SOMALIA: Two Years After the US-Backed Invasion and Occupation
Sophia Tesfamariam
December 04, 2008
24 December 2008 will mark the 2nd Anniversary of the US-backed Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1725 as well as the Intergovernmental Agency for Development´s (IGAD) 2005 resolution that authorized the formation of IGAD Peace Support Mission to Somalia (IGASOM) and specifically calling for non-interference by "neighboring states".
There have been many reconciliation talks and agreements signed and broken by the various Somali factions since the downfall of the Siad Barre government in Somalia, but it would be unfair and untrue to saddle the Somali´s with total blame for the failures, as the external actors-most notably the Americans and Ethiopians bear responsibility for the most part. The Sodere Talks, The Cairo Agreement (1997) and Reconciliation Conference in Arta, Djibouti in 2000 are early examples of Somali talks that have been scuttled by the Ethiopian regime and its backers.It should be recalled that a National Parliament was formed and a new internationally recognized Transitional National Government (TNG) was established with Abdikassim Salad Hassan being elected president. Unfortunately, it too failed because of Ethiopia´s incessant meddling and lack of support, good will and political courage from the international community.
The current TNG was formed in Kenya in 2004 and was unable to establish itself in Somali, once again because Ethiopia and the US prevented it from doing so.
The US-backed and financed Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia aimed at weakening and Balkanizing Somalia is a continuation of a long and hostile history between the two neighbors and will not bring peace, security and stability to Somalia. As a matter of fact, the parties find themselves back to square one and the US and Ethiopia are now "negotiating" with the very same personalities they ousted in order to prop up the TNG and the entire TNG finds itself exiled, once again. Never in history has an entire government left a people and nation it purports to govern…but in Somalia´s case…anything goes as long as Ethiopia and its backers get what they want.
1. In violation of the Arms Embargo on Somalia, the United States and its mercenary, the minority regime in Ethiopia led Prime Minister Meles Zenawi financed and supported a coalition of warlords calling themselves the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) which included individuals who are, not surprisingly, members of the TNG. The warring warlords, and the violence and chaos that ensued, prevented the puppet Transitional National Government of Somalia from establishing itself in Mogadishu, after remaining in Kenya for two years, since its formation in 2004. The TNG relocated to Somalia in February 2006, straddled between Jowhar and Baidoa but unable to assert its power in Mogadishu.
2. On 6 June 2006, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) after a two month long battle against the US and Ethiopian backed ARPCT, took control of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Mogadishu's air and seaports were re-opened for the first time since 1995. The UIC expanded its control throughout Somalia and restored peace and security in areas under its control. For the first time since the fall of Siad Barre and the ugly Black Hawk incident in 1993, the people of Somalia were optimistic about Somalia´s future. But the celebrations would be dampened; their dreams and aspirations would be dashed by Washington´s Islam phobic "new strategy for Somalia" concocted by Jendayi E. Frazer, the inept Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, and his stooges, Abdulahi Yusuf the President of Somalia and the runaway former Prime Minister of Somalia and Meles Zenawi´s godson Ali Mohammed Ghedi.
Instead of welcoming the peace, stability and security established in Somalia after 15 years of anarchy and chaos, refusing to engage the UIC in bringing about a national reconciliation and dialogue, advancing a very negative defamation and vilification campaign against the UIC, Jendayi E. Frazier set out to implement Washington´s ill-advised, ill-conceived, irrational, Islam phobic agenda to oust the UIC and prevent an "Islamic Government" from being formed in Somalia. Unfortunately, some in the US Congress gave her the green light, and the invasion and occupation of Somalia was planned and executed on a lie.
Jon Snow of the UK based Channel 4 news presented a special report on Somalia on 30 January 2006. Snow referred to a "UN record of a meeting" that took place sometime in June 2006 and was attended by a US Commander of the Fleet off Somalia, Rear Admiral Richard Hunt, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi E. Frazier and an unnamed UN official. According to the report, the attendees discussed possible scenarios in Somalia and how to deal with them:
The worst case scenario would result from a total control by the UIC over Somalia…the US would not allow it…"
In the event of a rapid Ethiopian in and out intervention "…the US would rally with Ethiopia if the ´Jihadists´ took over…"
Jendayi Frazier is quoted as saying, "It would be a mistake for the international community to condemn such an invasion"
An unnamed UN official is quoted as saying, "any Ethiopian action in Somalia would have Washington´s blessing"
3. After the invasion of Somalia, Jendayi E. Frazier, and Vicki Huddleston, former US Charge D´affaires in Ethiopia and their coteries continued to deliberately and maliciously concoct lies about the UIC and even made unsubstantiated attempts to link the UIC with Al Qaeda. A vile and cruel vilification campaign aimed at the UIC and their supporters filled the western headlines. As they did in Afghanistan and Iraq, State Department officials, instead of admitting the grave mistakes and ill advised policies in Somalia, chose instead to engage in time buying, diversionary gimmicks and tactics to justify Ethiopia´s presence in Somalia, a troop presence of over 10,000 which Ethiopia had initially tried to deny. The US media were instructed to downplay Ethiopia´s illegal invasion and occupation.
