lol Associating faces to behavior or conduct. That dangerous game.

Its a must for Ethiopia to have consulate or some other rep., in Puntland, since Bassaso is used for importation of some items that Ethiopia wants that way. Unless Abiy wants to use Kenya or other Somalia ports for such purposes.

Hopefully he will continue this projects and not consider them Illey staff. The plan was in 20 years the nomads would be a very small number, like a hobby. Drought and its effects is very damaging including humiliating experience which sets one back decades every time it happens. With all the accusations and blame Illey had this message in heart and had good consultants and advisors he listened to for the technical side of it.

That is the difference between great, not so great, mediocre and just numbers existing people. No body is always powerful, no body is always rich. The difference is the ability to come back, to get up again. Both Iranians and Ottomans are on way up. Turkey has been smart enough to use the Russia America to its benefit unlike Europeans who are caught in the middle. Turkey has independence. You see how fast they and Russians finished a pipeline on the sea. Much respect to Turkish. Big mistake Abiy is doing in Ethiopia about Turkey.

You are right. That is possibility. There is so much money and power and influence in Ethiopia now to undo the kilils. That is the basis of Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia closeness is to undo kilils and Federalism. The only saving point for now is Abiy cannot do it in Oromo. They will loose the most since they never had a centralized govt in history before federalism.

Is it because its wide open or are all doing it for name recognition for next time.

But the choice/decision to build Rome was taken in one day at the senate. And for more than a thousand years they never looked back. Imagine how much energy and time and human life is spent in Somalia just going into two different directions of Unitary or Federal. Its all most same amount spent on going the 5 Star irridentist or work in the five parts and succeed in all of them as they are. One cannot be going for a generation in one direction, next generation in another direction yet another generation in completely different direction. Imagine if the First TFG had taken to heart what they agreed in theory and worked on it. Federalism they agreed, but immediately went against it to unitary. From experiences world wide, you cannot go back to unitary from Federalism. That is tried and tested and killed few countries. I think is time all Somali realize this and move on to build the system, implement it. What Farmaajo and co. trying is waste of time. Going through the round one more time.

I am not sure how far it can go, but this is revolution from face book to the Hamlets. Gabre Ethiopia may not be coming back, but Gabre Eritrea is there now. Its funny how we personalize things and when that person is gone, we assume things will be gone. What happened in Kismayu in last 30 years and reasons for it are always there. Unless the underlying reasons change, change of powers like Qatar UAE or Eritrea Ethiopia...is only a mirage.

There are some conflicts that are "natural". Egypt and Ethiopia is "natural" conflict. If certain people are gate keepers like the Somali with ports, and ports become crucial components of development or even survival expect everyone around to be jeleous or envious and most times competing (in Africa competition is destructive methods). The Oromo and Somali did not dance kumbaya before Tigray and very unlikely with Tigray out. There are interests that create conflict. If there is one water well and two groups of nomads, the first thing that comes to mind is not to sit down and figure out a schedule and take turns to use it. Abiy will want to go Zenawi way, because no matter his failings Zenawi was most successful in few things: Relative peace never seen in the history of that country, Infrastructure development in which the country only had Italian 5 year built roads, education a country that only had one university and no school at all in what is now Afar kilil and many other regions. He has left his mark. The difference is Abiy relies more on foreign than Zenawi did. Zenawi did not rely on Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan or Kenya to influence his country. He actually influenced those countries starting from his country. Abiy is doing it and forced to do it the other way around. Zenawi also did not have to stick to one side in any international groupings. He stuck to America in some areas, stuck to Turkey or China or Britain in other areas. As for Tigray. Its always easier for them to take care of Eritrea than to take care of Ethiopia. So far Abiy is staying safe zone, but the minute he steps Tigray will take care of Eritrea and not Ethiopia. They always do that. In a country under a dictator its much easier to take care of it with some human or just financial. Tigray and Eritrea have clans and tribes like Somali, but with one big difference. You can see the difference how the Oromo acted with Somali and others. Tigray don't have to create conflict between tribes. Its already there. Abiy or not is not going anywhere either. Will still be there.

If one could be found where the dictator does not interfere with the doily management of communities except to come open roads, cut ribbons etc and the people in the provinces don't all want to be dictator for there is only one chair.

