TRUTH ABOUT ONLF EXPOSED

The first decade of the 21st century proved to be a dangerous one. Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the violence in the Middle East, fear of Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling in the wrong hands, the rising of the Iranian power and the aggressive behavior, when it comes to foreign policy, in the part of the Unites States. among others, cause or, by far and large, contribute the global insecurity.

One of the hardest affected communities by the global insecurity resides in the Somali Regional State in Ethiopia. This community deals with a far greater share than they can burden. And as a result, majority of the population in the region face what some have called " the worst humanitarian crises, after Somalia and Darfur". The inhabitants of the Somali Region lag behind the rest of the Ethiopian societies in every aspect of life: health care, education, economic opportunities, participation of the political process, etc.

The security of the Region is almost non-existent. According to recent report by Human Rights Watch, which didn't spare neither side, the Ethiopian Army nor the ONLF group. It accused both ONLF and Ethiopian army of committing crimes against civilians in the region. The report cites "ONLF has been responsible for serious abuses, including abduction, beatings, and summary execution of the civilians in their custody" HRW goes on to point out that "ONLF has conducted attacks against civilian areas and used landmines in a manner that indiscriminately harmed civilians. The report cited attacks by ONLF in several towns including, Garbo, in Fiiq zone and Gunagada, in Dhagaxbuur zone, where ONLF killed 25 people, including the local head of the security, Sa'ad Aw Siyad, when it attacked Gunagada on January 19, 2007. They also abducted, according to the report, and later executed a number of individuals.

It's worth to mention the outcome of the recent Somali Region's Islamic Scholars gathering in Jijiga. SRIS is a powerful religious body and never melted into the political affairs. This time it became necessary for them to speak out and examine the acts of ONLF. They concluded that ONLF's actions are "Anti -Islamic" and not meeting the definition of Jihad as explained in the Sunnah of the Prophet and in the Holy Quran, Islam's holiest book. The Scholars went to say "ONLF Jihad claim not only misleading and a mere propaganda but a slandering of the true Jihad under Islam.

Finally, I call upon the International Community and, in particular the Western countries, to prohibit ONLF to operate their respective countries. By allowing this murderous group to freely operate, plan and fund attacks against civilians in the Somali Regional State, will clearly contradict the claims often made by the Western powers that they are against terrorism and respect life. Life in every where in the globe is valued the same. If terrorism is a threat to the citizens of US, Europe, Asia and Australia, it's should even be more threat to starving and defenseless citizens of the Somali Regional State.

Abdirahman Takhal
Center for Somali Peace & Justice
atakhal@aol.com