Afars – National Independence through Common Struggle with Ogadenis, Oromos, and Sidamas

Among the most tyrannized African nations, and the worst hit during the Colonization carried out by European (Italy, England and France) and African (Abyssinia) countries, are the Afars.

If Somalis have been left out of the national home ‘Somalia’ in Kenya, Djibouti and Ogaden (illegally occupied by Abyssinia), and if the Oromos have been colonized for more than 120 years, finding themselves divided in Abyssinia and Kenya, the Afars have been subject to a trichotomy as they have been partitioned among Abyssinia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

This situation has created a complex situation that resulted in the existence of many Afar political organizations and liberation fronts, each of them having a slightly different objectives as they normally focus on the provisory country where the find themselves. In fact, the entire East Africa has been divided by colonial borders geared to ensure perpetuation of natural resources’ illegal exploitation by colonial powers and tyrannical regimes and to prevent a proper nation building process for any of the indigenous African nations.

In front of this dire situation, the Afars have to rely only on themselves; the same is equally valid for all the other oppressed nations, and the multi-divided Somalis. Promises from the part of colonial delegates and tyrannical rulers proved to be false and malignant.

Solidarity among the tyrannized and oppressed nations of the Afars, the Sidamas, the Oromos, the Ogadenis, the Kambaatas, the Kaffas, the Shekachos, the Wolayitas, the Anuak, the Nuer, the Shinasha, the Gumuz, the Berta and the Agaw can help them all cross the forthcoming deterioration, and effectively struggle for freedom and national independence.

Knowledge of the other cultures and behaviors, acquaintance with the experience of another oppressed nations, familiarity with all those standing for the same values and principles, namely a free, independent state for every nation whereby nation building process can be carried out, solidarity with the plight of the other tyrannized nations, and coordination in the political and military struggle are essential for the liberation of all the oppressed nations of Abyssinia (fallaciously re-baptized ‘Ethiopia’) and the imperative demolition of the criminal state ‘Ethiopia’ that produced the most atrocious genocides in the History of the Mankind.

In this process, sensitivities of one nation must be shared by the rest and a modus vivendi and operandi must be found that will promote common action at all levels: from the denunciation of the Amhara-imposed historical forgery and bogus-dogma of ‘Ethiopianism’ to an East Africa awareness campaign that will challenge the falsehood diffused by the illegal and misrepresentative ‘Ethiopian’ embassies, and from common manifestations to commonly organized military attacks against the illegal tribal army of the tyrant Zenawi.

To further illuminate aspects of the plight shared by all Afars, who are exposed to the most arid landscape of the colonial realm of ‘Ethiopia’, I republish three press releases issued by the Afar Human Rights Organization (AHRO). I will further expand on the subject in several forthcoming articles.

The Afars Pastoralists of Ethiopia at the Gunpoint!

Press Release

The pastoralist Afar people in Ethiopia live in the north-eastern part of the country known as the Afar Regional State with great strategic significance. The Railway line, the main highway passage to and from Ethiopia to neighboring countries passes through this region. For instance, the roads that stretch from Makale to Abala, from Wukro to Barahle and to Dalol in the North are the case at hand. In the South, the roads from Batie to the main highway from Awash and Millie to Bore (to Assab in the past) and the newly constructed roads from Hara to Millie as well as the road from Sardo to the salt valley in Afdera in the north are vital for the security of Ethiopia. All these areas are today occupied by the TPLF army. The roads in the North were constructed due to Ethio-Eritrean conflicts in 1998-2000. The road from Millie to Harra too was constructed at this time to improve accessibility to Tigray region diverting the way from Batie and Dessie. Afar is untold victim of Ethio-Eritrean war.

In the south, the road linking the towns of Awash and Millie running parallel to the Awash River was constructed at the mid 1970s and was intended to give plantation owners in the Awash valley opportunities to sell their produce to the domestic and foreign markets. The road crossed important grazing areas, water spots, and shrines of the Afar pastoralists. Consequently, the conflict between Afar pastoralists and the authorities was inevitable.

Instead of resolving the problem by dialog with affected communities with pastoralist lifestyle, the Ethiopian regimes have stationed heavy army commandos to monitor and take action. Since 1970, thousands of peace full pastoralists have been killed by the army while crossing the highway under the pretext of security problem. The Afars describe this road as the "road of terror".

The situation deteriorated during the Dergue as a result of civil war. The Afars were the first victim of the conflict between guerilla groups that sought to control the highway and the Dergue army. Gradually however, the settlement of the army part of widespread corruption through contraband smuggling from Djibouti and Somalia. Additionally, the army was involved in anarchistic activities such as aflama fees (payment extracted from every single animal of the Afars considered to have intruded the State Farm). Although the Afar of the region complained the naked aggression of the armies, the atrocities continued and no response ever has been received.

