Open Letter to Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Chairman of OIC, on Somalia

Open Letter to Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, on Somalia

Your Majestic Eminence,

It is more than a decade when I met you last, in the Yildiz Palace, at the IRCICA office in Istanbul, when Dr. Halit Eren introduced me to you.

I am currently writing to you with burning concern for the multi-divided Muslim nation of the Somalis, who are currently finding themselves in the most critical crossroads of their 4-millennium long history that started with Middle Egyptian Hieroglyphic references to the Land of Punt, also known as Ta Netser – 'the Land of Gods', already prior to the great Expedition to Punt by Pharaoh Hatshpsut (ca. 1480) that has been grandly described on the Western Wall of the Second Colonnade of Queen Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple at Deir el Bahari – Thebes West, Luxor.

As Historian with specialization in the role of the Horn of Africa in the development of the East – West Trade Relations and the ensuing Cultural Exchanges 1, and as Political Scientist concerned with the extraordinary practice of Human Rights violation in the area, I call on your attention and understanding, dedication and initiative.

Somalia is one of the OIC Founding Members, and with the exception of the Yemenite origin Banaadiris, it consists in a single nation sharing shame language, religion, and culture.

However, the entire coast from the Horn of Africa – Akroterion Aromaton, Cape of Spices for the Periplus of the Red Sea 1st century CE text, down to Dar es Salam and Zanzibar, Rhapta for the Greek and Latin speaking authors, was a Yemenite colony (of the merged Himyar – Sheba kingdoms), widely known as Azania, involving mixed marriages and vast linguistic, religious and cultural exchanges that facilitated the later diffusion of Islam.

The Immense Desolation of the Somalis

Before further expanding, I would also like to convey to your Majestic Eminence the extreme desolation and despair of the Somalis, who – right or wrong – feel completely abandoned by all, Africans, Arabic speaking countries, Europeans, Indians, and Americans.

Nothing from Africa

Yet, the Somalis, sharing the same skin colour, ethnic origin, continent, great past, and (more recently) dramatic colonial experience with almost all the other African nations, would rightfully expect at least lip service from some of them; however, quite disappointingly, nothing came from this direction.

Nothing from Arabic speaking countries

Yet, the Somalis, sharing the same religion and religious tongue with the Arabic speaking countries, with some of which cohabitate in the same continent, and having been exposed to a similar traumatic colonial experience, would reasonably wait for some support from several Arabic speaking countries; however, quite frustratingly, nothing came from this direction.

Nothing from Europe

Yet, the Somalis, sharing a great part of interactions with many historical European nations, in either Pre-Islamic or Modern times, would plausibly assume that the European nations, having methodically formed an economically and politically considerable European Union, would have made amendment of earlier, colonial times' misperceptions and injustices, and would come to help of an illustrious historical nation in disarray; however, quite exasperatingly, nothing came from this direction.

Nothing from India

Yet, the Somalis, sharing the same History and the same Ocean with India – and a great ocean of interconnectedness and exchanges the Indian Ocean has been for millennia, if we only take into account the 2.5 millennia old, navigational use of the Monsoons ('Hippalus' winds') and the ensuing straightforward ocean-crossing from either the Horn of Africa to the Malabar Coast of India or from Indonesia's Sumatra (then known as Chryse, the 'Golden') to Azania's Rhapta on 'sewn' boats that gave precisely Zanzibar's oldest name –, would logically anticipate that, emerging as a global super power, India would demonstrate attention, interest and dedication; however, quite regretfully, nothing came from this direction.

Nothing from America

Yet, the Somalis, sharing the same anti-colonial ideals, concepts, and principles with the world's sole superpower, the United States of America, would understandably presume the manifestation of solidarity from the political leadership of G. Washington's and Thomas Jefferson's country; however, quite sadly, nothing came from this direction.

Organization of the Islamic Conference – Sole Hope for Somalis

The Somalis can expect – I believe – only from you and the Organization of the Islamic Conference; they have noticed all, your personal involvement in the Jeddah Peace Agreement last September, your subsequent call 'on all OIC Member States to actively contribute to the peace building in Somalia', and the latest Appeal to "the combatants, especially he foreign troops, to exercise their utmost restraint to Save Innocent Lives" in the latest round of violence.

Your Majestic Eminence,

The Somalia Drama has not been conceived within its real dimensions; and it will never be either accurately perceived or properly dealt with, if we stick to the assumption that it is a Somali problem only.

Certainly, the Somalia Drama hinges on several parameters, History, Colonialism, Modern Geopolitics of the Cold War times, and Global World Economic Rivalry. It is certainly related to internal, Somali strives; however, over-magnifying the latter, while even disregarding its reasons, will not help.

