Why Foreign countries may be the biggest obstacle to the formation of a central gover

[Naxar Nugaaled]

"BAIDOA, Somalia- On April 27, Ethiopia named a new representative...in Hargeisa.

 

April 30, 2006

 

Members of the Somali federal parliament raised concerns today about the opening of an Ethiopian office in Hargeisa, capital of the unrecognized breakway "Republic of

Somaliland."

 

Today's parliamentary meeting opened as scheduled and MPs were supposed to debate on federal and constitutional affairs. But a few MPs opened up an intriguing debate concerning an embassy-like office

the Ethiopian government opened in Hargeisa last Thursday.

 

MP Mohamed Abdi Yusuf, who is renown for his anti-Ethiopian rhetoric, suggested that the parliament debate about an issue, which, he said, was part of Ethiopia's plans to destabilize the territorial integrity

of the Somali nation. Several other MPs immediately supported MP Mohamed Abdi's controversial move within the parliament hall.

 

Sharif Hassan Sheik Adan, Somalia's parliamentary speaker, told the MPs that Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Gedi would address their concerns tomorrow when parliament convenes.

 

On April 27, Ethiopia named a new representative to head its office in Hargeisa. For years, politicians have accused the Ethiopian regime of aggravating Somalia's civil war by funding and arming the nation's

various warlords and factions. Somalia and Ethiopia fought two wars in the past: in 1964, only four years after Somalia regained its independence, and in 1977, when the Somali army militarily defeated its Ethiopian counterpart, only to be saved by Soviet Union assistance."

 

Garowe Online News

 

Ethiopia used to have a envoy (Supposedly there for commercial reasons) in Hargeisa but what MPs where concerned with is that the former envoy's replacement is seasoned diplomat that was Ethiopia's the ambassador to Finland. The purpose of this obscure office that Ethiopia has in Hargeisa should not need a high level representative. Ethiopia's dealing with Somali regions should have alarmed someone a long time ago. Along with this new high level envoy, Ethiopia has other suspicious dealings regions of Somalia, mainly Somali land and punt land. Examples of these include Ethio-Somaliland agreement to allow Ethiopia to Use port Berbera with out the consent of the central government and Ethiopia's commercial agreement with punt land. I recently read that Cadde Muuse is in Addis right now for "Medical reasons" even though he used to go to the UAE and Germany for that. I understand that these regions, according to the constitution, are self governing federal states, but international affairs and commercial agreements are always in the realm of the central government even in federal states. These actions that continually undermine the TFG, even by supposedly friendly states that helped the formation of this government, is why Somalia lacks a central government. Another example is the resent meeting the US had with clan heads in nairobi. It was always suspected that the US assisted clan warlords in the name of fighting terrorism but its open security agreements with clan leaders undermines the central government yet again. President Abdullahi Yusuf was also quoted in his meeting with the Somali Community of London, that the hap-hazard way that aid agencies don't assist drought stricken people in Somalia when there is no rain but come with grains when there is leads to farmers not farming and creates a dependancy. Aid agencies and NGOs, among others such as modern Somali business people, can also be blamed for privatizing the work of government in Somalia instead of helping the government help its people.

I for one, am glad that MPs demand where the government stands and what it intends to do about this foreign interference in internal Somali affairs.

 

Maybe, you guys can come with ways that the government can deal with this Axis of Anarchy: Foreign governments, Aid agencies and NGOs.