Ogaden is represented at the UNPO by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). They were admitted to the UNPO as a member

Ogaden
STATISTICS (2010)
Population: 4,439,147 (2007 Census)
Capital City: Jijiga
Area: 279,252 square Kilometers
Language: Somali (95.9%), Oromifa (2.24%), Amharic (0.92%), and Gurage (0.033%)
Ethnic Groups: Somalis (97.2%), Oromo (0.46%), Amhara (0.66%), foreign-born Somalis (0.20%) and Gurages (0.12%)

UNPO REPRESENTATION
Ogaden is represented at the UNPO by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). They were admitted to the UNPO as a member on 6th February 2010.

OVERVIEW
Ogaden, also know as Western Somali Region or Ogadenia is the eastern most region of Ethiopia’s nine ethnic divisions and borders Djibouti to the north, Kenya to the south west and Somalia to the north, east and south.. The capital of the region has been Jijiga since 1994

The Ogaden region is comprised from what has long been considered the traditional territory of Ogaden, and the pre -1995 Ethiopian province of Hararghe. Demographically the region is dominated by ethnic Somali’s who constitute around 95% of the entire population. They have long sought cooperation with the rest Somalia, and end years of Ethiopian occupation. These sentiments provided much of the antagonism for the Ogaden war in the 1970’s when Somalia invaded Ethiopia in support of local guerillas.

The region has an estimated population of around 4,439,147 people (Central Statistics Agency of Ethiopia), with nearly 98% of the population Muslim.

Due to years of war and neglect at the hands of the Ethiopian government, the quality of life in the Ogaden region has significantly deteriorated. For example the average household is estimated to have nearly 7 incumbents, showing a clear lack of available properties. In terms of access to drinking water and other necessary amenities the problem is still considerable. Only 38% of the population has access to safe drinking water and that is mainly limited to the urban areas. Education access is limited with literacy rates of 22% for men and 9.8% for women and an infant mortality rate of 57/1000.

The region is largely dependant on agriculture as its main source of economic stimulus and issues of land rights and access have been the source of much tension between the inhabitants and local and national governments.

POLITICAL SITUATION
Against a background of instability in Ethiopia during the 1970’s, the struggle for self-determination of Ogaden began. With demographics showing over 90% Somali’s, the current political situation began in earnest with the events of the Ogaden war. There is a systemic belief in the area that the Ogaden region should be a part of Somalia rather than Ethiopia, and to regard the current Ethiopian rule as an occupation. This came to a head in the 1970’s as the pro-Somalia Western Somali Liberation Front took up the responsibility of attempting to break away from Ethiopian rule and establish a ‘greater Somali region’. They argued that the ‘colonization’ of the region by Ethiopia had lead to the confiscation of lands, and persecution based on ethnicity. Attacks on government outposts began in 1975, and by 1977 the conflict had erupted into widespread violence and confrontation. The war caught the attention of several international superpowers including the USSR, which lead to a vast militarization of Ethiopian forces.

Against a resurgent Ethiopia, the WSLF and its supporting Somalia forces where forced to concede defeat by March 1978. In the immediate aftermath of the conflict, violence and confrontation regularly occurred, until a depleted guerilla movement was forced to limit their activities to sporadic hit and runs.

Throughout the 1980’s, during the Cold War, Somalia played a key role in American activities in the region. The support of the American forces subsequently allowed the independence movement to continue to operate, albeit with limited success. A second period of armed clashes emerged again in 1988, however was quickly reconciled.

Under Ethiopian rule the population of the Ogaden region has been subjected to economic and political discrimination, leading to an appalling standard of living in the region, and a lack of direct political representation. The military forces have been constantly accused of human rights abuses, which they employ to counter insurgency activity. The ONLF, on behalf of the people, have accused the government of excess force during their military crackdown that began in 2007. Somalis, who inhabit Ogaden, claim that the Ethiopian military kill civilians, destroy the livelihood of many of the ethnic Somalis and commit crimes against the nomads in the region . There has been accusation of crimes that violate the ‘laws of war’ according to Human Rights Watch, and that the population is still suffering greatly at the hands of their ‘occupiers’. Issues in the region are based on the right to self-determination, access to land and amenities and mistreatment of the local population. The discovery of natural resources in the area, most notably natural gas, has added further tension to the rights to the land and its contents.

UNPO PERSPECTIVE

The UNPO strongly condemns the violence by the Ethiopian armed forces and the marginalisation of the Ogaden Somali’s. Decisions on sovereignty must not be conducted by force, rather by peaceful, productive negotiation and dialogue with respect for the principles of self-determination, democracy and tolerance. Citizen participation in politics and society is vital to strong democratic leadership and the UNPO strongly believes that the Ogaden population has a greater role in determining their own future.

UNPO MEMBER PERSPECTIVE

The ONLF, on behalf of the Ogaden population request foremost an immediate end to hostilities against its people. It requires the right to self-determination, and the need to end the forced occupation. The people categorically state that the present regime is not different from its predecessors in substance. The Ogaden people, as a sovereign nation, have the right to be masters of their destiny, and are intent on actualizing that right. The people’s struggle will continue as long as the Ethiopian state remains intransigent to the rights and wishes of the people and continues pursuing its inhuman oppressive policies. They will not participate in the bogus elections Ethiopia periodically conducts as a public relations exercise to beguile the local and international communities and hide its colonial and authoritarian nature. Nor will they be taking part in its colonial administrative structures. They also call upon the people of Ethiopia not to become party to the regime’s crime against humanity.

Fundamental Considerations of the ONLF

1) The Ogaden cause is not at the heart of a dispute between the Republic of Somalia and Ethiopia. It is one of the visages of European colonialism in Africa. It is the cause of a nation betrayed by Britain and other colonial powers and annexed by Ethiopia in a manner contrary to the agreements concluded between the Ogaden people and Britain and in conflict with International Law and the charter of the United Nations.

2) The struggle of the People of Ogaden and the aim of their movement is to obtain the right of self-determination, rather than a struggle aimed at realizing the identity of a nationality. This is because Ogaden has never been historically or politically part of Ethiopia.

3) The revolution of the People of Ogaden is based upon their absolute rejection of the unauthorized disposition of their territory by the British Government; and subsequently on their constant appeals to obtain the right of self determination based on the principle that the people of Ogaden alone reserve the right to determine their political future.

It is moreover based on the charter of the United Nations and its resolutions, which call for the elimination of colonialism and on the declaration of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1960; and on the sixth principle supplemented to the United Nations Charter regarding the elimination of colonialism.

4) The Ogaden National Liberation Front (O.N.L.F.) is a vanguard organization leading the struggle of the people in an appropriate manner; making use of the experiences gained from other liberation movements free from any kind of foreign pressure and intervention.

http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10714/302/