Like any other concerned African on the continent and the Diaspora, I feel totally ashamed to hear the African Union lending its support behind Ethiopia aggression of Somalia. I feel so ashamed because, at a time when Europeans are forging ahead with unity politically, economically, culturally, we in Africa opt the path of fragmentation; I feel ashamed because, six (6) years after the transformation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the current African Union (AU), some African leaders still want to remain satellites for detractors to undermine the continent; I feel ashamed because African leaders, though they meet annually to debate on what supposed to be issues concerning the progress of Africa, they still have not come round to accept that so long as the continent is divided, so long shall we be at the bottom of the pie; so long shall black people be disrespected by the world, pushed around, cajoled, manipulated and treated in sub-human fashion. The whole truth is that, Ethiopia ongoing aggression against the people of Somalia cannot be divorced from the bloodbaths in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, etc."

By Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh
Chairman and Leader of the Sierra Leone People's Democratic League (PDL);
And member of the National Committee of the African Unification Front (AUF)
26 December, 2006.
Freetown.

Statement
Subject: Ethiopia championing a proxy aggression in Somalia!

The Sierra Leone People's Democratic League (PDL) wishes to make this press release, and to condemn vehemently, Ethiopia's current invasion and aggression of Somalia as dangerous and worrisome, whereby the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa has sets itself above international Law. As much as we support negotiated settlement to Somalia internal crises, we condemn any outside aggression against the Somali people.

If anything, there is no moral argument to justify the action of Ethiopia against Somalia. And we want the government in Addis Ababa to understand that no civilized person can buy its policy of aggression on Somalia; that its current mayhem unleashing on the people of Somalia threatens regional peace and stability, which must be condemned by all peace-loving people.

As a Pan-African organ and strong defender of the noble goals of the African Unification Front (AUF), we call upon the authorities in Addis Ababa to halt all Ethiopian military activities in Somalia; and we demand for an immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces of aggression out of Somalia. We want the Ethiopian government to understand that Somalia is not a province or region under any foreign entity. And the current invasion and aggression of Somalia, by the Ethiopian army is criminal, outrageous and an attempt to commit atrocities and other heinous crimes against the Somali people.

We challenge the African Union (AU) to tell the international community when did Ethiopia complaint to it about a perceived threat from local militia in Somalia; and what steps the AU took to address the issue. Otherwise, the AU reported backing for Ethiopian aggression on Somalia only confirmed earlier complaints by Somali militants that Ethiopia was terrorizing the Somali population. In other words, the AU hatred for the people of Somalia is a fictitious ploy to further the desires of detractors to Africa. This can only go a long way to worsen the sufferings of the Somali people. It also encourages the authorities in Addis Ababa to abandon the needs of the Ethiopian people, to become the Hitler of East Africa. The AU must understand as well that it false start in the Ethiopian led aggression on Somalia will only help to complicate its mission in the Sudan.

As affiliate member of the Green Charter International (GCI) for peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and justice, we call upon the international community, the Arab League, Organization of the Islamic Conference, European Union, the United Nations and friends of Africa the world over not to abandon Somalia, but to help the East African nation out of its current mess. We call also the international community to exert pressure on the Ethiopian government to end its aggression of Somalia.

Somalia must live!

Bockarie Kai Kai
Acting PDL Secretary for Information and Mass Mobilisation
Freetown.