Meles's War

[Abwaan]

Many Ethiopians take dim view of burgeoning war with Somalia

By Stephanie McCrummen, Washington Post

Last update: December 20, 2006 – 8:34 PM

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Gates plans report to Bush this weekend on Iraq

 

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - As Ethiopia and Somalia's Islamic Courts movement inch closer to all-out conflict, a widespread view among people here in the capital is that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is using the conflict to distract people from a vast array of internal problems and to justify further repression of opposition groups, including ethnic Somalis in Ethiopia.

In particular, opponents of war say he is playing up the claim that there are Al-Qaida operatives within the Islamic Courts in order to maintain the support of the U.S. government, which relies on a steady flow of Ethiopian intelligence that some regional analysts say is of dubious value.

 

A recent attempt by Congress to sanction the Ethiopian government for human-rights violations failed after former Republican House leader Dick Armey of Texas argued that the United States needs Ethiopia to fight terrorism.

 

Meanwhile, Meles has become so disliked in Addis Ababa that people compare him to the former left-wing dictator known as "the Butcher of Addis Ababa," Mengistu Haile Mariam, who was convicted last week of genocide following a trial lasting 12 years.

 

After 12 years in power, Meles presides over a nation that still does not produce enough food to feed its own people, relying on the U.N. World Food Program to supplement struggling farmers.

 

The number of people infected with HIV is rising every year: At least 500,000 Ethiopians are living with the virus now, according to government figures. At least half of the population lives on less than $1 a day, which is not enough to buy a single meal.

 

A smattering of new skyscrapers have gone up in Addis Ababa lately, and in recent years, the gaudy Sheraton Hotel was built, a fortified palace of marble and brass and $100 Scotch set amid a rusting neighborhood of leaning, one-room shacks. Locals call it Paradise in Hell.

 

Last year's elections began with high hopes and degenerated into a bloodbath.

 

Opposition groups, which made significant gains but did not win a majority, according to the national election board, accused the government of rigging the tally and flooded the streets to challenge the results. During the rallies in May and November last year, unarmed protesters were sprayed with bullets while others were hunted down, killed inside their homes and in their gardens, in front of children and neighbors.

 

Hundreds may have been killed

 

Though the official government report released in October listed 197 demonstrators killed, some members of the government's own commission and human rights groups have estimated that the number could be as high as 600. Seven police officers were killed.

 

Since then, the mood around the capital has been grim.

 

"After the elections, the government is ruling Ethiopia by military force and propaganda, we all know that," said Nemera Bersisa, 35, a record-keeper. "We're dead after the election."

 

While most of the 30,000 prisoners taken after the election have been released, several hundred opposition leaders remain in jail, including the mayor of Addis Ababa, Birhanu Nega, who was a professor in the United States, and Haile Miriam Yacob, who served on the U.N. commission settling a border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

 

Four private newspapers have been shut down. A reporter for the Associated Press was expelled. And random arrests on the streets of Addis Ababa continue daily, people say.

 

Residents of a largely Ethiopian Somali neighborhood called Rwanda say that government security forces have been rounding up people who refuse to swear allegiance to Meles' ruling party, a charge the government denied.

 

Likened to an insurrection

 

In a recent interview, Meles, a former Marxist guerrilla who shed his fatigues for tailored suits when he took power in a 1991 coup, referred to the opposition as leading an "insurrection" intent on overthrowing the government by violent means.

 

Meles said he retains U.S. support when it comes to defending Ethiopia against the Islamic Courts movement, which now controls much of Somalia, including Mogadishu, the capital. Meles said the Islamic Courts have already attacked Ethiopia by arming secessionist Ethiopian Somali groups in the ****** region along the Somali border, a claim opposition leaders say is hardly a justification for war.

 

The Islamic Courts say it is the Ethiopians that have invaded Somalia. While Meles has repeatedly denied having troops there, the United Nations and regional diplomats estimate that at least 8,000 Ethiopian soldiers are in Somalia, backing the weak transitional government.

