UNDERSTAND ETHIOPIA'S COLONIAL NATURE

Abdullahi Hassan
Dec 27, 2005

It is yet again another great human tragedy and suffering inflicted upon the Somali people of Ogaden. What happened in Qabri-Dahar and Fool-Jeex recently is a terrorism at its worst perpetrated by the Ethiopian colonial forces. What we witnessed is abhorrent use of indiscriminate violence that took away so many innocent lives as well as property destruction; only to leave their residents devastated and terror-stricken.

Indeed, it is morally outrageous and indefensible and there is something fatally serious about it. Otherwise, how else can one explain these nude brutalities of firing indiscriminately at unarmed innocent people, or lobbing hand-grenades on civilian residences where most probably lives the most vulnerable ones of the society i.e. children, women, the sick and the elderly, let a lone setting into blaze a whole village with no apparent reason whatsoever! The Ethiopia's genocidal intent is crystal clear: just to kill and fleece the already poor masses.

The Ethiopian occupation forces have been lately wrecking havoc on the civilian population all over Ogaden. They had committed untold number of arsons, just in recent months, in the towns of Wardher, Shilabo, Farmadow and Shaykosh, which are still reeling from the shock of its onslaught, where scores of innocent people had lost their lives. There are so many other depressing stories.

True, the ruling paradigm of a colonizer is to divide and rule, and to use iron fist to force his subjects to kneel down before his power. That is exactly what the EPRDF/TPLF regime is doing, using the same archaic policies and methods of the former military dictators who violated our rights with tanks. It is indeed shocking to see how we are governed or rather colonized today. The more we reflect on the distressing state of affairs in Ogadenia, the more we understand the true colonial nature of Ethiopia.

• Every single day dozens of innocent people are dying at the hands of the Ethiopian colonial forces with no cause.

• Our peoples' human rights are trampled on brutally day in day out.

• You can smell hunger and death everywhere because our people are starved, torture and killed to paralyze their inextinguishable will and right to self-determination.

• We suffered all kinds of persecution and injustices for hundreds of years with no end in sight, and the Ethiopian regime still persists in its abuse.

However, we should bear in mind that every successful struggle has gone through difficulties and uncertainties, and I believe we shall too. A struggling people aiming to become independent nation have to face difficulties. Every stage in their struggle, there always comes hardships. Nevertheless, no amount of coercion, pressure or hardships will stop a determined people from striving for their rights. We already went through numerous difficulties that put our will and determination to the test, yet our struggle survived, because it is a popular peoples' movement, a legitimate struggle for freedom and justice. More to the point, it should not be lost on us that the road to freedom is a long and rocky one and will not fall into one's hand without sacrifice.

In this context, we need to learn something from the other struggles. The people of East Timor, with a population of less than 1 million, had liberated themselves from Portugal in 1975 after 400 years of its colonial rule. And later, they fought for an independent war for another 24 more years against Indonesia, which had attempted to forcefully annex it. In the process, East Timor lost one third of its population: an expensive price in fact. However, despite all these difficulties, they are living today in a worthy freedom. And why should we really go so far. If we look into our own back yard, we see that the people of southern Sudan have almost realized their precious freedom. There are soooo many other examples.

Here, I am reminded of an old African proverb, which has an endearing message: " the one with the sharp knife will eat meat” meaning that the person who is best prepared will get the reward. There is a lesson to be learnt here. Though the colonial nature may differ, can we say that we are only then limited by our determination!

What is needed

1. To take efforts to bring to the attention of the United Nations, African Union, international governments and other human rights organizations to the extent of the disconcerting bloodlust of the dictatorial and oppressive Ethiopian regime which has no dignity or respect for human beings in Ogaden.
2. To protest, write letters, demand justice, and use every legal and political means we can to educate the international community of the political misery of our downtrodden people.
3. We have to stand up for our rights so vociferously. It is said that " no right can be lost as long as the demand for it persists". This applied to the Somali people of Ogaden who have remained steadfast in their struggle for the restoration of their democratic rights.
4. There are increasing voices of support for our just cause, but to give more weight to it, we need to write harder and be more focal. We silently endured suffering for centuries but never in this more enlightened age.
5. To stand shoulder to shoulder with our struggle to save our people from a lifetime of servitude and victimization.

To that end, I hope the winds of change in the world will eventually sweep Ogaden as well, and God willing, we will go forward to freedom and peace.

 Freedom is a God given dignity due to all human beings.

Abdullahi Hassan
abdulaahihasan@hotmail.com
USA