Foreign battles fought in Kenyan refugee camp

[EEGA9]

Foreign battles fought in Kenyan refugee camp

They are in the country seeking refuge after being hunted by their government day and night, but still they can’t get the peace they were seeking, writes BONIFACE ONGERI

Life in the Dadaab refugee camp may look calm for most of the over 300,000 refugees, but not for the Ethiopian refugees.

The refugees, most of them from Ogaden region in Ethiopia, have been living with their antennas up following what they claim is selective elimination of some of their leaders who are seen as dangerous to the Ethiopian government.

When they escaped into Kenya, Ms Maryan Sulub Dubad thought that they had escaped persecution from military onslaught against members of the proscribed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) in south eastern Ethiopia.

"We didn’t know that danger also lurks here where we thought we would be safe," she laments. "We had sought political asylum in Kenya, but the same people we were fleeing from killed my husband inside Kenya."

Her husband, Abdirahaman Abdullahi Muhumed was found murdered in Nairobi’s Industrial Area by people she claims are Ethiopian agents operating in Kenya.

"We used to receive strange people enquiring about his whereabouts. We reported this on several occasions to UNHCR and to police, but no action was taken until he was killed," she says.

Muhumed, who was famously known as Tiba, was found with bullets pumped on his head and chest.

He was in the ONLF Central and Executive Committees in the last couple of years and was in-charge of the Interior and Security Coordination since 2010.

And on August 19, last year Abdirizak Mohamed Abdi was shot dead by a gunman in Ifo camp at around 11am.

Blinded by a bullet

He was registered as an Ogaden political refugee and was a member of the ONLF. Abdi, refugee number 261137, was standing in the Ifo market with some other refugees when he was shot.

Before his killing, unknown assailants had shot dead Kamas Dhabar Jibarte at Ifo refugee camp. Roble Musa, who was in the company of Jibarte during the attack, was blinded by a bullet.

Around the same time, Sheikh Mohammed Dubad was killed in Garissa town by suspected Ethiopian operatives.

"We fled death from Ethiopia but it is following us into Kenya," laments Abdi Fatah, an Ethiopian refugee.

"Even as we are seated down here, they know what we are up to. The Ethiopian intelligence is all over the camps posing as refugees, but they are hunting down people they claim to be members of ONLF," Fatah adds.

The Ogaden Refugee Community Chairman Ahmed Farah Mahamud says they have information that the Ethiopian intelligence is working in collaboration with pro government militia to eliminate some of the refugees in Kenya.

"The pro government militia, given the name of special police, carry out assassinations in exchange for amnesty and cash rewards," he says.

"We have furnished the UNHCR with names of the operatives of the hit squad, but our people continue to be assassinated. Some of the militia pose as refugees but their work is to monitor the activities of the Ogaden and who they associate with. Whoever they suspect is kidnapped and their bodies are later found dumped," he says.

Some of them have been forced to flee the refugee camp and are living in the city in the fear that Ethiopian agents are still after them.

Ideological conflicts

There have been reports of ideological conflicts between two groups of the Ogaden community, which the Ethiopian Government has allegedly used to its advantage.

The refugees say recently the Ethiopian government signed a peace deal with one group, which was also fighting the government in the Ogaden region.

Mahamud says the differences of ideology have spilled into Kenya as Ethiopian government unleashes one group to eliminate suspected ONLF members who have sought refuge in Kenya.

"The agents have at least three bases near the border of Kenya to carry out any necessary assassination. One base borders the Kenya town of Moyale and another one is in Sufka neighbouring Mandera. The closeness to Kenya is for ease of operation. The third base is inside Ras Kamboni on the Kenya-Somalia border," Mahmud says.

"We have been reporting threats and possible attacks against the Ethiopian refugees or asylum seekers to UNHCR and its partners on refugee affairs since 2009, but the killings have continued," he tells UnderWorld.

Recently, Kenyan clerics came out to claim that ONLF members are in the country and in particular Garissa County. The religious leaders said the ONLF presence had jeopardised their safety.

