Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Good Governance and Security in the Horn

Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc for Peace and Prosperity- www.globalbelai4u.blogspot.com

Dear Patriotic Global Citizens and Friends of African Union and Greater Ethiopia Without Borers



Re: Security, Good Governance and Prosperity!



It is amazing how the Horn realities do not match with the global challenges of security, good governance and prosperity challenges.



I fnd the attached information amazing and appears to be some Comical or Tragedy film in the making and yet it is reality of some 120 Million in the Horn.



Somalia continues to descend into chaos and the architects of Chaos are denying big time their role in this tragic events in the Horn.



The interesting thing is that except them the whole world is lying and wonde when will they ever see themselves in the mirror and say Enough is Enough it is time we hold elections and allow the people to choose their options for security, good governance and prosperity..



Security: Stop harassing people with guns but talk to them and ask for their opinion about how they perceive they want to maintain their own security.



Good Governance: Create the institutiions for building transparency and accountability and democratic representation that is renewed every 4 or 5 years with term limits.



Propserity: Stop the Poverty Reduction Mantra or Self reliance jingo, and allow the people to create their own small business enterprieses based on their own interest. Allow people to own their resources be it talents, enterprises, land, industry and technology.

The message to the old Marxists ideologues camoflouging as Democratic parties:

Stop harassing the community, and retire early and let the young generation take over the business of representation, good governance and prosperity.



The old Lords of Poverty with real poverty of ideas, technology and governance should retire, sooner. I trust the people will retire them in the May 201 elections and they should accept their judgement and voice and not create another havoc as they have done for the past 40 years.
\
It is time for the new generation!



All the same please read the following interesting stories and share your perspective.



Remember, we cannot be silent observers but proactive promoters of the interests of our people and pre-empt any plans or designs that negatively impact our people in the immediate, short and long term.



The time to act is now and Silence is not an option!



Dr BMJ

www.globalbelai4u.blogspot.com

GlobalBJesus@gmail.com








www.eastafricaforum.net



http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PIRACY?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-05-03-12-17-07



AP



May 3, 2010



Somali militants to stop piracy, free hostages



MOHAMED OLAD HASSAN and MALKHADIR MUHUMED



MOGADISHU -- Islamist militants who seized a pirate stronghold on the Somali coast will liberate any foreign hostages they find, a militia commander said Monday, but the brigands had already fled on land and were also sailing off with several captured foreign ships.



Dozens of fighters from the militant group Hizbul Islam group rolled into Haradhere on Sunday. Pirates piled their big screen TVs into the luxury cars they had bought with ransom payments and drove off, avoiding a clash. At least four hijacked ships anchored near Haradhere moved toward Hobyo, another pirate den, said Haradhere resident Osman Gure.



The head of operations for Hizbul Islam, Sheik Mohamed Abdi Aros, told The Associated Press his fighters have not come across any hostages yet but if that they did the militants would release them along with any hijacked ships. Pirates hold more than 300 hostages taken from ships attacked off East Africa the last several months.



"Hizbul Islam came here to install Islamic sharia law in this region and fight piracy, which we consider un-Islamic," Aros said by phone. "We hope to curb the dirty business."



Sharia is a conservative and often harsh interpretation of Islam. Drugs, alcohol and prostitutes have flooded Haradhere along with the millions of dollars in ransom money pirates have received.



Pirates are armed with rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles but likely won't fight Hizbul Islam, said one self-proclaimed pirate, Maslah Yare. He said one pirate leader had 60 machine guns but still fled.



"They like life and don't want to die," Yare said. "Every pirate will tell you, 'Why do I have to fight? I have enough money to survive. I'm not going to engage in a fight with Islamists.'"



Roger Middleton, a piracy expert at the British think tank Chatham House, said pirates may simply move their operations farther north.



For its part, Hizbul Islam was kicked out of the southern port town of Kismayo by the more powerful Islamist militant group al-Shabab and could be looking for a new base for its operations.



Middleton said it's not clear whether Hizbul Islam will resist the financial lure of the pirate trade, adding: "These aren't completely pure organizations."



Any mixing of the pirate trade and the more dangerous Islamist insurgency has major implications for the foreign hostages the pirates now hold and on international shipping companies' future ability to pay the pirates ransom. If militants take over the piracy trade, ransom payments would end up in the hands of groups that have been branded as terrorist organizations.



