The making of a second Darfur in Ogaden

The morally bankrupt Ethiopian regime has in all sense and purposes decided to carryout operations that can be described as nothing less than a planned ethnic cleansing and genocide in Ogaden. In most of all the major Ogaden cities and towns, reports of mass detentions of civilians have been commonplace in the past month. Sensing failure to shake the Ogaden citizenry's conviction with mass civilian detentions, the Addis autocracy has since resorted to carpet-bombing campaigns against civilian targets throughout Ogaden. Forced mass civilian evictions with the mistaken belief that such evictions from towns and hamlets will reduce the mounting Ethiopian military battle losses and casualties has taken place in places such Qamuuda, Lehelow, and Jalelo. Access in and out of entire cities and towns were and are still blocked. This has put entire populations on fast track to mass starvation. The meager food supplies in cities and towns such as Wabiyar, Fooljeex, and Gaba Gabo were destroyed to expedite mass civilian famishment. The latest, reported Ethiopian military brutality against the defenseless Ogaden citizenry is the severe torture, and the extra judicial killings of children whose mutilated bodies are then put on display in city and town centers. In Qabri Dahar, several children were reported killed in this manner two days ago. The children's lifeless and mutilated bodies were brought to the city center as if to warn civilians that the same fate awaits them. What is taking place in Ogaden fits to the letter both the moral and legal definition of genocide. It is what took place in Rwanda thirteen years ago under the silent gaze of the world community. It is what is reported to have taken place in Darfur. Ogaden is another Rwanda and a second Darfur in the making. The world community should NOT fail to yet again put the brakes to another African tragedy such as Ogaden. The Ogaden civilians who are carpet-bombed, detained on mass, mass starved to death, and whose children have been mutilated and put on display by the Ethiopian military under the leadership of the Addis autocracy need the moral and military support of the world community. Another Rwanda and Darfur is not what we need to see so let us help the defenseless Ogaden civilians now and not a minute LATER. We, the Ogaden Editorial Board, ask the world community to come to the aid of the defenseless Ogaden civilians under the mercy of an Ethiopian dictator propped by foreign powers with selfish agendas. Let the world community know that history will not be kind to those who failed humanity in Rwanda, Darfur, and are on the brink of failing Ogaden. editorial@ogaden.com Ogaden Online Editorial June 25, 2007