These actors are either trying to keep of alter the political landscape in Somalia in their favor. This is not a new phenomenon to Africa in general and Somalia in particular. In the early part of 1900s, Italy gave ownership of Western Somalia to Ethiopia making it a black imperialist regime. Likewise, in the 1960’s, Britain gave the NFD region to Kenya against the will of the Somali people while trying to declare Northern Somalia as an independent state. Djibouti became an independent state in the 1970s.

Distribution of Somalia into five regions has been done by colonial powers to weaken Somalia as a country. Somalia went into war with Ethiopia in 1964 and 1977 in an attempt to gain back the Western territory. This was costly to the Somali government as it relied on foreign aid for sustaining the effort. In the 1977 war, both USA and Russia openly supported Ethiopia despite the cold war.

My article focuses on a realistic chance that Somalia has at this time to attain Greater Somalia. There have always been freedom movements in the Somali regions occupied by Kenya and Ethiopia. We, Somalis, should take advantage of the current opportunity where no law can stop us and take back all the land that belongs to Somalia through guerrilla warfare and by installing a sense of patriotism in all Somalis.

In Kenya, the Somali province is the least developed in all aspects of human life. There is no single tarmac road in the whole of the Somali NFD-Northeastern, Moyale and Isiolo. Residents of NortheasternProvince cannot freely travel to the capital, Nairobi which indicates that they are not wanted by Kenya. There are Somali-Kenyan leaders who openly state their willingness to support the secession of NFD from Kenya and its joining of Greater Somalia. In fact, I know some leaders who vowed not to wear a collared shirt as long as NFD remains in Kenya.

Now that Kenya is trying to take advantage of the weak federal government in order to lay claim on some of our territorial waters, we should take advantage of its weak infrastructure and public mood to take over the NFD region and move it to Somalia. Notheasterners are very receptive to the idea of joining Somalia. We should use religion, patriotism and nationalism to lure our fellow Somalis in Kenya into Somalia. Let the Kikuyus, Luos and Kalenjins fight on the rest of Kenya.

Ethiopia has broken all international laws, committed a genocide and destroyed our nationhood. The tribal warlords who overthrew the last Somali government were armed by Ethiopia. From 1978 Ethiopia contributed to the killing of more than one million Somalis by arming opposition groups and warlords and by finally invading Somalia. Ethiopia’s military might and financial standing have been weakened by the invasion into Somalia. We should support Somali and Oromo liberation fighters and infiltrate the public who are being oppressed by Melez Zenawi’s minority Tigrinya clan.

By focusing our attention to Ethiopia and Kenya, we can bring Somalis together and help them to forget their differences and look at the bigger picture. Our Al-Shabab, Hizbul Islam, Ahlu Sunna, police, courts, Puntland, Somaliland, NFD and Western Somalia are all Somalis and should pursue a Somali cause.

This is doable. If you doubt it, look at the pirates who forced the 50 most powerful countries in the world to dread them. They were just fishermen who were determined to keep at bay illegal fishing boats and those dumping nuclear waste at our shores. Now no one can fish or do harm to us because of those boys.

The onus is on all Somali leaders, secular and sacred, to help make this goal a reality.

Abdullahi Ali Mohamed