Aros said Hizbul Islam has no intention of moving on from Haradhere to the next pirate dens anytime soon.



"First, we want to stabilize this town and clear it of pirates," he said. "So far we did not see any hostages. But if we see hostages we will release them together with their ships."



A clan elder who lives in Haradhere, Haji Kadiye Ibrahim, said the militants told him and other residents that they aim to provide security in this corner of Somalia, which has not seen the rule of law for two decades.



"They said nothing beyond that," said Ibrahim. "We do not know what the exact aim of the Islamists is."



Muhumed reported from Nairobi, Kenya. Associated Press writer Jason Straziuso contributed to this report from Nairobi.

_______________________________________________________________________________________



http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Ethiopia-Accusation-Dismissed-as-ton-of-mourning---92726379.html



VOA



May 3, 2010



Ethiopia Accusation Dismissed as ‘ton of mourning’



Peter Clottey







Eritrea's President Isaias Afewerki



Eritrea’s information minister says Ethiopia’s latest accusations that Asmara is arming insurgents to disrupt this month’s general elections is a diversionary tactic aimed at controlling Ethiopian voters ahead of the poll.



Ali Abdu said Ethiopia is simply “creating drama after the United Nations’ targeted sanctions failed to cripple Eritrea.”



“This latest accusation has two objectives: number-one is I can call it ton of mourning meaning, after the failure of the so-called sanctions, the ton of frustration is coming out from the Ethiopian regime. This is why that government is uttering a ton of mourning. (The) second point is to divert the attention of the Ethiopian people in this election time,” he said.



Ethiopia’s News Agency reported that it has documentary evidence that shows Eritrea is planning to use explosives to destabilize the country ahead of the elections. This comes after Ethiopia security agencies said they have apprehended members of the Oromo National Liberation Front (ONLF) and al-Shabab who were trained by the Eritrean government to undermine the poll.





AFP Photo

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi



Minister Abdu said Ethiopia’s government often creates internal tensions and blames neighboring countries for it – a charge Ethiopia denies.



“The Ethiopia regime has the habit of terrorizing people and creating a ghost enemy that, when the people oppose this drama of election, they will be intimidated as terrorists,” Abdu said.



Ethiopia’s Joint Anti-Terror Taskforce of the National Intelligence and Security Service, as well as the Federal Police, called on Ethiopians to “intensify efforts to curtail the disruptive acts of the Eritrean government and its clique.”



But, Minister Abdu denied supporting opposition groups to destabilize neighboring Ethiopia.



“This is not our political culture and this is not our political psychology. We, to the contrary, have fought and will fight for stabilization and (an) inclusive Ethiopia. That is why we supported the incumbent regime hoping that they will work for the betterment of Ethiopia for united and inclusive Ethiopia. But, unfortunately, that group turned to be a family regime,” Abdu said.



Meanwhile, Djibouti's foreign minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssef, recently accused neighboring Eritrea of “exporting chaos.” "They have started training militias and arming them to carry out sabotage in Djibouti just as they support elements in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia,” Yousssef said.



But, Abdu dismissed the accusation as without merit.



“A very simple logical question, what did Eritrea do and where is the evidence? Where are the accusations, which have been coming time and time again from different sources…why is Eritrea being blamed for nothing that it did? Who is the real power behind these accusations? I mean people should ask simple logic(al) questions, not just repeat what others have said,” Abdu said.

____________________________________________________________________________



http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=63733



Kenya Broadcasting Corp.



May 4, 2010



Ethiopian militia invade Turkana



Heavily armed Merille Militia from Ethiopia have invaded the fish rich Dogonyang belt displacing over 200 Turkana fishermen along lake Turkana.



Following the displacement, fish harvesting on the lake has gone down.



Turkana district fisheries officer Jared Agano said the conflict had adversely affected fishing activities along the lake pointing out that Dodonyang which is a key fishing ground has been traditionally yielding high fish products over the years.



Turkana fishermen who have since fled to safer fishing grounds of Lowarengak and Kataboi expressed concern that the insecurity caused by the Merille gunmen had affected the economic activities along the lake.



They said the intruders with canoes and motorboats have been attacking fishermen in the region before fleeing back to Ethiopia.



