ETHIOPIA: IRIN interview with Federal MP Korfa Garane Ahmad

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 14 November (IRIN) - Ethiopia's Somali Region recently completed elections, which had been postponed since May because of a major food crisis and insecurity in the Ogaden, southeastern Ethiopia. Since Ethiopia introduced a federal democratic system in 1992, the Somali Region has seen a succession of regional presidents elected and removed. The area is one of the most underdeveloped in Ethiopia, with successive central governments using a military presence as a means of asserting control over a region which is intimately connected with neighbouring Somalia. Since coming to power, the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has attempted to establish a "friendly" administration. However, the main armed opposition group, the Ogaden National Liberation front (ONLF), continues to call for the independence of the Ogaden, and emphasises the cultural, economic and political ties with neighbouring Somalia. Even the staunchest supporters of the central government are intimately connected to Somalia, as MP Korfa Garane Ahmad explained to IRIN. Korfa is MP for Kelafo, Mustahil and Ferfer, southeastern Ethiopia, and is a member of the region's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Q: What difference do you think the recent elections will make to the Ethiopian Somali Region?

A: There is a very big difference between the last election and the previous ones. The main difference was participation. A lot more people participated in this one, and people were more aware of their democratic rights: they understood better the choice of candidates, and knew they had the right to elect... The people really tried to understand and select the parties whose programmes they agreed with.

Q: As an elected MP, what are your priorities now for your own area?

A: The first priority is that we want to concentrate on social services, such as education, health, and the fight against hunger. Telecommunications is another area we must concentrate on, and the lack of good roads. We hope to have a digital telephone service in place soon.

Q: Why has it been so difficult in the Somali Region to establish an administration? This is the sixth Somali president - the biggest turnover of regional presidents in the country.

A: It is not in the Somali Region alone, but it is typical of areas where changes are taking place. It is a part of the transition to democracy and happens anywhere in the world. It is not something peculiar to the Somali Region.

Q: Do you think the Somali Region - which is very underdeveloped and suffered a major food crisis this year - gets the resources it deserves?

A: You are right, the Somali Region is very susceptible to natural disasters, because we do not have the necessary capacity to deal with such problems. That is why these problems recur in our region. As you are aware, we had a major famine the beginning of this year, due the fact that the rains failed for three consecutive years. This caused the loss of a lot of livestock, which forms the backbone of the economy of the people in Ethiopia's Somali Region. Farmers also suffered because their crops were destroyed by worm known as "Gaduudiye". This attacks roots and inhibits the stalks from becoming productive. The state administration now has a five year-plan in place, and one of the priorities is food security. We suffer from recurrent drought, and to deal with it we need to develop the area and stand on our own feet. This is what I hope we will deal in the near future. Both the regional government and the ruling party have put emphasis on development in our five-year plan.... We need to concentrate on the livestock sector, agriculture, and of course water - which is one of our biggest problems.

Q: What about the identity of the region. Does it see itself as Ethiopian or Somali?

A: There was always a relationship with Somalia, because the people share the same language, religion and culture. There was also trade between the two, and so it is a very close relationship.

Q: You used to serve the former Somali government, and now you serve in the Ethiopian government. Are there a lot of people in the region who have a foot in both camps?

A: You are right. I used to work in the Somali national bank, and now I am a member of the Ethiopian parliament. But as know, this was a very unstable region during the Dergue (former communist-style dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam) and the (Emperor) Haile Selassie regimes, which oppressed the people of Ethiopia in general, but were even more repressive in the Somali Region. That was the main reason for so many Somalis fleeing to Somalia, whose policy was to welcome Somalis wherever they came from. The government gave them the same rights as other Somalis. Luckily, the EPRDF victory (over Mengistu in 1991) and the democratic changes it brought about has given us the opportunity to come back to our country and participate in its development, and its transition to democracy. Therefore, I don't regard where anyone went as a big deal. They eventually come back to their mother country.

Q: Do you feel more Somali or Ethiopian?

A: I am an Ethiopian, but as you are aware, Ethiopia is a Federal state, consisting of nine states. I am part of that arrangement, from the Somali regional state. There is no contradiction here. I am an Ethiopian Somali.

Q: You were in your Kelafo constituency when the new government in Somalia was elected. What was the reaction of people to the election of a Somali President?

A: They celebrated. Everybody who could watched and listened to the elections, until the results came early in the morning. We heard them shouting and clapping. People welcomed it, because they are concerned by the instability and chaos in Somalia and because of the close relations between the two people - be it commercial or cultural. So they wanted to see an end to this chaos and instability in Somalia. I see their welcome as a desire to see some sort of a government in Somalia, after a 10-year period without one.

Q: In what sort of ways do you think the political developments will affect the Somali region?

A: Well, as I said, there have always been strong relations between this region and Somalia. A lot of our problems in this region are related to Somalia. So, if there is a government that can deal with problems inside Somalia, it will mean fewer problems for us here. Somalia has become a place where those opposed to peace hide out. An established government there could be the beginning of good neighbourliness between our two countries, and a closer relationship could be built. We all welcome anything that will contribute to an stable environment in Somalia. Our region has seen a lot of difficulties. It suffered instability and neglect during the previous regimes. We have now embarked on development, and international aid agencies and donors need to give the region greater attention.