Khudbadii Iyo Fariintii Amniga Qaxootiga ee Madaxa ORC

Waxaan halkan idiinku haynaa Muuqaalka Khudbadii ama hadaladii uu Madaxa Golaha Qaxootiga Ogaden (ORC) Axmedsadiq Faarax ka jeediyay Munaasabaddii Balaadhnayd lagu xusayay 15 Guuradii kasoo wareegtay Aasaaskii Warbaahinta Qorahay Media ee lagu qabtay Magaaladda Nairobi ee Xarunta Dalka Kenya. Halkan Ka booqo Linkiga:

http://www.qorahay.com/khudbadii-iyo-fariintii-amniga-qaxootiga-ee-madaxa-orc-ka-jeediay-15-guuradii-qm/

ORC: Ogaysiiska qaxootiga Ogaden iyo Wadammada kale ee Islii/Nairobi

Waxay Golaha Qaxootiga Ogaden (ORC) ogaysiinaysaa dhamaan qaxootiga Ogaden/Ethiopia iyo kuwa wadammada kale, ee daggan xaafada Islii (EastLeigh), kana dalbaday Xafiiska Resettlementga ee UNHCR in loo soo qabto ballantii Counsellingiga; inay hubiyaan kamid-ahaanshaha codsiyada la ogalaaday inay yimaadaan November 4, 2014 iyo November 11, 2014. Waxay ORC kusoo dhajisay Codsiyadii-la-aqbalay [Approved List] ee kasoo gaadhay UNHCR, labo goobood oo kala ah: 1. Xafiiska Jaaliyada Ogaden (ORC) ee Bariga Afrika, ee JAM street 2. Makhaayada Il-kacas, [kutaalla wadada loo yaqaano ABSAME Street] Waxaan markale ogaysiinaynaa inaad heli kartaan dhamaan Codsiyadii-La-Aqbalay[Approved List] ee lasoo dhajiyay bilihii September iyo October ee 2014, oo iyaguna ku dhajisan isla goobahaas. Haddaba, qofkii iska hela liistada; waxaa lagu wargalinayaa inuu gaadho Xafiiska UNHCR Westland, isla wakhtiga loogu soo qoray ogaysiiskaa isaga ah. Fiiro Gaar Ah: • Baadhashada aqoonsigaaga, ha ku daalin File Numberkaaga ka billaabanaya NETH ama NSOM; ee ku baadho Case Number[kaaga] ku yaalla Mandate aad haysato. • Qofkii ay ku adkaato imaansha goobahaas, ee sugayay ballan-qabasho; Fadlan hasoo wicin Telefoonkan [0719 824 934], ee ku soo dir fariin [SMS] uu ku qoran yahay Case Number[kaaga] oo kali ah; o Haddii ay ballan kuu qoran tahay, waxaa SMS laguugu soo diro “wakhtiga ballanta” o Haddii ayna ballan kuu oollin, wax SMS ah lama soo dirayo.

Kenya: Ethiopian state agents hunted Ogadenis amid violating neighbour's sovereignty!

#Kenya: #Ethiopian state agents hunted #Ogadenis amid violating neighbour's sovereignty! GARISSA COUNTY: On the afternoon of June 9, an unlikely incident in Garrissa helped to reveal the faces and reasons behind a spate of mysterious killings that have rocked the county. That afternoon, a man approached Hassan Yusuf Intabur in his shop on Guled Street in Garissa Town, pulled out a gun concealed in his right hip, and shot him in the head. The gunman then pumped seven more rounds into Intabur’s body until his gun jammed. When this happened, members of the public who had taken cover spotted an opportunity to apprehend the suspect. But the attacker had another weapon. From a plastic paper bag he was carrying, he fished out a grenade, removed the pin and hurled it towards the crowd that was surging towards him. However, his backup failed him, too. The grenade landed softly in the soil, and failed to detonate. With nothing left to thwart the mob, the attacker took off on foot, with wananchi hot on his heels. There was pandemonium in the town as the crowd pursued the attacker who, though fleet-footed, seemed a stranger to the town since he did not know seem to know where to escape to. They eventually caught up with him, tackled him to the ground, and gave him a thorough beating before the police arrived to save him from imminent death. With his capture, the police achieved a rare breakthrough in solving a string of killings that had rocked Garrisa since June. Furthermore, the breakthrough uncovered a vicious war of attrition being fought by the Ethiopian government against one of its secessionist movements. Garissa, a small sand-swept town 350 kilometres east of Nairobi, had become the unlikely hunting ground for Addis Ababa’s special forces against the separatists. When questioned by the police, the attacker, who neither spoke English nor Kiswahili, identified himself through an interpreter as Abdirahman Mohammed Hajir, a chief inspector of police in the Somali regional government of Ethiopia. This is a southern part of Ethiopia dominated by ethnic Somalis. A rebel movement from the area has been fighting to secede from Ethiopia since 1984. The region is also alternately known as Ogaden, or Western Somalia, and the main rebel group is the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). REVENGE MISSION For years, Addis Ababa has sought to destroy the group through brutal repression, resulting in the scattering of the movement’s members to neighbouring countries and beyond. Hajir told the Kenyan police that he was a member of the Special Police Force, or the Liyu in Amharic, a feared paramilitary unit mainly dedicated to fighting the separatists. This force was once headed by Abdi Mohamoud Omar, the current president of the Somali Regional Government, and who is staunchly against ONLF. Also known as Abdi Ilay, he is a prominent member of Ethiopian Somali People Democratic Party (ESPD), and longtime close ally of former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Although he never implicated any of his superiors, Hajir said he had been given orders to carry out a revenge mission for the killing of one of their supporters in Garissa. “It was an incredible tale, almost too difficult to believe,” said Musa Yego, the North Eastern regional director of the Criminal Investigations Department. “For a long time, we were at a loss on what was happening. We thought it was Al Shabab, but the killings seemed targeted, and it was unlike the group to carry out attacks in broad daylight.” The pressure from the Government to find an answer to the killings was mounting with each attack in the county. Garissa has been the worst hit by a spate of terrorist attacks and unexplained killings that have claimed tens of lives. “We have already done much to battle insecurity here. But because these attacks happened almost at the same time as the ones in Lamu, we were under great pressure to bring the culprits to book,” Yego said. Read more: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mobile/?articleID=2000132638&story_title=ethiopian-clashes-blamed-for-spate-of-killings-in-garissa&pageNo=1

