Somalia: More protests witnessed in Somaliland after controversial sea deal with Ethiopia

HARGEISA, Somalia - Thousands of people from the breakaway region of Somaliland have continued to throng into streets to oppose the recent agreement signed between Muse Bihi Abdi and Ethiopia's expansionist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, terming it "illegal and unprecedented".

At Borame town in the Awdal region, thousands of locals cheer the Somali government's clear stance on Ethiopia's illegal agreement with northern Somalia regions signed with Ethiopia which undermines the country's security and territorial integrity.

"Our sea is not for sale," they said as they chanted anti-Ethiopia songs while affirming their support for the federal government of Somalia. They accused Ethiopia of "naked aggression" as they asked the international community to chip in and restore order.

"We will not allow #Ethiopia to acquire even an inch of our ocean or land LET ALONE a 20-Km," say angry protesters in Borama, Awdal region during a mass demonstration against Ethiopia's Red Sea access deal with Somaliland which sparked outrage across Somalia.

In Lughaye, youths armed themselves to resist Ethiopia’s unlawful agreement with Somaliland’s "illegitimate" leader in northern Somalia; Muse Bihi Abdi. They vowed to resist the attempts through war should Ethiopia insist on taking the 20 kilometers of land offered by Somaliland.

MP Mohamed Hussein, a member of the northern regions administration from Awdal region, slammed Ethiopia's expansionist ambitions over Somali land and sea as "unjust" and "violating". He insisted that the idea was "signed against our will".

Somalia’s PM Hamza Abdi Barre stated that “we cannot allow” anyone to violate the nation’s sovereignty and dignity. He added that “we will defend” its territorial integrity by legal means. He said the federal government will do "everything" to scuttle the deal.

But Somaliland's Minister for Commerce Mohamed Hassan Saajin said Ethiopia wants land and "not sea". He was talking about the recent MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland, declared illegal by the Somali government and parliament.

But Abdiqani Mohamud Aateeye, one of the key ministers of Musa Bihi Abdi's regime, resigned from his position. He told Horyaal Television, a local station based in Hargeisa that his decision came after consulting Bihi since he does not support the deal.

GAROWE ONLINE