Turkana north DC Jack Obuo is leading a powerful delegation for negotiations that will ensure eventual withdrawal of armed Merille gangs on the lake.



The meeting scheduled to take place in Kibish will among other issues discuss the rising insecurity along the Ethiopia- Kenya border where local pastoralists have engaged each other in bloody conflicts.



Last year a senior GSU officer was killed at Dodonyang by suspected Merille gunmen after they attacked a GSU camp.



Residents have appealed to the government to deploy Kenya navy personnel to secure the Kenyan territory by patrolling the lake to scare away armed foreigners.





Belai Habte-Jesus, MD, MPH
Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc. 4 Peace & Prosperity
Win-win synergestic Partnership 4P&P-focusing on
5Es: Education+Energy+Ecology+Economy+Enterprises
www.Globalbelai4u.blogspot.com; Globalbelai@yahoo.com
V: 571.225.5731; C: 703.933.8738; F: 703.531.0540
Our Passion is to reach our Individual and Collective Potential




--- On Wed, 3/31/10, Belai FM Habte-Jesus wrote:


From: Belai FM Habte-Jesus
Subject: Re: Fw: [Voice of America] Council on Foreign Relations Report Argues United States Should Pursue New Approach to Somalia
To: "EPRDF Support Group EPRDF Support Group" , Globalbelai@Yahoo.com
Cc: EPRDF-Supporters-Forum@yahoogroups.com, Edtior@aigaforum.com, "Abraha Belai" , ethioforum@ethiolist.com, Getwondimu@yahoo.com, "Helen mulie" , "Meles Asfaw" , nwmariam@yahoo.com, "Belai2 Jesus" , "Belai Jesus" , "Michael MERID" , menelik.zeleke@pgtv.tv
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 1:05 PM




Global7 the new Millennial Renaissance Vision for the Globe!




Dear Patriotic Global Citizens and Friends of African Union, Greater Ethiopia Without Borders and Global Diaspora Nations and Nationalities.


I read with interest the need for a Clean Energy Developer to defend his work and associates from the criticism of those who claim are " Friends of the Earth, Rivers, lakes and the Sun" and not friends of people who are the center of this project.


Imagine the whole civilized world be it in Europe, Asia or America developed their energy by galvanizing the natural resources especially Rivers, Lakes, the Sun and Wind energy. When the world is moving towards clean natural energies, the out of date pseudo environmentalists want to stop clean energy projects in developing countries.


Mind you the rivers of Asia, Europe and Americas continue to be the main source of energy to day. The Hudson River Basins, the Mississauga River Basin and the Colorado River Basin continue to be the source of the new world energy in the Americas. Just imagine where these Friends of International Rivers were when these great projects have been underway for such a long time.


Are these real Friends of the Earth, Rivers, Lakes, the Sun and the Moon or racist saboteurs who want to continue to see the developing world impoverished by their cynical but suicidal campaigns.


The recent famous book entitled "The White man's Buden" by William Eaterly, the Director of the World Bank Research Department says it all. We have spent over 2.3 trillion on forieng aid over the past 50 years for developing countries and we have nothing to show for it. These series of Friends of the Environment are former World Bank and IMF associates trying to milk the money meant for development with their negative campaigns against development.


We need to expose these crocodile tears once for all! The next 50 years will not be sucked by these parasites of development shedding crocodile tears but by gallant small business enterprises that will transform the Billion Poor in the world.


Just imagine, such backward set of organizations trying to block the road to development by their cynical but poisonous netative campaigns!


Just imagine what will happen if we keep quiet. It is time to speak and expose these wolves in sheep skin covering themselves with all assumed environmental credentials which they do not have.


Let us fight misguide negative campaigns with facts and scientific truth and the following article is just doing that.


I look forward to lean from your perspective. The time to speak and be heard is now!


Yes we can change the tide of negative campaigns towards positive sustainable clean energy enterprises.


Yes We can and get involved! The Nile Basin Civilization will see its Millennial Renaissance as it has done for millennia (7,502 Years), that trail blazed the Greatest Human Civilization!