Ethiopia Spymaster infiltrates Kenya police

http://www.radiomwafrika.com/ethiopia-spymaster-infiltrates-kenya-police/

By Kasembeli Albert

Anxiety has gripped the Kenyan corridors of power and the National Police Service Commission  (NPSC) after it emerged that Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has infiltrated the Kenya police service and established a unit within, which pays allegiance to NISS and executes orders from Addis Ababa.

Security pundits consider this an act of treason on the part of Kenya police officers involved.

Despite notification from the Kenya spy-master – National Security Intelligence Services (NSIS), sources intimated to The Sunday Express that nothing had been done to avert the lurking threat to the national security by such infiltration by a foreign agency.

“This guys are operating with impunity as though they are no longer officers of the National police Service,” said a senior police officer at Vigilance House.

When contacted the Inspector General, David Kimaiyo denied knowledge of such a unit operating under his arm bit. “Am not aware of that. In fact am hearing it from you,” said Kimaiyo.

Though officials at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi declined to comment on the matter only referring as to Addis Abba, our sources within the embassy divulged that 50 polices officers are on the pay roll of the Ethiopia Government.

The officers under the command of senior police officer based in Nairobi received a total monthly payment of 900,000 Ethiopia Birr (KSh4.5 million) monthly minus the allowances and money meant to facilitate specific operations. The officers are said to live a lavish life and are accessible to top of the range cars.

Even as Ethiopia appears to be using the old spying system. Questions are emerging as to why the government has never taken stern measures against officers involved including charging them with treason because it is clear espionage.

Security analyst Simiyu Werunga attributes this to poor pay and deplorable working conditions, leaving the officers more vulnerable to corruption and bribery. “The government should take a stern action against the suspects for having taken part in criminal activities against their country even after taking an oath,” he said.

It is worth noting that NISS is a very powerful and dreaded organ of Ethiopia’s totalitarian government. It is to protect national security by providing quality intelligence and reliable security services. Under the plans presented, it is accountable to the Prime Minister. The agency has a wide permit to lead intelligence and security work both inside and outside Ethiopia.

“The unit specifically compiles intelligence reports as to specifics missions as requests made by Addis,” said a source privy to operations of the unit. The unit too specifically monitors the operations of Ethiopian dissidents and refugees living in Kenya.

The unit is also said to be responsible for kidnappings of Ethiopian refuges and dissidents and their subsequent repatriation to Addis Ababa where they face death, brutality and long prison sentences. The unit has specific detail to trail their eyes on Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Oganden National Liberation Front (ONLF).

Last week, two police officers appeared in court charged with alleged abduction of two ONLF leaders in Nairobi. On January 26, two top officials of ONLF were abducted from outside a popular restaurant in Upper Hill, Nairobi. The two who were identified as Mr Sulub Ahmed and Ali Hussein were members of the ONLF negotiation team that was in Nairobi for a proposed third round of talks.

It is claimed security agencies from Ethiopia and Kenya were involved in the kidnapping. They were abducted by men who were in three waiting cars. One of the cars, a black Toyota Prado was seized and detained at the Turbi police station on Monday but the two were missing amid speculation they had been taken across to Ethiopia. The ONLF officials were invited by the Kenyan government for peace negotiations.

