From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Fri Sep 26 2008 - 07:35:04 EDT
Ethiopia Rebel Group Condemns Kidnapping Of Foreign Aid Workers
26.9.2008
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP)--Ethiopia's Ogaden rebels on Thursday condemned last week's kidnapping in their region of two foreign aid workers and vowed to assist in efforts to secure their release.
Gunmen seized the pair - a Dutch nurse and a Japanese female doctor working for French medical charity Medecins du Monde - in Fadhigaradle village Monday as they were visiting drought-hit areas and took them to Somalia, according to officials.
"Such acts are intended to further exacerbate the suffering of the Ogaden Somali people who are already (in) the throes of a full-fledged famine and a combined Ethiopian government economic and humanitarian blockade," the group said in a statement posted on their Web site.
"The ONLF believes that this group has carried out this villainous act in order to stop the international community's efforts in alleviating the effects of the combined famine and humanitarian blockade," it said.
The group vowed to "do its utmost to free the humanitarian workers and will not rest until the culprits are dealt with in an appropriate manner."
Ethiopian authorities routinely accuse the ONLF and other secessionist groups of carrying out bombings and other attacks.
Formed in 1984, the ONLF is fighting for the independence of ethnic Somalis in Ethiopia's oil-rich Ogaden region, whom they say have been marginalized by Addis Ababa.
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