I thought this was an interesting piece regarding history of the somali ethopian animosity! The peoples of Ethiopia and Somalia have a lot in common when it comes to physiognomy, culture, social organization, and thousands of years of interaction, although this contiguous network was at times uneasy and many times turned into violent clashes. In contemporary history, the conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia is markedly exemplified by the 1964 and 1977 wars that were, by and large, provoked by the Somali irredentist regimes who were supporting the secession of Ogaden from Ethiopia. If we deleve into early and medieval history, we can also examine confrontations between the Somalis and the Ethiopians as far back as the middle of the 14th century. These early armed clashes were compounded by Jihad (Islamic holy war) that were meant to counter the expansionist Christian kingdom of Ethiopia (Abyssinia proper). The pioneers of Jihad were the Walasa Dynasty of Adal who managed to control the strategic port of Zeila, which, in turn, enabled them to expand Islam in the north-eastern Awash valley. They effectively united Muslims and successfully converted the pastoral Somali to Islam, and in the conflict between Adal and the Ethiopian kingdom, the Somalis proved to be the most vital fighting force. By early 1400s, however, the Abyssinians of Ethiopia, at least briefly, controlled the Harar plateau (historical assumptions that Ethiopians first came to Harar with Menelik in the 1890s is thus false), but in 1450 Adal reinforcements recaptured Harar. Following the recovery of the Adals, perpetual wars that devastated highland Ethiopia throughout the 15th and 16th centuries would be ignited. The war ignition is largely attributed to Ahmed Gragn ( from Adal) who also had a huge Somali contingent in his army. In fact, in the late 1520s , the Gragn forces crossed the river Dukem and this was a wake up call for the Ethiopian king Lebne Dingil who soon mobilized his forces (close to 200,000) from Tigray, Agaw, Gojjam, Begemdir, Shewa and the rest of his domain. Gragn, on the other hand, had assembled only 12,000 troops but he had a distinct advantage of the Turkish muskets which the Lebne Dingil forces were lacking. Gragn was not only victorious. He routed the Ethiopian king, destroyed a sizable of the Lebne Dingil forces, burned down Churches, and took booty unparalleled in Ethiopian history. The Gragn campaign to destroy Ethiopia was conducted in the name of Islam and Jihad and to be sure there were some Arabs (especially from Mahra in southern Arabia) among the rank-and-file of his forces who came to assist the Jihad wars. Ethiopia resurrected from its death following the holy wars of Gragn in the 1540s when king Gelawdewos, the son of Lebne Dingil, assumed power and also enjoyed Portuguese military assistance. In 1543 he defeated and killed Gragn despite the enormity of the latter's forces, and peace reigned in Ethiopia for the next two decades. The Jihad wars make sense vis-a-vis the Crusades and the history of the 15th century Ethiopia, but in the 21st century they are undoubtedly reactionary. Neither Jihad nor fundamentalism could serve as political programs for sound civic transformation; in the era of diverse cultures and secular states, they are surely anathema to development. Against the brief anecdotal account made above, we can now deal with the rather enigmatic relations between Somalia and Ethiopia and the recent political developments in the Horn, and we shall see this in conjunction with the so-called terrorists in Somalia. But first lets first have a glance on a relevant statement that I have made in 1997: "One may ask whether Islam is a problem in the Horn of Africa. Since its inception, Islam was in the Horn; the first followers of Mohammed were well received by the Aksumite king [Armah] in the early 6th century, and after 632 A.D., Islam spread fast...in the Horn of Africa and in the entire northern Africa. And although there were conflicts between Moslems and Christians in the Horn, there were also a significant period of peaceful coexistence. In some instances, Moslems and Christians intermingled, intermarried, and lived together in a community...To be sure, Islam, like other major religions, preaches 'peace on earth'. If Islam is not a problem, can we then say Islamic fundamentalism is a threat in the Horn of Africa. This question must be examined against the complexity of the Horn itself. By now the reader must bear in mind that the commodity called peace is rare in the Horn of Africa. Sadly and regretfully, Eritrea and Ethiopia are about to go to war against Sudan and both have condemned the Omar al Beshir regime as Islamic fundamentalist. on top of this, last August (and now again on December 1996) Ethiopia pursued the Al Itihad al Islamia (Islamic Union) in Somalia. So the Ethiopian forces will be deployed on both the eastern frontier against Somalia and the western frontier against Sudan. Eritrea also may either directly confront and engage Sudanese forces or assist the Beja Congress and other opposition forces to fight the Sudanese government." The above statement was featured in the African Link magazine and the analysis was made based on the then existing political scenario in the Horn although now we know that Sudan was not attacked by a consortium of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda due to undpredictable twist of historical irony that saved Sudan: War broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Uganda was enmeshed in its own civil strife and in the Congo crisis. However, as shown in the statement, the Ethiopian government was after the Al