Ethiopian Liyu Police invades Wajale town, Somaliland and harrasses civilians

The following two articles are Related and Relevant

Ethiopia: it is time to stop the reign of terror of the Liyu Police

BY ALI MOHAMED – 06/28/16 03:45 PM EDT

Mohamed Abdi Omar (Abdi Illey)

(The Hill) — A U.S. financed para-military force known as the Liyu police are terrorizing the civilian population in the eastern Ethiopian Somali region without impunity. Three weeks ago, out of the gaze of the international media, the Liyu (Amharic for “Special”) police slaughtered more than 40 villagers including women and children in Jama Dubad, a remote hamlet in the eastern Ethiopian Somali region, according to Somali news websites. The Liyu police were retaliating, after a group of armed men attacked customs police for confiscating a vehicle transporting Khat(a leafy  plant, which acts as stimulant when chewed), belonging to a local dealer, for failing to pay taxes.

Since 2008, the Liyu police had committed similar massacres in the villages near Ethiopia’s porous border with Somalia and the unrecognizedRepublic of Somaliland: For instance, in June 2015, the Liyu police attacked local ethnic Somali livestock herders, on Ethiopia’s  border with central Somalia, which left 50 people dead. Video footage showing the aftermath of the gruesome killings shot on a cell phone went viral on Somali news websites:  In the video, groups of the thuggish Liyu police with camouflage uniforms were desecrating dozens of dead bodies, including young children, who were shot in the head. Their atrocities constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The Liyu police have no formal training or discipline, yet it has the full support of the Tigrean people’s liberation front (TPLF) government in Addis Ababa. The TPLF initially set up the Liyu police as a counter insurgency force against the Ogaden national Liberation Front (ONLF), a group fighting for self determination for the Somali region. The un-elected governor of the Somali region, Abdi Omar also known as “Iley”, commands and controls the Liyu police. Most of the units of the Liyu police are recruited from his own clan.

Since the Liyu police was instituted, Mr. Iley has been using that force to bully and intimidate the civilian Somali population in the region. The Liyu police’s “scorched-earth” tactics include: “Mass killing, kidnappings, rape, looting livestock, destroying wells, and razing villages to the ground,” according to the Human Rights Watch.

The victims of the Jama Dubad terror have kinship with the 4 million Somaliland people, especially those in the town of Burao. The relatives of the victims and people throughout Somaliland felt sorrow and grieve because  of the horrific crimes and deaths caused by the Liyu police.

Unfortunately, the massive human rights abuses are not only unique in the Somali region. For example, this past November, the Ethiopia security forces mowed down more than 400 people, after the Oromo ethnic group protested over the government’s plan to expand the zoning of the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. “Ethiopian security forces have fired on and killed hundreds of students, farmers, and other peaceful protesters with blatant disregard for human life,” said Leslie Lefkow, Human Rights Watch Deputy Africa Director.

The leaders of the United States, Britain and EU, who provide billions of aid to Ethiopia, should publicly condemn the Ethiopian government’s security forces when they are abusing their own people and culture of impunity that prevails there. The west should use all means necessary including aid cuts, travel restriction, and asset freezes to punish countries that perpetrate crimes against humanity not only in Ethiopia but throughout Africa.

The west and the United Nations should  hold accountable, the belligerent, thuggish commander of the Liyu police, Mr. Iley, the Al Capone of Jigjiga, the regions capital, and his enablers in the Ethiopian army, who are behind these heinous acts.

More importantly, The United State should also argue the Ethiopian government to invite a UN rapporteur and human rights experts to investigate the atrocities in Jama Dubad village and the Oromo region, and to let the media cover the Ethiopian Somali region.

Keeping a blind eye on the human rights violations in Ethiopia would only foment combustible tribal or clan driven violence and extremism spreading into the despotic country and the region. The very disaster the United States is expending vast resources trying to eliminate in Somalia.

Enough is enough. I strongly believe it is time to stop the reign of terror of the Liyu police. This paramilitary force is not going to change its behavior or reform itself because they are not a professional police force operating under the rule of law. They are neither protecting nor serving the people in the region. They are not accountable for their own actions.