Seeking your creative input, I remain;


Yours sincerely


Belai Habte-Jesus, MD, MPH
The writer can be contacted at GlobalBJesus@gmail.com, 703.933.8737


March 30, 2010, 2:27 PM
Developer Defends Ethiopian Hydro Project
By PETE BROWNE


The Gibe III Hydroelectric dam project in Ethiopia is at the center of a dispute between environmental groups and developers.
Responding to complaints about the Gibe III hydroelectric dam project in Ethiopia, Salini Costruttori, the Italian hydropower developer behind the project, issued a statement late last week arguing that the project’s critics are opposed to Africa’s development.


“The campaign against the construction of the Gibe plant in Ethiopia is merely another initiative without a technical and scientific basis,” the company said.


“We are dealing with an irresponsible campaign, based on critical statements founded on blatant factual errors and mainly due to elementary arithmetic and technical mistakes,” the statement continued. “These statements have already been assessed and denied by authoritative international organizations, such as the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank.”


As we noted last week, a coalition of environmental and human rights groups has mounted a campaign to pressure financiers to cease financing for the project, which is already under way. It is slated to become Africa’s second largest hydroelectric dam.


The sides disagree over the accuracy of documents relating to the potential environmental impacts of the Gibe III project — you can see closeup footage of the project under way in the video above — on the Omo River, which flows from the south of Ethiopia into Lake Turkana in Kenya.




After complaints from Friends of Lake Turkana, one of the groups in the coalition, the African Development Bank agreed to undertake a hydrological assessment of the lake.


The report has twice been delayed, said Terri Hathaway, a spokeswoman for one International Rivers, another of the coalition member, in an e-mail message.


”The European Investment Bank has also put out a bid for an environmental impact assessment on Lake Turkana for Gibe III,” Ms. Hathaway added, “so clearly, the issue has not already been properly studied by project developers.”


Two previous environmental impact assessments conducted for the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation – an initial 2006 study and an additional analysis of the downstream effects in 2008 – have been challenged by the Africa Resources Working Group, a collective of academics from Europe, the United States, and East Africa with experience in large hydro-dam and river basin development.


The working group asserted in 2009 that earlier environmental assessments were based on “faulty premises” and that they were “compromised by pervasive omissions, distortions and obfuscation.”


But Salini argued in its statement that the Gibe III project is the “fruit of the work of hundreds of engineers of worldwide renown in the sector and that thousands of technicians and workers of different nationalities are involved in the project, which has been submitted for approval by authoritative Ethiopian and international organizations.”


The company also said it would “continue to defend its image from further unmotivated and defamatory attacks, which are causing serious damage not only to the company and the dignity of its technicians and workers, but also, especially, to the development of the Horn of Africa.”
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Commerce, Conventional Energy, Efficiency, Energy Business, Energy Economics, Energy Politics, Environmental Politics, General Business, Government Policy, Health and Safety, The Environment, conservation, environmental impact statement, ethiopia, gibe iii, hydropower, omo river
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ALL COMMENTS, HIGHLIGHTS
READERS' RECOMMENDATIONS, REPLIES. Oldest Newest
1.African LA, USA March 31st, 20107:44 am


I agree. This compaign by the fringe "green environmental" groups is not well-founded and full of far-fetched assumptions. Even if we are to believe the worst case scenario they are pushing, the positive impact of this project far outweighs it. The 1800 MW from this dam will bring more economic transformation than all the western handout given to Ethiopia so far.


Once this dam is complete, 90 percent of Ethiopia that is not now electrified will get electricity and be brought into the modern age. No more blackouts. No more power rationing. No more factory closings. Of course, these groups can't allow such development on the African Continent--no way jose!


They will fight to death to cut funding to this partially complete dam and hold 82 million poor Ethiopians hostage because they feel the livelihood of 300,000 Omo tribesmen along the omo river and Lake Turkana may be affected somewhat. What they conveniently forget to point out is that the Ethiopian Government has already prepared a mitigation and massive community-centred development for these tribes that will be rolled as soon as the Dam is completed in 2013.


Recommend Recommended by 0 Readers
2.Hannibal Washington, DC, March 31st, 2010, 7:45 am


The policy implication of International Rivers’ position is that Ethiopia should stay as underdeveloped and a beggar. This way of thinking comes from a neo-colonialist mentality.


Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa with over 80 million people. Only about 2 percent of this population gets electricity, usually for three to four hours per day. The rest – about 78, 400,000 – do not get any type of electricity at all. If you do not have electricity, forget industrialization, you do not even have tap water. As a result, millions of people are dying from water related diseases per year. Besides, if you do not have electricity, you need to resort to other forms of energy to cook food. As a result, large amount of forests are being cleared each day to provide firewood for cooking and similar other things. Consequently, Ethiopia has lost about 97% of its forestry during the last five decades.


As compared to other alternative means of energy, hydro-power energy is environmentally friendly. Besides, Ethiopia has, like any other country, a sovereign right to harness one of its natural resources.


I think International Rivers does not undertake its own environmental impact study. For that matter, I do not think it has the skill, expertise, and resource to undertake such a complex study. As a result, it is just accusing the Ethiopian government without any type of scientific evidence. Besides, I do not think it will care for Ethiopians more than Ethiopians do for their own kind.


It is one thing to ask for an environmental impact study by an independent body, but another thing to ask for the total cancellation of the project, which is insanity.
Recommend Recommended by 0 Readers
3.
Wang Suya
Japan
March 31st, 2010
7:45 am
Pity now money go through to end is unresponsibility. Just the dam is supported by many companies and ignore the consequence of dam to ecosystem is not ethics. This dam should be down by life cycle assessment even it is on the way. If life cycle assessment does not get good result, it is should be stoped. Stop before it finish is wisdom decide. If we want to go sustainable, we should strict on every project to understand whether it is destory our envrionment. LCA is the method.
Recommend Recommended by 0 Readers
4.
Abiye
Tokyo
March 31st, 2010
7:45 am
White people, and their NGOs, forever want African nations to remain undeveloped. If all African nations developed, what would white people do with their time that would allow them to feel good about themselves.


This campaign against this dam is bogus. They have their motives and they want the people of Ethiopia to suffer. When its about development in the west, its always okay. But in Africa, they have to treat living nations as if they are studies from their anthropology class.
Recommend Recommended by 0 Readers


5.Gecho, Beijing, March 31st, 2010, 7:46 am
1. I have yet to come across a single mention on what the people who will be directly affected by the Project actually think (even from Journalists who went to the area and "talked" to the people).


2. Haven't heard strong and fact based argument against the Project.


4. I have yet to come across any Ethiopian who opposes this project (which is quite surprising given the extreme nature of the criticism of these groups).


5. The media seems to be paying more attention to the critics of the project (may be because they are loud). This is clearly seen from the alarming and conclusive titles and the first few paragraphs of most articles on this issue.


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Belai Habte-Jesus, MD, MPH
Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc. 4 Peace & Prosperity
Win-win synergestic Partnership 4P&P-focusing on
5Es: Education+Energy+Ecology+Economy+Enterprises
www.Globalbelai4u.blogspot.com; Globalbelai@yahoo.com
V: 571.225.5731; C: 703.933.8738; F: 703.531.0540
Our Passion is to reach our Individual and Collective Potential




--- On Fri, 3/26/10, Belai FM Habte-Jesus wrote:


From: Belai FM Habte-Jesus
Subject: Fw: [Voice of America] Council on Foreign Relations Report Argues United States Should Pursue New Approach to Somalia
To: "EPRDF Support Group EPRDF Support Group"
Cc: EPRDF-Supporters-Forum@yahoogroups.com, Edtior@aigaforum.com, "Abraha Belai" , ethioforum@ethiolist.com
Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 12:52 PM


Dear Patriotic Global Citizens, Friends of African Union, Greater Ethiopia Without Border and Global Diaspora Nations and Nationalities without border:


Greetings:


If the Israeli Lobby can shake America, why cannot the Diaspora Nations and Nationalities Shake up the VoA and Human Rights Network of America?


We all have 24 hours, two fingers and two eyes and on mouth per person.


We have 7502 years of track record and 110 years of Diplomatic Relations with US, the Israel have 3,000 years of track record and 53 years of diplomatic relations with the US.


No excuses, we do better than this zomby existence to promote and protect the interests of 80 Million indigenous and 5 Million Diaspora Ethiopians.


They have less than 20 Million people across the world. We have both the numbers interms of bodies on earth and 4,000 years more track record.


Wake up, No excuses! Let us see Change we can believe in!


The barrier is all between our ears, our cerebrum and delinquent behavior of blaming others!


Let us work and create a strong Ethiopian caucus and AEPAC right now!


