Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

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Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by XidigtaJSL »

Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations


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

Ethiopia’s capacity to recognize Somaliland is an arsenal only as long as it is the first country to use it. It is like "use it first or lose it". The makers and executives of Ethiopian foreign policy should reckon that once other hostile regimes lost their ground in Somalia, then they ay resort to the "Somaliland window". By Kassahun Addis

Ethiopia and Somaliland have been enjoying progressive and positive relations for more than 15 years. For many Somalilanders, Ethiopia is seen as the ‘big sister.’ However, the ‘big sister’ mentality is now in serious trouble; Somalilanders are finding it difficult reconciling their attitude towards Ethiopia and the inconsiderate and unbalancing act of the Ethiopian government. As one Somalilander observer puts it “Make no mistake that our relationship with sister Ethiopia is a natural one. But at present it is at its lowest ebb because only one hand is clapping.”

The formative years of the ‘big sister’ mentality can be traced back to the early 1980s when the military junta of Ethiopia started to support the Somaliland liberation movement (SNM). Ethiopia had also hosted millions of Somalilander refugees when the latter fled following bombardment of towns and persecution by the Siyad Barre regime. These two phenomena were instrumental in shaping the Somaliland public opinion towards Ethiopia. Ethiopia had been there when the people of Somaliland needed it. Here, it should, however, be noted that it was not out of complete pure altruistic drive that Ethiopia supported Somaliland in those periods. Some of the acts were part and parcel of the politics of mutual destruction waged against each other between the two colonels, Mengistu and Barre.

Ethiopia’s relation with Somaliland is increasingly becoming in jeopardy especially after Ethiopia’s recent unparalleled and unbalanced support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and its head, Abdullahi Yosuf. By way of assisting the Mogadishu government and without extending any proportional support to Somaliland, Ethiopia is unconsciously building the muscle of the TFG whose subject of exercise would most probably be Somaliland.

I think that the government of Ethiopia should take some immediate and serious measures to regain the trust of the Somaliland people. Otherwise, Somaliland may be lost to other opportunistic countries who have tried to win the heart of the Somali people through different angle- though supporting of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). A president of one of the Horn countries has already told Somalilanders that they should not “prostitute” with Ethiopia for the sake of recognition. He let the know that the long awaited recognition may come from Eritrea. Ethiopia cannot afford the luxury of losing a strategic and ‘little sister’ in the amidst hostile neighbors and neighborhood.

What measures can Ethiopia take to win back Somalilanders? Well, one immediate measure would be to send high level Ethiopian government delegation to Hargheisa to deliver a message to Somaliland people that Ethiopia would act like a big and caring sister. Such act would unfuel the rising anti Ethiopian sentient in Somaliland and is tantamount to confidence building and restoration measure.

The second and the perfect thing to do is to overcome the national hypocrisy of self righteousness. By this I mean that the Ethiopian government should stop saying, “Ethiopia should not be viewed as the divisive force of the defunct Somali republic.” Ethiopia has already been labeled as that “divisive force”; the majority of Somalis in the south, including prominent leaders within the TFG, see Ethiopia as the devil that is the prime responsible for the collapse and disintegration of the old Somali republic. Moreover, you can not divide what is already divided, you can not separate what is already separated; what you can do is only sub-divide them. It is enough for Ethiopia to restrain from undertaking any project of subdividing Somaliland and Somalia.

Another hypocrisy Ethiopia should overcome is its unwillingness to translate the constitutional pillar principle of self determination. It is a fact that this principle holds special lace in the Ethiopian constitution; its position is elevated when the incumbent told the whole world that it is this principle alone that sustains Ethiopia as one country. So, why don’t translate this principle in the foreign policy of the country? If the principle of self determination is in alienable right of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia, why not for the people of Somaliland?

One ore thing Ethiopia can do is to use a weapon in its arsenal called recognition before it expires.

