Somalia VS Ethiopia

[Aqsa Sister]

Assalamu Alaikum Everyone,

Normally, I watch Al-Jazeera news in Arabic (or go on their website: english.aljazeera.net) to be informed about what is going on arounf the world in Muslim Countries. or, I go to BBC world news, or Reuters. But the issue concerning Somalia and Ethiopia has become much too difficult to comprehend. So many things are happening at once, and i am not sure if I am caught up with the situation. If you are knowledgeable of this matter, please explain to me exactly what is happening. I know that Ethiopia is trying to push farther and farther into Ethiopia, and I know a little about the Islamic Courts of Somalia, but what is the main purpose of this conflict. I am only 15 years old, and would really like to understand this political issue. It seems as if many muslim youths these days aren't politically aware (or ignorant in other words) and I have a firm belief that awarness of our surroundings is one of the most important things whne living in a non-muslim country (or anywhere else in the world). Not questioning society would be hypocracy to my belief. Jazakum Allahu Khair for the opportunity to post questions in an islamic discussion.

Aqsa Sister!

Salam...Aqsa Sister

[rizzumd]

:salam2:

purpose behind the invasion of Somalia by the Ethiopian Government (http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5810)

:wasalam:

[NewMuslim]

Assalaamu Alaykum
Who knows their true reason? Perhaps it's because they're Muslim. But I believe it's because Somalia has uranium and Ethiopia wants to get into the nuclear weapons game.

Read it up on wikipedia to get a background about this war:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Civil_War

[maymun]

Assalaamu Alaykum
Who knows their true reason? Perhaps it's because they're Muslim. But I believe it's because Somalia has uranium and Ethiopia wants to get into the nuclear weapons game.

Read it up on wikipedia to get a background about this war:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Civil_War
:salam2:
may be no one knows except allah
but i thing is good for somalian's to have this war may they unite.
believe me somalian's they don't nothing else
but they kill one another for no reasan and all the somalia's leaders every one of them want rule the country.
and clans or qabiil that what thay use to know your the tribes or clans that's ok, but they kill each other, that is not ok in islam, even two brother with some mum but different dad killed each other becous of that. I wish someone over take somalia rather then us, becous there's beautiful land has no good people:SMILY209:
I am sorry if i affended anyone out there becouse iam somalian and it's hard for me to watch this is happening in country and i thing we don't deserve to in this world becoz we all evil except few us:girl3:
<O mankid lo! we have created you male and female and have made `you nations and tribes that ye may come to know one another. lo! the nobles of you, in the sight of allah,is the best in conduct. lo! allah is knower.aware.49:13>:shymuslima1:

[Ibn_adam]

Asalamu alaykum sister

*I didn’t plan to write so much but got carried away. I hope you enjoy reading it and is through this reading informed better. If I have written anything misleading or wrong I apologise and it is from my own self, and anything good is from Allah.

You have asked very good questions and inshallah I will answer them as best I can.

It is a fact that not a lot is know about Somalia and if anything it might be a resemblance of yet another biased Hollywood movie; Black Hawk Down. Somalia a 100% SUNNI Muslim nation is strategic located in what is know as the Horn of Africa which has its eyes on two continents Asia and Middle East. For many years: and I mean between 1000 years Muslim Somalia was at war with Ethiopia. In the early part of that violent history Islam spread into Ethiopia/Abyssinia and established a mini Islamic state until the Portuguese came to their aid and removed them from power. But in recent history the feud between Somalia and Ethiopia was over a piece of territory inhabited by ethnic Somalis which was awarded by the British to the Ethiopians. Somalia’s last government which was a communist dictatorship was ousted by clan warlords in 1991. After that there have been about 15 attempts to form a Somalia government and all of them failed.

