American Jews stand at the forefront of the international campaign to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The coalition of conscience that the Jewish community helped build is pressuring Sudan’s patron, China, to put an end to the slaughter.
Next door in Ethiopia, meanwhile, another humanitarian crisis is unfolding. Ethiopian troops are burning villages inhabited by ethnic Somalis in the Ogaden region — using the same scorched-earth tactics employed by the Sudanese regime in Darfur. But there are two crucial differences between Darfur and Ogaden: First, Ethiopia’s principal patron isn’t China — it’s the United States. Second, on the Ogaden issue, the American Jewish community has so far been silent.
Ethiopia claims that it’s conducting a counterinsurgency operation in Ogaden. Admittedly, the terrorist threat in the region is real. The Ogaden National Liberation Front, a separatist group, murdered more than 70 people at a Chinese-run oil field in the region this past April. But Sudan is likewise facing a separatist rebellion in Darfur. That fact doesn’t justify Sudan’s slaughter of innocent civilians, and it doesn’t justify Ethiopia’s conduct either.
A farmer from Ogaden told a reporter that Ethiopian soldiers had strangled his wife to death with a rope; the wife had been nursing the couple’s one-year-old son when she was killed. A 25-year-old woman told The New York Times that Ethiopian soldiers visited her village each night and picked a new girl to be gang-raped. A staff member of Doctors Without Borders said she saw Ethiopian soldiers chasing women and children away from water-wells.
Ethiopia has expelled Red Cross representatives from the region and prevented Doctors Without Borders from gaining access to villages. That makes it harder for food and medicine to reach the desperate population there — and harder for real-life horror stories from Ogaden to reach the West. But a U.N. team did visit the region, and its report — released September 19 — was sobering. The monitors said they had found evidence of “serious violations of human rights.”
The body count in Ogaden is still a tiny fraction of the death toll in Darfur. But even though Ogaden isn’t the bloodiest conflict in Africa, the bloodshed there stains our own hands.
Ethiopia has been a close American ally in the fight against Islamists in neighboring Somalia, and the United States doled out $284 million in non-humanitarian aid to Ethiopia for fiscal year 2007. President Bush has asked Congress to raise that figure to $481 million for fiscal year 2008. If that request is approved, American aid would represent well over a tenth of the Ethiopian central government’s annual budget. In other words, Ethiopia is utterly dependent on American aid. Ethiopia can continue its scorched-earth campaign in Ogaden only if America lets it.
A bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey would halt the flow of nonessential aid to Ethiopia unless the government improves its human rights record and removes “undue restrictions” on aid workers. A House subcommittee approved the Payne bill on July 18; two days later, the Ethiopian government released 38 political prisoners from jails in the capital city of Addis Ababa. The timing of the prisoner release clearly shows that Ethiopia is responsive to American pressure. But while the House has pressed forward with human rights legislation, the Bush administration and the Senate have balked.
In early September, Bush’s assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Jendayi Frazer, paid what Voice of America described as a “whirlwind” visit to Ogaden, an area larger than the state of Florida. In about a day’s time, Frazer concluded that allegations of human rights abuses there were “unsubstantiated.” She must not have looked all that hard: The U.N. fact-finders said that they had heard “direct accounts” of abuses — and numerous journalists have reported the same. Unfazed by Frazer’s statements, the House pressed on with its efforts: At the beginning of October, it passed the Payne bill by voice vote and referred the legislation to the Senate for action. But it’s been nearly a month since then, and the Senate has yet to act.
While the Bush administration and the Senate have failed to intervene, we Jews have a sacred obligation to defend the victims of senseless slaughter: “Neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor,” the Book of Leviticus commands us. We Jews also have a special relationship with the people of Ethiopia, dating back to the Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Solomon, as recounted in the Bible’s Book of Kings. The horrors of Ogaden are especially vivid for us because we know all too well what it’s like to be an ethnic minority in Ethiopia: A previous government slaughtered hundreds of Ethiopian Jews in the 1970s.
