From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Jan 08 2009 - 17:22:24 EST
Somalia:Islamist leader says Djibouti peace deal meant to deceive Somalis
08.01.2009
The chairman of the Asmara-based Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia,
Sheikh Hasan Dahir Aweys, has said the agreement signed in Djibouti between
the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia [TFG], and the Djibouti-based
ARS led by Sheikh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad was meant to swindle the Somali
people, saying the Ethiopian forces are still carrying out their operations
in parts of the country.
Aweys, who is an elected chairman of the Asmara-based Alliance for
Re-liberation of Somalia, told Mareeg online by phone that the aim of the
Djibouti peace agreement was to mislead the people on their political and
military stand, and their objectives towards the Somali people, as he put
it.
He said since the beginning of the Djibouti peace talks between the
Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and some members of the ARS,
there were pressures to convince them to join the talks, which they had
refused after realizing that the peace talks was not in the interest of the
Somali people and the country at large.
Aweys stressed that let alone joining the ongoing talks, they are urging the
group led by Sheikh Sharif to return to the ARS.
He also accused them of being carried away by greed. He said they are the
right group which is being guided by the ARS
stand.http://mareeg.com/advertImages/Sheekh_Aweys.jpg
Aweys said Shaykh Sharif Shaykh Ahmad was cheated, even on the
implementation of the Djibouti agreement with TFG. He said the Ethiopian
troops which had pledged to start withdrawing by December 2008 are now even
moving to other regions in Somalia.
Aweys said the Ethiopian forces did not even start withdrawing by 5
December, which they had set the time themselves.
[Aweys] Not a single soldier has pulled out, to the contrary they are
entering the country as usual. They have entered several other regions. They
have entered Gedo Region [southwestern Somalia] and they would possibly
enter other regions. They have entered central Somalia regions, Balamballe,
Guri El, Abud Waq and they are stretching their presence in the whole
country. They have not moved a single soldier. No pact was reached with them
and as it is evident they do not keep their words. So, they still have the
same objectives they had from the beginning, so what there is nothing new.
"The other group (transitional government) is being called everyday from
their Ka'abah [Holy Muslim Shrine], which is Addis Ababa, there is nothing
they can agree upon" Sheikh Aweys concluded.
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