In the world of international politics, which has close resemblance to realist’s interpretation of it, recognition is an important arsenal. Old and established countries are endowed with the privilege of according recognition to a nascent state because it is their mere act of recognition that would give the birth certificate for the latter. Old states consider their ability to extend recognition as an asset that can be exchanged for something meaningful in market of international politics. The life of any new state is doomed to be difficult, if not impossible, without that birth certificate though the fact remains that the certificate has nothing with the factual existence of the state.

Ethiopia’s capacity to recognize Somaliland is an arsenal only as long as it is the first country to use it. It is like “use it first or lose it.” The makers and executives of Ethiopian foreign policy should reckon that once other hostile regimes lost their ground in Somalia, then they ay resort to the “Somaliland window.” Unlikely countries may become the first to grant recognition to Somaliland for pragmatic political reasons. This why they say politics is the art of the possible

posted by Hayan
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by FAH1223 »

Well no one wants to be the first country...

but I'm puzzled as to why they haven't...

and I dunno how the Somaliland public feels about the Ethiopian occupation of South Somalia, but my guess is it is a bad feeling.
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by Cilmiile »

More Qamadi for Habar Yoonis from Amxaaro

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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by Sadaam_Mariixmaan »

Ilmo Habar Habuusheed getting help by their cousins...

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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by DawladSade »

how does it feel to be second hand wife? the only reason Isaaq are depressed is cuz they have been shown how worthless they are, zenewi put puntland and somaliland on a scale and puntland put somaliland to shame Sad Laughing Laughing
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by Ceelgabo »

[quote="XidigtaJSL"]Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations


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

Ethiopia’s capacity to recognize Somaliland is an arsenal only as long as it is the first country to use it. It is like "use it first or lose it". The makers and executives of Ethiopian foreign policy should reckon that once other hostile regimes lost their ground in Somalia, then they ay resort to the "Somaliland window". By Kassahun Addis

Ethiopia and Somaliland have been enjoying progressive and positive relations for more than 15 years. For many Somalilanders, Ethiopia is seen as the ‘big sister.’ However, the ‘big sister’ mentality is now in serious trouble; Somalilanders are finding it difficult reconciling their attitude towards Ethiopia and the inconsiderate and unbalancing act of the Ethiopian government. As one Somalilander observer puts it “Make no mistake that our relationship with sister Ethiopia is a natural one. But at present it is at its lowest ebb because only one hand is clapping.”

The formative years of the ‘big sister’ mentality can be traced back to the early 1980s when the military junta of Ethiopia started to support the Somaliland liberation movement (SNM). Ethiopia had also hosted millions of Somalilander refugees when the latter fled following bombardment of towns and persecution by the Siyad Barre regime. These two phenomena were instrumental in shaping the Somaliland public opinion towards Ethiopia. Ethiopia had been there when the people of Somaliland needed it. Here, it should, however, be noted that it was not out of complete pure altruistic drive that Ethiopia supported Somaliland in those periods. Some of the acts were part and parcel of the politics of mutual destruction waged against each other between the two colonels, Mengistu and Barre.

Ethiopia’s relation with Somaliland is increasingly becoming in jeopardy especially after Ethiopia’s recent unparalleled and unbalanced support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and its head, Abdullahi Yosuf. By way of assisting the Mogadishu government and without extending any proportional support to Somaliland, Ethiopia is unconsciously building the muscle of the TFG whose subject of exercise would most probably be Somaliland.

I think that the government of Ethiopia should take some immediate and serious measures to regain the trust of the Somaliland people. Otherwise, Somaliland may be lost to other opportunistic countries who have tried to win the heart of the Somali people through different angle- though supporting of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). A president of one of the Horn countries has already told Somalilanders that they should not “prostitute” with Ethiopia for the sake of recognition. He let the know that the long awaited recognition may come from Eritrea. Ethiopia cannot afford the luxury of losing a strategic and ‘little sister’ in the amidst hostile neighbors and neighborhood.

