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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Thu Sep 30 2010 - 14:39:23 EDT
ETHIOPIA-It is in the minority regime's interest to perpetuate the crisis in
Somalia
Thursday, 30 September 2010 08:09
Written by Sophia Tesfamariam
The minority regime’s paranoia is reflected in the writings that it posts on
Walta Information Center, the official Ethiopian government site and the
ranting of its representatives at the UN General Assembly in New York. The
daily commentary about Eritrea, its government and activities in Eritrea,
even visits by foreign dignitaries such as the recent visit by Lynn Pascoe,
the U.N. Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs, is also evident of
its obsession with Eritrea. Lately, its paranoia about Eritrea stems from
the fear that the international community’s search for other viable and
sustainable solutions for Somalia would mean taking a second look at
Eritrea’s position on Somalia.
The minority regime’s growing paranoia was in full display at the United
Nations where world leaders were gathered. There were two issues that
dominated the discourse- Sudan and the upcoming referendum was one of them
and the other was the ongoing crisis in Somalia. Ethiopia’s representatives
threw tantrums when they found out that Eritrea was invited to participate
in the international forum
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/eritrean-news/54-politics/385-uns-invitation-
to-eritrea-for-somalia-meeting-was-revoked-at-igads-demand.html> on
Somalia. They created such a ruckus that UN officials were dumbfounded by
the childish and immature actions, so unbecoming of diplomats. The minority
regime’s diplomats continue to embarrass Ethiopians at every forum and they
did again at the UN. In addition to diverting attention from the issues in
Somalia and misrepresenting the facts about Somalia, the regime was hell
bent on keeping Eritrea out of any international discussions on Somalia.
If any state is to be barred from discussions on finding solutions for the
crisis in Somalis, it should be those countries that are responsible for the
chaos and mayhem that defines Somalia today and topping that
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/70-somalia/344-pirates-of-punt
land-a-tale-of-somali-pirates-ethiopia-and-the-usa.html> list would be
Ethiopia, a country that has gone to war with Somalia three times. Ethiopia
has scuttled every opportunity for peace in Somalia by arming opposing
factions for the last 16 years. It was the December 2006 US-backed Ethiopian
invasion and occupation of Somalia that has created
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/70-somalia/331-how-did-al-shab
ab-emerge-from-the-chaos-of-somalia.html> the greatest humanitarian
disaster in the history of Somalia. Somalia's infrastructures (schools,
hospitals, markets) are in ruins and thousands of Somalis (mostly women and
children) have been forced to flee away from their homes and villages and
over 25000 innocent Somalis have been killed. Including Ethiopia in
consultations about Somalia is akin to inviting Osama Bin Laden to a meeting
on counter terrorism.
A meeting was held on 22 September 2010 in New York by IGAD member states.
It was chaired by Seyoum Mesfin, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister. IGAD issued
a communiqué after its meeting in which it said:
“…The Council also expressed its concern over the multiplicity of
conferences and the proliferation of initiatives which threatened to
undermine the Djibouti Process and the regional efforts…”
Why is Ethiopia paranoid about other initiatives that could possibly bring
sustainable solutions to the crisis in Somalia? Obviously the Djibouti
Process has failed to produce the outcomes that were envisioned by those who
signed onto it. The conflict in Somalia has been exacerbated and the
killings have not stopped. The illegitimate Transitional Government (TNG) of
Somalia led by Sheikh Sharif Ahmed has not been able to bring peace and
security to Somalia and his coalition is falling apart at the seams. So why
not have other more inclusive forums for the Somalis in which they can
address their own problems and come up with solutions that can work for
Somalia? The answer is simple; Ethiopia is not interested in seeing a
peaceful Somalia with a strong government.
It should be recalled that Ethiopia has undermined each and every single TNG
that has been established in the last 16 years and has managed to disrupt
every single reconciliation attempt made by Somalis by pitting one faction
or group against another. The minority regime in Ethiopia is happy to
perpetuate the crisis in Somalia using one pre-text or another-because war
and conflict is lucrative business for all mercenaries and this one is no
exception.
It feels threatened by Eritrea’s position, which has the best chance of
bringing peace, stability and security to Somalia. Eritrea’s position on
Somalia is crystal clear and offers the best chance for peace in Somalia.
