What is Ethiopia's interest in Somalia?

[Somali_Friend]

I see a number of SOL nomads who simply are convinced that putting the name Ethiopia explains everything, its an enemy of Somalia thats enough.

 

This is very dishonest and hides the reality of the times. The mere fact that ICU the masters of modern propaganda have been stopped dead on their tracks and called into question about their call of "Jihad" should be enough of sign that things have changed.

 

From my point of view these are Interests Ethiopia has in Somalia:

 

1. As far as the Somali State of ethiopia is concerned, ethiopia firmly and unambigously has stated from its media or constitution that the only people who can ask, talk about, demand and if need be fight for the self determination of the Somali ethiopian are only the Somali ethiopians themselves.

The only interest in Somalia that ethiopia has on this issue is that Somalia republic also recognize this truth and honesty. As Ethiopians will not allow Addis Ababa to dictate the Somali or the Afar in what he wants, Ethiopia will also not allow a Mugadishu warlord be it secular or covered by Islam to dictate the choice of somali ethiopian. Its that simple and straight forward. This principle is supported even by ONLF thats fighting for self determination.

So far the TFG, Somaliland, Puntland and from the just established Bay Bakool all accept this principle.

 

2. Ports:

Yes there are a number of ports that would be more economical to ethiopia to use than what its currently using. Ethiopia also thinks the more ports are used cost can be driven down by competition. This competirion is being done constructively and destructively by Somalia side. Somaliland and Puntland are constructively competing on commerical basis with Djibuti. Yes Djibuti has sometimes resorted into unsavory and unacceptable methods of weakening Somaliland and Puntland by using its diplomatic clout of basing US, France and sometimes UK and Germany. Ethiopia in this regard has been fair player.

 

The port issue is a two way street. Somalia actually should push for its success more than ethiopia. Djibuti, Kenya and Sudan have now established shares of ethiopia. Somalia will take more from Djibuti and for that Somalia can expect resistance from Djibuti including wanting the chaos to continue, because major infrastructure is being laid financed by EU. Once this is set it will be very difficult for port like Mugadishu for example to come in, even though about 20 million ethiopians would be better served from Mugadishu or Kismayo than Djibuti.

 

Sudan is in a very comfortable position. Half of Amara, half of Tigray and Benshangul Gomuz are better served from Port Sudan than even Assab of Eritrea. Sudan has built a dry port and gifted it to Ethiopia for not a single penny in return from Ethiopia. The payment comes the peace the two countries have on their border. Shared business, shared risk brings shared interest.

 

Customer supplier relationship:

This is interchangeable, but Somalia would benefit more from having 70 million customers for various products and services. Unless for specific items where one is completely user and another one supplier, for most things they both interchange. Somalia may supply fruits in the south and ethiopia may supply oilseeds in north...etc

 

Culturally:

Ethiopia is an open country, but its also a very old and conservative when it comes to culture. Europeans/americans have been trying to bring their clothings, music even religion, but very limited success. You don't find Catholics and Protestants in any sizable number anywhere in ethiopia. You also do not find other sects of Islam even though the Saudis have been pouring money into poor ethiopia all these years just like their counterparts european/americans have been doing it for centuries.

 

Its believed that clothing has been the same or similar in rural ethiopia more than 85% of the population, for millenia. One would be hard pressed to identify a moslem or a christian woman in Tigray from their clothing.

 

A Somali singer may become likable in ethiopia and an ethiopian may do the same. Ethiopia and Sudan have quite big exchange in this area and the common population is not as big as with Somalia.

 

 

Conclusion:

What I expected from those SOL nomads, especially the few that write "i am more holy than you" kind, would be truthfull or closer to the truth. Instead I found the ICU people actually to be more decietful. That was very shocking to me. I read as much as I can, other websites that support religious parties like HizbAllah and the difference with ICU is night and day.

 

Those of us in comfortable (materially) life here in the west, at the very least owe it to our conscience to avoid blatant untruths.

[Taliban]

There's a new world order that favors Islamists. Islamists are gaining strength and are bound to control the Islamic world in the near future, insha'Allah. The US, Europe, NATO and other forces cannot defeat Islamists in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq and other parts of the Islamic world. What's (in terms of strength) Ethiopia compared to the US, Europe, NATO, iwm? The Somali region occupied by Ethiopia and Somali region occupied by Kenya (NFD) are part of the Islamic world, and both will be reclaimed by the coming Islamic Empire.

[Somali_Friend]

Taliban,

I think the name you chose for yourself is not fitting you. lol

The Somali ethiopian is moslem, unless as radio Jijiga wrote, "colonel" Hassan Tahir wants to make them moslems of a different kind.

Unless you are hiding other intentions and I can guess they are 100% economic, the question of Islam on population that has been moslem longer than your taliban doesn't fly in our neighborhood. Its easy to see the fakery thats hiding behind Islam.

 

The Somali ethiopian is big enough to speak for himself and powerful enough to get what he wants. He doesn't need imposters from Mugadishu to speak on his behalf. The ones from Mugadishu have made it a money making project or power grabbing methodology.

 

The first thing ICU will state when and if they want to talk to ethiopia is this:

1. we respect borders in existance

2. the somali ethiopian is the only representative of the somali in ethiopia.

mark my post.