This situation continued after the fall of the Dergue. Immediately after seizing power in Addis Ababa, the TPLF army invaded the region of Dubtie, Millie and Gawane in July and September 1991. Since then there has never been any peace on the highway. Just to mention some of the cases among so widespread incidents. For instance, in one occasion the Afar pastoralists that passed the road were captured and were kept in a container by the armies for months without any trial. In another occasion the Afar pastoralists that passed the bridge of Awash Arba was killed and mutilated, and were thrown out in the bush. Afars were killed while praying on the roadside without any provocation. In a number of cases Afar pastoralists who were looking for their cattle were killed and left in the bush. Those killed were either buried in the bush or left out for wild animals to be eaten. The Afar people have filed the case a number of times without any responses. The same happens in and around the old State Farms, newly constructed Dams, sugar cane plantation guarded by loyal TPLF armies. Heavy armies are stationed on and around these roadsides which do not let the Afar to use their grazing land, water spots and movement to markets. The Afars are told to evacuate ten kilometer on each side of the main roads that passes through the Afar region – while there is no other place to go!

Although the Afar Regional authority is nominally supposed to handle its own public problem the TPLF-led army does no recognize any other authority other than themselves. Even officials from regional authorities have to carry guns for fear of banditry and army harassment on the road. The involvement of the army in the region without any restriction meant not very much to enhance security in the region rather to cause terror and fear among the Afar people. This situation has been even worst when conflicts emerged in the past and the looming conflicts with Eritrea, which forces the Afar Region to allocate much of its meager resources, budget, vehicles, and manpower to support the war efforts.

Currently, the conflict with Somalis in Somalia and the Ogaden have deteriorated the security situation and overwhelmed by combined forces intended to meet the war challenges both from Eritrea and the Somalis. Every strategic corner of the Afar is occupied by huge armies, which harasses the Afar pastoralists anywhere and any time! Therefore we believe that the TPLF army does not bring about peace to the area rather causes more insecurity and threat in the region!

Although opposed by the Afars, the TPLF army carried out a number of raids and invasions in the northern Afar region to push the pastoralist from their traditional territories. Some of these areas bordered with Tigray are still occupied by TPLF army!

We condemn atrocities committed by the TPLF army against the Afar pastoralists!

We call upon all humanitarian organizations to investigate these atrocities committed against the pastoralists!

Those committed the crimes be brought to Justice immediately!

The TPLF army out of the Afar region!

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Afar Pastoralists Face a Humanitarian Crisis

Press release

Afar pastoralists inhabit the most arid landscape in the Horn African states, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea. Environmental degradation and desertification has made the livelihood of the pastoralist society more fragile and insecure.

Additionally, the boarder conflicts between the Horn states discriminate the mobility of the pastoralists in search of water, pasture, and access to market places. This signifies that the pastoralists are facing the double burden and challenges of existence both in terms of regional instability and the climate changes.

Currently, the entire Afar pastoralist in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia are facing a humanitarian crisis due the above mentioned factors. They have lost their livestock which are the main income generating commodity and the remaining few and weakened has lost the market value. Moreover, the flow of the displaced pastoralists across borders is blocked by the government forces referring to security issues. Therefore, many are trapped in desert landscape facing a mass starvation. Meantime, the Horn regimes lack a plan to handle the looming humanitarian crisis and famine prevention strategies near boarder areas, which are highly militarized. The media coverage regarding the crisis seems to be purposely ignored by the respective regime.

NGOs in the region continue to report on the crisis and the impact of displacement, and dramatic impoverishment of the pastoralists. So far their call has not resulted in any significant responses both from the international community and from the regional governments.

Afar Human Right Organization therefore appeals to:

- International community to investigate and act accordingly to the crisis.

- Regional governments to ease the blockade and actively help the needy.

- All Afars both in Diaspora and in the Horn of Africa to lend support to the Afar NGOs in the region

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Negligence and Denial of Human Rights: the Case of Afar Refugees in Horn of Africa

Press Release,

The Afars the people who inhabit parts of Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea, are the least known outside the Horn of Africa. The Afar Human Rights Organization (AHRO) would like to bring to the world attention the concern of Afar refugees in the Horn of Africa.

The first known wave of the Afar refugees occurred during the colonial time. The French and the Italian waged war to establish colonial sphere of influence by occupying parts of the Afar region displacing thousands of local people to the hinterland. The clans attached to anti-colonial struggles were banned from entering into occupied colonial territory. Therewith, the displaced were denied access to markets and other socioeconomic privileges. Afars have also been victims at post colonial era but mainly due the emergence of new states with communistic and ethnocentric approaches, which in turn caused intra-state and inter-state armed conflicts. Major displacements of Afar communities took place in (1977–1978) due Ethio-Somali war, the civil war in Djibouti (1991–1994), Ethio-Eritrean war (1998–2000). In addition to recurrent drought and outbreak of different epidemics, the Afar civilians were caught between the cross-fires of the states and many liberation fronts.

Despite immense human right abuses and sufferings related to aforementioned crisis no reports are obtainable and the attempt to alleviate the condition has been almost non-existent. Consequently, thousands of refugees are living more than twenty years in a grueling circumstance in Yemen (mostly refugees from Eritrea and Ethiopia), in Ethiopia (mostly refugees from Djibouti and Eritrea) and Djibouti (refugees from Ethiopia and Eritrea). In the above mentioned countries the refugees lack the access to basic health care system and education.

We call up on UNHCR and other humanitarian organization to revisit the case of neglected Afar refugees in the Horn of Africa!

We call up on Horn of African states to facilitate the returning process to those displaced!

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