EU urges Ethiopia to allow aid to Ogaden region
The European Union called on Ethiopia on Tuesday to ensure that civilians in its troubled Ogaden region are protected and receive humanitarian aid.
Posted: Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 10:59 (BST)
BRUSSELS - The European Union called on Ethiopia on Tuesday to ensure that civilians in its troubled Ogaden region are protected and receive humanitarian aid.
U.N. investigators touring the impoverished, predominantly ethnic Somali region -- where Ethiopian soldiers have been fighting separatist rebels for months -- urged Ethiopia last month to ensure food and aid agencies can get in the region.
Ethiopia had said it would take action on that.
"The EU commends the Ethiopian government for its reaction to the (U.N.) report and calls upon it to follow up all recommendations of the mission, including actions to protect civilians in conflict," the bloc's Portuguese presidency said in a statement.
"(The EU) welcomes its stated willingness to ensure that the humanitarian needs of the population in the Somali region of Ethiopia are properly addressed," the statement said.
The statement noted "with concern ... the (U.N.) report's conclusion that humanitarian conditions within the conflict areas have deteriorated substantially over the past several months".
Medecins Sans Frontiers and the International Committee of the Red Cross have accused the Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa of denying aid groups access to the region.
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebels accuse Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's administration of blockading the region -- the poorest part of Ethiopia -- risking a "man-made" famine, along with burning down homes and summary executions.
Meles' government denies all the accusations, and calls the ONLF terrorists funded by arch-foe and neighbour Eritrea.
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Added: Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 17:14 (BST)
Over 1.5 million Ogadens have been killed in Meles Zenawi 16 years of terror rule. Why did he get away with it you ask? the only reason he got away with it is becouse he was killing Muslims.This a fact right now he is burning down intire villages he carrying out mass killing and no one is saying anything about it in fact he has the full support of his Christian brothers like Europe and United State. These two enemies of Islam have been bank rolling this very sick and cruel man Meles Zenawi. This is why he was praised by Tony Blair and Jimy Carter whom we all know very well of what they were cabable of. The genocide in Ogaden plus all these money the Christian world is pouring over to dictator Males Zenawi says it all
abdikarim, Dhagaxbuur
Added: Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 22:49 (BST)
It is really sad to see the world to watch innocent people tortured, women raped, villages burned down helplessly. And it is really sad that even some people are still supporting the TPLF(Ethiopian Troops) to do such acts which is unhuman and let them terorize innocent women, men, and kids. And that is what the Melez Zenawi goverment are doing to the innocent people of Ogaden Region, and it seems that even he is getting aid and money so his millitary can buy more weopon to do so - so he can kill more and torture more.
So, it is sad that the world community is just watching such acts to be done to the Ogaden Civilians, and still did no action to really even try to stop, so when are we going to come the sense of feeling to stop genocides and stop such things while it is happening to the innocent Ogaden People every hour of the day right now?.
Guled, USA
Added: Thursday, October 11, 2007, 12:54 (BST)
In any society where there is injustice, the victims try to deter their aggressors. This usually occurs in the form of boycotts, strikes, demonstrations but this principle doesn't apply in ethiopia were the ruling circle is totaliterian. any one who voices against the nightmire of ogaden {collective punishment,genocide,burning of villages,killing of defenceless pple children,old pple..} including jounalists,NGOS will face th wrath of TPLF GOV. The only real option to TPLFgovernment's existence has been its destruction and the genocide of its people because no one will vote for it.
mohamed, south africa
Added: Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 21:03 (BST)
We ogaden somalis strongly urge with E.U U.S and the international community to take an action emmediately to stop the army brutality against our people we tired of unrestless war, we need to live a life with dignety we want peace not endless war hundreds of people has already died and persisted to continue till now people are being killed without reason women are being raped and jailed in barracks and tortured kept months to years the worst places are Werder and Fiq plz plz we want you to do action now
Our thanks due to those stand to stop the crime against humanity and those comment about the unbearable human conditions in Ogaden the situation continued ages not months why the U.N can not enter Ogaden, why the Journalists was banned to report the truth lying in Ogaden? why the humanatarian agencies can involve their duties in Ogaden ? why the E.U give millions of euros a goverment killing,burning villages and crops of its own people?I have no idea maybe I am too young to know any way,stop now!
axmed, Djibouti
