Ethnic Clashes In Ethiopia Somali Zone 5

Jigjiga, January 15, 2003 (JNA)- A number of people have reportedly been killed and wounded in violent clashes involving two ethnic groups in Somali national regional State. The Minister of Federal Affairs, HE, Abay Tsehaye, told ENA that six people have been killed and seven others wounded in armed clashes between the Ogaden and Shekashs adding that casualty could be much higher as the sporadic killings have been raging for the last three weeks, in Hammaro and Fiik towns.

Units of the Federal Police forces were now taking appropriate measures in the region at the request of the local tribes to restore law and order in those towns. The Federal Minister said, several officers, administrators and elders of Somali region alleged of having instigated the clashes have now been duly investigated by concerned authorities. Relative calm and order has been restored in those areas in the last two days, it added.

The Regional President of Somali National State, Abdurashid Dullane raffle said "that a lasting peaceful solution will be crafted out of the meetings in Gindhir. But it is the beginning of a long stretch towards peace, between the two main tribes."

The Federal Affairs Minister, Abay Tsehaye, said that "the formula for the distribution of joint land, administration and revenues would change from time-to-time in accordance with the economic growth and objective reality of the country, but the distribution of Land, administration and revenues of Somali Regional State should be fair and transparent and should take into account the development status and desire of states and encourage the nation building process not to instigate ethnic clash by using regional authority and financial resources."

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