2011 Population Figures Somalia ~9m Ethiopia 90 Million Kenya 41 Million

by DONALD KIPKORIR, dkipkorir@ktk.co.ke Friday, October 03, 2008 Why Kenya and Ethiopia ought to annex and divide Somalia. Last month, Lehmans Brothers and Merrill Lynch, the world’s foremost investment banks, went bankrupt and we witnessed the financial chaos in the western capitals. In the fog of international headlines on finding a financial bail-out in Washington, a rag-tag army of 50 semi-naked men on rickety boats captured a ship carrying 33 T-72 tanks, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns off the coast of Somalia. The capture of mv Faina and the stalemated talks amid the surrounding American and Russian warships made me think that maybe this is the time to find a final solution to the Somali problem. Since 1960, the country has been a lawless state that is a haven for terrorists and pirates. The pirates have told us the destination of the captured weaponry causing tension and panic in Washington, Nairobi and Khartoum. If it is true that the final consignee was the government of Southern Sudan, as they allege, I will be on the same page with the Kibaki government for the first time. I am a fervent supporter of a strategic foreign policy even if it attracts us enemies of such malevolent and despotic regimes as that of Khartoum. Supporting the Southern Sudan government is in our long-term strategic interest and we should not shy from it. The truth of the matter is that as a Western ally, Kenya is an existential enemy of Arab countries, Sudan included. Annexing Somalia is thus in our strategic interest and we must do it now as the financial meltdown continues to take away the attention of the world. Somalia as a state exists only in world maps. It is a classic case of a failed state. It is a state dismembered into as many independent units as there are sub-clans. Its 90-strong cabinet is emblematic of the actual number of units. The Horn of Africa country has no functioning government. The so-called transitional federal government, led by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, is confined to a shell-shocked presidential compound. There is no standing or even sitting army or judicial systems. By all accounts, Somalia is a black hole in international law. Together with Afghanistan and Pakistan they are known as the training grounds and refuge for international terrorism. Kenya has been a victim of such terrorism, leading to near-destruction of its tourism industry. We cannot afford another such attack. We have the potential to develop our tourism to compete with, if not outpace, Egypt and South Africa. But we cannot do so if Somalia continues to be a non-state. Somalia neighbours Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Of these, it is only Ethiopia and Kenya that have strategic interest in Somalia. Djibouti is a primitive entrepot that can’t even supply water to its 600,000 people, who are forced to drink that imported from France or Coca Cola. Therefore, Djibouti is out in the quest for the final solution to the Somali puzzle. Kenya and Ethiopia must and ought to dismember Somalia and divide it between themselves along the 4 degrees latitude, each taking all the land below and above the line. The division will make both countries extend their territories by roughly 300,000sq km and additional populations of about five million. Once Kenya and Ethiopia have sent their combined army to Somalia and declared the annexation, we will present to the world a fait accompli. In 1845, America annexed Texas from Mexico and forced the Texan legislature to pass a specific legislation stating that it accepted the annexation. The annexation has stood to date and, for good measure, President George W. Bush is a proud American Texan. For Kenya and Ethiopia, having the Somali legislature to endorse the annexation will be cake-walk. At any given time, most, if not all, Somali legislators are in Nairobi. We will have them convene in one of our hotels and to pass the appropriate statutes dividing their country. When the allied forces liberated Germany from Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, they sent the bill to Berlin. Our cost of annexing Somalia will be settled by Mogadishu. Somalia is known to have huge deposits of oil, natural gas, uranium and iron ore. Immediately after the annexation, we will invite our strategic foreign friends (not China please) to come and exploit the resources for us. Kenyans ought to know that although Somalia is a failed state, its positive statistics are impressive. Without a structured economy, its gross national income per capita is US$600 (Sh40,000), when ours is $550 (Sh36,800). Of its universities that operate without budgets and with armed militia guarding them, three are in Africa’s top 100. International law forbids the use of force by states against the territorial integrity and political independence of others. Somalia doesn’t have either. But the law also recognises irreversible processes like the extinction of states such as in the USSR, emergence of new states from former USSR and Yugoslavia, and annexations like that of Texas. International order hates reversing completed processes, more so if the world is a better place. If we do not annex Somalia and now, we will be a victim of its failed status and pulled down by it. We will not be able to achieve our strategic foreign policy in the region, or attain the Vision 2030 goal. The time to annex and dismember Somalia is now; Washington and Moscow will be grateful. ...