Today’s transitional government was formed in Kenya constituting of mainly warlords who had the Somali population at their mercy for more than 16 years and was confined to just a SMALL FARMING town. The warlords reign in Somalia came to an end when the warlords in the capital formed an alliance sponsored by AMERICA to combat “Terrorism”. This is the part when the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) come in to the picture. The courts which brought a semblance of peace in the areas they controlled, formed a union to combat this blatant aggression against Islam and Muslims whereby the warlords sold off some well know sheikhs and some ordinary people who practiced the sunnah (grow beard) to America and Ethiopia. That was the end of the warlords, humiliated and chased out of Mogadishu the Somali capital and with the grace of Allah the plan of America backfired: indeed the plan of Allah is better. For the first time in 16 years Mogadishu was controlled by on group, a breeze of peace was being smelt in 85% of Somalia, they have started work on the infrastructure, in fact they had a welfare system form the poor whereby they would distribute money to the poor and clothed them. The sixth months they ruled Somalia the poor were amongst the ordinary, e.g. In that one single EID they witnessed with the UIC the poor were given brand new cloths so they can take part in EID like every one else. WALLAHI the work they did was amazing. Somalia was functioning like a mini Islamic State. And of course America was not happy to see an Islamic State in east Africa where it could potentially dominate if not east Africa; Africa in its entirety.

So America devised a plan: first they started to tarnish the Image of the UIC by painting them as terrorist. E.g. the accusation that 750 UIC fighters went to the AID of Hezbollah to defeat the Israelis. Is this not ridiculous?? After the propaganda war they then sponsored and trained Ethiopian soldiers to aid the government soldiers using them as their proxies to get ride of the UIC and being unpredictably successful Somalia is back to square one again. The warlords are back to their former posts to start from where they left off. Rape, theft, shootings and all other crimes are also in turn back to the streets of Somalia. Check points manned by armed militias are also back to their road corners. Peace and progress is replaced with chaos and destruction which is symbolic of American intervention.

Brothers and sisters yet another city of ours has fallen to the great crusade on Islam. But do not be saddened for indeed Allah is with us and indeed victory is close.
All we can do know is return to our deen :salah: and make du'a :tti_sister:

[Aqsa Sister]

Salam.

I am the one who posted this question and I would like to thank you all for replying with some really good answers concerning the Ethiopian/Somalian Conflict. May Allah (SWT) increase your knowledge as he does with his most pious believers. Jazaakum Allahu Khairan for your time and for your sympathy to answer what I did not know. May Allah guide us all...And let victory to the Muslims be near...

Aqsa Sister

[Daliyah]

I am so happy to hear from our Somali brothers and sisters on this board. Things are not always so black and white in the world, an unfortunately a lot of us tend to see things as Muslims versus non-Muslims.

Ethiopia is NOT a Christian nation. It is about 45% Christian, 45% Muslim and 10% tribal. They celebrate BOTH Christian and Muslim holidays as national holidays (they get Eid off as a government holiday). There are Muslims in the cabinet, and the government is officially secular. As the Somali sister already said, the ELECTED government of Somaila is comprised entirely of Muslims. And MANY of the soldiers the Ethiopians sent to aid the Somali government are also MUSLIM (a large number are Oromiya, the "original" Somalis, as well as Somalis coming from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia).

Just because a group calls themself "Islamic" this or that does not make them more Muslim than any other Muslim. BEWARE OF MARKETING!!!!!

Debbie/Daliyah

[maymun]

I am so happy to hear from our Somali brothers and sisters on this board. Things are not always so black and white in the world, an unfortunately a lot of us tend to see things as Muslims versus non-Muslims.

Ethiopia is NOT a Christian nation. It is about 45% Christian, 45% Muslim and 10% tribal. They celebrate BOTH Christian and Muslim holidays as national holidays (they get Eid off as a government holiday). There are Muslims in the cabinet, and the government is officially secular. As the Somali sister already said, the ELECTED government of Somaila is comprised entirely of Muslims. And MANY of the soldiers the Ethiopians sent to aid the Somali government are also MUSLIM (a large number are Oromiya, the "original" Somalis, as well as Somalis coming from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia).

Just because a group calls themself "Islamic" this or that does not make them more Muslim than any other Muslim. BEWARE OF MARKETING!!!!!

