Must READ: Which Way to the SEA?

[Abtigiis]

Editor’s Note Biyokulule Online

November 26, 2010

 

 

 

Delving into the depth of its well-stocked in-house archive of Somali history “Zooming into the Past”, Biyokulule Online is pleased to present to its esteemed readers one of the best works of Somalia’s distinguished writer Nuraddin Farah: Which Way To The Sea, Please? This timeless essay retraces Ethiopia’s historical expansionist imperialistic aspirations of conquest and aggrandizement towards its ill-fated neighbors and its notoriously insatiable desire to obtain a foothold, at any cost, in the warm water of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

 

 

 

Ethiopia’s colonial objectives towards Somalia and Somali-inhabited territories, an integral reflection of its expansionist national policy, has been uniform and consistent throughout the past one hundred fifty years and was advanced on at an unvarying pace by all Ethiopian governments – from Menelik to Meles.

 

 

 

Addressing the first session of the Organization of African Union in 1963, the predecessor of the current African Union, Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister Tsehafe Tiezaz Aklilu brazenly claimed that “The historical frontiers of Ethiopia stretched from the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, including all the territory between them”. He further contended that “ There is no record in history either of a Somali State or a Somali Nation. … I apologize for stating it."

 

 

 

Ethiopia’s historical territorial claims are never supported by empirical historical records. In The Stolen Desert, the Earl of Lytton details how European powers cobbled up mosaic tribes in Africa into nation states. “Africans accuse Europeans of having dismembered a United Africa. That charge is false”, he states unequivocally. “In Kenya men are still Kikuyu, Luo, Kamba or Masai,.. only lately are men of Kenya…to call themselves Kenyans; and this is happening within boundaries artificially contrived by Britain under a name invented by Britain”. He further states that “the case of the Somalis however is quite the reverse. They had been for centuries one nation, professing one religion, speaking one language and pursuing a single pattern of pastoral nomadic culture when the Europeans arrived and carved them up. The Somalis were politically divided up between Britian, France, Italy and Ethiopia… this dismemberment is unique in all Africa, and it was resisted for an unrivalled length of time –twenty-one-years – by a Somali patriot and his followers, one Mohammed Abdille Hassan”.

 

 

 

Nuraddin Farah’s predictable yet unnerving prophetic foretelling has proven stunningly accurate. Years of Ethiopian treacherous political machinations coupled with a matching, even more detrimental, internal subversion and betrayal perpetuated by opportunistic Somali politicians had, at last, unraveled the very fabric of the Somali nation. No wonder, fragmented to into clan enclaves and in shambles, Somalia is today reduced to a vassal state of Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s long-cherished territorial expansion and doctrine of conquest were finally realized by Meles Zenawi. Meles recalibrated and refocused an old hegemonistic and expansionistic strategy to a devastating effect, thanks to the demise of the Somali government.

 

 

 

Revealing the prime architect of the ongoing balkanization of Somalia and the perpetuating factor of the prolonged mammoth cataclysm that has befallen upon and continues to bedevil the prospect for the restoration of central government in our beleaguered country, Somalia’s former Prime Minister, Abdirizak Haji Hussein was unequivocal in pointing the finger of blame at Meles Zenawi. “Meles Zenawi is attempting to play the game with a more subtle and disguised approach in the belief that in doing so he could deftly execute his scheme of grabbing/absorbing Somalia or parts thereof”. “With that road-map in view and taking advantage of Somalia’s current political crisis and given its long borders with Ethiopia” Abdirizak emphatically argued that “ Mr. Zenawi’s new tactic is to, first, make sure that Somalia be seen, by foreign powers, as being in a sphere of Ethiopia’s influence, following in the classic foot-steps of old colonialist technique of playing- off one clan or group of clans against the others … exactly as the European colonizers did during the scramble for Africa in late 19th century. The next decisive action means; military occupation and annexation of part(s), if not the whole, of Somalia to the Ethiopian Empire”.

 

 

 

So you have it! As Professor Said S. Samatar said at a different time in a different context “poor Somalia, so far from Allah, and so near to Ethiopia”, Somalia is on the verge of being eclipsed forever by a menacingly callous monster next door. Today, in the dark belly of Ethiopia is trapped the dreams of Somalia with no way to extract it in sight. And with that Ethiopia has realized its way to the sea; and as Haile Sellassie, the former King of Ethiopia, proclaimed in his famous leaflet, Benadir seems destined to “henceforth dwell under the shade of the Ethiopian flag”.

Here is Nuraddin Farah's "Which Way to the Sea?"

http://biyokulule.com/Which_Way_to_the_Sea.htm

[NGONGE]

Good read.

[Jacaylbaro]

Reminds me of how the Arabs see Israel ....

[Abtigiis]

To be honest, I posted this topic more for the real Somalis not Somalilanders.

 

Both both JB and Ngonge are good friends, so it is ok.

 

On the topic, Abdirasaq haji Hussen is right. The archtect of Somalia's mess is Meles.

[Abtigiis]

To be honest, I posted this topic more for the real Somalis not Somalilanders.

 

Both both JB and Ngonge are good friends, so it is ok.

 

Nuraddin Farah’s predictable yet unnerving prophetic foretelling has proven stunningly accurate. Years of Ethiopian treacherous political machinations coupled with a matching, even more detrimental, internal subversion and betrayal perpetuated by opportunistic Somali politicians had, at last, unraveled the very fabric of the Somali nation. No wonder, fragmented to into clan enclaves and in shambles, Somalia is today reduced to a vassal state of Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s long-cherished territorial expansion and doctrine of conquest were finally realized by Meles Zenawi. Meles recalibrated and refocused an old hegemonistic and expansionistic strategy to a devastating effect, thanks to the demise of the Somali government.

[NGONGE]

Heh@Real Somalis.

 

(I meant it when I said it was a good read).

[Taleexi]

Finely crafted.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Who are the real somalis????

[Abtigiis]

Real Somalis like CHE, hunguri, MMA,ALLAMAgan, and even GENERAL DUKE!

[Saalax]

I don't agree with this part it's a historical distortion and absolutely untrue.

 

“the case of the Somalis however is quite the reverse."They had been for centuries one nation"

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

^^ wa iska sheeko huuhaa dee ,

[Wiil Cusub]

Fiqi Tolkii kama jano galo Prof iyo qoraaba shekadooda halkay ka soo jeedan baa ka muuqata

[Mayaani]

^Laba nin oo isku qola ah haday wanaaga guud isku racaan maxaa ku jaban walaal.

[Che -Guevara]

Libaahe....Present some evidence then!

 

Mythical grandfathers coming from Arabia is not a real story!

 

 

A&T...Interesting but on point considering how highlanders moved south and swallowed entire nations including the important Oromo-something to ponder for those dismissing Ethiopia's intentions.

 

That said, Ethiopia much like Somalia can go either way. A few committed people can undo the entire thing. Of course, one has to be willing to put in the hard work.

[Saalax]

Che -Guevara. What is there to proof? everybody knows no somali nation under one rule existed before 1960 or even before the colonials came.