Ethiopian Troops' Attrocities in Ogaden

["Bashir M. Hussein" <bashir@popcsi.unian.it>]

BBC MONITORING INTERNATIONAL REPORTS:
OGADEN RADIO ACCUSES GOVERNMENT TROOPS OF ATROCITIES

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom ; 10-Oct-2000

Dear listeners, we would like to brief you on the various incidents that 
occurred in different districts of Ogaden region [southeastern Ethiopia] in 
the month
September. The weyane [Ethiopian] soldiers, without any reason, slaughtered 
six people near Degeh Bur town and wounded five others. The weyane 
authorities also
arrested and detained 38 people in various districts.

All the victims were business people, nomads and peasant farmers. The 
weyane soldiers carried out these atrocities in the following districts: 
Degeh Bur, Bermiq,
Gosata and Dariq [all phonetic]. Reports say the colonialist soldiers also 
looted all the
property belonging to families in these areas...

The Ethiopian government did not charge these people for any crime nor did 
it take them to a court of law to defend themselves against any crime that 
might have
been fabricated against them. All the victims were not involved in 
political activities at all. However, they had boycotted the so-called 
elections which the Ethiopian
government held in the Ogaden region. The weyane government considered 
those who decided to boycott the elections anti-government.

Reports say none of the magistrates in the law courts in Ogaden region 
are  locals. On the contrary, all the courts are administered by weyane 
personnel.

Further reports also say that all the soldiers and security personnel 
serving in the region are not indigenous to the region and perpetrate 
atrocities at will...

In light of these, the sons and daughters of Ogaden region will not 
continue to witness these acts without defending themselves and exacting 
revenge from the weyane
soldiers. The people of Ogaden region reject all forms of enslavement and 
colonization

Source: Radio Freedom, Voice of the Ogadeni People, in Somali 1630 gmt 10 
Oct 00