 

 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

 

Meles Zenawi's Deceptive Tactics for War against Somalia

Sophia Tesfamariam, Dec 13, 2006

 

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Meles Zenawi, the deceptive, erratic, flip flopping, street smart leader of the genocidal vote rigging minority regime in Ethiopia is once again lining up cheerleaders and apologists as it prepares for its diversionary war against the people of Somalia. In the past, the minority regime has used a variety of tactics to rally support for its positions vis a vis the Eritrea Ethiopia border issue, the rigged May 2005 elections and the Ethiopian opposition. It is now employing the same deceptive tactics as it prepares for its war of aggression against Somalia.

 

The repertoire of techniques used by the regime in its stream of misinformation has varied. In an effort to rally international support [it has US' support] and hoodwink the Ethiopian people, the regime in Addis has used prominent self-serving personalities, religious leaders, “experts”, “unnamed diplomats”, “senior officials” and Ambassadors, in its ill-advised campaign against the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) for a war of its own making.

 

The minority regime has perfected the art of propaganda and has used it to wage war against Eritrea in 1998-2000, rig and steal the people's vote during the May 2005 elections, evade responsibility for the massacre of innocent Ethiopians in the post elections riots, and reject the Final and Binding ruling of the Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission and violate the rule of law. Let us take a look at how it looked for war, and got it in Somalia .

 

Accusations in the mirror

 

Meles Zenawi's minority regime has perfected the lie and deception propaganda tactic known as “accusations in a mirror” . In order to hide its illegal activities from the Ethiopian people, and to cover up its deceptions, it usually accuses others of what it is doing itself. By now, Ethiopians must know that anytime Meles or his regime accuses others of something, it is a signal that, that is what the regime intends to do.

 

If they accuse someone of rejecting an agreement, it is because they intend to reject that agreement. If they accuse the opposition of violence, it is because they have planned genocide, violence and chaos. If they accuse the opposition of cheating, it is because they have decided to cheat, If they accuse Somalia of declaring war, it is because they intend to do so. If they accuse Somalia of violating Ethiopia 's sovereignty, it is because they intend to violate Somalia 's etc. etc.

 

Cry wolf

 

Ever since the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) took control of Mogadishu , it has been calling for Ethiopia to remove its forces from Somali territories. Ethiopia denied it had forces there despite credible reports to the contrary. Finally, typical of its flip flopping nature, after the Somali Monitoring Group presented its findings, it decided to reveal the truth by saying that it had forces in Somalia “to help the legitimate Transitional National Government train its forces”.

 

Knowing full well that the UIC was only calling for Ethiopian forces in Somalia to vacate Somali territories, and that Somalia had not violated sovereign Ethiopian territories, the regime had no qualms about lying to its people and telling them, through the Ethiopian Parliament, that Ethiopia was about to be invaded by “jihadists”, “Islamists”, “extremists”, “anti peace forces” etc. etc. The rubber stamp Parliament accepted Meles' lie and gave him the green light to use “any means necessary” to defend Ethiopia 's sovereignty.

 

It should be recalled that during the 1998-2000 border conflict with Eritrea , Meles Zenawi's regime employed the very same tactics it is employing today with Somalia . Anxious to deflect the Ethiopian people's attention from domestic Ethiopian issues, it decided to create an excuse to wage war against Eritrea . In 1996 it produced the Greater Tigray map incorporating in it, swatches of sovereign Eritrean territories (this map also takes chunks of land from the Gondar and Wollo provinces -but that is an internal matter for Ethiopians to handle). In line with its expansionist and ambitious map, the regime set out to implement its agenda against Eritrea by using military force to dismantle existing Eritrean administrations and occupying sovereign Eritrean territories including Badme.

 

Accusing Eritrea of invading “Ethiopian territories” and rejecting all peaceful means of resolving the minor border issue, on 13 May 1998 it declared war against Eritrea through its rubber stamp parliament, using Badme as a pretext. Over 120,000 Ethiopians lost their lives when they were used as cannon fodder and minesweepers for Meles Zenawi's war of aggression and expansion against Eritrea . On 13 April 2002, the independent Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission delivered its Final and Binding decision and brought a legal resolution to the Eritrea Ethiopia border conflict. It also unequivocally affirmed that Badme, the casus belli for the war, was and remained sovereign Eritrean territory.