Debbie/Daliyah
asalaamu alaikum
is between the government and islamic courts after 17 of fighting somalia was about to sattle down but government the want rule the country and so courts however the goverment asked ethiopia to help this fight against terror and everything go bad realiy bad and ethiopia can't stay there forever
and likely theres a new war is going to happen somalians
we will see may allah unite them
the other thing you said ethiopia of coure the largest oramia are muslim which makes them 88% and some somalians but government is not muslim
:wasalam:

[Daliyah]

Wa-alaikum Salaam, Maymun.

Thank you for your words and insight here. No, I never said the government of Ethiopia was Muslim. But there are several Muslims IN the government, specifically in the cabinet.

Yes, let's pray that Somalians can soon unite and work together insh'allah to build their country under the will and teachings of Allah.

Debbie/Daliyah

[IMAM]

[QUOTE=Daliyah;37336. And MANY of the soldiers the Ethiopians sent to aid the Somali government are also MUSLIM (a large number are Oromiya, the "original" Somalis, as well as Somalis coming from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia). [QUOTE\]

unfortunately my sister ou fell for the same marketing,firstly they are not a goverment but warlords.
what`s satirical about your claim that the invading ethiopians were muslims so if anything were `angels` in fatigues.what a joke!

[Ibn_adam]

Sister you have fallen in to a trap. You say that the government of Ethiopia is not Christian purely because they have Muslims in their parliament then that makes the UK government MUSLIM. sister the war between the UIC and the so called Somali Warlord Government is on of ideology, the UIC's objective was to unit the Somalis who were divided due to tribalism and the abandonment of the Deen under one banner; that of laa ilaaha ila'laah and to rule the country with the sharia law which they have in the parts the controlled in that SIX MONTHS successfully. And on the other hand the objective of the Government was to rule under the shade of western secularism/ dictatorism and the idea of one tribe dominating the other masterminded by Ethiopia which will lead to unrest for centuries to come. Come on do you think Ethiopia which holds large swaths of Somali territory would want it to settle? that’s why they have reintroduced the warlords that were liberated from Mogadishu back to their former posts to start of from where they left of.

[maymun]

asalaamu alaikum
I agree that with you brother

[maymun]

asalaamu alaikum
I agree that with you brother
sometimes i get angry with ethiopia ! but I if look back ethiopia did't come by their own they've been asked help non other then somalians to fitght with their brother same deen same language .which makes me sad very sad.
and they care don't who is dying becouse the warlord's childern they don't live in somalia and again they using other kidz to fight frontline which is not fair:astag: .i hope they understand deen one day and stop all this fighting.
insha allah forgive me if i said anything wrong bcze i don't hurt my brohers and sister feeling where aver you are, you my family and we share islam which is the greatest thing in the world.
may allah gether us in the paradise and shower us his mercy and unite muslim nation. aameen:tti_sister: :tti_sister: :tti_sister:
:wasalam:

[Sulikha]

:salam2:
very sad isn't it:girl3:

First thing, I am not good at this political things, but I know one thing that everything has an END soon or later this will end, hopefully in a good way InshaAllah. sis Maymuna I am somali and not offended what you said after all it is the truth.

Ibn_adam you said it all.

May Allah guides us al:tti_sister:

[maymun]

:salam2: sis iam soamli too
thankz for that and
nice meeting u

[mahdi]

I am so happy to hear from our Somali brothers and sisters on this board. Things are not always so black and white in the world, an unfortunately a lot of us tend to see things as Muslims versus non-Muslims.

Ethiopia is NOT a Christian nation. It is about 45% Christian, 45% Muslim and 10% tribal. They celebrate BOTH Christian and Muslim holidays as national holidays (they get Eid off as a government holiday). There are Muslims in the cabinet, and the government is officially secular. As the Somali sister already said, the ELECTED government of Somaila is comprised entirely of Muslims. And MANY of the soldiers the Ethiopians sent to aid the Somali government are also MUSLIM (a large number are Oromiya, the "original" Somalis, as well as Somalis coming from the Ogaden region of Ethiopia).