What measures can Ethiopia take to win back Somalilanders? Well, one immediate measure would be to send high level Ethiopian government delegation to Hargheisa to deliver a message to Somaliland people that Ethiopia would act like a big and caring sister. Such act would unfuel the rising anti Ethiopian sentient in Somaliland and is tantamount to confidence building and restoration measure.

The second and the perfect thing to do is to overcome the national hypocrisy of self righteousness. By this I mean that the Ethiopian government should stop saying, “Ethiopia should not be viewed as the divisive force of the defunct Somali republic.” Ethiopia has already been labeled as that “divisive force”; the majority of Somalis in the south, including prominent leaders within the TFG, see Ethiopia as the devil that is the prime responsible for the collapse and disintegration of the old Somali republic. Moreover, you can not divide what is already divided, you can not separate what is already separated; what you can do is only sub-divide them. It is enough for Ethiopia to restrain from undertaking any project of subdividing Somaliland and Somalia.

Another hypocrisy Ethiopia should overcome is its unwillingness to translate the constitutional pillar principle of self determination. It is a fact that this principle holds special lace in the Ethiopian constitution; its position is elevated when the incumbent told the whole world that it is this principle alone that sustains Ethiopia as one country. So, why don’t translate this principle in the foreign policy of the country? If the principle of self determination is in alienable right of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia, why not for the people of Somaliland?

One ore thing Ethiopia can do is to use a weapon in its arsenal called recognition before it expires.

In the world of international politics, which has close resemblance to realist’s interpretation of it, recognition is an important arsenal. Old and established countries are endowed with the privilege of according recognition to a nascent state because it is their mere act of recognition that would give the birth certificate for the latter. Old states consider their ability to extend recognition as an asset that can be exchanged for something meaningful in market of international politics. The life of any new state is doomed to be difficult, if not impossible, without that birth certificate though the fact remains that the certificate has nothing with the factual existence of the state.

Ethiopia’s capacity to recognize Somaliland is an arsenal only as long as it is the first country to use it. It is like “use it first or lose it.” The makers and executives of Ethiopian foreign policy should reckon that once other hostile regimes lost their ground in Somalia, then they ay resort to the “Somaliland window.” Unlikely countries may become the first to grant recognition to Somaliland for pragmatic political reasons. This why they say politics is the art of the possible

posted by Hayan[/quote]


I don't think Somaliland has better chance of getting recognized by South Africa and Nigeria than Ethiopian or their Habeshee Eritrean cousins who just want to use Somaliland just like they are using our clueless brothers to the south.
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by XidigtaJSL »

South Africa is a friend of Somaliland. The relationship between the two goes beyond professor Iqbal, the next president of SA is Somaliland supporter
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by FAH1223 »

[quote="XidigtaJSL"]South Africa is a friend of Somaliland. The relationship between the two goes beyond professor Iqbal, the next president of SA is Somaliland supporter[/quote]

then he should open the egg and recognize them Laughing
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by XidigtaJSL »

[quote="FAH1223"][quote="XidigtaJSL"]South Africa is a friend of Somaliland. The relationship between the two goes beyond professor Iqbal, the next president of SA is Somaliland supporter[/quote]

then he should open the egg and recognize them Laughing[/quote]

He is not the sitting president, when he becomes president he can recognise Somaliland, not he the ANC chairman
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by new-york23 »

war nimanka soo maxishoodaan?
stop begging,the world agreed they will never split somalia/
its not in ethiopias intrest to see somalia split,...and what makes you think ethiopia favors isaaqs above other somalis?
to them we are all muslims who they fear might get strong enough
to bring back the days of axmed gureey-ALLAH BLESS HIS SOUL-

ISAAQOW CEEBTA ASTURO PLEASE Laughing Laughing
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by gurey25 »

[quote="DawladSade"]how does it feel to be second hand wife? the only reason Isaaq are depressed is cuz they have been shown how worthless they are, zenewi put puntland and somaliland on a scale and puntland put somaliland to shame Sad Laughing Laughing[/quote]

puntland is the favorite wife because she is freaky and has no morals.
(she swallows)

this is why somaliland is pissed off.
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by sadeboi »

