Afar Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
The Afar Liberation Front (ALF) is a political party
in Ethiopia
, commonly considered to be the most important organization dedicated to promoting the interests of the Afar people
. The official flag of the ALF is a horizontal tricolor of blue, white and green with a red star in the center.
attempted to arrest the Afar Sultan, Ras Alimirah Hanfadhe, an action which led to a pitched battle in Asayita, home of Ras alimirah, that left both Derg soldiers and Afar loyalist killed or wounded, and sent the Sultan and his son Hanfadhe Alimirah fleeing from Ethiopia. With their departure the Afar rose in revolt, burning the Tendaho Plantation and killing many non-Afar in the area around Asayita, as well as closing the highway that linked the Red Sea port of Assab
with the rest of the country, bringing a halt to the Ethiopian economy. Gasoline was rationed in the capital city, Addis Ababa
, for the first time. The Derg responded by devastating Asayita, and slaughtering innocent and guilty Afars indiscriminately. Despite this vicious response, Ras Alimirah and his son had been watching developments in Ethiopia, and had prepared accordingly by secretly sending a number of students to Somalia for training in guerrilla warfare
. By the time the Sultan fled Ethiopia, these trained followers became the core of the Afar Liberation Front, who led the Afar fight against the Derg.
The Afar were not the only group in active revolt against the Derg regime, and the widespread ethnic unrest led the Derg to respond by announcing the Program for the National Democratic Revolution in April 1976. This would recognize the rights of ethnic groups who had suffered under the Haile Sellassie regime, and hopefully to solve the "national question" once and for all. In April of the following year the Derg met with representatives of the Afar National Liberation Movement (ANLM) in Gewane
at an Afar congress. Afterwards a number of ANLM members were appointed to local administrative positions, which weakened both the ALF's military activity and political influence amongst the Afar.
Following the fall of the Derg
, Ras Alimirah Hanfadhe returned to Asaita with his son. over the following years, the ALF was able to elect its members to the Presidency of the new Afar Region
, first Habib Alimirah then Alimirah Hanfadhe. However the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
(EPRDF) was not happy about its alliance with the ALF due to its conservative ideology, the ALF’s apparently lavish expenditure of the regional budget, its undisguised favor towards the Aussa area for economic development, and the intrigues of the various members of the Alimirah family with regional players. (Sarah Vaughan notes that "at the outbreak of the Ethio-Eritrean conflict it was reported that one of the sultan’s sons favoured the Eritreans, and another the Ethiopians.") Yet the EPRDF did not want to align with the ANLM due to its association with the hated Derg, so it fostered the creation of a third political organization, the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO), which won control of the Afar Region and 3 of the Regions 8 seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives from the ALF in the 1995 general elections
.
Following the election, on 8 November 1995 EPRDF troops surrounded their family residence in Assayita, then after exchanging gunfire overpowered Alimirah's guards, and entered the residence, where they confiscated weapons and other items. According to observers, this action against the Sultan and the ALF was another effort to reduce his influence in the Afar Region. Despite the EPRDF's persistent efforts to bring the group under its control, the ALF is said to have remained independent.
It is reported that in the latter half of 1999 the ALF and the APDO merged with three other Afar political parties – the Afar National Liberation Front, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front
and the Afar National Democratic Movement – to create a new party called the Afar National Democratic Party
. Despite this announcement, Radio Ethiopia reported on 25 September 2000 that the leader of the ALF, Sultan Alimireh Hanfareh, returned from exile to meet with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
to discuss political, economic and social issues affecting the Afar region.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, commonly considered to be the most important organization dedicated to promoting the interests of the Afar people
Afar people
The Afar , also known as the Danakil, are an ethnic group in the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, although some also inhabit the southern point of Eritrea.-Early history:...
. The official flag of the ALF is a horizontal tricolor of blue, white and green with a red star in the center.
