ONLF Call For International Humanitarian Corridor In Ogaden

15 September 2008

The scope and severity of the famine in Ogaden, coupled with soaring food prices mainly as a result of the economic blockade of Ogaden by the Ethiopian regime, has brought the Ogaden to the brink of a man made humanitarian catastrophe. The Ethiopian regime continues to severely restrict humanitarian assistance to our people while using what little food aid that gets through as a political weapon aimed at collectively our villagers and nomads.

The United Nations has been largely unsuccessful at distributing humanitarian assistance to the Ogaden specifically due to the blatant and frequent obstacles presented by the Ethiopian regime. Independent aid agencies have been largely banned from the region with no indications they will be allowed to return despite the worsening humanitarian situation.

It is due to this reality that the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) on behalf of the people of Ogaden calls upon the international community to realize an immediate emergency international humanitarian corridor in Ogaden. Such a corridor is not without precedent and is both appropriate and implementable in the Ogaden. A humanitarian corridor can be demilitarized if Ethiopian troops do not escort or interfere with humanitarian aid convoys.

As we have stated on numerous occasions, The ONLF is prepared to do all that is necessary to facilitate the distribution of food aid in Ogaden including working with the international community to realize a functioning emergency international humanitarian corridor.

Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)