Jun 22, 2010

Ogaden Demonstrate at ICC


 

Last Friday 18th June 2010, around 200 Ogaden representatives gathered outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, The Netherlands for a demonstration to draw attention to the deteriorating situation faced by their communities who live in the eastern part of Ethiopia.

A coalition of NGOs came from across Europe representing Ogaden now living in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and the UK to present evidence to a representative of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court about the actions of the leaders of the current Ethiopian Federal government and the Somali Regional government under Ethiopian rule.

Thousands have been displaced and killed in Ogaden Region since 2005 and concern has grown since the Ethiopian government rejected a proposal in 2007 for a UN independent investigation into the human rights situation. Ethiopia has also restricted the journalists and organizations who are able to operate in the region, severely hindering both humanitarian access and dissemination of information about the reality on the ground.

Since Ethiopia is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, it presents further obstacles for the possibility of an investigation by the ICC. Nevertheless the coalition is committed to campaigning for pressure to be excerpted on Ethiopia to push through the pipelined draft law to incorporate the Rome Statute into domestic law and support calls for a Security Council Resolution to refer the urgent situation faced by the people of Ogaden. 

The submission was presented by the following Ogaden Civil Society representatives:

1. Stichting Ogaden Relief Organization in the Netherlands
2. Ogaden Community  Association  Germany
3. Ogaden American Community Association  USA
4. Ogaden Community Association  Finland
5. Ogaden Community Association (UK)
6. Ogaden Community Association Denmark
7. Ogaden Somali Community Association  South Africa
8. Ogaden Somali Community Association  Australia

For an article from Ogaden Today click here