Ogaden: International Women’s Conference to Be Held in Denmark
Members of Ogaden exile in Norway and officials from ONLF met to discuss issues related to international conference of Somali Ogaden women in December 2014 in Denmark which will seek to gather all together a group of women that will take an active role in a struggle of Somali people against Ethiopian occupation and human rights violations.
Below is an article published by Somali Journalists in Netherlands:
Ogaden Community in Norway and Officials from Ogaden National Liberation Front, or ONLF held a meeting on Sunday [10 August 2014], aimed at to pave the way for the forthcoming first Somali Ogaden women's international conference.
The conference, which will be the first it is kind is due to 26-28 December,2014, and will be hosted by the Ogaden Community in Denmark.
The Community leaders and officials from the ONLF discussed about the importance of the upcoming event, and how well should they prepare to host thousands of women from across the globe.
An ONLF official, Hassan Moalim, who had the meeting with the Denmark community spoke at length on the subject.
"The strength of ONLF when it comes to militarily, politically and the support the powerful Somali Ogaden people inside and outside Ogaden is not underestimated"
"The aim of the following December conference is to help the formation of a global Somali Ogaden women group that will participate in the liberation of the oppressed and persecuted Somali people in Occupied-Ogaden", saidMr. Moalim.
The Official said, Ethiopia is weaker than ever before as many other nations under its minority junta of TPLF demand their full independence.
"We have a healthy relationship with other opposition groups mainly those seeking their rights to secede from the rest of Ethiopia, and we have no problem with other groups as long as they respect our will to regain our right to self-determination", added Moalim.
Somali Ogaden diaspora is one ingredient for the funding ONLF or the main source, and many people who lost their loved ones in the fight devoted to stand with the group with all costs.
I asked an Ogadeni exile in Norway what makes him to support ONLF. Mohammed, who only provided his first name replied : "My grand-grand fathers were not asked 50 years ago, whether they were consent with being part of Ethiopia or not, therefore ONLF demands International-backed referendum and that's why I do support ONLF."
