West accused of seeking to divide Alliance for Reliberation of Somalia

Doha, Qatar, 28 May 2008 - Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel Television in Arabic on 27 May reports on "sharp divisions among the ranks of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia following its participation in the Djibouti meeting" and on "accusations by Sharif Ahmad Sharif, head of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia, against the Eritrean Government of dividing the ranks of the alliance."

The channel then carries a three-minute video report by its correspondent Jami Nur in Asmara, who says: "Eight months only is the age of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia, which was established in Asmara following the overthrow of the Islamic Courts and the entry of Ethiopian forces into Somalia. During this short age, the alliance did not escape some differences in viewpoints in order to realize its objectives; however, these differences did not turn into estrangement and disagreement carried by the media."
 
Speaking of Sharif's recent stand and his "accusations against the Eritrean Government of negatively interfering in the alliance and seeking to divide it," Aminah Ahmad Warsmah, head of the Human Rights Standing Committee, is shown speaking to Al-Jazeera. The Arabic voice-over translation of her statement says: "I believe that what is happening is a US and Western conspiracy in order to direct a blow to the Somali resistance and support a collapsible government."
 
Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim Sa'id, from the Social Affairs Office of the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia, is shown speaking to Al-Jazeera. The Arabic voice-over translation says: "The law of the alliance states that Asmara is the alliance's headquarters, where meetings of the central council are held; however, Sharif's call for holding a session in Djibouti expresses an illegal desire that is confined to a small group."
 
Nur adds: "The alliance now has two heads, one in Asmara and the other in Djibouti. It seems that each party seeks to convince the largest possible number of Somali people of its position. However, military force on the ground is the one that favours the position of one party against the other."
 
Concluding, Nur says: "A torn land suffering from hunger and bullets; leaders who never cease to disagree; and insatiable national and international ambitions. This is the reality of Somalia today, pending a moment of reason and mercy by its sons before its enemies."
 
Original source : Al-Jazeera TV, Doha, in Arabic

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