South Africa holds Seminar on Preventing Human Rights Abuses held in Ethiopia
Johannesburg, 24 Dec 2013 (SDN) -A Three-day seminar titled “How to prevent Ethiopian Human Rights Abuses” was held by the Ogaden Youth and Student Union in Johannesburg. The aim of the seminar was how to educate the youths, how to be united, work together and launch campaigns against those committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ethiopian Occupied-Ogaden Region.
The Youth vowed to bring to justice those who that believe that they will never be made accountable and brought in front of Justices.
The South Africa-based Ogaden Youth and Students Union in collaboration with Ogaden Community in South Africa has launched the three-days awareness Seminar on preventing Ethiopian human rights abuses.
Representatives and officials from Ogaden Community in South Africa, College Students, educators, Intellectuals, politicians and Eastern Africa Regional commentators participated in the seminar.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the chief speaker,OYSU-Secretary Mohammed Qani said: “Thank you every one for your participation, I strongly urge you to play a major role for preventing the human rights abuses being committed in the Ogaden territory by the Ethiopian Army and its militia of Liyu Police.”
Axbab Abdi, OYSU Coordinator said, “The Ogaden civilians are in dire circumstances, and this can only be changed if we all unite and take action”
The participants watched a shocking footage that showed the Ethiopian Army and its trained militia, the notorious Liyu Police, targeting unarmed civilians arbitrarily -raping, beating and detaining and abusing the detainees.
Some of the participants including a poet, known as Khader Olad who expressed his feelings by reciting a poem he composed a poem for the Somali Ogaden struggle against the Ethiopia occupation.
Another important Guest speaker was the chairman of Somali Ogaden Community in South Africa, Mr. Abdurrahman Sa’id,who spoke at length about the history of the Ogaden struggle and encouraged the participants to stand together and confront anything that stands against the noble cause of the Somali people in Ogaden.
Ogaden Youth & Student Union is a youth-led international organization based in 24 countries around the world which was established to educate, advocate and raise awareness in order to bring an end to the ignored and often hidden genocide taking place in the Ogaden.
By: Ahmed Abdi