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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Ethiopian Invasion of Somalia: Retaliation for “Conquest of Abyssinia” A/Rasaq H. Nuurre, E-mail: Iraad69@yahoo.com In recompense for their long-standing alliance, the occupying Ethiopian forces handed over illicitly the power to the former assertive Somali warlords, now the devious vengeful TFG leaders. Surrounding by fervent clannish supporters, they immediately welded themselves inside the rusty presidential palaces of Mogadishu. Incompatible insurgents shell the palaces and the Ethiopian military camps day and night; they are insular tribelists, and indignant Islamists; each of them has its own immutable agenda: anarchism and Islamic state respectively. The Ethiopian Military were under orders to shell the residential neighborhoods of Mogadishu. The whole city was aflame. Hospitals were looted. Countless unarmed Somali civilians were killed accordingly. Thousands of Mogadishu’s long-time terror-stricken inhabitants were displaced and many other thousands are about to leave their homes for the recent vicious circle. Again, war crimes were [are] committed; likewise the past seventeen years, the Security Council, as usual, remains indifferent and unconcerned about the situation; no one was held accountable for what happened. Unprecedented ransom-detainees exchange became seemingly the major bribe for many TFG and Ethiopian officers; some say it could reach up to $3.000 to release loved ones from captivity. Political assassinations are under way from both sides. Furthermore, the greatest economic resources for the country, such as see ports and airports are formally or otherwise controlled by the Ethiopian officers. Militarily, the country is in the hands of General Gabra, while politically Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Seyoum Mesfin is the Trojan horse who puts the cart before the horse. Some well-informed analysts suggest that this is yet a new chapter of the Ethio-Somali conflict. The goal of this document, however, is to highlight how the present Ethiopian occupation in Somalia veritably relates to the age-old conflicts between the two nations. In addition, some integral solutions for the situation will be discussed. A Brief look at Conquest of Abyssinia Whether we call it “a proxy war” or not, Ethiopia’s recent invasion of Somalia was clear retaliation for Conquest of Abyssinia: The first major Ethio-Somali conflict in the 16th century where the Awdal Emirate army led by Imam Ahmed Gurey (The left-handed) defeated the entire Abyssinian armies, overran their country, and finally debilitated the extremely powerful Ethiopian Empire. In 1527, Imam Ahmed Ibrahim (Gurey) revived the political power of Muslim Emarite of Awdal, which at that time stretching from Zeila to the eastern part of Hawash River, after many years of its reoccurring defeats on the hands of the Ethiopian Kings. This reviving campaign, however, was the beginning of a history that had been named as ‘The Conquest of Abyssinia’. Imam Ahmed organized a vast force from different Muslim tribes including many Somalis into well trained forces[1] In 1529 he won a decisive victory over the Abyssinians at the well-known battle of Shimbira Kore; 3000 soldiers from Somali tribes were killed in this battle alone. In 1535, Imam Ahmed controlled the south and central of Abyssinia for the first time in the Ethiopian history; he then invaded to the north (Tigrai mountain areas) and won again another decisive victory over the King’s army. This time, King Lebne Dengel became a hunted fugitive, hiding himself in those mountains and running from a mountain to another. After 15 years of conquering Abyssinia, Imam Ahmed was killed in 1543 near the Lake Tana by the son of King Lebne Dengel, Galawdeos and his aiding Portuguese army. A Brief look at Ogaden War The Ogaden War was the second major conflict between the Somali people and their historical rivals, the Ethiopians. It was the war Somalia believed it had to win, to bring back the Western portion of Somalia to its mainland as an opportunity to fulfill its promise and dream of greater Somalia[2] Knowing for sure, that her qualitative military superiority over Ethiopia’s weak and poorly trained army was certain, Somalia invaded Ogden in July 1977 with an assumption that, at least, it had secured the military aid and the political support it needed to win this war from one of the two supper powers at that time, the US. In addition, Somali government was also hoping from other western nations, including British government, which ceded Ogaden to Ethiopia, not long ago, to stand side by side with the Somali people. Somali military rulers, however, were either knowingly or unknowingly taking their decisions to go to the Ogaden war under a misapprehension that the western governments, particularly, the US would open its military arsenal to support the Somali forces if the Soviet Union militarily interferes the conflict in the Horn of Africa. As expected, Somalia was left alone in the face of a forthcoming Warsaw storm, receiving incomparable military aid (to the extent of what Ethiopians were getting from the Soviet Union) from the US and other friends, including Iran, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and the rich Arab Gulf countries, mainly Saudi Arabia. Though the majority of the world was supportive to the Somali rights, Somalia lost the war politically and militarily on its final round. The entire western bloc gave a mild support to Somalia which was incomparable to the strong support Ethiopia received from Warsaw. Moreover, the main organization in Africa, OAU, sided with Ethiopia. Expectedly, Kenya also sided with Ethiopia, and even forced during the war an Egyptian cargo plane that was caring ammunitions and other military equipments to Somalia to land in Nairobi. Thousands of civilians and uniformed armies, from both sides, lost their lives in that war. The two countries spent for the war millions of dollars that, if invested in basic services, such as education, health care, transport, and power supplies, could had benefited millions of people in both countries. Nonetheless, the war badly damaged the two countries’ infrastructures, and terrorized many civilians in both sides. I still remember, after 30 years, how Ethiopian air force with the help of Cuban pilots destroyed my small town in central Somalia; I was at that time seven years old, living in a small town bordering to the Somali region of Ogaden. I had rushed to hide myself to save my live from the Ethiopian jet fighters that were hunting any moving human