[A-List] Somali Political Opposition Coalition Being Formed... in Eritrea

["Leigh Meyers" <the.buffalo.in.the.midst@xxxxxxxxx>]

Need a cynical laugh?

    "Who is sitting in Asmara with the Eritrean government?  They are
not taking care of the interests of the Somali people." [Prime
Minister Gedi]

Because: "...moderates, who largely did not support radical activities...".

Were treated to this (in one instance, a 'column of cars'... for 3
days): http://www.air-attack.com/MIL/ac130/ac130_header.jpg

...and fled the country.

But Prime Minister Gedi says: "I do not know if you believe that there
are moderates and they can join the reconciliation.  If you believe
it, it is not true," he added.  "

Gotta believe this guy.
Everything I know is wrong, according to the CIA and it's operatives.

Leigh
	
Somalia's Government Confirms Opposition Coalition Being Formed in Eritrea
By Alisha Ryu
Mogadishu
09 June 2007

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-06-09-voa16.cfm
	
Ryu report - Download 635k audio clip
Listen to Ryu report audio clip

Somalia's interim Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi has confirmed a
story reported by VOA on Friday about a coalition being established in
Eritrea, composed of groups opposed to the Somali government and its
main backer, Ethiopia.  VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has the details
from the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

In an interview with VOA, Prime Minister Gedi said his government is
closely monitoring the activities of the newly-formed anti-government,
anti-Ethiopian coalition, sponsored by Ethiopia's chief rival in the
Horn, Eritrea.

On Friday, VOA reported that the coalition, established in late May,
is believed made up of at least four major groups: Somalia's defeated
Islamic Courts Union, Ethiopia's Ogaden National Liberation Front and
the Oromo Liberation Front rebels, and anti-Ethiopian former
parliament members of the Somali transitional government.

Prime Minister Gedi says an immediate goal of the Eritrean-based
coalition is to derail a government-hosted Somali national
reconciliation conference, scheduled to begin next Saturday in
Mogadishu.

"They are pursuing activities that are aimed at spoiling the
reconciliation process," he said.  "Who is sitting in Asmara with the
Eritrean government?  They are not taking care of the interests of the
Somali people.  Those are enemies of the Somali people, and that is
why they are forming this coalition.  An alliance of Islamic courts
and terrorists will never come in this country."

Somalia's interim government took power in Mogadishu in late December,
after an Ethiopia-led offensive ended the Islamists' six-month rule.

At the time, the leadership of the Islamic Courts Union was thought to
be divided between hardliners, who had formed links with extremist
groups like the al-Qaida terror organization, and moderates, who
largely did not support radical activities.

For months, western countries, led by the United States, urged
Somalia's secular interim government to open a dialogue with Sheik
Sharif Sheik Ahmed, the leader of the court's moderate Executive
Council and to include moderate Islamists in the national
reconciliation talks, aimed at bringing peace to Somalia after 16
years of civil war.

But Prime Minister Gedi and other government officials have firmly
opposed inviting any representatives of the Islamic Courts Union to
the talks.

On Saturday, the Somali leader noted that Sheik Ahmed has been named
political leader of the new coalition in Eritrea, slamming the door
for good on western hopes that the interim government could reconcile
with moderates in the courts.

"I do not know if you believe that there are moderates and they can
join the reconciliation.  If you believe it, it is not true," he
added.

Many Somalis in war-torn Mogadishu doubt that a reconciliation
conference can succeed without including the government's chief
opponents.

Hundreds of Islamist supporters and nationalists angry over the
presence of Ethiopian troops in the country are said to be active in
the violent insurgency in the capital.

--30--