Hardline ideologists were introducing a tyrannical regime. Ethiopia had to act, says Berhanu Kebede

Thursday May 3, 2007
The Guardian

Berhanu Kebede, Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK

It stated: "The Islamic Courts government was popular in Mogadishu after bringing relative order." This glorification of the UIC, and claim that they represent Somali society, is highly misleading. The UIC leadership is one sub-clan, bent on protecting its own interests. The leadership can in no way bring peace, as it has never provided a political framework for doing so. In fact, it preached a hardline ideology committed to promoting extremism. Its ultimate objective was to establish a fundamentalist government in Somalia.

The UIC introduced a crude form of punishment, including floggings and executions, and restrictions on people's liberties such as banning music and TV and radio programmes. The article also says that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was "far less popular than the Islamic Courts administration", yet the TFG is made up of a wide range of Somalia clans and is the internationally recognised government of Somalia.

Between December and March, while we were engaged in political dialogue with clans and sub-clans in Mogadishu, the insurgents reorganised themselves to create havoc in Mogadishu. Of 16 zones in the city, they entrenched themselves in two zones where the Ayr sub-clan militia, who do not want to see the fair distribution of property, operate.

The main perpetrator of the humanitarian crisis that we have witnessed over the past four weeks in Mogadishu is the Ayr-insurgents alliance, not the Ethiopian military. The insurgents have shot down two planes - one serving the Africa peacekeeping forces and the other bringing humanitarian aid.

Exaggerated human rights reports, published by an organisation closely linked to the UIC, have been used as an authentic source by many media outlets without independent scrutiny. It is regrettable that these reports have been used to defame Ethiopia and the TFG. Mogadishu is now peaceful, as the rest of Somalia has been for the past six months.

It is time for the international community to address the humanitarian crisis and support the National Reconciliation Conference of Somalia, which can bring lasting peace.

 · Berhanu Kebede is Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK info@ethioembassy.org.uk

Gacaliye@ @ 5/9/2007 11:13 PM EST  Mr. Kebede, as a somali from WESTERN-SOMALIA and non-supporter of UIC, I am not so fool as to wait anyhing positive for any somali, including the TFG from the side of Ethiopian goodwill!!

Erigavo @ 5/7/2007 4:15 PM EST  Kebede has hit the nail on the head. I see the clannist critics are emotionally overtaken by the title of the article without deeply dissecting the crux of Kebede's point. Of course It is popular theme for the misinformed media that the UIC was based on a Islamic system derived from a large consensus--far from truth. As the author highlights, it was one entity dominated by one sub-clan that has held many towns in the south hostage for many years. I thought that was a fact to everyone. Before they defeated the none-AYR warlords, they had never challenged the credo of them and their hostile activities The UIC used Islam as a tool to consolidate one subclan's hegemony and control over a defenseless people and  fertile regions of Somalia.

Erigavo @ 5/7/2007 4:13 PM EST  Kebede has hit the hit the nail on the head. I see the clannist critics are emotionally overtaken by the title of the article without deeply dissecting the crux of Kebede's point. It is popular in the misinformed media that the UIC was based on a large consensus--far from truth. As the author highlights, itt was one entity dominated by one sub-clan that has held many towns in the south hostage for many years. I thought that was a fact to everyone. Before they defeated the none-AYR warlords, they had never challenged the credo of them and their hostile activities The UIC used Islam as a tool to consolidate one subclan's hegemony and control over a defenseless people and  fertile regions of Somalia.

bahja84 @ 5/6/2007 9:18 AM EST  What a liar, and you idiots (the stooges) kebede realy don,t give a *** if ur darod or hawiye or dir he will wait and massacre you one by one so please don,t say ( job well done kebede) you never know who will be next in line.

coldspring @ 5/6/2007 8:07 AM EST  How can this despot call a whole clan ''brutal'' when his own tigrey fellowmen have massacred so many people in the name of ethnic cleansing? i can't believe HOL posted this dubious article!