Why Ethiopians speak ill of this sub subclan: Ayr?

[Ahmed-Gurey]

Somalia asked us to save them from this brutal sub-clan




Hardline ideologists were introducing a tyrannical regime. Ethiopia had to act, says Berhanu Kebede

Thursday May 3, 2007
The Guardian


A Guardian article last week appeared to represent the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in Somalia as a government of national consensus and a "popular" democratic organisation (Thousands flee as shelling by Ethiopian tanks kills hundreds of civilians in Somali capital, April 27).

It stated: "The Islamic Courts government was popular in Mogadishu after bringing relative order." This glorification of the UIC, and claim that they represent Somali society, is highly misleading. The UIC leadership is one sub-clan, bent on protecting its own interests. The leadership can in no way bring peace, as it has never provided a political framework for doing so. In fact, it preached a hardline ideology committed to promoting extremism. Its ultimate objective was to establish a fundamentalist government in Somalia.

The UIC introduced a crude form of punishment, including floggings and executions, and restrictions on people's liberties such as banning music and TV and radio programmes. The article also says that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was "far less popular than the Islamic Courts administration", yet the TFG is made up of a wide range of Somalia clans and is the internationally recognised government of Somalia.

Stating that Ethiopia went to Somalia "at the 'invitation' of Somalia's interim national government" implies that the author does not believe the TFG welcomed Ethiopia's intervention. Ethiopia is cooperating with the TFG at the latter's invitation, a fact fully recognised by the international community. The UIC declared an open jihad war against Ethiopia last December, to which Ethiopia responded with a proportionate counter-offensive. The UIC had for many months trained and armed insurgents to commit assassinations and destroy schools, clinics and other development infrastructure in Ethiopia.

Between December and March, while we were engaged in political dialogue with clans and sub-clans in Mogadishu, the insurgents reorganised themselves to create havoc in Mogadishu. Of 16 zones in the city, they entrenched themselves in two zones where the Ayr sub-clan militia, who do not want to see the fair distribution of property, operate.

The main perpetrator of the humanitarian crisis that we have witnessed over the past four weeks in Mogadishu is the Ayr-insurgents alliance, not the Ethiopian military. The insurgents have shot down two planes - one serving the Africa peacekeeping forces and the other bringing humanitarian aid.

Exaggerated human rights reports, published by an organisation closely linked to the UIC, have been used as an authentic source by many media outlets without independent scrutiny. It is regrettable that these reports have been used to defame Ethiopia and the TFG. Mogadishu is now peaceful, as the rest of Somalia has been for the past six months.

It is time for the international community to address the humanitarian crisis and support the National Reconciliation Conference of Somalia, which can bring lasting peace.

· Berhanu Kebede is Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK info@ethioembassy.org.uk

[Ahmed-Gurey]

Another Statement from Ethiopian Prime Minister.



"There were, indeed, some civilian casualties, and the Ethiopian Government greatly deplores this. But the responsibility for this lies squarely in the hands of extremists trying to seize control of Mogadishu against the wishes of a majority of the population.

Significant efforts are now going on to restore peace and security. The grievances of one or two Hawiye sub-clans, notably the Ayr, some of whom have been supporting the extremists, are also being addressed."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200705010596.html

[DawladSade]

divide and conquer. icu was associated with ayr, so all the people are hated the icu or had problems against it will channel it towards ayr, and the ones who are politically apathetic wont do anything because it is ayr the ethiopians want and not anyone else. divide and conquere

[wadaniweyn1]

simply becos ayr r tha real mujahadeen of somalia rite now.

u know gaalo hate tha real mujahiid's

muse issaqson

[Ahmed-Gurey]

It is divide and rule. There are so many clans who are involved but this colonial strategy is designed to misinform and deceive the world. The Ethiopian Foreign Minister claimed to mop up a whole clan.

How the hell can you mop up a whole clan from the earth????

[James Dahl]

It's all spin. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter and all that.
The Ethiopians can say whatever they want, sadly international law doesn't mention bald-faced lying to the press.

[Ahmed-Gurey]

What do you mean?

[James Dahl]

As long as the Ethiopians can divide and distract western opinions as to why they're there and what the ICU was about, and what the insurgency is about, then they can do whatever they want and noone can stop them.

Articles like the Guardian article are the biggest threat to them right now, as a shift in western opinion can lead to all sorts of unpleasant things happening to them. US aid being cut, political fallout, pullout, hell even war crimes.

Journalists are just as effective weapons as guns and rockets.

Ethiopia is occupying half of Somalia right now because they kept up a media assault for 4 months convincing key people in western political and journalistic circles that the ICU was an al-Qaeda ally and the new Taliban.

Once they had that, it was easy to get support to invade a sovereign nation and occupy it's capital.

[James Dahl]

The Ethiopians can do this mainly because it's a dictatorship, with strict controls over what people can say to the press, so only the government's opinion gets across to media.

Anti-ICU Somalis were happy to go along with the claim, as they had no love of the ICU, and welcomed their downfall.
They should have been more careful about it though, as giving someone justification to invade your country is DANGEROUS. Ethiopia can do ANYTHING right now, they have the ultimate justification.

[Ahmed-Gurey]

Today Ayr is the brutal subclan to be dealt with. Which clan is the brutal clan to be massacred tomorrow? Hard to tell !! but these narrow-minded Somalis wrongly think that they are saved from their enemies' wrath. One by one, you will be weakened and ethnically cleansed. Then those super colonial powers will be inaugurating Ethiopia's forever reign on our soil.

Somalia is viewed by the West as a threat to their Christian heritage. They will do whatever it takes to make sure that no Somali government emerges from Horn of Africa. With unity and the Arab support, we can survive.