The Horn Of Africa States: The War Narrative – OpEd

The current brand of talks and narrative in the region remains to be that of war. Is that a new phenomenon or is this just a continuation of the region’s bloodied history and character, where decisions are not made on rationality but on warmongering and actual killing fields. It is most ironic that the region has witnessed one of its own been awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize only to see him waging wars and more wars both physical and infowar.

A committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament awards the Nobel Peace prize to, what Alfed Nobel described in his will: “The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: /- – -/ one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” (Excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel).

The award to the Horn African was given in 2019 only to see more wars breakout in the region and in particular, in his own country the following year. That war has not stopped there and is now moving into the neighboring countries with relations between Somalia and Ethiopia at a very low ebb. It may burn the whole region!

A fire started by an evil person can burn whole cities and kill many. There already is talk of millions having died or maimed by the wars started by the Nobel Peace Winner of the Horn of Africa. The warmongering has not stopped but is going on and intensifying, as the Nobel Peace Prize Winner wants to have access to a sea for his people and country.

He is not satisfied with the landlocked nature of his country. He knows not and denies that it was always landlocked for always, except for the brief period when Eritrea was part of his country. This is a recipe for disasters and wars to come to the region.

Already other actors are getting involved as Somalia, which is the target of the Nobel Peace Winner to grab a part of its sea and territory, has already called for help from other friendly countries including Egypt which may have a lot to grind with Ethiopia, itself.

On the Ethiopian side, the United Arab Emirates which benefits from the chaos of the region, is prodding on the Nobel Peace Winner like a horse to move on, with respect to this ill-advised proposition of acquiring a sea outlet by hook and crook.

Note the region is geostrategically located and its development, and in particular its ports and coast along the main shipping waterway between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean will directly affect the flow of the shipping business of that tiny Emirate in the Persian Gulf. No wonder, they prefer to have the region in chaos and unminding of anything to do with development.

The Nobel Peace Winner weans and whines for an access to a sea. But no one has ever denied his country access to a sea on the basis of international law. Ethiopia has access to the major deep ports of Djibouti and he could have negotiated good or better commercial rates with others like Eritrea, which was the main reason, he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize any way, and Somalia which has even a longer coast.

The man has already dug for himself a hole where exit is currently difficult. He has created a wrong narrative of war, which boldly claims that Ethiopia must have access to a sea, although it has access to a sea. He does not say it bluntly but hides behind lies and manipulatory rhetoric that a large population cannot live without access to a sea.

He has already declared war on Somalia through the signing of an MoU with one of the regions of the country without going through the central governing authority of the country, the Federal Government of Somalia. He took a faut pas in this regard because the Somali people protect their country and seas.

During the last incursion of Ethiopia into Somalia in 2006/2007, there was no Somali government, but it was the Somali people who kicked them out and gave it a bloodied nose. They do not need a government to defend their turf. He made a wrong assumption that the Somali Government is weak, but he does not know that the governments of Somalia rely on their populations who stretch all the way to Addis Ababa.

There is no need for war mongering and war propaganda in the region, whose countries need each other more than ever. It is currently a poor region, but which could possibly become richer and better should the brains and minds of the regional leaders work in that direction and not in the direction of war narrative as is currently the case.

The populations of the region are tired of wars and should not be denied having a better future where peace and stability rein, not chaos and wars which benefit other countries, who may be enjoying the miseries of these populations. The narrative at present seems to be sliding incrementally into a war and it is hoped this would be curtailed soon before the eggs break.