How do you genuinely feel about the state in which your people find themselves today ? I was speaking with my Nigerian friend the other day and he was of the opinion that Somalis are "still in colonialism". He is right. The Somali-galbeed region is controlled by Habasha and NFD by Bantus, with utter disregard for the people. Foreign countries run Somalia, whose inhabitants are divided and weak - shilst hundreds of thousands perish in famine/war/tahriib. The Ethiopian problem is undeniable. Ethiopia-Eritrea-Somalia-Djibouti are entangled in a web of war - there can only be one winner... will the old age adage of "demography is Destiny" hold true ? Here are some comments I collated from various websites about Somalis and the wider political region (mainly by Ethiopians, Kenyans). Ethiopians have particularly fascinated me, they have a very skewed view of the reality... in their minds, any geograpic locality that has ever been controlled by the abysynnian empire, whether directly or, as they say, 'indirectly' (confused?), is/should be part of ethiopia today. The only problem they have with their dictator is that he is too soft, not extreme enough... the opposiion of the country, the only opposition, are oppsition because they consider Zenawi anti-Ethiopia because he "gave away Eritrea and Assab", he is "unwilling to get back what rightfully belongs to Ethiopia". We (Ethiopia) have the right to claim is the rightfully port of Ethiopia, namely "Asseb", It's just a question of when. Djibouti was once part of Ethiopia/Abyssinia, Here's the true story of why some people believe Jibuti (it's just easier spelling it that way) belongs to Ethiopia. Jibuti has always been a rather sparsely populated reigion, sometimes part of Muslim sultanates (Ifat, Aussa, ect), at times under nominal control of the Ethiopian emperors through vassal rulers. In the mid-19th century these were the sultans of Raheita, Tadjoura, and Gobaad. In 1862 France purchased the port of Obock from these rulers, and eventually expanded its domain under a protectorate, named French Somaliland(which meant the local rulers technically retained domestic control under French supervision, but it was basically an outright colony). As the following map shows it was originally larger than it is today, its size was reduced by Franco-Ethiopian treaties after the First Italo-Ethiopian War. (As were virtually all other neighboring colonies) Ethiopia had always been deeply involved in French Somaliland, and of course we have the Addis-Dire Dawa-Jibuti railroad to attest that, as well as the fact that the central square in Jibuti (was/is?) called the Place Menelik. After French Somaliland became the territory of the Afars and Issas in the late 60's, there were some in the Ethiopian government that reminded the French that the local rulers whom the French had bought their territory from were technically Ethiopian vassals. But by the time Jibuti finally gained indpendence in '77, Ethiopia had had a revolution and was at war with Somalia, and in no state to go claiming territories. It also had no reason to, with Massawa and Assab. But after Meles gave away Eritrea (yes, I won't just accept Assab, we deserve it all; don't get me started), people yearned for acess to the sea, and people looked to Jibuti as a way to expand without conflict. But let me make it clear, it's just nostalgia combined with the need to find an outlet for their frustration, everyone knows that an invasion would be economic (closure of the port) and political (Camp Lemonier, anyone?) suicide. Now a Jibuti-Ethiopia Federation would be interesting, but how would that work? I just don't understand. Eritrea was the ex-italian colony right, and Asseb was part of that italian colony, so Asseb should be Eritrean right? What was Asseb part of before the Italian colonization? And who operated the port after the Italians got defeated? The TPLF mafia in Ethiopia sold our souls when they gave away our only sea port and now they are continuing selling us out by giving away huge land to Sudan. Djibouti was once part of Ethiopia/Abyssinia, but if I am correct, they were allowed to vote for independence and they choose to. But 80 