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Addis Ababa – On June 28, representatives of the Ethiopian government, Somali regional president Abdi Mohamoud Omar and senior officials of the Poly-GCL Petroleum Group attended the inaugural ceremony of the first tests of 39 crude oil extraction in the Ogaden basin. arousing indignation and concern among Somali communities around the world.
On June 28, 2018, the Chinese oil group Poly-GCL formally began testing crude oil production in the Hilala oilfield in the rich Ogaden Basin. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that fossil fuel production would bring employment and an economic boom to the whole country as the unveiling of the celebration unfolded in the Hilala oil fields. The reaction against the resource extraction of Ogaden by Somali communities has however been far from festive. Instead, the new business was increasingly described in terms of "exploitation" and "looting" resources. After the inaugural ceremony in the Hilala oil fields, Shilaabo residents began to protest peacefully against the exploitation of their resources where at least one man named Kaafi Mohamed Abdullahi was killed by the military.
were drilled in the Ogaden area and even more so between 1995 and 2018. Among the companies that drilled, include Tenneco Oil Exploration, Sinclair Oil Corporation and the Soviet Petroleum Exploration Expedition (SPEE) among others . In the 1980s, the Soviet oil exploration expedition confirmed the vast gas reserves in Calub and Hilala estimated at 118 billion cubic meters. At present, POLY-GCL Petroleum Group, a Chinese state-owned company, has secured rights to oil and gas exploration on some of Ogaden's most promising blocks. They estimated that gas reserves in Calub, about 1,200 km southeast of Addis Ababa and Hilala, reached 4,000 billion cubic feet. Petronas also confirmed a 0.6 trillion cubic foot gas supply at Genale.
Throughout these discoveries, the Ogaden region has remained a past and present site of resistance against oil and gas exploitation. Somalis living in the region have consistently demonstrated their opposition to natural resource extraction, believing that these resources were the very cause of their continued oppression and marginalization. In 1945, when Haile Selbadie began oil exploration in Ogaden, the citizens of Wardheer organized a mbad protest against Sinclair Oil Corporation to expel them. The same spirit of protest is found among popular songs and literature recited in the region, criticizing the many roads paved by large corporations across the Ogaden for facilitating their travels. One of these songs sung by the Somalis contains the following words: "Wax Jejoue Jeedayba Mooye, Wallee Jarmalkii jid noo Jeex", which means "whatever their bad intentions, the Germans are preparing the roads". by Gewerkschaft Elwerath and the wider presence and practices of the major oil companies. The lyrics also highlight the fact that the roads that were paved were not intended to bring any gain to the Somali people belonging to the region. These main roads include lixirdoodka, afaridoodka and Quman between Qorahay and Doolo and others at Qabridahare, Wardheer Zone and around the Calub area
The Liberation Front of the Ogaden (ONLF) represented a Physical and symbolic defense against the exploitation of the natural resources of the region. Resources. The June 28th press release addressed the implications of future extraction, especially given the longstanding conflict in the Ogaden region. He firmly stated that "the ONLF will not allow the exploitation of Ogaden's natural resources without a comprehensive and just political settlement of the Ogaden conflict". The statement further criticized the structural impediments preventing the Somali region from gaining access to fundamental rights and meaningful political participation despite the recent election of Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed, which reflected a sense of urgency. Hope for future reforms. Unilateral decisions administered by the center continue to shape governance policies and systems in the Somali region.
The question of whether the extraction of natural resources in the Ogaden will bring prosperity to the region depends on the political conditions in which it occurs. whether the will of the Somali people is represented. The question of who represents the will of the Somali people and why there has not been a consultation process with indigenous people is a critical issue that the Prime Minister's Office has not yet addressed. In addition, other considerations include the environmental implications and consequences for oil extraction, particularly in a region devastated by war and instability for decades. Until a truly representative system of government is established and a peaceful political resolution of the Ogaden conflict that engulfed the Horn of Africa for almost a century is to be found, embark on in oil and gas extraction without addressing the fundamental grievances of the Somali people poses a danger
A state of emergency and blockade have been imposed on the region of Ogaden since 2007, and the The most affected areas were those surrounding the oil exploration sites. Those living in remote villages have been entirely displaced under the pretext of fighting the ONLF. The state of Shilaabo where are located the Calub Reserves remains one of the hardest hit areas where civilians have been displaced en mbade, especially in the cities of Higloole, Dawacaale, Laasoole, Salalmaale, Lixirdood, Qamouda, Qarsoodi and Saraysagole. Those who previously lived in the villages between Qabridahar and Shilaabo have all fled.
