Double Discrimination - Gender Violations of Minority Women

[Che -Guevara]

With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, limited political and legal resources for women, elevated rates of forced marriage, and female genital mutilation, the overall situation for women in Ethiopia is one of the most precarious in the world.

 

While Ethiopia has adopted the provisions of CEDAW into its national constitution and legal codes, gross violations of the convention's principles occur unchecked throughout the country. There remains a critical lack of de facto implementation of the de jure measures Ethiopia has made to ensure gender equality.

 

Further violations to the rights of minority and rural women run rampant throughout the nation, compounding the already discriminatory environment. There is a critical discrepancy between the number of health facilities and medical practitioners amongst rural and urban areas of the country, with a particular shortage in services for Somali women living in the ****** region. In addition, Somali women have faced large scale campaigns of rape and arbitrary arrest as a result of government-sanctioned attacks on the region's population. The disregard for legal codes and monitoring of violations against minority women living in these marginalized regions have also severely limited women's access to services guaranteed by Ethiopia's own legal codes, namely the right to equality in education, divorce, refusal to marry, property, and ownership rights.

 

While the government might, in theory, promote equality between men and women, the fact remains that in times of war and hardship, women and children routinely suffer disproportionately to men. Basic household tasks related to the preparation of food often leave women exposed to arbitrary attacks and violence from army personnel. Collecting water and other such tasks are jobs still confined to the women's domain, resulting in a high degree of abuse and violence levelled at women as they leave the relative safety of their homes.

 

According to the United Nations Country Team Ethiopia, in 2000, "out of the estimated 350,000 internally displaced people more than 75 percent are assumed to be children and women." It is true that "the consequences of conflict affect all people in society, [but] it is women who have borne the disproportionate burden of displacement. Many males joined militia groups while others were recruited into the army, thus leaving women solely responsible for the household during the period of the conflict."

 

The prolonged and continuous conflict and war on women in Ethiopia has psychological and social ramifications. As we have seen in many parts of the world, during war conflicts and particularly ethnic-based wars, women are used as pawns on a chessboard as collateral damage. This is the case in the ****** region where residents are routinely marginalized politically and socially and women are subjected to sexual violence and other dehumanizing acts.

 

The government-backed Liyu Police militia has committed numerous abuses against civilians in Ethiopia's ****** region.

 

Since 1994 when formal fighting between the Ethiopian government and the ****** National Liberation Front (ONLF) erupted in the ******, the Ethiopian military has received assistance from local militias. Before the establishment of the Liyu police in 2008, there was a Peace and Security Coordination Cabinet office in each district's administration, which was authorized to organize clan militias for the Ethiopian government. Members of one of the most prominent militias, established in 2001, were trained and based in the town of Godey, and later disbursed to the main districts of the region such as Kabridahar, Degahbur, Wardher, Fiiq, and others. After they failed to receive promised salaries, they ceased to function fully and were later dismantled deliberately by the government, who suspected militia members were providing support to rebels.

 

However, the Ethiopian government established new forces which were paid directly by the government and equipped as the military. This group, called the Liyu police, was granted similar powers to those possessed by the military in the region. In mid-2008, the government collected unemployed young men, former militia members and regional police, and sent them to a training camp in Jinacsane, 20km north-western of Jigjiga. The first 800 Liyu police militia men celebrated their graduation ceremony in a Garab'ase military barack of Jigjiga in the presence of the region's President, Da'ud Mohamed, and its Peace & Security Head, Abdi mohamud (aka Abdi Ilay), in early January 2009.

 

The Liyu police are financed directly from the regional budget under the leadership of Abdi Mohamud Omar (Abdi Ilay), who was the head of Peace, Justice and Security Coordination and the new Head of the Region. Their military equipment is reportedly supplied by the Somali Region Administration of the Ethiopian Ministry of Defense. Nearly 20 Toyota four wheel drive (4WD) pickup trucks, and a dozen 26-30 ton Isuzu pickup trucks were purchased for the Liyu police, though they frequently use both civilian and government-owned vehicles. They are mostly equipped with AK-47s, PKMs and other military-grade weapons, and dress in green Ethiopian Federal Police uniforms.