The two officers charged, a Chief Inspector Painito Bera Ng’ang’ai and Constable James Ngaparini are attached to Nairobi Area CID. He added the officers had been identified by witnesses as having participated in the abduction of Mr Sulub Ahmed and Ali Hussein who were members of the ONLF negotiation team that was in Nairobi for a proposed third round of talks.

Last week, the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) wrote to President Uhuru Kenyatta expressing its deep concern regarding the safety of four Oromo refugees from Ethiopia who were arbitrarily arrested by Kenyan anti-terrorist squad from Isili area in Nairobi on different dates of operations and taken to unknown destinations.

According documents in our possession,  Mr. Tumsa Roba Katiso, (UNHCR attestation File#: NETH033036/1) was arrested by people claiming to by a team of Kenyan police, who arrived at the scene in two vehicles, on February 1, 2014 at around 10:00 AM from 2nd Avenue Eastleigh Nairobi on his way home from shopping. The other three refugees, Mr. Chala Abdalla, Mr. Namme Abdalla, and the third person whose name is not known yet were picked up from their home which is located in the same vicinity.

They are alleged to have been picked by the special police squad on the payroll of Addis Ababa. The whereabouts of those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees is unknown until the time of going to press.

The HRLHA is highly suspicious that those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees might have been deported to Ethiopia. And, in case those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees have been deported, the Ethiopian Government has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights, including the torturing of its own citizens who were involuntarily returned to the country.

The government of Ethiopia routinely imprisons such persons and sentences them to up to life in prison, and often impose death penalty. There have been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against individuals in Ethiopian official prisons and other unofficial or secret detention centres.

Under Article 33 (1) of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (189 U.N.T.S. 150), to which Kenya is a party, “[n]o contracting state shall expel or forcibly return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his . . . political opinion.”

This obligation, which is also a principle of customary international law, applies to both asylum seekers and refugees, as affirmed by UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the United Nations General Assembly. By deporting the four refugees and others, the Kenyan Government will be breaching its obligations under international treaties as well as customary law.

Though some government officials denied it is official government policy, the Kenyan Government is well known for handing over refugees to the Ethiopian Government by violating the above mentioned international obligations. Engineer Tesfahun Chemeda, who died on August 24, 2013 in Ethiopia’s grand jail of Kaliti due1 to torture that was inflicted on him in that jail, was handed over to the Ethiopian government security agents in 2007 by the Kenyan police.

Tesfahun Chemeda was arrested by the Kenyan police, along with his close friend called Mesfin Abebe, in 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya, where both were living as refugees since 2005; and later deported to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government detained them in an underground jail in a military camp for over one year, during which time they were subjected to severe torture and other types of inhuman treatments until when they were taken to court and changed with terrorism offences in December 2008. They were eventually sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2010.

“The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly concerned about the safety and security of the above listed refugees who were recently arrested by the Kenyan anti-terrorist forces; and for those who are still living in Kenya,” said a communiqué petitioning President Kenyatta to intervene.

It urges the government of Kenya to respect the international treaties and obligations, and unconditionally release the arrested refugees, and refrain from handing over to the government of Ethiopia where they would definitely face torture and maximum punishments. It also urges all human rights agencies (local, regional and international) to join the HRLHA and condemn these illegal and inhuman acts of the Kenyan Government against defenseless refugees.

HRLHA requests western countries as well as international organizations to interfere in this matter so that the safety and security of the arrested refugees and those refugees currently staying in Kenya could be ensured.

In the recent past, the rendition of Oromo refugees has been in the news. Kenyan authorities have been accused of illegal rendition of Oromo refugees to Ethiopia   under the pretext of cracking down on the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) militias. While in Ethiopia, the individuals are allegedly arraigned before special courts where they are handed heavy jail sentences ranging from death to life in prison.

The fundamental objective of the Oromo liberation movement is to exercise the Oromo peoples’ right to national self-determination and end centuries of oppression and exploitation. The OLF believes the Oromo people are still being denied their fundamental rights by Ethiopian colonialism. According to Terfa Dibaba, head of the Oromo Relief Association (ORA) based in Germany, 21 Oromo refugees have been adducted in Nairobi and Moyale and illegally shipped to Addis Ababa where they have been locked in custody.

Some of the people abducted in Nairobi and Moyale and clandestinely whisked to Ethiopia and languishing in jail include: Jatani Kuuno, Liban Wario and Milki Doyo. These, ORA alleges, were abducted in a friend’s house in Moyale by Kenyans enlisted by the Ethiopia authorities and ferried in two Kenya government’s Land Rovers to Ethiopia.