million Ethiopians will never forget Asseb. Come on you cannot compare Djibouti and Ethiopia. Ethiopia is country of 80 milion people and I don't think Ethiopia would like to depend on such small nation as djibouti,this is about national security. I cannot deny that most Ethiopians consider Assab an Ethiopian port. You can't just preach peace when things are upside down. Countries have intrests and Ethiopia's interests do not differ anything with those of Americas. With a growing population and growing market Ethiopia will be forced to seek for her own port. As said it's an military and economic advantage and Ethiopia as a big country will certainly not lie low. Many Ethiopians felt betrayed by Meles when he gave away Assab. It's hard for you as non-Ethiopians to understand this but i think i speak for the majority of the Ethiopians here but we will see what the future holds Do you know that Djibouti recently increased their port taxes? Are we just supposed to sit and accept that, what if Djibouti increases their taxes every year? What if Djibouti and Ethiopia have an "politcal dispute" one day and we are refused port access, what will happend to us then? Ethiopia, with or without Asseb will still have an interest in Djibouti. Asseb can serve the northen part of the country, Djibouti the east and south. Besides, you have a small populaton.. you can easily educate your population. You also probably get a lot from those French and American military bases too. Djibouti is the only country in Africa with an American military base. Wishing a 80 million population, poor country, to be landlocked is imo very selfish. Besides, isn't Eritrea currently occupying Djibouti land? You are indirectly siding with them. When Ethiopians talk about Asseb they mean the whole area inhabited by Afars, that is the whole area from south Missewa to the Djibouti border. In addition Djibouti belongs to Ethiopia too as it was leased 1878 to France for 99 years, just like Hong Kong. There is no doubt with the change of government in Ethiopia this issue will be raised. The large majority, including the Oromo speaking population feel Ethiopian. There is no question about that. There are some small separatist groups making noise in the West, but they are irrelevant in Ethiopia. We have read about the attacks by the ONLF, when was the last time you've read anything about the OLF? Wouldn't you think that OLF would make larger damaged considering that the Oromos are a much bigger group in Ethiopia than the Somalis? If the OLF would had the support you think they have, believe me, Ethiopia would had looked like Somalia a long time ago. Also, you should know that Half-Amharas and Half-Oromos, if the father is Oromo, is only stated as an Oromo in the official statistics and everyone know that marriage between Oromos and Amharas is VERY common in regions around Addis. About ******.. as long as you don't give back South Somalia to the Oromos, you can continue dreaming about ******. Dream on ONLF. Your movement is on its last legs. We have unlimited resources. We just have to fight for another 10 years before the forces of globalization and economic development make those pathetic little nomads irrelevant. I don't know what they will agree upon. ONLF won't settle for anything but indepence, are TPLF ready to give them that? I don't think TPLF would repeat the same colossal mistake again...but you never know with this primitive minded village ******. IMO, there shouldn't be any referendum whatsoever. Everybody knows the people would vote for secession in heartbeat. The somali state has never been a part of the country of Somalia and has only been a part of Ethiopia. That is a fact. Lets have somaliland, puntland, Garowe secede as well. That is also the desire of those people. Lets be real, somalis cant even share a country with themselves. The country of somalia has been disintergrated by this very thinking. I know you dont think you are "superior" to the Amharas. Which to me would be hilarious. Somalia have bigger issues then Ethiopia so please attend to them. The arrogance of some people. Now what the hell do you have to be so arrogant about. Get back down to earth.

