The Father of the Ogad'en Somali Revolution: M.Dahir

[Kamaavi]

I think I've done my part though JB, I'm going to now leave you to the sharks. Your lack of communication and evasive style of trolling stagnates any potential progress, so if you have any concerns as far as me personally, refer to my previous responses please. Good luck.

[Jacaylbaro]

Better than trying hard to make a point while you're not even close to it ........

[Kamaavi]

As such, there is no need to take part in the evasive style of trolling game you play and if so, certainly no need at all to be serious about it..

[Jacaylbaro]

Of course you play each kid the kind of play he knows or deserves .........

[Kamaavi]

Stop Crying Let it Go, JB.

[Kamaavi]

The Ogad'en History:

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The ogad'en Somalis are entitled to the right of self-determination under article 103 of the UN charter and the UN resolution 1514, 1541 and 2625 free Ogad'en/somali.

[Gheelle.T]

Viva Ogad1nia!! Any one who has issue with the name, come to the front and shed blood for it and then complain for name change. If not, then let it be.

 

Alla ha u naxariisto Makhtal Dahir. He was a true nationalist and freedom fighter.

[Kamaavi]

Afar magac ku caanoow

Casaan iyo cagaaroow

Xiddig tii cadayd iyo buluugoow

Umad waliba caadiyo, dhaqan iyo

Caro iyo degaaniyo

Sumad lagu cadeeyiyoo, cuud baa u gooniyaaa

 

Cidhifka geeska afrikoow

Caynadii somaaloow

Dhaxalkii curadada iyo

Caano dhiig badalayoow

Kaan ku caafimaadee

Cudurka iga daweeyoow

Cajabtii quraankiyo

Duco lagu cashariyoow

Calankii dalkaygoow

Calankii dadkaygoow

Cirkaa sare kawalac dhe

Cirka sare kawalac dhe

 

[Kamaavi]

Reporter Scott Baldauf talks with CSMonitor.com's Pat Murphy about the history between Ethiopia and Somalia and what's going on today.

[Kamaavi]

Safiirka Ethiopia u fadhiya dalka Sudan oo walaac ka muujiyey sii jiritanka Ethiopia haddii xaaladu sidan sii ahaato.

[Kamaavi]

Jabhada Waddaniga Xoraynta Ogad'eniya oo Digniin Kulul u Dirtay Shirkadda Batroolka Baarta ee Petronas ee laga Leeyahay Malaysia oo Doonaysa si Xatooyo ah inay Shidaal ooga Qodo Dhulka Sharafta leh ee Ogad'eniya...

[Kamaavi]

[Kamaavi]

RIP Sheekh Ibrahim

 

[Kamaavi]

VIEWS OF THE OGAD'EN PEOPLE UNDER ETHIOPIAN COLONISM

 

BACKGROUND

 

 

The Ogad'en Somali territory lies between Oromia to

the West, Afar land to the Northwest, the Republic

of Djibouti to the north, Kenya to the south and The

Somali Republic to the east.

 

Somali agro-pastorals people with a single language,

culture, and socio-economic structure inhabit the Ogad'en

territory. The Ogad'en Somali people were free, independent

and powerful until colonial powers from overseas came

to Africa and started arming the Abyssinian chiefs

in the north of present day Ethiopia.

 

The Abyssinians using the arms and expertise provided

by the colonialists captured Harar in 1884 and started

raiding Ogad'en Somali villages in that area, killing

the men and selling women and children as slaves.

 

The Ogad'en Somalis resisted vehemently the encroachment

of the Abyssinian expansionists and succeeded in halting

their advance. Even though the Abyssinian military

campaign to conquer the rest of the Somali territory

failed, the colonial powers recognised its claim over

the Ogad'en Somaliland and signed treaties with them.

From 1886 to 1948, Abyssinia (renaming itself Ethiopia)

waged a constant war of conquest against the Somalis

but failed in gaining any further foothold in the

Ogad'en.

