Ethiopia and Somali are waiting

Ethiopians and Addis Abebans in particular have seen so many dignitaries come and go, that these VIP visits to our capital are taken for granted now and the potential significance of the many delegations is dimmed.
In the last 18 months or so Ethiopia has welcomed dozens of presidents, prime ministers, other ministerial delegations, entertainment superstars and captains of international business – lending Addis Ababa the highest profile and exposure it has ever experienced.
This week was also a milestone in this city of summitry and geo-politics, as the highest ranking U.S. official ever to visit Ethiopia swooped down for a one day whirl wind tour in which Condolezza managed to pack in a Great Lakes mini Summit as well as holding talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi –on regional security issues, presumably Somalia.
It is somewhat disconcerting to note that no sitting U.S. president, or until now, a Secretary of State has ever visited Ethiopia, given the 105 years of diplomatic relations. Be that as it may, we warmly welcome the visit by Dr.Rice – even though her arrival here was rather unflattering to Ethiopia. This is because her primary mission was to discuss with Great Lakes leaders on how to avoid a return to a war that has killed 4 million people. Noble cause-yes, but when will Ethiopia be given the stature it deserves in U.S. foreign policy …?
We do not begrudge our brothers and sisters in the Great Lakes the attention the State Department has given to a region that, until now, has also not been a priority agenda for the United States. On the contrary, the United States, which has no colonial bones, indeed, no Africa closet, is perhaps the best western power to bring peace to this bleeding heart of Africa. We wish Dr. Rice all the success in this mission.
However, we appeal to Dr. Rice’s sense of fairness in regard to the situation in Somalia – which for all intents and purposes, the international community has dumped on Ethiopia, furnishing no constructive prospect for the withdrawal of our brave soldiers. We ask Dr.Rice, why has the U.S. let the world forget Somalia and continues to burden an Ethiopia that is pre-occupied with its economic development and can do without military operations in Somalia, Eritrea or in any other land. Words of purpose and declarations of intent, however oft repeated, just don’t cut it anymore.
Ethiopian involvement in Somalia and the sacrifices we are making in the hope of stabilizing a historically fractious country has not been appreciated by the international community. Otherwise, why the current refusal to support a peace mission to Somalia with more than empty words while it is quite apparent that, despite Ethiopia’s superlative military position and its sheer dominance in the Horn, the Somalia stabilization mission cannot be sustained by one nation let alone one as poor as Ethiopia.
The United States must re-engage in and give substantially more profile to Somalia as it has recently done on the Israel – Palestine issue. The A.U. on its part needs to hold its members to their pledges – American money and logistical support can help persuade the hesitant to finally contribute the troops they have pledged. At this point the courageous
Ugandan contingent in Somalia have proven African solidarity and we salute them and their great nation. Therefore, the task remains on the United States. Please America, get rid of the “Blackhawk Down Syndrome” and actively co-operate with Ethiopia, to salvage Somalia – a cause that is not only possible but also, with patient multi-lateralism, an inevitable outcome.
In closing, we urge again that world media must forthwith choose its words more carefully when covering the Somalia situation. Two facts must be put on record. One; Ethiopia did not invade Somalia outright but was invited by a sovereign and internationally recognized state (TFG) to empower it with its constitutional right to rule. The second point world media misrepresents by omission is the fact that a Jihad (holy war) had been declared on Ethiopia by the extremist elements then in control of Mogadishu.
In the final analysis, the issue is not on whether Ethiopian involvement in Somalia is justified or not. That will always be a matter of opinion. What is in question however is how long shall Ethiopia and the long suffering Somali nation wait until AMISOM (A.U. Mission in Somalia) materializes with, in Secretary of State Condoleezza’s words, ‘a robust force’?