Ethiopia: Update to ETH29660.E of 15 July 1999 on recent activities of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and coordination with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)

The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) is described as "a band of ethnic Somalis fighting the Ethiopian government for control of its southeastern Ogadenregion" (AP 11 May 1999). Several media sources report that the ONLF has been engaged in terrorist activities. The following is a chronology of recent activities by the ONLF:

3 April 1999 the ONLF guerrillas capture Eric Courly, a French hydraulic engineer, who worked for the French humanitarian organisation, Action Against Hunger (OHRC June 1999).

7 April 1999 according to the OHRC in a press release, the ONLF accuses the engineer of "involving in activities incompatible with his duty as aid-worker..." (ibid.,

May 1999. ONLF reportedly informs Action Against Hunger about the release ofEric Courly but does not specify where he was released (IRIN News Briefs, 11May 1999).

- ONLF reportedly hands Eric Courly to a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (AP 11 May 1999; IRIN 11 May 1999).

July 1999.ONLF reportedly destroys "an Ural military transport vehicle belonging to the Ethiopian army in Degeh Bur…a spokesman for the ONLF said that his forces had also captured an Ethiopian military officer" ('Xog -Ogaal,' 25 July 1999).

August 1999. ONLF together with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Sidama Liberation Front issued a pess release in which they reported that they had killed 473 Ethiopian soldiers and wound 361 others during fighting in southern Ethiopia (AP 19 Aug. 1999; IRIN News Briefs, 20 Aug. 1999).

In October 1999, a joint committee of the OLF, the ONLF and the Sidama Liberation Front (SLF) reportedly issued a statement in which they accused the current government of atrocities against their people.

Members of the Oromo, Ogaden and Sidama communities are being subjected to constant detention, extrajudicial killings and abductions. From the time when the three fronts began their military operations, the regime stepped up its evil acts against our peoples. Under the cover of searching for anti-peace elements, its forces are committing atrocities against our women and youths in villages. Freedom of movement has been restricted. Nobody is allowed to move from one village to another without written permission from local authorities (Voice of the Oromo Liberation 3 Oct. 1999).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see below the list ofsources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Associated Press (AP). 19 August 1999. "Ethiopia Says its Forces Have Killed Rebel Leader." (NEXIS)

_____. 11 May 1999. "Somali Rebels Release French Aid Worker." (NEXIS)

IRIN News Briefs. 20 August 1999. "Over 400 Ethiopian Troops Killed."

[Accessed: 16 Nov. 1999]

____. 11 May 1999. "ACF Worker Freed." "

Ogaden Human Rights Committee (OHRC). 6 June 1999. [Accessed: 16 Nov. 1999]

Voice of Oromo Liberation [in Oromo]. 3 October 1999. "Ethiopia: Rebel Groups Accuse Government of Atrocities." (BBC Summary 4 Oct. 1999/NEXIS)

Xog-Ogaal [Mogadishu]. 25 July 1999. "Oromo Rebels Reportedly Kill 40 Soldiers in Southeast Ethiopia." (NEXIS/BBC Summary 27 July 1999)

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London]. January 1998 - October 1999. Vols. 38-40. Nos. 1-25.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998 1999 United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Press.

Horn of Africa Bulletin [Uppsala]. January-June 1999. Bi-monthly.

The Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris]. Weekly. January-October 1999. Nos. 793-856.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. January 1999-June 1999. Monthly.

Vol. 45.