US Horn of Africa Policy: no Alternative to Ogaden’s Liberation

By: Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
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[ Posted On: 2007-08-21 ]

As more countries and international bodies increasingly focus on Africa, it is essential for all to deploy a genuine and prompt interest for Ogaden where Human Rights violations have caused a humanitarian chaos; the credibility of the US, China, India, Europe - and even more the international bodies like the UN – hinges on full demonstration of their concern with Human Rights violations perpetrated in Ogaden.

Illegally occupied by successive Abyssinian totalitarian regimes (monarchical, communist and pseudo-republican), Ogaden must not become a second Darfur.

And world diplomats must know that it will never be; before the situation deteriorates much, the local populations will find in the Somali Islamic Courts of Justice the voluntary arms vendors from whom they can get the support that inane and inhuman, politically incorrect and definitely irrelevant Europeans and Americans had not offered first.

Support Ogaden's liberation, and end the illegal Abyssinian Occupation! There is no alternative to this policy.

With the present article, we complete the publication of the Main Part of the Report on Human Rights Violations perpetrated in Ogaden by the governmental forces of the Africa's most loathsome dictator, the cruel Tigray chieftain Meles Zenawi.

The Report was issued on August 8th, 2007 by the Ogaden Juman Rights Committee. We consider the Report as a complete and very preoccupying documentation, sufficient enough to convince the UN to launch an investigation, establishing an Ogaden Facts Finding Committee.

Under the title 'Other Abuses' two sections are classified, namely 'Targeting Aid Workers' and 'Harassment of Judges'. The titles reveal by themselves the unbearable level the Tigray tyranny has reached in Ogaden.

Other Abuses

1) Targeting Aid Workers

The Ogaden Human Rights Committee was distressed by the death of three dedicated humanitarian workers in the Ogaden, on July 29th 2007. Their death comes only one week after Ethiopian government expelled the ICRC from the region. Mohamed Sheikh Muhamed, (also known as Sulub), Jawhar Abdi Gas and Hussein Aidid Chairman, High-ranking officer and driver of Ogaden Welfare and Development Association (OWDA) respectively, were killed in a calculated cool blood assassination when their vehicle hit a land mine laid by the Ethiopian armed forces who knew their itinerary. They were on humanitarian mission in Dhagaxbuur area.

The OWDA is the only indigenous humanitarian organisation in the Ogaden. Its predecessor the Ogaden Wefare Society (OWS) was banned in 2002 by the Ethiopian government. It has been responsible for building dispensaries, schools, orphanages and digging water wells.

A High-ranking member of the regional government who spoke on condition of anonymity said, " This government will eliminate physically, put in jail or banish every noble man and woman who want to help his/her people. They will massacre children, women and elderly and then accuse others of committing their atrocities."

The Ogaden Human Rights Committee condemns the killing of OWDA officials as well as innocent civilians in Dhagaxbuur and Jigjiga, on May 28th 2007, and asks for independent, transparent and thorough investigation into the circumstances, which led to those human tragedies.

Ethiopian Authorities who do not like the out side world to know the real situation in the Ogaden, arrested three New York Times journalists who were on a legitimate newsgathering mission, in Dhagaxbuur, in May. They were threatened, kicked, interrogated at gunpoint, their computers, cameras and other equipment confiscated and moved to different jails. They were released after five days of illegal imprisonment without charges or trial.

On 19th September 2006, an armed group, which called itself the United Western Somali Liberation Front, abducted Donal O'suilleabhain and Hadis Ahmed Samatar, two ICRC workers. The two aid workers were released unharmed five days after they were kidnapped.

The Ogaden Human Rights Committee reiterates its condemnation and disapproval of imposing restrictions on humanitarian organisations' movements as well as killing, intimidation and abduction of aid workers in the Ogaden, and urges the Ethiopian government and the Ogaden National Liberation Front to allow all humanitarian and relief organisations to operate freely in the Ogaden as well as international and local human rights organisations and the international press.

2) Harassment of Judges

Article 78(1) of the Ethiopian Constitution states that: "An independent Judiciary is hereby established." Article 79(1-3) "Both at federal and at state levels judicial powers are vested in the courts. Courts of any level shall be free from interference or influence of any government body, official of government, or from any other source. Judges shall exercise their functions in full independence and they shall be directed solely by the law."

However, there is no judicial independence in the Ogaden.

The Regional Government, Ethiopian military and security officials have the power to nominate and dismiss Supreme and regional Court judges. Judges are nominated according to their loyalty to the government. Many judges were dismissed, beaten up in public or imprisoned after they refused to issue judgments demanded by Ethiopian government security and armed forces.

