Jabhad Posted March 18, 2007 Ugandans may make Somalia even murkier 17 Mar 17, 2007 - 4:23:42 PM By Vahid Oloro As Uganda loaded its militaryware into a ship in Mombasa, destined for the Somali capital, Mogadishu, some two weeks ago, a Somali Moslem preacher kept taunting officials supervising the exercise. Accusing Uganda of sending its troops to spread HIV/Aids, and rape their women and daughters as “they once did” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the preacher delivered a chilling message; Uganda would find a huge grave inside his country. After two days of discomforting taunting, Ugandans called Kenyan police and the preacher was arrested. But a day after the arrest, Ugandan troops landed into Mogadishu Airport to a welcome of deafening mortar fire. No Ugandan died, but the gravity of the situation was unmistakable and the coincidence chilling. A day later Uganda suffered its first casualties when two of its troops were wounded in an exchange of fire with Somali rebels. And within the same week a Ugandan plane, with seven soldiers and militaryware, caught fire upon landing in Mogadishu. Rebels said they shot the plane, claims Uganda denied. The analogy of a huge grave fits well. Saddam Hussein promised Americans just that after the latter invaded Iraq. Saddam was quickly defeated but ever since, American casualties have kept rising. Analysts say Ethiopia repeated the mistake Americans made in Iraq. It drove the Islamists out of Mogadishu but did not defeat them. Glorying in their victory; critics say Ethiopians are taking a nap not aware of the unexploded time bomb. The recent disintegration into chaos in Mogadishu is understandable given that the flight of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) from Mogadishu freed a bunch of warlords who used to enjoy a lucrative tenure of violence; controlling tax collection and administering terror-for-cash before the IUC clamped on them. For these merchants of terror, any prospect of peace is an affront on their lucrative business. Some claim that warlords used to collect as much as US$100,000 per week in areas under their control. The strict code of conduct that the Islamists instituted scared off the warlords. Using the Quran as a basis of law enforcement, the Islamists were able to instill a fear warlords could not stand up against. The exit of the UIC gave them a new opportunity to plunder. The other source of chaos is the undisputed ‘remnants’ of the IUC whose disappearance after their defeat is not easy to explain. But the welcome of fire that Uganda received in Mogadishu goes beyond the presence of warlords. While Museveni cunningly re-engineered his dwindling fortunes with the West by offering peacekeepers for Somalia, sources say Somali exiles in Djibouti, led by the sacked Speaker of Parliament, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, requested Museveni to delay deployment to allow for reconciliation talks with the UIC. Inside sources say, Adan, voted out on January 17 over his strong opposition to Ethiopian invasion, strongly believes on dialogue with the Islamists as a way out of the murky situation. The former Speaker maintains a strong following inside Somalia and among a number of warlords. Security sources say that after Museveni ignored the request, an angered Adan and his group made contacts inside Somalia to teach Ugandans a lesson. Critics say Museveni’s deployment is not driven by a desire for the pacification of Somalia. While he deployed for peace, at home the Uganda strongman was using military men in police uniform to stymie opposition protests. With his domestic legacy increasingly looking threadbare Museveni sees Somalia as a reincarnation of sorts. Museveni is no megalomaniac; he knows how best to manipulate any situation. By offering troops, his benefactors in the West will see him as a useful bulwark against Islamist expansion. But there lies the catch. Somalia risks becoming a battle field of ego-driven, out-to-survive autocrats competing for the Western pat on the back. His comrade in Ethiopia is another desperate man shopping for a new image. Meles Zenawi’s tyranny is full blown and is causing discomfort to his friends in the West. He has imprisonment hundreds of opponents to reign in a growing dissent. To circumvent plummeting fortunes, Somalia offers the two autocrats an opportunity of a re-birth. But the danger is that this scenario could ignite a Congo-type of fallout that Uganda suffered against its ally Rwanda in 1999. The Somali expedition has made Zenawi the undoubted shaper of the regional agenda. Museveni’s quick dash to cash-in on the fortunes of the expedition may eventually not go down well with Ethiopians. How long the honey moon will last is open to debate. Observers say Museveni is scheming to take charge of the process. He has made a promise to Adan and group that he will arrange a reconciliation conference of sorts between the interim regime in Mogadishu and the Islamists, possibly in Uganda. This could explain the lull in rebel offensive against the Ugandans. But it could also ignite discomfort from the Ethiopians whose tutelage has given interim President Abdullahi Yusuf some resemblance of strength. There is no doubt; Ethiopia is not pulling out as is expected by the international community. A secret meeting in Addis Ababa this week, attended by the Ugandan defence minister, as well as American representatives; agreed that Ethiopia stays put. The genesis of disagreement could be on roles. Ethiopians are the guys who set the pace and will want to control events. Uganda, on the other hand, rides on the glory of the AU mandate. Uganda will have the largest contingent of peacekeepers after Burundi scaled down its contribution from 1,700 to 850 troops. Burundi deploys in three months, to be followed by Nigeria at the end of the year. During this time Ethiopian presence will be crucial. The other concern is the Eritrean equation. Last week Eritrean minister warned Uganda of dire consequences if it doesn’t pull out of Somalia. Eritrea sees Uganda and Ethiopia as common opponents and Ugandan deployment as an extension of Ethiopian presence. Diplomatic sources say Ethiopia’s quick move against Islamists was to forestall Eritrean grand agenda with the IUC. But Asmara appears unrelenting. Sources say some 100 IUC fighters are currently training in specialized skills in Eritrea. Eritrea believes Uganda is not a neutral force in Somalia. Last year Uganda was accused of deploying over 100 soldiers in support of Yusuf. Indeed when Yusuf survived an assassination attempt last year, Ugandans were among the victims. The fear however, is that any flare-up of hostilities, in whatever form, could force other deploying countries to develop cold feet. Source: Kenya Times Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabhad Posted March 18, 2007 Walee Soomaaliya waa loo soo shaqo tagay!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted March 18, 2007 As Uganda loaded its militaryware into a ship in Mombasa, destined for the Somali capital, Mogadishu, some two weeks ago, a Somali Moslem preacher kept taunting officials supervising the exercise. Accusing Uganda of sending its troops to spread HIV/Aids, and rape their women and daughters as “they once did” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the preacher delivered a chilling message; Uganda would find a huge grave inside his country. After two days of discomforting taunting, Ugandans called Kenyan police and the preacher was arrested. But a day after the arrest, Ugandan troops landed into Mogadishu Airport to a welcome of deafening mortar fire. A 'preacher' and his taunts ayee u adkeysan waayeen, taloow madaafiic roob camal ugu noqdo see ugu adkeysan doonaan, mise they think booliiska Keenyaatiga in ay Xamar joogaan too? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted March 18, 2007 Walee odaygassi ma naxayo oo lama maal mood buu joogay diyarada agteeda! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted March 18, 2007 Security sources say that after Museveni ignored the request, an angered Adan and his group made contacts inside Somalia to teach Ugandans a lesson. this is rubbish though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
