Benishangul People's Liberation Movement or BPLM is an armed rebel group based in the Benishangul-Gumuz Region of Ethiopia. [1] BPLM signed peace deals with the federal Ethiopian government in 2005, 2013 and 2022. [2] [3]
According to Tigrai Online , Benishangul People's Liberation Movement was created in 1996 as an armed rebel movement. [4] An Ethiopian prosecutor claimed that BPLM was created by Abdulwahab Mehadi in 2007. [1]
BPLM claimed in 2018 that the Berta people and the Gumuz people were "oppressed by all three of Ethiopia's most powerful communities" [5] and that the Oromo Liberation Front had attacked local inhabitants in Kamashi Zone. [6]
According to an Ethiopian prosecutor, Abdulwahab Mehadi headed BPLM from 2007 to 2015. [1] Husien Ahmed was one BPLM's leaders in 2013. [4] [2]
BPLM signed a peace deal with the federal Ethiopian government in 2005. Fighting resumed in 2006. [2]
In June 2013, BPLM and the federal government agreed to a peace deal in 2013. [4] BPLM members were promised an amnesty from prosecution and governmental support under the deal. BPLM detainees were released. [2] Fighting resumed in 2019.
In October 2022, the BPLM signed another peace agreement with the government and agreed to conduct dialogue with the regional government. [7]
BPLM received support, including military training, in Eritrea, according to an Ethiopian prosecutor [1] and Husien Ahmed, one of BPLM's leaders. [4] [2]
In 2015, ten BPLM members were charged with armed attacks against the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in a 30-minute gun battle at Bulfadto in Asosa. [1]