The Reporter (Addis Ababa)
Kaleyesus Bekele
29 September 2007
After the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) attacked an oil exploration site in the Ogaden region of the Somali Regional state, killing 74 civilian workers in April 2007, the Ethiopian national defense forces have been fighting the separatist rebel group. The fighting has affected food supply in the arid region frequently hit by drought.
The deteriorating humanitarian conditions has drawn the attention of the international community. A recent United Nations inter-agency mission to the Somali Regional State observed that humanitarian conditions within the conflict areas have deteriorated substantially over the past several months. The mission visited three of the five administrative zones in which military operations are currently under way from 30 August to 5 September.
In a report released last week, the mission said the fighting led to a worsening humanitarian situation, in which the price of food has nearly doubled. "Government restrictions of commercial and livestock trade aimed at preventing contraband activity have markedly aggravated an already fragile food security and livelihood situation. Livestock prices have fallen by as much as one-third due to a drastic reduction of export trade from the areas of military operations. Food reserves at the household level are nearly exhausted among the communities visited. Moreover, food aid operations in the zones affected by military operations have been seriously delayed," the mission said. The mission fears that the nutritional status of the population will rapidly worsen within two or three months if only limited quantities of commercial food continue to be available. Compounding this situation are acute shortages of drugs and other medical supplies and inadequate access to clean drinking water.
The Somali Regional State is home to approximately 4.5 million people, of whom an estimated 1.8 million live in the five zones where current military operations are ongoing.
The missions report calls for several actions. "Conditions should be created to permit a substantial increase in commercial food deliveries throughout the region and actions taken to facilitate increased livestock trade. Emergency food aid should be provided immediately for approximately 600,000 people for three months. Food distributions should be impartial and should reach all intended beneficiaries. Drugs for health facilities and support to establish mobile health teams should also be provided immediately" the report said.
The mission said many people in these areas fear for their individual safety and security and expressed trepidation at being caught in the middle of the conflict. The mission noted that there were reports of a worrying human rights and protection situation for the civilian population, which requires further investigation. The mission recommended that immediate actions should be taken to protect civilians in the conflict. The ONLF rebels accuse the Ethiopian government of blockading the region, risking a man-made famine, along with burning down homes and summary executions. The rebels have accused the government of genocide. In a statement issued on September 13, the front said the government was punishing civilians for the rebel activities, adding that the UN mission had not visited areas where war crimes were being committed.
The government denies the accusations. The government said the ONLF was a terrorist group backed by the Eritrean government.
In a statement issued on September 19, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the UN mission ascertained that there was humanitarian crisis in the Somali Regional State. "The Ethiopian government will ensure that humanitarian needs of the people in the region, including health services and nutrition requirements, are effectively addressed without further delay. The government has also assured the UN mission that prompt action will be taken to ensure adequate food supply and health services to reach all those in need in collaboration with all stakeholders," the Ministry said.
With Regard to border trade and commercial activities, the government said it will continue with its effort to identify additional trade corridors. "In the shortest time possible, the government is committed to finding ways of ensuring that these border trade and commercial activities, including livestock trade, continue in a normal manner," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Jendai Frazer, the US assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, who recently visited the Ogaden region, defended the government's position. Frazer told a press conference that there was no genocide act committed by the Ethiopia government in the region. "The Ethiopian defense forces are not there to kill civilians. They are trying to stop the insurgent activities of the ONLF, which is supported by the Eritrean government. And Ethiopia has the right to defend itself," she said.
Frazer said that there could have been some civilian causalities in the military operation. "It is very difficult to completely avoid civilian casualities during this kind of military operation," she added.
The Ethiopian government, on its part, accused ONLF of massacring 74 civilian workers of oil companies. The ONLF denies the charge. The front said that it attacked a military camp and it did not target the civilians. It said the civilians were killed in crossfire. However, eyewitnesses, who servived the attack, told The Reporter that the rebels deliberately murdered the civilian workers. Eskindir, a truck driver who was wounded by three bullets in the attack in the Degehabur zone in Abole locality, said that the rebels lined up the employees and sprayed them with bullets.
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