Sick and Tired of the Somali Peace
Process? ( 6 )

By Dereje Hailu Kassa (Jobir) | 2 December 2007
Originally posted on Wed Oct 08, 2003 3:15 am
Ethio Index Medrek Forum

Selam!

“..You raised a point which I regard as the core of the issue when you
wrote: ‘...that you are a muslim doesn’t necessarily mean you have to
be a member of an Arab-League.’

As far as I’m aware of there is no such Islamic teaching attests to that,
to the contrary Islam advocates mutual respect between peoples. What
you see today with Arab League policy makers or the political elites of
Arab nations is the careful manipulation of Islam and Arab nationalism
in order to maintain their power grip which envisions the re-
establishment of the Ottoman empire style dominance in the region.

I guess nothing wrong with that except the fact that it flexes its muscle
on the weakest of all continents: Africa.

This authoritarian leadership in the Arab world failed to answer the
demand of its own people. Today out of the 22 Arab League countries
no single one chose the path of Democracy.

The African nation Senegal with its over 90% muslim population having
chosen a democratic path enjoys more freedom and less dissidents than
any country in the Arab world. In many aspects the same is true with
Turkey which enjoys more stability than any muslim country in the
world.

And it is this kind of leadership that created dissatisfaction and
resistance among Arab dissidents most of who are either dead, in jail or
in exile fighting the same regimes which make everything a crime
including freedom of speech.

Sure, the West doesn’t care about the plight of powerless people as
long as its interest is served. That’s too bad, because this hypocrisy and
double standard ultimately would backfire and pave the way to more
complicated scenario the end result will be judged by the truth it holds
alone.

It’s terrible to see that it is the weakest that holds the truth and suffer
with it. Think about Africa for a moment, how many Africans die a
day? More than the unnecessary Iraqi war casualty which is going to
cost America $87 billion.

Last month on the eve of the Sept. 11 second anniversary I listened to
George W. Bush’s prime time address to the nation in which he related
America’s 1993 experience in Somalia to today’s US war on terror. He
said, “..in the past, the terrorists have cited the examples of Beirut and
Somalia, claiming that if you inflict harm on America We will run from
a challenge. In this, they are mistaken.”

Sometimes I wonder, what would be the course of history in that part
of the world if someone aborted the plot to hijack the popular revolution
in Ethiopia on Sept. 11, 1974
What do you think?

Peace Be Unto You All!
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"Unnecessary" Question of Ethiopians
By Dereje Hailu Kassa | 24, March 2009
" This writing is neither about the war in
Afghanistan, nor about the Canadian soldiers who
died there. It's rather about transparency and
accountability, above all a  respect for human being.
Why these things are eroded in my beloved country,
where an opponent's life is dispensable?....Home
Editor's blog
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Somalia: Arms race Vs Arms embargo
By Dereje Hailu Kassa | November 19,2008
which was adopted on January 23, 1992 a year after
President Siad Barre was toppled supposed to do
just that.  For anyone who closely follow the
situation in Somalia, it is clearly  understandable  that
what is lacking is not a new resolution, More