Gurey, walaal, lets be honest okay? Isaq iyo Hawiye would die for the spot Majeertaan are in and would gladly be in such a position, and dare I say commit more atrocities then the majeertaan have allegedly committed, but they just weren't seen as people capable of doing such a thing; being able to attain all of Somalia. Lets not try to act like Isaqs and Hawiyes are nationalist, clearly your lot dreams of succeeding, and the Hawiyes are one of the main reason why Somalia is in the situation she is in and why we haven't had a functioning government for the last sixteen years. You people do not oppose this government because it brought foreigners, since you, the Isaqs, gladly work[ed] with the xabashas, and the Hawiyes states that they would work with them if the Majeertaan leave the city.
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by gurey25 »

Sadeboi i will not argue.

our actions speak louder than words.
You say we would have commited more atrocities than the majerteen?
We would have attempted to dominate all somalia?

in 91 after the SNM inherited most of the weapons of the SNA, it multiplied its forces from 3000 men
to 50,000 overnight. Most of the heavy weapons of the somali army.
on top of that we also recieved some from mengistu when he was escaping through berbera.

The USC managed to confiscate less than ours and they managed to unleash hell on the rest of somalia, fighting from galkacayo and beyond in the north, and in Gedo to the south.

What did we do when we had more men mobilized and more weapons than the USC?
We didnt do anything, we disarmed , we held peaceconferences and we let bygone be bygones and invited our harti nieghbours to join us.


basicaly when in a position of power , we did not use it to get revenge or abuse it.
So how would we do it now?
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by sadeboi »

Gurey, I will not simply dismiss your "facts" as booti iyo faan lo bahneyn, however bro I don't think the arsenal and man power of the SNM in 91 was of such abundance as you would like it to be . I could be mistaken, but your lot did fight the Hartis and then later within yourselves so having had everlasting peace since 91 is out of the window. Also, I just find your lot to be very cuqdad ridden and the Hawiyes suffering from an inferiority complex, so that entails that you guys will do more harm to the Somali people then the alleged harm the Majeertaans have inflicted on people.
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Re: Repairing Ethio-Somaliland Relations

Post by Cilmiile »

[quote="gurey25"]Sadeboi i will not argue.

our actions speak louder than words.
You say we would have commited more atrocities than the majerteen?
We would have attempted to dominate all somalia?

in 91 after the SNM inherited most of the weapons of the SNA, it multiplied its forces from 3000 men
to 50,000 overnight. Most of the heavy weapons of the somali army.
on top of that we also recieved some from mengistu when he was escaping through berbera.

The USC managed to confiscate less than ours and they managed to unleash hell on the rest of somalia, fighting from galkacayo and beyond in the north, and in Gedo to the south.

What did we do when we had more men mobilized and more weapons than the USC?
We didnt do anything, we disarmed , we held peaceconferences and we let bygone be bygones and invited our harti nieghbours to join us.


basicaly when in a position of power , we did not use it to get revenge or abuse it.
So how would we do it now?[/quote]

Gurey

2 reasons you couldnt have done what Caydiid did.

Caydiid definitely had a lot of weapons. And fresh and motivated tribal militia wanting revenge.

But he was short on weapons when the Daarood soo rogaal celiyeen

I have heard this many times and it ws corraborated in accounts by Ambassador Cawil and John Drysdale in their books. Cabdiraxmaan Tuur responded to an urgent request help from Caydiid and sent him a huge shipment of arms heavy and light. It was the massive armaments that allowe Caydiid to rollback the Daarood. Hawiye dont acknowledge this massive debt they owe to the Isaaq. Not until the Americans bombed him from the air did Caydiid lose his overwhelming military superiority afforded by the heavy weapons. After the Americans left, he was a warlord among equals.

And Isaaqs couldnt have done what Caydiid did. After 10 years or more in the Bush, they were thankful for peace at last and they got their lands. They had no more fight in them.
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