If Obama can change America just in 3 years of campaign and one year of Governance based on Yes We Can!


Why not us?


with regards and looking for Action Soon





Dr BMJ



Belai Habte-Jesus, MD, MPH
Global Strategic Enterprises, Inc. 4 Peace & Prosperity
Win-win synergestic Partnership 4P&P-focusing on
5Es: Education+Energy+Ecology+Economy+Enterprises
www.Globalbelai4u.blogspot.com; Globalbelai@yahoo.com
V: 571.225.5731; C: 703.933.8738; F: 703.531.0540
Our Passion is to reach our Individual and Collective Potential




--- On Thu, 3/25/10, ZEGEYE BELETE wrote:


From: ZEGEYE BELETE
Subject: [Voice of America] Council on Foreign Relations Report Argues United States Should Pursue New Approach to Somalia
To: "Zegeye Belete"
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010, 7:51 PM


Voice of America

Somalia Report



DATE=03/22/10

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=SOMALIA BRUTON

NUMBER=5-63557

BYLINE=TEWELDE TESFAGABIR

DATELINE=WASHINGTON



HEADLINE: Council on Foreign Relations Report Argues United States Should Pursue New Approach to Somalia



INTRO: A new Council on Foreign Relations report calls for the U.S. government to pursue a policy of constructive disengagement in Somaliaand, recommends the international community to adopt a position of neutrality, and to abandon efforts to pick a winner in the war-torn country. VOA`s Horn of Africa reporter Tewelde Tesfagabir spoke with the author of the report.



TEXT: The report, "Somalia: A new Approach", sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations says the odds of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government emerging as an effective body are "extremely poor."



Report author Bronwyn Bruton maintains the current U.S approach is counterproductive and it is encouraging some Somalis to radicalize.



/// BRUTON ACT 1 ///



"Although the TFG in Mogadishu has got some very good people in it, and it has certainly managed to win the hearts and minds of some Somalis, the odds that it will emerge as an effective institution with the critical mass of supporters is very unlikely. If the U.S and the broader international community continues to back the TFG as one side over others, it will perpetuate a military stalemate and this will be very costly to the U.S because it is hurting the Somalia`s population and it is encouraging some Somalis to radicalize."



/// END ACT ///



The report says that the United States should work with United Nations and African Union to promote reform of Somalia's TFG structures to allow it to become a more inclusive governing mechanism.



Bruton believes it is necessary for the United States to make a final push to try to turn the Transitional Federal Government into an institution that can eventually govern Somalia, and suggested the use of a presidential model in a country fractured along clan lines should be abandoned.



/// BRUTON ACT 2 ///



"In my opinion a presidential model is not a very good model for Somalia. Because there are a lot of different factions, and I do not really see any credible national leaders, and I do not think Somaliahad credible leaders for 30 or 40 years. So, what I would recommend is having a technocratic prime minster consisting of a council of leaders including Sheik Sharif."



/// END ACT ///



At a recent briefing U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson denied recent media reports the United States is leading military efforts to help Somalia's government. He said, "There is no desire to Americanize the conflict in Somalia."



/// REST OPTIONAL ///



In her interview with VOA, Bruton welcomed his comment.



/// BRUTON ACT 3 ///



"I was very gland when Ambassador Carson came out and made this statement, because I think the Somali people need to hear that. It is exactly the right approach to not want to Americanize the conflict. And the U.S should continue to make that point."



/// END ACT ///



Bruton says, the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea poses more danger to the regional instability than the Somali conflict.



/// BRUTON ACT 4 ///



"In a certain way, the conflict of Somalia is tied up in the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Most analysts agree that Eritrea does not really have a stake in Somali conflict, does not have a reason to backal-Shabab over TFG. Eritrea wants to be a bother to Ethiopia, and for that reason Eritrea has allegedly been providing arms to al-Shabab and Hisbul Islam. As to the sanctions on Eritrea, I think diplomatic solutions are what are going to be required here."



/// END ACT ///



Bronwyn Bruton says Eritrea also needs to come around to take a more constructive approach to its neighbors. She says the international community has got to find a way to assist Ethiopia and Eritrea in resolving their dispute and the United States should dissuade Ethiopia from any military action in Somalia in response to possible events in Mogadishu. (SIGNED)

NEB/TT/RAE/KBK

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