June
2, 2011 (QOL) Hundreds of people from
the Ogaden American Community of San Diego gathered to pray
and condemn the mass killing of civilians and the murder and
kidnap of the WFP workers by Ethiopian military forces in the
Ogaden region of Ethiopia this past week. As one elder stated
“This community stands in solidarity with the oppressed
people of Ogaden,” The event was organized by the Ogaden
Youth and Student Union of San Diego a youth wing of OAC San
Diego, and it was to raise awareness about the current dire
situation taking place in the Ogaden, where thousands of people
are being rounded up and being systematically killed by Ethiopian
government forces and its sponsored militias. The event highlighted
many crucial aspects about the current plight of the Ogaden
people in Ethiopia.
The
Ogaden region of Ethiopia is today one of the worst crisis taking
place in East Africa. Millions of people are facing starvation,
government repression, and environmental disaster. This year’s
lack of rainfall has further deteriorated the already dire humanitarian
crisis that has been taking place in the Ogaden since 2007.
The humanitarian, economic and political blockade placed on
the Ogaden by the Ethiopian government has destroyed and continues
to destroy hundreds of thousands and millions of lives. Many
genocide observers and human rights groups have raised serious
concerns about the current situation in the Ogaden, and many
have called it a hidden genocide.
Just last week, top U.S Senators, humanitarian
organizations, human rights groups, and U.N officials have all
raised worry about the serious human rights violations being
committed by the Ethiopian government. Meles Zanawi a dictator
who has been in power for more than 20 years has shown no respect
and honor for democracy, human rights and human decency. Government
sponsored militias known as Liyuu Police have recently posted
a gruesome video detailing the mass murder of innocent civilians
in rural communities in the Ogaden, You Tube has removed it
due to the disgusting and inhuman nature of the video. This
shows the character of the ruthless Ethiopian government and
its callous campaign against the people of Ogaden.
The Ethiopian government has recently denied ICRC
from operating in the Ogaden, the Ogaden Somali community of
San Diego demands that the international community intervene
and immediately pressure the Ethiopian government to lift the
illegal humanitarian blockade on the Ogaden, and send an immediate
humanitarian assistance to the region. The San Diego Ogaden
community also urges the international community to send a fact-finding
mission to the region to record the human rights violations
and the crimes against humanity that has been occurring in the
region for the past decade. Millions of lives are at stake,
the Ethiopian dictatorship led by Meles Zanawi has done everything
in it power to conceal the atrocities that are being committed
against the people of Ogaden. It is the responsibility of the
United Nations and the entire international community to uphold
the principle of human rights and human dignity. The plight
of the Ogaden people has gone silenced for far too long. The
Ogaden Somali community, which is among the largest Somali communities
in the Country, sends a clear message to Washington to stop
supporting the Ethiopian government and their genocidal campaign
against the innocent people of Ogaden.
The
Ogaden region of Ethiopia is today one of the worst crisis taking
place in East Africa. Millions of people are facing starvation,
government repression, and environmental disaster. This year’s
lack of rainfall has further deteriorated the already dire humanitarian
crisis that has been taking place in the Ogaden since 2007.
The humanitarian, economic and political blockade placed on
the Ogaden by the Ethiopian government has destroyed and continues
to destroy hundreds of thousands and millions of lives. Many
genocide observers and human rights groups have raised serious
concerns about the current situation in the Ogaden, and many
have called it a hidden genocide.