Just because a group calls themself "Islamic" this or that does not make them more Muslim than any other Muslim. BEWARE OF MARKETING!!!!!

Debbie/Daliyah
some how u are wrong , i think u don't know the history of somalia, the warlords wrere contrelling us for 16 yrs and they have never brought any peace ecepy fighting and distruction, but when the courts came we had peace that we haed never seen , but as u kknow they started ruling the people by the law of the quran and the hadith. this made the americans angry , and they started saying ther are alqaida , which is not true, and used the ethiopians to attack us , they ethiopians had one goal , it was to reduce the strength of the islamic courts, but they were not there to help the government or to make any peace, u say ethiopian army are muslim, u are wrong , because ethipia were fighting with muslim country , in centuries , they fought with oroma, ogaden, somalia , eritrea, so they army are not muslims they are called tigre, they are like israel, so don't be carried out by the media,

[aamed]

Indeed all praise is for Allah. We praise Allah, repent to Allah, and seek Allah's forgiveness and help. We seek refuge in Allah from evil of our selves and of our wicked deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whomsoever Allah leaves astry, non can guide. And I bear witness that none has the right to worshipped except Allah alone. and he has no partner; and I bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad (puh) is His servent and Messenger. O Allah send many blessing and salutations upon him, his family and his Companions until the Day of Judgement.

Asalamu Alekum,

As an Somali who lives in Leesburg, VA. I believeMeles Zenawi's invasion of Somalia: Is a serious, long-term policy blunder

The conflict in Somalia is far from over and it is hard to assess the outcomes yet. It is even doubtful if the so called Transitional Government which is mostly led by tribal warlords can sustain its hold on power. Somalia is back to its pre Islamic Couts Union days. The Abdulahi Yusufs are undermined from the start by being carried to Mogadishu on the back of Ethiopian soldiers who may have killed a lot of innocent Somalis on their way. This has doomed them for failure before they even start. (And wow, has anybody seen the first order of business of the Transitional Government? They tried to ban the local media, an advice apparently given by Meles Zenawi, an expert on anti free expression. Someone tell Meles that Somali’s do use text messaging, and have more cell phone per capita too.) I am not sure if the TG can survive the hostility and rivalry in Somalia without a baby sitter. Is it the president or the Prime Minister who expressed support and said Americans have a right to bomb his country? It appears the good warlord has taken too many lessons on how to love of country and patriotism from Meles Zenawi.

When I argue this war has undermined Ethiopia’s national interest, I want you to pay attention to the following crucial variables carefully and look what we have gained and lost and what we are going to likely loose in the long term. Ask these serious questions.

In this war Ethiopia is perceived as doing America’s war against Islam. By giving the impression to our Moslem neighbors, Meles Zenawi has bought us enemies who have various tools to do us harm. Somalia is a member of the Arab League for nearly three decades. I have seen comments written by many Arab columnists on Arab news papers that look like a gnashing of teeth against Ethiopia. Is this a good thing for Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has a large Moslem population. It is one of top five or six countries housing large number of Muslems in the world. I know Ethiopian Muslems are no less nationalist as compared to Christian or Jew or none believer Ethiopians. But I am sure many feel uncomfortable by the idea of their country invading a Muslem country in a war that many in the Islamic world, and I am sure many in Ethiopia too, perceive as anti Islam. How can they not feel uncomfortable? God forbid, but if terrorist activities spread in Ethiopia, I am sure Meles Zenawi will begin profiling Muslems and knocking at their doors just like it does to Oromos today. Look at what is being done to millions of Oromo young people. Because of the OLF, Oromos are being profiled as potential OLF members when they dare to present any dissenting view. If Ethiopian Muslems fear a similar backlash, I would not call them unreasonable. I fear that Meles Zenawi has jeopardized the religious harmony that we Ethiopians enjoyed over the years.

