Che, The Somalis have 23 seats. On the General issue the Somalis actually have the best seat in the house in Ethiopia. Next best seat are the Afar. Both the Somalis and Afar are each one Ethnic regions for the most part. They both are the only gateways to all of Ethiopias import export. They are both fairly organized to have order within their region. If the SHTF the Somalis and Afar are the best position to come out fairly safe (if there is anything called safe). The Oromo are using mob rule to gain more influence, but you know what mob rule is that someone else can use it too. That is what will end up happening very soon. Never count on mob to achieve anything worthy or futuristic. A small organized pressure and firm on objectives is always and always preferred and in this case only choice. Mob rule is easiest to hijack for anyone who has money, smarts and these days even facebook or twitter account and the whole thing can blow up in ones face. If the mob for example gets out of control and becomes Ruanda, its the end of those that started the mob. Those who started the mob in Ruanda not only lost control of it, but lost everything in terms of even participating in their country's affairs. All neighboring countries suspect them. Same thing in Ethiopia, everyone around the Oromo has now become suspicious. As long as a region is fairly organized to keep internal order, it can declare its independence in a heart beat and who do you think is going to stop it. The Oromo are counting on numbers, forgetting that Eritreans were only 2.5 million when thay paralysed Ethiopia and when 6-7 million at the time (Somali, Tigray and Afar) joined them it was all over.

The first Somali politician I came across who actually understands what swearing in the name of Allah while holding a copy of the holy Quran means!! It just shows you how deep we have descended into the gutter of disbelieve and wrong-doing as a so-called Muslim society. If only Somalis were honest about their faith and values, or were more educated about what Islam means, we could have avoided all the disasters which befell us and still afflict us.

@Mooge why can't the Somali people demand of their politicians in the Horn of Africa the same good values, great work ethics, honesty, accountability, and responsibility as their representatives in the West? It looks like we are happy to have idiots and thieves represent us in our homeland whereas we demand very high standards of our politicians in the West!! Something does not add up when it comes to our mentality.

It is a typical Somali government moves of the last 27 years. Hebel ayaa polisku soo xidheen oo jeelka Hargeisa la dhigay. waxa lagu eedeeyey in uu wax dhacay, iyo dembiyo kale oo waaweyn. Dhawr cash ka dib odayaal baa madaxweynaha u tagay oo ninkii waa la soo daayey. Ninkii oo la soo daayey shirjraa'id buu qabtay o dawladii ayuu dhulka ku jiiday.

I think we can all agree that PM Kheyre’s plan to use lethal force against Mr. Cabdishakur has failed miserably, which proves to all the prime minister’s dilettantish leadership skills and amateurish practice of politics. If they accuse the man of a serious crime such as high treason( Khiyaamo qaran), then why in the hell was he allowed to walk scot free? Tsk tsk tsk...

Is TPLF losing its grip on power? MPs of the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) and Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) have refused to attend the parliament sessions. The parliament lacked quorum since these parties account for 50% of the MPs. OPDO and ANDM make up the largest block within Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). They were merely maqaarsaar for the TPLF but now they are acting more independently. Like the Somali 'leaders' making their pilgrimage to Addis, such disrespect would have been unheard of during Zenawi era. Should OPDO and ANDM continue gaining power, Somalis are screwed as they have no seat at the federal level.

Jerusalem is Israel's capital, no one can change that fact. This symbolic vote won't change anything. More countries will eventually move their embassy to Jerusalem.

Ethiopia has some honor and skills to appease its Muslim majority. Ethiopia gets a billion and still voted "Yes" against Trump after his threats. As far as Somalia is concerned, the Somalis don't give a syyyt about the 416 million that AMISOM gets. F*** Off Trump. Turkey rules.

