Simone Lawson
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) is an Afar political party in Ethiopia, founded in 1993. The ARDUF has been involved in various political conflicts, including clashes with the Ethiopian government and the kidnapping of tourists in the Afar Region. The ARDUF has also been accused of killing civilians and engaging in sporadic clashes with the Ethiopian army. In this context, it is relevant to explore whether ARDUF had an independent currency or constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political party | Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) |
| Type of party | Political party in Ethiopia |
| Founding date | March 1993 |
| Coalition | Three Afar organizations: Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Union (ARDUU), Afar Ummatah Demokrasiyyoh Focca (AUDF), and the Afar Revolutionary Forces (ARF) |
| Goal | Unite all Afar people under one flag |
| Means | Not clear in the past, but in 1998, it sought to unite Afars under an autonomous region of Ethiopia |
| Currency | N/A |
| Constitution | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
ARDUF's stance on Ethiopian federalism
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) is an Afar political party in Ethiopia. It was founded in 1993 as a coalition of three Afar organisations: the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Union (ARDUU), the Afar Ummatah Demokrasiyyoh Focca (AUDF), and the Afar Revolutionary Forces (ARF).
In terms of federalism, ARDUF has expressed a desire to unite all Afar people under one flag. While it was previously unclear whether this entailed the reunion of Eritrea and Ethiopia (including Afar lands in Djibouti) or a separate Afar state, ARDUF clarified in 1998 that it sought to unite Afars under an autonomous region of Ethiopia. This autonomous region would be similar to the present-day Afar Region in Ethiopia, which has existed since 1996, but with the addition of lands in Eritrea and Djibouti.
ARDUF has also been involved in political attempts at reconciliation with the Ethiopian government to minimise civilian casualties in the region. In 1998, ARDUF declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Ethiopian government due to the Eritrean-Ethiopian War and attacks on civilian populations. In 2007, ARDUF reconciled with the Ethiopian government again to minimise civilian casualties in the region and condemned the Eritrean government's attacks.
In recent years, ARDUF has continued to call for the protection of the Afar people and the dismantling of the TPLF regime, which it accuses of targeting civilians and seeking to secede from Ethiopia to form an independent "Republic of Greater Tigray". In November 2021, ARDUF joined the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces but later distanced itself from the group in January 2022 due to accusations of killing civilians in the Afar region.
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ARDUF's history of kidnapping and hostage-taking
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF), an Afar political party in Ethiopia, has a history of kidnapping and hostage-taking that dates back to the early years of its formation. Founded in 1993 as a coalition of three Afar organisations, ARDUF has been involved in several incidents that have impacted both locals and foreigners in the Afar region.
One of the earliest recorded incidents of kidnapping by ARDUF took place in March 1995, when they kidnapped Italian tourists in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. This incident sparked an Ethiopian military campaign against the group, coordinated with the Eritrean government. Throughout 1995, there were reports of clashes between ARDUF and Ethiopian government forces in the Dallol district, including attacks on members of the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO). These attacks disrupted trade routes and led to food shortages in the area.
In March 2007, ARDUF militants took hostage five British embassy personnel, workers, relatives of workers, and nine Ethiopian guides and embassy personnel during a tour of the Afar region in Hamedela. Fortunately, this crisis ended without any casualties or injuries.
ARDUF also claimed responsibility for an attack on a group of tourists at Erta Ale in January 2012, in which five people were killed, some were taken hostage, and others were wounded. Two tourists were released by ARDUF in March 2012. Additionally, in December 2017, a German tourist, Dr. Walter Reopert, was shot dead, and his guide was injured in an assault near the Erta Ale Volcano in the Afar region.
Beyond these incidents, ARDUF has been implicated in other acts of violence and political manoeuvring in the Afar region. They have had a tumultuous relationship with the Ethiopian government and other regional forces, often condemning what they view as acts of aggression or human rights violations.
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ARDUF's relationship with the TPLF
The ARDUF, or the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, is an Afar political party in Ethiopia. It was founded in 1993 as a coalition of three Afar organisations: the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Union (ARDUU), the Afar Ummatah Demokrasiyyoh Focca (AUDF), and the Afar Revolutionary Forces (ARF).
The ARDUF has had a tumultuous relationship with the TPLF, or the Tigrean People's Liberation Front. The TPLF is an ethnically-based armed group and the dominant member of the EPRDF coalition, or the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. The EPRDF overthrew the Derg, Ethiopia's former dictatorial government, in 1991, ending a decade of civil war.
