Gemeda Humnasa
Gemeda Humnasa
December 6, 2006
A day after the Prime Minister of Somalia visited Ethiopia to strengthen his alliance, more ONLF militant officials also surrendered.
Ali Mohammed Gedi, the leader of the Somalia Transitional Federal Government (T.F.G) visited the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa to discuss on the threat of the new group of radical Islamists in Mogadishu. The UN backed transitional government hasnÂ’t been able to exert its authority outside its base in Baidoa. However it also has the backing of African Union and it is allied with various forces in southern Somalia as well as the semi-autonomous Somalia region, Puntland.
Since the talks started with the Union of Islamic Courts, suicide bombings and assassination attempts against the Somalia government leaders forced the T.F.G. to take a different course. After the refusal of U.I.C. to stop its expansion during the peace talks and after U.I.C.Â’s new jihadist leadership called for a Holy war against Ethiopia; T.F.G. now finds itself head to head with the U.I.C. and the potentional for a civil war is growing in Somalia. T.F.G. along with its allies in Puntland is expected to take back southern Somalia, but things became complicated after United Nations indicated the assistance the jihadists & U.I.C. are getting, including from Eritrea, Libyan groups and from the secessionists OLF & ONLF. BBC correspondents reiterate that ONLF and OLF are training in southern Somalia with the jihadists and Ethiopia might be forced into helping the Somalia government or risk its allies being defeated by the multiple foreign alliances from Mogadishu.
Meanwhile, in the Somali region of Ethiopia the political party Somalia Peoples Democratic Party (SPDP) gave its full support for the Ethiopian government, preceded by a demonstration in the Somali state by thousands of Somalis, religious leaders, elders and students showing their support for both the Ethiopian and Somalia government.
Deputy Chief Administrator of the Somali state in Ethiopia, Abdi Jibril Abubeker, said “aborting the conspiracy of the extremists to replicate the disintegration and anarchism witnessed in Somalia over the years is the duty of every Ethiopian.” Also the Jijiga Zone Administrator said similar pro-Somali government and pro-Ethiopian government demonstrations are occurring in many other places in Somali state: including in Kebribeyah, Awbere, Gursum and Babile provinces. Almost all Somali-Ethiopians support the Somalia government against the jihadists and hope it can take back its land from the jihadists in Mogadishu. Regional analysts say that this is the only way forward for the two countries to create peace and trust between each other in order to have success in their economic development goals.
At the same time, T.F.G. and Ethiopian sources say central committee members of the militant ONLF have surrendered to Ethiopian authorities. The Ethiopian Somali state Bureau head, Abdi Mohammed said the ONLF official; Aden Yusuf Tagi has been giving “political and military leadership for the front.” After surrendering, Aden said that militant ONLF has forgotten its objectives and fallen into being the agent of the Eritrean government practicing in illegal activities.
Since Kenya and Ethiopia agreed on a joint border peace and conflict resolution committee in October 20, many believe that Somalia might be the only major safe haven left for the rebel groups like ONLF, Al-lthaad and OLF; and Ethiopian and Somali governments would use all their capabilities to make this region peaceful and governable.
The Prime Minister of the Somalia Transitional Federal Government concluded yesterday that the jihadists & U.I.C. in southern Somalia have become uncompromising, but he will try a peaceful approach even though war seems imminent.
http://www.somali-gov.info/