ONLF-Editorial

July 15, 2015

An Ogaden woman trying to buy for her children being intimidated by Ethiopian soldiers in the wilderness

The Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) agent Provocateurs inserted an article into Somaliland Press titled “UNPO elects Leader of Ogaden militia as VP”. TPLF is the ultra-nationalist sectarian party that rules and controls Ethiopia, through surrogate EPRDF coalition parties. A party that just won 100% of the votes and started assassinating opposition members just few days after the elections.

A TPLF agent writing such an article is to be expected, however what is strange and very cynical is Somaliland press publishing such an article. Somaliland Press is that main web out let for the self-styled Somaliland break-away enclave. Somaliland was created by SNM that fought their Somali brethren and destroyed the Somali republic after claiming injustice and marginalization. SNM fought a guerrilla war and was branded terrorist and secessionist by the Somali republic and today the same entity is accusing or allowing others brand ONLF who is fighting the Ethiopian regime in Addis Ababa who are coming crimes against humanity and marginalising their Somali brothers. The Ethiopian regime is a pariah state that is even eating its own people from Abyssinia who founded it in the first place, let other colonised nations such as the Oromo and the Sidama, Gambela, Beni-shangul, Afar, Shakacho and many other Southern nations.

The Writer of this article may not be aware that Abdirahman Mahdi replaced Mohamud Da’ar from SNM, Somaliland. Can he explain to the audience what is the difference between SNM, Somaliland and ONLF, Ogaden. SNM fought the Democratic Republic of Somalia and claimed that it has seceded from the Somali republic claiming that Somalia violated the rights of the people in Northern Somalia, while ONLF is fighting Ethiopia, because the Ethiopian state marginalised and violated the democratic and Human Rights of Somalis under its colonial rule.

In the article the writer says that “the controversial UNPO organization recently elected as VP the leader of Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) despite terrorism activities of the militia”. He further mentions that ONLF has committed terrorist activities in Ogaden, however, he fails to mention the massive abuses international Human Rights organization documented regarding the violation committed by the Ethiopian government in Ogaden and cites claims and reports planted by the Ethiopian regime after it was caught red handed committing grave human rights violation by both UN agencies and international NGO’s. ONLF was formed and defends the Rights of Somalis in Ogaden and the only Somali people killed by ONLF are militias recruited,  trained, and funded  by the Ethiopian regime who attacks ONLF and fights along side the Ethiopian army. The local stooge administration of Ethiopia and the regime try to portray this militia as civilians when killed in fighting.

This  writer goes further and states that “international media has reported on ONLF committing civilian mass murders near development projects in Ethiopia, creating a state of fear and instability in the region” without citing a single media outlet for his outrageous and false claims. Moreover, He fails to mention the fact that it is the Ethiopian regime that barred the International media free access to Ogaden and actually shot and detained international reporters. Martin Schibye and Johan Persson were shot and detained for one year by the regime claiming that they were terrorists. It is the practice of the Ethiopian regime to label all those who oppose its policies of terrorism. It has detained hundreds of journalists and opposition accused them of terrorism.

ONLF is a national liberation front that struggles for the rights of the self-determination of all Somalis under Ethiopian colonial rule. Furthermore, the international community is aware that ONLF is not affiliated to international terrorism and does not accept the Ethiopian regime’s accusation regarding ONLF. The conflict in the Ogaden predates this regime and the conflict has been raging for more than half a century and the marginalization and denial of the Rights of Somalis in Ethiopia is well documented and is know by the international community who believe that there is a genuine grievances in Ogaden and the war in Ogaden is not based on religion but rather is a national liberation struggle. In fact the TPLF and ONLF were allies in the seventies and eighties before TPLF gained power and turned against its former allies , including Eritrea, Ogaden and Oromo, who facilitated it ascent to power.