You are right, except Ghelleh has best chance of surviving this wave. Yemen is going from bad to worst. France and Germany may even increase their presence and involvement in Djibouti. Eritrea has a very very long and very very difficult road to climb to be competitive to Djibouti. The Tigray have sealed that deal for decades to come with a lot of infrastructure investment one cannot walk away from. Eritrea can give its ports for free and still can't win. Its that bad. Would you use a crane never used in 20 years rusting in that heat and was old before then and less capacity for modern containers? The only problem is actually Turkey being kept too busy and away from the horn of Africa at the most needed time. The only way for Eritrea to defeat Djibouti is kill Ghelleh and that is probably what Isayas may have in mind. Both American and Israel ambassadors visited Tigray recently.

But he does not have any solid base in Kililka. Easy to remove with least of threat or consequences.

The wagons are circling: 1. America just added one more condition for normalizing relations with Sudan. Democracy and human rights moving the goal post to infinity 2. Eritrea just reactivated the 4 Darfur organizations it had under its briefcase organizations 3. Egypt is sending opposition leaders to Sudan to make demonstrations "struggle peacefully in your country" 4. UAE and Saudi leaking Sudanese presence in Yemen on their side, but never about Eritrea or other countries 5. Ethiopia talking all the time now everyday about border issue never addressed in 130 years. Sudan issues arrest warrant against opposition leader Sadiq al-Mahdi November 15, 2018 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s state security prosecutor on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the leader of the opposition National Umma Party (NUP), Sadiq al-Mahdi and others, as he plans to return to the country on 19 November. JPEG - 12 kb Opposition leader of the National Umma Party and Sudan’s former prime minister, al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, at his home in Omdurman after he was released on 15 June 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah) Al-Mahdi who left Khartoum in February 2018 was residing in Cairo until the first of July when the Egyptian authorities declared him persona non grata and prevented him from entering into the country. He is now living n the British capital London. A short notice extended by the security service to media outlets in Khartoum on Thursday announced that the State Security Prosecution issued on Thursday an arrest warrants for "Sadiq al-Mahdi and others", citing several articles of the Criminal Code related to subversive activities to undermine the constitutional order, incitement against the state, publishing false news. Also, the arrest warrant included an article of the Anti-Terrorism Act on the terrorist activities. The surprise decision to arrest the leader of the opposition alliance Sudan Call comes after a statement by the Sudanese presidential assistant and deputy chairman of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Faisal Hassan Ibrahim on 20 October welcoming al-Mahdi’s return to the country. President Omer al-Bashir was always very critical of al-Mahdi alliance with the armed groups in Darfur and the Two Areas. He always described it as a "red line" that the government should not tolerate. Meriam al-Mahdi, NUP Deputy leader, confirmed to Sudan Tribune her return to Khartoum from London on Friday despite her possible arrest. When he announced his return to Sudan, the former prime minister said the NUP formed a committee to defend him comprising several lawyers. Al-Mahdi, 83, had been arrested for more than a month on 17 May 2014 for criticising alleged crimes and atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Force (RSF) government militia in conflict zones. (ST)

I hope Turkey gets its way. Its better for the rest of the world and especially for middle east and Africa. America hard at work in Horn to remove Turkey. They have been so far successful in that in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has never been too close to one side where ever there are groups and camps, but this time is 100% in for UAE. Turkey was next to China one of the highest investors in Ethiopia. America wants get rid of China. Gulf Arabs want get rid of Turkey. Eritrea wanted get rid of Tigray and allies including Djibouti and Sudan, Ethiopians wanted get rid of Tigray. Perfect storm and alignment of everything top to bottom. Happens very rarely.