Che, The legal framework is a work on progress. Hopefully they will come up with some sort of credible judicial system in the near future. Minister Xoosh, if he gets the backing and resources from the top guys, is a capable man. Banadir court can hear such case. However, it can neither refuse the 5 day time requested by the Attorney general, nor announce ruling without appeal. Meesha ciyaalka xaafada baa is wareystay, ugu danbeyna aan kala qaleyno ayaa lagu dhameystay sheekada.

She is Very articulate, and sadly, great loss to people of Puntland, who badly need leaders like Aniiso. Call it what it is. I liked the way she looked at the Gadhcas with open disdain.

Ironically enough, a stable Somalia would have been a great asset for Ethiopia at moment like this. The Horn will rise together or burn together. Ethiopia is the source of stability and instability in the Horn.

We need to first open more trade schools instead of the so-called "universities" popping up everywhere in the country. Somalia has very little skilled workers who can build things including buildings.

It is looks like Ethiopia is finally falling apart, You Reap What You Sow

There is no need to do that. They each are strong enough on their own regions and it by the looks of it, even ONLF has come to the realization that this would be the very worst time be in the way of the Somali region, which is to be commended. The Oromos have already achieved the impossible all by themselves. Deepening and taking to the heighest level of suspicion which was anounced from the meeting of the EPRDF executive meeting. Mistrust is killer. If the Oromo are complaining of Tigray dominance, everyone else except them have now come to realize that the Oromos are going for dominance. In politics if you cannot achieve something mischivous quickly without the other side realizing, if your objective becomes known, you cannot succeed. Timing is everything and method. The Oromo already failed on both. I hope you know what it means for the Oromo to sign and anounce that all their movement and mob is based on suspicion. Yet that is what they agreed to and anounced for all Ethiopians including on their own Media.

Old Observer, sxb thanks for the enlightening intervention at this important topic. I am anxious to know about your take on, why the Somali region is allowed to build formidable security sector in the past decade? Gelbeedi and the Co. should step a little bit back, and stop feeding us kacaan style fadhikudirir

Che, Djibouti and Somaliland have only one option if they want to stay alive in relation to the Somali and Afar in Ethiopia. Both Somaliland and Djibouti have to if they can support the Somali and Afar regions, and if they can't stay as far as possible from the situation. Both Djibouti and Somaliland know and are practicing this to a tee. The moment Djibouti interfers against either region, its the end of the regime. The moment Somaliland interfers against Somali region its the end of her. Puntland will also stay away from this, unless to help the Somali region, as a united region, since Puntland's interest is being there a government in Ethiopia supportive and agreeable of Puntland, which has been and still is the reality.

He is doing the right thing. Keep order and organizaton in the Somali region, pressure the federal government (military and police) to protect Somalis outside. Sad there is loss of life, but one has to consider the other option. The Oromo will very quickly realize that they are cutting their hands their feet themselves for a long time to come for a 2 year "glory" in the media that blindly supports them. Why do you think the Amhara are awfuly quite? They are waiting for the Oromo to do all the dirty work for them, and when the Oromo are isolated and come to their senses, will be too weakend to resist Amhara leadership. It may or may not work, but the Amahara are a lot smarter. Even Gonder city where they killed and expelled Tigray are awfully quite now after the Agew got autonomous zone from Gonder. They very very quickly realized that lesson without any retaliatory acts from Tigray. What Tigray did with Gonder (patience even at loss of life) has now brought a solution that will be there for forceable future.

Old Ovserver, Well, they are becoming more emboldened everyday. They seemed to have embraced the idea that they could bully everybody. Would other nationalities specially the Amhara be comfortably with having someone like Lemma Mergersa as the Prime-Minister? My only concern with Somalis is that they will mirror with what's going in Somalia. It is a vast region populated by most Somali clans with not enough force to impose the will of the State. The Somali tribal regions namely Somaliland and Puntland will also be tempted to get involved. Even if the Somali gets independence, Somali idiocy might plunge it into war.

