By Hodan Heelo
They say silence is golden but I say silence is a killer especially when you are oppressed. My whole life I had wondered reasons my father was always gone to fight off some war somewhere in the world. One day I found the courage to ask my father; daddy why are you gone so much? Is it because you don’t love us anymore? My father shook his head and asked me to come and sit on his lab. I got very excited and run up to him feeling a special little girl. He gently pressed his hand on my head and said I love you with all heart and remember my heart is mighty and he chuckled….
My dear daughter he says there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t ask myself if I am doing the right thing. I hate injustice he says with a sad face. If I can carry hate in my heart dear it is injustice and my people, the people in the Ogaden region live with fear, social injustice, oppression, and ethnic cleansing everyday. I can’t sleep peacefully when my own people are suffering. I hope the sacrifice I am making is worth at the end.
I was only seven or eight and the words social injustice, oppression, and ethnic cleansing were too big for me to digest. All I took from that conversation was that someone needed daddy’s help. As I became an adult, I kept wondering should I ignore the signs of social injustice in Ethiopia in general but specifically in the Ogaden region. The more I tried to ignore was the more it bothered me. It was like an itch that I couldn’t reach to scratch it. The feeling of guilty and sorrow overwhelmed me as I took my place in life as a young woman. How can I ignore all these? I remembered my father’s words how can I sleep peacefully when my people are suffering?
I discovered silence is a killer and if I continue being quiet it would soon destroy me. I got involved in the effort to advocate for the people and pretend like I am doing what my father did except I wasn’t fighting a real war. It turned out to be a real challenge because I lack the resources, the time, the money, and the power to change anything. All I had was my high spirit that I could change the world and end this suffering. Was I wrong?
Ethiopia is ruled by a tyrant called Melez Zenawi who has the resources to bully anyone under his rule. He is funded by the Western countries especially US and Canada. As he claims he is fighting with Al-Shabab which has no base in Ethiopia only in Somalia. US alone give about 2billion in aid and where does that money go of course weapons to destroy whoever didn’t die of starvation. Once I have learned how much money US government spends on Ethiopia for aid; I was disappointed and frustrated. I also felt guilty that my tax dollars are being funded to kill my own people.
How can the Western countries and especially United States support such a horrible leader? I don’t understand how the foreign policy of this country works but I sure don’t appreciate my taxes being spent on human torture. Melez not only oppresses Ethiopians thus he also oppress the greater Somalia and Kenya whom are his closest neighbors. Melez is like that big mean kid who use take everyone’s lunch money except US and Canada are providing that lunch money for him. I rest my case with the statement that silence is a killer and we should all speak up about the genocide of our own people.
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written by Abdi, June 01, 2011
Hodan I do feel that West Founded Criminals will soon meet their fate as Husni Murabik and alikes.Do not disoppoint there will be a time U.S will find uncomfortable position in Africa and their backed Dictators like Zenawi,it is just matter of time.
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written by Lovely, June 06, 2011
Dear Hodan,
What you are doing is admirable, keep going and someone somewhere will hear your cry inshallah
What you are doing is admirable, keep going and someone somewhere will hear your cry inshallah
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written by Frank Forsberg, June 07, 2011
United States are doing what they feel will benefit us. Melez is doing what is good for him. Ogaden people should do the same and unite instead of working with Melez and oppressing their own people. Some of the aid that we give to Ethiopia is for its people which Ogaden is part of. What they do with it we can not dictate. The truth is Ogaden working with Melez harm their people almost as much as Melez does and that you can change. As long as you avoid responsibility you can not solve anything. If you want to make a change, take a look at yourself and go from there. Melez is despicable human being but instead of trying to change the rules of the game, Ogaden should learn how to play the game like Eritreans did before their independence where they set aside their differences and united.
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written by Nadia Ali, June 07, 2011
This comment is to Frank, I don't think you understood the message of this piece of writing so let me help you out. The writer isn't blaming you or anyone else except the doer of the action which is Melez. Yes, Melez isa criminal and he will be judged one day. As for you, I hope you don't support the killings and torture of other human beings because if you do then you just like him. The Ogaden people cannot play the game when the plain field isn't even. Melez got a head start and it will take some time for them to catch with him; however it takes one day the Ogaden people will be free. It is the world's responsibility to act on genocide and torture and put a stop to it. This writing is crying out to the world not to people like you who are narrow minded enough to think that the Ogaden people deserve what is happening to them.
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written by Frank Forsberg, June 09, 2011
@ Nadia, Sorry that you misunderstood me but when we were in Jigjiga those who were carrying the arms and standing our way and making sure that we don't find out how bad Ogaden people were treated were Odagen also. Maybe this is not the forum for this debate as much of the readers are freedom fighters but some confused and neutral people may read this and that is why I said what I said. There is no place I said Ogaden people deserve this but I sure say analyze the situation and the root of the what is stopping you and doesn't mean you give up and deserve this. In the US there were many Ogaden people in different places speaking for Melez and that is what we see. What I meant was your prosperity and freedom are not in the hands of the U.S. or the E.U or rich Oil countries, it is in your hands. I understand one needs some help, then ask God for help.
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written by Abdi Jan, July 20, 2011
Dear Frank
I understand what you're saying and might seem so, that the ogadenis are the ones surpressing themselves. But even in the days of slavery in the USA, there were black people working to keep the power structure. Those were the so-called house negros or uncle Toms. The white slave-owner used other black people to beat the slaves. Does that mean, that the white slave owners were not to be blamed?
This story is similar, because you have the power house in Addis are using and arming Ogadeni/somali militia to carry out the dirty work.
The ones in the diaspora, that you are mentioning also know about the surpression. Many of them are afraid to critisize the government because they won't be able to visit home country or their families might get punished. I have talked to some of those and they're kind of mixed. Some are the above mentioned who're afraid of not being allowed to return home. They might get accused of being ONLF sympathisers. Others are the ones who simply hate the sub-clan of the ONLF leader. Others are being paid by the ethiopian government to spread propaganda etc. etc. So You can't conclude that Ogadenis are the ones surpressing themselves.
But stopping the financial support from the west would be a good start, or at least find out what the money is being used for...
I understand what you're saying and might seem so, that the ogadenis are the ones surpressing themselves. But even in the days of slavery in the USA, there were black people working to keep the power structure. Those were the so-called house negros or uncle Toms. The white slave-owner used other black people to beat the slaves. Does that mean, that the white slave owners were not to be blamed?
This story is similar, because you have the power house in Addis are using and arming Ogadeni/somali militia to carry out the dirty work.
The ones in the diaspora, that you are mentioning also know about the surpression. Many of them are afraid to critisize the government because they won't be able to visit home country or their families might get punished. I have talked to some of those and they're kind of mixed. Some are the above mentioned who're afraid of not being allowed to return home. They might get accused of being ONLF sympathisers. Others are the ones who simply hate the sub-clan of the ONLF leader. Others are being paid by the ethiopian government to spread propaganda etc. etc. So You can't conclude that Ogadenis are the ones surpressing themselves.
But stopping the financial support from the west would be a good start, or at least find out what the money is being used for...
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