NASSER M. ISSA

This question is addressed to my fellow Somalis in Kenya and all over the world: Is Ethiopia really our number one enemy or not? Is it fair to consider all successive Ethiopian governments as our foe?

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and the un-disputed superpower in the Horn of Africa. It is at least seven times bigger than Somalia in population. It is home to the African Union which gives it extra advantage. It is regarded by the United States as a crucial partner in the war against terror.

The country is led by a relatively young man, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is very much in tune with the West and uses its powerful media, such as the BBC, to consolidate his position and promote his policies in the region.

Whether we like it or not, we can neither ignore Ethiopia nor exclude it from the Horn of Africa politics.

I understand that it is very strange to expect Ethiopians to make peace for Somalis. But, this is not the only strange thing happening in the world today. We never expected Iraq to envade Kuwait. No one ever predicted that the former USSR would break up into numerous republics. We never expected hundreds of thousands of Somalis to seek refuge in almost every continent.

How then can it be too bizarre for the warring factions in Somalia to be mediated by Ethiopia? Folks, everything evolves, and nothing is forever.

It is true we had major wars with Ethiopia over the Somali west region and that issue is still unresolved. But, now, taking these realities as a background, we have to move with the times.

It is not right to regard Ethiopia, especially the current administration, as our eternal enemy in this ever-changing political environment. Differences can be resolved through peaceful means. We are in the first 50 consecutive years without a major war in Western Europe. Even better, now they are uniting as one community with common economic and foreign policies. Egypt and Israel are living side by side in peace despite all the historical problems. They have sorted their differences through negotiations and diplomacy.

When Egypt signed the Camp David agreements with Israel, it was because the Egyptians consciously put their own country's long-term interests before anyone else's, and against the wishes of fellow Arab countries.

Yes, there are threats, but there are opportunities as well. We are talking about over 70 million land-locked Ethiopians next door to us. It is a huge market and unlimited opportunity for business development and economic growth.

Needless to say, making peace with Ethiopia does not mean declaring war on Egypt. All it means is that our neighbours are important to us. So are Egypt and the rest of the Arab world.

Recent political trends in some regions of Somalia show positive signs in their dealings with Ethiopia. Both Puntland and Somaliland have very close relationship with Ethiopia. Both of these regions are more stable then the south of Somalia.

Ethiopian troops are likely to be a key part of the equation for any foreign troops deployed in Somalia. We need foreign troops in the country for two reasons. First, to protect the new government while rebuilding our national armed forces, and secondly, to disarm warlords and their militia.

Foreign troops are not meant for Mogadishu alone. Maybe it is going to be a golden opportunity for Somalia to get rid of all warlords.

NASSER M. ISSA,
United Kingdom
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