This government should make judiciary reform priority number 1. The hierarchy of the court system is none existent. This comic Banadir regional court has ruled, the attorney general has no case, because he cannot provide detailed evidence in 24 hours. It has also ruled that, there is no appeal for this judgement. Well, we have regional court behaving like the high court or even higher authority. Cimrigaaga oo dheeraada geel dhalaayana waa ku tusaa.

Not on the EPRDF executive. The Somalis and Afar are called Allied parties. But both the Somali and Afar have their places in the federal government which is the executive in the country. The Oromos are missing one very important point in federal system. A small province or region can stop the most populeous region. Prince Edward Island in Canada can stop Ontario (half the population of the country) since all provinces are equal. All nationalities in Ethiopia are also equal. The facebook and twitter leaders of the Oromo, which the regional Oromia government seems trying to use it as well, are telling the mob that since Oromos are 40 million Oromo should be majority in federal positions. There cannot be a more stupedest argument than this. If the Oromo take positions as per their population numbers, then there will be a 80 nationalities under them. It blows up in their face the next day. That is not how it works in any multi-ethnic federation or like UK. If one uses the Oromo logic, there would never be a Scottish, Welish..prime minister or cabinet minister in the UK, since the English are about 50 million of the 60 million UK population. If the Oromo leaders think this works for them, they are in for a catastrophe where every other nationality will not accept their rule and of course ruling others by force is unthinkable even with 40 million of them. Even logistically their region is from Sudan to Somalia a thin twisting snaking region. Patience is a vrtue for the Somali, which they seem to have now at the right time, since other nationalieties have already started questioning the Oromo (from south). In my view, don't panic, be prepared for worst, but do not get ahead of the Oromo. Let them lead themselves to the destination they intend. The northern parts of Ethiopia Tigray, Afar, Agew/Amhara (except some around the capital), Benshangul is also showing patience, not reacting.

Tallaabo, most people who go to run for office in Somalia are losers in west and have achieved little in the countries they live niyoow. when they go to somalia waxay noqdaan barafasoore, injineere, dittoore, waa fake. niyoow their motivation to go there is to make their lives better however means necessary and the country and people are not priority. there are some good people but majority is after own interest with very little skills.

Shir Jaraid.

Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson It little profits that an idle king, By this still hearth, among these barren crags, Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole Unequal laws unto a savage race, That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me. I cannot rest from travel; I will drink Life to the lees. All times I have enjoyed Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those That loved me, and alone; on shore, and when Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vext the dim sea. I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart Much have I seen and known—cities of men And manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least, but honored of them all,— And drunk delight of battle with my peers, Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy. I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough Gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades For ever and for ever when I move. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use! As though to breathe were life! Life piled on life Were all too little, and of one to me Little remains; but every hour is saved From that eternal silence, something more, A bringer of new things; and vile it were For some three suns to store and hoard myself, And this gray spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star, Beyond the utmost bound of human thought. This is my son, mine own Telemachus, To whom I leave the scepter and the isle, Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfill This labor, by slow prudence to make mild A rugged people, and through soft degrees Subdue them to the useful and the good. Most blameless is he, centered in the sphere Of common duties, decent not to fail In offices of tenderness, and pay Meet adoration to my household gods, When I am gone. He works his work, I mine. There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail; There gloom the dark, broad seas. My mariners, Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me, That ever with a frolic welcome took The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed Free hearts, free foreheads—you and I are old; Old age hath yet his honor and his toil. Death closes all; but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with gods. The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks; The long day wanes; the slow moon climbs; the deep Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down; It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are, One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Tallaabo, I don't mind seeing this dude in the dumpster, after all, he sold our resources. But you are right in asking what did those young men die for? We have lost our moral center, sense of compassion and reason.