I would also add that misinformation diffused by the world's mass media only worsened the situation, directly hushing historical truths, critical details, and crucial nuances. Fighting for Peace and Unity in Somalia is in a way – as it happens in so many cases – a Commitment to Unveiling Truth.

Contextualizing the Somalia Drama

Correct contextualization will therefore be essential in any effort related to an effective and irreversible termination of the Somalia Crisis. One should view Somalia precisely in the geographical position that this great coastal nation has occupied for millennia.

United still in 1990, Somalia fell into internal divisions and strives that were mostly instigated by a rancorous and malignant neighbor in disarray (last days of the pro-Soviet Mengistu, Amhara tribal regime). As the post-Communist (incumbent) regime of Abyssinia – accepting the fallacious name 'Ethiopia' signifies direct contribution to genocide 2– pursued the same policy towards Somalia, once should wonder whether this is a traditional practice of the Amhara and Tigray – led Abyssinia.

The Beginning of Somalia's Division

Somalia's division starts – for many – with the declaration of Independence by the political elite of Somaliland (18/5/91), which occurred precisely at the time of rise of the incumbent regime in Finfinne – accepting the fallacious name 'Addis Ababa' signifies direct contribution to genocide 3. However, this view is, to say the least, historically myopic.

Somalia's division, which goes back to the Colonial Era, became modern political reality with the transfer of British authority over Ogaden to the Amhara tribal leader Haile Selassie, who successfully portrayed himself as 'emperor of Ethiopia', due to his allegiance with the British and his (mostly verbal, if we take into account historical sources) resistance against the Italian occupation of Abyssinia. This colonial deal was materialized gradually between 1948 and 1954.

The Abyssinian occupation of the Somali province of Ogaden signals the real beginning of Somalia's division. As Somalia's division consists - in real terms - in Abyssinian occupation of foreign land, Somalia's current situation can be best seen in the light of Somalia's implacable and perverse archenemy's appalling historical records.

Study Model for the Somalia Drama: Other Nations Subjugated by the Abyssinians

Somalia's Ogaden was not the first territory for Africa's sole colonial country, Abyssinia, to invade. The Abyssinian kingdom, prior to Ogaden's illegitimate annexation – which was never accepted by the slightest portion of tyrannized Somalis of Ogaden, with the exception of course of the few dozens of selected traitors/collaborators who have been placed in administrative positions to implement the invader's tyrannical policies –, had invaded a great number of African nations, kingdoms, and peoples.

With Abyssinia's involvement viewed as the epicenter of all Somalia's misfortunes and calamities, one gets better understanding of the Abyssinian intentions, by precisely studying the 19th century Abyssinian colonial expansion – which should be rather interpreted as an ongoing project, elaborated by the Monophysitic (Christian heretic) Amhara and Tigray elites.

A Colossal Colonial Empire

During the 2nd half of the 19th century, Abyssinia progressively invaded and annexed territories totaling a surface more than eight (8) times its original size.

Various Oromo kingdoms, the Sidama kingdom, the Afar sultanates, the principalities of the Shekachos, the Kambaatas, the Anuak, and the Nuers, the kingdom of Kaffa, and numerous other African peoples, the Bertas, the Gumuzs, the Shinashas, the Wolayitas, etc. have progressively fallen victims of the Abyssinian expansionism. None of the aforementioned was of Semitic ethnic background, as they were mostly Cushitic (closer to either the Somalis or the Berbers of the Atlas region) or Nilo-Saharan (like the Nubians) of origin.

The incredible Abyssinian expansionism was absolutely unacceptable by the totality of the aforementioned African nations none of which was affiliated to Monophysitism (heretic Christianity), being either Muslim or followers of many, different religions. Quite interestingly, some of these African religions – disreputably labeled as 'pagan' by the colonial academia and missionaries – were absolutely monotheistic and aniconic of character.

The international bibliography is vast on the subject, revealing both the Abyssinian monarchs' methods of subjugation of so many peoples and the Abyssinian state's totalitarian and absolutely inhuman practices of oppression that followed the illegitimate annexation of these vast territories.