 

In 1935, Italy invaded Abyssinia and captured it along

with the Ogad'en and the territories of other nations

in the area. Then the British defeated Italy in the

Horn of Africa in 1941, and it administered the Ogad'en

for eight years until it transferred the first part

of the Ogad'en (Jigjiga area) to Ethiopia (the Abyssinians)

for the first time. The next parts were transferred

in 1954 and 1956. Thus, Ethiopia gained the control

over the Ogad'en without the knowledge or consent

of the Ogad'en Somalis. From that time onward,

successive Ethiopian regimes mercilessly suppressed

the Ogad'en people and whenever the liberation movements

seriously weakened and threatened Ethiopian colonialism,

a foreign power directly intervened to re-establish

its colonial rule over the Ogad'en.

 

Ethiopia since the beginning of this century and up

to now has been characterised by one nation using

the powers of state to subjugate and exploit all the

other nations within that artificial system. For almost

one century, the Abyssinians are abusing the concept

of sovereignty and statehood to deprive the rights of

other people living under the rule of the artificial state of Ethiopia.

 

Ethiopia is a state founded on colonial doctrine and

bases its rule on the use of force and emergency measures

for oppressing the majority of the people and exploiting

them. Ethiopia claims that African borders inherited

from colonialism should be left intact and it inherited

the Ogad'en territory from the colonial powers. At

the same time, Ethiopia is boasting to be the only

African state that was never colonised. This means

that Ethiopia has been a participating partner with

the colonial powers that divided Africa among

themselves but has never relinquished its colonial

possessions.

 

To maintain such a colonial state, the rulers had

to build a massive military machine and embark on

forcefully maintaining one of the most vicious authoritarian

rules in the third world. The resultant resistance

from the people and the inevitable taxing of material

and moral resources of the oppressing elite became

Ethiopia Achilles’ hill and brought about the downfall

of its successive regimes. The relentless resistance

of the colonised nations and the consequential resource

drainage brought down both the rules of Haille Sellassie

and the military Junta of Mengistu.

 

THE CURRENT REGIME IN ETHIOPIA

 

After the fall of Mengistu Haille Mariam, EPRDF (Ethiopian

Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front) - the new name

adopted by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front to

camouflage it’s narrow ethnic base and rule Ethiopia,

succeeded in capturing Addis Ababa with the help of

Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front (EPLF). Although

most of the nations under Ethiopian colonial rule

contributed to the weakening and downfall of the Ethiopian

Politico- military machine, specially the Ogad'en

Somali people who not only played a major role but

also involved their brethren across the border from

the Somali Republic, TPLF captured the seat of power

and succeeded in gaining international recognition.

 

At first the new Ethiopian rulers feeling weak and aware of

the international climate and the demise of totalitarian

regimes and the era of colonialism, forwarded a reasonable and

plausible program for addressing the burning issue of Ethiopian

colonialism and its solution through recognising and granting the

right of nations to self-determination through a peaceful process.

EPRDF offered the charter program, which recognised the

right of nations to self-determination up to cessation and

stated that a transitional period of two years has to relapse

before the nations could exercise that right. Thus, EPRDF

recognised the colonial nature of Ethiopia in principle.

 

The Ogad'enia National Liberation Front (ONLF), considering

the burden of the long struggle of the Ogad'en Somali people

and cognisant of the priceless value of resolving the

long standing conflict between Ethiopia and the Ogad'en people

through peaceful means decided to give chance to peace and avert

a costly and unnecessary war. But before the ink was dry, it

became obvious to ONLF that EPRDF was only buying time

and was lying the ground for keeping intact the colonial legacy

it inherited and was scheming to attain the submission of

the Ogad'en Somalis to its colonial rule through demagogy and

token democracy. EPRDF grossly miscalculated the gravity and depth

of the Ogad'en Ethiopian problem.

 

EPRDF blinded by its sudden and unexpected victory and

the temporary absence of challenge and armed opposition from

The Ogad'enia National Liberation Front grossly miscalculated

the severity and gravity of the conflict between the Ogad'en

people and Ethiopia and the unbending desire of the Ogad'en

Somalis to regain their usurped sovereignty and independence.

EPRDF, forgetful of the bitter experience of its people under

the previous rulers and despite its rhetoric of being committed

to democracy and the rule of law and respecting the right of

nations began the construction of its politico-military structures

for maintaining the colonial empire of its predecessors.