4. Washington turned to the spineless mercenary regime in Ethiopia to effectuate the racist, Islam phobic, irrational and irresponsible US policy for Somalia, to "prop up" the illegitimate puppet Transitional National Government of Somalia (TNG) led by Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, against the wishes of the Somali people. A report by Jon Snow of Channel 4 news details a UN memo in which Jendayi E. Frazer and other US, UN and Ethiopian officials discuss the invasion of Somalia
5. Advancing foreign interests in Somalia, realizing the Somali people´s strong and popular support for the UIC, and in violation of the Somali people´s right to self determination and despite vocal protests by members of the Transitional National Parliament of Somalia, the two warlords, Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi extended an "invitation" to Meles Zenawi´s forces, to invade Somalia and violate Somalia´s sovereignty and territorial integrity in violation of Somalia´s Transitional National Charter.
6. The minority regime in Ethiopia in blatant violation of international law, the UN and African Union Charters, fabricating and exaggerating the threat posed by the UIC to Ethiopia´s sovereignty and territorial integrity, lying to the Ethiopian Parliament and people, and by shamelessly pledging fealty to the United States, waged its unprovoked aggressive war of invasion and occupation of Somalia on 24 December 2006.
7. The level of criminal and atrocious behaviors in Somalia has never been as high as it has been under the Ethiopian occupation. Meles Zenawi´s forces have raped and tortured innocent Somalis-unheard of in all the years since the fall of Siad Barre. They have also looted and burnt schools, markets, hospitals and destroyed vital infrastructures and engaged in extra judicial renditions, indiscriminate shelling of civilian populated areas and committed untold crimes and atrocities in Somalia. Instead of bringing peace, security and stability to Somalia, the US-backed invasion brought insecurity, destruction and created the greatest humanitarian crisis in the history of Somalia. The surge in criminal activities, including the "piracy" can be directly linked to the chaotic and anarchic situation in Somalia created by the Ethiopian regime and its backers.
8. The fact that no self respecting African state, with the exceptions of two-Burundi and Uganda- has provided any troops for the African Union´s so-called "stabilization force" imposed on the Somali people by Washington and its mercenary, to "prop up" Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, is evidence of an Africa-wide silent disapproval and condemnation of Ethiopia´s invasion of Somalia. Without peace and security in Somalia, there can be no peacekeeping mission established. The UN must enforce its own resolutions and decisions and uphold the UN Charter instead of serving as a bully pulpit for Washington´s diplomats.
9. After twenty three months of bloodshed and carnage, Washington and its mercenaries, the minority regime in Ethiopia and the illegitimate US-UN "recognized" TNG in Somalia, have yet to present any evidence to support their loud, fanatical and deceptive claims about the presence of "Al Qaeda operatives" in Somalia. US and Ethiopian fabrications and claims about the presence of "2000 Eritrean troops" also turned out to be yet another blatant lie. As with all their unsubstantiated allegations, that lie was a convenient diversion, a deceptive decoy, designed to hoodwink the Ethiopian people, to justify and camouflage the truth in order to effectuate US and Ethiopian agendas in Somalia.
10. Today, the diversionary attention to "piracy" off the coast of Somalia is meant to cover up for the US and Ethiopian failures in Somalia and serve as a substitute for the erroneous pretext "war on terror" used to meddle in Somalia´s affairs thus far, and will not bring about peace, security or stability. It will instead, broaden the conflict and complicate the issues, which are quite simple and clear.
11. The presence of Ethiopian forces in Somalia was, and remains, the casus belli for the conflict between the TNG and the people of Somalia. There can be no meaningful dialogue and reconciliation amongst the Somali people who are suffering under a terrorizing and brutal Ethiopian occupation.