in and around the town; I had to share, perhaps, the pain that the young Ogadeni children were experiencing after the Somali forces retreated from Western Somalia; many other Somali cities were similarly bombarded from the period between 1978 to mid 1980’s, including the town of Borama in the northwest of Somali republic which many school children were massacred by an Ethiopian air raid; that was a gruesome harrowing scene. However, after 8 years of border clashes and air raids, a so-called peace accord was signed in late 80’s in Djibouti by the two military regimes, Gen. Mohamed S. Barre, Somali President and Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam, Ethiopian leader. We thought that we had finally secured a few years of peace and tranquility. But, this was the lull before the storm. The two regimes were secretly arming their opposition groups to each other. Somalia continued the military support to the Ethiopian rebels, mainly the TPLF of Meles Zeawi while Ethiopia redoubled weapons and ammunition supplies to the Somali functions, such as SSDF, SNM, SPM, and the USC; each of them had its own tribal ideology. A Brief look at Conquest of Somalia Heedless of the consequences, the incompetent and pervasive Islamic Courts rushed into the ground battle with the heavily equipped Ethiopian military to drive them out of the country. They viewed themselves as invincible forces. They were loath and paranoid about the Ethiopian presence in Somalia. However, it was manifest for Meles Zenawi that the ICU’s advance to Baidoa (Seat of TFG) was just a nifty opportunity to invade Somalia. Whenever the news from Baidoa hits the headline, he tells the world the next morning in a news conference that he is a pacifist and phlegmatic leader not a peevish one; and that he would only defend the TFG if attacked. Moreover, the Courts’ provocative words antagonized him as many pro-Ethiopians argue; “if he invades Mogadishu, we will invade Adis ababa.” An officious ICU military chief, Indho-cadde threatened. These words could act as catalyst for the war, but the Ethiopians were adamant to invade Somalia long before this questionable and rousing Indho-cadde’ speech. They were already in Punt-land, Somali-land, Gedo, Bay, and Bakol; and the only portions that they did not control were the south central regions, Mogadishu, and the port city of Kismayo. After months of admonishing not to invade Somalia, on the Christmas Eve of 2006, Ethiopian tanks, for the first time, rolled in to the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Demoralizing millions of Somalis, they camped in the center of the Somali icon and dignity: The Ministry of Defense; once, the head quarter of the Somali military who defeated them on different occasions. This latest episode, however, brought disgrace and dismay on the entire Somali Nation. The Ethiopian flag had been waving up, ever since, on top of the building, while the national flag of our country was abysmally downgraded. It is a part of our history that we must not forget. I am sure that was an appalling moment for the majority of the Somali citizens to see it happen in front of their eyes while they can’t stop it; the news, however, rejoiced some of us who are reactionary, blind in tribalism, and believe in only their short-sighted ideas! This is even worse; the most rapacious snooty TFG leader, Geedi, was in Addis-ababa; inside the so-called “Somali Embassy” to renounce our past history with Ethiopia. As the Ethiopian flag was still on top of the building, the Somali icon, the Ministry of Defense, he branded our praiseworthy struggle with Ethiopia as an “Artificial Misunderstanding”. We were all aghast to hear it. However, that was exactly what the enemy had been dreaming to achieve one day for the last six centuries. Integral Solutions for the Somali Crisis I believe that implementing the following recommendations are fundamental and necessary to regain Somalia’s long-lost peace: I- Somalia needs benign receptive leaders; not boastful self-willed apathetic ones who do not concern the suffering of their people. These sincere leaders are not for sure the warlords who had been terrorizing Somali people for the last seventeen years. They should be elected by the people and they should be approachable all the time. They should lead the nation to the correct path; not astray. II- Somalia clamors to curb the boundless tribalism which crumbled the country into cheap mini tribal states such as Punt-land, Somaliland, Jubbaland, Banadir land or any other newly purposed one, such as Makhirland. Somali people are one nation and their unity is obligatory and necessary. Any system for the country should be based on unity, sincerity, and qualification. Thus, any government built on tribalism is deemed a failure because a disease can not be a curer. III- Somalia yearns for justice as one entitled a previous article. Somalia needs from the Security Council not to remain indifferent for the suffering of the Somali people. The Somali warlords should be brought to justice for the war crimes they committed against their own people. It is unfair to let the victimizer rule the Victim. So, justice must be served. IV- Somalia demands from International Community to stop the double standard policy towards the conflict on the Horn of Africa. Somalia and Ethiopia had been hostile to each other for more than six centuries. The current Ethiopian invasion to Somalia is illegal and is viewed by the vast majority of the Somali people as an occupation; not liberation. Thus, Somalia demands Ethiopia out of the country. V- Somalia demands that the opposition groups and the TFG leaders to stop the fighting and sit together at the peace table for real dialogue to form a unity Transitional Government which can transform the power to a qualified civil government. That will come only through an election - not through violence and fighting. VI- Somalia demands from its people in Diaspora to be united as one nation, not divided for the reactionary ideology of Tribalism. Somalis in Diaspora should play a positive and constructive role for the interest of their people and their country. VII- Finally, Somalia hopes that the governments around the world will seek their interests in Somalia through the Somali people, not through the historical enemy of Somalia. This is definitely a very sensitive case for the Somali people. References:
C/Rasaq H. Nuurre, Alldalka Editor, Columbus, Ohio The Author of: Khilaafka Somaalida iyo Ethiopia (Riix) Most recent Article: The Indifferent Security Council and The Agony of the Somali People
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