 

Hence, all people concerned in ending the long-standing

conflict lost an excellent opportunity and EPRDF planted

the seeds of the next cycle of bloodshed and violence

in the region. It started trying to divide the Ogad'en

Somali people and undermine the leading role of ONLF by

creating pseudo-organisations based on tribal lines.

At the same time, it spread its intelligence network

and military garrisons all over the Ogad'en. In early 1992,

the EPRDF government masterminded the killing of several

ONLF officials, including some members belonging to the

Front’s Central Committee. Then EPRDF attacked the

headquarters of ONLF in an effort to wipe it out but

withdrew after sustaining high casualties and postponed

its plans. In spite of all the intrigues and harassment

of EPRDF, ONLF and the Ogad'en Somalis persisted

in avoiding confrontation and continued rebuilding

their political and administrative institutions.

 

In September 1992, the Ogad'en people went to the polls to cast

their votes in a free and fair election, for the first time in

their long history, to elect their district councils and

representatives for the regional parliament. EPRDF strongly

campaigned for its surrogate parties and members, but in

a landslide victory, the ONLF won about 84% of the seats in

the newly elected regional parliament.

 

In mid-1993, the regional government complained to the government

in Addis Ababa about its flagrant interference in the day-to-day

affairs of the Ogad'en region, an act that contradicted the

commitment to regional autonomy and devolution of power to the regions.

EPRDF retaliated by freezing the regional budget, diverting

international aid, discouraging international Non Governmental

Organisations (NGO’s) to work in the Ogad'en, as well as obstructing

all initiatives, and projects deemed necessary for the development

of the region. In late 1993, the Ethiopian security forces

arrested the president, vice-president and secretary of the

Regional Assembly, and it transferred them to prison in

Addis Ababa. EPRDF released them after ten months without trail.

 

Finally, when EPRDF established its legitimacy as the government

of Ethiopia in the eyes of the international community, and

its military and economic resources was enhanced,

it felt confident enough to mount a military campaign against

the Ogad'en Somalis at the end of the transitional period.

 

Moreover, in order to get the raison d’être for its campaign

of terror and subjugation of the Ogad'en people, EPRDF dictated

to ONLF and the Ogad'en Somalis an unacceptable choice. In effect,

EPRDF told the Ogad'en Somalis to either endorse a compulsory

constitution that would legalise the colonisation of

the Ogad'en people by Ethiopia and the participation

in an election where their role would be to endorse EPRDF

nominated candidates. EPRDF strategy was to deceive the

Ogad'en Somalis into sanctioning its colonial rule while at the

same time eliminating themselves from the political structures

it intended to maintain its hegemony over the nations and avert

any future threat.

 

In addition, if the Ogad'en Somalis oppose what it proposed,

to get the motive for declaring war on the Ogad'en people

and extricate itself from honouring the pledges it entered in

its moment of weakness and maintain the Ethiopian colonial legacy.

 

The Ogad'en people, after deliberating on the moves and intentions

of EPRDF and understanding the choices EPRDF was presenting to

them—either to relinquish what they had fought for so long or

to be trodden upon, decided that it was unacceptable to succumb to

the designs of EPRDF and forgo the quest for their self-determination

and freedom. A quest the Ogad'en people had shed so much blood for and

suffered so much.

 

Therefore, on 28 January 1994, at a press conference in

Addis Ababa, ONLF called for a referendum on self-determination

and independence for the Ogad'en. And on 22 February 1994,

a cold-blood massacre took place in the town of Wardheer, where

more than 81 unarmed civilians were killed by TPLF militias,

who tried to kill or capture alive the chairman of the ONLF

Mr. Ibrahim Abdalla Mohamed, who was addressing

at that time a peaceful rally in the centre of the town.

 

In February 1994, the Regional Assembly passed a unanimous

resolution in accordance with the Transitional Charter,

demanding a referendum on self-determination and independence

for the Ogad'en people, under the auspices of international

and regional bodies such as United Nations, Organization

of African Unity, European Union, and other independent

non-governmental organizations.

 

The EPRDF government in Addis Ababa reacted swiftly

overthrowing and virtually disbanding all democratically

elected institutions in the Ogad'en, including the

Regional Parliament. Like their predecessors, the

president of the Regional Parliament, vice-president

and several members of the parliament (MPs),were arrested

and transferred to prison in Addis Ababa. Mass arrests

and indiscriminate killings also took place.

