The Ethiopian people are our brothers, time for a fresh start

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

As for the Somalilanders, and here the ‘timeless limbo’ part comes into play—well, as for the Somalilanders, they’re Somalis likewise, aren’t they? As such they too are our internal enemies, aren’t they? So, let them stay in their timeless non-recognition limbo to infinity. That is what I meant by the ‘timeless limbo’ thing.[/b]

 

“Why?!” “Why?!” “Why?!” We, all three of us, asking the same question in unison! So amazing, isn’t it, guys? Believe me, guys, my asking “Why?!” was, I admit, a bit rhetorical but, certainly, not entirely outside the course of clarifying my narration while I suspect your exclaiming “Whys?!” were more due to your tendencies of derailing me from my normal lines of thought. One way or another and since I unintentionally shared in the asking of the question, let me give the answer right away.

 

See, Somalilanders are a naïve people. They think it was a change of heart on our part when we saved them from extermination at the hands of their fellow Somalis some two decades ago by allowing them into our country in droves. No, that was not our real intention, ******! Our real intention was to topple the fascist Siad Barre regime that had the temerity of attacking Ethiopia and nearly succeeded in dismantling our state. Only dismantling his own state, no less, could have done as punishment for Siad Barre’s cardinal crime–talk about giving one a dose of his own medicine. See what I mean?

 

We’d to sleep with quite a lot of devils to achieve this all-important objective, and Somalilanders happened to be some of those devils. That this devilish bed fellowship made incumbent on us saving the Somalilanders from genocide at the hands of their Fascist tyrant Siad Barre was just one of those inexplicable ironies of this topsy-turvy world. But believe you me, we were just after toppling Siad Barre’s regime and not after saving the Somalilanders from genocide. That just happened to be an unintentional consequence in the perusal of our core objective. But, like I said it was and still is a topsy-turvy world, don’t you agree, guys?

 

Now, Somalilanders may be naïve, but strangely for being ethnically Somalis, they seem to have still some sense left in their heads. Unexpectedly, they pacified and restored the rule of law in their country. They established effective and legitimate governments (no need to put inverted commas on the word governments in their case). Amazingly they did all this all by themselves and well before they grabbed our—or anybody else’s—attention.

 

See, the little scamps stealthily held all their peacemaking and state-building conferences squatting in dusty squares in their little dusty towns and sustaining themselves with unpalatable camel’s meat and other unsavory nutrients. This is so unlike their Southern brethren who demand five star accommodation and the lifestyles of the rich and famous in foreign capitals (at enormous cost to the IC) before they agree even to hold a conference. So don’t blame us or the world at large if the Somaliland peace and reconciliation gatherings eluded our attention and consequently lacked any input from foreigners including from us, their dear best neighbors and African brethren.

 

The damn rascals—Alas! They duped us all, didn’t they?!!!

 

Worse still, this colossal deception didn’t end there. The Somalilanders went on to meet all the prerequisite parameters of a sovereign nation–borders, currency, constitution …, you name it–in reclaiming the sovereignty they had enjoyed for just five days way back in 1960 before they merged with Somalia. Thus, they presented us and the world at large, still unawares, with a treacherous fait accompli: They said to all and sundry, “We’re called Somaliland. We’re independent. We meet all the conditions of statehood, including the moral ones. So recognize us!” That was the worst part of this colossal deception.

 

This is because, between you and me, if they were not Somalis and therefore not our eternal enemies, we’d have said that they’ve had a valid point. If they were not Somalis, believe me, we’d have extended them our political recognition right away. In point of fact, if objectivity were heeded, they merit recognition, all sorts of assistance, admiration and what not, if simply they were not Somalis and therefore not our eternal enemies!

 

But since it was too late to avert this paradox–damn it, the Somalilanders duped us as well as everybody else–we and the world at large were left to being reactive instead of being proactive when dealing with Somaliland. Of course, we’d have preferred to have been proactive, but our being reactive, though not as effective, isn’t without its consequences, thank Heavens!

 

Why I say thank Heavens, you asking? You see, you young man, you’re the junior of the two of you. Isn’t this your senior Editor as you’ve introduced yourselves to me at the beginning of this conversation? You saying ‘Yes’? Then how come you’re always asking me very bothersome questions? How come you’re asking me any questions at all when somebody senior to you is present and he’s so mute, though he’s furiously scribing on his notepad? Don’t you have respect for seniority and rank? For the life of me, I can’t understand the Western Mentality and Attitudes—even after I’ve been to their places so many times in line of my work! It must be due to deficiencies of my mental faculties or something else—whatever it is!

 

See, guys, in my Ethiopia and Ethiopian culture, such behavior is unacceptable, thank Heavens. We’ve respect for seniority and rank, so we don’t talk or ask questions if we’re junior in both.