The incoming US Administration should put an end to the disaster in Somalia and scrap Washington's Islam phobic, condescending, incoherent, racist and provocative attitude and policies for Africa and its continued financial, diplomatic, military and political support and shield for Meles Zenawi's lawless, belligerent minority regime, which believes "might is right" and in the primacy of the law of the jungle over the rule of law, as it violates international law, massacres innocent Ethiopians and Somalis in cold blood, and violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring states. The Somali people should be allowed to elect their own leaders without any external interference. UN-US recognition means nothing if the government in Somalia is not accepted by the people of Somalia…
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
There have been many reconciliation talks and agreements signed and broken by the various Somali factions since the downfall of the Siad Barre government in Somalia, but it would be unfair and untrue to saddle the Somali´s with total blame for the failures, as the external actors-most notably the Americans and Ethiopians bear responsibility for the most part. The Sodere Talks, The Cairo Agreement (1997) and Reconciliation Conference in Arta, Djibouti in 2000 are early examples of Somali talks that have been scuttled by the Ethiopian regime and its backers.It should be recalled that a National Parliament was formed and a new internationally recognized Transitional National Government (TNG) was established with Abdikassim Salad Hassan being elected president. Unfortunately, it too failed because of Ethiopia´s incessant meddling and lack of support, good will and political courage from the international community.
The current TNG was formed in Kenya in 2004 and was unable to establish itself in Somali, once again because Ethiopia and the US prevented it from doing so.
The US-backed and financed Ethiopian invasion and occupation of Somalia aimed at weakening and Balkanizing Somalia is a continuation of a long and hostile history between the two neighbors and will not bring peace, security and stability to Somalia. As a matter of fact, the parties find themselves back to square one and the US and Ethiopia are now "negotiating" with the very same personalities they ousted in order to prop up the TNG and the entire TNG finds itself exiled, once again. Never in history has an entire government left a people and nation it purports to govern…but in Somalia´s case…anything goes as long as Ethiopia and its backers get what they want.
1. In violation of the Arms Embargo on Somalia, the United States and its mercenary, the minority regime in Ethiopia led Prime Minister Meles Zenawi financed and supported a coalition of warlords calling themselves the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) which included individuals who are, not surprisingly, members of the TNG. The warring warlords, and the violence and chaos that ensued, prevented the puppet Transitional National Government of Somalia from establishing itself in Mogadishu, after remaining in Kenya for two years, since its formation in 2004. The TNG relocated to Somalia in February 2006, straddled between Jowhar and Baidoa but unable to assert its power in Mogadishu.
2. On 6 June 2006, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) after a two month long battle against the US and Ethiopian backed ARPCT, took control of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Mogadishu's air and seaports were re-opened for the first time since 1995. The UIC expanded its control throughout Somalia and restored peace and security in areas under its control. For the first time since the fall of Siad Barre and the ugly Black Hawk incident in 1993, the people of Somalia were optimistic about Somalia´s future. But the celebrations would be dampened; their dreams and aspirations would be dashed by Washington´s Islam phobic "new strategy for Somalia" concocted by Jendayi E. Frazer, the inept Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, and his stooges, Abdulahi Yusuf the President of Somalia and the runaway former Prime Minister of Somalia and Meles Zenawi´s godson Ali Mohammed Ghedi.
Instead of welcoming the peace, stability and security established in Somalia after 15 years of anarchy and chaos, refusing to engage the UIC in bringing about a national reconciliation and dialogue, advancing a very negative defamation and vilification campaign against the UIC, Jendayi E. Frazier set out to implement Washington´s ill-advised, ill-conceived, irrational, Islam phobic agenda to oust the UIC and prevent an "Islamic Government" from being formed in Somalia. Unfortunately, some in the US Congress gave her the green light, and the invasion and occupation of Somalia was planned and executed on a lie.
Jon Snow of the UK based Channel 4 news presented a special report on Somalia on 30 January 2006. Snow referred to a "UN record of a meeting" that took place sometime in June 2006 and was attended by a US Commander of the Fleet off Somalia, Rear Admiral Richard Hunt, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi E. Frazier and an unnamed UN official. According to the report, the attendees discussed possible scenarios in Somalia and how to deal with them:
The worst case scenario would result from a total control by the UIC over Somalia…the US would not allow it…"
In the event of a rapid Ethiopian in and out intervention "…the US would rally with Ethiopia if the ´Jihadists´ took over…"
Jendayi Frazier is quoted as saying, "It would be a mistake for the international community to condemn such an invasion"
An unnamed UN official is quoted as saying, "any Ethiopian action in Somalia would have Washington´s blessing"
3. After the invasion of Somalia, Jendayi E. Frazier, and Vicki Huddleston, former US Charge D´affaires in Ethiopia and their coteries continued to deliberately and maliciously concoct lies about the UIC and even made unsubstantiated attempts to link the UIC with Al Qaeda. A vile and cruel vilification campaign aimed at the UIC and their supporters filled the western headlines. As they did in Afghanistan and Iraq, State Department officials, instead of admitting the grave mistakes and ill advised policies in Somalia, chose instead to engage in time buying, diversionary gimmicks and tactics to justify Ethiopia´s presence in Somalia, a troop presence of over 10,000 which Ethiopia had initially tried to deny. The US media were instructed to downplay Ethiopia´s illegal invasion and occupation.
