MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Senior Somali opposition chief and a member of parliament, Abdirahman Abdishakur, on Sunday accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of dealing with humiliation throughout his latest go to to Ethiopia, following an incident during which the Ethiopian navy saluted him. This occasion has sparked vital controversy, notably in mild of Ethiopia’s plans to determine a naval base in Somalia.
Photos circulating on social media confirmed President Mohamud laying a wreath on the Adwa Victory Memorial in Addis Ababa. Throughout this go to, the Ethiopian navy gave him a proper salute, which shortly triggered outrage throughout Somalia, prompting a backlash on social media.
“President Hassan, regardless of being suggested towards it, landed in Addis Ababa on February 17, 2024, solely to face humiliation. As soon as once more, yesterday, the Ethiopian navy was lined as much as supply a salute to him, additional compounding the embarrassment. Because the host, Abiy demonstrated to the opposite governments [Egypt and Eritrea] that the Somali president is neither reliable nor constant in his actions,” Abdishakur wrote in a submit on X.
He added, “President Hassan supposed to make the thighs of the Somali nation naked, one after one other, daily, and it’s an obligation to not stay passive or detached within the face of this.”
For a lot of Somalis, it was deeply surprising that President Mohamud, who had repeatedly vowed to guard Somalia from Ethiopia, would all of the sudden reverse his place by accepting a salute from landlocked Ethiopia’s controversial navy. This comes after Ethiopia signed a deal to determine a naval base in Somaliland, an settlement that has been broadly opposed by Somalia.
Some have gone so far as to label the incident as a type of nationwide treason. Abdisalam Guled, the previous deputy director of Somalia’s Nationwide Intelligence and Safety Company (NISA), was amongst these expressing such views.
“I urge all Somalis to unite and defend towards inside traitors earlier than trying exterior. That is pure nationwide treason and can’t go unchecked. President HSM should reply for his actions,” Guled declared.
He continued, “A Somali President obtained a salute from the Ethiopian Navy throughout a parade on his go to to Addis Ababa, a rustic that has continuously threatened to determine a naval base in Somalia by all means obligatory. How dare you, Mr. President. Let’s arise for a greater Somalia.”
There are rising considerations about how this incident will have an effect on Somalia’s relations with Egypt and Eritrea, each of which have supported Somalia in its year-long dispute with Ethiopia. Egypt and Eritrea lately pledged to defend Somalia if Ethiopia have been to behave aggressively. Nonetheless, simply this week, Somalia, Egypt, and Eritrea signed an settlement that prohibits non-littoral international locations from establishing a navy presence within the Purple Sea, a direct problem to Ethiopia’s ambitions.
It’s speculated that the incident in Addis Ababa could be a type of retaliation towards Somalia’s place on this difficulty.
The Somali authorities has but to difficulty an announcement concerning the general public outrage triggered by President Mohamud’s go to to Ethiopia.
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