Ethiopia’s image in its foreign relations as the home and creator of the OAU, a long standing member of the None Aligned Movement and its respected place in contributing to global détente, by being a founding member of the League of Nations and the UN is tarnished. We have now given ourselves the name of a client state that goes to war with whistles from rich donors, as many believe is the case in Somalia now. A Middle Eastern paper called it something to the effect that the war in Somalia is Meles’s Christmas gift to Bush. This has undermined Ethiopia’s image and the character of Ethiopia's nation internationally.

:salam2:

[NewMuslim]

Assalaamu Alaykum
It's wrong to call Ethiopia a Christian nation. It's true that Ethiopia isn't even half Christian!

Whether or not Ethiopia is correct in attacking Somalia is one thing. Whether or not the Islamic Courts Union is correct is one thing. BUT, calling Ethiopia a Christian nation and blaming this on the Christians is flat out WRONG.

[Ibn_adam]

Assalaamu Alaykum
It's wrong to call Ethiopia a Christian nation. It's true that Ethiopia isn't even half Christian!

Whether or not Ethiopia is correct in attacking Somalia is one thing. Whether or not the Islamic Courts Union is correct is one thing. BUT, calling Ethiopia a Christian nation and blaming this on the Christians is flat out WRONG.

Sister "NewMuslm" One thing i hope you can agree with me is that the UIC were attacked simply because they are MUSLIMS and they represent ISLAM.

[NewMuslim]

Brother "NewMuslm" One thing i hope you can agree with me is that the UIC were attacked simply because they are MUSLIMS and they represent ISLAM.

As Salaamu Alaykum
If you're talking about Ethiopia, I'm not sure. If you're talking about the United States, I'm still not sure (though with the U.S. I'm strongly leaning towards thinking it's because they're Muslims).

Even if it was because the Islamic Courts Union was Muslim, it doesn't necessarily mean that someone hates all Muslims and wants to annihilate them. It may mean that someone is bigoted into thinking that Islamic Governments are just terrorist regimes that oppress their people (as may be the case of George W. Bush).

[IMAM]

asalaamu alaikum
I agree that with you brother
sometimes i get angry with ethiopia ! but I if look back ethiopia did't come by their own they've been asked help non other then somalians to fitght with their brother same deen same language .:
:wasalam:
help was asked by warlord not somali people i think their is a big diference.

[Ahmedkaafi]

some how u are wrong , i think u don't know the history of somalia, the warlords wrere contrelling us for 16 yrs and they have never brought any peace ecepy fighting and distruction, but when the courts came we had peace that we haed never seen , but as u kknow they started ruling the people by the law of the quran and the hadith. this made the americans angry , and they started saying ther are alqaida , which is not true, and used the ethiopians to attack us , they ethiopians had one goal , it was to reduce the strength of the islamic courts, but they were not there to help the government or to make any peace, u say ethiopian army are muslim, u are wrong , because ethipia were fighting with muslim country , in centuries , they fought with oroma, ogaden, somalia , eritrea, so they army are not muslims they are called tigre, they are like israel, so don't be carried out by the media,

Asalasalaamu alaykum brothers and sisters
I agree with u Mahdi 100% Ethiopian army not muslim,if they have good power they attack Makah like ABRAHA becouse these people er from ABRAHA who attacked Ka,ba.

remember one thing have u every seen the people those have peace some people they became angry and bring unrest.that people is the enemy of islam and they don,t want that we have a peace , Alxamdulilaah we r 100% Muslim Sunni but we have some munafiqin,that is why we had a problems about 16 years the united islamic courts(UIC) brought to somalian people peace and they kick out worldlords so we have got peace about six months and we enjoy as well as a paradisre.all price to Allaaah

so what hapen the ethiopian and American attack to somali to bring unrest situation.
Brother and sisters walaahi they came in hell and we gana fire them insha allaaah.
Wabilaahi towfiiq
Ahmedkaafi

[NewMuslim]

...Ethiopian army not muslim...


