Somali Regional State’s Energy and Mining Bureau in a meeting with Poly-GCL representatives. Photo: Somali region Energy and Mining Bureau
In a recent turn of events, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has expressed vehement opposition to the Somali Regional State’s meeting with the Chinese conglomerate Poly-GCL. The meeting, which has sparked controversy, is seen by the ONLF as a blueprint for what they term “resource plunder,” carried out with a blatant disregard for the political and territorial rights of the Somali people. Now, let’s pause for a moment and ponder—how often do we see small communities fight for their voice against global giants?
The ONLF has been vocal, asserting that exploiting the Ogaden region’s resources requires genuine consent from the Somali people who call this land home. In a statement released last Friday, they issued a stern warning: if Poly-GCL proceeds without this consent, the company should be prepared to face unspecified “repercussions.”
Meanwhile, the Somali Regional State’s Bureau of Mines, Energy, and Petroleum confirmed that they held discussions with Poly-GCL representatives about operational hurdles and potential opportunities. Led by Bureau Head Mohamed Ali Mohamed along with his deputy, Idman Ugaas, the dialogue concluded on a seemingly positive note with plans to strengthen collaborative efforts. “Meetings such as these are beneficial for both the bureau and the company,” the bureau emphasized.
Yet, within the same breath, the ONLF criticized the encounter as an extension of what they label as Ethiopia’s ongoing disregard for Somali political rights, further complicating plans for oil extraction in the Ogaden.
This meeting is the latest chapter in a long-standing controversy over oil and gas reserves in the region. Despite signing a peace agreement with Ethiopia’s federal government in 2018, ongoing tensions over resource allocation remain a thorny issue. Declaring the region rich in hydrocarbons would be akin to stating the obvious; however, equally obvious is the notion that local communities often feel sidelined in these critical discussions.
The ONLF voices their belief that the Ethiopian government has deployed divide-and-conquer tactics to weaken their movement, citing recent actions involving rival factions. The narrative was brought into sharper focus when ONLF Chairman Abdikarim Sheikh Mohamed Mahdi recounted to BBC Somali an incident in Jigjiga where regional officials allegedly embraced a breakaway faction to discredit the group. “They create divisions by backing individuals who claim to have ousted the leader,” Mahdi illustrated, lamenting this as a breach of their 2018 accord.
The grievances don’t stop there. ONLF has accused the Ethiopian government of failing to honor various aspects of the peace accord, including the reintegration of former fighters into societal and political spheres. Adding to the strife is the ONLF’s assertion that economic constraints have been utilized as a tool to muzzle Somali political discourse.
However, Mustafe Mohamed Omar, the President of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, sees the situation differently. He refuted ONLF’s claims, highlighting reforms that have ostensibly transformed past societal struggles into newfound freedoms. “In the past, our people suffered from oppression,” he claimed. “Today, those struggles have mostly ended.” His perspective is certainly a thought worth entertaining, raising questions about interpretation versus reality on the ground.
Cagjar further downplayed the allegations by branding ONLF’s internal dissent as self-inflicted. His commentary had an intriguing twist, as he described what he saw as the peculiarities of newfound freedoms: “Freedom has led to some strange situations, like a political party blaming its rival for splitting them apart.” His words resonate like a humorous, yet profound reflection on the paradox of freedom.
This backdrop of discord coincides with Poly-GCL’s ambitions of expanding their footprint in the resource-rich yet politically contentious regions. The fear is that heightened tensions could potentially destabilize Ethiopia, which finds itself already grappling with multiple internal conflicts, from regional disputes to militia uprisings. Escalating tensions in regions like Somali could reignite conflicts, putting added pressures on Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration and challenging Ethiopia’s broader energy sector aspirations.
As the world turns its gaze to these unfolding dynamics, one can’t help but ask: when big players and local voices clash over resources, whose story gets told and whose gets sidelined? Are dialogues enough to bridge divides, or do they merely act as band-aids on deep-seated wounds?
The symbolism in ONLF’s warnings and the internal dynamics of the Somali region reflect broader African narratives—those of resource ownership, cultural identity, and power. For Ethiopia, finding a harmonious balance between its vast resources and diverse population remains a challenging yet compelling imperative.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
