The Horn Of Africa Inquistion The Latest Profile In The War On Terror report

The Ethiopian-Somali conflict much like the US-Afghan one became one of the main fronts of the War on Terror. The result of the conflict was that witnessing of policies and procedures lifted directly from US operations in Afghanistan. The use of secret detention, abuse, rendition flights and use of the term ‘enemy combatant’ were all implemented in dealing with terrorist suspects.
The result of the Ethiopian action was very similar to what took place under US actions, the widespread abuse of men, women and children who had been unlawfully detained.
Like elsewhere in the War on Terror, abuses of human rights were not limited to the arena of conflict, but rather manifested and continue to manifest themselves in different ways. For some, the identity of being Somali has become enough to be watched, while for other, merely wishing to travel to the Horn of Africa lends itself to suspicion. Also the mechanisms by which individuals are abused or intimidated vary greatly, whether it be through the security services disguising themselves as postmen or by detaining an entire people due to their ethnicity.
The Horn of Africa Inquisition is the latest report by Cageprisoners to highlight the way in which the War on Terror has impacted profiled communities. Based on the testimonies of those who have been affected, the report seeks to provide an overview of the way in which the War on Terror has criminalised those from or even associated with the Horn of Africa.