Why does a Company from a Country like Sweden which is known for its Human Record is investing in places like Sudan,Ethiopia and Somalia? Dont they know how Brutal this regims are? haven't they heard about Darfur or OGADEN or is it just a deliberate indifference?i have no doubt that given the right amount of information to the shareholders of Lundin Petroleum will demand end to this reckless mismanagement of there wealth and the futrue of the OGADEN People !
The Ethiopian colonial administration in the Ogaden treats the Somali Ogadenis as second class citizens in their own country, exploits the country for Ethiopian gains, and deprives the Ogaden people of their fundamental human rights, including their inalienable right to independence and self-determination. Discrimination and segregation against Somali Ogadenis, in terms of education, health care, employment and economic development is the corner stone of the current government's policy. Government offices in the Ogaden have been purged of anyone whose views were judged hostile to the state, and replaced by Tigreans or those who support the government policies.

Such an overt policy of targeting one group for their political orientation, and preferring others for their pro-government views, has obviously caused widespread and deep resentment throughout the region. A particular target of this policy appears to be suspected supporters of ONLF or other opposition parties.For the last two years, the Ogaden has been hit by a severe drought accompanied by lack of food and medical care, which caused mass starvation, and break-out of epidemics, related to malnutrition and bad sanitation. In the worst drought-stricken areas, dozens of people and hundreds of animals starved to death.

The aid donated by the international community through the Ethiopian Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (ERRC), have been misused by the government by diverting the bulk of it to the military barracks and distributing the rest, which was very little, to supporters of the government policies, who are usually informers and collaborators of the Ethiopian troops in the Ogaden. Article 54 -Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population -of the protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 states that

"Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited. Il is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or to the adverse party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motives."

In May 1996, the Organisation of African Unit y (OAU) called on African States not to cut off water supplies to civilians as a tactic in their wars.However, in the fertile valley of the Shabelle River in the Godey area, the Ethiopian government has prevented the people from cultivating their farms unless they pay 500 Ethiopian birr for each farm, which is too much for them to pay. The peasants were threatened with eviction from their lands if they do not pay the new tax.

In another development, the EPRDF forces indiscriminately mined areas which civilians frequent, particularly around water wells and caravan routes, which lead to neighbouring countries, in order to stop trade movements and starve out the Ogaden people.The Ogaden people had suffered from a century of repression, victimization and exploitation under the successive alien Ethiopian governments, and there is growing disillusionment with the current EPRDF government.

There is no doubt that the human rights situation will continue to deteriorate dramatically in the Ogaden unless the international community steps in to stop the colonial, inhuman policies of the Ethiopian government in the Ogaden.So, as long as the Ogaden people are marginalized and their inalienable right to independence and self-determination is denied, the international community will continue to witness more human rights violations, and more bloodshed, which may lead to the annihilation of entire Ogadeni nation by the Ethiopian government.

The Ethiopian government has acceded to several international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, International Convention on the S suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, Convention on the Prevention and the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Convention on the Right of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convention on the Political Rights of Women, Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Slavery Convention of 1926 as amended, Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery ...etc

Despite the Ethiopian government's ratification of all these important international human rights treaties, the OHRC, which monitors the human rights situation in the Ogaden, confirms the deterioration of the hum an rights situation in the region, and believes that the Ethiopian government's accession to the treaties was intended only to mislead the international community, in order to avoid international public censure over its human rights record, and to get more aid from donor countries, which demand the improvement of human rights situation in the Third World Countries which receive their aid.

This is the reality of the Ethiopian government's attitude towards the human rights situation in the Ogaden, which the international community should take up a tough line with the Ethiopian government to persuade it to comply with international norms of fundamental human rights and civil liberties, and force it to honour its commitments to International Treaties to which it had acceded.The gross human rights violations and non-compliance to the international human rights treaties, demonstrate the perfidious and inhuman nature of the current Ethiopian government.

Article 55 -Protection of the natural environment-of the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 states that:"Care shall be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment against widespread, long-term and severe damage. This protection includes a prohibition of the use of methods or means of warfare, which are intended or maybe expected at cause such damage to the natural environment and thereby to prejudice the health or survival of the population. Attacks against the natural environment by way of reprisals are prohibited. "

However, in the Ogaden, the poor and the fragile ecological balance has been devastated by widespread exploitation and depletion of forests for military purposes, firewood and charcoal by EPRDF/TPLF forces and Tigrean dealers, who have been given concessions and game-licences by the Ethiopian government, which dominated by ethnic Tigreans. The rich wildlife, including big- game, game birds, forests and water resources has all suffered irreparable damage in the Ogaden under the Ethiopian government.

Ironically, the Ethiopian government, which violates the very basic human rights of all citizens in the empire-state of Ethiopia, including the Ogadenis, poses itself as a champion of Democracy and Human Rights in Africa.It is the international community's duty to censure Ethiopia over its human rights record, and hold its rulers responsible for the gross human rights abuses perpetrated in the Ogaden by their Army and Security Forces.