 

Media Blitz

 

Just as it is doing today on the issue with Somalia, in the 1998-2000 border conflict with Eritrea, the regime waged a massive propaganda campaign with Meles Zenawi and his deputies taking front and center stage on international and national news. Meles held countless press conferences to “inform” the massive Addis based NGO community, international press and of course the Ethiopian people. Ditto for his deputies who conducted interviews and issued regular Press Statements, spinning the facts, all the way to war and back. Ethiopian state radio and television vilified and maligned the Eritrean Government and the Ethiopian Diaspora was bombarded with deliberately misleading and distorted facts.

 

What the minority regime in Ethiopia is doing today is reminiscent of its actions during the self created conflict with Eritrea . Today it is provoking an unnecessary fight with the people of Somalia and using the same deceptive tactics to hoodwink the Ethiopian people. The appearance of Bereket Simon, back from a long hibernation, to take the lead in the anti Somalia propaganda, is a clear indication that a fierce and relentless saber rattling is on the offing.

 

Articles/ Statements

 

Despite the TPLF regime's extensive history of lying, a fifteen year long pattern of deception, of purposely misleading the Ethiopian people, dodging the truth, and saying one thing and doing another, there are some Ethiophyles and certain irresponsible, self serving individuals that will come out of the woodworks to vouch for it. The minority regime in Ethiopia suffering from an incurable inferiority complex finds itself constantly vying for attention and approval of the US and European communities. For that it turns to and relies on Addis based diplomats, ambassadors, “analysts”, “Horn experts” etc. and other prominent individuals (preferably of European decent), to promote its agendas.

 

During the Eritrea Ethiopia border conflict David Shinn, Paul Henze, Myles Wickstead, and Martin Plaut contributed to the regimes propaganda with misleading analysis' and statements to appease Meles. When riots broke out after the minority regime rigged the May 2005 Ethiopian elections, Jimmy Carter decided to rescue his friend Meles by penning a diversionary article. On 2 December 2005 Dr Helga Gräfin Strachwitz, who served as the German Ambassador to Ethiopia from 2002-2005, and has decided make Langano, Ethiopia as her residence, conducted an interview with Ethiopian Television and called on the opposition to take their seats in Parliament and stop the protests saying:

 

“…Democracy dwells in the parliament, not in the streets… Democracy is a process and not something which can happen overnight… All parties should take dialogue as the only option for resolving differences…”

 

I wonder if the good Doctor will come on Ethiopian television this time to advance Meles' war on Somalia …we'll have to wait and see.

 

Another favored personality is Kinfe Abraha, head of the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development. He has come to Meles' rescue a number of times. Compromising his professional integrity, he has knowingly twisted the facts in order to hood wink the Ethiopian people and the international community at large. Today he is shamelessly contributing to the propaganda of fear, hype and misinformation that has engulfed the Ethiopian media.

 

Speaking of the Union of Islamic Courts, he said:

 

“… Ethiopia is under direct threat… The position of the United States is the same as ours…We are determined to keep the extremists in Somalia from coming to power…”

 

At least he admits that the issue is not invasion of Ethiopia , but rather Meles' desire to install a puppet regime in Somalia that would be more amenable to him.

 

The repertoire of techniques used by the regime in its stream of misinformation has varied. In an effort to rally international support [it has US' support] and hoodwink the Ethiopian people, the regime in Addis is once again using prominent self-serving personalities, religious leaders, “experts”, “unnamed diplomats”, “senior officials” and Ambassadors, in its ill-advised campaign against the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) for a war of its own making. The Patriarch of Ethiopia defended Meles' regime during the post election hostilities, but it is Elias Redman, vice president of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC) that is advancing this war against Somalia . Here is what he said in a 7 December 2006 AFP Report in which he accused the UIC of spreading radical views, hatred, and terrorism:

 

