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comes back as a full fledged ethiopian nationalist every onlf who visits the place i can count now 14 guys and 4 girls who went back from a time span since 2012 and all of them became supporters of the eprdf ethiopian some of them are relatives otherw are friends now tell us what does ileey tel ogaden which makes them forget about independence. what was meles zenawis secret apart from dhaantosizing the ogadens from all points. this is a patern i have seen in ogaden.

Imo most people had a different view of how people back home are treated and when they visit back home they realize most of it is exaggeration. However, freedom is our goal and Insha Allah we will achieve soon.

Its really quite simple.....the Somali region is rapidly developing to the point where it is has surpassed any other Somali inhabited land.

Most of them left the country when there was no any basic things like schools, MCH or they have never seen the kilil before. it's like leaving Hargeisa in the mid 90s and coming back today. You can feel the change more than those living in it.

So for most of them seeing little progress like kids having free education makes them happy. These are mostly people who personally didn't suffer during the century old struggle.

Those who suffered have images of horror in their minds no matter if they see progress or not. These are the people keeping the struggle alive.

An other reason you see many people supporting the regime is the effects of intensive state propaganda. In a country where all media are tasked to spread the same positive story, it's hard to see its negative. Imagine if Somalia national television is the only one allowed to report from Mogadishu, you will have seen millions of Somalis flooding to Mogadishu. After watching all those rossy pictures and danab commandos grilling alshabaab.

All these OGs in jigjiga came because of estv propaganda. They are interviewed the same estv in a bid to lure many more people. Criticism is not allowed. The word "But" is not even allowed , for example if you say this is good 'but' it's lacking this or that. The later part of of your sentence will never reach the audience.

People expect gumaysi iyo rafaad instead they witness xornimo iyo horumar.

No need to be rebellious this time. I would tell all our O.G Diaspora to give our land a try, its worth it.

As someone who fits in Yusuf's description, I would like to point out few things here:
1. The first time I realized that Ethiopia is completely different from the one my parents and their parents have always told us was not in the shining and developing Jigjiga, it was not the beatufiul Sabian district of Dire Dawa where the Ogaden Diasporas are building amazing mansions but rather in Addis Ababa. I was in transit and stayed there few days both my go-and -back trip to the J-City. As you know Somalis live one of the best and the most peaceful areas of Addis, the Bole district. Ironically, the only people that can walk freely in Addis late at night are Somalis. They enjoy freedom other Ethiopians don't have in Bole. I remember chewing in Barcha houses until 2, 3, or 4 in the morning and then walking to my hotel couple of miles away and no one bothering us. During those hours, you would only see Maryooleey from all regions of Somalia. A huge number of them are actually from Southern Somalia. I even saw Cumar Shooli walking in the street 3 am after singing at a wedding.

2. The People. The average Ethiopian. Unlike Somalis who have been fed for centuries that Ethiopians are out there to get us, they, the average Ethiopians, don't even know that there was a war between Somalia and Ethiopia. Contrary to Somalis who claim to be natural born historians and politicians, the average Ethiopian is unassuming, quiet and very polite. The strange thing was I kind felt comfortable in dealing with typical Ethiopians than Maryooleeys including Maryooleey Ethiopians despite the fact that I don't even speak the local Amharic language.

3. The freedom in J-City. Yes I said that. Prior to visiting Jigjiga, I had been told many times that I should keep my mouth shut if I visit the region. The first day when I got to Jigjiga, I went to a xaflad where few of us from the Diaspora were being received. Lots of high ranking Ina-Ileey officials were there. What surprised me the most was the frank discussions where many OG elders were openly accusing Ina-Ileey giving important government portfolios to his Cali Yuusuf subclan. I couldn't believe. The elders even call him "Ina-Ileey". That may not be the case if you are from other clans. I would advice you not to try.

4. The people in genreal. They are very hopeful and more forward looking than us in the diaspora.

original dervish wrote:Its really quite simple.....the Somali region is rapidly developing to the point where it is has surpassed any other Somali inhabited land.

i think this is main reason. knowing somalis how they enjoy to see other somali clan suffer. when they see ina illey surprass others and others complain. that is just hasidnimo in us.

some one who visited 3 times in 2014 alone. i hate it and seen dad daqan gadoomey.

Hyperactive wrote:i hate it and seen dad daqan gadoomey.

Hala yaabin Yaa Sheekh somalida kale 100 sano oon ka dambeeynay ayaan fast forward leenahay.

^ lool war i thought rerku iney deen ko fi'anayen, hada daanto iyo ragas ba laku ibtileeyey.

wallah, i was brain washed that ogaden were steriotyped as religious but that is far from the truth, hada. old and young, raqs iyo hees!! innallilah. Allaho khatuma hanaka haleyn.

The development in the region is beyond belief and whenever you go you may see a Somali police or Liyu. I was in delegation that met the President Abdi and we had been throwing all accusations against him and he was simply answering all of our questions and later we departed peacefully.

zidane88 wrote:The development in the region is beyond belief and whenever you go you may see a Somali police or Liyu. I was in delegation that met the President Abdi and we had been throwing all accusations against him and he was simply answering all of our questions and later we departed peacefully.

Can u plz state some of the questions u guys raised? did u ask him about losing somali identity. im scared we will lose our identity very soon.

BlueBlood wrote:

zidane88 wrote:The development in the region is beyond belief and whenever you go you may see a Somali police or Liyu. I was in delegation that met the President Abdi and we had been throwing all accusations against him and he was simply answering all of our questions and later we departed peacefully.

Can u plz state some of the questions u guys raised? did u ask him about losing somali identity. im scared we will lose our identity very soon.

Blood. that was the recurring question and he answered quite well. They call themselves " Somali-Ethiopians" even its written on the Police uniform like that. The word Somali is associated in everywhere and can be seen. ESTV another example. You can't deny they are in Ethiopia.