As Salaamu Alaykum
Watch out in saying that. Some may be true Muslims. Read this Hadith:

Volume 8, Book 73, Number 71:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

That he heard the Prophet saying, "If somebody accuses another of Fusuq (by calling him 'Fasiq' i.e. a wicked person) or accuses him of Kufr, such an accusation will revert to him (i.e. the accuser) if his companion (the accused) is innocent." ( Sahih Bukhari)

[maymun]

As Salaamu Alaykum
Watch out in saying that. Some may be true Muslims. Read this Hadith:

Volume 8, Book 73, Number 71:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

That he heard the Prophet saying, "If somebody accuses another of Fusuq (by calling him 'Fasiq' i.e. a wicked person) or accuses him of Kufr, such an accusation will revert to him (i.e. the accuser) if his companion (the accused) is innocent." ( Sahih Bukhari)

:salam2: your brother or sister we not allow in islam by calling some <faqis > becouse allah kwos what in side that person and we can't juige anyone
but still when see what's happening is saomalia trust me you'll say that too
there is new war starting all over and only allah knows how long is ganna go on.
and brother ahmed kaafi I understand what u going throut but be petiant and . we ask rabb of the heavens and of the earth, and all that is in between.to finish this <FITNAH.>and you unite them for the better.insha allah:tti_sister: :tti_sister:

[suumaya]

I think all of you need to stop going back and forth to this issue because there is nothing we can do about it except to make dua and if we are able, to give charity that is all. what is happaning in somalia is not new in fact it's happaning all around muslim countries, we are in a time when people get kill just because thay are muslim.:tti_sister:

[Daliyah]

Salaam Sister Suumaya,

You are correct, we should all continue to make dua. But you forget, in this case, as well as in many other cases the people being killed "because they are Muslims" are being killed by OTHER Muslims. I'm tired of people always blaming "the west" or "Christians" etc. We need to clean our OWN house.

Debbie/Daliyah

[Ibn_adam]

this video was air on channel 4 just before the war between the Islamic Courts the America's Proxy Ethiopia. Now You can decide what they Stood For.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4139134285433724955&q=somalia

[NewMuslim]

Salaam Sister Suumaya,

You are correct, we should all continue to make dua. But you forget, in this case, as well as in many other cases the people being killed "because they are Muslims" are being killed by OTHER Muslims. I'm tired of people always blaming "the west" or "Christians" etc. We need to clean our OWN house.

Debbie/Daliyah

As Salaamu Alaykum
Ameen to that. That's why the Muslim Ummah never will go anywhere - because people blame others for their problems.

[Ibn_adam]

As Salaamu Alaykum
Watch out in saying that. Some may be true Muslims. Read this Hadith:

Volume 8, Book 73, Number 71:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

That he heard the Prophet saying, "If somebody accuses another of Fusuq (by calling him 'Fasiq' i.e. a wicked person) or accuses him of Kufr, such an accusation will revert to him (i.e. the accuser) if his companion (the accused) is innocent." ( Sahih Bukhari)

:salam2:

There is no doubt that the Ethiopian Army as a whole is not a MUSLIM army: come on if they were MUSLIM in that case they should have declared JIHAD on Somalia. and Although Ethiopia has a large Muslim Population they are supressed by the dictatorship of Meles, ethio president and that also includes the Christians as well not just Muslims. There is only one TRIBE:TIGRAY in control of Ethiopia. I dont see how that Hadith is Relevent.

[aamed]

Yes its true we all need to make dua for all of our sisters and brother who are under oppressions. Remember my dear brothers and sister the problem is not only Muslims killing each other. The root of the problem is the involvement of West and Christian Crusaders who are instigating the problems among of Muslims. Each and every one of us can do something about our concern and worries about our home country of Somalia and other oppressed Muslim countries. I believe that no single type of action will alone stop war and injustice. We instead promote a diversity of non-violent tactics -- from congressional lobbying to civil resistance -- and encourage you or your organization to participate in whatever ways you prefer. Here are some ideas:

Get Involved United for peace and Justice, Stay Informed and Take Action.
Email or call Congress (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3308) and tell your Congressional representatives to
take action about the situation in Somalia now! Click here to find your Senators' online contact forms. (http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm)

[IMAM]

JUST WHY DID THE US ATTACK Somalia two weeks ago? Of course, the answer given for the US military intervention and the generally accepted notion is the hunt for terrorists. But is it?