“… Here we live in tolerance, and we are teaching tolerance…There is a small minority [of Islamic fundamentalists] in Ethiopia, not more than 500 fanatics, but trained in Somalia and very active…The terrorists want to seize power in East Africa…These Islamists in Somalia are trying to change the religion of the world, which is against the Holy Koran, like al Qaeda…They want to convert the whole of East Africa. Now they are starting in Ethiopia from Somalia …”

 

Sheik Elias Redman is one of the two judges out of eight on the Commission of Inquiry who voted no, in support of the minority regime in Ethiopia . The Commission was mandated to determine whether or not the minority regime in Ethiopia had used excessive force during the riots following the rigged May 2005 elections, in which 193 unarmed Ethiopians were massacred in cold blood by forces under the direct command of Meles Zenawi. Others on the Commission, like Judge Woldemichael Meshesha, Judge Frehiwot Samuel and Ato Mituku Teshome, had to flee for their lives into exile for following their consciences and voting for truth. Sheik Redman and Dr. Mekonnen Disasa were the only two who supported Meles.

 

Of course, the minority regime's PR is not complete without the “welcome” and “support” statements from various individuals and groups in Ethiopia . Here is an excerpt from a 10 December 2006 report posted on the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs site under the title “Addis Ababa University Students Pledge Support to HPR”:

 

“… Addis Ababa University students expressed their support for the resolution passed by the House of Peoples Representatives to repulse the invasion of Islamic extremists…In a seven-point statement the students issued at the conclusion of a discussion they held here, the over 700 students said they would rally behind the decision of the parliament as it is timely and appropriate…The students also stated in their statement that the declaration of jihad on Ethiopia and the dream of building Great Somalia is a huge threat to the sovereignty of the country…They hailed the peace efforts being exerted by the government to resolve the confrontation and asked the government to press ahead with its civilized approach…The students also vowed to resolutely stand alongside the government to reverse the aggression… They also blamed some of the leaders of opposition political parties for committing grave historic mistakes against the country and the peoples…The students finally urged the public to stand in unison more than ever and fend off the enemy…”

 

I will leave it to the Ethiopian people and Addis Ababa University students to check on the veracity of this report. But just to illustrate the minority regime's propaganda tactics, let's take a look at some more statements that have made their way to the Ethiopian media:

 

“…The Ethiopian Patriots' Association [no connection to the Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front] called on the youth to safeguard the sovereignty of the country. The association condemned the jihad war declared by the Union of Islamic Courts against Ethiopia …Association President, ‘Liqa Tiguhan' Astatke Abate said the association supports the decision passed by the House of Peoples' Representatives…”

“… Somali State Administration Chief Abdullahi Hassen Mohammed said the people in the State wholeheartedly support the report presented by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi regarding the clear and present threat posed by the fundamentalist group in Somalia against Ethiopia …”

“…The Oromia State Government and its people support the resolution the House of Peoples' Representatives passed regarding the threat posed by the extremist leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia, Chief of the State Administration [Abadula Gemeda ] said…”

“…Leaders and members of the Ethiopian Taxi drivers' Peace and Development Association and Taxi Line-up controllers have expressed support to the resolution passed by parliament recently authorizing the Government to take legal actions to repel the attacks against Ethiopia by the fundamentalists' group who are under the umbrella of the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) in Somalia… Association president Tewodros Anbesse on the occasion said members of the association would pay all the sacrifices required of them in defending the sovereignty of the country…”

“…Ethiopia will be obliged to respond proportionately to the acts of the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) unless the extremists stop their provocation and rescind the jihad they declared against the country, Speaker of House of Peoples Representatives said… Ambassador Teshome Toga told WIC that Ethiopia will be forced to take appropriate measures unless the jihadists, who are actively working to create havoc not only in Ethiopia but in East Africa do not refrain from provocative acts and declaration of war...”

“…The SNNP State Youth Association vowed that it will stand by the government to repulse the jihadist threat posed by the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC )...”

