for peace, but this is just an effort to white-wash all manner of atrocities it has committed against innocent people, including Kenyans.
On the issue that the terrorist elements have bases in northern Kenya, which they have been using to allegedly reduce conflicts in the region and are now seeking an administrative base in Nairobi, it is the duty of the Kenyan authorities to investigate.
How can the Front have the temerity to demand support from a country which has been a victim of their destructive activities? When Dr Fido Ebba claims he is dismayed by these activities and says, "These are our people. The Borana are our people", the Kenyan authorities should be awake to Front's agenda of creating the Greater Oromia Republic.
Thus, we have found it necessary to issue this right-of-reply response to put the record straight regarding some of the distortions and malicious propaganda that underpin the articles.
Allegations that the Government of Ethiopia is subjecting the Oromo people to arbitrary arrest, detentions, "heightened atrocities" and "colonisation" because they are opposed to the Government are completely unfounded.
We want to state quite categorically that the Ethiopian Government has no hit-men for any missions anywhere, including Kenya, and those alleging that they are victims of persecution should seek a better excuse than making unwarranted attacks against the Ethiopian Government.
There are 76 registered national and regional political parties operating in Ethiopia today, including the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation, an affiliate member of the ruling party, and opposition parties such as the Oromo Democratic Federal Movement, and the Oromo National Congress, which have significant seats in the national Parliament. The Oromo have realised the role of these parties in promoting their interests and aspirations. Thus, while the rest of the Oromo people are enjoying democratic rights, the Front, a minority group, has been totally rejected by the rest of the Oromo people.
The Front has refused to renounce violence as their method of choice to achieve their evil dream. Yet the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia guarantees the right to self-determination, including the right to secession through peaceful means.
The Front should clearly understand that, if it wants to have a stake in the federal government, it must lay down its arms to pursue any political agenda within Ethiopia.
MURAD MUSSA, Ethiopia's Ambassador to Kenya.