History
In June 1975 the DergDerg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
attempted to arrest the Afar Sultan, Ras Alimirah Hanfadhe, an action which led to a pitched battle in Asayita, home of Ras alimirah, that left both Derg soldiers and Afar loyalist killed or wounded, and sent the Sultan and his son Hanfadhe Alimirah fleeing from Ethiopia. With their departure the Afar rose in revolt, burning the Tendaho Plantation and killing many non-Afar in the area around Asayita, as well as closing the highway that linked the Red Sea port of Assab
Assab
Assab is a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1989, it had a population of 39,600. Assab possesses an oil refinery, which was shut down in 1997 for economic reasons...
with the rest of the country, bringing a halt to the Ethiopian economy. Gasoline was rationed in the capital city, Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, for the first time. The Derg responded by devastating Asayita, and slaughtering innocent and guilty Afars indiscriminately. Despite this vicious response, Ras Alimirah and his son had been watching developments in Ethiopia, and had prepared accordingly by secretly sending a number of students to Somalia for training in guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
. By the time the Sultan fled Ethiopia, these trained followers became the core of the Afar Liberation Front, who led the Afar fight against the Derg.
The Afar were not the only group in active revolt against the Derg regime, and the widespread ethnic unrest led the Derg to respond by announcing the Program for the National Democratic Revolution in April 1976. This would recognize the rights of ethnic groups who had suffered under the Haile Sellassie regime, and hopefully to solve the "national question" once and for all. In April of the following year the Derg met with representatives of the Afar National Liberation Movement (ANLM) in Gewane
Gewane
Gewane is a town in northeastern Ethiopia. Located in Administrative Zone 3 of the Afar Region, it has an elevation of 618 meters above sea level. Gewane is locally known as New Gewane, 2 kilometers east of the original settlement known as Old Gewane; the town was relocated astride the main,...
at an Afar congress. Afterwards a number of ANLM members were appointed to local administrative positions, which weakened both the ALF's military activity and political influence amongst the Afar.
Following the fall of the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
, Ras Alimirah Hanfadhe returned to Asaita with his son. over the following years, the ALF was able to elect its members to the Presidency of the new Afar Region
Afar Region
Afar is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, and is the homeland of the Afar people. Formerly known as Region 2, its current capital is Asayita; a new capital named Semera on the paved Awash - Asseb highway is under construction....
, first Habib Alimirah then Alimirah Hanfadhe. However the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front is the ruling political coalition in Ethiopia. It is an alliance of four other groups: the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization , the Amhara National Democratic Movement , the South Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Front The Ethiopian People's...
(EPRDF) was not happy about its alliance with the ALF due to its conservative ideology, the ALF’s apparently lavish expenditure of the regional budget, its undisguised favor towards the Aussa area for economic development, and the intrigues of the various members of the Alimirah family with regional players. (Sarah Vaughan notes that "at the outbreak of the Ethio-Eritrean conflict it was reported that one of the sultan’s sons favoured the Eritreans, and another the Ethiopians.") Yet the EPRDF did not want to align with the ANLM due to its association with the hated Derg, so it fostered the creation of a third political organization, the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO), which won control of the Afar Region and 3 of the Regions 8 seats in the House of Peoples' Representatives from the ALF in the 1995 general elections
Ethiopian general election, 1995
General elections were held in Ethiopia on 7 and 18 May 1995 for seats in its Council of People's Representatives; elections in the Afar, Somali, and Harari Regions were delayed until 28 June to assign experienced personnel who could solve possible conflicts and irregularities...
.
Following the election, on 8 November 1995 EPRDF troops surrounded their family residence in Assayita, then after exchanging gunfire overpowered Alimirah's guards, and entered the residence, where they confiscated weapons and other items. According to observers, this action against the Sultan and the ALF was another effort to reduce his influence in the Afar Region. Despite the EPRDF's persistent efforts to bring the group under its control, the ALF is said to have remained independent.
It is reported that in the latter half of 1999 the ALF and the APDO merged with three other Afar political parties – the Afar National Liberation Front, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front
Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front or Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front or Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front or Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front (abbreviated ARDUF; ; also...
and the Afar National Democratic Movement – to create a new party called the Afar National Democratic Party
Afar National Democratic Party
The Afar National Democratic Party is a political party in Ethiopia.At the last legislative elections, 15 May 2005, the party won 8 seats, all from the Afar Region...
. Despite this announcement, Radio Ethiopia reported on 25 September 2000 that the leader of the ALF, Sultan Alimireh Hanfareh, returned from exile to meet with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi
Meles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Since 1985, he has been chairman of the Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front , and is currently head of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front .Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from...
to discuss political, economic and social issues affecting the Afar region.
External links
- Point paper from Afar Liberation Front (ALF); the ALF's statement of its political beliefs