“…More than 100,000 people living in Jijjiga town and its environs in Somali Regional State took to the street on Tuesday in support of the recent decision passed by the House of Peoples' Representatives concerning the looming threat posed against Ethiopia by the extremist leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC ) in Somalia…”

“…Residents of Gode Zone in Somali State have staged a rally on Monday in support of the decision passed by the House of Peoples' Representatives concerning the war declared by the extremist leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia against Ethiopia … Zonal chief administrator, Nebir Adem Hassan said the act of the extremist leaders of the Union of Islamic Courts is to disrupt the on-going development activities in the area…”

“…Farmers in Dessie Zuriya Woreda expressed readiness to discharge their citizenship responsibilities through scaling up development efforts and standing on the side of the government with a view to averting the activities of the fundamentalist leadership of the Union of Islamic Courts ( UIC )…”

Teachers in Addis Ababa City Administration expressed their readiness to support all measures that the government takes to reverse the jihad declared by Union of Islamic Courts…close to 400 teachers drawn from various sub-cities said they will support measures to be taken by the government to safeguard the sovereignty of the country…Appreciating parties with different political agenda for standing together on the issue of sovereignty, the teachers urged the other parties that have committed historic mistakes to mend their ways…”

“…Gondar University students of Somali origin deplored the expansionist agenda of jihadists and expressed support for the resolution passed by the parliament on Somalia…Gondar University Students Union President, Berhane-Meskel Getachew said on the occasion that students of the university support the efforts being exerted by the government to safeguard the sovereignty of the country…”

“…More than 5,000 residents of Sekota town in Amhara State condemned yesterday the war declared by the Union of Islamic Courts on Ethiopia…the residents strongly denounced the invasion declared by the jihadists…They said the aggression should be checked in time since it is aimed at disrupting peace, religious freedom and tolerance between nations and nationalities in Ethiopia...The demonstrators also reaffirmed their readiness to get involved in all efforts of the government to safeguard the constitution if the extremists do not accept the peace plan of the government …” [What peace plan?]

I suppose there will be more coming… all the way to war.

 

If the regime manages to conduct another unnecessary war on the backs of the Ethiopian people, I hope the above mentioned groups and individuals will be able to tell their sons and daughters the truth about what happened with Somalia . As for the international community, it will bring in its aid workers to clean up Meles' mess, shove the issue under the rug, move on and forget about the thousands who will loose their lives.

 

For Meles Zenawi, the straw man device, in which he makes himself appear entirely reasonable by contrast to others, such as the leadership in Asmara , the opposition, and now the UIC , is his favorite tactic. Tune in to Ethiopian radio, television and print media and see if you can guess which tactic is being used…

 

The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!

 

© Copyright 2001-2005 Shaebia.org

 

 

Meles Zenawi, the African Saddam Hussein

December 20, 2006 12:00 PM EST

 

 

 

Meles Zenawi, the African Saddam Hussein? In an earlier article, we stressed the subtlety of the Horn of Africa issues; by letting an anachronistic and murderous coalition of Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic rulers further tyrannize both, the Amhara and Tigray Muslims and the (Christian, Muslim, and Animist) Afars, Oromos, ******is, and Sidamas, the West signs the warranty certificate for an Islamic Terror Volcano Explosion of incommensurable dimensions and ominous impact on global developments.

 

The combination of disproportionate elimination from the decision making and miserable underdevelopment due to mistrust and ethnic hatred is an alarming factor in the Horn of Africa politics. When the Oromos (42%), the ******is (10%), the Sidamas and other Southerners (10%), and the multi-split Afars (8%), who are dispersed among three states, namely Abyssinia, Djibouti, and Eritrea, face inhuman oppression and absolute alienation within their own historical lands that have been colonized by the Amhara Kingdom before 110 years (or even more recently), the despair and the desolation run high.

