Since the 19th-century Ethiopian annexation and invasion of the Somali region/Somali Galbeed (Ogaden), the area has been forcibly integrated into the Ethiopian state. Somalis have not historically lived under Ethiopian rule in the same way; the Somali region was part of ancient entities like the Kingdom of Macrobia and the Land of Punt, and later key territories of the Adal Sultanate and Ajuran Empire.
Since the invasion and annexation by Ethiopia, Somali people have faced systemic discrimination, ethnic cleansing, and atrocities that many describe as genocide under successive regimes, including Emperor Haile Selassie, the Derg military junta, and the Tigrayan-dominated TPLF/EPRDF government. These included widespread killings, forced displacement, destruction of livestock and water points, torture, and collective punishment against civilians suspected of supporting Somali self-determination.70
In the 1977–1978 Ogaden War, when Somalia attempted to liberate the region, Ethiopian and allied Cuban forces committed executions, widespread rape, and other atrocities against civilians and refugees.53
During the TPLF-led Ethiopian operations in Ogaden from the mid-1990s to 2018 (under Meles Zenawi and the TPLF-dominated EPRDF), following the ONLF’s push for self-determination—including a 1994 regional assembly vote asserting the right to independence—the Ethiopian military waged a prolonged counter-insurgency against the ONLF. Thousands of Somalis were killed, raped, tortured, and displaced from their lands. Non-Somali groups such as Oromos, Amharas, and Tigrayans have been accused of taking over lands and properties in areas like Harar and Jijiga amid these conflicts and demographic shifts.
Legally and internationally today, the Somali Region is one of Ethiopia’s federal regional states, recognized as Ethiopian territory. It has its own administration under ethnic federalism, but with ongoing grievances over autonomy, resources, and historical injustices. Somalia has long claimed it as part of a “Greater Somalia,” but these claims lack international support. Separatist aspirations (via groups like the ONLF) exist, and Ethiopia’s constitution theoretically allows self-determination up to secession, but no successful independence process has occurred.
In practice, the region remains part of Ethiopia, with periods of insurgency giving way to uneasy peace deals (e.g., 2018) and development efforts alongside persistent human rights concerns and ethnic tensions. Changing its status would require major political upheaval, which currently seems unlikely.
This is a deeply contested issue rooted in ethnic identity, colonial-era borders, and decades of conflict. Somali perspectives emphasize historical independence and suffered injustices, while Ethiopia views it as integral sovereign territory. True resolution would need inclusive dialogue, accountability for abuses, and respect for the wishes of the local Somali population.