20 July 2011

The current drought in Ogaden is worse than any seen in the lifetime of most of our people requiring immediate international assistance and a demilitarized humanitarian corridor into Ogaden. The Ethiopian regime led by Melez Zenawi continues to deny free and unfettered access to international humanitarian organizations and Ogaden diaspora groups seeking to assist drought victims in Ogaden despite the beginnings of what is quickly becoming a famine that can only be described as catastrophic.

It is unacceptable that the Ethiopian regime continue to be allowed to play politics with the lives of our people suffering from this drought. The United Nations and, in particular, the UN Security Council should exercise it’s ability to intervene in Ogaden on humanitarian grounds and ensure that our people receive humanitarian assistance in a free and unfettered manner without delay.

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) reiterates it’s commitment to welcome and work with all international humanitarian organizations and their personnel seeking to assist our people. We wish to affirm that international aid workers are welcome in Ogaden and do not face any threat from our forces despite the Ethiopian regimes propaganda. We also wish to encourage our citizens in the Diaspora to continue efforts to assist our people and commend them on the efforts they have made thus far.

The ONLF recognizes that the Ethiopian regimes media blockade of Ogaden is designed to conceal the extent of the famine as well as war crimes committed against our people by the Melez Zenawi regime. Despite this we commend those brave journalists who seek to cover the suffering in Ogaden and invite members of the international media to continue their efforts to come and report from Ogaden.

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)