 

Anyone, especially the Islamic Courts of Somalia and Osama bin Laden, can capitalize on this and by promising an alternative gain momentum. Amharas and Tigrays (20% and 12% of the population respectively) cannot be left atop of this cemetery of peoples that has been fallaciously named ‘Ethiopia’ (instead of the correct name ‘Abyssinia’) in order to show a resemblance of Kushitic African culture. With the proportion of Muslim populations among Amhara and Tigray increasing (by now reaching approximately 40 – 45%), and with the character of the abominable oppression being double, religious (Monophysitic Christian against Muslims, Catholic and Protestant Christians, and Animists) and national (Amhara and Tigray over all the rest), the representativeness of the bogus-elected parliament and government runs at levels as low as 10 to 15% of the entire population. One could call Zeles Menawi the Saddam Hussein of the Horn of Africa.

 

Mad dog Zeles Menawi declares war – debacle according to the OLF statement! A war between tyrannical bogus-Ethiopia and the Somali Islamists can introduce East Africa to an Ossama bin Laden inferno that will cause a devastating domino effect throughout Africa. Americans should meditate on the terrible mistakes of the past; when the Iraqi mad dog Saddam Hussein declared his war on Iran’s Ayatullah Khomeini few would expect such a nefarious outcome! It is therefore high time to think for miscalculations and machinations like this are going to bring the Western world to its knees. As a matter of fact, the unrepresentative bogus-Ethiopian parliament ratified a declaration of war of Somalia and Eritrea on November 30. In an overtly provocative way, Zenawi’s pseudo-parliament declared war also against the Oromo Liberation Front, demonstrating that the ‘Ethiopian’ government’s acts are directed against its own people and the largest ethnic group of that country. In a statement, the OLF stipulates that “this reckless decision would undoubtedly lead to chaos in the Horn of Africa” and attributes the responsibility for the forthcoming ‘debacle’ to the Ethiopian regime exclusively.

 

****** between the Abyssinian tyranny (called Ethiopia) and Somalia To attack the Somali Islamists, the constantly deserted (by soldiers belonging to the oppressed ethnic groups) Abyssinian army will have to cross the great historical land of ****** that was traditionally called ‘Abyssinian Somalia’. ****** was for millennia a transit area between the historical coast of Azania (eastern coast of today’s Somalia, plus the Kenyan and the Tanzanian coasts) and the Abyssinian plateau where Axum (near Makele in today’s Tigray province of Abyssinia) formed the traditional Abyssinian kingdom. According to the Periplus of the Red Sea, East African trade (goods from India, Indochina, Indonesia and East Africa) was at times transported (not onboard alongside the coast until the Bab al Mandeb straits and through the Red Sea up to Egypt but) overland to Axum and then to Meroe (in today’s Sudan which is the historical ‘Ethiopia’ of the Ancient Greco-Roman authors) to continue on the great fluvial passageway that was the Nile. Axum and the Other Berberia (as was the name of the kingdom that was ruling the area of today’s Somaliland – the north of the defunct united Somalia) never ruled the area of ******.

 

Only recently, following the colonial expansion of England, France and Italy, and the end of WW II, the Amhara kingdom expanded in ******, and imposed successively its royal – communist – pseudo-republican terror there. The natural representatives of the ******is are regrouped in the ****** National Liberation Front (Jabhadda Waddaniga Xoreynta ********ya). As stated in its website, “the ONLF is a grassroots social and political movement founded in 1984 by the Somali people of ****** who could no longer bear the atrocities committed against them by successive Ethiopian regimes.

 

Today, the ONLF as both an advocate for and defender of the people is dedicated to resorting the rights of Somalis in ****** to self-determination, peace, development and democracy”. The ******is, who aspire to Independence and a Nationhood around their capital at Harar, one of the holiest sites for African Islam, are determined not to let the Ethiopian army to cross without damages their fatherland. This generates the danger of ******i – Somali Islamist alliance that would be provoked by the idiotic planning of the Africa advisors of Madeleine Albright and the irrelevance of the Clinton administration as regards African and Islamic issues. If this alliance occurs, it will be expanded further on among the other ethnic groups of fake ‘Ethiopia’, at least among the Muslims and the animists of every oppressed ethnic group. When people are starving by dozens of millions and they are dispossessed of almost everything, it would be an aberration to think that they would meticulously evaluate the nature and the beliefs of their supporters and liberators.