Others are Dabaso Kutu, Libani Jatani and Deban Wario. They are currently on trial in Ethiopia. Impeccable source have confided that a Kenyan, Abrhim Dambi, the head of the head of Ethiopian Spy network detailed to track down political dissidents has now fled to Addis Ababa where he is hosted by the government after he was exposed.

Kasembeli Albert is a PR & Communications Consultant.

Amidst hunting refugees, Ethiopia destabilizes Kenya and undermines sovereignty:

Security authorities in Garissa County say they are concerned that the conflict between the Ethiopian government and the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is spilling over into Kenya with fatal consequences.

• 
  Armed members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group during a briefing in Aado District, Ethiopia, on October 9, 2011. A number of individuals associated with ONLF have been killed in a recent string of assassinations in Garissa, Kenya. [ONLF]
• 
  Abdi Mohammed, one of a number of Garissa residents who chased down a man suspected of being behind the recent killings of Ethiopian nationals, recovers from a gunshot wound at Garissa General Hospital on July 10th. [Bosire Boniface/Sabahi]

Related Articles

• Muslim cleric assassinated in Garissa, police kill 2 terror suspects in Mandera
• Gunmen kill 2 in Garissa
 
• Gunmen injure 2 'suspects' in Garissa, police say

ONLF is a rebel group that has been fighting with the Ethiopian government since 1984 for independence of the Ogaden region, a territory contested with Somalia during the Ogaden War in 1977-78 and inhabited by mostly ethnic Somalis.

Garissa County Director of Criminal Investigation Department Musa Yego said local authorities are concerned that the conflict may have spilled over into Kenya following a string of assassinations in Garissa of Ethiopian nationals suspected to be ONLF members.

On June 1st, Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdirashid Mohamed "Jelani" was shot dead after leaving Khalifa Mosque in Garissa town.

Then on June 17th, gunmen shot and seriously injured two men identified as Abdirashid Geel Qaad and Deek Mohammed Ahmed, who was Jelani's brother.

Ten days later on June 27th, gunmen shot Abdirashid Ali Bashir, 36, around Guled area in Garissa town.

The killings continued with Khathar Ismail, 28, shot dead at a cafeteria in Garissa town on July 1st, followed by the assassination on July 9th of his cousin Mohammed Hassan Abdi, a 48-year-old shopkeeper along Guled Road.

Yego said police have arrested five suspects, including three Ethiopians, in connection with the killings. The victims, he said, were all Ethiopian nationals with refugee status who had been in Kenya for several years.

"We have no doubt that they are part of a hit squad that has been responsible for some of the killings in Garissa," he told Sabahi, describing the arrests as a major breakthrough. "They have been killing under the cover of thenumerous al-Shabaab attacks. We hope to make more arrests and end the senseless killings."

Yego said they have reports that the assassins are allegedly Ethiopian government mercenaries and that the slain nationals were associated with ONLF.

"From our investigations we have established that [the victims] have links with the ONLF but we have not established the positions they held in the group," he told Sabahi.

He named the Ethiopian suspects awaiting trial as Abdirahaman Mohammed Hajir, Khalif Hassan and Abdirahman Abdi. The Kenyan suspects are Hussein Osman Abdi, a taxi driver accused of transporting the killers to their targets, and Abdishakur Mohamed Hassan, a landlord who allegedly provided them housing.

An analysis of the firearm recovered from Hajir has so far established that it was directly connected to five recent killings, including that of Jelani, Yego said.

Garissa County Commissioner Rashid Khator said he hopes that the arrest and prosecution of the suspects will bring some closure to residents.

"We do not want to be entangled in what is going on in Ethiopia, but we will definitely ensure that the conflict in other countries does not spill into Kenya," he told Sabahi. "Those fighting on Kenyan soil will be dealt with in accordance with Kenyan laws."

Taking advantage of prevailing insecurity

According to Ahmed Farah Mohamud, chairman of the Ogaden Refugee Council in Kenya, his organisation has provided numerous official reports to the Kenyan authorities concerning the killings.

"We have even provided names of the people we suspect to be assassins. But it is not until now that action has been taken and the suspects apprehended," he told Sabahi.

The killing of suspected ONLF members in Kenya has been ongoing since 2011, with a brief break in 2013, Mohamud said. "The killings in 2011 mostly occurred in Dadaab refugee camps while the 2012 killings occurred in Nairobi," he said. "This year the killings have mainly been executed in Garissa town."

"We feel that Ethiopian forces are taking advantage of the prevailing al-Shabaab attacks in Kenya to perform similar attacks against Ogaden political refugees in Kenya just as it happened in 2011 and 2012," he said, adding that the goal of the assassinations is to silence alleged dissent.

Ethiopia's Ambassador to Kenya Shamsudiin Ahmed said he was liaising with Kenyan authorities in the investigations to "get to the bottom of the serious matter".

"I am not aware of any Ethiopian mercenaries in Kenya," he told Sabahi. "Nevertheless, we are following up to establish the real identities and motives of the alleged killers."

