Concerned about the long history of violence in t he Horn of Africa sub-region, The Ethiopian Herald this week prodded the UN Security Council to deploy a peacekeeping mission in lawless Somalia.
“The Horn of Africa has been characterised with tragic scenes, instability and violence for a long time,” said the government-owned daily, pointing out that disastrous events undermined stability of the sub-region.
“As a failed state, Somalia has been serving as a safe haven for terrorist elements who always butcher innocent civilians, launch attacks on institutions through inciting violence and cause destruction to property,” the paper said.
The daily’s appeal for the Security Council intervention in Somalia coincided with the celebration on 2 October 2008 of the second International Day of Non-Violence.
Speaking on that occasion, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi mentioned Somalia as a country where violence has become a habit with the current upsurge of piratical activity along the coast.
Although Ethiopia, as a concerned neighbour, sacrificed a lot of financial, human and other material resources to restore peace in Somalia, The Herald went on that insurgents of different backgrounds and interests continued to disrupt the country’s peace in their bid to bring about chaos.
“Because of these developments, the people of Somalia can hardly lead normal lives and as such the country remains torn apart by terrorism and violence.”
But of more concern to the paper was the lack of attention of the international community to the sacrifices that Ethiopia has made for the cause of peace in Somalia. Panapress .
