|
Somalis say Ethiopia sending troops across the border
A group of Somali lawmakers accused neighbouring Ethiopia on Tuesday of sending troops over the border in support of allied warlords, saying the move could plunge the ruined country into a fresh round of fighting.Ethiopia, the dominant power in the Horn of Africa and an ally of embattled Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, flatly denied the accusation and said it was committed to ending 14 years of chaos in its troubled neighbour. "Violent conflict is looming over the country," said a statement from 10 members of parliament issued in Nairobi, where a fledgling transitional Somali national assembly and government have been based since they were formed at peace talks last year. "Units of Ethiopian troops are confirmed to have crossed deep into Somali territory ... backing militias loyal to faction leaders allied to Ethiopia," it said, adding the troops had crossed into the southern Bay region where the MPs come from. The statement reflects a deepening split among ministers and MPs, who have been arguing for months about several issues including the politically charged topic of where to base the government once they go home. A pro-Yusuf faction wants to be based temporarily in the towns of Baidoa and Jowhar, arguing the militia-infested capital Mogadishu is still too dangerous. An anti-Yusuf faction of ministers who have their powerbases in Mogadishu say the government should go straight home to the traditional capital. The MPs said Ethiopia appeared to be planning to take back control of Baidoa from MP and warlord Mohammed Ibrahim Habsade, an opponent of Yusuf who captured the city earlier this year. Habsade acted after Yusuf announced he planned to move his government to Baido and Jowhar. They added that the Ethiopian government had sent arms to several warlords in southwestern Somalia in defiance of a U.N. embargo on the supply of weapons to Somalia. In Addis Ababa, officials said the MPs' charge was baseless. "Ethiopia has no reason to interfere in the internal problems of Somalia. Ethiopia's commitment to bring peace and reconciliation among the Somali people along with other regional governments," said Zemedhun Tekle, the director of public relations at the Ministry of Information. "The allegation is aimed at undermining and besmirching good neighbourly relations between the two peoples," he added. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-05-11 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=118881 |