TPLF Obliterating NGOs in the Ogaden –Two more NGOs’ Licences Revoked

We have, on several occasions, stated how it is becoming increasingly difficult for international aid organizations to work in the Ogaden, and as a result they are opting to create partnerships with grass-roots, local Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) who have long and better experience in reaching out the intended beneficiaries. On the other hand, we noted how the TPLF led regime has been busy in implementing policies hostile to NGOs in the past years. As, similar to other nationalities, Ogaden people continue to suffer at the hands of brutal Woyyane oppression, TPLF and its stooges are committed to harass NGOs operating in this part of the world. On August 07, 2008 the so called Regional President Abdullahi Hassan better known as Lugbuur has through a letter commanded the suspension of two local NGOs’ licenses.

The two NGOs, Alnejah Relief, Rehabilitation and Development Organization (ARRDO) and Hope for the Horn (HFH) are among the first and few in the region with some community projects in various areas in the Ogaden. I am not writing this article to defend any wrong-doing by these NGOs like the claimed corruption, unethical conduct, attitudinal problems, mismanagement etc. They can commit errors but it is outrageous and shameful the way their license is suspended.

First of all, according to current constitution, it is the mandate of Ministry of Justice to grant NGOs with licences and only this ministry can revoke or suspend these licences. As a matter of decentralization, the ministry also gives directives to the Disaster Preparedness, and Prevention Agency (DPPA) on how to deal with some issues regarding local organizations. Apparently, the action of Lugbuur is violating the current regime’s own constitution and instead of warning Lugbuur, Deputy Prime Minister, Addisu Leggese who was touring Jigjiga last week with other ministers has applauded for criminals like Lugbuur for massacring the Ogaden people.

Before suspending any NGOs license there must be a clear legal procedure beginning with investigation of allegations. Only with solid evidence can action be taken by either the DPPA, the Ministry, or generally by the Federal Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission all of which are Institutions used by TPLF as they wish. Even after this investigation it does not imply NGO’s license is automatically suspended if found guilty or culpable. Rather their Code of Conduct states other options such as issuing a warning, or targeting the person responsible for the wrong-doing depending on the scale of the breach.

Lugbuur’s move is not the first of its kind. He is just doing the dirty job of TPLF. Whenever they want to play such games they order him to pretend as if he is the ruler of the region while he is not more than a puppet. Otherwise it is not he; rather it is the TPLF cadre sitting next to him that dictates the daily affairs. It is the same history when he ordered several International NGOs like ICRC and MSF-Swiss to cease operations in the Ogaden. At that time, in an interview with the media, he denied any federal interference, while he later confessed to one of his relatives that he was given orders to expel the ICRC and he did so without knowing the reason behind.

Sarcastically, one wonders how Lugbuur and his fellow stooges can accuse others of corruption while they have stolen hundreds of millions of public money during their three and half years in the puppet administration. Where did really all these money go? Where did all those ambitious projects designed over qat-chewing cessions end up? We –the people- do not know, far worse we cannot seek answers. Right now the people bother neither about transparency nor accountability, checks and controls. Only if we were left alone for our lives!!!

This latest development comes as the people are in one of their most critical time to survive. The two affected NGOs have been working in partnership with many international donor organizations such as United Nations (UNICEF, WFP, WHO), OXFAM, ICCO, Muslim Aid, Christian Aid, MSF, Save the Children, Muslim Hands etc and with this threat of terminating ongoing projects as well as future ones, many beneficiaries whose only hope of survival was these NGOs will definitely be left out to a grim fate, not to mention the hundreds of employees and their families who suddenly face income insecurity.
Our people are made powerless and voiceless and it is not ironic to turn to the international community for help for they can influence TPLF’s policies if they really want to. Nevertheless, it only makes us more heartbroken to see the international community’s response to this crisis not being on par with the gravity of the problem.

NGOs’ Increasing Obstacles in the Ogaden and The Silence of the International Community.

Ethiopia’s TPLF regime –better known for slaying, starving, oppressing, and sabotaging its civilians – receives the largest international aid in the whole continent of Africa and therefore is dependent on foreign aid in the form of bilateral as well as multilateral agreements. A great portion of this aid is channeled by donor nations through Non-Governmental Organizations. The Distribution of NGO presence in Ethiopia’s different regions is very asymmetrical. Throughout the country there are millions suffering as a result of recurrent droughts followed by famine. However while the government does not care about its people the International NGOs who operate in Ethiopia seem to favor (or are forced by TPLF’s Relief Society Tigray -REST- to operate in Tigray) some regions over the others. Those who are willing to help people in remote areas like the Ogaden are forced to work in regions they would not choose otherwise. The few who dare to insist help the needy face obstructions and their staff is intimidated daily. The Ogaden whose people are self sufficient pastoralists were previously known to have been less aid-dependent compared to the rest of Ethiopia. However, government default, ongoing war against unarmed civilians, lack of international pressure, Harassing the few NGOs on the ground complicated the livelihoods of these civilians.

