Sunatimes.com - A Chinese oil company was involved in the smuggling of a former Somali rebel officer, Colonel Abdikariim Sheikh Muse, to Ethiopia because his organization of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) was against oil and mineral exploration in Ogaden of the southeastern Ethiopia by China.

The ONLF is fighting for a separate homeland for the Somalis living in the Ogaden region inhibited by Somalis in East Ethiopia.

The Chinese companies that explore oil are rejected by locals and operate under heavy military protection.  

In April 2007 ONLF rebels stormed in Ogaden a Chinese-run oil field and killed more than 70 people, including nine Chinese workers, in one of Ethiopia’s worst rebel attacks in years.

Since then, the Chinese were very much involved with what is happening in that area.

The man who was behind the rejection of Chinese oil exploration who lived in Somalia and served as a senior military officer in Somalia was handed over to Ethiopia secret service is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Somali constitution.

"Ethiopia was under pressure by Chinese oil firms that wanted all rebels opposing oil exploration be either killed or captured," a senior officer in the office of Somali presidency said.

 "Ethiopia demanded the handover of the officer who was not active currently in the rebel activity or may withdraw their troops from Somalia," the officer told Waagacusub anonymously. 

Ethiopian troops are in Somalia to protect the fragile Somali government from attacks by Islamic rebel organization known as Al-Shabaab.

The prisoner is currently in Ethiopian jail where his family said he was badly tortured and is deprived of any visits by those who want to see him.

The officer nicknamed  "Qalbi Dhagah"  ( the stone-hearted) was in a bad medical situation as a victim of diabetes and hypertension, his nephew Abdi Ibrahim said.

The Chinese are since the 2007 attack donating a lot of cash for the Ethiopian secret service agencies to continue exploiting oil and other minerals.

The money was coming from the Chinese oil companies, political observers said. 

"The Chinese oil companies are seen here in Ogaden as occupational force and lacked the trust of the people in Ogaden," Abdi Matan who is a businessman in Nairobi said.

The Chinese oil firms don't consider the human right issue in the countries they explore oil. 

There is a plan to build a very big prison with the help of China in Ogaden, a senior local official said by telephone. 

But he wasn't officially allowed to speak therefore he decided to hide his identity.  

"Those who reject the Chinese will face the consequences," he also said but the secretive Chinese oil companies are yet to confirm the prison issues.

END

By Dahir Alasow