Somalia loosing identity: will Ethiopia alter the demography?

Ethiopian government is planning to create demography imbalance in Somalia, in order to have its own christian people inside Somalia.

In 27th May 1988, once war erupted in northern regions of Somalia – now, independent Somaliland – the displaced refuges from Hargiesa, Burao and Berbera made shift into UN refuge camps in Ethiopia for three years. The children in the camps attended schools in Ethiopia and some learn Amhari, the official language of Ethiopia, fluently. As the children had no other option except to learn in Ethiopian Schools, becuase of the Somali government bombed their houses. Three years later, the war spread to southern parts of the country, and Mogadishu fall into violence. This, also, resulted millions of Somalis in the south to flee to Ethiopia and Kenya, which makes 50% of Somali people outside their country as refugees. Other large number of Somalis traveled far into North America, Europe and Middle East. In same decade, Former Ethiopian President Megisto Haile Mariam was overthrown by coup led by Prime Minister Meleze Sanawi on 1991. Ethiopian human rights record and economy changed from better to most awful, which forced thousands of former Ethiopian soldiers and government employees to leave the country. These Ethiopians settled in Somalia and others made their way to Middle East mainly to the oil rich Arabian Gulf.

One of the Ethiopian immigrants, Genet Mengesha, a 24-year-old mother of one and former university student, told Reuters News Agency at Port City of Bosasso, Somalia that she lost her brother and sister during public uprising against Meleze Sanawi in 2005. "It was not save for me to continue living in Ethiopia, because of the authorities were hunting those participated in the upraising." She added we are living in Somalia and there is no plan to go back to our homeland until Meleze regime is active. Somali news websites unveiled Ethiopian soldiers deserting the violence in Mogadishu and illegally immigrating to Gulf of Arabia. Earlier of 2007, Yemeni authorities arrested thousands of Ethiopian soldiers escaping from the violence in Somalia. In the same manner, other Ethiopian civilians settle in Somalia running away from human rights abuses by Meleze Sanawi. This, relocation of Ethiopian citizens into Somali territories, may lead to demography change.

In other hand, Somalis take Ethiopian citizenship Identity Cards from Somali dominated regions of Ethiopia, mainly in the eastern. It is very difficult to distinguish between the Somalis inside Ethiopia and Somalis inside Somalia, as long as, both speak same language. The Somalis cross the borderline between Ethiopia and Somalia because Somalis dominate in both sides of the border. Seventy percent of Somalis are nomads and live in rural areas of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. They shift based on rain falls between the aforesaid countries. The Somalis in Ethiopia and Somalia may cross the borderline into Djibouti with his cattle or camels in different areas of the border, which makes the authorities difficult to control their movement.

Somalis do mainly business with Emirate of Dubai and the authorities in Dubai rejects the use of the Somali passport, after many fake cases were arrested. The lack of government to control the Passport resulted wide misuse, which formed many immigration authorities around the world to stop the use of Somali Passport in their countries including western countries like USA and UK. Somalis cannot get visa using their own passport in many embassies including abovementioned countries. This forced many Somalis to look for passport, so they can travel freely. Some Somalis got western passports and others who could not go to the west took up the Ethiopian passports. Somali news website (www.afnugaal.com) recently published analysis on Ethiopian plan to change the demography of Somalia by dispatching thousands of its citizens into Somalia to alter demography. The analysis highlighted thousands of families of the Ethiopian soldiers overtaking the homes of displaced Somalis in Mogadishu with support of Transitional Government of Somalia (TGS), in addition to massive Ethiopian immigration to Somalia.

Reuters wrote that Somali pirates in Bosasso, Puntland, charge between $50-100 per human, and they cram hundreds of people at a time into small rickety boats intended to carry much lighter cargo. It is unfortunate to hear that future of thousands of Somalis remains unknown and Yemeni authorities trying to avoid such massive refuges who are taking such risky trip to reach oil rich countries. This cannot be described as search of better life as chances of making through such difficult trip is minimal. There are large refuge camps for Somalia in UK, Germany, Canada, and Scandinavian countries in addition to African countries like Kenya and Djibouti, which places more than 50% of Somalis outside Somalia. The immigration and citizenship of majority of western countries allows the expatriates to take their nationality after certain period of time, which enabled many Somalis to become citizens of other countries.

In 2006, Ethiopian Prime Minister Melese Zenawi announced his vision of a "Two State Solution" for Somalia slicing the Republic of Somaliland off Somalia. Zenawi stressed his vision provides an effective substitute to the traditional and failed approach of "The Unity of Great Somalia". The question lingering in my mind is, will slice Somalia into two will be helpful or not?! This Ethiopian proposal of Two State Solution can turn against Ethiopia, because this solution will result democratic and strong Somaliland. Surely, Somalilanders are the only people who can solve the current Somali conflict because of their knowledge in Somali culture and stupidity and narrow thinking of the current Transitional government of Somalia.

Somaliland had history of solving the crisis in the south Somalia, like 1960 after violence erupted in Mogadishu. The first Somali government used the Somaliland Scouts to bring the law and order in Mogadishu. General Daoud brought the idea of getting Scouts into Mogadishu Streets. Somaliland Scouts were well-training and equipped military force established by British. After armed vehicles of the Somaliland Scouts rolled into Mogadishu Streets, everybody was scared and remained inside their houses, particularly after the Somaliland Scouts imposed curfew on Mogadishu. This is the quality of Somalilanders in 1960 and today their Somaliland Army is stronger, bolder and has better training. So, Somalis should let Somaliland go and get their problems solved. This is give and take business.