In fact, it is time to disband the Liyu police and replace it with an inclusive force from all Somali clans in the region trained by the United Nations or EU. What the beleaguered civilian populations in the region desperately need is a professional police force that would respect human rights, protect the people, and keep the peace.

Somaliland: Joint Liyuu Police and Ex–ONLF Rebels Plan to Eliminate Non Ogaden Somalis in Zone Five

Saturday, 25 June 2016
Somalilandsun– The Ogaden tribal militia of Darod clan , Liyu Police, former ONLF members who were convinced to return, disarm and join Liyu Police by Mohamed Abdi Omar, current Somali Ethiopian Region president, to kill, rape and displace non Ogaden/Darod clans, non ONLF supporters of Isaaq and Habar Gidir/Hawiye sub-clan of the Somalia Ethiopian region ,both Habar gidir and Isaaq inhabit on both sides of Somaliland/Ethiopia border and Gal-mdug Somalia /Ethiopia borders.

On June 5, 2016 Police Killed fifty one and more non armed children, young men and elderly in Jama Dubbad village, Gashamo district of Ethiopia after harassing and confiscating belongings and vehicle which belonged to a young driver involved in an accident with local ambulance vehicle, which could have been solved easily instead of killing innocent people.

Some of the baseless accusation and reasons for killing Ethiopian Isaaqs is smuggling contraband, supporting ONLF and Al-shabaab. Ethiopian Isaaqs have never supported ONLF, since it’s Ogaden tribal terrorist group and never supported Al-shabaab terrorist group.Where on the hand Abdi Omar/Illey and his custom attendants/Liyu Police allow and partner with Puntland and Buhoodle clan militia in human trafficking and illegal contraband business and merchandise enter Ethiopia illegally because of clan affiliation/Darod. In March 2012 Liyu Police summarily executed 10 men during operation in Raqda, Gashamo District, solely for being an Isaaq clan, reported by Human Rights Watch.

On March 16, 2012 Liyu Police fataly shot a resident of Raqda Village, Gashamo Distric, who was trying to protect a fellow villager. Same day men from Raqda retaliated and killied 7 Liyu Police members. In retaliation Liyu Police tribal milia killed 10 men who in their custody and also killed 9 resident after engaging fight with local men. They abducted 24 men, looted dozen of shops and house.

On Feb 6, 2013 Liyu Police tribal militia killed Mohamed Qawdhen Abdi, driver, in the vicinity of Farah Liban, Harshin, same area where Liyu Police killed number of civilians in Sept 2013.Qawdhan was driving from Harta Shiekha to Harshin when 2 Liyu Police stopped him and opened fire and shot him at close range without any question. Since the Liyu Police officers were related to the Abdi Mohamed Omar, current Somali Ethiopian president, no one could pursue charges against them as it was normal for Liyu Police to terrorize, kill and rape resident of Hawd, Ethiopia.

On September 11, 2012 Liyu Police tribal militia killed 12 civilians , one female and eleven males in the vicinity of Elmi Hersi within Harshin zone. All killings in these region or area happened simply because the people belong to to Isaaq Clan as Human Right Watch reported. Same time 57 Isaq Somali Pastorals where arrested and kidnapped from Lanqeerta and were taken to Jigjiga and accused of being foreigners,from Somaliland.

At end of May 2015 until mid June 2015 the Liyu Police thugs, slaughtered, raped , killed children, elderly and women, non-Ogden/ Darod clan, Habar-Gidir/Hawiye who inhabit on both sides of the borer between Ethiopia and Somalia, particularly Gal-mudug Region and Ethiopian border .Those innocent people were simply massacred for being non-Ogaden/Darod and historically Ogaden clan rival, as it’s normal for neighborly Somali clans to be rivals or enemies over water source and grazing. Liyu Police whose members are predominantly Ogaden/Darod clan accused the Habar-Gidir clan who inhabit on both sides of Ethiopia and Somalia border, of being Al-shabab and Ahlu-suna to have a legitimacy for the killing and to mislead the Ethiopian Federal Government, where on the other hand Al-shabab and Ahul-suna are at war against each other and also both at war against Gal-mudug state of Somalia.

