President of Ethiopia’s Oromo region accused that some groups were trying to destabilize his region under the guise of fighting for the rights of the Oromo people.
Speaking today at the assembly of the regional council, Lemma Megersa said some elements from abroad and inside the country that refused to be part of the ongoing peace and reconciliation process have chosen to engage in ruining peace in the region.
Megersa said a group claiming to fight for the liberation of the Oromos has attacked security forces and ransacked public and private properties in the Western part of the region.
Last week an armed group calming to be a faction of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has attacked areas in Wollega, Western Ethiopia. The group has reportedly killed four police officers and destroyed properties.
Megersa said while a number of Oromo political groups in exile have returned home to be part of the political process, some have opted to be a destabilizing force. He said these groups have financial backings from some quarters.
He said the federal government has a responsibility to take measures against these groups but said the use of force was not the best option.
Megersa called on the groups to renounce violence and join the peaceful political process in the country.
Relentless protests by the Oromos, the majority in Ethiopia, who were joined by the Amharas, have led to political and economic changes in the East African country. Megersa and his comrade, Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister, were credited for being torch bearers of recent political changes in the Ethiopia.
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