From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Wed Sep 16 2009 - 12:50:11 EDT
Statement
Ogaden National Liberation Front
15 September 2009
The Ogaden National Liberations Front (ONLF) informs all concerned
parties that in the Ogaden there is an ongoing war between the Ogaden
people and Ethiopian TPLF/EPRDF occupation Troops. The ONLF as a matter
of principle and expediency is bound to engage any Ethiopian armed
presence in Ogaden due to the threat such an army poses to the
livelihood of Ogaden people and the war Crimes it commits against the
Ogaden people.
Therefore, ONLF strongly advises multinational corporations that Ogaden
is a war zone so they should not to conduct any business activity in it
until there is a political solution to the Conflict. ONLA will not be
responsible for any collateral damages that occur from its engagements
with the Ethiopian Army or security apparatuses wherever they are.
It is the policy of the current Ethiopian regime to lure and involve
Multinationals, especially Oil Companies, in the conflict in order to
take advantage of the power and political influence of these
Multinationals, whose lobby can sway international opinion in order to
mute voices of conscience. Hence annul any international action against
the War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity Ethiopia is committing in
Ogaden. In doing so, these companies participate willingly in
disinheriting the Ogaden people of their natural resources.
ONLF also calls upon the governments of these multinationals to take
heed of the request of the Ogaden people and stop these companies from
engaging in blood money and destroying the livelihood of a poor
disenfranchised pastoral community in Ogaden. It is the epitome of
demagogy and double standards to allow Ethiopia to get away with War
Crimes and Genocide in Ogaden while imposing economic and aid blockade,
including banning of NGOs, Human Rights groups and independent media on
the pretext of insecurity. On the other hand giving the go ahead to
multinational corporations to conduct oil explorations and other
business activities in a territory where Ethiopia is starving the local
people to death.
The Ogaden people are being pushed to a level of desperation beyond the
threshold of tolerance. While all their neighbours are prospering and
developing, Ethiopia is systematically exterminating them and the
International Community including the regional organization, the AU is
watching such Crimes in silence.
ONLF invokes Article 1 of International Covenant on Economic, Social,
and Cultural Rights of the UN, which states that:
1. All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that
right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue
their economic, social, and cultural development.
2. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural
wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of
international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual
benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of
its own means of subsistence.
And calls upon the Security Council to carry out its obligation under
International Law and to protect the rights of the Ogaden people are
been deprived their livelihood. They have been evicted from their
localities by burning down their villages, imposing economic blockade,
which is still in place for nearly 3 years. They have been looted,
arbitrarily detained, raped and extra judicially killed.
Finally the Ogaden people had sought remedy from the Ethiopian Authority
to redress their grievances, but the Ethiopian government responded by
not only curtailing further their rights, but has engaged in acts
tantamount to Genocide against the Ogaden people. Therefore the Ogaden
people have no recourse but to wage an armed resistance, since Ethiopia
thwarted all attempts to solve the conflict and no third parties took
pro-active roles in brings the two conflicting g parties together. ONLF
is ready to engage in an internationally supervised mediation process.
ONLF
http://www.onlf.org/news.php?readmore=64
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