Two prominent leaders desert OLF faction

March 17, 2013  |  OPride

(OPride) -- Taha Tuko and Amin Jundi storm out of OLF's General Galchu faction citing differences with the group's leader. The faction's most senior and considered by many to be the backbone of the group, the duo not only resigned from their leadership posts but also rescinded their membership in the organization.

"We hoped to resolve differences within the organizational framework,"Tuko told OPride by phone from Washington. "In the absence of respect for organizational structures, what is left is personalized leadership."

Tuko who has been an activist with the OLF for nearly 25 years was the faction's information officer until last week. Jundi was the Secretary General for the front since the organization announced alliance with the Ethiopian opposition, Ginbot 7.

A former Ethiopian General, Kamal Galchu broke with rival OLF faction in 2008. Two years ago, he purged his former comrades and announced changing the organization's political program. The move to align with Ginbot 7 was harshly criticized by Oromo activists.

The news of Jundi and Tuko's withdrawal comes at a point when there is a flux in the Oromo camp. How and when the situation will coalesce into a clear shape is unknown. However, observers note that after two decades of dormancy, the Oromo camp is showing signs of revival.

This is due in part of two recent dev
elopments. Many attribute the increased activism to the birth of the Oromo Dialogue Forum, a movement due to be launched by Lencho Lata, the former de facto leader of the OLF from its inception in the early 1970s to his dismissal from the organization in 1993.

The other notable development is a recently announced merger between two other factions of the OLF, the Asmara based group led by Dawud Ibsa and Galasa Dilbo's Transitional Authority.

The group's spokesman in North America could not immediately be reached by phone. Below is copy of the statement sent to OPride by Mr. Tuko.
__________________________________________________________________________________

TO READ THE COPY OF THE STATEMENT SENT TO OPride BY Mr. TUKO In Both Afaan Oromo and English click the links below.    English Version and Afaan Oromoo Version