By: Abdiaziz Ali
Somali saying goes – Dagaal Wiil baa ku Dhinta ee wiil kuma Dhaso!
In English – War Does not Give you a Child but only Takes one Away!
The conflict between Afar and Somali regional states is not new to the eyes and ears of everyone who cares and concerns it. It was making the headlines for decades and dated back long while having different faces.
In this piece, I want to say something on the issue that is giving a hard time for many people. It Took many already into the graves while many are paying the highest price of this long-time issue. During this piece, I will not narrate the details of this conflict what the people of both regions have been through, but rather as a concerned citizen from the Eastern part of Ethiopia, I took a pen to make the headline from my end and request the full stop of this conflict for good reason and cause.
Like I said at the beginning of this piece, is not enough to mark my message, in the meantime, I want to add few other reasons of why I request the FULL STOP of this conflict like this: Everyone who dies without any meaningful means costs to this country’s 100 million complex nation’s economy. Women and children who don’t create wars are paying the highest price, these two regions are among the least developed regions ( LDRs) in Ethiopia policymakers narratives ‘’Developing Regional States (DRSs)’’ and are both marginalized together with Regions who are in the same category which is very orphaned by the policies that favour for few Regions. Many children caught by this crisis are missing the learning environment, blocking them to see their bright future like other children in the country.
So, stopping this conflict and getting for an ultimate solution now will solve the problems I mentioned above. Also, it will help these two regions to focus on the study of the inclusive approach vowed by the same organisation that put them where they are today in terms of development. In case this can heal the wounds of isolation from every platform for the last two decade-plus and benefit the current federal leadership inclusive approach finds them well.
To check what comes to your mind, let me ask a question. Who is the only actor who can FULL STOP this Conflict for good?
No doubts that the answer is evident to everyone aware of the details of the causes. It is the Ethiopian Federal Government. Who knows? I am saying this is very Clear and Bold.
No matter its lateness, current Federal government made the headline of this conflict. For the first time watching the meeting that Ethiopian prime minister’s office hosted the leaders of the two regions on the state television. If it is as I understood from the platform, the host looked like as if it was saving on touching the base and on stopping where the solution is.
Afar and Somali regional States conflict need more than conferences between people or the deployment of military forces. Not because I undermine its effectiveness but because I have every knowledge that these two Regions did several attempts to diffuse their differences including the conferences heard from the crowd to their farthest limit but didn’t work any time.
The only option that I can agree from the narrations made in the meeting is what Somali Regional deputy president Mustafa M. Omer, throw like a hot potato issue. He said ‘’as the issue is based on land disputes let the concerned body consider this and do its work so that we can provide support in our capacity to liquidate it.‘’
Therefore, nothing to repeat, Ethiopian federal government needs to act and prove their commitment of touching the switch of the FULL STOP consciously.