To protect the Jews of Ethiopia, Israel airlifted thousands of men, women and children out of the country in the 1980s and early 1990s. American Jews played a key role in coordinating and financing the operations. The effort to protect the ethnic Somalis of Ogaden need not be so dramatic. It can be waged on the home front: Americans must insist that their elected officials place clear conditions on future aid to Ethiopia. But so far, the situation in Ogaden has yet to spark the public outcry that it ought to. It’s time for American Jews to take the lead once again.
Daniel Hemel is a 2007 Marshall scholar and is studying international relations at the University of Oxford.
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To: Jewish community, we Ogaden people appreciate your acknowledgment and understanding of the plight of Ogaden people. Only one who experienced mass killings, raping, tortured, imprisonment, discrimination and isolation and starving to death would truly understand what Ogaden people going are through. And no one would understand better then Jews who have the victim of all of the above, therefore we are asking for your support to intervene Ethiopian atrocities against Ogaden people. In return Ogaden people will always remember and honor those who supported and stood by us on difficult times and we will one day return the favor. We children of God must recognize crime against humanity and take appropriate actions to hold accountable those responsible committing the crimes. Please support HR 2003 bill which will prevent Ethiopia to further practice human rights volitions and their use of undemocratic systems. One must not treat genocide in Ogadenia a rumor but actuality that Ogaden people experiencing in 21st century which can be stopped and prevented. Thank you Daniel Hemel & Jewish Community.
We the Ogaden people are not Ethiopian, never have been and never would be. Ethiopia invaded our Ogaden Nation when the Europeans gave the Ogaden to Ethiopia as a thanks for the assistance they recieve from them in order to slave Africans and ever since the Ethiopian have been slaving us.This man Sellase is nothing shorter then spies that work for the regime and agent if you will who perhaps him self raped or killed an Ogaden in his lifeime I'm sure of just like the Ethiopian Ambasodor in Washington DC so please don't pay no attention to him and his sick agends.Please help our Ogaden Nation so we can be a free Nation and a prosperous one. We are so delited that you hear our cries and wanting to help us Thank you to the Jewish comunity for you care
Dear Mr. Daniel, With all due respect, I am very much disappointed and surprised to read such one sided view. In fact, it appears you have not even willing to teach us the main cause of the recent activates on Ogaden region. Who did what first? Who killed first? It seems you are saying all Ethiopians collectively against and punishing the great people in Ogaden. Let me tell you, Ogaden is part of Ethiopia and there is no Ethiopia without Ogaden. Ethiopia is such divers country and existed for over 3 thousand years. We resisted the so-called great Muslim invaders in that particular region of Ethiopia while we have nothing. Today, Thank God! The great nation on Earth, USA beside us and no one will kill our people again, even poverty. According to my understanding all Ethiopians have suffered during the 1970 not just Jews. I don't know what it makes Jews special while all people are suffering together. Suffering is suffering. It does not make any difference because you are Jew, Amhara, Ogaden, .. by comparing the situation in Ogaden to Darful, you make the Darfure case valueless. This is like almost insult to the suffering people of Darfure. I am not from the present Ethiopian government side but I am confidently telling you that almost all Ethiopians are united to protect the people of Ogaden from outsiders, Muslim invaders. In fact, the government may be killed several people here and there. That is very unfortunate and those who mishandled should face justice.
