We, the Ogaden Community in the United States of America, on behalf of the
Somali people in Ogaden region, do hereby strongly condemn the inhuman,
malicious and horrendous act perpetrated by Hargeisa Administration against
innocent civilian nationals from Ogaden. It is a worrisome development that
shook our heart.

Recently the Hargeisa Administration hunted and rounded up a significant
number of civilians from Ogaden region. Fifty Seven (57) of these were
transported while blindfolded and were handed over to the Ethiopian
security
forces in Ogaden that uses methods of torture that include: beating,
whipping, electrical shock and rape to obtain confession. There are much
more others who are, as confirmed, still languishing in Hargeisa
prisons.The victims have no any
political affiliation to any group or individual lately or in the past but
were there purely for business and health related issues.

We were shocked, but not surprised, by this beastly brutal and heartless
act, which was carried out on behalf of the Ethiopian colonialist to
achieve some
facile political mileage at the expenses of innocent lives, nor matter how
irrational and futile. We cannot imagine a more outrageous and exasperating
act than this carried out by the fanatical administration at Hargeisa,
destitute of justice and mercy, without the fear of God, supremely selfish,
malignant and arrogant in its action and persecuting the innocent even unto
blood. It puzzles the imagination to conceive the stupidity and the
unmitigated rascality that impel them to this ill-fated course. This raises
serious questions about the character and existence of the Hargeisa
Administration to be a tribal entity masqueraded as an independent
sovereign
Administration. More recently, it has became a favorite scheme with this
administration to invade its neighbors occasionally stepping on sore and
sensitive wound, fleecing and jailing an unsuspecting visitors who
committed
no crime except that they happened to belong to a certain community, and
surrendering them to their enemy. This kind of behavior will muddy the
current atmosphere of goodwill prevailing in the area and land the Hargeisa
administration right in the center of a political minefield.

To this end, we would like to remind the fact that the atrocities of the
previous administration are still vivid and fraying in the Somali peoples¡¯
mind in Ogaden with no console or apology from any quarter neither the
administration nor the Elders Consultative Council which is considered to
be
the administrations think-tank. Do we have then to consider it as a well
meditated and collectively rehearsed decision? Time will tell, but it will
be a self-destructive policy if it is proved right and it will lead to a
wider conflict and bloodshed in the region. We, therefore, highly advise
the
Hargiesa Administration to desist from such discarded and opportunistic
policy and not destroy the relative tranquility in the area by exciting
cheap tribal sentiment that will adversely affect the livelihood of the
Somali people in the area who are largely interdependent.

We also call the elders, intellectuals and religious leaders in Hargiesa
not
to remain mute as their administration¡¯s trampling over their brother¡¯s
rights. We do expect you, in good faith, to put pressure on the
administration to reverse itself and stop unleashing the ill-advised hate
campaign against their brethrens. Because to maintain good neighborliness
between the two brotherly people, such act should be strictly guarded
against.

It is also confirmed that some other people are still in the Hargeisa
prison, left for a business and health related issues
- and this was not their first time to do so¡±. The victims have no any
political affiliation to any group or individual lately or in the past.

Finally, it should be understood here that your brothers in Ogaden region
are still fighting for self-determination. They are in a holy struggle
against our born enemy for whom we are to pray and from whom we are to
defend ourselves. Instead of helping and professing a strong solidarity
with
them, some of our brothers are intimidating and backstabbing them! But
surely these intimidations will neither budge nor lull them to sleep, but
intern hardens the hearts of the oppressed. A common enemy binds the Somali
people. And this enemy is using all meanings to make the Somali people live
like brother against a brother so that we might not ideally stand together
as a united people/nation, knowing full-well that a pervasive sense of
vulnerability make it easier for it to push its imperialism and continue
dominate the Horn of Africa region. To achieve this and destroy the very
fibre that holds together the Somali people our enemy never misses an
opportunity to using some novice elements in our midst who possesses very
limited political capital and experience in the issue of the day. A case in
point is Mr. Kahin¡¯s recent maneuvering and action, which raised eyebrows
in
some quarters that sees him, rightly or wrongly, to be the last baptized
warlord in the Somali scene. Mr Kahin has been in the limelight lately as
some critics unraveled some of his human rights record in Barre¡¯s
Administration, depicting him a man who make a career out of unscrupulously
criminal activities.

Its unfortunate that the more the Somali people want/try to unite, the more
evil elements creep in.

THE OGADEN COMMUNITY, USA
ogcusa@hotmail.com

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