Methods of Subjugation and Annexation: Slavery and Genocide

In his considerable contribution entitled 'The Making of the Oromo Diaspora' (http://www.kirkhouse.com/catalog/the-making-of-the-oromo-diaspora-p-90.html?osCsid=a1640b2...), the Oromo Sociologist, Stockholm-based Prof. Mekuria Bulcha, reveals that the Abyssinians managed to win over the Oromos and the other African peoples by excluding them from the gun trade, and by selling great numbers of Oromos as slaves – which was a most profitable business for the most anti-Christian and antihuman tribal 'king' Menelik (not 'the second', as the 'first' was a mythical and absolutely unreal, extra-Biblical figure, created for the deeply anti-Islamic, political-ideological needs of the rising 14th century Amhara dynasty).

Slave trade was also a means of 'humanitarian' policy extensively practiced by the cruel Abyssinian elites, after the annexation of the Oromo lands, as it would help implement the tyrannical, brutal, and absolutely racist Amhara policies more easily and with weaker resistance.

The appalling Abyssinian practices in Biyya Oromo (land) in the 1880s, in the 1930s, the 1940s, and the 1950s (involving at times substantial British support), correspond to horrendous policies implemented – without the slightest remorse thus far from the part of the Abyssinian elites, academia, diplomats and intellectuals, political establishments, and spiritual leaders – in the case of Sidama Land in the 1900s, the 1910s, and the 1960s. The same merciless and cynically inhuman methods were applied without restrain in the case of the Afars, the Ogadenis, the Kaffas, the Shekachos, the Anuak, the Agaws, and others.

Sidama and Anuak 21st century Genocides: Prova Generale for Mogadishu

Today's Abyssinian atrocities at Mogadishu and the Somali South have been accurately announced in the Loqqe massacre, in occupied Sidama Land in 2002 (http://www.sidamanational-liberation.org/ and http://www.sidamaliberation-front.org/slf%20statement.htm), and properly heralded in the Tier Dangnge criminal acts, in occupied Anuak Land in 2003 (also known as Gambella province; http://www.genocidewatch.org/McgillAnuakjan04links.htm, http://www.anuakjustice.org/060819EPRDFGovernmentDisplacesAnuakInOver12AnuakVillages.htm, and http://www.anuakjustice.org/doc_index.htm).

It would be essential to assess – as briefly and as convincingly as possible – the Abyssinian methods of oppression in earlier occupied territories, in order to correctly figure out what one can possibly expect in occupied by Abyssinian forces Somalia. The Essays on Underdevelopment, Democracy and Self-Determination, edited by Seyoum Hameso and Mohammed Hassen, under the title 'Arrested Development in Eritrea' (http://www.africaworldpressbooks.com/servlet/Detail?no=41) can give in this regard a rather representative idea of the Hell imposed by the Amhara and the Tigray Abyssinians on any foreign land invaded by their armies.

Policies of the World's Most Inhuman and Most Reticent Outcast, 'Ethiopia'

Prolonged stay of the Abyssinian armies in Somalia will involve following attempts and practices implemented over more than 100 years in foreign lands still occupied by the Abyssinians:

-Biased, brutal, and undisputed (in Courts of Justice) expropriation of vast lands (belonging to subjugated nations) that are given free to Amhara and Tigray settlers

- Creation of massive movement of refugees and internally displaced people, in order to alter demographic data

- Generation of local administration structures (in the invaded and annexed lands) manned quasi-exclusively by settlers

- Selection of few indigenous individuals, in order to form local bogus-elites among the subjugated peoples

- Institutionalization of the treacherous and misrepresentative, local bogus-elites through a cooperation with the settlers against the collective interests of the respective subjugated nations at all levels, involving social practices and traditional organization, education, economy, religion, art, language, culture, and political life

- Uneven, biased, and racially partial economic development along ethnic group lines, involving extraction of natural resources from occupied territories, and return investment in the Amhara and Tigray regions

- Provocation of enormous, and chronic brain drain of professionals, intellectuals and political dissidents among the subjugated nations; deliberate – if not meticulously planned – emigration of the middle classes of the non-Abyssinian subjugated nations (practically speaking all, except the Amharas and the Tigrays)

- Perpetration of acts of racial hatred and discrimination in the public sector, and violent suppression of the private sector among all the subjugated nations

- Permanent economic decline and marasm, at times accompanied by deliberate obstruction of food supplies (summer 2007 in Ogaden)

- Criminalization of the different national elites – practiced on the spur of moment, and even in cases of anticipated nationalist, secessionist discourse

- Systematic deprivation of the quasi-totality of the subjugated nations from public services made available to Amharas, Tigrays, and collaborators

- Appalling proliferation of practices that consist in outrageous violation of Human Rights, involving arrests, incommunicado detainment en masse, extrajudicial killings, and ceaseless abuse of legal, political and social rights