Itihad since 1996, and to some extent the Ethiopian move is justified because the Al Itihad could have been responsible for the bomb sabotage in Addis Ababa and the assassination attempt of Abdul Mejid Hussien, former Ethiopian minster of transport, and this same group may have been involved in the bombardment of the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salam. But in the wake of the September 11 tragedy, the Al Itihad al Islamia may not be a force to be reckon with. On November 4, 2001, David B. Ottaway and Thomas A. Ricks wrote "Somalia Draws Anti-Terrorist Focus" in the Washington Post, and per these journalists, "the Christian-dominated Ethiopian government has expressed a desire to work closely with Washington to eliminate the threat also posed to itself by al Queda and its local Somali Islamic ally, al Itihad al Islamia...Ethiopia has offered to use its own troops to attack al Queda bases, according to Ethiopian diplomatic sources." Ottaway and Ricks' report need to be carefully and critically examined. I personally don't think that the Ethiopian government ever claimed that its composition is predominantly Christian. But the Ethiopian government may have miscalculated in offering its resources against the al Itihad or al Queda bases in Somalia in light of the absence of credible evidence. Exactly a month after the Washington Post story, Elizabeth Blunt for the BBC and Paul Redfern for The Nation implied the non-existence of al Queda bases in Somalia. Ms. Blunt said, "al-Itihad has fragmented and is no longer the force it was," and she further claimed that "one of the outsiders best placed to assess the truth of the allegations is David Stephen, the UN Secretary General's special representative for Somalia, and he is dubious." In fact, David Stepehen himself have the following to say: "I can't comment on the specific rumours -- all I will say is that there is a lot of speculation. No one has come up with evidence which I have found convincing that there are, for example, terrorist camps in Somalia." From a slightly different perspective, Paul Redfern tells us that "Mr. Meles Zenawi, has publicly urged Washington to cooperate with him on the war against fundamentalists, including the group known as Ittihad al Islamia." Redfern adds, "such a strategy could be risky, experts warn... that the Americans could be dragged into Ethiopia's battle against separatists in the Ogaden region and become embroiled in a regional conflict." As I have indicated on a number of occasions, Ethiopia's fight against a phantom enemy in Somalia will further complicate the enigma between the two brotherly peoples and sisterly nations. On the contrary, and in spite of al Itihad's "high profile" performance, the Ethiopian government must pursue a policy of reconciliation with the Somalis. Of course, the challenge and diffcicult task for Ethiopians at this juncture is to deal with various Somali factions who are unable to reconcile their differences and come up with a national consensus. But there is some hope. The interim president of Somalia, Abdulkasim Salat Hassan and the prime minister Hassan Abshir Farah are trying their best to iron out differences among the various Somali political groupings by convening a National Reconciliation Conference for Somalia, and both leaders are determined to root out, if at all, the vestiges of terrorism in their country. These leaders need help and cooperation from the African Union, the European Union, Ethiopia and the United States, and with a successful dialogue in Somalia, which I believe will be the agenda of the 8th IGAD summit in Somalia, the country will be resurrected and Ethiopia will enjoy peace at its borders. It is for this obvious reason that Mr. Farah sojourned to Ethiopia to conduct talks with the Ethiopian government where he had "a very successful meeting with Meles Zenawi." If Ethiopia and the United States cooperate with the Transitional National Government (TNG) of Somalia, on top of the agenda of the interim government and the political realities therein, they need to seriously consider cross-cultural and comparative-perception approach which is embedded in the diagnosis of meaning, motive, and intentions that have to do with the built-in cultural disposition of the Somali nation (and by extension, the Ethiopian nation). I must submit to the reader that it is easy for me (as a scholar) to make an ex post facto judgment compared to a government official or diplomat who would rather encounter political hurdles tainted in paradoxes and dilemmas, but the latter can (to the extent possible) operate within a given framework by expending his/her utmost political skills. My ex post facto judgments, in this context, is that the U.S. and Ethiopia should not direct their forces against the Somali people and by default destroy the initiatives of the TNG. If they do, it would be tantamount to inflicting wound on an already shattered people and choke a nation that is unable to resuscitate. The whole world knows that the Somalis have entered into a quagmire that literally suffocated them, and as one Somali educator (Ali A. Abdi quoting Afrax, 1994) aptly puts it, "the entire fabric of the Somali society has been damaged, the existence of the whole nation has sunk into a deep, dark sea of unimaginable human and material disaster, and the communal mind of the people is in comma." It is morally and politically untenable and legally unpalatable to try to suffocate a people that is in comma. Both in terms of political gain and fundamental human rights point of view, it would be advisable to uphold the peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Horn. Dr. Ghelawdewos Araia