 

On 17 April 1994, the Ethiopian government launched a

large scale military offensive against ONLF positions

and detained many suspected supporters of ONLF and on

28 April 1994, at a press conference in Addis Ababa,

the then TPLF defence minister Saye Abraha claimed

that all resistance movements in the Ogad'en had been destroyed

and stamped out.

 

In a petition addressed to the president of the Transitional

Government of Ethiopia (TGE), the elders of the Ogad'en

asked the Ethiopian government to stop the military

offensive against the Ogad'en people, and seek a peaceful

dialogue to resolve the conflict, instead of opting for

a military solution, which complicates the already

explosive situation.

 

In May 1994, the EPRDF government sponsored a new surrogate

party called Ethiopian Somali Democratic League (ESDL), which

is a version of People’s Democratic Organizations (PDO),

which exists throughout Ethiopia within the EPRDF framework.

 

The first congress of ESDL was held in Hurso under the

patronage of the then prime minister of TGE Tamirat Layne

(now eliminated also), who appointed a member of the ruling

EPRDF coalition as a chairman of the new pro-government party.

 

On 25 January 1995, the EPRDF government hastily arranged

a meeting in the town of Qabridaharre to convince

the ONLF to participate in the upcoming federal and regional

elections. The meeting, which was chaired by the then president

Meles Zenawi (the current prime minister), failed when

EPRDF refused to allow independent arbitrators to participate

in a negotiated settlement.

 

After that the ONLF, broke off all contacts with the EPRDF

government, closed down its office in Addis Ababa and

boycotted elections in 1995.

 

Since 20 April 1994, combatants of the ONLF and Ethiopian

forces are fighting bloody battles and Ethiopia is vehemently

denying the engagements with the liberation forces.

Certainly, the ongoing struggle for self-determination

and independence in the Ogad'en continues to cause inhuman

sufferings and are the basis of instability and tragedy in

the Horn of Africa.

 

The 1991 Charter and the new Constitution, which Ethiopia

espoused on 8 December 1994, guaranteed, as EPRDF

claimed, the secession of a people if they are,

“Convinced that their rights are abridged or abrogated”.

 

In addition, the process of negating that the rights of the

Ogad'en Somali people is constantly abrogated proved too

costly to the ruling junta in Addis Ababa.

 

The tyrannical regime in Ethiopia started a campaign of

propaganda and public relation stunt in order to convince

the international community of it democratic and liberal

nature and to legitimise its continued presence in the

Ogad'en after the people requested to exercise their right

to self determination and announced that it was conducting

elections in the Ogad'en.

 

The Ogad'en people thwarted its attempts but never the

less it announced that the elections were held and its bogus

surrogates had won the seats in the Ogad'en. At the same time

to further cloak its treachery, it formed its own ONLF party

and unashamedly declared that ONLF had taken part in its

sham elections. This was a clear indicator of its lack of

confidence and inability to hide its failure to control the Ogad'en.

 

From that time onwards, Ethiopia has been moulding

and remoulding it sham representatives in the Ogad'en,

the so-called parties and Ogad'en parliament, more than

five times but up to this day Ethiopia is unable to manage

the situation.

 

After failing to intimidate the Ogad'en Somalis to

go along with its colonial program, EPRDF has embarked

on a war of attrition with ONLF and indiscriminate

and inhuman tyranny against the Ogad'en people. The

Ethiopian army (EPRDF militia’s) killed, imprisoned

or looted thousands of civilians. Hundreds of women

were raped and for the first time in the history of

the Ogad'en people, male children were raped.

 

But the new Ethiopian colonial state headed by EPRDF

has used every trick in the books of colonial strategy

but failed to obliterate the armed national struggle

of the Ogad'en People and has been forced to occupy

only the major towns and move in heavily armed convoys.

 

Then Ethiopia frantically resorted to human rights

violations such as killings, imprisonments, forced

conscription, exiling, intimidation and harassment,

suppression of basic democratic rights which highlight

the suffering of the peoples. The regime's policies

of systematic underdevelopment include economic sabotage,

irresponsible plunder of resources with no regard to

sustainability of the environmental, denial of education

opportunities, socio-cultural dismantling and subjection

to conflict-ridden political and administrative structures.

