Prospects of Hope for the Ogadenian People

7 July, 2010 | By Sagal Dolal

I would like to congratulate the conference in USA, Minneapolis that
took place on the 4th of July 2010. In addition I congratulate the
organisers of the conference and for their hard work in arranging a
venue for a peaceful discussion about the people of Ogadenia and
their plight. Also I would like tocongratulate the many people that
came and took part, because without them there would be nothing to
talk about. Ogadenia is still alive because of the many people aboard,
which contribute their time and energy to bring the problems of
Ogadenia out in the open. We need to help those that are less
fortunate then us, in whatever way we can.

    The people of
    Ogadenia need us to
    support them and find
    ways in solving the
    problems of Ogadenia.
    Ultimately the
    problems back home
    are our problems even
    though we may not live
there we still feel the pain when a loved one is murder. The problems
of Ogadenia still affect us whether we like it or not. It is our duty to
do what we can with the resources that are available to us, in time we
will solve the major difficulties that our people face. The Minneapolis
conference is just the beginning in the discussions about the future of
Ogadenia and how we will deal with our new relationship with
Ethiopia. I thank the speakers of the Minneapolis conference and the
many people that made it possible to have such a large venue.
Furthermore I thank the media that came and was able to broadcast
it and make the event international noticed. I cannot thank the
organisers enough because without them I would not be writing this
article.

I hope that you try to keep up the good work and create a good role
model for the youth of Ogadenia all around the world, so that they
look back in history and see that their elders did something to help
the people of Ogadenia.

The people that died for the Ogaden people are looking at us now
and seeing what we are doing and if it is genuine. I know that it is
difficult to tell the people that are doing this for the right reasons and
not for glory and praise, but if we let those that we know are corrupt
and dangerous speak on our behalf then we are in for another
assassination like Dr. Mohamed Sirad Dolal. We ought to protect the
ONLF that are fighting for a more peaceful Ogadenia and not let
people like Mohamed Omar Osman, Abidrahman Mahdi, Mohamed
Ismaali and Cadaani Hiromogee corrupt our people and talk on our
behalf anymore. I hope with all my heart that some good comes of
this nightmare that I can at least say that my father died for something.
It is up to the people of Ogadenia to say loud and clear what they
want and it is up to us to listen to it and act accordingly. Many men,
women and children have died and for what, so that Mohamed Omar
Osman can use the ONLF as his stepping stone to a more
comfortable life. They did not die for that! The people of Ogadenia
know what has been happening in Ogadenia the last 18 months and
those that refuse to listen or even look for themselves at the evidence
for whatever reason are lying to themselves. The core values of the
ONLF have been broken by a few and it is our responsibility to
continue with our main goals and give Ogadenia the peace it so
needs. I wish that my father could be with us now and help us with
the process of this new direction, but we cannot always get what we
wish for and so must do what we can by ourselves. Those that new
Dr. Mohamed Sirad Dolal will now remember what he use to say to
us, now is the time to hold on to those words and let it give you
energy, motivation and peace.

I have been struggling with the murder of my father for 18 months and
it gets worse everyday, but to know that there are so many people
out there doing such good work is a comfort to me and I thank you
all for doing such wonderful work and I hope that the people of
Ogadenia live a life of peace.

I would like to ask the Ogaden people that are in Ogadenia or
aboard to help me find the remains of my father. I know that
Mohamed Omar Osman did not carry my father’s dead body on a
camel to Eritrea, so it must be in Ogadenia. If someone suspects that
they have found an unmarked grave and have enough evidence to
suggest that it could be the remains of my father then I urge you to
inform me and I will get the necessary forensic tests done to identify
the remains.

We as of yet are not sure when exactly dad was killed but we think
that it was the 17th of January 2009. Already we have had the first
anniversary of his death and there will be more to come. It has been
an up hill struggle trying to find out what happened and who was
responsible for my father’s death. As I have previously written in my
other articles, my search has led me to believe that the former
chairman of the ONLF Mohamed Omar Osman, Abidrahman
Mahdi, Mohamed Ismaali and Cadaani Hiromogee organised the
assassination of my father. The circumstances surrounding my fathers
murder is full of mystery and lies, the fact that the Ethiopian
government has told me that they were informed of Dr. Mohamed
Sirad Dolal’s death tells me that they are not the ones responsible for
his murder. In addition when I asked the Ethiopian government whom
told them that my father was murder, they didn’t reply. So I ask the
Ethiopian government if there is going to be a new relationship
between Ogadenia and Ethiopia then this problem needs to be
solved. I speak directly to the Ethiopian government either you know
where my father is or you don’t, but make it official and stop these
men hiding behind you.

Mohamed Omar Osman, Abidrahman Mahdi, Mohamed Ismaali and
Cadaani Hiromogee are not very bright men and thought that we are
like them; unfortunately for them we are much smarter. They said that
Ethiopia kill my dad but would you not think that if someone killed
your father then they ought to at least know where his body would
be. Furthermore why would Ethiopia want to keep Dr. Mohamed
Sirad Dolal’s body? It does not make any logical sense and also dad
had an interview on VOA on the 26th of December 2008, he told the
journalist that these men were trying to kill him and destroy the
ONLF. Now I am no detective but I have watched enough police
dramas to know that you at least question the man that are been
accused and not dismiss it because he is your uncle or you are from
the same clan. My father cared about the people of Ogadenia and if
he was alive and
something like this had happened he would at least investigate it to
find out the truth.

I hope that the discussions about the future of Ogadenia will at least
involved the search for Dr. Mohamed Sirad Dolal’s remains and to
give us some sort of closure. We need to put this tragic time in our
history to rest and it will not happen if we do not look and ask the
necessary questions.

I send my deepest thanks to the many people that were involved in
the Minneapolis conference as this is how we are going to make a
difference to our own lives and those of the Ogaden people for many
generations to come.

Sagal Dolal

sagaldolal@hotmail.co.uk

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