The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Garissa Branch Chairman Sheikh Hassa Ammey said some people they suspect were Ethiopian intelligence and members of the breakaway group were hunting down the suspected ONLF members and their alleged sympathisers in the county.

"Among those being hunted for elimination are local prominent clergymen who they accuse of harbouring the ONLF," he said at a press conference.

Government’s denial

But North Eastern PC James ole Seriani denied the presence of ONLF members in Garissa County or anywhere in the province.

However, he said investigations are ongoing to establish whether the killings of clergymen in the recent past have anything to do with the alleged Ethiopian operatives hunting down dissidents in Kenya.

Kenya is currently hosting close to 100,000 refugees from Ogaden region in Ethiopia.

Seriani accused a section of residents of taking sides in the foreign conflict, which could brew problems.

"What we have told the residents is that they should not take sides with a war too far away they have nothing to do with," the PC said. "If there is any involvement from Kenyan side, it should be to facilitate peace and find a solution and not taking sides."

[EEGA9]

Kenyas government has given strong warning messages to Ethiopia concerning its Intelligence activities, more rapid action must be taken if Kenya doesn't want conflict in its territory.

[SahanGalbeed]

There have been reports of ideological conflicts between two groups of the Ogaden community, which the Ethiopian Government has allegedly used to its advantage.

The refugees say recently the Ethiopian government signed a peace deal with one group, which was also fighting the government in the Ogaden region.

Ogaden is DEAD ! You can thank your drunkard cousins in Kenya for starting all this

[EEGA9]

war orod wax isku fal nijaas baad tahay.
You have no understanding of the issues discussed here...In any case charity begins at home

[SahanGalbeed]

Explain "charity begins at home" ?
What is here that nobody but you cannot understand ?

[SahanGalbeed]

Let me give you the opnion I have about you guys here .
Ogadens in here everyday take credit for
1/ The actions of the Kenyan military since the def minister of Kenya is Ogaden
2/ The actions of Turki because he is Ogaden
3/ The actions of the whatever the fuck the militia that work for the kikuyus is called
3/ The actions of the Somali region of Ethiopia because the top guy is Ogaden
4/ the actions of the ONLF because they are Ogaden .
And now you wanna tell me that Kenya via the Ogaden people they have in their gov is calling out Ethiopia who also uses Ogaden proxies ?

get out of here man !

[hanqadh]

war anigu ku camiri maayo sheekoyinkan aad wadatid, dadka maskixiyan fayow baa lala lafaguri karaa arintan oo kale ta kale laba ma'bda baanu kala aaminsan nahay, isku fikir ma nihin, isku siyaasadna ma nihin wax sheekoo na dhex taala ma jirto...

[EEGA9]

You have mentioned the different political groups and outlooks a clan allegedly has, what does that have to do with this topic?

[SahanGalbeed]

EVERYTHING ! those are not "political" groups , they are at war with each other .

[EEGA9]

No this topic is about Ethiopian Intelligence and its operations against refugees and ONLF in Kenya.It has nothing to do with Turki nor the defence minsiter of Kenya nor whats happening in the Jubba areas of Somalia.

[SahanGalbeed]

The Ethiopian intelligence officers are Ogadens , the ONLF is Ogaden , and the guy who is voicing his discontent on behalf of the gov Kenya is Ogaden .
You as an Ogaden cannot surely deny that , can you ?

[EEGA9]

Silanyo
Xuseen Carab ciise
Godane
Ibrahim Afghani

who are these men and what do they represent?

[EEGA9]

Some individual,groups work in the interest others work against the interest of clan/people/country this is the nature of human beings.There is not a conflict which does not have its fair share of traitors,nationalists,opportunists,neutralist,etc

[Teeri]

Some individual,groups work in the interest others work against the interest of clan/people/country this is the nature of human beings.There is not a conflict which does not have its fair share of traitors,nationalists,opportunists,neutralist,etc

why are you wasting time with this cuqdad filled creature Ugaas EGGA?

sahangali, go and nurse your cuqdad somwehere else please.

[EEGA9]

forgive me