O.N.L.F CALL FOR PEACE TALKS

[fagash_killer]

Ethiopian rebels call for peace talks with government


ADDIS ABABA, April 30, 2007 (AP) Ethiopian rebels called for internationally mediated peace talks with the government on Monday, hours after releasing seven Chinese and two Ethiopian oil workers taken hostage last week.
In a statement sent to news organizations, the ****** National Liberation Front said the workers were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross during a temporary cease-fire on Sunday. The rebels said they expected government troops to begin a crackdown in the eastern ****** region, populated mostly by ethnic Somalis.
The group says it is fighting for the region's right to self-determination.
"We call upon the international community to witness first hand what has become the norm of terror perpetrated by the (government) against the people of ******," the rebel statement said. The government "must take a different approach to conflict resolution and agree to internationally witnessed dialogue with legitimate representatives of the people of ******, the ONLF."
The rebels released the oil workers to Ethiopian and Chinese authorities on Sunday in southeastern Ethiopia, the Red Cross said. They had been seized during an attack on a Chinese oil exploration facility last week.
Late Sunday, the official Ethiopian News Agency released a statement from the Ministry of Information saying the oil workers had safely arrived in the town of Degehabur, while repeating earlier allegations that longtime rival Eritrea sponsored the rebel attack.
"ONLF perpetrated the horrendous act of terrorism in a plot orchestrated by the government in Asmara," the ministry said.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have yet to reach a final resolution on their mutual border, which they fought a war over from 1998-2000. Tensions between the two countries have worsened in recent months.
The Front claimed responsibility for the attack on the Chinese-owned oil exploration field in eastern Ethiopia on April 24, which killed 65 Ethiopians and nine Chinese. The group said in a statement that six other Chinese workers "were removed from the battlefield for their own safety."
The bodies of the nine Chinese killed in the attack arrived home in central China on Monday, state media reported.
Xinhua News Agency said a chartered Air China plane carrying the victims in nine coffins covered with white peonies arrived at 2:30 a.m. at Xinzheng, southeast of Henan province's capital, Zhengzhou.
The rebels also said that no foreign company should try to work in the ****** region, a large state along the Somali border. The Chinese government has condemned Tuesday's attack and rejected the group's warning.

[fagash_killer]

ONLF Statement On The Path To Peace
Aprl 30, 2007

At 2pm local time, the ONLF transferred 7 Chinese citizens and two others associated with the oil exploration facility to the ICRC in line with our pledge. The transfer resulted from a cease fire observed by both the ONLF and the TPLF forces in the
area.


While a cease fire held during this process, the TPLF regime has begun a crackdown targeting civilians in Jijiga, ******. Now that the Chinese citizens have been released, the ONLF expects this crackdown to broaden to other areas in ****** and in that context, we call upon the international community to witness first hand what has become the norm of terror perpetrated by the TPLF regime against the people of
******.

This cycle of violence is brought about by the TPLF Regimes deliberate and futile policy of pursuing a military solution to the ****** conflict. During its so called swipes against ONLF over the last year, hundreds of ethnic Somali nomads in ****** were killed displaced and dispossessed. Scores of villages burned, the last of which was Maraa’ato. It is very hard to ignore the ever growing number of Orphans and widows in every ****** town and village, while the current TPLF regime cold bloodedly plans to enrich itself at their expense.

The TPLF regime currently in power in Ethiopia must take a different approach to conflict resolution and agree to internationally witnessed dialogue with legitimate representatives of the people of ******, the ONLF. This should also apply to all other members of the Alliance for Freedom & Democracy (AFD). In that spirit and environment the whole world would profit from any resources available in the Horn region.

The TPLF must also free political prisoners including those from member organizations of the AFD. The path to peace starts with dialogue in a neutral country with a neutral third party mediator and no pre-conditions.

We call the international community to firmly support the people in the Horn of African region in finding a viable lasting and comprehensive political solution to the multifaceted problems that have delayed peace and hampered the development of all concerned.

Finally, we send our condolences to the bereaving families who have suffered as a result of thisconflict on all sides.


****** National Liberation Front (ONLF)
onlfpress@onlf.org

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VIVA ONLF.