Mgoth as this agent provactuer likes to call himself, futher venture into fictious land by cited false historical assertion regarding the History of Ogaden, Somalis and the Horn as if the audiances are dim-witted and would buy his churned lies. First he claims that the Ogaden was coined by ONLF in 1984, when ONLF was founded. Either he is naïve and ignorant or he intendes to delibrately distort historical facts. The name Ogaden is mentioned in many historical documents. For example, after the defeat of the Axis in WWII, the four victorious powers discussed the issue of Ogaden when delibrating on how to deal with Italian colonial possesions In the minutes of Meeting of Prime Ministers of the victorious powers:

 Disposal of Italian Colonies

The Meeting then discussed the attitude to be taken at the Council of Foreign Ministers regarding the disposal of the Italian Colonies. They had before them a memorandum by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (P.M.M.(46)15) setting out the salient features of the question.

BEVIN recalled that before the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London in September last, the United Kingdom Government had taken the view that the best arrangement would be on the following lines:-

(a) Tripolitania to be placed under international trusteeship with

Italy as Administering Authority;

(b) Cyrenaica to be placed under international trusteeship with

the United Kingdom as Administering Authority;

(c) Italian Somaliland, together with British Somaliland, the

Ogaden and the Reserved Areas, to be placed under international

trusteeship with the United Kingdom as Administering Authority;

(d) Eritrea to be given to Ethiopia, except for the North-Western

Lowlands which would be joined to the Sudan.

(PMM(46) 6th Meeting (extracts) LONDON, 28 April 1946, 2 p.m.)

Between 1965 to 1984, when Somalis renamed their territory and called it Western Somalis, the Ethiopian regime chose to keep the historical name of the territory , the Ogaden. However, after the people challenged Ethiopia by using the historical name of the land and calling it the Ogaden, it changed the name to Somali Regional state, in order to exploit clan sentiments in fighting ONLF. For example in August 2, 1977

 Ethiopia requested the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), predecessor of the African Union to stop Somali intervention in the Ogaden Province, Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s plea to the OAU followed the attempt by Somali forces to occupy Ogaden on 23 July 1977. The Somali Army crossed the international border of Ethiopia into Ogaden Province without any resistance.

After the Ogaden War in 1977, Ethiopia set-up a bogus autonomous administration for the Somalis and called Ogaden Ras-Gez and in 1991 it set up a similar autonomous administration calling it the Somali Regional State.

For Somalis, the name of the territory is not an issue, it is the colonial policy and practice of Ethiopia that is needed to be ended. After that, Somalis will choose what ever name they wish for their new state.

It has become the practice of all spoilers in the Horn of Africa who want to create havoc and chaos among Somalis to try to use the clan card and sow discord among Somalis. In Ogaden, there is only one enemy and that is the Ethiopian regime. Ogaden is owned by all Somali clans that inhibit it and once the colonialist are defeated, a tolerant, democratic government representing all Somalis will be instituted.

At the current stage of fighting the Ethiopian regime, it is a matter of personal choice for those who volunteer and are ready to sacrifice their lives and well-being in order to liberate the nation. A liberation struggle is not a wealth to be shared. It is a voluntary commitment and those who are willing to sacrifice for the greater good participate. No one is barred to fight for freedom. The colonialist is there and it is the responsibility of all Somalis to fight for their freedom. No one can apportion death, or lose of property and time. Therefore, those who claim clan so and so is fighting, why don’t they take part in the liberation struggle? Who is holding their hands? The enemy is there and the field needs everybody, and it is not a monopoly for any group or clan. There is no wealth to be shared. A Liberation struggle brings  death, lose of loved ones, forgoing daily comforts and chance of abuse. Those who do care about the people and the territory shall stand up against the most vicious regime the Somalis people have ever encountered in Ethiopia and liberate their land.

Finally, UNPO stands for rights of minorities and all oppressed nations of the world, if UNPO policies bothers Ethiopia, it shall start respecting the rights of those it oppresses.

Issued by

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)