Does Ethiopia have anything to do with Somalia?
(The New Somalia Group has a political point)

Awes A.Osman
thenewsomaliagroup@hotmail.com
Jul 05, 2005

Some readers might anticipate my point from the title of the article . They might prove to be wrong. They may consider this article as a mere cry of a concerned person from the intervention of foreigners in the Somali political crisis or an article meant to justify the actions of the interfering powers in the Somali political struggle. They are also in for a big surprise.

I would beg that this be rather considered as a political advise package to the new Somali government , particularly the new president and also to the Ethiopian government.
First of all , Ethiopia has to have important things to do with Somalia. It goes like a simple arithmetic equation that any country that has historical feud ,border conflict, earlier wars with a neighbouring country has to be fully concerned with the political developments of that country. It is a negative political ideology that stood as a holy strategy for centuries.

India and Pakistan are a sample of the many neighbouring countries that have inherited traditional enmity , religious conflicts and territorial border fighting from the colonial powers in the region.

Both fought painful wars and since then raced hard for military supremacy in the region. If any one of the two countries slides into an anarchy status , the other will automatically take advantage of the situation and prevent any efforts to return the country to its former strong nation status. Similarly Ethiopia can not turn a blind eye on the political situation in Somalia whether we like it or not .

Yes Ethiopia has and will continue to have a lot of things to do with Somalia. The only problem is that it does not realise that as time changed tremendously , what it must have to with Somalia should also change tremendously.
 
Europe has made a big leap towards progress only when its member countries concluded sacred no war pacts with each other and agreed to drive together towards progress .
They realised that communities in the region are interlinked which meant that a light from one source in the region illuminates all and a disease from one area would infect all people in the region.

The European union hence contributes to support any one nation in the community that lacks behind . The Horn of African community should follow the footsteps of the EU and change the century old negative political heritage.

Following facts supports Ethiopia's real benefit from peace and progress in Somalia:

• The Only method that the members of the HORN countries can hatch out of the doom of famine, wars and other human disasters is a combined regional campaign against poverty. This will require regional cooperation in fighting terrorism, stopping cross border arms smuggling , exchanging information .

• Law and order in each country of the HORN gives easier communication and cooperation between governments in the region than between governments and militia controlled regional authorities in different parts of the region.

• Both Ethiopia and Somalia should aim beyond territorial claims and find a common interest in the prosperity of the region as a whole. This requires letting the citizens in the disputed lands area in the Somali-Ethiopian border decide their own way of life and policy and have greater autonomous rule.

• To change the attitude of the public in both Somalia and Ethiopia towards each other in terms of humanity, cooperation, neighbourhood, peaceful coexistence,trade & business exchange, crime control etc depends on the governments in both countries.
  
  The public is what the government makes of it.

• It is only about time that the balance of positions alternate. if the fall of control occurs in one country today , it might take place in the other tomorrow therefore it is better not to manipulate the situation and take advantage of it. Ethiopia should also remember that Somalia has got more cards in its hands that it can play with when the right time comes than Ethiopia now has got . It is for the interest of Ethiopia to help grow a Somali society that has good heart feelings for its neighbours than the previous hostile relationship based on traditional enmity.
  
  The New Somali President has to be a different president; Different from all other presidents in the world and also from all previous presidents in the Somali history because he has to deal with a different Somalia,that has around ten million population (9,639,151) , of which nine million love politics. He has to balance the opposing weights of internal and external political reactions i.e the necessity to gain full public acceptance in order to run the country and the advantage of having friendly neighbouring alliance in order not to worry about indoor dangers and concentrate much on local matters.
  
  The danger alert here is that once the president's external political interests become a handicap to his internal political interest which is crucial for his existence as president , it is a sign of real problem.
  
  The best advise I have for our new president is that of the two above political issues , the internal concern is the most essential for his political interests and for the national interests too.
  
  The job of the president at a time when Somalia is in this status of political chaos is critical . He has to change the public perception about his profile, his policy and over all power sharing policy in the country. The Sudis and Atos of today in Somalia have every right to oppose his administration , suspect his personal ambitions behind the political curtain and also democratically say NO in any voting occasion as the president too has right to demonstrate his political plans , convince his opponents of his honesty and reject any offensives and unjustified NO.
  
  We have too many people who are ready to attempt a solution by triggering a bullet but what we need, Mr.President, is one who will bring about solution without blood, either by magic or through his unique personal capabilities.
  
  Please prove it as you have time that does not wait. The New Somalia Group would be glad to offer political advise package for the sake of the national interest if there is need ,contact us
  
  Awes A.Osman
  thenewsomaliagroup@hotmail.com
   

PS :The New Somalia Group would be glad to offer any political advise packages to the New Somali Government or any party interested in the smooth and unanimous governening of Somalia .

Kindly contact us for any suggestions, criticism and consultations.

Awes A.Osman
The New Somalia Group
(thenewsomaliagroup@hotmail.com)