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Minneapolis, MN – Horn Institute of Peace & Social Justice is concerned that the Somali Regional President of Ethiopia, Mr. Abdi Mohamud Omar is expected to depart from Ethiopia on January 18, 2011 and arrive in Minnesota. We are vehemently protesting the decision to allow Mr. Omar to enter the United States. Mr. Omar and two accompanying members of his delegation, Mr. Abdifitah Sheik Abdullahi and Abdirahman Sheikh Mohamed are known human rights violators who have earned a despicable record in their part for the suffering of the Ogaden Somali civilians in Ethiopia. Mr. Omar, who leads the delegation, is the man who has established and single handedly maintained the brutal paramilitary force called Liyuu Police whose mission is copied from the Janjaweed of Sudan who caused the Darfur genocide.

Mr. Omar had created the Liyuu Police for the sole purpose of terrorizing the population to submit to him and the Ethiopian government. The Liyuu Police are unleashed on the population to commit crimes against humanity. The magnitude of their oppression is indescribable and had gone unabated for far too long. They are committing daily atrocities which are documented in the Human Rights Watch’s reports and confirmed by U.S Department of State –Bureau of Human Rights. Mr. Omar’s forces perpetuate arbitrary arrests, open executions, torture, imprisonment without fair trail, and rape as a weapon to suppress women who are defenseless against armed men. Mr. Omar has forcefully recruited underage men from the Ogaden cities, and goes after those in refugee camps located in neighboring country of Kenya who fled from him to join Liyuu Police in order to carry out Ethiopian government’s hidden atrocities against the Ogaden Somali civilians. Mr. Omar was the former Chief of security who led the Liyuu Police before becoming the President of the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Mr. Omar’s victims are scattered all over the United States and are saddened if their tormentor is freely allowed to enter the country without any repercussions for his crimes. Mr. Omar’s victims are currently receiving legal advice to bring him and his two high ranking members to Justice. Mr.Abdifatah Sheikh Abdullahi, the current Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the Federal Government of Ethiopia,  and Abdirahman Sheikh Mohamed, Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade are both accused of serious human rights violations. We feel if these men are allowed to enter the country and conduct their business, it will give the recognition and privilege they so desire to legitimize their abuse back home.

Horn Institute of Peace & Social Justice believes that we must never be silent about grave human rights abuses committed by these men on behalf of the Ethiopian government they work for. We feel that the United States must remain on the side of the Ogaden Somali victims and heed their sincere calls to block Mr. Omar and his delegation from entering the country. The present Obama administration had promised to make human rights its top priority,  and in this case it should make good on its promise and join us in our quest to get justice for Mr. Omar’s victims residing both in Ogaden and in the United States. We take this opportunity to thank our Congressional Representatives from Minnesota, and other organizations who expressed their support by writing letters to the U.S government.

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Release # HIPSJ /20110116
Date: January 16, 2011

Contact Information:
Horn Institute of Peace & Social Justice
Dept of Public Relations & International Affairs
P.O BOX 240781
St.Paul, MN 55124
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