Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi: «The jihadists have already invaded Ethiopia.»

© G Diana/FAO/afrol News

afrol News, 30 November - Ethiopian officials are still pondering the measures to take against the ruling Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) in Somalia. Certainly, gauging by the tone of their speeches, it is common knowledge that Ethiopian officials are sick and tired of the Somali trouble. Today, the parliament authorised military action against the Islamists in the case of an aggression.

Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, earlier this week backtracked a declaration of war on the Islamic jihadists of the UIC. He however did not rule out responding fire with fire when Ethiopia has been attacked.

But in an interview with the state media, the Speaker of the Addis Ababa parliament warned that Ethiopia would be obliged to respond proportionately to the acts of jihadists at the held of the UIC leadership unless they stop their provocation and rescind the jihad they have repeatedly declared against Ethiopia.

Speaker Teshome Toga said it was improper for the jihadists to create havoc not only in Ethiopia but the East Africa region as a whole.

Mr Toga said all members of the Ethiopian parliament agree to exhaust all peaceful means to solve the crisis but Ethiopia would resort to the right of self defence if the "extremists don't comply."

The Ethiopian parliamentarians were debating on the Somali issue to reach a consensus on the initiative of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who had asked for an authorisation to use military powers against the UIC. In conclusion of the debate, the parliament passed a resolution to let government take "all necessary steps" in response to what it called plans for an invasion by the Somali Islamists.

Speaker Teshome said the parliament would not allow any group to pose threat to the sovereignty of their country. He said in case of any rejection by the jihadists to dialogue, parliament would not hesitate to pass further decisions that would protect the sovereignty of Ethiopia.

Officials of the Islamist Movement who have been in control of most of Somalia since June this year, have accused Ethiopia and some countries in East Africa for supporting Somalia's internationally recognised transitional government of President Abdullahi Yusuf.

The Islamists are said to pose threat to almost all the countries in the region through terror activities. When they newly took power, the Islamists said their mission was to guarantee the rights of Somalis and therefore fear no country. But they turned to the United States - a country Islamists oppose to the core - for support when Ethiopian Prime Minister virtually declared a war on them earlier this month for threatening peace in his country.

The Somali conflict is also in the progress of turning into a proxy war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which still have an unresolved conflict over their common border. While Ethiopia has troops in Somalia supporting the transitional government, Eritrea has equipped the Islamists with large quantities of heavy arms and trained its fighters.

While the Ethiopian parliament approved of military action against the UIC in case of an aggression, Prime Minister Meles later today indicated this provocation had already happened, thus indicating a war declaration was imminent. "The jihadists in the Union of Islamic Courts, in collaboration with Eritrea, have already invaded Ethiopia by smuggling in rebel groups whom they trained and armed ... to destabilise and create upheaval in the country," PM Meles said.

Also reports from the ground indicated that Ethiopia would soon be able to find an excuse for an all-around attack against the Islamists. News reports from Somalia today confirm that the Islamists had ambushed an Ethiopian military convoy 35 kilometres south-west of Baidoa. The UIC itself claims about 20 Ethiopians died in the attack.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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