Urge U.S. Secretary of State Clinton to help stop the Ethiopian government's human rights crimes in Ogaden

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We, the undersigned, are devastated by the Ethiopian government’s extremely brutal and inhumane treatment of the Somalis living in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity against thousands upon thousands of innocent Ogadeni civilians under the pretext of cracking down on the Ogaden National Liberation Front and fighting terrorism. We respectfully ask you to use your influence to bring these human rights crimes to an end.

Ethiopia’s armed forces have subjected Ogadeni civilians to brutal and extrajudicial killings, public executions meant to terrify onlookers, enforced disappearances and abductions, torture, and arbitrary detentions. They have raped and gang raped Ogadeni women. They have abducted Ogadeni men to work for the army.

The Ethiopian government has forcibly displaced thousands of people Somalis and wreaked massive starvation and malnutrition in the region. The armed forces have burned entire villages in Ogaden and confiscated livestock, forcing inhabitants to flee. The Ethiopian authorities have blocked food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid from reaching Ogaden.

We, the undersigned, ask you to help to bring an end to this egregious and horrific persecution of the Ogadeni people. We ask you to press the Ethiopian government to immediately stop these human rights crimes. We also ask that you press for a full, independent investigation of human rights abuses in Ogaden and that you publicly call for Ethiopia to support independent investigations into and accountability for human rights violations perpetrated by the Ethiopian armed forces in Ogaden. Furthermore, we ask you to ensure full adherence to the “Leahy Law” by verifying that U.S. military aid to Ethiopia is not assisting military units that abuse human rights in Ogaden and other places with impunity.

Sincerely,