4. Washington turned to the spineless mercenary regime in Ethiopia to effectuate the racist, Islam phobic, irrational and irresponsible US policy for Somalia, to "prop up" the illegitimate puppet Transitional National Government of Somalia (TNG) led by Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, against the wishes of the Somali people. A report by Jon Snow of Channel 4 news details a UN memo in which Jendayi E. Frazer and other US, UN and Ethiopian officials discuss the invasion of Somalia
5. Advancing foreign interests in Somalia, realizing the Somali people´s strong and popular support for the UIC, and in violation of the Somali people´s right to self determination and despite vocal protests by members of the Transitional National Parliament of Somalia, the two warlords, Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi extended an "invitation" to Meles Zenawi´s forces, to invade Somalia and violate Somalia´s sovereignty and territorial integrity in violation of Somalia´s Transitional National Charter.
6. The minority regime in Ethiopia in blatant violation of international law, the UN and African Union Charters, fabricating and exaggerating the threat posed by the UIC to Ethiopia´s sovereignty and territorial integrity, lying to the Ethiopian Parliament and people, and by shamelessly pledging fealty to the United States, waged its unprovoked aggressive war of invasion and occupation of Somalia on 24 December 2006.
7. The level of criminal and atrocious behaviors in Somalia has never been as high as it has been under the Ethiopian occupation. Meles Zenawi´s forces have raped and tortured innocent Somalis-unheard of in all the years since the fall of Siad Barre. They have also looted and burnt schools, markets, hospitals and destroyed vital infrastructures and engaged in extra judicial renditions, indiscriminate shelling of civilian populated areas and committed untold crimes and atrocities in Somalia. Instead of bringing peace, security and stability to Somalia, the US-backed invasion brought insecurity, destruction and created the greatest humanitarian crisis in the history of Somalia. The surge in criminal activities, including the "piracy" can be directly linked to the chaotic and anarchic situation in Somalia created by the Ethiopian regime and its backers.
8. The fact that no self respecting African state, with the exceptions of two-Burundi and Uganda- has provided any troops for the African Union´s so-called "stabilization force" imposed on the Somali people by Washington and its mercenary, to "prop up" Abdulahi Yusuf and Ali Mohammed Ghedi, is evidence of an Africa-wide silent disapproval and condemnation of Ethiopia´s invasion of Somalia. Without peace and security in Somalia, there can be no peacekeeping mission established. The UN must enforce its own resolutions and decisions and uphold the UN Charter instead of serving as a bully pulpit for Washington´s diplomats.
9. After twenty three months of bloodshed and carnage, Washington and its mercenaries, the minority regime in Ethiopia and the illegitimate US-UN "recognized" TNG in Somalia, have yet to present any evidence to support their loud, fanatical and deceptive claims about the presence of "Al Qaeda operatives" in Somalia. US and Ethiopian fabrications and claims about the presence of "2000 Eritrean troops" also turned out to be yet another blatant lie. As with all their unsubstantiated allegations, that lie was a convenient diversion, a deceptive decoy, designed to hoodwink the Ethiopian people, to justify and camouflage the truth in order to effectuate US and Ethiopian agendas in Somalia.
10. Today, the diversionary attention to "piracy" off the coast of Somalia is meant to cover up for the US and Ethiopian failures in Somalia and serve as a substitute for the erroneous pretext "war on terror" used to meddle in Somalia´s affairs thus far, and will not bring about peace, security or stability. It will instead, broaden the conflict and complicate the issues, which are quite simple and clear.
11. The presence of Ethiopian forces in Somalia was, and remains, the casus belli for the conflict between the TNG and the people of Somalia. There can be no meaningful dialogue and reconciliation amongst the Somali people who are suffering under a terrorizing and brutal Ethiopian occupation.
The incoming US Administration should put an end to the disaster in Somalia and scrap Washington's Islam phobic, condescending, incoherent, racist and provocative attitude and policies for Africa and its continued financial, diplomatic, military and political support and shield for Meles Zenawi's lawless, belligerent minority regime, which believes "might is right" and in the primacy of the law of the jungle over the rule of law, as it violates international law, massacres innocent Ethiopians and Somalis in cold blood, and violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring states. The Somali people should be allowed to elect their own leaders without any external interference. UN-US recognition means nothing if the government in Somalia is not accepted by the people of Somalia…
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
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