NAIROBI, 10 July 2008 (IRIN) – Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland (MSF-Swiss) has withdrawn from Fiiq, Somali region, saying repeated administrative hurdles and intimidation had prevented it from providing medical care to vulnerable populations.
“Over the six months of our intervention, our medical teams could only work for 10 weeks in Fiiq town and five on the periphery of the town where the most important needs are,” Hugues Robert, who heads the Ethiopia programme in Geneva, said in a statement. “It significantly reduces the medical impact of our action.”
A senior Ethiopian official, however, denied the claims.
“They did not face any problem,” the official, who requested anonymity, told IRIN in Addis Ababa. “They might have their own double agenda. Otherwise there was no intimidation or administrative hurdles from our side.
“If there was intimidation, they would not have stayed for the last six months.”
MSF-Swiss said despite an agreement signed with Ethiopia’s federal authorities, its staff had not received the necessary work permits and could only be on-site for short periods.
Despite severe malnutrition rates in some villages, the charity added, only 84 children suffering from malnutrition had been helped. “In addition, over the past six months, MSF mobile teams have only been able to give medical consultations to 677 patients in the most affected rural area around Fiiq, while many more patients would have been expected.
“The authorities’ attitude towards humanitarian organisations has translated into recurrent arrests of MSF Switzerland staff without charge or explanation,” it added. “Despite continuous attempts to improve the working relations with the authorities, our organisation can only regret the absence of any room to bring independent and impartial assistance.”
The government official said disagreements had arisen with the charity. “The region has a right to monitor whether they conduct their operations according to the agreement they reached [but] they do not want our close monitoring,” he said.
Among other activities, the official added, the charity had refused to give information about its patients, had failed to seek clearance to move operations from one area to another and at one time, landed a plane in Fiiq without notifying anyone.
“We did not arrest any MSF expatriate staff,” he told IRIN. “Five national staff of MSF are in detention. We do not know the reasons behind their arrest but if a citizen is found to be a criminal, a government has a right to arrest [them].”
According to the official, MSF Greece, Belgium and Holland were still operating in the region.
Clashes between government troops and the rebel Ogaden National Liberation Front, related disruptions to trade, transport and social services along with limited access for aid agencies have compounded the humanitarian situation in the area.
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FORUM | 5 Comments
The war is b/n the Ogaden people and the Tigray people.
If NGO halts operation in Ogaden then they have to halt operation in Tigray too.
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July 10th, 2008 at 2:57 PM
yeah…intimidation..meles think by killing and intimidating he can prolong his dictatorial regime forever.IF we look back and see all dictatores thought the same way.they will never learn. but, like it happened before judgment day will come upon him and will suffer the fate of his predecessors.
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July 10th, 2008 at 3:02 PM
It would have been more productive, if these NGOs tell their governments to stop supporting TPLF government. The soldier intimidating them gets the salary from WORLDBANK AND SWISS BANK. this NGOs are more hypocratic then TPLF..
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July 10th, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Meles have broken the embargo and start shipping plane full of weapon to Somalia to sell it to insurgent, it is as putting fuel on fire. Foreign observers and medical aid workers are not needed when their whole US/ETHIOPIA policy is killing ,raping and abusing Somalians. We all should understand the Tactic of TPLF: causing ethnic conflict.
1, in Somalia not only they killed they rape and slaughterd. This caused big hatred towards Ethiopians and they keep doing it until it ingrained in their brain.
3, Sudan they took money, God knows how much(billions birr)but TPLF will step down one way or another. We will left with legal or arm struggle for our land and Sudanes for their money.
4,Ogaden genocide and rape. They dont want to be Ethiopians any more.
5, Oromo people killing and intimidation robing and everything, they also dont want to be Ethiopians.
6, The economy, We are in deep shit.
7, Education and health care. They want to make the people of Ethiopia retarded except Tegrians.
8,our cultural and moral, and fear of god is gone out the window.
Ethiopia is suspended in the air, anything or any one can blow us from side to side, people like prof mesfin who doest see the seveirity of TPLF’s crime and the eminent threat we face to stay as one Ethiopia.
But as time goes everything will boil in their face. The good example is the conflict with Eritrea. The government and people of Eritrea extended their hand in stead of harbouring ill will towards Ethiopians as TPLF would liked it. the dust is settled, We will get our one Ethiopia back not with US, UK, or Prof, Mesfin and Co. but with Arm struggle. ERITREA is the only ETHIOPIA’S means everything against TPLF.
Regards,
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July 10th, 2008 at 7:18 PM
I totally agree with you Samatar.The Western powers underwrite Meles and his brutal regime and if they wished,they could tell him to knock it off.They are holding the coat for him while he is killing and starving the innocent civilians in Ogaden.
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July 10th, 2008 at 10:03 PM