Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora Condemn Ethiopia's Aggression in Somalia

March 15, 2011

We, the undersigned members of Concerned Somalis in the Diaspora, are deeply dismayed by the international community’s indifferences to the unfettered menacing involvements of Ethiopia in the protracted civil conflict of our country.  We urge the UN Security Counsel and the AU to condemn Ethiopia’s repeated violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and the killings of hundreds of innocent civilians.

During the past two decades, Ethiopia has covertly and overtly contributed to the destabilization of Somalia, arming warlords as well as carrying out devastating militarily campaigns inside Somalia in violations of international laws (Chapter 1, Article 1 and 2.4 of the UN Charter). 

Consistent with the previous aggression and destabilization of our country, Ethiopian armed forces have once again joined a yet new armed conflict between two Islamists groups:  extremist Islamists groups of Al-Shabaab and the Ethiopia-backed Ahlu-Sunna Wal Jameeca (ASWJ).  In this most recent mindless war between these competing armed groups, the Ethiopian armed forces, in support of the ASWJ militias, have subjected the border town of Belad Hawo (Gedo) to indiscriminate artillery bombardments that caused countless losses of civilian lives, displacements of thousands of families from their homes, and the destructions of the already battered infrastructures of the town.  Similar Ethiopian army incursions into Somali soils have also been on-going for nearly two years in Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud, with devastating humanitarian consequences for the Somali civilians of the affected towns/cities. 

The latest Ethiopian policies-of-destabilization by means of military incursions into Somalia comes at a time when the Somali people in the border regions (Gedo, Bakool, Hiiraan, and Galgaduud) are devastated by a severe draught that caused unspeakable humanitarian crises and sufferings of which international aid and response are still desperately needed. 

The Somali people (both inside and outside the country) feel betrayed by the International Community's complacencies or indifferences to our protracted conflict and Ethiopia's established aggression, destabilization, and disproportionate use of violence against Somali citizens. The world community should understand that the solution to Somalia’s protracted conflict could only be reached through genuine internal reconciliation process and dialogue among the people of Somalia without interferences from neighboring countries as the case has been for the past two decades.Continued