If the current government boasts of achieving an 11% annual growth and claim sustained development of the main sectors of the country, they know they are not talking about Ogaden because for them Ogaden is only a war zone where they do not bother investing in schools, clinics, veterinary health posts, roads etc. The only significant symbol of the government presence in the Ogaden is huge military personnel (some sources estimate almost half of Ethiopia’s military to be stationed in the Ogaden despite the many war frontiers Ethiopia has!!). This military is used to inflict the most imaginable harm on the people. They continue their daily mass killings of unarmed civilians (my maternal uncle was the last victim I heard. They killed him while he was milking his camel for his children!!!), they torture, arbitrarily arrest, blockade and destroy towns etc.

While they kill people meaninglessly, they are determined to obstruct anyone trying to lend the people a hand. All local NGOs are ordered to make food and other necessary items distributions through the so called Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA) which is controlled by the army leaders. Eventually, food is used as a weapon and never reaches the intended beneficiaries. The local NGOs have no choice and they are well aware of the whereabouts of those who questioned such acts. They know the fate of Sulub and his fellow men from Ogaden Welfare and Development Organization (OWDA). Some local charity organizations have reported that their vehicles are forcefully used by the army against the law. Some government stooges even demand bribes otherwise will declare NGOs as Nabadiid which mean anti-peace!!!

The international NGOs are not spared by the obstacles of the Ethiopian government and the last victim is MSF-Switzerland who pulled out of their last operational post –Fiiq. Apparently, MSF endured a prolonged and repeated Ethiopian harassment but reached their limit when they feared for their staffs’ lives as was clearly stated by the organization’s and AFP reported:

Repeated administrative hurdles and intimidations towards MSF staff in the Fiiq area have prevented the organization from bringing urgently needed medical care to vulnerable populations. Despite agreements signed with federal authorities, MSF international staff members have not received necessary work permits and could only be on site for short periods.
“Over the six months of our intervention, our medical teams could only work for ten weeks in Fiiq town and five in the periphery of the town where the most important needs are,” said Hugues Robert, in charge of the MSF Ethiopia program in Geneva. “It significantly reduces the medical impact of our action.”

MSF is not the first to terminate operations in the Ogaden. MSF Belgium and International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) have also been accused of supporting rebel groups and their permission revoked against the international law –Ethiopia is a signatory to the International Humanitarian Law which gives ICRC among others unlimited access to war zones. This comes a time when Meles has waged war against Somalis in the Ogaden and the need for Independent NGOs is eminent more than ever. Meles and his fellow men such as Bereket Simon has openly boasted to have accumulated experience during their struggle against the Derg and will never allow NGOs to help people in need. Parallel to all these difficulties is the law drafted by the order of Meles to restrict NGO freedom. The controversial draft law enables the Government to fully control the activities of NGOs.

In addition to the genocide and economic blockade of this hapless region, Ethiopia has left no stone unturned to cover its atrocities in front of the international community. They clearly deny access to international media even those who are pro-TPLF. Despite this, the world were able to see as the chain of tragedies has been unfolding in Ogaden through the brave reporters of New York Times, The Daily Telegraph (both of whose reporters were illegally arrested by TPLF in Degah Bur and Godey respectively), Aljazeera, Los Angels Times, etc. The latest Amnesty International Report on Ogaden was supported by undeniable Sattellite Images of destroyed villages and towns whose population were also killed in the masses.

While all this is taking place the world is watching and doing nothing. The United Nations who in 2007 sent emergency assessment team who later that year came up with recommendations including the need for broader investigation by the UN has done nothing. We know how they were being silenced.The international community led by USA pursues the policy of look and see even though they all know that Ogaden is far worse than Darfur they won’t annoy their leaders who consider Meles as an important ally in what they call ‘war against terror.’ Instead of holding the TPLF thugs of their crimes, it is sad to see famous lobbyists DLA-Piper earning their salaries by sabotaging the highly awaited Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007 –a bill supporting human rights and democracy in Ethiopia that was put forward by responsible individuals and passed by the United States House of Representatives. But USA cannot claim to be the police of the World while they are defending such atrocities in the name of ‘war on terror’. I wonder how USA can voice against Robert Mugabe and Omar Al-Bashir while letting criminal Meles attend G8 summit. The world will witness the suffering of humanity if the policy of double standardness is not re-evaluated. We are all human beings and we deserve the same rights!!!