Garissa County Women Representative Shukran Hussein Gure said Kenya's security apparatus should be relentless in pursuing the perpetrators of violence in the county.

"If those we host in the country have their own issues they should settle them in their country and not here," she said.

Gure praised the public for their collaboration in nabbing Hajir after he shot his victim.

"In the past residents have complained that suspects are mysteriously released after an arrest. We hope that the suspected criminals being handed to the police do not find their way out because it will be discouraging and endanger the residents who give out information to the security officers," Gure told Sabahi.

Ogaden Refugee Press Release on January Kidnapping in Kenya

Garissa Residents nap killer suspet - The Star

Police in Garissa have arrested a most wanted and dangerous criminal.

Abdirahman Hajira, an Ethiopian national, was arrested by the public on Wednesday afternoon.

 Hajira is believed to have killed a businessman, Mohamed Hassan Abdi,48, on Guled road with two accomplices before he was arrested.

The public chased the three for 30 minutes. Hajira was cornered a few metres from where the businessman had been killed. He hurled a grenade as he tried to escape but it did not explode.

 The grenade was later detonated by KDF officers. Garissa county commissioner Rashid Khator said a ceska pistol and three bullets were recovered from him.

 The three Ethiopians are said to have crossed into Kenya early this year through the Moyale border to Nairobi before travelling to Garissa.

 Police said the three are behind killings and grenade attacks that have rocked the town in recent months.

 “The arrest of one of the killers is crucial as he will give us more details. We will want to know his accomplices and those who have been sending them,” Khator said.

 “we have been on their trail and we thank the public for assisting us arrest them.”

 Khator said the suspects may be linked to the recent killings but investigations are underway.

 “We will not allow people to kill our people. People should not settle their political or business rivalries in our town. We will pursue them until we get all of them,” Khator said.

 Abdifatah Mohamed, who was shot in the thigh by the suspect, the three were armed with pistols.

- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-176091/garissa-residents-nab-crime-suspect#sthash.NQyetqsT.NoozAC6I.dpuf

Ethiopian assailants' killings spree in Kenya

Police arrest five key suspects behind attacks in Garissa town

Monday, July 14, 2014

NAIROBI (Xinhua) — The Kenyan police said Sunday they have arrested five key suspects behind a spate of insecurity which has rocked the northern Kenya, particularly Garissa town, scarred by previous terrorist attacks.

Detectives have also released identities of the serial killers who have claimed five lives within two months. Regional Criminal Investigation Department commander Musa Yego told Xinhua that the police are interrogating three Ethiopians and two Kenyans in the last two days with regards to bomb and grenade attacks in Garissa town.

“We are happy that we have made a breakthrough to unravel unexplained killings that have thrown our town into security scare in the last two months,” Yego said.

“Among those arrested are three Ethiopian suspected to be from the Somali region (Ethiopia), while two others were Kenyans, a taxi driver and a landlord,” he added.

Yego said the taxi driver was helping to transport the killers to their destination during their killing spree in the town, while the landlord had been giving accommodation to the foreign criminals by renting his houses to them without informing the security agencies of their illegal presence in the country.

The investigators are being helped with investigation by one of the assailants, who was arrested last Wednesday by members of the public shortly after killing a prominent businessman along Gulled hotel area.

Yego said the police have recovered some vital documents, including an Ethiopian passport and communication tracks, that indicates there are teams of people believed to be security officials from the Somali region of Ethiopia sneaking into the country through Moyale and Mandera border points on a mission to kill people they suspect to have associations with a rebel group back at home and cause tribal clashes in the county.

“The passport carried by the suspected killer who was arrested in Garissa briefly after killing a businessman indicates he entered the country through Moyale border before heading to Nairobi, where we believe he met some people, before traveling to Garissa to cause a felony,” he noted.

Yego urged the residents in northeast region to be on the look out and avoid embracing people from other countries and giving them accommodation without first establishing their motive in the country.

Two of the assassins, Khalif Hassan, 38, and Abdirahman Abdi, 40, who are the team leaders are among those in custody at Garissa police station now.

While speaking to Xinhua on phone from London, the Oromo National Liberation Front (ONLF) foreign secretary Abdir

ahman Sheikh Mahdi blamed the attacks in Garissa on Ethiopian intelligence officers of changing their tactics to fight them by carrying out criminal activities inside friendly country to discredit them.

“They want to carry out killings inside Kenya and in turn blame on us so that Kenya, which has been hosting hundreds of thousands of our refugees and asylum seekers, can turn hostile against our people,” he said.

Source: Xinhua

Ogaden Refugee Council

http://www.ogadennet.com/?p=29128

Ogaden Refugee Council – Ogaden refugees’ sanctuary under aggression!

