Why ICRC not working in Ogaden?

Unlike Syrian regime, Ethiopian regime bans “the presence in Ogaden” by the only organisation that’s primarily mandated “working in the armed conflicts”, which is the International Committee of the Red Cross – ICRC. Though regime’s intensified bloody crackdown against the Ogaden was going on since 2005, it got the knowledge of outside world after regime claimed conducting “Massive crackdown against ONLF fighters”, following the April 2007 Obole attack

on Chinese Oil companies.

However, Ethiopia’s bloody crackdown did not remain intended only to ONLF forces, but also -because of their vulnerable nature, civilian populations and humanitarian NGOs became main targets for the regime. Therefore, ICRC – among Ethiopia’s soft targets, was expelled July 2007 from the Ogaden after it was accussed as it’s among ONLF sympathizers; just like how regime has “perceived feelings” that civilian populations support ONLF.

But, contrary to regime’s claim, the ICRC, which its involvement into armed conflicts dates to almost 150 years duration, was supposedly enough competent to keep its “independent, non-partisan and humanitarian” principles uncompromised.

It is arguable to be questioned;

• What are the factors making ICRC lose its century old credibilities of working in the environment of armed conflicts?
• Particularly, for such a low level conflict of Ogaden, comparing with conflict of Syria – involved directly by world powers or intra/inter-state(s) conflicts where ICRC remained working?

Ethiopia shares policy with Shabaab;

Nevertheless, former President of ICRC Jakob Kellenberger had visited Addis Ababa on April 2011, and asked Ethiopia’s late Strongman – Meles Zenawi to open access for ICRC into Ogaden. He was quoted by VOA1, saying: “I had bilateral talks yesterday. And it will not be possible in the very near future for us to go back to the Ogaden region,” Kellenberger said. “That’s the message I got.”

According to our familiarity, other than Ethiopia, only Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militants had lastly ordered ICRC in early of 2012 to vacate from their strongholds though it was among the latest western NGOs to be asked “moving out”. Al-Shabaab argued that banning ICRC follows an alleged “storage of out-dated food” from the latter’s warehouses (storage centers), and never claimed publicly “if feeling insecure from ICRC activities”2.

Therefore, because of ICRC’s western-owned facade and the Al-Shabaab was facing military incursions from a number of African troops, predominantly led by Christian Stateheads, plus western countries’ funding and logistical roles of the fighting, the militants’ move was not surprising anymore. However, the move attracted concerns from a number of organizations including the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Somalia3.

Ogaden not in the list of ICRC;

As Ethiopia bans ICRC, the then-Vice Chairman of ONLF and now, the Secretary of the Front’s Central Committee – Mohamed Yassin alias Diirane, asked in a meeting forum held recently in London where international scholars or policy makers attended; if participants knew any region in this world where ICRC is forbidden to operate in? The participants replied NO; and he told them “it’s Ogaden” – home of over a century armed conflict for freedom and a second largest region of what’s known as “Ethiopia”.

In December 2013, ICRC issued statement that it visited to, after government permission, almost thirty thousand inmates in Ethiopia’s federal prisons and five regional states – among them is Tigray, but not Ogaden (Somali region). Below is a tweet by ICRC’s English Twitter page where the statement was tweeted; Also, my reply tweet where I asked them; why not tell if access into Ogaden denied?
 ICRC ‏@ICRC12 Dec

1/3 This year, we’ve resumed our #visits to federal and regional #prisons in #Ethiopia. http://ow.ly/rIjpp
 1. Ahmed Mohamud ‏@MohamudFarah
 @icrc
 #Ogaden region or its #jigjiga-located #Jail-Ogaden not among them. If dnied, why not tell? #Ethiopia
 9:23 PM – 29 Dec 13 • Details

However, because of its absence, the region’s notorious detention centers such as Jigjiga’s Jail-Ogaden, remains “world’s worst places where human being gets detained today” as regime’s Somali-aired satellite ESTV repeatedly displays videos by self-degrading detainees – after being tortured though most of them are freedom fighters.

Therefore, why ICRC is not working in Ogaden – a region facing almost sixty years of insurgence against Ethiopia’s annexation or over a century struggle [for freedom] against Britain-founded colonization?

At last, as Somalia militants’ move sought condemnation, what about Ethiopian regime’s expulsion of ICRC? Why it missed attracting condemnation from international community? [at least] from those of humanitarian roles?
 Freedom for the Ogaden!!!

 Ogaden online