HENOK MERHATSIDK 1.pdf - Addis Ababa University

from their towns mainly have a motive of economic interest meaning, they want to go to
third country through Kenya. For many Ethiopians departing to South Africa through the
Kenya-Tanzania-Mozambique - South African route is a better alternative than the Somali-
Yemen -Saudi Arabia or Sudan – Libya _ Italy route. It is a very surprising and strong
question igniting that how Ethiopians go to Somalia to cross to Yemen, having great risk in
Somalia for the people of Somali them self.
South Africa the top economic giant in the continent is a destination place for many
Ethiopians. Hence, many Ethiopians are fleeing to Kenya for their illegal migration to South
Africa. The Kenyan government established controlling centers and tried to reduce the
movement of illegal refugees from Ethiopia to Kenya. Some human right organizations
accused the Kenyan authorities that they are violating the human rights of Ethiopian
refugees. The Kenyan Authorities arrested these refugees because they are illegal and
exposed to danger while they are crossing Kenya, Tanzanian border. 2 Generally the issue of
Ethiopian refugees is one aspect of Ethiopia- Kenya relations. It needs the concerted effort of
both countries. Ethiopia should create jobs for its citizens and the distribution of wealth
should also be fair. Kenya needs to hold Ethiopian refugees according to international
standard.
4.2.2. The presence of Ethiopian opposition in Northern Kenya
Even if Ethiopia and Kenya have maintained their strong relations since Kenya independence
in 1964, armed Ethiopian opposition group namely 0LF (Oromo Liberation Front) made
Kenya safe haven for its military confrontation with the Ethiopian government. There were
occasions that forced the Ethiopian military to cross the Kenyan border so as to eliminate the
OLF (Schlee, 2003:358-361; IGAD, 2009: 11-14; MOI, 2002, 102-103). Oromo’s are large
size ethnic group in Ethiopia both in terms of population and territorial size. This people are
endowed with appreciable amount of natural resources including Gold, Coffee and the like.
These resources are at the top in Ethiopia’s revenue generating items. Nonetheless, the
Oromo people are not beneficiary of these resources. The Oromo’s have their own
interpretation of the Ethiopian state. For some it is expansionist and others believe that
2 Interview with Teshome Shumbe an officer in MoFA, Neighboring Countries Department on December, 2010.
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