“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

————-//———————-

“Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow–it has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it.” – Shakti Gawain, Author Of “Creative Visualization”
————–//————

If there is light in the soul,
There will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
There will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
There will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.
-Chinese Proverb
———-//————-

In Germany they came first for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

-Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
German Protestant Clergyman

We don’t have partners in East Africa. They are all dictatorships with the lone exception of Kenya. The Greater Horn Initiative can work if it is updated to bypass the regimes and empower civil societies. Because building strong civil society and creating and empowering none-governmental institutions is the best way of accelerating change and progress.

I fail to see where you and I disagree. In fact, I happen to believe, just like tens thousands of concerned Ethiopians, that the invasion of Somalia was the country’s biggest policy blunder of the century…and there have been countless seriously clumsy errors in the last two decades.

The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia was requested by Somalians. The United Nations had recognised a legitimate government in Somalia, which Al Shabaab was trying to overthrow with support from Al Qaeda and others. This terror attack in Uganda, along with many other terror attacks, only confirms Al Shabaab should never be allowed take power. It would be a disaster for Somalia and the whole Horn of Africa.

It is very easy to simplify the whole situation and boil it down to simple sem and work (wax and gold) of “World Cup” and “Ethiopian restaurant.” Unfortunately, the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa is much more complicated than that. The point is that the Al-Shabab leadership is made of uneducated clerics. Because if they were even remotely erudite about their own religion, they would surly know that directing holly-war against Ethiopia is in direct violation of the codes and teaching of Islam. In a democracy, it would equal to grounds for impeachment. You can not violate the laws of which you have sworn to protect.

Do they know the story of Bilal, an Ethiopian of key importance in Islam? He was one of the most trusted and loyal Sahaba (companion) of Muhammad and of Ali. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion.

Bilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habashi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582. The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first muezzin of the Islamic faith. He was among the slaves freed by Abu Bakr (see Muhammad and slavery in Wiki) and was known for his beautiful voice with which he called people to their prayers. His name can also be known as, “Bilal ibn Riyah” or “ibn Rabah” and he is sometimes known as “Bilal al-Habashi” or “Bilal the one from Ethiopia”. He died sometime between 638 to 642, when he was just over sixty years old.

Your insinuation by speculation is rendered mute by Shabab itself, which has claimed responsibility for it. The obvious answer to your questions is no. I would say that is bad wishful thinking.

Re: the incident, there are two symbols here (remember all these guys care about is communicating messages to their powerful enemies – often imaginary) at the expense of the blood of innocent and poor people.

1. World Cup: That is designed to command world attention

2. Ethiopian Restaurant: That’s the message wanted delivered

It sucks.

Ethiopia has been home to Christianity, Islam and Jewish religions for more than a thousands years. And the TRUTH is that this type of violence or jihad against Ethiopia is illegal in the Muslim religion.

The nation’s role in providing sanctuary for the earliest Muslims and the “just” and “wise” decision of an Ethiopian Christian king to grant refuge to the family of the Prophet Mohammad, who came to Ethiopia while fleeing from their Arabian-pagan persecutors is well documented, but needs to be shared widely.

Mohammad was very much aware of the generosity of the Ethiopian King, when he dictated the sayings (hadith) of the Prophet that have been recorded and passed on to generations of faithful Muslims, that “Abyssinia is a land of justice in which no one is oppressed.”

In other words, no Jihad or religious war could be waged against Ethiopians. That’s the sacred TRUTH. So violence against Abyssinians will not bring you “virgins,” but rather “fire in hell.”