Are terrorists the only bone of contention the US has with Somalia? When the US military devised “Operation Restore Hope” in 1993 which was short-lived after they were whipsawed by rag-tag militia in and around Mogadishu, were they fighting the ‘war on terror’?

They couldn’t have been because this war was to start much later, If anything it is a post-Sept 11 phenomenon. So then why did the US bomb ICU extremists in the name of Al Qaeda terrorists and not throughout last year when they occupied Mogadishu?

Just why is Somalia so important to the US, and by extension the big boys of Europe and some Gulf states?

A UN Somalia Monitoring Group report released in November 2005 reveals that a dozen countries, namely Yemen, Djibouti, Libya, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Iran, Syria, Eritrea, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Uganda were all poking their noses into the Somalia pie.

What the UN Somalia Monitoring Group didn’t reveal, however, is that these were not the only countries which were interested in the country.

The little known yet well-heeled contact group, consisting of Norway, the US, UK, France and Tanzania (just an appendage) are also deeply enmeshed in Somalia.

While the terrorism theory holds some water, the reality of the factors contributing to the mess in Somalia is pegged on natural resources. Oil and gas are Somalia’s Achilles heel. It is an open secret that four US oil giants are sitting pretty on money-spinning concessions expecting to reap huge windfalls from massive resources of both oil and gas in Somalia.

The story of Somalia and oil goes back to the colonial period. British and Italian geologists first identified oil deposits during that period of imperialism.

The first oil wells historically referred to as the Daga Shabell series were dug in the 1960s. Tiny gas discoveries adjacent to Socotra were also noted..

The race for these precious natural resources took a new turn in 1988, when the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, with the support of the governments of Britain, France and Canada and backed by several Western oil companies financed a regional hydrocarbon study of the countries bordering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Eden.

The countries were Somalia, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia was later dropped, but not before it had been established that within the study area, massive deposits of oil and gas existed.

The results of the findings were presented to a three-day American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Eastern Hemisphere group conference, in London in September, 1991. Is there oil in Somalia? Listen to the answer:

“It’s there. There’s no doubt there’s oil there,” said geologist Thomas E. O’Connor, the World Bank’s principal petroleum engineer, who steered the in-depth, three-year study of oil prospects in Somalia’s Gulf of Eden in the northern coastal region.

The study was intended to encourage private investment in the petroleum potential of eight African nations. The conclusions of their findings are quite telling as the geologists put Somalia and Sudan at the top of the list of prospective commercial oil producers.

While presenting their results during the conference, two geologists involved in the study (an American and an Egyptian) reported that the investigation of nine exploratory wells dug in Somalia pointed out that the region was “situated within the oil window, and thus (is) highly prospective for gas and oil.”

Geologist, Z. R. Beydoun, who was involved in the survey, noted that “the geological parameters conducive to the generation, expulsion and trapping of significant amounts of oil and gas” were within the offshore sites. Soon after a race for lucrative deals kicked off in earnest.

Four US oil companies, namely Conoco, Chevron, Amoco and Philips have concessions in nearly two thirds of Somalia. This quartet of oil conglomerates was granted these contracts in the final days of Somalia’s deposed dictator, Siad Barre. The US first military engagement in Somalia was fully supported by Conoco.

[Daliyah]

That's an interesting theory, but something tells me if there were Oil and resources in Somalia of any notable quantity, they would have been exploited by now, since the environment was pretty condusive to that in the 80's under Barre. With all the bloodshed that has been going on in Sudan, there is STILL oil production coming out, so I don't think the threat of violence is much of a deterrant to big oil companies (they let the locals deal with the risks for the most part anyway).