^ HDHD perhaps ?

Carafaat;777375 wrote: Oday, Welcome to the new Unionist camp. Glad you joined the bandwagon. Many SOL' ers send me private messages saying they will reveal their Unionist love and come out the closet as soon as Siilanyo meets Sheick. You would be suprised about the prominent landers that are actually Unionist. Your 'spirited' behaviour is beginning to irritate me. Tone it down a notch will ya.

What a horrendous sight.

Poorest Nations Host Biggest Gas Finds in Sign of Deals: Energy One of the world’s poorest regions is also home to the biggest natural-gas discoveries in a decade, luring investors from steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal to Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA) Eni SpA (ENI) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC) found about $800 billion of gas under the Indian Ocean off Mozambique, 36 times more valuable than the nation’s economy, ranked 213 of 227 countries for per capita income. Explorers in neighboring Tanzania have struck gas fields, and drilling will pick up pace in Kenya this year. The fields are big enough to support exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, opening up a source of energy supply to the world’s fastest-growing major economies, India and China. They are also drawing the interest of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, which prize LNG projects for their decades of generating cash. Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), Shell and BP Plc are the biggest owners of LNG capacity worldwide. “East Africa is obviously very exciting after being a backwater for a long time,” said Evan Calio, an oil and gas analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York. LNG plants are “big, capital-intensive projects. All the big ones want these.” Smaller explorers in the region are ready to do deals. Ophir Energy Plc, (OPHR) a London-based African specialist that counts the Mittal family and New York hedge fund Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC among its largest investors, says it’s seeking partners to drill off Tanzania. Cove Energy Plc (COV), which holds a stake in Mozambique finds, said Jan. 5 it may sell the company. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is looking to sell assets. Buying Projects The world’s largest energy companies have been buying into projects to supply gas to customers in Asia. BP last year completed a $7.2 billion acquisition of a 30 percent stake in 21 Indian gas fields operated by Reliance Industries Ltd. Shell last year agreed to acquire an interest in the Chevron Corp.-led Wheatstone gas project in Western Australia. LNG prices in the Asian markets averaged between $16 and $17 per million British thermal units at the end of last year. In contrast, U.S. natural gas has dropped 43 percent in the last year and traded today at $2.556 per million British thermal units on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 7 a.m. local time. ‘More Dominant’ “You’ll see the majors becoming more dominant through acquisitions,” said Stuart Joyner, an oil and gas analyst at Investec Securities in London. “A lot of the independents that really have been the vanguard in terms of opening the new province will sell out as things start to move out of the exploration stage.” While enough gas has been found to support the region’s first LNG projects, there’ll be no let-up in the hunt for resources in the region, which is under-explored compared with West Africa. Explorers have drilled fewer than 500 wells in East Africa and more than 33,000 through the rest of the continent, according to Afren Plc (AFR) data. This year, 23 wells will be drilled off Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique, almost double the number in 2011, according to research from Morgan Stanley. “Assuming that the drilling success is continued you would expect to see consolidation around probably one mega-terminal” for Mozambique and one in Tanzania, Ophir Chief Executive Officer Nick Cooper said in an interview. “Obviously the bigger fish tend to eat the smaller fish.” BP had been in talks on East Africa projects with Ophir, while Shell teamed up with Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4) in October to explore off Tanzania. ‘Looking Closely’ “It’s obviously a basin where many people of the world are looking closely,” said Shell’s executive director for exploration and production, Malcolm Brinded. Tanzania, where Ophir’s Cooper reckons exploration has lagged 18 months behind Mozambique, will be a focus of drilling this year. Ophir and its partner BG Group Plc (BG/) have so far found about 4 trillion cubic feet of gas in the East African country, where a per capita income of $1,400 ranks it 201st in the world, according to the Central Intelligence Agency’s fact book. Ophir, which is buying Dominion Petroleum Ltd., will be joined by Mubadala Oil & Gas of Abu Dhabi to explore Block 7 in Tanzania. The company plans to import LNG to meet the Persian Gulf nation’s growing demand for gas. “Strategically it’s an interesting point,” Cooper said. “It’s the first real evidence of Gulf entities picking up acreage with the intention of taking gas into the Gulf.” Plans to Drill Statoil ASA (STL), Norway’s largest oil company, plans to drill a well this year at an exploration block in Tanzania where it’s a partner with Exxon Mobil, CEO Helge Lund said. Statoil also has to drill at two exploration license areas in Mozambique before 2015. The “geographic location is almost perfect for LNG” shipments eastbound, Lund said. Mozambique and Tanzania may eventually rival Qatar and Australia as the world’s biggest suppliers of LNG, Investec’s Joyner said. The East African deposits found so far are large enough to justify construction of at least eight LNG production trains, according to estimates by the companies. Today Qatar has 14 trains operating, while Australia has at least six trains producing and about $250 billion in projects under construction or planned. Mambo Field Eni, Italy’s largest producer, will invest $50 billion to develop the 20 trillion-cubic-feet Mambo field off Mozambique’s coast, CEO Paolo Scaroni said in December. “Our feeling is it would be a super-giant gas field and is well-placed to supply Asia by LNG,” he said. Anadarko is examining the possible sale of at least some of its holdings in the Mozambique discoveries, Chuck Meloy, a senior vice president of worldwide operations, said last month. The Woodlands, Texas-based company holds 36.5 percent of Mozambique’s Area 1, which may yield as much as 30 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. Cove, Anadarko’s partner in the Rovuma Basin, is looking to sell the whole company. Analysts at UBS AG said Jan. 6 that BP, Statoil and Total SA (FP) are among the likely buyers. The gas industry development will spur local economies, field and supply services. For example, Irish oil and gas engineering company Kentz Corp. is already pitching its products to East African explorers in anticipation of an LNG construction boom. “That’s a key opportunity,” Kentz CEO Hugh O’Donnell said, referring to discoveries in Mozambique. “We are making it known to the people that it involves, what we are doing in Mozambique right now.”

Archdemos;776819 wrote: in your definition i may not be a Somali, but all that matters surely is my state of mind and i felt like i belonged. Well said Bro. Of-course you are Somali and you have every right to go/be there!

