Ethiopia’s Gas-Rich Region Enjoys Peace After Decades of Conflicts
By Ahmed Abdi
Jigjiga – The Somali regional State of Ogaden enjoys peace for the first time in ‘decades’ as insurgents transform into legal, political parties.
For the last couple of years, the people of the Somali State have seen tremendous change, in terms of housing, new roads, and Mobile financial services, known as “mobile money” as well as buying lands.
Security forces rarely violate the rights of the citizens and as human rights improve throughout the Somali State -several Liyuu police officers promoted to the rank of colonels at a ceremony held by the paramilitary Liyuu Police Chief, Haji.Mohamed Tuur and presided over by the Somali State President Mustafa Muhumed Omer in Degahbur on Saturday.
Speaking at the promotion ceremony in Degahbur city, Somali State’s president Mustafa Muhumed Omer described the Liyuu Police as “main pillars of the Somali Region’s peace and stability.
He instructed the Liyuu Police to run their logistics independently and said that his administration will build a hospital for the Liyuu Police members.
Officials for the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) met, on Saturday with the leaders of political parties, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Western Somali, among others to discuss possible cooperation between the governing-party and the competing parties in the Somali Region’s security, economic development and Covid-19.
In October 2018, ONLF reached a peace deal with the government of Ethiopia, and thousands of people have returned from exile. But the question of the Ogaden status, which was the root causes of the decades-long conflict has yet to be settled.
