Sick and Tired of the Somali Peace
Process? ( 2 )
The letters that sent panic among Ethiopian Refugees

By Dereje Hailu Kassa | November 10, 2007

Selam!

A few months before the outbreak of the civil war in Mogadishu,
following the widespread rumours about the UNHCR,  and other UN
agencies preparing to leave Somalia, both the government and the
armed opposition the USC, exploited the moment by blackmailing
Ethiopian refugees in order to control and maintain the aid flow, while
by cleverly manipulating the demographics of the refugee population in
their meticulously crafted political maneuver.

( Letter by the United Somali Congress )

Oct. 10, 1990

To: U.N.H.C.R. Resident Representative
Mogadishu, Somalia

Subj. Status of the Ethiopian Refugees in Hiran Region, Somalia

We, the United Somali Congress, a Somali patriotic organization
fighting the Siad Barre regime and bring peace and democracy in
Somalia, wish to bring officially to the attention of the High
Commissioner for Refugees the following urgent matter.


1.The Ethiopian refugees under the care of the UNHCR located in Hiran
region, and specifically in Jalalaqsi and Jirow camps have lost their
refugee staus because of the following reasons:
a) The government of Somalia has recruited and trained for military
purpose the Ethiopian refugees in these camps and have stationed these
refugee-turned soldiers at the military barracks in Belet Weyne.

b) These refugees-turned soldiers are now armed to the teeth by the
Government of Somalia and are fighting the local population who gave
them the hosting benefits. The Siad Barre Government is using these
refugees to participate in the inter-clan fighting in the central regions of
our country where the Government is annihilating the local population.
The Government wages a ruthless war against the Hawiya people in the
regions by using the National Army, the Police, the pioneers, and…the
Ethiopian refugees are fed and protected by the UNHCR & the donor
community.
c) The above refugee camps have been turned into recruiting source
for the Somali National Army, upon turning these refugees into
soldiers, they loot, rape and kill the population. In addition, they have
disrupted the normal socio-economic order of the hosting community.
d) In all these refugee camps, there are armed contingency of the
Somali National Army, which undertakes the screening process. This is
a flagrant contradiction of the principles and spirit of the UNHCR
refugee convention. As you well know, the protection of the refugees
and their camps is the responsibility of the UNHCR and not the Red
Beret of Siad Barre.
2) The USC who is currently fighting the facist regime of Siad Barre
has the responsibility of maintaining peace and order in the Central
regions of Somalia, and we are deeply concerned about the use of the
refugees for military purpose who widen the conflict in order to
prolong the regime’s life.

The USC wishes to inform the UNHCR and all other concerned parties,
that the use of refugees for military purpose will result in the death of
the refugees and the local population. This death and loss of property
will be solely the responsibility of the UNHCR if it condones the
Government’s use of the refugees.

Considered above, the Ethiopian refugees have lost their refugee status
according to UN refugee convention. Further more, the USC reserves
the right to take preventive & punitive actions in the event so called
refugee-turned soldiers continually used by the Government to loot,
rape and kill our people.

Finally, the USC urges the UNHCR and other donors who bill the
refugees and other international Agencies, to take immediate measures.

A copy of this letter will be dispatched to the UNHCR H.Q. <
Copy to the Government of Somalia
Copy to the UNDP in Mogadishu
Copy to the Western Embassies in Mogadishu
Copies to the Mass Media in the Western & Civilized World, and,
Copies to the Somali People.

Sincerely yours,
United Somali Congress, Mogadishu Branch

( Letter by Somalia's Minister of Interior )

11,9,1990

Sub: FOREIGNERS WHO CAME FROM ETHIOPIA
To:   NATIONAL POLICE FORCE COMMANDER MOGADISHO
NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE COMMANDER MOGADISHO
NATIONAL PIONEER-FORCE (GULWADE) COMMANDER
MOGADISHO
MAYOR OF THE CITY MOGADISHO
THE PRIME MINISTER MOGADISHO

It has come to my notice that people like Amhara, Arusi and other
nationalities of Ethiopian origin are fully involved in the armed robbery
that has taken place in and around Mogadisho city.

Therefore, in order to combat and prevent that matter, I hereby decree
and instruct to launch a quick and immediate operation of rounding-up
all those people, investigate them, send all those suspected of
complicity in the crime to the court and for the remaining to be
expelled/extradited to their country of origin. The operation should start
within seven (7) days of time and completed.
Good work.

Signed

Dr. Abdikasim Salad Hassan
Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior.

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