Competition as to who is closer to foreigners. Those against Waraabe bragging how Farmaajo is so close to Abiy and Isayas and being so proud of it, yet were decrying when others were always formal, no show off like high school kids. The Eritreans have a cartoon (of course the opposition) where it shows Isayas only smiles with foreigners. The fact that these three release pictures of this kind all the time shows you, exactly what they think about us. Shortly the other side will be laughing and this same side now crying. That is how the game goes.

galbeedi, I understand the frustration, but sometimes its becoming as the westerners say "throwing the baby with the ..water". Example: Why did Somalis disliked or hated Illey is totally different to the rest of Ethiopians. In Ethiopia Illey is seen as the Somali monster who is building enough capacity to one day declare the Somali independent of anyone else. The Somali were against him for brutality, corruption, dictatorial way... So now both are achieving their objectives. The difference is its Ethiopians that are afraid of Somali autonomy that are in control of the show. The first institutions attacked are Education, TV and Radio, Liyu and militia, settlement programs...Those that were the good side of Illey. Now every Ethiopian government official can come anywhere in Kililka and do as they please to dismantle the system that was exclusively Somali until year ago. As you said corruption and inequality can be fought only with clear and agreed formulae of how to distribute the money. It so happens nobody is interested in this. All they are interested is OK today this tribe is getting, I must have my turn to be unjust and corrupt. If you throw everything out that is what you get corrupt people taking turns. The way things are going, even the autonomy small or big achieved through a century of sacrifice will be lost. Some Somalis in Kililka are comfortable working with non Somalis.

I don't think is practical or possible to have same or similar system in the rest of Europe let alone in Africa. Example if we take Somalia: An angry tribe from Puntland another angry tribe from Awdal another angry tribe from Mogadishu and another angry tribe from NFD...etc have to meet in lets say the Bay and agree to establish a system where they protect from each of their source areas. That means all are ready to fight against Puntland or NFD or Juba mainly those that came from these areas. Immediately this creates an environment where Puntland and Somaliland are telling each other "don't touch the Bay". That is how it was set. I can't see that happening here. Do you think a tribe that went to the Bay can protect the Bay even if it means fighting against their own tribes from other areas?

You are probably right. All that propaganda on him might have worked on some people. Ethiopia and Somalia relations is not tied to individuals or clans, it is just the nature of things, how colonials set up the whole thing. The change of clans in Ethiopia or Somalia can not change this. Both have to change. Plus he may have been form the other group of Tigray that is not in the shooting range now. The ones that are in shooting range are mostly the intelligence and military economy groups. Samora Mohamed Yonus was chief of military staff for 17 years. There is nothing even on face book said ill about him and his close ones. The Tigray had groups too like everybody else. BTW Illey has not been accused yet by any article of law. Constantly postponing. Either want him to die or want to bring flimsy case and get him out. Illey blamed the same group Abiy and Co. are blaming. go figure.

You want me to go from one encircled area to another? I it was a project Isayas and UAE have been working with. There is a new Afar organization, maybe a face book one accusing Ghelleh of selling island to Saudi, port for China..etc.Lease for base is now being called Sale. No doubt this is Isayas preparing for going back to his old after sanctions are lifted. The only ones who would not throw Ghelleh to the hyenas are now Somaliland. Nomads are destructive when they quarrel even on trivial things. The smartest thing he did was lease everyone who is who in the world. Even America does not want to take risk now with Djibouti, because what comes next could be worst for them and they cannot go and bomb the place. That is guaranteed not to happen. Djibouti is smarter than Iraq or Libya.

Thanks for the recognition of my modernity and high-tech.

I just logged off and now logged in. All clear. Made it in the nick of time.

When leaders do not make simple agreements public, it telling that there is in that agreement either people of one of them or both of them or three of them don't like. That is usually the case, otherwise they would Bragg about it and make it public.

That is the whole idea of attack on federal system especially from Eritrea. In Eritrea almost all the resources are in territory of non Tigray Ethnics and also Muslim. This one is easy to understand why Eritrea wants federal system not to set foot anywhere. From the state palace to everyone's kitchen have to be accessible by one tribe the Tigray in Eritrea.

I thought he would be among first ones. Isayas hates him and was targeted few times by Isayas. Gabre might have no enemies among Somalis, even ONLF may not have hate on him, believe it or not. But Eritrea would shoot him on site which means Abiy as well. Sometimes the propaganda is misleading.

One of the conflicts between the two zones, is the ownership of the history of coffee. Its related to the trademarking and royalty of coffee. You see why in Star Bucks. Meles knew this and the 5 brands that were trade marked at the time were distributed and the royalty was federal.