Please help us. We the Ogaden people have vicitmized by this dictator Meles Zenawi the Hitler of Africa.Our Ogaden Nation is calling to its human brother and sisters to stop and to bring Meles Zenawi and agents to justice. We need a quick intervention by the international comunity to stop this Genocide and ethnic cleansing that is taking place in our homeland. Please helpd,please safe live by calling on President George Bush stop aiding these terror sponsered regime in Ethiopia.Ogadenia ought to be free over 1.5 million ogaden died in his rule of Terror Meles Zenawi have to be brought to justice just like Sadam Husen And Hitler
PLEASE HELP STOP THE GENOCIDE OF THE OGADEN PEOPLE.THIS IS THE 21 CENTURY WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW SUCH HORRIFIC CRIMES SUCH AS HANGING PEOPLE,TORTURE,ENTIRE VILLAGES HAVE BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND AND ALL THIER IN HABITANTS ALL KILLED.SO MANY HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND STARVED TO DEATH. I READ ONE STORY THAT ONE OF THE VICTIMS SAID A 12 YEAR OLD BOY WAS GANG RAPED BY THE ETHIOPIAN ARMY I MEAN THESE ARE THE SADDEST THING EVER IN MY MIND. MELES ZENAWI YOUR DAYS OF TERROR IS OVER YOU WILL BE BROUGHT TOJUSTICE NO DOUBT
Meles Zenawi is the Hitler of Africa that names suits him very well.This evil and brutal man knows nothing but destruction. This man has an army of 300.000 as you can tell all the income he gets from begging the international comunity goes toward feeding the army while the rest of the population begs out on the street.He has managed to kill like no other during his time in power he killed so many inoccent people in Ogaden and Oromia.But now he is going all out in the Ogaden he is using the air force and everything in his power to wibeout the Ogaden people out of their homeland. I want to thank the Jewish people for their care of thi Ogaden people.
BEING A MINORITY MYSELF, I WELCOME THE WRITERS POINT OF VIEW WHILE I APPRECIATE THE ROLE PLAYED BY AMERICAN JEWS ON THE ISSUE OF DARFUR IT SEEMS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING IN ADDRESSING THE OGADEN ETHIOPIA CONFLICT WHICH THE WESTERN MEDIA PICKED ON IN THE RECENT DAYS. IT'S HEART BREAKING TO READ SOME OF THE VICTIMS ACCOUNTS ON HOW THE THE ETHIOPIAN TROOPS ARE HANDLING THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THE OGADEN.PLEASE GIVE A SIMILAR STATUS AS THAT OF DARFUR IT IS ALL WITHIN YOUR POWERS
It is unfortunate in 21 century to see a dictatorship like Males Zenawi and international commnunity are just watching, i am very sorry about the funding and helping of the US government this massive genocide going on in the Ogaden region, Malez and his collegues are investing the total economy to the militery side so that he can stay and controle, i am so happy th jewish community their reaction toward what is going on in eastern Africa.
It seems that the world is now about to hear the cry of the poor Somalis in the Ogaden. Just one more step. Let us all put one more pressure on the American Senat to pass the human rights bill. Some human beings are humane, but there are some, which only feel for things that are of interest to them, just like George Bush. Let us make Bush understand that the interest of Americans are not only in the hand of dictator Meles, but in the hands of the 70 million Ethiopians all oppressed by Meles. Justice and freedom should prevail.
Obviously this is not true. So far zero people died in ogaden because of government. But ONLF rebels admittedly killed 60 ethiopians. let us do the math 0 < 60 the number zero is less than 60. The ONLF that sided with ICU islamists massacred those 60 ethiopians. the islamists said they want to make somalia islamic republic and spread islam in east africa. if isreal is surrounded with more islamic republics in the region, i don't think that will be funny matter. oh by the way, the 200,000 darfur people that died in sudan, well, i think you see what is wrong with your article. it is all about mathematics. we need to know that the number zero died is not equal to 200,000 died. we also need to know the number 60 died is not equal to zero. hopefully, you will write facts next time, thank you very much.
