Islamic Extremism, the Horn, and, the Role of Isaias’s  Regime.

By: T.H.Said    (part one)

 Background:- The situation in the Horn is hot and volatile. Its strategic location and importance, geographically and economic as well is almost about to lure some uncompromising, and glaring problems among the member states of the Horn. Further and still, is becoming a threat for the whole glob. Neither democratic experiments nor its offshoots have significant role in molding cultural and religious tolerance with immense democratic values in a modest way as we all think and expect. Sudan (saving the southern part), for instance, is an Islamic state since the seizure of political power by the ruling party-NCP. Yemen and Djibouti, though, seculars in their outer stature, both, may face great pressure from their subjects. The role and solidarity of Yemen and Djibouti with respect to war of international terrorism as partners being visible and sensible, the inclination of the multifaceted subjects of both states may not be inline with the guide lines of the respected governments. Though the intentions and aspirations of both states are harmonious with the surrounding secular states of the Horn with regard to terrorism and Islamic extremism, such reality may not coincide with the sentiments and feelings of the overwhelming majority of the citizens. The Ethiopian government, as secular as friendly states like Kenya and Uganda is a victim of the Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism. The deadly and blindly attacks of Al  Ittihad Al Islamiya in the capital of Addis Ababa,Diredawa,and in other urban centers are good illustrations and reasons for the Ethiopian government to stand with the antiterrorist forces. For Uganda, however, the spread of HIV virus was of a more threat than the tale of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism. Thanks to the international community and donor countries for their unforgettable and sustainable support financially and morally as well, in controlling the spread of the virus. Appreaciation should also be extended to the government of Uganda in tackling and controlling such a fatal epidemic effectively within a short period of time.  As to Kenya, the spread of HIV virus, Islamic fundamentalist, terrorism, and corruption are the factors posing a real threat to its sovereignty. The rising tides of the Islamic sentiments, by and large, are growing timely. The position of Eritrea under the rule of Isaias, in relation to the current and ongoing pattern of Islamic extremism is not palatable and impossible to deduce. The reason is obvious. The national, regional and international policies sketched on the base of arrogance and chauvinism as a result of which the Eritrean regime is obliged to confine itself in a narrow vessel has made the state to swindle with out a clear political compass and ally. To seal the ongoing diplomatic isolation off, the current regime of Eritrea is bent to side and ally with any force (be it secular, non-secular, terrorist or fundamentalist) that could save it from the ditch. The only countries and governments, for unknown reasons, who stood and still standing on the side of Isaias since the abortive border war for which the president himself is responsible, are the few and countable Arab states. To day, neither the spread of HIV nor the Islamic fundamentalism is a threat for Isaias for he himself is the architect of the causes. Eritrea’s purity and productive operations against HIV are not the cases that immunized the state from a threat. Nor its full-fledged fight and campaign against Islamic fundamentalism is traceable and vivid for the regime itself is a cause for terrorism and religious extremity. The moderate, secularly-oriented, proud, and self-asserted Somalis, under the tutor of Isaias and his mates, today, are wetted with the hard and fast rules of  sharia for which they are aliens and unfamiliar. Unless, observed, treated and handled with a care, the present sweet pie of Islamic extremists and the lawless state of Somalia under the mouthpieces of Isaias will be the coziest bed of Bin laden and his caliphates. Hereafter, the peaceful passage and corridor of the Horn will be legend (nebereya nebere). The war clouds haunting the lawless Somalia, nowadays, are not only threats for the Horn but also significant challenges for the entire world.

