From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Sat Jul 05 2008 - 17:30:07 EDT
The main problem in Somalia is not Islamists, it is Ethiopia
Publication Date: 7/5/2008
Somalia has been stateless for close to two decades now, and efforts by
neighbouring countries, particularly Djibouti, to bring it back to the
world map is frustrated, if not made impossible, by Ethiopia.
The other neighbouring countries have sympathised with the Somali
situation, and have done nothing to complicate an already complicated
matter.
They have even chipped in from time to time to see if something can be
done to help the country return to normalcy. But Ethiopia has ensured
that Somalia stays a failed state at whatever cost and as long as
possible.
Today, Ethiopia itself is worse than Somalia in terms of democracy as
at least Somalia is no longer ruled by a world-renowned dictator second
to none in Africa, who shamelessly spends millions of US dollars in
military attacks on a failed state while his countrymen and women
languish in poverty and starve to death.
It is a pity that this tyrannical ruler has the temerity to appeal for
humanitarian aid for the people whose resources he himsef has plundered
with impunity.
There are a number of reasons for Ethiopia's interest in stateless
Somalia, chief among them to divert world attention from the misguided
actions of its dictator.
The second reason is that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is holding brief
for the US, which has arrogated to itself the role of prefect of the
developing world, Islamic states in particular.
The only terrorist in the world today, according the Americans, must be
a Muslim. After all, one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter.
Efforts by the African Union (AU) to bring back calm to Somalia in 2004
proved futile after Ethiopia deployed troops in disregard of the member
states' agreement - to deploy peace-keeping troops from countries not
neighbouring Somalia.
But, to all intents and purposes, Zenawi, the dictator that he is,
increased his force tenfold instead of withdrawing those who were
already on the ground and whose presence he was vehemently denying.
The interesting bit is that no country or African leader worth the salt
could dare raise a finger because African leaders were awake to the
reality that the man was holding brief for the master, America's
President George W. Bush.
Ethiopian troops have raped, maimed, killed and committed all manner of
atrocities against innocent Somalis who could seek refuge in neither
country because of their economic status.
Ethiopia is now carrying out the same atrocities in its Ogaden region,
which is predominately occupied by Somalis.
As the world attention is focused on Zimbabwe, whose Western stooge,
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, withdrew from the run-off
presidential election after sensing defeat, who will speak for Somalia
and stop this dictator from committing further atrocities in even in his
own country?
OSMAN SHEIKH
ABDIRAHMAN,
Mandera Central.
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