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By: Saafi (Hoodo)
Labafidhin
labafidhin@yahoo.com
May 27, 2008
courtesy: gordontour
Ginbot 20 –
the 9th month of Ethiopian
Calendar corresponding to 28th
May G.C –is the day former Ethiopian
dictator was overthrown and his regime fell
apart. This day is a historic day for some
parts of Ethiopia, particularly the
Tigrayans who are since then enjoying
relative development and freedom, but
unfortunately not for so many Somalis who
were also the victims of the Derg regime and
still to date remain the target of neglect
and collective punishment by Tigray Peoples
Liberation Front (TPLF) led government.
While there has been a tangible change in
other parts of Ethiopia that is favored by
TPLF, all Somalis everywhere in Ogaden
continue to pay the price of being a SOMALI.
They are not allowed to exercise the right
to choose, they are massacred in the name of
rebellion, their villages burned down,
hundreds of thousands forced to flee into
neighboring countries, the figure of
internally displaced being much higher than
that. In short, the situation is as dire or
worse as it was eighteen years before.
Despite all
these hardships, TPLF and their cadres in
Jigjiga and elsewhere in Ogaden are using
this day as a propaganda tool and forcing
people to come out for mass celebrations, as
if they have changed the lives of the poor
for the better!! They have employed a large
number of spies to threaten the community.
It is an open secret that anyone who does
not participate activities intended to
glorify this day will be considered a member
of anti-peace elements, and as a
result risks unlawful arrest and extreme
torture.
Last year
there was a huge loss of lives in Jigjiga
and Dhagaxbur when simultaneous explosions
hit crowds forced to attend Ginbot 20 event.
Some of the casualties went to TPLF stooges
including Abdulahi Hasan Lugbuur –a selfish
and ignorant man claiming to be president of
the people while he is only one of the real
enemies. However, the majority of the
victims were people from the street who were
forced to attend the show. The TPLF blamed
ONLF for the attack; but the leadership of
the latter distanced itself from such acts.
In addition, some people interviewed pointed
out that they have every reason to suspect
the regime in power of executing the plot to
mislead the international community against
ONLF. The TPLF and its cadres are using the
same tactics to organize people forcefully
for this year’s Ginbot celebration. Many,
including business people, are going to be
present to show their faces to the
organizers only to avoid consequences of
being absent. But as the memory of last
year’s explosions is fresh in the minds of
the people, everyone is afraid of getting
there again. And some prefer to stay home
and instead expect the worst case scenario:
a prolonged jail (which they say is better
than dying by an explosion!)
Tomorrow’s
celebration of Derg’s downfall is about
celebrating a change. Probably, we have
nearly seen this change in Ogaden the first
two or three years. But since then either it
was the same or worse than the Derg era for
Somalis in Ogaden. So, it is very ironic as
well as surprising that Ginbot 20 is popular
only in among Somalis and not widely
celebrated across other parts of Ethiopia
especially where there is a change worth of
celebrating such as in Tigray region where
the ruling TPLF comes from, and who instead
prefer to celebrate the day TPLF was formed
in 1975 (Hidar 30, 1967 Ethiopian Calendar).
For the time being our minds are too busy to
find a way out of this dark era but for
sure, my people, our day will also come,
hopefully soon.
By: Saafi (Hoodo)
Labafidhin
labafidhin@yahoo.com
May 27, 2008 |