Among the judges who were abusively dismissed are: Abdihakim Mohamed, Somali Regional State Supreme Court President, in January 2005. He has been beaten up in public, in Jigjiga town centre. Khadir Abdirahman succeeded him as Somali Regional State Supreme Court President. Khadir was also removed in dubious circumstances. Mohamed Abdi Isak, Somali Regional State Supreme Court Vice-President was dismissed under the pretext of holding non Ethiopian qualifications.

In March 2002, Ahmednur Sheikh Khalif, Regional High Court judge, was detained and tortured, in Wardheer, after he sentenced individuals loyal to the security officers. In April 2007, in Jigjiga, he has been beaten in public by the head of the Somali Regional State Security and Justice Bureau and his bodyguards. Shukri Shafe'a Guled, Regional High Court judge, was arrested and tortured, in Diri-Dhabo. He has been transferred to prison in Jigjiga, and has been held incommunicado. He refused to deliver judgments according to demands of the Ethiopian security forces. On June 17th 2007, he was taken to an unknown destination with other detainees.

A Regional High Court judge, in Jigjiga, who asked not to be named said, "There is neither supremacy of law nor rule of law in this country. We have only rule of the ruler here."

Article 17(2) of the UDHR prohibits arbitrary deprivation of private property. Article 17 of the ICCPR calls for the prohibition of arbitrary or unlawful interference with an individual's privacy, family, home or correspondence, and unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation. That no one is to be held in slavery; that slavery and slave trade are to be prohibited; and that no one is to be held in servitude or required to perform forced or compulsory labour (art.8). It lays down measures to protect the rights of children (art.24). It provides that all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law (art.26). It also calls for protection of the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (art.27)

Nevertheless, From April 30th to July 31st 2007, Ethiopian armed forces looted and then razed to the ground many villages, hamlets and nomad pastoralist settlements under the pretext of alleged sympathy with ONLF.

The Ethiopian armed and security forces roam throughout the Ogaden demanding money and food at gunpoint. Whenever they suffer a set back at a battle, they take revenge on the civilian population, in defiance of international treaties, which prohibit reprisals against civilian population. Many people were arbitrarily deprived of their properties and life savings by the security and armed forces, which intrude upon their privacy by getting into private residences and properties and unlawfully confiscating any property they fancy.

Ethiopian armed and security forces looted, destroyed or illegally confiscated properties owned by following citizens in various localities at various times: Deq Mohamoud Ogle, Nur Ali Hayd, Ibrahim Abdi Sahal, Moallin Mohamed, Arab Omar, Hudle Abdi Hassan, Abdihakim Ismail, Dahir Da'oud, Hassan Qorane, Sheikh Abdullaji Wali, Abdullahi Dere, Mohamed Ali Omar, Ilmo Shuriye Sheikh Abdullahi, Sheikh Abdi Sheikh Abdullahi, Sudi Farah Ar, Shun Ali Egal, Awo Sheikh Omar, Kamil Gambiye, Mohamed Kubyar, Khadra Ahmed Abdi,Mohamed Kahin, Ahmed Abdi Dahir, Ahmed Dinbil Dalabey and Makhtal Abdirahman.

On July 04th 2007, in Bilcil-Lafle, Ethiopian forces looted and then torched house owned to Nimo Sheikh Abdullahi, Mohamoud Ibrahim, Ilmo Omar Sirad, and Mohamed Burale.

In Raar, on June28th 2007, members of Ethiopian armed forces slaughtered 10 head of goats and sheep owned by Aw Farah Badal and Farah Ismail.

On June 21st 2007, in Sancadde, members of Ethiopian forces looted merchandise and cash belonging to Abdullahi Abdi, Mrs. Sawda Abadir, Mrs. Asli Aw Yusuf Mohamed Ahmed and Adan Aw Yusuf.

On June 07th 2007, in Dayr, Ethiopian armed forces torched nomad huts and enclosures destroying private properties and killing livestock owned by Harir Baroud, Hudle Agane, Abdi Yusuf, Abdullahi Boobe, Abdi Gahayr, Ursad Ali, Abdullahi Adan, Siyad Adan, Mowlid Abdullahi, Abdullahi Sugal and Sanbuul His.

In Gudhis, on January 26th 2007, the Ethiopian armed forces slaughtered 60 head of goats and sheep owned by Sheikh Mohamed Abdi, Abdirahman Abdullahi, and Muhumed Sufi.

