ETHIOPIA: ACCOMMODATING CRITICISMS ON THE OGADEN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002887 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND AF/E LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL MOPS ET SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: ACCOMMODATING CRITICISMS ON THE OGADEN Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (S/NF) Summary: National Security Advisor Abay Tsehai told Ambassador, DCM and ORA chief September 20 in a follow-up to the visit of Assistant Secretary Frazer and NSC Senior Director Pittman, Ethiopia was addressing concerns raised by the UN and international community on the problems in the Ogaden. The GOE is working on reopening commercial truck routes from Somalia into the Ogaden, which provides 80 percent of the food needs for the area; developing new commercial routes from Dire Dawa; opening more humanitarian food relief routes; developing quicker distribution of food from the major towns into the rural villages and hamlets. Abay asked for more Humanitarian Food assistance and medical supplies to meet the needs of the region. The UN believes that food rations for 600,000 for three months is needed. Thus far, USAID has been the main respondent to such assistance and more food aid from the EU and other countries is needed. ¶2. (S/NF) In response to the UN summary of its assessment visit to the region, the GOE issued a highly positive and receptive press statement. State Minister Tekeda told Ambassador in private that in response to the Ambassador,s urging for a positive statement and in support of A/S Frazer, as she prepares for hearings on Capitol Hill, Prime Minister Meles personally drafted parts of the statement to ensure the official GOE response was constructive. End Summary. -------------- --- GOE Meeting Commercial and Humanitarian Response -------------- --- ¶3. (S/NF) National Security Advisor Abay Tsehai met with Ambassador (notetaker),DCM and ORA chief to follow-up on action items raised during the visit of Assistant Secretary Frazer and NSC senior director Pittman. On commercial traffic with Somalia and Somaliland, Abay said Ethiopia would re-open commercial traffic from the main roads between Somalia and the Ogaden and speed up contraband checks on the border to ease the flow of truck traffic into and from the Ogaden. Abay stressed that the ENDF (Ethiopian military) was only blocking the main roads and could not check the secondary roads between Somalia and the Ogaden, so some traffic flow is taking place. Abay said that trade routes between Somaliland and the Somali region of Ethiopia were never restricted and that according to Somaliland records, trade flows between parts of the Ogaden and the Somali region of Ethiopia and Somaliland, particularly in livestock, have increased. ¶4. (S/NF) On humanitarian flows, Abay reported that the GOE has been pushing for more humanitarian food distribution to major towns in the Ogaden. Ambassador noted that an urgent need is food flows to small villages and hamlets in the inner areas of the Ogaden and repeated A/S Frazer,s request for speeding up deliveries. Abay replied that the GOE has ordered wider distribution and since deliveries are under military escort, such escorts are being expanded. ¶5. (S/NF) A major challenge remains landmines. Many of the landmines uncovered have been recently placed by insurgents, making food deliveries to remote areas and villages outside the main towns very dangerous. -------------- Human Rights Not the Issue, Humanitarian Food Aid is Critical -------------- ¶6. (S/NF) Abay disputed that there was gross human rights abuse in the Ogaden. Reports will be investigated. Abay raised reports of abuse by the ONLF and insurgents and complained that the international community ignores such problems. Abay asserted that the GOE needs additional support for humanitarian food aid. The UN and NGOs are advocating three months rations for 600,000. The U.S. ADDIS ABAB 00002887 002 OF 002 commitment of USD 18.7 million helps but more food is needed. Ambassador said he will raise with other Ambassadors and noted that the U.S. is fully committed to helping ease the problems in the Ogaden. ¶7. (S/NF) Another critical need is medical supplies and health care. The GOE has already requested international community support for assistance. Again, the Ambassador is raising this with the NGO community and with other Ambassadors. -------------- UN Report -------------- ¶9. (S/NF) In response to an executive summary of the UN assessment mission to the Ogaden, the GOE issued a surprisingly constructive and positive statement of commitment to address the humanitarian needs in the Ogaden. State Minister Tekeda called in the Ambassador September 20 and privately conveyed that Prime Minister Meles was deeply involved in the drafting of the statement to ensure that it was in a positive tone. While the GOE disagreed with the UN report, as a result of the Ambassador,s urging for a positive response and as Assistant Secretary Frazer prepares for Congressional hearings next week on the Ogaden, the Prime Minister wanted a very positive and responsive statement to be issued, according to Tekeda. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶10. (S/NF) The visit of Assistant Secretary Frazer has stimulated forward progress on humanitarian as well as commercial traffic to the Ogaden. The commercial traffic remains the most pressing concern since 80 pct of food needs are met commercially. The urgent request for additional food aid as well as medical supplies by the GOE can be a positive response from the international community of commitment to meet the pressing needs in the Ogaden, which faces not only a tough insurgency problem but also floods and droughts exacerbating the humanitarian problem. Thus far, the U.S. has been the primary respondent to the problems in the Ogaden. Ambassador and Embassy will continue pressing other donors for assistance. End Comment. YAMAMOTO