The only assumed haven;

However, since Ethiopia’s invasion to Mogadishu in 2006, and almost – all territories inhabited by Somali populations [including Djibouti and Somalia] came under Addis Ababa control fully, Kenya became the only “nearby save haven” for Ogaden refugees.

Unfortunately, since 2010, the assumed haven was threatened by Ethiopia’s refugee-hunting exercise as daylight murdering or assassinations had been carried out. Key figures of Ogaden community, among them – ONLF officials, were brutally murdered or kidnapped from while in Kenya’s sovereign territory – namely Dadaab refugee camps and Nairobi, in between 2011 and January 2014.

Moreover, because of security-related crises in Kenya, and also military or political developments in southern Somalia, the Ogaden refugees’ only save haven in the Horn of Africa has become, from 2012, more unfavoring for the refugees in general and Ogaden in particular. Therefore, both Dadaab and Nairobi services for the refugees or asylum seekers became restricted as registration or documentation services remain hardily accessed or unaccessible. Here is the Text:

Ogaden Refugees’ Sanctuary Under Aggression

ONA.

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-154810/ogaden-refugees-kenya-ask-govt-protection

Ogaden refugees in Kenya ask for govt protection

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2014 - 00:00 -- BY ALBERT NYAKUNDI

Ogaden liberation fighters in Ethiopia.Photo/File

Ogaden refugees living in Kenya have called on the government to protect them.

The refugees have decried rising kidnapping and harassment of their officials in Kenya. Speaking in Eastleigh, Nairobi  the Ogaden Refugees Committee chairman Ahmed Farah Mohamud said Kenya and the international community have a duty to protect refugees.

"We are appealing to the Kenyan government and the international community to ensure safety and wellbeing of two officials of Ogaden National Liberation Front who were kidnapped in Nairobi on January 26."

He said the two officials were part of ONLF team that was negotiating on behalf of the Ogaden community.

ONLF is a separatist movement that seeks recognition of Ogaden as a sovereign state by the Ethiopian government. Farah said despite the Ogaden refugees escaping from Ethiopia because of torture and human rights abuses,they are still facing  abuses like killings,kidnapping,illegal extraditions,intimidations while in host countries particularly in the  the Horn of Africa.

The  ONLF chairman lauded the Kenyan government for arresting three people including two policemen in connection to the recent kidnapping of ONLF officials Sulub Abdi Ahmed and Ali Ahmed Hussein.

"It's a move giving Ogaden refugees hope of living peacefully in Kenya and shows Kenya's commitment to protecting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers." Farah said.

Farah said that according to a website of Jigjiga,a Somali regional state in Ethiopia the two ONLF officials were captured by Ethiopian Militia group known as Liyu Police. Sulub Abdi Ahmed's wife Kadra Ibrahim Qaman has called on the international community to help find her husband.

- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-154810/ogaden-refugees-kenya-ask-govt-protection#sthash.wH8lelyd.dpuf

Kenya: Ogaden Refugees' Sanctuary Under Aggression!

Kenya: Refugees’ Protection Crises!

Refugees’ Protection Crises!

TUESDAY, 03 DECEMBER 2013 05:07 OGADEN ONLINE

Kenya, unlike its neighbors, remains “a destination for the people fleeing from persecution” as it hosts hundreds thousands refugees of almost ten African countries, most of them from Somalia. It also gets attention of the world’s humanitarian bodies including UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency and its partners to facilitate refugees’ protection and also ease Kenya’s burden.

Despite refugees were mainly encamped at Kenya’s peripheral and relatively under developed regions amid restriction of rights to movement and employment, many asylum seekers were pleased enough in Kenya as “a better place than home”. 

Moreover, Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) intervened militarily in late 2011 into Kenya’s neighboring regions of Somalia. Kenya urged this came after sporadic raids and kidnappings had been employed in the Coast Province and Dadaab refugee camps where tourists and humanitarian employees became victims respectively. Refugees in Dadaab were not even accused of having roles in the raids but rather than that, they were among those to be protected in the humanitarian enclave. 
Furthermore, Kenya justified its intervention of “securing its foreign-currency earning industry of tourism and also ensuring the safety of humanitarian activities in its sovereign territory”, or just protecting its image of being relatively stable country in a volatile region. 

However, just almost a year after KDF went into Somalia, the destabilizing and terrorizing activities increased in Kenya, most notably in the Somali-speaking populations’ dominant areas of Nairobi, Dadaab refugee camps and Northeastern Province.

Refugees targeted twice;     
However, from 2012 - refugees or asylum seekers, who were hosted in a country of Sub-Saharan Africa that faces its own challenges from poverty and governance lapses as the 2007/8 violence was the worst in record, were facing their ever worsening experience in Kenya. 