In addition, members of the Ethiopian armed forces slaughtered 10 head of milk camels owned by Aw Hassan Badal and Farah Ismail, in Raar, on June 28th 2007.

On September 12th 2006, in Heeladheere, members of the Ethiopian armed forces confiscated properties owned by Wali Geddi Oday, Hussein Sheikh Abdi and Abdullahi Halabe.

The Ethiopian armed forces also confiscated 12 civilian lorries loaded with food supplies and textiles. They looted the cargo and then set fire on ten of them, in Qabridaharre, on September 03rd 2006.

In Maraacaato, on June 19th 2006, the Ethiopian armed forces looted foodstuffs owned by Hussein Gadade, Abdiwahab Hassan Nur, Anfi Mohamed Hirmame, Qolaf Sahid, Sulekh Farah and Ebla Ali.

On June 10th 2006, in Yaxoob, members of the Ethiopian armed forces looted private properties and then burned residences as an act of reprisal.

In Baka, on June 03rd 2006, Ethiopian armed forces robbed money and looted properties owned by Amina Abdullahi, Mowlid Abdisamad, Dahabo Nur, Sawda Farah, Khalif Takhal, Nimo Abdi Shil, Bahila Ali Kahin, Ardo Muhumed Amina Omar, Ali, Abdinur Farah and Asha Farah.

On May 05th 2006, also as an act of reprisal Ethiopian government forces sacked and burned down Kudunbuur, Bullaale and Baraajisale.

In Garigo'an, May 03rd 2006, members of the Ethiopian forces robbed money and other properties belonging to Ahmed Royal, Kaltun Moallin, Ahmed Yassin, Safi Ahmed Nur, Nur Hussein Omar and Halimo Mohamed.

In Fiiq, on April 24th 2006, Ethiopian armed forces confiscated all food supplies intended for the residents of villages in Fiiq district. The targeted localities are: Basuuro, Saliid, Jeerinka, Aloosane, Maygaag-Weyne, Tukale, Bannaan-Dayuurad, Haargalool and Cadale.

On March 21st 2006, in defiance of international treaties, which prohibit reprisals against civilian population, the Ethiopian armed forces who earlier lost five soldiers in an engagement with ONLF fighters took revenge on defenceless civilians in Shabeelley, a hamlet near Karin-Bilcille. They looted and torched houses belonging to Mrs. Ruqiya Mohamed, aged 70, Abdi Gelle Olad, Shire Hussein Dahir, Farid Kahin and Mohamuud Iman.

Article 8 of the ICCPR, provides that no one is to be held in slavery; that slavery and slave trade are to be prohibited; and that no one is to be held in servitude or required to perform forced or compulsory labour. In Article 24 it lays down measures to protect the rights of children.

The Ogaden Human Rights Committee is alarmed at the use of civilians as human shields, minesweepers and means of transportation by the Ethiopian armed forces. Many teenagers were abducted and forced to work in military construction projects or transport heavy boxes containing ammunition or provisions on their backs for long distances in mined areas regardless of their safety and well being.

The Ethiopian government has demanded local contractors, commercial company owners and businessmen/businesswomen to finance clan-based militias allied with the Ethiopian armed forces in its war against the ONLF. Those who hesitated or refused government orders were imprisoned, fined and their licences revoked.

Many teenagers were forcibly conscripted and transferred to Somalia or Ethio Eritrean front lines. The Ogadeni teenagers were used as cannon fodder and minesweepers in the Ethiopian human wave attacks against Eritrean forces in the past. And they are being used now in Somalia. The conscripts have neither military training nor adequate arms to defend themselves.

(See Mass Killings, Torture and Disappearances in the Ogaden ref: OHRC/08/96, Ogaden: No Rights, No Democracy ref: OHRC/08/97, Ogaden: An Endless Human Tragedy ref: OHRC/12/98, Ogaden: Graveyard of Rights ref: OHRC/10/99, Ogaden: Down trodden, Disenfranchised People ref: OHRC/D15/04 and Mass Killings in the Ogaden: Daily Atrocities against Civilians by the Ethiopian Armed Forces ref:OHRC/AR/06).

Article Source: http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard

About The Author: Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis - is Orientalist, Assyriologist, Egyptologist, Iranologist, Islamologist, Historian and Political Scientist. Dr. Megalommatis, 49, is the author of 12 books, dozens of scholarly articles, hundreds of encyclopedia entries, and thousands of articles. He speaks, reads and writes more than 15, modern and ancient, languages.

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