 

But, Oh! I understand your behavior now—****** of me to have missed it at the onset of this conversation. Your very name, Blunt Bothersome, explains it, doesn’t it? Certainly, you’re blunt and no doubt you’re bothersome. Aha! And him, so-called Senior Editor’s name, Mr. Truce Digger! That’s why he’s been furiously scribing on his notepad all the time, like he was not wanting to miss nothing I say and how I say it! His name, Truce Digger, is very much telling on his behavior and demeanor too, though he slightly played with its spelling. He’s seriously into finding the truth as if I myself ain’t into keeping the truth out in the open anyway!

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Of course, we’d not expect Somalians, being Somalis after all, to be grateful to us for all that trouble we’d gone through on their behalf. Can you imagine that they turned against that old sage Abdillahi Yusuf? We knew they’d never get a better “president” but when they rejected him, and since we still wanted to be nice to them, we helped rehabilitate and install Sheikh Sharif as their new “president”. That Sheikh Sharif was the very “president” of the UIC terrorist gang whom we’d chased out of the town (Mogadishu, that is) earlier at the behest of their astute late ‘president’ Abdillahi Yusuf, but whom (witness their contradictions!) most ordinary Somalians and other Somalis and even many non-Somalis had chastised us for doing so. That Sheikh Sharif was the one who’d (can there be a worse crime?) made Asmara his base for anti-Ethiopian activities after we’d chased him out of town, Mogadishu, that is. That he’d been all such things and worse and still we helped in installing him as their new ‘president’, is an amble testament of our being their best neighbors and African brethren; of us being exceptionally nice to them as no one else possibly could. I can bet on that!

 

Nonetheless, you can never expect the Somalians to be appreciative however exceptionally nice you’re to them! Can you imagine that, guys?

 

We hear that the Somalians, being … well, Somalis, have turned against the Sharif himself as well, can you believe it? What, in Heaven’s Name, do they really want? They ask for one particular “president” and as soon as they get him, they say “No, no, we don’t want him!” without even the merest of thanks for the efforts of getting him when they asked for him.

 

They not only say “We don’t want him”, they also propose doggedly and in a manner of unbecoming physical composition (usually in small pieces rather than in one piece as, at the very least, in decency is proper) sending him (their ‘president’, that is) to his grave somewhat earlier than God disposes. Of course, we and other good Samaritans view such a proposition as uncalled for or as inhumane even if it were. Therefore we helped the AU in deploying 10,000 “peacekeepers” (AMISOM we call them) solely to protect the Somalian “presidents” in the Villa Somalia.

 

Appropriately, the “peacekeepers” take their job rather seriously. Count on woe to befall to anyone who as much as contemplates harming the “presidents”. Whenever Villa Somalia is shot at with even as small a weapon as a handgun, AMISOM naturally responds with a barrage of artillery shells in the direction from which the offending fire has come. What else could they do, we want to know? Is there any other way to deal with people who are bent on sending their “presidents” to their early graves—and not even in one piece—without first consulting God Almighty, Who Alone manages such things?

 

If in the all-important task of protecting the Somalian ‘presidents’, innocent civilians are killed, maimed, wounded or displaced by the AMISOM barrages—well, that’s an unfortunate and unintentional consequence of the game. In Americanize, it’s called “Collateral Damage”, remember?

 

Anyway, in the spirit of best neighborliness and African brotherhood, we’ll continue to be nice to Somalians in spite of their characteristic ingratitude. We can do no less, can we? Others and even some Ethiopians say why don’t we just say good riddance of a bad apple and simply wash our hands of Somalia’s intractable problems? Good question. But nobody answers the other equally good question: If we, Ethiopians, who’re supernaturally (and through no choice of ours) fated to be their best neighbors and African brethren don’t lend them a helping hand in their hours of need, who else, pray tell me, would do it?

 

So, we’ll continue to be nice to them, the great expense to us notwithstanding. We’ll continue to send our troops across the border into their territory whenever we feel their effective and legitimate “governments” are under threat from one or other of their myriad and unfathomable armed groups. In fact, we’ll continue to activate our lithe fingers or easy touches or slow hands in helping them set up their effective “governments” and “presidents” whenever the need for them arises. We’ll continue to help protecting their legitimate “governments” and “presidents”. We know that–given the Somalians’ knack for disliking their effective and legitimate “governments” and “presidents” as soon as they’re installed for them–well, we know that all that is a tall order, but one’s got to do what one’s got to do, hasn’t one?

[Carafaat]

Xaaji, I agree that Melez Zenawi is a dictator, wants to stay in power and wants to keep Somalia down. But does he represent the 80 million Ethiopian people and hundred of diffrent tribes. NO.

 

I am talking about the Ethiopian people not the regime of Melez.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Carafaat i think ur such a drama queen muran baad rabta

[Carafaat]

xaaji kala saar umada iyo dictatorka.