After significant reserves of crude oil and natural gas in the Ogaden Basin of 350,000 square kilometers, areas surrounding potential oil and gas reserves have In April 2007, the 39; ONLF launched an offensive against an oil exploration facility in the basin near Abole and Obala, destroying the facility and killing about 65 Ethiopians and 9 Chinese nationals in Abole. . This resulted in a scorched earth campaign against the region, the banning of international organizations and a record number of human rights violations committed by Liyu police and the Ethiopian army after this period
Places of Dameerey, Laasoole, Wamuuda and Labiga
Civilians living around potential reserves of gas or oil are regularly displaced or expelled by the confiscation of livestock, imprisonment, badual violence and the murder. At other times, entire villages are set on fire as reported in Human Rights Watch's 2008 report. Military officers who monitor the restricted boreholes committed killings and displaced residents of nearby towns such as Carmaale, Harawayn and Garbaguduud; many lost their livelihoods while others fled. As shown in the images below, the eradicated village of Labiga is very close to Abole, where the ONLF attacked oil extraction in 2007. Similarly, Lasoole and Qamuuda are located nearby current exploration sites. At present, the well of Hilaala, in the city of Elele, is located in a closed area of 30 km guarded by military personnel where anyone found near the arbitrary area is shot down on the spot; Similarly, the Ethiopian army has blocked the surrounding area of 60 km around Jeexdin
Future Considerations
Since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced his intention to start crude oil extraction, Somalis have expressed indignation against this decision. through social media that marked a stark contrast with the hope will have his presidency first brought. The new prime minister will represent a glimmer of hope by bringing about a fundamental change, or an extension of the former leaders of oppressive government systems who have vigorously explored oil and gas in the Ogaden. Successive Ethiopian administrations have demonstrated their willingness to engage in resource extraction from Ogaden without consulting local people. Yet, high hopes remain for the new Prime Minister, who has emerged on a platform for change and reform to administer tangible changes in the government's policy towards the Ogaden region. Yet, although the state of emergency has been lifted from the country, the Somali region is still under military control. Similarly, despite the release of Bashiir Makhtal and Abdikarin Sheikh Muse (Qalbidhagax), prisons in the Somali region are still filled to the brim with political prisoners illegally imprisoned. In addition, Somali communities do not consider that the administration of Abdi Mohamoud Omar, the Somali regional president, can represent Somali affairs at this critical time, as it is widely regarded as part of the repressive TPLF. and notables of the TPLF. the region of Ogaden. Importantly, his administration is responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial executions, imprisonment and forced displacement exacerbated by oil and gas exploration projects
. people or attacking the root causes of the conflict in the Ogaden can be an obstacle to any peaceful resolution of the conflict in the region. Without addressing deeply rooted grievances, the state might abandon any hope of potentially fostering positive relationships with local stakeholders that are part of Ethiopia, but treated as second-clbad citizens inherent in denial their fundamental rights. After provoking outrage and outrage among the Somali community globally, the federal government should be cautious in fueling existing grievances and hampering a peaceful resolution of the longstanding conflict in Ogaden. If the government intends to start extracting oil and gas from the Somali region, not only a peaceful political settlement must be achieved and true respect for human rights, but also a system of representative government where local people will have their say. conditions around the extraction. The desire to extract resources should not outweigh the importance of protecting the livelihoods, the lives and the environment of local people, as well as the considerations fragile current peace process. A political solution to the region of Ogaden, a zone of constant warfare for more than a century, would represent a decisive step towards peace and prosperity in the Horn of Africa. AS
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