We are talking an estimated 4bn barrels of oil. :D see: BBC.co.uk/news

We are talking an estimated 4bn barrels of oil in that particular oil field :D see: BBC.co.uk/news

Lets hope they find oil. It is likely there is also oil in many other regions. Gas is already confirmed so they will find more deposits of that likely. This prospects are very exciting

I am very excited at the prospects. I have been like this all day: Inshallah they will spudd oil.

Somalia;775488 wrote: MANSHALLAH. KHAIR INSHALLAH. I hope they find the black stuff and plenty of it! This could change the fortunes of the entire Somali people and their stage on international politics.

Caano Geel, Chimera is right, the first pictures you posted are photoshopped. Did you really think their street and car lights were that bright ?

Whos the fat white chick in the background of the first video ...

Bluelicious;774483 wrote: ^^ Looooooooooooool you joker! OdaySomali is gonna think your Dutch now quit playing with the old mans mind lol Oday I will write this maybe tomorrow right now I can't be bothered as it probably gonna be long. Thanks Blue. I will look forward to your input, the more detailed the better. Somalia is using GTranslate ?

What is there to this 'Holland abandons multiculturalism' I hear ? The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism that has encouraged Muslim immigrants to create a parallel society within the Netherlands. A new integration bill (covering letter and 15-page action plan), which Dutch Interior Minister Piet Hein Donner presented to parliament on June 16, reads: “The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people. In the new integration system, the values of the Dutch society play a central role. With this change, the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society.” The letter continues: “A more obligatory integration is justified because the government also demands that from its own citizens. It is necessary because otherwise the society gradually grows apart and eventually no one feels at home anymore in the Netherlands. The integration will not be tailored to different groups.” The new integration policy will place more demands on immigrants. For example, immigrants will be required to learn the Dutch language, and the government will take a tougher approach to immigrants to ignore Dutch values or disobey Dutch law. The government will also stop offering special subsidies for Muslim immigrants because, according to Donner, “it is not the government’s job to integrate immigrants.” The government will introduce new legislation that outlaws forced marriages and will also impose tougher measures against Muslim immigrants who lower their chances of employment by the way they dress. More specifically, the government will impose a ban on face-covering Islamic burqas as of January 1, 2013. If necessary, the government will introduce extra measures to allow the removal of residence permits from immigrants who fail their integration course. The measures are being imposed by the new center-right government of Conservatives (VVD) and Christian Democrats (CDA), with parliamentary support from the anti-Islam Freedom Party (PVV), whose leader, Geert Wilders, is currently on trial in Amsterdam for “inciting hatred” against Muslims. As expected, Muslim organizations in Holland have been quick to criticize the proposals. The Moroccan-Dutch organization Samenwerkingsverband van Marokkaanse Nederlanders, which advises the government on integration matters, argues that Muslim immigrants need extra support to find a job. The umbrella Muslim group Contactorgaan Moslims en Overheid says that although it agrees that immigrants should be better integrated into Dutch society, it is opposed to a ban on burqas.

How has the coming to power of the PVV party (geert wilders) effected muslims in Nederland ? What laws has he brought in so far and what is he planning to do.

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;774167 wrote: Xigasho Instead of Xamar, now Hargeysa ayee u dirooyaan because they have realized it is easier to deport northern part of Soomaaliya. And whoever caadaqaata ah that signed the 'Memorandum of Understanding' is sick. Jeebkiisa -- and it is always a male -- u darnaa. Yaa ogaado a few euros la siiye uga fiican than Soomaalida rafaadsan la celinaayo. MMA, yes sick indeed.

RedSea;774339 wrote: Galkacayo the first city in history to house three regional adminstrations which are PSS, WPS, and GSS. Interesting. This is a bloody joke SMH. Eventually these things will just become nothing more than incompetent 'city' councils... but then even proper cities dont have 3 'council's. Soomaalay wax la helay inaydun 50 mini djiboutis noqotaan. bloody morons.

Wax lagu farxo maaha.

Peace Action;773890 wrote: Just make duca that oil is found. Already have. Khayr inshallah

^ It is not about doing something about their laws per se. I was, still am, astonished at people seemingly supporting the policy of the Dutch government and lambasting Somaliland for their decision to refuse the forced return of refugees. We will have to see what the next step of the Dutch is; perhaps they will put pressure on SL.