Moreover, along with other populations in Kenya, refugees were victims from the alleged terrorists and destabilizing forces and also those charged to offences were mostly Kenyan nationals. Apart from the generalized insecurity, refugees became the only target population for the Kenyan government as it issued directives that criminalized refugees urban living. 

Shockingly, this approach had been employed by Kenyan government’s Department of Refugee Affairs despite Kenya High Court halted implementation of the government directive temporarily on February 2013, and then nullified it on July 26 of 2013 after hearing sessions were in course. 

Unfortunately, since the ill-adviced government directive of December 2012 had been declared, services for the refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya were poorly provided and also access denied as documentation services are not resumed in both urban areas and Dadaab camps. 

Repatriation issue worries;
Furthermore, Kenyan government insists to repatriate Somalia refugees into the alleged peace-restored territories of home country – a move regarded by those of concern including refugees as “a premature”, currently. We further applaud the Tripartite Agreement of Somali refugees’ repatriation and UNHCR’s awareness creation and information provisions on this issue amidst speculations. 
On the other hand, the Somalia refugees’ repatriation issue worries by those of concern including Ogaden Refugees Committee (ORC) as “a potential tool of abusing refugees” in this December and following months as happened in the same period of 2012. Such worries get stronger as Kenyan officials spoke publicly of closing Dadaab refugee camps, just few days from the date signed Tripartite Agreement; while UNHCR strongly refutes against Kenyan officials’ claim.

Antagonizing undermines “National Security”;
Deplorably, instead of dealing its security lapses accordingly, Kenya government had discriminated and stigmatized refugees as “a source of country’s insecurity”, and issued the December 2012 controversial directives. Kenya had also collectively punished refugees as it failed sorting out those [refugees] suspected or accused of contributing the menace despite mostly those charged in courts were Kenyan nationals.  

The government insisted “the move of depriving refugees’ rights in Kenya and eventually repatriating them” is inline with its national security. Despite its obligations as a state through both national and international laws are violated as Kenya’s High Court made ruling on July 26 of 2013, this move reversely undermines Kenya’s “national security”. 

The moves against refugees since late 2012 by Kenya, and Jubilee government officials’ speculative loom on Somalia refugees’ repatriation, surely antagonize refugees in general and Somalis in particular. Therefore, antagonizing hundreds thousands of Somalis through forcing them return home unwillingly, should undermine Kenya’s hospitality record for the refugees and may have backlash to Kenya’s security in the future. 

Therefore, the UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR) and both its implementing and operational partners’ roles for protecting refugees’ rights in the year 2012/13 despite they have been fairly intimidated of giving services, deserves to express “our utmost gratefulness” for their approach of dealing such crises. 

We also appreciate the roles played [in 2012/13] by key Somali-Kenyan politicians through their public appealing for refugees’ humanely protection. We shall not hesitate naming few of them; former Deputy Speaker of Kenyan Parliament – Hon. Farah Moalim, Garissa Senator and former Defense Minister and Kamukunji Constituency MP – Hon. Yusuf Hassan Abdi

However, committing to abuse refugees , whom Refugees International (RI) called “the world’s most vulnerable people” for a political goal or hurting others (non-refugees), warrants strongest terms of condemnation. A prize that has been repeatedly awarded to Kenya’s northern neighbor – Ethiopia, which commits of manipulating refugees’ asylum space or individual safety. 

Respecting International Laws is in the interest of All!

---

Ahmed Farah Mohamud    
Chairperson; Ogaden Refugees Committee (ORC)

Ogaden: Refugees' Asylum Space under Attack!!

OGADEN: REFUGEES’ ASYLUM SPACE ATTACKED!

August 22, 2013

In mid of the first quarter of the 21st century, Ogaden conflict incinerates its third century as it started from late of 19th century. Moreover, this conflict has been driven by Ethiopian rulers’ provocative imperial expansion as a means of defeating against “a perceived threat from eastern lowlands”. However, Ethiopian rulers were fully dependent on European and the allied powers of 19th century and up to date.

Apart from the within-regional conflicts, Ogaden has been also suffering from Africa’s scramble or colonization, World Wars I & II, the Cold War and today’s Global Jihadism or Counter-Terrorism campaign. From those confrontations or their aftermath crises, refugees or asylum seekers have been the most expected or recognizable outcome. However, because of Ethiopian rulers’ sympathy from victorious powers, Ogaden refugees have not been treated as they deserved.

Nonetheless, refugees remain fleeing or escaping from the today’s ongoing struggle between Ethiopian government and ONLF – is a separatist movement established one hundred years from the Berlin Conference of 1884. Moreover, though exiled Ogaden advocates have been lobbying since 1990s for the protection of refugees and asylum seekers in the hosting countries, their suffering while in Horn of Africa has been well recorded.