Demarcating the border:

Ethiopia is planning to erase Somali-Ethiopian border from the international map, which will give Ethiopia free sea access. Somalia will always carry the emotional scars cause by Ethiopia in next 100 years. This will marginalize the Somali identity.

Beginning of 2007, Former Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Affairs at TGS Hussein Aided spilled the beans after he unveiled the Ethio-TGS agenda to demarcate the border between Somalia and Ethiopia. The plan was to unite Ethiopia and Somalia under leadership of Addis Ababa. Aided publicly rejected the old enmity between Ethiopia and Somalia, and described Ethiopia as friend and close ally to Somali government. Such statement shocked the Somali public and many withdrawn their support from TGS. This made many Somalis to realize the danger of the TGS is graver than its failure to restore law and order.

Ethiopia involved in Somali conflict last 20 years, including its support to Somali guerilla fighters like SSDF and SNM against Siyad Barre – Somali President from 1969 - 1991. Ethiopia supplied arms and trained these fighters until the collapse of Siyad Barre government in 1991. And in Dec 2006, Ethiopia and USA supported the warlords against the Islamic Courts Union. After the collapse of Megisto Haile Mariam administration in 1991, Ethiopia involved in Somali affairs very heavily and with new policy. Ethiopia formed mercenary warlords in Mogadishu to carry out it´s agendas.

Illegitimate future UN Census in Somalia:

The analysis of the website (www.afnugaal.com) forecasted an agenda between U.S.A and Ethiopia with help of Transitional Government of Somalia (TGS) to ask United Nation (UN) to conduct a census on population living inside Somalia as the country had no proper government in last two decades. The predicted survey will include the thousands of Ethiopian immigrants in Somalia in the counting as citizens of Somalia. U.S.A and Ethiopia will instruct TGS to invite UN to carry out the survey. The population of Somalia is about 10 million according to last official census in 1985 by Somali government. On the other hand, Ethiopia is more than 60 million, which means immigrating only 5% of Ethiopian population will create social and demography imbalance in Somalia. This is exactly similar plan used by Israel to occupy Holy land of Palestine. Melese Sanawi told his parliament last month that Ethiopia will remain inside Somalia until Islamist finishes. But the question lingering in my mind is how will the Islamists be finished in Somalia, as long as the people are 100% Muslims?

This clearly means that Ethiopia will always remain in Somalia. Ethiopia will keep mercenary government in power like TGS and its leader Abdullah Yusuf, the "Yes Boss". Humbleness of TGS against Ethiopia: Abdullah Yusuf cannot decide without consulting to his master in Addis Ababa. Even running the affairs of his own country, he needs Ethiopian approval to make a decision. In other meaning, Ethiopia is running the country and Abdullah Yusuf is good manager to carry out his boss´s recommendations.

Ethiopia did not forget Muslim heroes who destroyed their illegitimate kingdoms in 15th and 16th centuries including Ahmed Guray. Ethiopia knows, if Somalia builds strong military muscles then they will be the subject of exercise due to their illegal occupation to some Somali regions like Reserve Area. Ethiopia has agents in many parts of Somalia including Puntland, who handed over five Somalis to Ethiopia.

In other hand, Arab and Islamic World failed to assist Somalis to fight against Ethiopian invasion. Recently, Ethiopia cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar, after accusing Qatar for supporting Somali fighters against Ethiopia. Ethiopia receives support from U.S.A by the name of Jesus Christ, why not Somalia also plays similar card with Islamic world. Six months ago, Somali websites circulated report saying that Ethiopian Military Commander in Mogadishu slapped the face of the TGS President Abdullah Yusuf twice at Villa Somalia – The President's residence – and Abdullah Yusuf failed to response. Many Somalis described it as requital.

New World Order and Somalia:

Ethiopia is the ambassador of New World Order (NWO) in East Africa; the U.S.A and Israel are the major sponsors of the order. NWO's main target is Al-Qaeda and other Muslim Jihadist elements, this has given Ethiopia to play role of the force eliminating Al-Qaeda in Somalia. Washington administration legalized Ethiopian invasion in Somalia and IGAD, UN and AU defined the invasion as self defense. NWO is a plan to destabilize the Islamic world demography including Middle East. After U.S invasion in Iraq, Washington administration represented "The Great New Middle East", which delimits the official borders between the countries, and extends Israeli border into more Arab land.

Somalia, been part of Muslim and Arab World is facing similar danger from crusader forces including U.S, Ethiopia, etc... Bush Administration supports Ethiopia to occupy Somalia and violate integrity of border between Ethiopia and Somalia. Ethiopia doesn´t have access to the sea; Eritrea locked in the north; Somalia in east and Kenya in South East. If the state of Somalia fails, Ethiopia will be killing two birds by one stone. First it ends the rival enemy Somalia and second Ethiopia gets access to the sea water.

Somalia is passing through difficult times, the people need to unite against foreign invasion and forget their differences. The Somalis should understand that Ethiopia is very dangerous to their existence.

By, Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi, Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com