MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Senior Somali opposition leader and a member of parliament, Abdirahman Abdishakur, on Sunday accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of facing humiliation during his recent visit to Ethiopia, following an incident in which the Ethiopian navy saluted him. This event has sparked significant controversy, particularly in light of Ethiopia’s plans to establish a naval base in Somalia.
Images circulating on social media showed President Mohamud laying a wreath at the Adwa Victory Memorial in Addis Ababa. During this visit, the Ethiopian navy gave him a formal salute, which quickly triggered outrage across Somalia, prompting a backlash on social media.
“President Hassan, despite being advised against it, landed in Addis Ababa on February 17, 2024, only to face humiliation. Once again, yesterday, the Ethiopian navy was lined up to offer a salute to him, further compounding the embarrassment. As the host, Abiy demonstrated to the other governments [Egypt and Eritrea] that the Somali president is neither dependable nor consistent in his actions,” Abdishakur wrote in a post on X.
He added, “President Hassan intended to make the thighs of the Somali nation bare, one after another, day by day, and it is an obligation not to remain passive or indifferent in the face of this.”
For many Somalis, it was deeply shocking that President Mohamud, who had repeatedly vowed to protect Somalia from Ethiopia, would suddenly reverse his position by accepting a salute from landlocked Ethiopia’s controversial navy. This comes after Ethiopia signed a deal to establish a naval base in Somaliland, an agreement that has been widely opposed by Somalia.
Some have gone as far as to label the incident as a form of national treason. Abdisalam Guled, the former deputy director of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), was among those expressing such views.
“I urge all Somalis to unite and defend against internal traitors before looking outside. This is pure national treason and cannot go unchecked. President HSM must answer for his actions,” Guled declared.
He continued, “A Somali President received a salute from the Ethiopian Navy during a parade on his visit to Addis Ababa, a country that has constantly threatened to establish a naval base in Somalia by all means necessary. How dare you, Mr. President. Let’s stand up for a better Somalia.”
There are growing concerns about how this incident will affect Somalia’s relations with Egypt and Eritrea, both of which have supported Somalia in its year-long dispute with Ethiopia. Egypt and Eritrea recently pledged to defend Somalia if Ethiopia were to act aggressively. However, just this week, Somalia, Egypt, and Eritrea signed an agreement that prohibits non-littoral countries from establishing a military presence in the Red Sea, a direct challenge to Ethiopia’s ambitions.
It is speculated that the incident in Addis Ababa might be a form of retaliation against Somalia’s position on this issue.
The Somali government has yet to issue a statement regarding the public outrage triggered by President Mohamud’s visit to Ethiopia.
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