 

Many residents in the ****** region report that the Ethiopian military is more polite and humane than the Liyu police. This is not to be interpreted as evidence of the kindness of the Ethiopian military, but rather the comparative seriousness of Liyu abuses against the ******. The Liyu police are responsible for crimes ranging from harassment, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings. Both during and after training, the government emphasized to the Liyu police that they were the most powerful organ in the region. This idea has led them to overuse their power against vulnerable people who are not equipped to fight back, including civilians from both the urban and nomad communities.

 

 

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http://allafrica.com/stories/201102160712.html?page=2

[Che -Guevara]

Ismail Abdirahman Age: 8 Ismail came to the refugee camp with his grandmother Mrs Hawa Hassan. They fled from Gunagado, Dagahbur. According to Mrs Hawa, the Ethiopian military came to her village, caught many villagers by surprise, and ordered everybody to come out of their houses. The soldiers started targeting and burning certain houses including Mrs Hassan’s house. Ismail and his uncle Mahamud were in the house when the soldiers set the house ablaze. Mahaumud was severely burned as he shielded Ismail from the flames. As a result, Ismail suffered burns on his thighs and knees and Mahamud died from severe burns and fumes.

[Che -Guevara]

Name: Kowsar Yusuf Gud’Ade Age: 23 Kowsar was arbitrarily detained by the Ethiopian army. In detention, she was severely beaten and tortured. The soldiers used different methods of torture including electrocution. Kowsar’s left arm was broken during one of the many beating sessions. Kowsar begged for mercy and asked for medical attention, but the army denied her any treatment. She was eventually released. No explanation was given for the arrest or the subsequent release. Kowsar sought treatment for her injuries. As shown in the picture above, the injury was severe and the damage could not be reversed as the treatment facilities in the ****** are not equipped to deal with such severe injuries. She fled the region shortly after her release. Kowsar is now in constant pain and has so far not received the proper medical attention.

[Che -Guevara]

[Che -Guevara]

Farhia Mohamed Mahad Age: 20 Civilians are arrested and jailed on mere suspicions of being part of the ****** National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Farhia was no exception. Farhia was only a child when she was arbitrarily detained and jailed at Garbo Jail in the ******. No explanation was given for her arrest and subsequent imprisonment. Farhia remained in jail for five years. During her imprisonment, Farhia was subjected to torture, rape, and electrocution. Her body, especially her chest and breast, suffered severe burns as a result direct electric current. Farhia has permanent scar tissues all over her body. Farhia received no treatment for her injuries.

[The Zack]

Inaa lilaahi Wa inaa Ileyhi raajicuun. The Wayane regime is going to pay the price for this sooner than later. The ONLF shall succeed!

[Somalina]

:mad: Hopefully that day will come sooner!

[SayidSomal]

Speechless, but hopeful that time will come when the victims will have their justice - most likely in the hereafter.

As for now - lets help these victims as best as we can - Che - please provide source and where the above people can be sent some help - however small.

Thanks

[General Duke]

Shocking pics and report.. Damn them all.

[Che -Guevara]

Sayid-They live in the Dadaab Refugee camp. I don't know which one but more of them are streaming everyday with physical and mental scars.

[ElPunto]

This injustice is going on and you have those 'patriots' Al-Shabaab blowing up other Somali ppl. Truly a cursed ppl Somalis.

[A_Khadar]

Inaalilah, Justice will prevail insha'alah. I am sadden walali cid umaqan malaha umada sidaa loo galaayo.

[Mayaani]

Anagaa isku maqan oo isku xoog badan. ilaahay ha u gargaaro.

[Che -Guevara]

Elpunto...What does AS have to do this?

[ElPunto]

^They wrap themselves in the Islamic flag and claim they want to free Somalis etc - go and do a suicide bombing on the Ethiopians who did this. Stop killng ppl in Xamar. But then they are lying sh*its and always have been.