We Ethiopians are proud of our rich culture, long history, 3,000-year civilization, and keeping the country free of colonialists. Ethiopia is also known for not violating the territories of other countries. When Somalia had invaded Ethiopia more than twice in the past, both the Atse Haileselassie and Derg governments chased them out, but refrained from following the retreating invaders deep into the Somali territory. One time, a frustrated field commander had ignored Haileselassie’s orders and followed Somali forces into the hinterland. He was severely reprimanded for it.
Under the Meles dictatorship, this long-held principle has changed. An Ethiopian regime for the first time in Ethiopian history has invaded another country–Somalia.
There is no valid reason for the arrogant dictator to pick a fight with the Somali Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The only reason that comes to mind is to divert national and international attention from his regime that is falling apart by the day.
Dictators thrive on conflicts and wars. In fact, they depend on ongoing wars to remain in power. With his military in turmoil, the economy in shambles, and rebel groups springing up through out the country, Meles seems to think that he can divert attention away from him and on to the ICU by accusing them of being Islamic terrorists and having affiliations with Al Qaeda.
Some of the recent actions the ICU took, such as shutting down private radio stations, shooting at protestors, and banning chat (khat) is indeed worrisome. (By the way, Khat is banned in the U.S., too). But is the ICU worse than the TPLF regime in suppressing freedom? What makes Meles more acceptable to the international community than the ICU?
Meles has rounded up ALL independent journalists in the country and threw them in jail. He has gunned down, strangled and beat to death unarmed protestors, as reported by the Inquiry Commission that was created by his own rubber-stump parliament. Every legitimate human rights organization in the world has condemned Meles as a brutal dictator and described his actions as state-sponsored terrorism. The European Parliament and the U.S. Congress have also condemned the brutal repression in Ethiopia.
On the other hand, what did the ICU do to Ethiopia? They didn’t occupy Ethiopia. They didn’t create concentration camps and detained tens of thousands of Ethiopians. They didn’t loot the country’s treasury. They have not done any thing other than trying to bring order back to Somalia’s state of anarchy.
For Ethiopians there is no worse terrorist than Meles. He is certified by the parliament-appointed independent commission as a mass murderer. In the past 15 years, he and his ruling family made Ethiopia a living hell for millions of her people. Now, he is leading the country into an adventurous war, in the process sacrificing the lives of thousands of young Ethiopians and spending millions of dollars that the country desperately needs for social services.
The world, and particularly the people of Somalia, need to know that this war Meles has started is a war between his Tigrean People Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Somali Islamic Courts of Union (ICU). It is a war of convenient intended by the Meles dictatorship to prolong its grip on power. It has nothing to do with protecting Ethiopia’s national security.
It is terribly important for opposition parties, civic groups, religious leaders, and every Ethiopian to communicate this message to the ICU and to the world as soon and as clearly as possible in order to minimize the long-term damage it could cause to our country.