Ethiopia: “Somalia’s Best Friend”?
The Somalia Prime Minister; Cali Maxamed Geedi was quoted as saying:
We are very grateful for the sacrifice made by the Ethiopians. Ethiopia is the number one friend of this country.
This is where Cali Maxamed Geedi and the fast majority of the Somali people, including myself turn sharply to different and opposing directions. Contrary to what the Prime Minister said, and I must say, with all accounts, Ethiopia has always been, and continues to be Somalia’s worst enemy. Unless one is blind-folded by myopic tribalist agenda, personal greed or irrational self hate, no one need to be a brain-surgeon to understand that Ethiopia is far from being Somalia’s “best friend†as the Prime Minister ignorantly stated.
Twelve million Somali have been living under Ethiopian illegal occupation for almost sixty years. Those who are advocating Ethiopian hegemony over the Somali Republic, including Cali Maxamed Geedi should turn their eyes on the political, economic and social conditions the people of Western Somalia (Ogaden) are subjected to by the Ethiopian colonial power.
I believe the Ethiopian involvement of the current Somali political and security turmoil can best be described by what one of the great Somali poets stated almost half a century ago;
“Baaddida nin baa kula deydeyi daalna kaa baddine
Aan doonahayn inaad heshan daayin abid kaa
Dadkuna moodi duul wadda dhashoon wax u dalsoonayneâ€
In short, it is oxymoronic to argue that Ethiopian political and strategic security interest can be best served by reconstituting strong and unified Somali republic. The facts is, Ethiopia wants weak and fragmented Somali state that it can easily manipulate its political and security direction at will. Cali Maxamed Geed and the TFG are ignorantly allowing themselves to be a vehicle for that Ethiopian hegemonic agenda over our beloved country. We must not allow that to happen!
Click here to view an article about this on the Pan Arab Al Jazeera TV Network.