Irish Examiner, 18th October 2007

The Government must use its influence with the Ethiopian authorities to allow food aid to flow to the people of the Ogaden. For the past few months Ethiopian forces have cut the region off from humanitarian organisations, leaving 600,000 people facing starvation.

Now the EU has called on the Ethiopians to ensure that civilians in Ogaden are protected and receive humanitarian aid.

The Government here must do the same.

It has for years boasted of its friendship with the Ethiopian government and has channelled hundreds of millions of development aid though them — EUR30m in 2006 alone.

The Ethiopian government should then be prepared to listen to Irish ministers and put humanitarianism before its expansionist plans.

John O'Shea
GOAL