Thankz for your input guys...i luv wat prof Samatar said in his speech!

Jamaal....The old timers have failed us but unfortunately there are no new young hearts willing to sacrifice for the somali cause! We are all talk, critisms but no action!

I would say Ahmed Gurey who brought ethopia down its knees.He captured two-thirds of ethopia,defeated their portugeese counterparts and eliminated the imperialist king. Now i know the Ethopian State hate Us!

Thanks Yonis. Nomad_Fella...there are lot like him....Big talk and no solutions.Just preaching self-hate.

Nasra....we know the somali promlem and heard million it million times...If you have no intention of helping out your people, there is no point in critising them!

I thought share this sad story.I hope Somalis start awekening up and fight their rights in and outside Somalia! Rape stalks refugees in city camps William Maclean Nairobi, November 22: When Somali refugee Amina shut her legs and refused to submit to gangrape, one of her four attackers resolved matters by plunging a knife into her crotch. The gangrape of the 19-year-old — 10 metres from the main UN refugee agency office in Nairobi — then proceeded. ‘‘He pushed me down and pulled up my dress. They were all going to rape me — but I refused to open my legs. I kept them together. So then he took his knife and sliced my thigh. ‘‘They started raping me. I passed out eventually.’’ Amina’s story is recorded in a Human Rights Watch report published on Thursday about the abuse, persecution and neglect of refugees in the Kenyan capital and the Ugandan capital Kampala. The US-based organisation says thousands of refugees suffer mistreatment when they flee bad conditions in Kenyan and Ugandan refugee camps and settle in their capitals. Abuse comes from governments hostile to their presence, from securitymen sent by home countries to crush exiled Opposition and from overburdened, underfunded aid workers, the group says. It was not Amina’s first rape. She had been violated repeatedly in a refugee camp in northern Kenya after fleeing violence in Somalia in 1994 when she was only 12. She was sent to Nairobi by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for treatment for tuberculosis and afterwards refused to return to the camp, preferring to sleep outside the UNHCR offices. It was there that the attack occurred in 2001. According to a researcher who examined Amina, her knife wound stretched from the edge of her vagina to her knee. Refugees from one of the world’s most turbulent regions often flee to relatively stable Kenya and Uganda where they are required by local law to stay in camps. Many of the refugees find conditions in camps so terrible — plagued by violence, food shortages and unsanitary facilities — that they try to settle in Nairobi and Kampala. ‘‘Once in the city, refugees encounter overburdened agencies with neither the resources nor the ability to help all of them,’’ the report said. ‘‘Others find something much worse: governmental hostility to their presence in urban areas, vulnerability to rape or other forms of physical attack, police abuse and harassment by agents from their countries of origin.’’ Kenya has 220,000 refugees in its camps and another 60,000 are believed to be in Nairobi. Uganda has about 200,000 refugees in camps and 50,000 living mostly illegally in Kampala. Both countries justify their limits on the refugees’ freedom of movement by saying they are a threat to national security. But Mahret, an Eritrean woman, said she was raped and her house burned down in Uganda’s Nakivale Camp by Ethiopian refugees acting out of hostility towards her. ‘‘I decided I had to go to Kampala.’’ (Reuters)

