The ONLF has condemned recent discussions between the Somali Regional State’s Energy and Mining Office and Chinese firm Poly-GCL, accusing them of orchestrating covert plans to extract resources without the consent of the local population. The group dismissed any agreements made by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration with foreign corporations as invalid and warned that such deals would be met with resistance.
According to ONLF, the Somali people alone hold the right to manage their resources, and any extraction initiatives must be preceded by a political resolution that recognizes their self-determination. The group emphasized their longstanding demand for justice, insisting that no oil exploration should proceed without addressing past and present grievances.
Drawing attention to historical conflicts, ONLF cited a 2007 incident in Obole when Poly-GCL’s previous attempts to extract oil were met with strong opposition, leading to a brutal Ethiopian military response. The group accused Ethiopian forces of committing severe human rights violations, including mass killings and village destruction, with no accountability or reparations.
In a direct warning to China and Poly-GCL, ONLF urged them to reconsider any involvement in resource extraction within the Somali region, cautioning that any unauthorized exploitation would have consequences. The group reiterated that Somali resources belong solely to the Somali people and vowed to resist any attempt to seize them by force.
The escalating tensions reflect broader geopolitical challenges, with Ethiopia’s economic ambitions clashing with unresolved regional disputes. The issue underscores the complex intersection of resource control, indigenous rights, and international corporate interests in the Horn of Africa.