In Ethio-Somali camaraderie, Ethiopia’s agenda is as plain as the nose on everyone’s face
The International Community has given little attention to Somalia for the past sixteen years. When the security problem in the country was aggravated by some irresponsible countries in the region, few concerned countries paid attention towards the problems of the country. They determined to lend hands for the establishment of the Transitional National government (TNG) of Somalia.
The parliament of Somalia, which incorporates 275 parliamentarians, founded the TNG in Kenya. Besides, IGAD, AU, UN, AL and other concerned parts were at the forefront in bringing the Somali warlords to consensus and setting up their Transitional Government.
The newly set up TNG of Somalia, however, faced two major obstacles. On one hand, it had to create a harmony among the Somali conflicting clans. On the other hand, it had to fight against the revival of the global terrorist group in its territory.
No matter how hard the TNG has attempted, it couldn’t manage to avoid the impediments that it confronted. As a result, the al-Qaida backed IUC managed to control the entire country except Baidowa and its vicinity.
Somalia plummeted in the hands of cold hearted terrorists and Somalis were deprived of their human and political rights. Torture and massacre became rife throughout the country. The situation was escalated and Somalia almost became out of the hands of the TNG. It began crying for help and made vivid that unless the international community intervenes in tackling the problem, the TNG of Somalia couldn’t manage to save Somalia from the global terrorist.
In the meantime, the terrorist groups believed that they had almost an entire control of the country. Then, they openly waged war against Ethiopia with an attempt of linking what they were doing with the Islam religion. The Ethiopian government made various efforts to solve that aggressiveness peacefully. However, the terrorist group gave a deaf ear to Ethiopia’s call for peace because its agenda was creating tenterhook and instability in the entire world with terrorist attacks.
Then, Ethiopia fully understood that it soon become the first target for the IUC terrorist actions. So, the country had only one alternative as it recognized the failure of diplomatic efforts. It must willy-nilly act against the aggression in order to save itself and its people from the attacks. Ethiopia did it. It successfully wiped out the terrorist groups from Somalia. Remnants of the IUC and its associates escaped to Eritrea together with their ally Eritreans who where fighting against Ethiopia and Somali Transitional Government.
Although Ethiopia has winded up its agenda there, it was immoral to left Somali Factions fighting one another again. It must cooperate with the TNG in order to bring peace and stability in the country. Since then, various peace endeavors have been made to curb the row among Somali clans and to make hay any effort of the remnant Islamic fundamentalists trying to regain their position in Somalia.
The tremendous efforts of the TNG, Ethiopia and other peace loving countries to bring peace and stability in the country is showing progress from time to time. These countries believe that there should be reconciliation and peace negotiation among different clans in the country so that peace could be restored. This attempt is not totally gloomy. It will be a reality with Somalis’ devotion and full cooperation of the international community.
Ethiopia, in line with the interest of the international community, the Somali people and other peace loving countries of the region, has stood by this legally formed Transitional Government. It also facilitates any peace initiation and negotiation among Somalis. That is why Premier Meles Zenawi, in his recent discussion with UN special representative in Somalia, made vivid that Ethiopia fully supports and cooperates to any peace deal among Somalis.
Therefore, it is easy to realize that the main objective of Ethiopia in tits participation in Somalia is basically to help Somali people get rid off living in agony and to bring lasting peace and stability in the Horn. It is fully concerned with the region’s peace and stability because it fully understood that its development efforts could be realized if and only if there is peace and security in the region. Unless such conducive situation prevails in the region, Ethiopia couldn’t exert its potential on fighting poverty and backwardness.
This country’s effort towards restoring peace is also confirmed by international organizations. For instance, UN top officials have confirmed that Ethiopia has played a significant role in curbing the terrorist threats in the country in particular and in the region in general. Its devotion is to foil the threats of the revival of terrorist groups and bringing about peace and security in the Horn.
It is vivid that the International community recognizes the legality and legitimacy of its measures of defending against threats of terror and of helping the TNG stand on its feet. That is what Ethiopia is doing and what it did at the very expansion of terrorist groups in Somalia who were primarily targeting Ethiopia for their terrorist attacks.
Starting the very day of its intervention with the invitation of the Somali Transitional National Government and other Peace loving countries, Ethiopia fully backed the TNG in its effort towards establishing lasting peace and stability, securing Humanitarian assistance to displaced Somalis and jeopardizes the revival of terrorist groups in the Horn.
However, the terrorist groups who harbored themselves in Asmara, Eritrea continued blackmailing Ethiopia’s efforts in Somalia. Ethiopia, by no means, could be a cause for instability and disharmony in the region as its key objective is to struggle against poverty. It is a public secret that the country envisions ‘‘to become a country where democratic rule, good governance and social justice reign through the involvement and free will of its peoples thereby become a middle class economy extricating itself from poverty.’’
Therefore, Ethiopia’s agenda is as plain as the nose on everyone’s face that it needs peace and security to carry out its strategies of poverty reduction. It is enthusiastic to concentrate on pulling itself out of the quagmire of poverty. So, anything that directly or indirectly could hamper its development efforts could only lead the country to such conflict and contradiction. The case in Somalia is the same.
The revival of terrorists in the Horn could highly affect the developments of these poor countries in the region. That could also be a serious threat not only to Africa but also to the international community. Therefore, Ethiopia’s attachment is not only for its own sake but for Somali people, the region, the continent and the international community as a whole as all could be targets of the international terrorist groups who are trying to reorganize once again in the area. Therefore, in Ethio-Somali camaraderie, Ethiopia’s objective is crystal clear. It is just to bring lasting peace and stability in Somalia in particular and in the region in general, which should be fully backed by the international community.
