O Issue: the Ethiopian occupied Somali territory

[Alle-ubaahne]

The subject here is one that deeply concerns me. For some people, Ethiopia's occupation in mainland Somalia has ended in Mogadishu and in much of southern regions, and there is no need to continue resistance. For others, resistance is an outstanding cause so long it occupies and oppresses parts of our people and territories, regardless where the world stands on particular border demarcations that doesn't exist in practise.

 

My position is: O issue is a deciding factor for any peace to previal in the region. I will explain what I mean this in detial. But let me first elaborate the significance of this issue, at least in the fundamental reasoning of Ethiopia's policy (Kenya is included here- as the two are one family in separate races) towards Somalia.

 

The importance of the issue is that it plays a central role in the grand scheme of Ethiopia's foreign policy and national security. Their thinking is that much of the strengh in O movement emanates from Somalia and with strong Somalia lies the potential to undermine Ethiopian existance as a nation.

 

Western governments (the key here is America) justified the recent occupation and atrocities in Somalia in what they called was a 'legimate security concern' for Ethiopia that should be dealt with. With that, one can deduce a unified approach from the actions of Ethiopia and its Western partners when it comes to Somalia. But in most cases, policies don't pursue similar goals in their implimentations.

 

For America, Ethiopia, apart from the traditional religious brotherhood in christianity, is categorized as the endangered species for the fact that it was surrounded by hostile Muslim neighbours and to balance the power equation in the region, support for Ethiopia is a more than compulsory. The Eritrean cessasion from the rest of Ethiopia has set a dangerous prececent for Ethiopia, and much of the West and U.N. are still coping with the consequences of that. So, for them, (Ethio and Western powers), it is a big NO to address the O issue in similar formats. But loyalty for Ethiopia, even in long term approach, doesn't gaurentee anything or produce the necessary results, in which case a sustained resistance from O movement (and the rest of us, as cohorts for the cause) can attain something meaningful.

 

Though am not an expert in the geopolitics of the region, I have an unwavering support for my brothers and sisters in the O movement. But I wonder where do the rest of you stand in this issue, even those who oppose the question of greater Somalia.

 

I am raising this issue because I care about the plight of our people in that region. Their cause for freedom is a legitimate one, but more importantly, our fate (as the rest of Somali family) hinges on their success or failure. So, why don't we invest in the struggle to liberate O from the same enemy that attacked our nation? What makes you a guest from joining the efforts the movement? Is it because of the O name? Do you see a link between our nationhood and the total freedom of Somalis in that region?

[Meiji]

''I am raising this issue because I care about the plight of our people in that region. Their cause for freedom is a legitimate one, but more importantly, our fate (as the rest of Somali family) hinges on their success or failure.

So, why don't we invest in the struggle to liberate''

We can send in Alshabab and all other warlike Islamic factions...but they will start fighting ONLF and waste time in ''murtad this, murtad that, kufaar this, kufaar that, Osama Bin Laden said this or that''

 

-------------------- ------

 

On a serious note,

 

I believe that every Somali should be a strong supporter of the cause for freedom and independence from Abbysinian imperialism.

 

Our Somali brothers and sisters in the whole of Horn deserve the best and should never lose their will to fight for what they deserve.

 

As for Somalia,

 

We have our fate in our own hands, we need to sort out things and prepare ourselves for the next phase of Abbysinian aggression towards Somalis in the Horn.

[Fabregas]

AU, Somalia and Somalis spent a lot of resources trying to regain the O region. Today, Somalia and SOmalis don't have the strategy, unity or resources to do what they failed to do 30 years ago, particularly with the Western Nations more involved in the Horn due to the war on Terror. You can't walk before you crawl.

 

Check out this interesting quote stumbled on the other day from I.M lewis, in 1989;

 

 

quote: The Somali nation today is clearly deeply divided along traditional lines.

The Pan-Somali ideal founded on a culturali dentity rather than the political

unity, which was so strong in the 1950s and 1960s, has taken a severe

battering........... .................

 

President Siyad's peace initiative with Ethiopia, which is so beneficial to

Ethiopia, has, as we have seen, brought civil war to Somalia. Any hostile

pressure exerted by the Siyad regime in Mogadishu, or by its successors,

might encourage the Ethiopians to aid the SNM guerillas to dismember Somalia permanently, either by annexing the north of the Republic (the

former British Somaliland Protectorate), or by facilitating its secession to

join D jibouti. Thus Ethiopia has Somalia in a corner which makes it in the

Somali Republic's interest to maintain peace with her powerful neighbour.

We may note in conclusion that there is no paradox between this external

peace between Ethiopia and Somalia and the co-existent clan anarchy which

currently rages inside the latter state. This is entirely consistent with the

segmentary character of Somali nationalism. The ****** and the Fragility of Somali Segmentary Nationalism

Author(s): I. M. Lewis

Source: African Affairs, Vol. 88, No. 353 (Oct., 1989), pp. 573-579

[Belial]

Great post. I fully support O struggle and movement. Its a Somali race struggle.

[Baashi]

I am all for the freedom fighters. I am rooting for them all the way down the line! Somalis have this proverb: Nin tiisa daryeela tu kalena ku dara.

 

Somali state disappeared. Somalis disintegrated into quearreling clans and recovering fiefdoms. They are not in a position to pull themselves out of the bottomless pit they have fallen in let alone lend a helping hand to others in need. The best thing they could do for the freedom fighters in Somali region in Ethiopia is to end the civil war in a dirrin and mend the fences.

[Jacaylbaro]

Self Determination is all about it ..........

[Abtigiis]

Baashiis wrong. He doesn't know Ethiopia. If ONLF gets its politics right, TPLF is a cake for breakfast. The key is Oromo-Somali axis. And I think it is developing.

[Somali Pirate]

we can't regain our lands when we our country itself is in a mess.

 

back then when we had an army we destroyed eithopia until they begged cuba and russia for help.

 

united we are a match for anyone