Ogaden Online Editorial

The legitimate struggle for the self-determination of the Somali people of Ogaden led by the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), has it's roots not in the organizations that preceded the ONLF but rather in the villages, towns and rural areas of Ogaden where a people denied educational opportunity, health care and the freedom to associate formulated a vision of what life would be like when their aspirations would be realized. This vision has been speculated on by many foreign pundits but very few have asked the people it most affects for answers.

At there very core, the people of Ogaden yearn for legitimate governance based on democracy. It is the nature of the nomadic peoples of Ogaden to choose freedom over autocracy. This desire manifests itself in all aspect of society in Ogaden. Decisions are made collectively, and individual liberty is fiercly protected. Deep down, the people of Ogaden know that these cultural values can be translated into a legitimate and modern administrative structure but examples of such a structure are sorely lacking.

The people of Ogaden have never known what it is like to have an independent judiciary, they have never seen a police force which protects the people rather than preys on them. They have tasted the fruits of a free and fair election but once and even then, they choose the ONLF to represent them, a fact which the Ethiopian regime could simply not accept.

Despite, the burning of villages, the hanging of nomads, the widespread detention of innocent civilians and other State sponsored acts of violence which can only be described as war crimes. The people of Ogaden still believe that their collective rights will be realized. The simple fact of the matter is that the desire to be free of repression only grows stronger. The conciousness of a people simply cannot be switched off. It is a reality to be accepted and dealt with by all concerned parties.

The Ogaden today has a vibrant diaspora many of whom have witnessed first hand what a democratic and legitimate order can bring. It is that experience coupled with the fierce independence of the Somali nomad in Ogaden that fuels the struggle. A struggle still standing despite countless bullets fired against the innocent and deliberate State sponsored efforts to starve and economically blockade the people.

For those who wonder why the ONLF commands so much support among the people of Ogaden. It is simply because the ONLF represents the only legitimate structure they have known. This is why the people continue to support the ONLF despite all the suffering they have borne. It is why young men and women who have never seen their ancestral homeland protest in the capitals of the world when called upon to do so.

The world has witnessed the failure of seeking to impose illegitimate structures on people. This failures have brought about countless deaths and untold suffering. For Ogaden, the simple truth that must be accepted is that the people and the people alone can choose their destiny. It is in their hands to determine what type of future they want. The ONLF has a sworn mandate to seek every opportunity to ensure that the people reclaim that power and that right.

Among those who love freedom, it is well known that the desire of a peoples to choose their destiny is withstands all forms of suffering. Ogaden holds the key for solving much of the problems of the Horn of Africa. It is time for the worlds policy makers to explore the possible. It is time to discard old ways and advance an agenda based on the aspirations of people.

Today, the people of Ogaden have both the desire and capacity to engage with all and any concerned party seeking to pursue a path a peace through justice and legitimate governance. It is only then that the people of Ogaden and their leaders can play an effective role in realizing a Horn of Africa where democracy is flourishing and intolerance is not tolerated. The agents of democracy for the future are still waiting to be born, if only they are given a chance.

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Ogaden Online Editorial
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