 Why does Isaias make such a blunder?:-Diplomatic bankruptcy has corroded the mental sanity of the think tank of the current Eritrean regime.Inorder to slip out of the ditch, therefore, Isaias, first and above all should organize a strong anti Ethiopian force in the Horn for he thinks, Ethiopia as a state and Ethiopians as people are the obstacles for his ambitious ends in the Horn. For the past fourteen years, Isaias was roaming and wandering here and there to give Ethiopians the said home work of hundred years. To this end and meanwhile, he has made a solid and cemented alliance with the forces he had once labeled as anti sovereign states of Eritrea-the Kinijits.And as Africans, we all know what the Isaias”s government has done up on the election process of the Ethiopian government, its people and their collective effort in building democracy and democratic institutions. From regional prospect too, Isaias has done his best to forge a new state of the Horn hostile to the Ethiopian government. Historically, though, the incumbent government has good and promising gestures towards them, the Somalis (save the Ethiopian Somalis) had a suspicious and mixed sentiment towards the Ethiopians. As a matter of coincidence, the religiously homogeneous, lawlessly-idled, and clan-oriented Somalis with a historic anonymity with the secular and religiously heterogeneous Ethiopia are found to be the most effective and favorable candidates for the satanic plans of Isaias.For him it was a flip of coin. Still, having studied the proximity and cumulative degree of the hatred of the Arabs and Muslims towards the United States of America, President Isaias, though leading a secular state and used to flirt with the western world for a while in its alliance against Islamic fundamentalists and with all of his fabulous self-reliant and nationalist rhetoric, accused and attacked the United States for two reasons. First, to stimulate his mental delirium and frustration emanated from the brokered border rule for which the Ethiopian government has declined to comply fully before a bilateral dialogue with the Eritrean government. As Isaias has realized his failure in out shinning the Ethiopians diplomatically so that to steal the heart of Americans from all angles and aspects and where his diplomatic failures have glared to the utmost degree of his ill-capacity to convince the super powers to exert Ethiopia to accept the verdict resolved, he managed to steal the heart of some Arab leaders by speaking their language eloquently and attacking the USA.Since, the Arab world is the sole corridor left untapped for Isaias diplomatic recovery, he has to fulfill their demand to get a respite as an exchange. For sure and for his advents, he has secured some aid, be it in kind, in cash or in loan; from the Arab states. His flirt, though short lived, was not futile. The legend of Isaias”s army with endurable fighting experience of thirty years, though has faded and withered after the Badumme war, the offshoots and pitfalls of such beliefs still is not dashed from the minds of some Arab leaders for the sheer reason that Isaias speaks them by their language, and the existence of influential but indecisive number of Muslims in Eritrea. Eritrea, for that matter will remain secular as of today and for ever. Neither Christian, animist, nor Muslims will dare to form a government on religious lines. To conjure for a while, therefore, Isaias, under the pretext of united Somali nation, has trained and backed the Islamic extremists in the lawless, idled, and homogeneous Somalia from where they can trigger off and destabilize Ethiopia-the ultimate goal of Isaias.The Somalis like the Afars, to the level of my knowledge, are people with peculiar features that distinguishes and differentiates them from the other Muslims of the world. Apart from the Arabic one, a Latin script is used as self-asserting banner. Regardless of which one (Arabic or the Latin script) has more nationalistic leverage, Somalis have self-claiming and assuring script as their keens of the Horn, Oromo, Kunama, Tigringya, Amharas, and Tigres etc do. Let thousands of curses and ‘thanks’ go to Isaias for his disrupting and dehumanizing activities vested up on the unity of the proud, nationalists and moderate Somalis. For those friendly states of Eritrea, still insisting to back Isaias, sooner or later, the cunning and cynic caricatures of Isaias will be revealed so that they can easily sense their defects and that of Isaias too. As Isaias explores deeper and deeper into ones internal affairs, the more mysterious secrets will be disclosed, and the moment the honeymoon is over, the very files of friendship will be either shelved or transferred to the super powers. Isaias as a person, so coward and unpredictable enough, will not breathe with out the lung of super powers especially that of USA.He will upturn all possibilities to regain the lost diplomatic graces. He, as usual, will play all the dirty games to recapitulate the faded images of his government and party as well. He will spend all the precious time and money of the forgotten people of Eritrea. The period Isaias thinks he has gathered enough and convinced himself of making some thing valuable out of the friendship; he will shift the gear and make a U turn. There, all of today’s brides of him will be humiliated as their file, (whereabouts and biographies of the Islamic extremists) is bartered as a gift to reciprocate the renewal of the diplomatic images. In the world of Isaias, every thing is possible. For Isaias, every one is a friend and enemy as well. Unpredictability and self-aggrandizement are the first and second behaviors of Isaias”s regime to be detected in prior to any leadership qualities. Therefore, lets go back and question ourselves as to why Isaias is playing all such faulty, risky and dirty games, and as to why some friendly states are deafening their ears and insist to befriend with Isaias…. to be continued.