Many somalis when asked for their opinions would spend hours going through the ills of the somali society...Being somalis themselves, they are more than entitled to critize the failed the somali state and society.However they are the few that go to the extremes in their critisms(more like bashing to me).I had an oppurtunity to meet young somali who is collage student.Being a student myself, I struck a conversation with the fella about schools and studies.While we were still talking, Somalia came up in the conversation.It started with the usual rethoric which iam too all famaliar with.Most of the things he said were factual and true.I agreed, nodding my head everytime he points out the past abuses and misiries inflicted by the somali state upon its population.And i also agreed with him the fact that not many somalis stood up to the Barre regime when he was first massacring the civilians in Mudug in early 80s and later in the northern cities in 88.Most somalis kept silent as they weren't the ones being killed.As we continued with chit chat, the guy started to move away from the facts and begun over-generalising things.We argued for long while about the somali people and land.He referred to somalis as being warlike, arrogant, stupid and lacking the ability to learn.He blamed the somalis for everything that happened in the Horn from the instability, starvation to wars.After that i just couldn't take his crap. Let me first say iam not person who tries to get in to defensive mood everytime the Somali situation is critized.Infact i will be the first one to point the wrongdoings of the somali people.Even in cases when foriegners ask me about somali dillema.I tell as it is.They might laugh at the fact we are killing each other cuz our tribalistic nature.But reality is better than self-deception.There are times that one should just swallowed their pride.One should however understand the difference between critism and right out bashing.Many somalis would say that other somalis are bad and ignorant.I always wondered other than critism,what have they done to help liberate their fellow nomads from ignorance and hatred?.I put this very same question to the guy.And his answer was "i have nothing to do with somalis".I tried to reason with the guy but to no avial.It is just sad to see somalis judging its own people simply the on the facts from the last sad thirty years.People forget Somalis have endured many hardships and fought for its independence.Somalia is country with long history.It wasn't created by a couple arab shieks marrying local women.It was there during the times of the pharoahs who are referred to somali as the land of the Punt.Our people have always been united in bad times to defend our land and honor.Whether be the 16th century when Ahmed Gurey united the somalis to fight the Abynissian expanistionists who were defeated and two-thirds were captured, or the during the sayid times or laaga movement, Somalis have always been there for each other.There were and are somalis who put needs of the people before the self-interest.Somalis that say they have nothing to do with their fellow somalis and somalia, should be told that somalia too has nothing to do with them! Am I wrong saying that?

I do agree with many things she said as they happen in reality.....but her critism of Islam as being backback and oppresive religion was uncalled for....i dought she even tried to understand the true nature of Islam...People confuse pre-islamic cultures with the religion of Islam.....Take the example of the status of women in pakistan....women are treated like crap......But it is the same situation in India.....These two particular nations have the same cultures which looks down upon their women....Both countries still have "honor killings"....young women are literally shot dead if she "dishonor" her family.....Honor killings and many other hindu-based rituals existed in south asia long before Islam was ever there....For someone to blame Islam for one's culture is absurd...I can understand blaming muslims for not doing something about these ugly crimes.......She pointed out that she was mutilated at young age....That ain'tIslamic rituals....It is pharoinic ritual adopted by ethnic groups in the Africa and Middle East...Iam offended at her suggestion that the west should liberate the muslim women.......West doesn't give a rats azz about muslim women and Islam in general.....The Dutch parliament just gonna use her for their anti-immigrant policies. True change will only come if muslims are rise :confused: up and fight for their rights....It is muslims that are stuck in the past not Islam.....As the west demonizes Islam......Young educated caucusian women converts into Islam in great numbers.....Now tell me why would so-called "independent" western girl seek Islam if it is a just backward religion? :confused:

I do agree with many things she said as they happen in reality.....but her critism of Islam as being backback and oppresive religion was uncalled for....i dought she even tried to understand the true nature of Islam...People confuse pre-islamic cultures with the religion of Islam.....Take the example of the status of women in pakistan....women are treated like crap......But it is the same situation in India.....These two particular nations have the same cultures which looks down upon their women....Both countries still have "honor killings"....young women are literally shot dead if she "dishonor" her family.....Honor killings and many other hindu-based rituals existed in south asia long before Islam was ever there....For someone to blame Islam for one's culture is absurd...I can understand blaming muslims for not doing something about these ugly crimes.......She pointed out that she was mutilated at young age....That ain'tIslamic rituals....It is pharoinic ritual adopted by ethnic groups in the Africa and Middle East...Iam offended at her suggestion that the west should liberate the muslim women.......West doesn't give a rats azz about muslim women and Islam in general.....The Dutch parliament just gonna use her for their anti-immigrant policies. True change will only come if muslims are rise up and fight for their rights....It is muslims that are stuck in the past not Islam.....As the west demonizes Islam......Young educated caucusian women converts into Islam in great numbers.....Now tell me why would so-called "independent" western girl seek Islam if it is a just backward religion?

