Yonas Abiye
29 June 2006
Addis Ababa — Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said on Tuesday that the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia who now controls Mogadishu was a messenger voice of the Eritrean government who in the past has executed Eritrean wicked agenda of destabilizing the country.
Briefing local and international press on the current economic and political issues in the country, including peace and security in the region, Meles accused Ethiopia's foe Eritrea of corroborating with Mogadishu's Islamic courts, whose militia recently seized power of the capital from secular alliance of warlords.
"Al-ithead has been involved in terrorist acts in Addis Ababa," Meles said referring to mysterious blasts that rocked the capital last year.
The Islamic Court Union, in which members of Al-Itahid have the upper hands, is said to have links with Al Qaeda.
After months of fierce war in which over 350 people were killed, the Islamist militias drove the secular warlords out of the capital Mogadishu earlier this month.
The two sides signed an agreement in Khartoum last Thursday to suspend military and propaganda campaigns, recognize each other and meet on July 15 for more talks.
There have been reports of disagreements between the two groups on the deployment of foreign peace keepers in Somalia.
After he was named Head of the Islamic Council, Sheik Ahmed Dahir Awyes, on Washington's list of most wanted terrorists, strongly objected the deployment of peace keepers in Somalia.
The newly appointed leader said on Monday that fellow African nations should block any deployment of foreign forces in to Somali.
Prime Minister Meles said his government's position towards the peace process in Somali was similar to that of the international community which is to support President Yusuf Abdullah's Transitional Federal Government, and its institutions, including the Parliament and the Constitution.
The Premier also said his government was working with IGAD, the African Union and the International Community towards... peaceful resolution of the conflict in Somalia.
"There should be no resumption of war in Somalia," he said.
Many fear recent advance to the Ethiopian border of the Islamists in Somalia coupled with the stalemate with Eritrea may put the country under threat that could be very dangerous to the peace and security in the region.
Meles said there was not the belief among the international community that the Islamic Court Union would indulge in open conflicts with Ethiopia.
"The international Community is of the opinion that the so called Islamic Court Union will not extend its military operations in to Ethiopia," Meles said.
Meles also issued a warning to the Islamic Courts of crossing Ethiopia's border saying there was a redline the ICS will do better not to make mistake with.
Meles did not make it a secret that security along the border with Somalia has been increased in case of "the resurgence of Jihadists in Mogadishu.
"It (Al-Itahid) is a terrorist organization which has no qualms in planting bombs in hotels and so it would be absolutely prudent for us to take proper precautionary measures," he said.
Responding to a question on the border row with Eritrea and the not yet begun demarcation process, Meles reiterated Ethiopia's commitment to resolve the conflict peacefully through dialogue.
"Demarcation is not a new thing," Meles said, "Ethiopia has put the five pre conditions for the demarcation process to begin."
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