As the matter of [word deleted] many Ogadenis are dying by the hand of Tyrant so-called zenawi many are being raped,torturing,mass arresting with a condition of above human can bear Tigre and Amhara barbaric and inhuman elites have no respect humananity.the humanatarian abuses are undarway in Ogaden they do not bother who is dying'b/c they are not Tigre/amhara just like Kill Every one who is alive'By the way we strongly urge Bush adminstrations to stop the Genocide unfolding in Ogaden. whe astonished that a Frazer supported the ethnic-cleansing of Ogaden.Ask her how many people are being arrested,being tortured,killed untire Region of Ogaden,there is no doubt that she is taking part the problem.We appreciated the jews community that they felt abliged to stop the human abuses and man-made-famine in Ogaden,shallom,sallom our jews siblings ,i wonna thank for your endeavor to help those who are in need your assistance.
well done Danial HELP THE PEOPLE OF OGADEN FROM THE MERCILESS OF ABYSSINIA THE SOONER IS THE BETTER!STOP BLACK COLONIALIST ABYSSINIA/ETHIOPIA
Well done daniel, the somali ogaden people are victimized by the blood thirsted regime of tigre, we are voiceless,helpless and poorest on earth today. we even don't see any hope and the ethiopian troops are still killing,raping and torturing the woman, childrn and the elderly men
Dear Daniel Hemel: I am very glad that you are recognizing as well as exposing the ongoing subtle gencoide in Ethiopia. Shalom,
please help us,we are ogaden people who are killing ethiopia troops raping woman,confiscating livestock,burning villages and distroying everthing which is necessary for human life,we need help,for every one us they can.
Dr. Mr. Hemel: While it is always nice to see African affairs addressed, it is unfortunate to see your biased account. You shock me when you say "it's time for American Jews to take the lead once again." Ethiopia has always been a sovereign nation who has handled its own problems. Our very own men and women fought for 17 years and ousted one of Africa's biggest armies in 1991. We are a self-sufficient nation who does not need outside meddlers. Please do not compare the Ogaden region to Darfur. It is very rude and discriminatory that you would lump all African nations together and figure that our situation is similar to what happened in Sudan. There are over 80 different ethnic groups in Ethiopia and there are many Ethiopians who know how tough life can be as a minority. Yet and still we have always perservered and come out victorious through our own means. Please urge American Jews to call the people of Palestine into their conscience and do not worry about our proud sovereign glorious nation, Ethiopia.
What a timely article on an issue many in the current administration would like to hide. Coming from the prespective of a community that in the past suffered in the hands of psycho path, it is quite admirable that you take our government to account on the Ogaden issue. How moral can America be when it asks China to bring Sudan to account while allowing Ethiopia to wage the same kind of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment in Ogaden? All Americans should be outraged by what is taking place in Ogaden. Genocide has one target and it is to kill. Ethiopia is killing Ogaden Somalis in myriad of manners and it is about time that all Americans pressure our government to stop supporting a regime that is hell bent on wiping a nation off the earth. Kudos for your article.
American Jews are the ones who are at the Heart of American Hegemony when it Comes to Horn of African and Middle Eastern Countries. It is really a paradox for a people who suffered so much in the hand of Nazi Germany now they are in the driver seat leading America to Rick havoc throughout Africa. As far as I am concern, the Jewish People lost their credibility long time ago.
This is just one more anti-Ethiopian propaganda masquerading as a spokesperson of the Jews. It may well be a voice coming from Arabs and Eritreans to discredit Ethiopia's sacrifice by fighting a potent enemy, Alquida, essentially on behalf of the United States. What Ethiopia needs at this juncture is to encourage the leadership to gradually institutionalize democracy, not rush the country into a hastily organized so called democracy. Democracy demands not just a right but also a responsibility. In a country where people are struggling to ecke out their daily existence and don't really understand a western model of democracy, to push it into it is tantamount to throwing a baby into a fire. I strongly reject the unsubstantiated accusations of Ethiopia by people who do not use the media responsibly.
well said Daniel Hemel.