Yu might find this wierd but Girls with Big "NAFAX' is turnoff for me....Iam not saying it is ugly.....it just distracting....lol

Born in Bilaajo Carab( alot of yemenis)....moved to the north and came back to live in Yaaqshiid near Shalaymo Buntland and Theatre Ladane, Hotel Guled.....went to School Ziiyow, later transfered to Yaasin Cismaan...i was in 4 grade when da civil broke out....It was exactly da first day of our midterm exam.I was da exam was cancelled but than as war started to unravel. later

We are either high ,depressed, confused or simple dead! Faaraxz 120BC-2002AD RIP

Hey Kcabuji....Wat made you come here bro....Missing something..lol Well back to the topic...i don't have problem with the Sharia however i don't like the people that they are implementing it. Namastee Jee

nice poems....keep it on nomads

As humans, we will have to accept a simple fact.......We always find a way and reason to divide ourselves into groups.....call tribes...race...religion affiliation..class or what have you..I don't see these women being any different....they are fighting for their own interests and so is every other lobbyist in DC.

ok...we know the problems. Do you have any solutions you want share? later

That is totally wrong.....I think the couple should make commitment before they get married that others won't control their lives! Divorce rate might be rising in somalis and unfortunetaly the problem is universal in the west as the institution of marriage is falling apart!

Just to be clear....we are refering to somalis only?....if that's the case, i hardly see somali honeys in Upstate NY....hard to judge people your rarely see..lol....But it is in general...well all honeyz in my university dress the same way tight jeans and T-shirts..so they look da same.....I think sexy would be the Brazilian Women!....Go to Rio and You would know why....Beautiful faces and Pharoanic looking body Later Nomads

Take it easy people....i was only trying to invoke some emotions....I luv my nomads!

Lot of people abuse the welfare system including euro-americans,......I think those that really need it shouldn't ashamed to take advantage...however one must realize there is stigma that comes with welfare system....one must grow out of it and become self-dependent as humanly as possible...The next generation of somalis in the west should self-reliable!

1. Thier of fear The Negro(jareer) 2.Thier Hatred towards the Negro 3.The fear of loosing their women to negro 4.Getting high 24/7 either drunk or chewing leaf! 5.Both jealous of the rap race that depictst the the black man as the coolest! 6.Both fearfull of the future! 7.Sit around lazily all day. 8.Talks all day but never makes any sense 9.Hallow pride coupled with arrogance 10 Hard for them to accept da new realities of world.

Khadar01....MY fellow Nomad....Anyone who comes to our help expects something in return....We somalis have no one to blame but ourselves....i think siding with Isreal or supporting America won't change our Sorry sad state....We must first realize our problems within our nation and move to fix before we become a fossil nation (extinct)....If you are speaking from sole interest of somali people....well think about this....Do yu want somalia to be the only nation that helps in the cleansing or elimination of the palestinian people?..are we better off siding with arabs or jews on the issue of palestine?...Remember Israel is just small state with six millions people....Hardly a partner for anything.....I should also remind of Ogaden issue and Ethopia's intention towards somali proper....It is something we have to deal with one day or another?....Just who you think Isreal, America and Africa would side with...I don't think anyone gives a crap about 12 million nomads in the horn....They rather see greater ethopia than Somalia!

Correction:"Iam not ashamed to being related to bantus"

Khadar01...Iam an african coz i was born there....if you are asking my ethnicity...Iam somali part of the cushatic/hamatic stock much like the berbers , nubians, egyptians , the Oromo and afar in ethopia.Iam ashamed of being related to Bantu (Negriod)...Iam not....Iam glad we share this beautiful continent together...Iam also not ashamed to being related to arabs either through religion or blood(do yu hate them for some reason).....Since you are feeling so african...maybe you should explore little more and try to understand that Bantus are not da face of Africa.....Cushtic people in the east and north Africa have been living as long as bantus were.....Infact the word Afrika was used by the Greeks to describe the people of Tunisia(the Berbers). Just one more thing....don't use skin color to pre-determine people's races...there is no such thing as black race, white race or yellow race.