The lives of several men was lost for no apparent reason. Where is the investigations, the explanations, the responsibilities for such a disaster, the consequences, the lessons learnt, etc.?? Is human life expendable in the minds of the Somalis? If we don't value our own lives, rights, and dignity, who else on God's Earth will give a toss about Somalis? No wonder why our women and children are slaughtered in other countries to harvest their organs and why a quarter of a million Somalis perished of starvation a mere few years ago and we have already forgotten about them.

This newspaper seems to be portraying the Oromo as the victims of Somali aggression in the ensuring violence!!

Qaabka dawlad dhiska soomaaliya waxaa lagu saleeyay qabiil ama 4.5 waa in la fahmaa meesha kursigu ka jaban yahay. Ha lagu saleeyee waxaa marti looga dhigay dawladnimadii beel ka mida afarta beelood oo muqdisho ku abtirsaday Waxay doonayaana waa madaxweyne remote control ah oo gacantooda ku jira waana usoo joognay codkarnimadii nuur cadde c/lahi yuusuf ku cayrshay. Ha kala saarin waraabe kan qosla,kan aamusan waa ka fiican yahay. Taasu waa dimuquraadiyadda soomaaliya oo aad wahmiga ama dhalanteedka uga hadlaysaan dhamaantiin. waxaa soo raaca walaalaheen reer afmadow dhiibistii qalbi dhagax wax wayn bay qalbigooda u dhintay runtii siday hoos noogu sheegeen. Waxayna ku kaliftay inay walaalahood reer gurceel gadaashoda ka yiraahdaan waa runtood Wali lama hayo nin codkar ah sida xidig iyo shekh axmed iyo kuwo kaloo badan, oo si toos ah uga dalbada dawladda farmaajo dulumkii lagu dhiibay walaalkeen qalbi dhagac. Sababta ku kaliftay inay afuufaan dab rag kale shitay maxay tahay marka? Jawaabtu waa sahal, kuma dhacaan inay itoobiya si toos ah iyo si dadbanba wax uga sheegaan waayo qoysas kale yaa u degan jigjiga horumarkeeduna waa horumarkooda. Puntland Beelkastaa way jeceshahay inay aragto wiilkoodoo masuula oo saxaafadda hortaagan xataa hadduusan wax macno leh sheegayn wax ayaga keligood u gaara ma'ahan waa ka wada simanahay. Tan carabta Carabtu dhul maysan maalgashan. Waxay maal gashadeen dadka siyaasiyiinta noo ah intaysan lacagta bixin ka hor,waa in dhiig daataa si ay u ogaadaan inaan daacad u nahay iyo in kale. Allahu mustacaan.

I like this kid, she yells danger, danger, danger once she realized when he is filming her. I am assuming this is not a recent trip. @Xamar waa ayo LOL.

I was too . It was unlike her angelic image she portrayed :):)

This is bad move from Farmaajo and Khayre, and very amateurish politicking. This guy Abdishakur was never a political heavy weight but they made him one now unnecessarily. Let him talk and say all he wants but to to go your way to arrest an non factor and kill many young men in the way is beyond comprehension. Hassan Culusoow you used to face worse opposition than what Farmaajo is facing now, but I can not remember him going and arresting an opposition member like this. It is counter productive and damn wrong. Tell me what are they getting out of it except causing clan hatred and giving ground to Al Shabab? Nothing. He is out now more embolden and empowered by this experience, and I am sure he will milk it by presenting himself to his clan that he is their saviour.

Tallaabo, ugu dambeyntii waa aragtay xaalka uu Soomaaliya maraayo iyo Soomaalida mareyso. I am glad you have finally seen dhabta iyo dhibka Soomaaliya meesha iyo dadka wado. Midnimo, wadajirnimo, iskaashi, wada shaqeyn, midownimo ayaa xaalka Soomaaliya loogu bixi karaa.