There can be no military solution to the problem in Somalia
A Somali-owned and Somali-driven, inclusive political process may not be
easy, but is possible and practicable
Somalis have more than once, demonstrated that given the right environment,
they are capable of finding home-grown solutions to their problems
Eritrea
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/eritrean-news/54-politics/397-eritrea-general
-debate-65th-session.html> ’s principled position on Somalia is now widely
shared in the international community and Ethiopia is feeling threatened. It
is therefore seeking to sideline Eritrea and prevent a viable and
sustainable solution for Somalia from ever becoming a reality. That of
course did not prevent US and other officials from meeting with and
discussing issues related to Somalia with members of the
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/eritrean-news/54-politics/397-eritrea-general
-debate-65th-session.html> Eritrean delegation which included H.E. Osman
Saleh, Eritrea’s Foreign Minister and Mr. Yemane Gebreab, Head of Political
Affairs at the Peoples
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/eritrean-news/54-politics/391-dont-gain-the-w
orld-a-lose-your-soul-wisdom-is-better-than-silver-or-gold-yemane-gebreab-in
-washington-dc.html> Front for Justice and Democracy and Advisor to the
President of Eritrea.
So why is the regime in Ethiopia paranoid about peace in Somalia today and
why is it trying to prevent the international community from listening to
Eritrea? Because it is in the interest of the minority regime in Ethiopia to
perpetuate the crisis in Somalia, without the crisis in Somalia:
The regime looses its relevancy
As with all mercenary regimes, their relevance erodes when there is peace
and stability. In conflicts and wars they advance the interests of their
handlers, in this case, Ethiopia advances US strategic and hegemonic
interests in the region.
Military support will dry up
Mercenary regimes, such as the minority regime in Ethiopia, receive massive
military support in order to carry out their assignments. Ethiopia received
military funding and equipment from the US government to carry out its
December 2006 invasion and occupation of Somalia. USA today reported the
following on 8 January 2007:
“…The United States has quietly poured weapons and military advisers into
Ethiopia, whose recent invasion of Somalia opened a new front in the Bush
administration's war on terrorism…A Christian-led nation in sub-Saharan
Africa, surrounded almost entirely by Muslim states, Ethiopia has received
nearly $20 million in U.S. military aid since late 2002. That's more than
any country in the region except Djibouti…There are about 100 U.S. military
personnel currently working in Ethiopia…”
The recent IGAD communiqué stated the following:
“… the Council also expressed its appreciation to AMISOM and to the
troop-contributing countries. It appealed to those members’ states which
have pledged troops, equipment and other support to redeem their pledges so
AMISOM could attain the necessary 20,000 troop level to fulfill its mandate.
In this regard, the IGAD Council requested the UN Security Council to agree
formally to approve the 20,000 troop level as well as make funds available
to sustain this larger force. It appealed to the UN to mobilize necessary
resources to sustain AMISOM pending its transformation into a UN
peacekeeping operation…”
It is not more funding for troops or increase in troops that will bring
peace and security to Somalia. The bloodshed in Somalia has escalated with
the introduction of foreign troops in the country. First it was the
Ethiopian troops and then it was the AMISOM troops that came in to provide
Ethiopia with an exit strategy. According to Jendayi E. Frazier, the
incompetent former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs they
are in Somalia to “prop up” the illegitimate TNG. So why is Ethiopia,
through IGAD, requesting for more troops and more funds? Because more troops
and more funding, makes for a very lucrative venture for the Ethiopians.
Today it continues to get funding and equipment for training the Somali
government’s (TNG) police and military forces.
Support for being Washington’s ally in the “war on terror” will come to a
halt
With peace in Somalia, there will be no need for “anti-terror” activities.
The minority regime in Ethiopia, through its lobbyists and the incompetent
Bureau of African Affairs has misrepresented the issues in Somalia and the
grievances of the various warring factions. If these issues are addressed
and the in-fighting stops, there will be no need for funds to fight the
“extremists”, “fundamentalists”, and “terrorists” that are said to be in
Somalia.
Under the rubric of "counter-terrorism” the US has supported the training of
Ethiopia <http://www.abbaymedia.com/2005_Ethiopian_Election_Timline.htm> ’s
special forces and provided the humvees that were used to massacre over 200
innocent Ethiopians in the aftermath of the 2005 elections. According to the
US State Department:
“…Training in peacekeeping operations, professional military education,
military training management, counterterrorism operations, and military
medicine are among the major programs sponsored by the United States…”
Peace and security in Somalia would mean an end to the military support it
gets to “fight terrorism” in the region. As long as it can point to
“fundamentalists”, “extremists” and “terrorists” in Somalia, the military
funding will continue. No crisis in Somalia means no funding for
“counter-terrorism” activities.