In 1995, the ARDUF was involved in the kidnapping of Italian tourists in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, leading to an Ethiopian military campaign against the group. There were reports of clashes between the ARDUF and Ethiopian government forces, including attacks on members of the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO). In 1997, the ARDUF thwarted the so-called Afar Conference, a political manoeuvre by the TPLF/EPRDF regime to win over the Afar armed resistance for their political ends. However, the ARDUF turned down their offer.
In 1998, the ARDUF declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Government of Ethiopia, condemning the aggression of the Eritrean Government Forces, with whom the TPLF had coordinated during the overthrow of the Derg. Despite this, the ARDUF has also called for meaningful political dialogue between the Ethiopian political forces in opposition and the TPLF/EPRDF regime to minimise civilian casualties in the region.
More recently, in 2022, the ARDUF released a statement condemning the TPLF's crimes against the Gonder people, including killings, detentions, torture, and terror against civilians in different regions of Ethiopia. The ARDUF also accused the TPLF of using hunger as a weapon of war and collective punishment in the Afar region. Furthermore, the ARDUF called for the dismantling and demise of the TPLF regime, stating that the TPLF's ultimate goal is to secede from Ethiopia and form an independent "Republic of Greater Tigray".
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ARDUF's role in Ethiopian politics
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) is an Afar political party in Ethiopia, founded in 1993. It was formed as a coalition of three Afar organisations: the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Union (ARDUU), the Afar Ummatah Demokrasiyyoh Focca (AUDF), and the Afar Revolutionary Forces (ARF).
In the mid-1990s, ARDUF clashed with the Ethiopian army and attacked members of the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO). Political attempts at reconciliation were made in 1997, but these failed. In 1998, ARDUF declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Ethiopian government, condemning the Eritrean government's attacks on civilians during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
ARDUF has continued to oppose the EPRDF and its dominant role in Ethiopia's legislative and executive bodies. In 2003, ARDUF became a member of the newly formed United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) coalition in opposition to the EPRDF. In 2021, ARDUF joined the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces but later distanced itself from the group, accusing Tigrayan forces of killing civilians.
ARDUF has repeatedly condemned the crimes and human rights violations committed by the TPLF/EPRDF regime against civilians in different regions of Ethiopia. ARDUF has called for coordinated democratic struggles to dismantle the murderous regime and has expressed support for a united Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
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ARDUF's response to Eritrean government attacks
The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) is an Afar political party in Ethiopia, founded in 1993. It is often referred to by its shortened name, Uguugumo, which means "Revolution". ARDUF's militant wing is often mistaken for a separate organisation closely tied to ARDUF.
ARDUF has been involved in numerous clashes with the Ethiopian government, which have resulted in civilian casualties. In March 1995, ARDUF was implicated in the kidnapping of Italian tourists in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, leading to an Ethiopian military campaign against the group, coordinated with the Eritrean government. In 1995, travellers reported clashes between ARDUF and Ethiopian government forces in the Dallol district, including attacks on members of the Afar People's Democratic Organization (APDO). In 2007, ARDUF militants took British embassy personnel and Ethiopian guides as hostages during a tour of the Afar region. ARDUF also claimed responsibility for an attack on a group of tourists in 2012, in which five people were killed and several others were taken hostage.
In response to the Eritrean government's attacks and coordination with the Ethiopian government, ARDUF has taken a firm stand against what it considers the illegal division of the Afar people and the demarcation of their soil under the guise of "border demarcation" between Ethiopia and Eritrea. ARDUF does not recognise Eritrea as a sovereign state and aims to unite all Afar people under one flag, potentially within an autonomous region of Ethiopia that includes lands in Eritrea and Djibouti.
ARDUF has also been involved in political attempts at reconciliation with the Ethiopian government. In June 1998, following the beginning of the 1998-2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, Mohamooda Gaas, the leader of ARDUF, declared a unilateral ceasefire with Ethiopian government forces. Additionally, in 2003, ARDUF became a member of the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) coalition, in opposition to the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) party. However, in 2022, ARDUF distanced itself from the UEDF after accusing Tigrayan forces of killing civilians in the Afar region.
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Frequently asked questions
No, ARDUF does not have an independent constitution. ARDUF, or the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front, is an Afar political party in Ethiopia. It was founded in 1993 as a coalition of three Afar organizations: the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Union (ARDUU), the Afar Ummatah Demokrasiyyoh Focca (AUDF), and the Afar Revolutionary Forces (ARF).
No, there is no evidence that ARDUF had an independent currency.
ARDUF aims to unite all Afar people under one flag. In the past, it was unclear whether this entailed the reunion of Eritrea and Ethiopia (along with Afar lands in Djibouti) or a separate Afar state. However, in 1998, the party claimed to seek to unite Afars under an autonomous region of Ethiopia, similar to the present-day Afar Region in Ethiopia but with the addition of lands in Eritrea and Djibouti.
