Would Melez’s death effect Ethiopian activities in Somalia? By Abdikadir Dooy

Would Melez’s death effect Ethiopian activities in Somalia?
Abdikadir Dooy
Dooy11@gmail.com
August 23 2012

Males Zenawi, former PM of Ethiopia was one of the rare brilliant leaders ever ruled part of the East Africa region. During his period he obtained support from World forces including the US, substituting to minimize the terrorist risks from the Horn of Africa.

Beginning and mid of his first decade was focused on fighting against the neighboring countries such Eritrea and Somalia. Early of Males’s administrations saw a higher risk from Somali Jihadist called Al-Itahad Al-islam (ALAL) which seized most of the Somalia and some of the disputed zone between Somalia and Ethiopia known Kilil 5.

ALAL is believed to be responsible for a series of bomb attacks in public places in Addis Ababa in 1996 to 1998. After a massive battle between them the Ethiopian troops covered most of ALAL training camps and the largest Al-Itahad Al-islam base in Northern west region of Somalia (Gedo).

In order to get a sustainable solution for Somalia Ethiopia with UN-back organized a meeting of building a government in Somalia and they invited all non-Jihadist leaders excluding self-declare region Somaliland. Unfortunately, the initiative failed because of the high number of warlords and movements exists in Somalia. Furthermore, Melez’s knowledge from his past residence in Somalia and the war with Jihadist learnt his administration how to face Somali issues. He had friends in every Somali clan whose perfume Ethiopian interest.

The last decade, Melez’s administration met the highest risk, A Jihadist movement known Islamic Courts Union (ICU) led by Jihadists fought in abroad, they rose from Somalia again and they announced a war against the Addis Ababa administration, Ethiopia succeed again using Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, and they came the Capital city of Somalia first time ever in December 2006. However, ICU has broken into two parts the Al-shabab Movement (Jihadist) based in Somalia and Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) created by politicians including the leadership of ICU in 2007. Ethiopian troops came back after two years of fighting in Mogadishu after the Djibouti Peace Agreement between TFG and ARS on May 31 and June 9, 2008.

However, Males gained more friends in his effort against Jihadist in the Horn of Africa and he becomes the operator of Western policies in Somalia. He was the first stakeholder who responds the issues of Somalia. Now, Melez has pass away, Ethiopian troops are in Somalia, Somalia got a full Government in August 2012, the question is Would Melez’s death effect Ethiopian activities in Somalia?

By: Abdikadir Dooy
Dooy11@gmail.com

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Raxanreeb’s editorial policy.