Just few months when ago the Liyu Police/former ONLF committed genocide and atrocities against civilians on both sides of the borders in Gal-mudug and Ethiopia, Mohamud Abdi Omar/Iley tried to hide the reality on the ground to make it tribal conflict between the Ogaden tribe and Habar-Gidir tribe, and called his other partner/clans man, Ahmad Madobe of Somalia’s ONLF in same business, current warlord leader of Jubba Land to mediate between him and Abdikarim Guled of Gal-mudug Somalia president to hide the truth from the Ethiopian Federal Government.

As it’s unfortunate that some Somalia leaders don’t know the difference between Kilil five and the Federal Government of Ethiopia , which will lead and can cause hatred between the Ethiopian people and Somalia, where hundreds of Ethiopian children/Soldiers have given their life against Al-shabab to stabilize Somalia.

According to credible sources Ahmed Madobe of Somalia’s ONLF Jubba Land leader, Mohamud Abdi Omar of Kilil Five Ethiopia, Abdi Wali Gas of Puntland Somalia and elite Darods in Kenya including Afey, IGAD leading member all of Darod clan have met behind the scene and close doors and agreed to bring back Darod clan rule excluding Marehan/Darod of Somalia by taking advantage of the animosity between Habar-gidir and Abgal of Hawiye clan and by introducing clan federalism for clan the conflict to continue in Somalia and to weaken the central government while strengthening and empowering their regions.

Ahmed Madobe former ONLF and Al-shabab born in Dhagah Bour Ethiopia who controls Jubba-land after using the Kenyan army to capture Kismayo have been killing and displacing non Ogaden people in Kismayo using his clan militia/former ONLF, while populating Kismayo by relocating Ogaden refugees from Kenyan Refugee camps and just made a deal with Kenya rulers and Somalia Ambassador of Kenya to close Refugee Camps in Kenya to Settle Ogaden/Darod refugees in Kismayo to drain money from the international community.

Mohamud Abdi Omar uses Liyu Police/former ONLF to do his share of the Darod mission is to weaken financially and displace non Ogaden clans from Kilil Five Ethiopia , particularly Isaaq/Habar Gidir clans and also to damage the Ethiopian Federal Government relation with Somaliland and Gal-mudug by targeting member clans of both Somaliland and Gal-Mudug who inhabit in Kili Five, to accuse Gal-mudug and Somaliland aiding their clans men in kilil Five Ethiopia,

Mohamud Abdi Omar Kilil Five, Ethiopia leader and his Liyu Police/former ONLF don’t do any harm to Buuhoodle Somaliland inhabitants/Dhulbahante who constantly support Ali Khalif Galyr to destabilize Somaliland and have the luxury to cross back and forth between Ethio/Somaliland border city/Buuhoodle for simply being affiliated tribally/Darod. Likewise Liyu Police and their leader, Iley don’t disturb Puntland and its inhabitants of both side of the Ethiopian/Puntland border due to clan affiliation/Darod.

When there is clan war in Sool , Somaliland between Dhulbante sub-clans/Darod both Illey and Gaas send clan leaders to reconcile feuding Dhulbahante sub-clans like they just did and sent to Darkayn Genyo few days ago.

Abdi Wali Gas’s of Puntland assignment of the Darod elite agreement is to keep the Federal Government of Somalia occupied on clan federalism and to enforce the clan federalism by always accuse SFG of deviating from clan federalism, which has been working for Gaas and his colleagues by the continuation of clan wars in Hiiraan, Middle Shabele regions and Gal-mudug and Puntland clan war in Galkayo Gal-mudug Somalia, and more to come as Banaadir residents loose representation in Lower/High clan seats in 08/2016 election.

Both Habar-Gidir/Hawiye and Isaaq Ethiopians don’t have regions of their own and their inhabitants go under Ogaden Regions/Districts , unlike other Somali Ethiopians clans who own regions, named and awarded to them by current Somali Ethiopian Region leader Mohamud Abdi Omar Illey.

The Somali Ethiopians like all Ethiopian ethnic groups suppose to be enjoying the fruits of EPRDF achievement, justice and equality founded and spearheaded by Late Meles Zenawi and Abdul Majid Hussein who hailed from Isaaq clan , instead the Somali Ethiopians became the prey and victims of former ONLF and remnant of Siad Barre military who hijacked Kilil Five administration.

Mohamud Aden Samatar