Medeshi
Somalia's Sh. Sharif promises good relations with neighbouring countries
DJIBOUTI — Somali opposition leader Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is vowing to reconcile all warring parties, rebuild his war-ravaged country and improve relations with all neighbors, including arch foe Ethiopia, if elected president.
"I believe there is a big hope of creating a government of national unity," Sheikh Sharif told Reuters on Tuesday, January 27.
"There are no major differences between the Somali people."
Sheikh Sharif, the presidential candidate of the opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), said it was time for all Somalis to find peace.
"The insurgents had been fighting for the Ethiopian withdrawal. Now they have pulled out of the country, there is no reason to fight and kill more Somalis."
Al-Shebab group seized control of the south-central town of Baidoa, the seat of parliament, on Monday, January 26, a few hours after Ethiopia withdrew its troops.
The group, once an off-shot of Sheikh Sharif's Islamic Courts, had relentlessly fought Ethiopian and government forces and is threatening to continuing fighting until the implementation of Shari`ah.
"If they have a political agenda, we are ready to talk to them. And the second issue may be based on religion, and we are ready to discuss that with them," Sheikh Sharif.
"In this new era, we have to improve security. We will try to join all the forces available, whether they are insurgents, the current security forces or former military," he vowed.
"What these young militia men believe is not what they were born into. We will try to convince them how valuable it is to be a security officer working for the nation's interest."
Peaceful Region
Sheikh Sharif, whose Islamic Courts Union ruled Somalia for six months in 2006 before being ousted by Ethiopian troops, promised better relations with all neighbors.
"It is very, very necessary to improve our relations with the neighboring countries and to end the long dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia."
Ethiopia, traditionally seen by Somalis as a Christian rival, completed its troops withdrawal on Sunday.
Addis Ababa sent thousands of troops to Somalia to topple the Islamic Courts, which briefly restored a rare peace to Somalia.
Sheikh Sharif expressed hope that a detente with Ethiopia would help rebuild his war-wrecked country.
"That will help the region's development, because poverty in the region is encouraging the conflict to continue and we have to stand for eradicating it."
On Tuesday, Somali lawmakers extended by five days the time period needed to elect a new president to replace Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed who resigned last month.
The parliament was expanded a day earlier to give the ARS 200 seats in the new 500-member legislature as part of a UN-brokered power-sharing deal.
Somalia has had no effective central authority and been embroiled in almost uninterrupted inter-clan and civil strife since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre.
"I believe there is a big hope of creating a government of national unity," Sheikh Sharif told Reuters on Tuesday, January 27.
"There are no major differences between the Somali people."
Sheikh Sharif, the presidential candidate of the opposition Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), said it was time for all Somalis to find peace.
"The insurgents had been fighting for the Ethiopian withdrawal. Now they have pulled out of the country, there is no reason to fight and kill more Somalis."
Al-Shebab group seized control of the south-central town of Baidoa, the seat of parliament, on Monday, January 26, a few hours after Ethiopia withdrew its troops.
The group, once an off-shot of Sheikh Sharif's Islamic Courts, had relentlessly fought Ethiopian and government forces and is threatening to continuing fighting until the implementation of Shari`ah.
"If they have a political agenda, we are ready to talk to them. And the second issue may be based on religion, and we are ready to discuss that with them," Sheikh Sharif.
"In this new era, we have to improve security. We will try to join all the forces available, whether they are insurgents, the current security forces or former military," he vowed.
"What these young militia men believe is not what they were born into. We will try to convince them how valuable it is to be a security officer working for the nation's interest."
Peaceful Region
Sheikh Sharif, whose Islamic Courts Union ruled Somalia for six months in 2006 before being ousted by Ethiopian troops, promised better relations with all neighbors.
"It is very, very necessary to improve our relations with the neighboring countries and to end the long dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia."
Ethiopia, traditionally seen by Somalis as a Christian rival, completed its troops withdrawal on Sunday.
Addis Ababa sent thousands of troops to Somalia to topple the Islamic Courts, which briefly restored a rare peace to Somalia.
Sheikh Sharif expressed hope that a detente with Ethiopia would help rebuild his war-wrecked country.
"That will help the region's development, because poverty in the region is encouraging the conflict to continue and we have to stand for eradicating it."
On Tuesday, Somali lawmakers extended by five days the time period needed to elect a new president to replace Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed who resigned last month.
The parliament was expanded a day earlier to give the ARS 200 seats in the new 500-member legislature as part of a UN-brokered power-sharing deal.
Somalia has had no effective central authority and been embroiled in almost uninterrupted inter-clan and civil strife since the 1991 ouster of former president Mohamed Siad Barre.