[Che -Guevara]

Courtesy of Carafaat's brothers

 

[oba hiloowlow]

Ethiopia iyo soomaaliya waligeed colaad baa ka dhaxeeyneyso,, gabdhahaas sidaa loo galay ilaahay caafimaad ha siiyo,, carafaat gabdhahaas fiiri saa loo galay..

[Dabrow]

Carafaat;837907 wrote:

Xaaji, I agree that Melez Zenawi is a dictator, wants to stay in power and wants to keep Somalia down. But does he represent the 80 million Ethiopian people and hundred of diffrent tribes. NO.

 

I am talking about the Ethiopian people not the regime of Melez.

Forget about the midget but you dont represent either 20 million somalis, you cant say somaliweyn is dead, since its alive and hope for countless million somalis. There is no such thing as "ethiopian people"

[Abdul]

Untill such time they permanently leave and vacate the land that belongs to Somalis and let them determine their own future,we will remain enemies.

[aero]

Abdul;837933 wrote:

Untill such time they permanently leave and vacate the land that belongs to Somalis and let them determine their own future,we will remain enemies.

Amen to that.

[OdaySomali]

Watch this space Carafaat. Indhahaanu kuu dilaacin.

[OdaySomali]

---

[OdaySomali]

Abuse and terror in the Somali region

 

The war-torn Somali region in Ethiopia is a land scarred by terror.

 

An ongoing struggle for autonomy is being fought between the outlawed Ogden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and the Ethiopian military but it is not just ONLF members who are being brutalised.

 

An undercover investigation by the Bureau and the BBC’s Newsnight provides new evidence of ongoing brutal human rights abuses by Ethiopian government forces.

 

Today the area is a no-go zone for foreigners, the media and aid agencies. Instead, it is kept under strict Ethiopian government control, making it difficult to assess what is going on.

 

But in Dadaab, the largest refugee camp in the world in northern Kenya, there are thousands, who have fled from the Ogden region, claiming to have been subjected to horrific abuses by Ethiopian government troops.

 

Torture victims

A grandmother in her 50s, told us that she was one of more than 100 civilians seized from her village in the Ogden by government forces in 2009. Some of the villagers were killed, including her son, and others were taken to jail.

 

She says ‘I was raped’ by ‘a queue’ of soldiers. ‘They raped me in a room, one of them was standing on my mouth, and one tied my hand, they were taking turns, I fainted during this.’

 

Another victim described how she was eight months pregnant when government forces arrested her, then raped and beat her until she lost her baby.

.

[OdaySomali]

Human Rights Watch and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) produced before and after satellite images of villages razed to the ground in the Somali region by Ethiopian forces.

Ethiopian soldiers commit of war crimes in Somalia

 

Amnesty International on Tuesday said Ethiopian troops in Somalia are killing civilians and committing atrocities, including slitting people's throats, gouging out eyes and gang-raping women.

 

In a new report, the human rights group, which is based in London, detailed chilling witness accounts of indiscriminate killings in Somalia and called on the international community to stop the bloodshed.

 

The rights group said it had scores of reports of killings by Ethiopian troops.

In one case, "a young child's throat was slit by Ethiopian soldiers in front of the child's mother,"

the report says.

 

"The people of Somalia are being killed, raped, tortured. Looting is widespread and entire neighborhoods are being destroyed,"

Michelle Kagari, the Amnesty deputy director for Africa, said in a statement from Nairobi that accompanied the report.

 

Haboon, 56, said her neighbor's 17-year-old daughter had been raped by Ethiopian troops

.

The girl's brothers tried to defend their sister, but the soldiers beat them and gouged their eyes out with a bayonet

, Haboon was quoted as telling Amnesty.

.

[OdaySomali]

Ethiopia: Army Commits Executions, Torture, and Rape in Somali Region of Ethiopia

 

 

In its battle against rebels in eastern Ethiopia's Somali Region,

Ethiopia's army has subjected civilians to executions, torture, and rape,

Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The widespread violence, part of a vicious counterinsurgency campaign that

amounts to

war crimes and crimes against humanity

, has contributed to a looming humanitarian crisis,

threatening the survival of thousands of ethnic Somali nomads.

 

The 130-page report "Collective Punishment: War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in the Somali region Area of Ethiopia's Somali Regional State," documents a dramatic rise in unchecked violence against civilians since June 2007, when the Ethiopian army launched a counterinsurgency campaign against rebels who attacked a Chinese-run oil installation. The Human Rights Watch report provides the first in-depth look at the patterns of abuse in a conflict that remains virtually unknown because of severe restrictions imposed by the Ethiopian government.

 

"The Ethiopian army's answer to the rebels has been to

viciously attack civilians in the Somali region

," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "These widespread and systematic atrocities amount to crimes against humanity. Yet Ethiopia’s major donors, Washington, London and Brussels, seem to be maintaining a conspiracy of silence around the crimes."

.