I am a ogadeni who fled the violence in ogaden and i am a member of the ONLF the only people who fight for the ogadeni people. i am happy to see people who care about humen rights. one thing i like about jews is they have a sense of common sense. The Bush Administration is a oil hungery blood suckers who dont care about human rights violations when they themselves are commiting them every minut in Iraq and Afganistan. I don't expect the Bush Administration to act on the human rights violations commited by their ally africas hitler. males zaniwa is commiting ethnic glencing in the ogaden he is commiting genoside only seen in africa when the slave trade was going on. i expect the good people of america to act on the humane rights violations commited by males zanawi. i am vary happy to see people making their voices heard and i am vary happy to see the american jews are against the ethnic glencing of the ogadeni people. please as an ogadeni i ask of you to help us in this struggle. and as an ogadeni i thank you for your support.
As an Ogadenian who lives in USA, I am just surprised to see the international to ignore the genocide that is going on in Ogaden, women gang raped by the TPLF solders, inocent lives taken and tortured everyday, so I am glad to see the international communities, such as the American Jewis Community, to take action and speak about the ethnic cleansing that is going on in Ogaden, and to stop hand by hand the horrible actions that TPLF solders are doing.
Make no mistake Daniel Tembel this bill you are propagating will definitely affect the security situation in the horn and it will affect the good Ethiopia/Israel relation in a negative manner. Make no mistake. Since Eritrea is the cause of these terror mess in our region, our government will not be obliged to restrain itself. What ever price there is for Eritrea Ethiopia is ready to pay the price in order to get peace. Mark our word! We know you are decimating these lies to supposedly protect Israel's interest in the Red Sea region. But then wait and see, time will tell. The farce you have corroborated on your piece came out of a video horror game program. It doesn't matter which "NGO" said it. It has nothing to do with the reality on the ground. There is no shred evidence for it. UN humanitarian delegation was in this region came with a very different report than the "NGOs" you have mentioned.
I THINK WE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE BRAIN WASHED THINKING THAT ETHIOPIA IS A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY OR HEADED FOR DEMOCRACY WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY GOING BACK TO THE DARK AGES AND THE CURRENT REGIME HAS SHOWN IT HAS NO RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SECURITY WOULD DO ANYTHING EVEN IT MEANS DISTURBING THE PEACE INTO A NEIGHBORING COUNTRY. WITH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTING WITHOUT VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS ETHIOPIA DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SLOWING DOWN. SO ARTICLES LIKE THIS GIVE HOPE TO THE STRUGGLE OF THE OGADEN AND SAYS MAY BE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HASN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU. WE KNOW NOW THAT THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY IS PAYING ATTENTION AND WE HOPE THAT ACTION CAN FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE AND THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT THE HR2000 I PERSONALLY HOPE THE AMERICAN JEWISH CAN SUPPORT THE OGADEN PEOPLE ONLY THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SIMPLY DIE BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. FOR THE SUPPORTERS OF ETHIOPIA DON'T TAKE THIS ARTICLE AS AN INSULT TO ETHIOPIANS, BUT A FACT ABOUT THE CURRENT REGIME WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A VOICE LESS PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST THIS GENOCIDE. HOWEVER, THE DICTATOR REGIME PAYS THEM NO MIND, SO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION. TO THE AUTHOR THANK YOU FOR SHEDDING SOME LIGHT ON THE STRUGGLE OF THE OGADEN PEOPLE EVERY POSITIVE ARTICLE IS A WIN FOR THE OGADEN PEOPLE AND A LOSS FOR THE DICTATORSHIP
Wow, hold on, hold on, I think I am dreaming? Let me go straight an American Jewish community stand at the forefront of the international campaign to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur or is suppose to be Plastaine? I think there is mistake some where? To be honest with Daniel something is wrong with this statement and none of the people comment your article has actual say any about it. Which I found very astonishing. I really admired your article and effort you on this subjects in ogaden. However, I cannot see anything new in your article. Yes, people of Ogaden are going through one of their toughest time in many years. But, frankly speaking we are far better treated than those plastainine and if you’re really meant it on what say about your community stopping genocide then concentrated in your door step please. I am sure the Middle East would have a peace once that has been sorted. Then you can help us in ogaden or darfur. One think I really admired meles is that at least hide his genocide and refused the world to known about it so far for long time, I don’t known how long he can do so. I hope you would not take this as personal. Please helps us, stop genocide in Ogaden? Me too guys, but you guys are asking the wrong person. Come on think, that is why you mind?
