Ethiopia: Rebel faction accuses gov’t of mass civilian killing
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
December 23, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) – An exiled splinter group of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), on Wednesday accused Ethiopian military forces of killing more than 20 civilians in the ethnic Somali dominated region in eastern Ethiopia, a rebel official said.
The breakaway Ogaden rebel group also accused the government forces of burning down the shelters of Somalis, who mainly lead a nomadic life style.
ONLF is a social and political movement established in 1984 by the ethnic Somlias of the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, calling for self-determination.
ONLF spokesperson, Hussein Mohammed Nur, who made the accusations in an interview with a local radio station, based in Qatar, said the most recent deaths took place in Qorahley, Farmadow and Dhagahbur localities of the region.
Nur vowed that ONLF will take retaliation measures for the deaths.
Ethiopian officials are unavailable for comments at this point and the allegations currently cannot be independently be verified.
Last month, the rebel group claimed Ethiopian military forces killed 235 Somali civilians. A claim immediately dismissed by Ethiopian officials.
The ONLF split into two factions after leaders of a breakaway of the group last month, signed peace accord with the Ethiopian government in Addis Ababa to end over two decades of insurgency. The peace deal was hailed by Ethiopian authorities as a move forward to strengthen unity in the Horn of Africa’s country.
An exiled rival ONLF wing, which claimed to be the main ONLF body, has however dismissed the agreement calling it “irrelevant”. It further vowed to continue an armed struggle.
Following the peace pact, the Ethiopian government freed jailed leaders and members of the group who had been accused of multiple crimes.
Ethiopian authorities, including Prime Minister Meles Zenawi then called on the remaining ONLF rebels and other factions to follow same path, inviting them to come to negotiation tables.
The ONLF and its armed wing, the Ogaden National Liberation Army (ONLA) have long been designated as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian government.
In April 2007, the ONLF fighters attacked a Chinese-run oil field in Ethiopia’s Somali Region. The attack which drew international condemnation killed 65 Ethiopians and nine Chinese workers.
Following the attack, government security forces commenced a series of military crackdown which led to the killing of hundreds of ONLF militants.
Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of arming and financing, the Ogaden National Liberation Front and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). An allegation Asmara denies.
(ST)