I think the fact that there ARE NO resources in Somalia is the reason they are in the shape they are in now. When the Somalis invaded Ethioipia in the 70's, it wasn't over oil, it was just over demographics (the Ogaden region of Ethiopia was inhabited by ethnic Somalis). If there were diamonds, oil, uranium etc, we would have seen a lot more activity and direct foreign investment and intervention throughout the last two decades. But we'll see, as Allah knows best.

[NewMuslim]

...I think the fact that there ARE NO resources in Somalia...

As Salaamu Alaykum
Somalia's main resource is Uranium. This leads me to believe (and Allah (SWT) knows best) that Ethiopia invaded Somalia for the Uranium so that they could get nuclear weapons. This also leads me to believe that the U.S. (and Allah (SWT) knows best) wants to either get some of the uranium or help Ethiopia get it.

[Daliyah]

Salaam New Muslim,

I mentioned uranium specifically in my post because I heard the same thing you did; that Somalia has small but verifiable quantities of uranium. I have heard this on several occasions - namely when the US wanted to justify a war with Iraq and now with Iran. The US has been saying for about a year that it was Iran that armed the Islamic Courts of Somalia in exchange for Uranium for Iran's "nuclear designs".

Do you know what Somalia's exports are per year? About $241 million dollars. THAT IS NOTHING. That's even less than it's little neighbor to the north, Djibouti, which exports $250 million and has 1/3 the size and 1/16 the population of Somalia. Meaning if Somalia really had these Uranium deposits and Oil reserves (rather than bananas and livestock), the export figure would be a LOT higher. The CIA says Somalia has Uranium, the British press says Iraq and Iran have tried to get uranium from Somalia, and yet not a single ounce of this mysterious uranium has ever been recovered.

So, like I said, beware of marketing.

[aamed]

Salaam New Muslim,

I mentioned uranium specifically in my post because I heard the same thing you did; that Somalia has small but verifiable quantities of uranium. I have heard this on several occasions - namely when the US wanted to justify a war with Iraq and now with Iran. The US has been saying for about a year that it was Iran that armed the Islamic Courts of Somalia in exchange for Uranium for Iran's "nuclear designs".

Do you know what Somalia's exports are per year? About $241 million dollars. THAT IS NOTHING. That's even less than it's little neighbor to the north, Djibouti, which exports $250 million and has 1/3 the size and 1/16 the population of Somalia. Meaning if Somalia really had these Uranium deposits and Oil reserves (rather than bananas and livestock), the export figure would be a LOT higher. The CIA says Somalia has Uranium, the British press says Iraq and Iran have tried to get uranium from Somalia, and yet not a single ounce of this mysterious uranium has ever been recovered.

So, like I said, beware of marketing.
The interim government has been talking with warlords and clan elders, but has so far refused to engage with any of the Islamists. The TFG "looks stronger than before but it is doubtful it represents a substantial constituency," he said.

A broad consensus is emerging that the primary challenge in stabilising Somalia is a political one," said Matt Bryden, a Nairobi-based expert on Somalia. "The TFG has to create the environment in which peacekeeping can succeed and to do that it has to be in dialogue with the former leaders of the [Islamist-backed] courts and the constituencies that supported them," he added.

Meanwhile, conditions on the ground in Mogadishu were reverting fast to those that gave rise to Islamist rule, with widely despised clan militias re-entering the capital, Mr Bryden said.

Meanwhile, conditions on the ground in Mogadishu were reverting fast to those that gave rise to Islamist rule, with widely despised clan militias re-entering the capital, Mr Bryden said.

U.S. turns to Islamic Courts leader. The deep-seated Somali animosity towards Ethiopia and the unpopularity of the interim government are pushing the US to seek the help of Islamic Courts leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed to stabilize the strategic Horn of Africa country, experts believe.

US Ambassador in Nairobi Michael Ranneberger plans to meet Sharif, the head of the SICS Executive Council, as early as Tuesday. "The ambassador will urge Sheikh Sharif to counsel his supporters not to carry out violence and to support the development of an inclusive government," said US Embassy spokesman Jennifer Barnes.