Furthermore, those abuses had been skyrocketing since Ethiopian government had invaded Somalia in 2006 and fully controlled the Horn of Africa region. From Ogaden region’s immediate neighbors, only Kenya became the save haven for Ogaden refugees. However, the said haven (Kenya) came under dominance since Ethiopian regime, from 2010, began applying its refugee-hunting exercise as daylight assassinations or murdering had been carried out. Key figures of Ogaden community or ONLF officials were murdered in 2011 while in Kenyan territory – namely the Dadaab refugee camps and Nairobi.

The assassinations, illegal extraditions, kidnappings, threatening, intimidations, harassments, and many other abuses have been employed against Ogaden refugees in Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya.

Regional developments provoke crises;

From such crises, Ogaden refugees led by ONLF advocates have set up Ogaden Refugees Committee1 (ORC) – a body that advocates and represents for Ogaden refugees or asylum seekers. Though ORC has achieved certain level of progress for the Ogaden cause within a year, Ogaden refugees weren’t assured to remain unharmed.

In addition to that, since new political or military developments emerged from Kenya’s role in southern Somalia, refugees had suffered further from the negative aspects of the said developments. From 2012, both urban and camp refugees had suffered as they were targeted by both the alleged destabilizing forces and victims of the destabilizing activities.

Moreover, despite claiming to play stabilizing role as partner for Kenya, ORC understands that Ethiopian regime contributes those destabilizing activities. And, we also knew, though limited, Jubaland regions were the only save haven for Ogaden refugees in Somalia because of informal protection services. In relation with that, we recognize that Ethiopian regime is increasingly involved into southern Somalia or Jubaland regions crises where initially seen as Kenya’s intervention area. Moreover, Somaliland authorities had illegally extradited Ogaden refugees to Ethiopia on May 20s 2013.

Therefore, neither Mogadishu-based Federal government nor UNHCR offers full protection services for Ogaden refugees in Somalia currently. As a conclusion, we are deeply worried and concerned about:

• The refugees’ protection crises in Kenya; the actual and perceived involvement of Ethiopian government to the menace, since 2011;
• Ethiopian regime’s dominance role in Somalia through both political and military means despite the latter was/is Ogaden refugees’ immediate asylum reach or corridor of seeking asylum to other countries;

Therefore, the year 2013 seems another turning point for Ogaden refugees as Ethiopian authorities who are taking their geo-political advantage, are going to manipulate the Ogaden refugees’ asylum space.

Protection for those in need!!

Ahmed Farah Mohamud
Chairperson – Ogaden Refugees Committee (ORC)
Email:tuurtuur08@yahoo.com

ORC condemns Eastleigh Bus Blast

We the ORC leadership strongly condemn the bloody bus explosion of November 18th  2012 in the Nairobi’s suburb, East Leigh where seven innocent passengers lost their lives amid a number of other peoples had been admitted to hospitals. This worrisome act which is the deadliest in East Leigh since terrorizing attacks began; seems employed by those caring human lives at lowest. It is also understood that such actions do not help gaining any publicity or social acceptance to anybody seeking broad-based political/religious goals. But, it may help awhile to those consider “generalized violence or public confusion” as a means of; barring someone to meet public target or their survival from an upcoming downfall.

From this horror attack, we witnessed that desperate or angry East leigh community members began attacking pedestrians or neighbors belonging to specific community; namely the Somali-speaking populations. However, these inter-community attacks or animosities are among the expected results of those employing such bloody, deceitful and faceless terrorizing aggressions. Therefore, we strongly condemn those [taking the advantage of the status quo] employ or incite inter-community violence amid we urge that people manage restraining themselves from any kind of violence.

We the Ogaden refugees are victims of security lapses as fellow members of our community with political significance were murdered in 2011 [before Kenyan intervention of October 2011] by Ethiopian regime assassins. To further political cause, it seems that destabilizing forces including neighboring government namely Ethiopia, which unofficially opposes Kenya’s role to nearby southern Somalia regions, utilized country’s security sector limitations.

We call on Kenyan government and Kenyan Police leadership not to send security forces to East Leigh for violent crackdown against the alleged un-registered refugees as those performing such inhuman terrorizing missions are probably well registered persons. Rather than, it is recommended that you employ steps offering little chance to anyone trying to take actions easing communities’ severe relationship and hatred sentiments. These steps could lead healthy relationship and mutual cooperation between country’s security forces and communities’ fellow members.

Security for all!

Ahmed F Mohamud

Ogaden Refugees Committee (ORC) – Chairman

Nairobi, Kenya

To follow ORC Chairman, please visit on Twitter:https://twitter.com/MohamudFarah , or on LinkedIn:http://ke.linkedin.com/pub/ahmed-mohamud/44/65a/466

ORC – a body representing and advocating for refugees/asylum seekers from the Ogaden region whose number is estimated to be over half a million in Kenya only.

ONA.

Short URL: http://www.ogadennet.com/?p=18128