- Institutionalization of a 'state within the state', with the use of death squads manned by Tigray and Amhara Monophysitic Christian Abyssinians, who impersonate official army soldiers and officers

- Forceful predominance of the factionalized Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Christian elites (Abyssinian Muslims being terribly persecuted like all the non Abyssinian nations) and imposition (on all the non-Abyssinian nations) of their chauvinistic, racist and discriminatory rhetoric that hinges on the pillars of a Nationalistic Bogus-Historical Dogma

- Imposition of the alien, Semitic, Amharic language on a great number of Kushitic and Nilo-Saharan nations through various administrative tricks

- Prohibition of several native languages at the level of the Primary and Secondary Education throughout regions where the native speaking populations are put in front of the excruciating dilemma 'No Education' or 'Education in Amharic'

- Prohibition of educational institutions, schools, colleges, universities, academies, and research centers – even if financed by the private sector – that would use subjugated nations' languages, and would be organized by the indigenous people without foreign, Amhara – Tigray, interference and guidance

- Proscription of the free practice of the indigenous language, literature, art, culture and religion throughout a region or province – fatherland for a subjugated ethnic group or nation and prohibition of their study

- Severe religious discrimination and attempts of uprooting existing faiths, religious systems, rituals, cults, and practices of numerous subjugated ethnic groups or nations, involving performance of religious rites and erection of religious buildings on occupied territories despite the total rejection of the rites and the buildings - as utterly unholy - by the indigenous populations

Conclusion

As we can easily surmise from the aforementioned, the incited secessionist feelings among the leadership of Somaliland (Hargeysa) is not a new Abyssinian practice; in fact, it consists in a replay of earlier practices, namely the selection of few indigenous individuals, in order to form local bogus-elites among the subjugated peoples. It has to be noted that the majority of the Somalis included in the bellicose enclave Somaliland totally reject and angrily repudiate 'president' Rayaale's servitude towards the Tigray tyrant Zenawi.

The same practice has been attested in the case of the non representative Transitional Federal Government, against which the quasi-totality of the Mogadishu population has rebelled over the past two weeks. Although he still is the favorite of international bodies, the misrepresentative TFG 'president' Abdullahi has become captive of the Abyssinian tyrannical decision making, as he depends totally on them in terms of logistics, supplies, international support, and guidance.

As he has just yesterday admitted that most critical acts perpetrated in Somalia (as the abduction of the spokesman of the Hawiye Elders' Council Ahmed Diriye Ali) are being carried out in his name without him giving the orders, he elucidated all of us as regards his real position of unrepresentative collaborator and local agent of the Abyssinian forces of occupation (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/liberate-ahmed-diriye-ali-end-neo-nazi-ethiopian-occupation-of-mogadishu.html).

At a moment specific plans of 'final' division of Somalia are being revealed as thoroughly and passionately prepared by the Tigray Abyssinian dictator Meles Zenawi, involving the fabrication of four Somali pseudo-states (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=41538),

At a moment conferences are organized and propagandists are funded to support the formation of a super-tyrannical Abyssinian state that, under the fallacious name 'Ethiopia', would control Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti and parts of today's Sudan (Colonial Plans for the Horn of Africa – ‘Ethiopia’ to border with Egypt? /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=37960 - The Horn of Africa Conference Clique, and their Dark Plans for Egypt, Sudan, 'Ethiopia', and Somalia /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=38050 - Horn of Africa History, Colonial Plans, and the Outrageous Forger Mammo Muchie /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=38115 - Horn of Africa and Forgery, from Kebra Negast to Mammo Muchie /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=40279),

At a moment Ogaden and Somalia are - practically speaking - living under conditions of systematic genocide at the hands of the racist Abyssinian dictator's soldiers and tribal thugs,

the International Community has nothing to say.

Will the Organization of the Islamic Conference also keep silent?

Yours Sincerely,

Prof. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis

Notes

1. 'The Periplus of the Red Sea (O Periplous tes Erythras Thalasses) - edition M. S. Megalommatis. A Book Review' (http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-10-2005-74577.asp) and also 'Masr qabl al Islam (Egypt before Islam) - The Greatness of Ancient Egypt in its real dimensions' (http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-12-2005-74752.asp)

2. 'Calling Abyssinia as ‘Ethiopia’: Part of the Oromo Ethiopian Genocide' /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=24464 and 'Usurping the name 'Ethiopia', Abyssinia provokes Islamic Terror' /
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=17647

3. Kofi Annan’s last job: call fallacious ‘Addis Ababa’ Finfinne, capital of Oromo Ethiopia!
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=17953

4. Picture: Pictures from the streets of Mogadishu