Under Occupation, Djibouti Agreement Remains Irrelevant

By Mohamed Abbas
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

 

As Ethiopian troops continue to make the already tormented Somali cities like Mogadishu and Beled Weyne more uninhabitable by ruthlessly bombing markets, residential areas, and killing unarmed civilians on daily basis, it is really ridiculous as it is also something laughable to see Sheikh Sharif and his team signing an agreement in Djibouti with Somalia’s notorious armed thugs who are on behalf of the invading forces. How cold Sheikh Sharif and his team can be!!!

 

You tell us who is the Somali warlord or any other member of the “TFG” who can make a political decision independently and without any permission from the Ethiopian General, Mr. Gabre? The answer goes clear without saying.  

Having that in mind, it might be more appropriate if they had a direct talk with General Gabre, as he is the man who rules Somalia today, certainly not president Abdullahi Yusuf, neither Prime Minister Nuur Ade and of course not to mention the parliament speaker.

 

Those who signed the Djibouti agreement are not that much different from those of Palestinian leaders who do not bother to have a peace treaty with Israel, while at the same time watching Palestinian children throwing stones and the Israel soldiers, dressed in bullet-proof vests, shooting back and killing more children.

If we look at the matter from the right perspective, we realize that peace treaty with Ethiopia and the TFG is not relevant as long as the country is under occupation.

 

We all understand that violence cannot be used to achieve religious objectives and Islam, which is based on compassion, tolerance, and forgiveness, prohibits violence and destruction. Violence and bloodshed are also unethical act in a civilized world, but war  is justifiable in the context of Somalia today in order to deter and punish invaders and criminals and to defend homeland. Islam condemns any act of aggression and upholds the principle of peaceful settlement through mediation, conciliation and arbitration. But these universal values mean nothing to Addis Ababa regime as it is to the TFG.

 

In early 2006, Sheikh Sharif and those accompanying him now in Djibouti were among those who vowed to fight to the end as long as there is an Ethiopian soldier in Somalia, and as a result of that, thousands of Somalis sacrificed their lives to keep the invading forces out of Somalia, but unfortunately, he and his team failed to fulfill their vows. Therefore, they have to remember that Somalia does not need leaders who withdraw at the last minute, non-finishers of projects begun and non-delivers of promises made.

 

Ordinary Somalis, let alone the Islamists, never expected that sheikh Sharif and his team will sign an agreement with Somalia’s murderous warlords who still assisting Ethiopian forces to carry their naked aggression against the Somali people. If Sheikh Sharif and his team do not play their role in chasing the invaders out of Somalia, then sooner or later, they will be having no crowd to address themselves to, no audience at all.

Under the present situation in Somalia, a peace deal with the TFG and Ethiopia seems to be a fake dream and a far-fetched idea that is unlikely to bring any stability in Somalia.  The so-called “Djibouti Agreement” is an artificial accord that is badly defined. It does not exist beyond the hotel deluxe rooms in Djibouti and it is going to be just lip service.

 

Mohamed Abbas

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[email protected]