Foreign currency will be further depleted
Money for African Union peacekeepers is released in a lump-sum from the AU
Peace Fund to defense ministries of the respective governments, who in turn
should deposit it on the soldiers’ accounts. The AU Peace Fund is located in
Ethiopia and its funds are deposited in Ethiopian banks. Even though AMISOM
is headquartered in Kenya, and only Uganda and Burundi troops make up the
peacekeeping operation in Somalia, its funds come from Addis Ababa, the
Ethiopian capital. The bigger the force, the bigger the funding, the more
foreign currency deposits for the Ethiopian regime…
Refugee camps will dry up-and funding for them will also dry up
The minority regime has perfected the art of creating refugees with its
aggressive wars of invasion and occupation of neighboring states. The
invasion and occupation of Somalia forced thousands of Somalis to seek
refuge in neighboring countries. Kenya and Ethiopia are home to the largest
Somali refugee camps in the region. There are some 60,000 Somali refugees in
four camps in Eastern Ethiopia and these camps according to Oxfam are,
“overcrowded and badly managed” and are "barely fit for humans". Despite the
massive funding it receives from the various UN agencies for its refugee
camps, the funds are diverted into the coffers of its local self created
NGOs.
The Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), an outfit
established by the Ethiopian minority regime
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/329-ethiopia-faces
-era-of-one-party-rule.html> is the main implementing partner of UN
agencies such as UNHCR and World Food Organization (WHO). ARRA gets funding
for food distribution, security issues in the camps, and for programs such
as health and education in the camps
Kids glove treatment for being Washington’s s.o.b (mercenary regime) will be
lost
Many of the world's most repressive dictators have been friends of America.
Tyrants, torturers, killers, and sundry dictators and corrupt
puppet-presidents have been aided, supported, and rewarded handsomely for
their loyalty to US interests. The minority regime in Ethiopia led by the
genocidal leader Meles Zenawi has received unprecedented diplomatic,
financial, political and military support from the US and UK and their
allies.
Meles Zenawi
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/366-meles-zenawis-
propensity-for-lies-by-sophia-tesfamariam-for-those-of-us-who-are-accustomed
-to-meles-zenawis-propensity-for-lies-as-well-as-his-trademark-boisterous-rh
etoric-and-empty-bravado-his-latest-pre-election-tantrums-and-deceptive-shen
anigans-c.html> is not the first, and will not be the last dictator
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/314-ethiopia-under
-zenawi-named-2nd-poorest-country-in-the-world.html> that Washington has
cuddled only to turn around and dump them once they have lost their
usefulness. Mobutu Sese Seko of the Congo, Idi Amin of Uganda, P.W. Botha of
South Africa, Samuel Doe of Liberia, Francois and Jean Claude Duvalier of
Haiti, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines are amongst the over 40 leaders
that enjoyed Washington’s support as they committed untold crimes against
their own people…and were discarded by Washington.
The end of US diplomatic, financial, political and military support would
mean an end to the political shield and cover that the minority regime in
Ethiopia now enjoys. Meles Zenawi is not interested in bringing peace,
stability and security to Somalia as that would mean it would have to
account for its actions in Somalia and more.
Meles Zenawi
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/291-west-rubber-st
amps-ethiopias-99-election.html> ’s minority regime would be held
accountable for the thousands of deaths in Somalia, for the devastation of
Somalia’s infrastructures including schools, mosques and markets, for the
torture of thousands of innocent civilians and displacement of over 2.5
Somalis from their homes and villages and the international crimes committed
by its marauding forces during the invasion and occupation of Somalia.
The regime will loose the US-led international community’s political and
diplomatic support for its numerous intransigencies and violations of
international law. It is in violation of the United Nations and African
Union Charters, over two-dozen Security Council resolutions, and
international law, that the minority regime continues to occupy sovereign
Eritrean territories, including Badme.
US’ shield and cover for the genocides committed in the Gambela, Ogaden and
Oromo regions of
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/145-famine-civil-w
ar-and-afro-nazism-in-ethiopia-circa-2003.html> Ethiopia, and for the
numerous human rights violations that are being committed
<http://www.eritreacompass.com/horn-of-africa/65-ethiopia/316-some-see-worse
ning-rights-situation-in-aid-donor-darling-ethiopia.html> against the
people of Ethiopia will also come to an end.
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
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