 

Moreover in the Ogad'en, EPRDF forces and Tigrean dealers,

who have been given concessions and game-licences

by the Ethiopian government, which is dominated by ethnic

Tigreans, are devastating the poor and the fragile

ecological balance by widespread exploitation and

depletion of forests for military purposes, firewood

and charcoal. The rich wildlife, including big game,

game birds, forests and water resources has all suffered

irreparable damage in the Ogad'en under the Ethiopian

government.

 

After it became obvious to EPRDF that it could not destroy

the national resistance of the people and that it was gaining

momentum, EPRDF following the strategies of its predecessors

attacked stateless Somalia and captured three regions.

Ethiopia is intending to find scapegoats to blame for

its failure in subduing the Ogad'en people and their rejection

of its colonial lust, divert attention and in a bid to

maintain its credibility both inside and outside Ethiopia.

 

Ethiopia is also actively engaged in sabotaging the

reconciliation of the Somali people and building of a

Somali state. At the same time, Ethiopia is hosting

summits for the Somali leaders and is posing as a mentor

to the Somali people and collecting funds from the

UN on that issue.

 

The Ethiopian destabilisation plan is not limited

to the Somali nation. Ethiopia attacked Eritrea on the

pretext of retaking two Eritrean territories but in reality

is intent in recapturing Eritrea and colonising it again,

but Ethiopia received from Eritrea lessons it did not

bargain for. Ironically, the Ethiopian government,

which violates the very basic human rights of all citizens

in the empire-state of Ethiopia, including the Ogad'en

Somalis, and wages wars against its neighbours, poses

itself as a champion of Democracy and Human Rights

in Africa.

 

 

THE POSITION OF THE OGAD'EN SOMALIS

 

The Ogad'en Somali people present the following summation

of their views about Ethiopia: Ethiopia has colonised

the Ogad'en people and is viciously continuing that colonial

legacy in spite of the change of regime in Addis Ababa and

the Ogad'en people categorically state that the present

regime of EPRDF is not different from the rule of its

predecessors in substance. The Ogad'en people are a

sovereign nation, have the right to be masters of their

destiny, and are intent on actualising that right.

 

The Ogad'en people will continue to struggle as long as

the Ethiopian state remains intransigent to the rights

and wishes and continue pursuing its inhuman oppressive policies.

The Ogad'en people will not participate in the bogus elections

Ethiopia periodically conducts as a public relations

exercise to beguile the local and international communities

and hide its colonial and authoritarian nature, nor will

they be take part in its colonial administrative structures.

The Ogad'en people calls upon the people of Ethiopia not

to participate in the maniacal purges the current regime

is perpetrating on the Ogad'en people and become a party to

the regime’s crime against humanity.

 

The Ogad'en people calls upon the current EPRDF regime

ruling Ethiopia to desist from its current militaristic

and aggressive attitude and accept a peaceful negotiated

settlement of the current conflict between the Ogad'en

people and Ethiopia with the participation of third

neutral parties from the international community.

 

 

APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

 

The Ogad'en people inform the international community

that the Ethiopian government is violating their basic human

rights and is systematically exterminating them. Ethiopia is

being encouraged to commit this genocide against the Ogad'en

people by the lack of the international community

censure over its human Rights violations, and holding its

rulers responsible for the gross human rights, abuses

perpetrated by its Army and Security Forces in the Ogad'en.

 

The Ogad'en people appeal to the international to recognise

the colonial nature of Ethiopia and its brutal repression

of the Ogad'en people and hold it accountable for its acts.

Furthermore, Ethiopia is using international aid for military

and political programs directed at oppressing the Ogad'en

Somalis and other nations under its colonial rule and in

its expansionist policies against its neighbours.

 

Whenever its war coffers are depleted, Ethiopia appeals for

international aid for natural disaster victims, at the same

time Ethiopia has the means to attack two neighbouring

states and maintain a huge colonial occupation army in the

Ogad'en, Oromia, Afar, Sidama and other territories

of the oppressed nations!