In response to Mr. Samatar, it is hard for me to answer all the questions that arise from such an article, but I will try to answer as many as I can and to the best of my ability.  

It is true that the Somalis have gone through painful agony and suffered enough in the hands of warlords supported and funded by the Ethiopians for the past 16 years. After defeating the warlords, which angered the Ethiopian leadership, Mr. Samatar confessed this period was miraculously terminated by the UIC and with it a remarkable peace was brought back to the people of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia (Not the ex-capital).  

For Mr. Samatar's information, the UIC did not make any administration for Mogadishu; Firstly, they had hoped that this Ethiopian selected government may agree to come to the capital after its stabilization not knowing that they work under Zenawi's command. Secondly, they did not want to be perceived as a power thirsty people, not because of incompetence - as many of them were more educated than these Ethiopian puppets.

Mr. Samatar agrees that the UIC opened the airport and the seaport but considers this action a means to generate revenue. Is it not fair to say that this is a job that no-one had managed to do for the past 16 years? Regardless of any financial benefits, after this many years, is it not the nation's benefit to arrive at Mogadishu's international airport and the ships to dock at the international seaport? Is this called a cynic operation or an unforgettable opportunity for our people's interest? 

Mr. Samatar says that the only propaganda of the UIC was Ethiopia and not our national problems. Do people like Mr. Samatar know that the UIC invited this shambolic government to come and operate from Mogadishu?  Does he know that they have been to Khartoum several times for negotiations and dialogue? Was it not these traitors that always rejected their invitation and demanded their disarmament even though they had no control of anything?  

Unless I am mistaken, bearing in mind that Mr. Samatar is himself a Somali-born Muslim, he repeatedly mentions the word Islamist in his article; who or what does he mean by Islamist? How does he feel when he hears things like 'The Bush administration is widely thought to have given neighboring Christian-led Ethiopia the green light to expel Islamists' or 'The Christian-led Ethiopian army invaded Somalia'? To whom does he side with? Does he believe that Islam puts our nation back into the road of the prehistoric era of mankind, implying that Islam has no place in today's world? It is wise to think before you say anything.

He also accuses the UIC of revitalizing the tribalism in Somalia. Maybe Mr. Samatar and his narrow-minded compatriots have not heard the speeches of Abdullaahi Yuusuf, Cadde Muuse or those of the warlords such as Qanyare and Maxamed-Dheere being broadcast around the world? Is there anything else that can revitalize tribalism in Somalia better than these individuals mentioned? Do you see similarities? The real people of Somalia would be very grateful if you could give them one example of similar words to those of Abdullaahi Yuusuf, Cadde Muuse, or Maxamed-Dheere from the leaders of the UIC. 

Mr. Samatar says, it is irresponsible to say that the Ethiopians are our enemies and that whoever says this is either an 'intellectual and a frustrated opportunist' or 'brutally illiterate'. He also claims that, the vast majority of the Somali people don't see any difference between the Islamists, warlords and Ethiopians.  

If the Ethiopians are not our enemy then we don't have enemies. In response to the ill-judged remarks - 'whoever says Ethiopians are our enemy is irresponsible'; who do you consider to be responsible? Is it the people like the so-called interior minister who (prematurely) calls for the elimination of Somalia and claims that Somalia will be part of Ethiopia? Or maybe the defense minister, the foreign minister, the vice defense minister or even the so-called Prime Minister whom all had similar things to say. For me, I have no doubt that this is the hidden agenda of this Ethiopian-led government and the coming days will testify to this.

On the other hand, I don't understand where all these words are stemming from at a time when many Somalis don't sleep, eat or work in regard to Ethiopian annexation of their country. Maybe you are the opportunist that you are claiming the others to be Mr. Samatar, retaliating to some people over others or trying to please the Ethiopians. To say the vast majority of Somali people don't see any difference between Islamist, warlords and Ethiopians is a baseless and falsified claim that has no evidence, because such claim needs to be studied before articulating it. Tell me who carried out this survey and came up such conclusions? Rather, the vast majority of Somali people considers the Ethiopians to be their number one enemy and is willing to strive against them however long it takes.

To give Hargiesa and Bosaaso as an example of having a good relationship with Ethiopia is also unfounded and weak, because this is a part of Ethiopian despotism over our land and I can assure you that the people of these two cities would have cut their links with Ethiopians if they could, it is their puppet regimes that are loyal to the Ethiopians not the public. Don't you remember Mr Samatar that, in November last year the people of Puntland made a public declaration to their administration, demanding to adopt the sharia law and Cadde Muuse had no choice but to babble publicly and announce that he will rule by the sharia law. 

Finally, people like Mr. Samatar are either misguided or trying to misguide others. Our nation will never be reborn through invasion and colonism. The annexation of Somalia by the Ethiopian forces is unacceptable to all Somali people across the world and it is also an abuse to our dignity and sovereignty. This government you claim will reorganize the country; does it have power to do anything? Does it have the trust of the people they want to rule - in any part of the country? Does it have a strategy to pull the Ethiopian army out of our soul? Is it not this so-called government that made all our brothers and sisters, our wealth and national resources available to Ethiopians without any costs?

We hope for the best and wait for the worst. I will leave the answers of these questions for the people of Somalia who are asking Allah to raise the Ethiopian humiliation against them.

By: A M Nur (Dhaashane)

Email: eccentre@hotmail.com