 

By letting Madeleine Albright travel to Finfinne (don’t call the Oromo capital ‘Addis Ababa’, it is a fake name given by the Amhara invaders), President Bush commits the worst mistake of his life; only direct arms sales to the Oromos, the Sidamas, the Afars, and the ******is, along with 2000 American special forces landed in strategic spots would initiate a fruitful military and political cooperation with the oppressed peoples of Abyssinia. Otherwise, dozens of millions would see in Osama bin Laden and his Somali cronies the Liberator par excellence. It would be essential to terminate this article, by leaving some space to the original actors and brave fighters of the ******i people, namely the ONLF; in their last statement, dated 28 November 2006, they castigate the treacherous and totalitarian attitude of the TPLF, the Tigray thugs who support Meles Zenawi and his lackeys of ministers. The statement reads as following:

 

****** rebels to resist Ethiopian army, if it attacks Somali There has been much written about the events unfolding in Somalia with frequent mention of the ****** National Liberation Front (ONLF) and speculations on our position with regards to the events unfolding in Somalia. Hence, we would like to take this opportunity to clarify to the international community and members of the media our principled position on the Somali civil war and Ethiopia’s involvement in that country’s internal affairs. First, the ONLF categorically denies assertions by the TPLF led regime in Ethiopia and members of the media that ONLF military personnel are in Somalia. As a matter of principle the ONLF has never been and does not intend to be a party to the conflict in Somalia. We wish to affirm that the scope of our military operations is and will continue to be limited to ****** and Ethiopia.

 

We further wish to make clear that the ****** cause in not a territorial dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia but rather a legitimate struggle for the self-determination of the Somali people of ****** Secondly, the ONLF strongly cautions the international community against permitting an Ethiopian invasion of Somalia as that would have dire consequences for the entire region. An Ethiopian invasion of Somalia will trigger a catastrophic regional war with massive loss of life and continued instability in the Horn of Africa for years to come.

 

Thirdly, the ONLF wishes to affirm that we will not allow our territory to be used as a launching pad for an Ethiopian invasion of Somalia without stiff resistance from our armed forces. Fourthly, the ONLF bears witness to the fact that the TPLF led regime is in continuous breach of the arms embargo placed on Somalia and has been since the inception of the embargo. The current Ethiopian regime has clearly been the primary obstacle to the peaceful settlement of the Somali conflict for over a decade by actively interfering in the internal affairs of Somalia by arming various factions, training their militias and undermining through diplomatic maneuvers nearly all attempts at a peaceful settlement between conflicting parties.

 

In this time of increasing tensions in the Horn of Africa, the ONLF wishes to confirm that the people of ****** stand in strong solidarity with the people of Somalia to reclaim their sovereignty and achieve a lasting peace free of foreign influence and manipulation. Despite the Ethiopian regimes policy of deliberately undermining peace in Somalia, the ONLF urges all parties in Somalia to solve their differences through dialogue and recognize that they are at the threshold of a crucial decision that will usher in a period of sovereignty or foreign domination for Somalia depending on the choices they make. The ONLF will continue to support and encourage every legitimate effort to provide all necessary assistance to the Somali people so that they can fully grasp their political future into their own hands and move toward a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future built by Somalis and for Somalis.

[Somali_Friend]

Abwaan,

 

If I were interested to know how ethiopians feel about the government, Addis Ababa is the wrong place to go.

This government in ethiopia today had never had support in Addis Ababa which is home and happy home of past regimes.

To find out wether there is support for this regme in ethiopia in this case of ICU, Jijiga is the best seat in the house. Even Ethiopian television is doing group discussions there in Jijiga and areas, knowing that the current government in ethiopia will not do anything vs. ICU thats not accepted and supported by folks over there.

 

Addis Ababa has no status in the federation. Jijiga has status and the right of self determination. Addis Ababa has none. The loss of power has angered the city even more.

 

If Hassan Tahir is expecting the noisy Addis Ababans to get off their chairs and run to help him in Dinsoor or somewhere else, he will be waiting till the end of time.