From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Fri Oct 17 2008 - 16:25:55 EDT
ONLF Statement Welcoming The UK's Decision To Withhold Aid To The
Ethiopian Regime
18 October 2008
The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) welcomes the announcement by
the Minister for International Cooperation of the United Kingdom, Mr.
Douglas Alexander, that Britain will withhold future aid commitments to
Ethiopia due to the Ethiopian regimes obstructions of such aid.
The ONLF has maintained for some time that the Regime of Melez Zenawi
has been engaged in a deliberate and systematic effort to obstruct much
needed food aid to our civilian population while using what little aid
that manages to get through for political purposes. The regime has
repeatedly threatened our people in village after village that they will
not receive food aid unless they cooperate with the regime in their
campaign against the ONLF. The regime has also routinely concealed
famine victims from diplomats and international delegations in an
attempt to conceal the extent of the made made humanitarian catastrophe
in Ogaden. The ONLF has called upon the international community to
realize an internationally monitored humanitarian aid corridor into
Ogaden as the Zenawi regime simply cannot be trusted with any form of
aid.
This decision by the United Kingdom serves as an example to other Donor
nations who continue to provide aid to a regime engaged in war crimes
and acts tantamount to genocide against our people. It is time for the
world community to take a bold stand against the deliberate attempt by
the Ethiopian regime to starve our people to death.
The ONLF affirms that we will cooperate fully with the international
community in efforts to facilitate the direct delivery of humanitarian
assistance to our people. We will honor the terms of any agreement
seeking to realize an internationally monitored humanitarian aid
corridor into Ogaden free of the regimes obstructions.
Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF)
http://www.onlf.org/onlfpressoct182008.html
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