Hailu Showel Sees Ethio-Muslims as threat, unreliable

A confidential cable released by wikileaks which dates back 2008, gives a grim picture of the view of the Ethiopian opposition figure, Hailu Showel. The opposition figure sees the Muslim dominance in the business sector  as a threat to the stability of the country, and blames the government for failing to change it.

Asked to define the greatest threat to Ethiopian stability, Hailu said the rise of extremist Islam is a clear and present danger. "The money is now in Muslim hands," he said, adding that "(the ruling) Tigrayans are fighting for their cut but they get very little. EPRDF companies are mismanaged and inanimate. Even backed by the Central Bank they have no capacity for management and are not growing." Hailu said Ethiopia's (traditionally moderate) Muslim communities are falling under the sway of "those who want to put Ethiopia under (extremist) control." He added, "Many are not aware of the (strength of) the Islamic movement and are not doing anything about it." Throughout the countryside, young Christian women are converting to Islam, Hailu alleged. The EPRDF takes no actions against Islamic extremists

Though Showel urges the Christians to appeal to the Muslims , he  adds his concern of the reliability of the Muslims. Hailu also stresses the importance of `Christian Ethiopia` for the stability.

Hailu said Ethiopian Christians must work to appeal to moderate Muslims, but he worried aloud that, "when crunch time comes, the Muslims will band together." He described the imperative in "Clash of Civilization" terms, arguing that "Ethiopia is where Christianity and democracy have to stand firm; if not, forget about security along the equator. (Extremists) can travel freely anywhere in the Muslim world, which will stretch from West Africa to Indonesia. The tendency of Islam is dictatorial. (Christian countries) face a big contagion."

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SUBJECT: HAILU SHAWAL: NO NEED FOR COALITIONS FOR NOW