Somalis suffer from two things. They are naive in thinking groups like Oromo and related ethnic groups are friendly. There's some nacasnimo about Somalis in not understanding the greater threat they face. They are sitting on prime real estate with a lot resources. And they rather fight over a village while their entire land is being populated by others. If anything comes out of this, it is Ethiopia will become more segregated. Ironically, there will be more Oromos in Somalia than in the Somali region. Galbeedi, Oromos will still attack whether TPLF is there or not. They seem to have developed a sense of entitlement, so much so that I have seen some Oromos arguing Jigjiga and Hargeysa are Oromo names.

Also, unlike the Oromo Somalis do not have federal leaders to lobby or put pressure to the Tigray. All you have is a killer who has no one other than the Tigray. Folks, greed , oppression and tyranny will bring down the Somali region.

There is a huge unreported issues that are happening in the region, and it is all about politics. Let us divide the issue in two parts if you will. No one kills anyone in Ethiopia without the permission of the authority whether that is police or military. It is all been orchestrated by Addis Ababa government. Night raida are taking place and no one knows who started the killings on both sides. The Oromo expansion and Cabdi Iley factor. First, the Oromo expansion was happening for the last 30 years in the Somali region due to cultural similarities with Somalis and their Islamic faith. Also, having similar names helped them to easily assimilate with Somalis. Unlike other ethnic groups the Oromo are the one community that is claiming Somali territories including the coast by invoking old historic names of the region. In Ethiopia, there is a saying that ," Everyone has his own religion ,but the country belong to all" (Dalka waan wada leenahay, Diimuhuna waan kala leenahay) which made the ORomo ideology ignore the cultural similarities they have with Somalis, yet emphasize and embrace the ethnic identity of the other Oromos who might be Christian or Animist without faith. The typical Somali nomad was brought out that as long as someone is Muslim he is your brother and he could settle among your territories. Those who have experienced the Oromo killing believe that the best solution for Somalis is to leave the Oromo dominated regions and build their own farms and businesses within their own communities. The Somali nomad and farmer who roomed all over the place and set up shops and other trades within the Oromo should think twice and separate himself just like Amharas and other ethnic groups had abandoned the Somali and Oromo region after the formation of the ethnically pure zones. Unlike the sophisticated Amhara the Oromo people could not hide their hatred and intentions, so basically what you see is what you get. Now the issue is why the Oromo and Somali conflict flare up at this juncture?. The referendum in the disputed area was taken in 2004, and the Somalis lost almost 80% of the disputed villages and towns. The Somalis and their leaders in the region both rejected this referendums which put traditionally Somali towns under the Oromo authority. People could not believe that Jinacani and Baabili which are the municipalities that surrounded Jijiga area were voted for Oromo. Oromo peasants looking for menial jobs and accommodation flooded these area and settled as a displaced people seeking livelihood. After ten years, they become the majority and got the vote, but the Somali leaders and the community rejected this encroachment of the Oromo and the referendum. Because of strong opposition from Somalis the TPLF stopped the implementation of the referendum. The years that followed the referendum , the TPLF under Meles Zanawi were involved in the invasion of Somalia between 2006-2010, and decided not to aggravate the situation while strategically undermining the Somali Republic. Until now , all was well among the Oromo and the Somalis despite the outcome of the referendum which pitted communities to one another. So the question is why now?. To answer that question, we must bring the criminal called Cabdi Illey. Since the demise of dictator Meles the Somali region became a base for rent seeking Tigray generals and politicians. The figurehead prime minister does not have any say in the matter, and the Somali region is controlled by the army chief of staff general Samora and the commander of the 4th brigade Gen. Abraha . Abdi Illey is not a Somali nationalist who bargains the interest of the Somali people in the so called ethnic federal system of Ethiopia, but an opportunist reading the psyche and the mood of Tigray army generals while enriching them with the resources allocated by the federal system. He is a ruthless , paranoid and cruel leader who will do anything to coerce people to adulate him and obey without condition. With the permission of the Tigray, he has an absolute power to kill, jail and invade any community in the region and in return offer the loyalty of the entire Somali region to the the Tigray commanders. According to analysts "Abdi Iley has auctioned out a number of policy gains by the previous Somali regional leaders which had huge sentimental values for the Somali people". In fact, these changes did not made any difference for the Tigray military commanders political capital , yet he used to show his loyalty, among them: 1-He removed the blue star from the flag and tried to resemble the Tigray one 2-He changed the Somali holiday days of Thursday afternoon and Friday which allowed people to attend Friday prayers and and changed to Saturday and Sunday. 3-He presided the largest land transfer from the Somali region to the Afar and others without due process. Theses had names similar to Afar names but the residents were 70% Somali which would have allocated the land to Somali region. IN fact under Cabdi Iley , all disputed Somali territories were changed hands to Afar and Oromo. No Somali territory has changed hands before 2008. 4-Traditional Somalis like Jarso who are ethnic Somalis, but culturally live among the Oromo decided to join the Oromo than live under the cruel system run by Canbdi Illey. Believe me if other Somalis had a chance to abandon and leave the Somali zone they would. Under the supervision of the Tigray regime Cabdi Iley then started policies that undermines the harmony among somalis and others in the region particularly the Oromo. When an independent seeking Oromos gathered in millions in big cities around the country, Cabdi lley organized counter protests in Jijiga that denounced the Amhara and Oromo aspirations. He even send Ogdeen elders to Makelle with 10 million Ethiopian Bir to compensate the Tigray civilians who became refugees from the amhara region. Furthermore, When the Ethiopian federal police could not handle the millions of demonstrators in Addis and surrounding Oromo area, he sent the Liyuu police to crackdown on the civilians. Folks , people had seen all this in the internet. The hatred created by the actions of this man was growing but no was reporting. It was just a few months ago, here in SOL , we said that Somalis should not take the side of the ruling Tigray and should not deny, and become obstacle for the Oromo their right to be free. as As we speak, he arrested all prominent Somali businessmen in Jijiga after they favored for peace and reconciliation with Oromo. I have extensively collected a lot of information about Illey and the threat he poses to the Somali people in the region. A farmer in south Jijiga who was trained in Somali university told me lately that that if Illey and his people are not stopped , the zone will be worse than what we have seen before. WAxa uu yidhi , " waa dhaqanka waxayaabihii dumiyey Soomaaliya, dadkanina waa kuwii dumiyey Jamuuriyadii". As many of you have said these events are underreported by the media. THe plan was to create a total war that pitted the Somali Liyuu police against the Oromo police and eliminate both of them through all out war . The Somali community in Jijiga told Cabdi Illey that the Tigray are trying to eliminate the Liyuu police by clashing with Oromo, ( In labada ciidan la isku jebiyo ayaa la rabaa. Ciidanka Oromadu awood ma lahayn shan sano ka hor , laakiin hadda way hubaysan yihiin). It seems that Cabdi Illey has refused to go to total war, and there is a plan to remove him. He was In Addis for weeks, and the powerful Oromo federal members had demanded Cabdi Iley to be removed from power. The Tigray suggested that both Illey and Lagase , the Oromo regional leader resign, but the Oromo guy openly refused, and was backed by his federal comrades. The TIgray want to unleash the final war between the two communities before CAbdi Illey is removed. Unlike Faysal Rooble and those who are cheering Cabdi Illey, i do believe his removal could be a blessing for Somalis , and maybe some safety. .

The Amhara and Tigray will not allow Ethiopia to disintegrate because their livelihood depends on a united Ethiopia. These people know very well that a landlocked Amhara and Tigray mini-states will do nothing to advance their peoples' standard of life, instead a diminished Ethiopia will plunge everyone back into extreme poverty. They know without the Federal state, there will be no more mega projects like dams, railways, and industrialisation. There will be no world class money making businesses like their airline and hospitality industry. And most importantly, these Orthodox Christians know that without their ancient empire they will be under the control of Muslims.