New evidence suggests Egyptian government is linked to the unrest in Ethiopia, according to a Hargeisa-based source.
The Addis Ababa government is “underestimating the impact of Cairo” on the violence particularly in Oromia region, said a Somaliland diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized.
Last week, the Ethiopian information Minister said the Egyptian government is “not directly linked” with the rebellion. However, the Somaliland diplomat suggested that Egypt has been actively involved in the Ethiopian crisis because of the Nile river dam situation.
He said Egyptian military and intelligence agents have repeatedly approached the Somaliland government in the hope of surrounding landlocked Ethiopia and “infiltrating Eritrea-trained Oromo, Ogaden & Amhara fighters.”
“First they offered us Egyptian investors, and then offered economic assistance and then military training,” as a ploy to manipulate Somaliland relations with Ethiopia, he explained.
Even though the protests in Ethiopia are homegrown and legitimate, they are being radicalized and worsened by Egyptian and Eritrean influence, the SL diplomat suggested. “In fact, we believe there are Egyptian agents already inside Ethiopia.”
Some social media rumors also claimed the Irrecha Oromo festival got out of control when Egypt financed individuals overpowered the Oromo elders speaking at the podium. (VIDEO:.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
The SL diplomat advised Ethiopia to take the matter more seriously because instability in Ethiopia is bad for Somaliland’s survival and its port business. Earlier this year, Somaliland defense minister Ahmed Hajji Ali ‘Adami’ said his country will support Ethiopia against what he called “Egyptian greed” over the Nile.
According to the diplomat, Somaliland government has refused the Egyptian offer because of Egypt’s historical mistake in the 1980s when it deported back thousands of women & children refugees from Somaliland to be massacred by the Siad Barre regime. But the diplomat said some rogue Somaliland politicians are pressuring Hargeisa to work with Egypt in exchange for statehood recognition.
Regarding the political crisis, the SL diplomat told SomalilandPress that the Tigray ethnic group needs to share power with other tribes before it is too late.
“We noticed every Ethiopian foreign minister and every Ethiopian military leader who comes here to negotiate with us is always from the Tigray tribe. Why?,” the diplomat asked.
