[War] Ethiopia: Kenyan cowboys

[David McGrogan]

(Source: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/B184729.htm)

Ethiopia: Kenyan cowboys
Prime Minisiter Zalelew Wami
3rd of August 2006

Rain was falling. Heavy, big droplets that splattered on the windows.

"A fine day for it, anyway," Wami said softly, standing with his arms folded 
and staring out at the storm. The sky was a threatening grey-black.

"Word from the Kenyan border," Mesfin said after a while. Seyoum Mesfin was 
the Interior Minister, an older man with one ear missing - a legacy of 1991; 
liike many in the EPRDF, Mesfin had been amongst those who stormed Addis 
Ababa and removed the Derg in the last heady days of the communist regime.

"Yes?" said Wami.

"There may have been 19 deaths. 4 of them were Kenyan security."

Wami swore under his breath. When he'd come to power, he'd meant to 
concentrate on environmental and infrastructure problems -  he'd felt those 
to be the biggest threats to his country. But instead he was being forced to 
put his energy into dealing with Ethiopia's unstable neighbours - Somalia, 
Sudan, and now Kenya.

"Any word from the Kenyan government?" Wami asked.

"None yet. They may just be finding out too."

It had been July the 4th, or thereabouts, that cattle-rustlers from the 
Ethiopian side of the border had carried out a revenge attack on tribes in 
Kenya. News from the lawless South took a long time to filter up to Addis 
Ababa, and it might very well take a long time to get to Nairobi, too.

"We need to act quickly. Africa will be disappointed if I don't live up to 
my hardliner image," Wami said.

"First things first," said Mesfin. "An infantry bridage should be sent to 
put an end to any more revenge attacks. The 9th is a reliable outfit, and 
they should be able to impose order. The police units in the area obviously 
aren't capable of doing that at the moment."

"Yes," said Wami. "And let's contact the Kenyan government. Our border has 
been porous for too long. It's a disaster for national security for both our 
nations. And a disaster for development too. How are we supposed to improve 
people's lives in the area if all they do is try to kill each other?"

"This will hopefully send some sort of message to the people that we meen 
business," said Mesfin, picking up the phone. "The government controls 
Ethiopia, and the government is not afraid to impose order for the good of 
the nation."

Wami nodded and looked out of the window once more, watching the rain wash 
down over the city.

ACTIONS

1 - Send an infantry brigade to secure the Kenyan border, to stabilise the 
situation and put an end to any tit-for-tat violence. They are to stay for 
at least two months.

2 - Contact the Kenyan government and express solidarity in bringing the 
rule of law to the border areas, and discuss the possibility of improved 
co-operation between Ethiopian and Kenyan border security forces.

3 - Recruit more Federal Police in a long term 'Border Security' scheme.

4 - Try to tackle the root of the problem by encouraging dialogue between 
different bands of herders and promoting efforts to share and husband scarce 
resources through government grants.

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