First,Of all I was waiting this goldenlight(yes it's a diamon light for me and for the rest off the ogaden people)please let me to thank for Daniel Hemel and all the American jewish community Thank you very much again. Secondly,We knew your are the advoccaters of (Victiums,discrimination cases,freedom fighters,manorities and all the human right rights .......)All over the world., and we knew one day u would stand beside the ogaden victams.Ogaden people never forget it and we appreciate all u're efforts. This comments page some people they are just chatting like they do allways(hoppy)and some of them them are jocking and some off them are dreaming and I respect the views but you have to be a realistic when we are talking Ogaden issue is very painfull for me and for money others.One guys said we are(Ethiop) very strong and We are a self-sufficient nation who does not need outside meddlers.,yes you are right very strong,but if u are not u couldn't Abuse me ,rape,rope killing,mass killing and terorise me nightimes and burning the villegs and so on.remind you it's shame to ignore your ally and who is give you walfare(longtime(Bread))by the way Hitler was very strong and selfish but what happen later on.,I don't think force can resolve the problems.My conlusions is, think it brother and be fair(Human dignity)Peace is very important, very expensive and very sweet.It's too hard for u to understand or feel like I feel or jewish community or many other communitties feelling.facts always clear. Please,It's not too late and we need u're voice and efforts. Your voice and efforts can stop bloodiest conflictin Africa Eng. kalafe Thanks for your attentions.
Well done Jews community
Malase is the Hitler of Africa, Thanks Jews Community
Indpendent Humanatarian organizations on the ground have witnessed the burning down of entire villages because the people are simply Somalis. Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, United Nations independent investigation team and the New York Times are not Ogadeni owned and they have all described the reign of terror that people of the Ogaden are facing against a very brutal regime that uses the same tactics that the Sudanese government uses in Darfur such as rape, burning down of villages, confiscating livestocks, using starvation as a method of war and extra-judicial killings. What more evidence does people of conscience need in order to defend the defenseless. Jewish members of congress have already been some of the most vocal opponents of the regime as this tragedy unfolds. The rest of the United States Jewish community should support the Ogaden people at this dark hour. Justice must prevail in the Ogaden.
Dear Mr.Hemel I would like to thank you and congratulate you for your courage and integrity to speak out against the great injustices that are happening as i write this comment in our beloved homeland when not many people seem to give a tos about the undescribable suffering of our country men.so thank you again, you dont know how much we appreciate your efforts.What this means is that the cries of despair of our mothers and sisters who being gang raped by the Meles militia almost daily through out the Ogaden is finally being heard,may be not yet responded to but better late than never.These sort of articles from respected schollars like yourself and renowned newspapers like the Forward at a time when its much needed,give fresh hope and revive the dream that the people of the Ogaden will soon break free of the black colonislism that's brutally and mercilessly denied them the right to live anything close to a descent life. The Ogaden people desparately shout for and very much welcome even bolder steps from the American-Jewish Community and hope that you will help in holding this bloodthirsty monster Meles accountable for the crimes against humanity he has unashamedly commited in the Ogaden.Once again thank you and please don't stop there.
THANKS TO ANY COMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO HELP THE OGADEN PEAPLE.THE OGADEN PEAPLE ARE GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES.THIS 20007 AND WE ARE WAY BEHIND.I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE AMERICAN JEWS COMUMINIY FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THAT STATE OF OGADEN
indeed ethiopian atrocities against ethnic somalis are well documented in the international media. well done Mr. Hemel and thank you for your sense of humane.
HR 2003 will not be asolution for the problem in Ethiopia. But it Descourages the current development in democracy and humanrights. it is beter to develop a system for the government and capacity building to improve the situation on progrese