[DEHAI] FW: Somalia under UN Transitional Administration


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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sun Nov 01 2009 - 06:34:12 EST


Somalia under UN Transitional Administration
31 Oct 31, 2009 - 9:12:44 PM

http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia_under_UN_Tran
sitional_Administration.shtml

With this month's (October) transition from non- extendable five (5) years'
term of Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to two (2) years' term of
Transitional Federal Unity Government (TFUG), Somalia lost the right for
self-Government and fell under the authority of United Nations Transitional
Administration -Neo-Trusteeship or peacekeeping without consent. The move
has been made possible by the last two complementary policy traps of Bush
Administration to deny Obama Administration the opportunity for significant
policy change in the Horn of Africa. The traps were the hastily formed TFUG
in Djibouti and the Security Council Resolution S/Res/1863/2009 that
anticipated the establishment of UN peacekeeping operation, an euphemism for
Transitional Administration. This also endorses the views of the experts who
have argued that the United States and other Western Countries must support
a United Nations Transitional Administration in countries where there is no
functioning and legitimate government but that there is an international and
regional consensus for the creation of Neo-Trusteeship. After brutal failed
invasion, Ethiopia maliciously and tirelessly continues to campaign for
AU-UN Occupation of South-Central Somalia. Therefore, understanding and
taking stock of the implications of this juncture is very critical for
Somalia's future.

The lost sovereignty is marked by the automatic repeal of the Transitional
Federal Charter (TFC) in favor of Djibouti Agreement (DA) signed between the
TFG and Alliance for Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS-D) and by the formation
of two committees- the Joint Security Committee and the High Level Political
Committee- both chaired by the United Nations. The local counterparts play
subordinate roles.

Somalia was candidate for UN Trusteeship rule since October 1992, when
former UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros Ghali proposed the idea to the
UN Security Council. At that time, the Council declined to formally approve
the idea. But the emergency of major threats to international security
because of large number of collapsed or rogue states, fierce resurgence of
Political Islam, genocide, and calls for human security in response to
catastrophic humanitarian crisis gave way an intense theoretical political
and legal debate which produced large body of knowledge and generated
rationale for international intervention in sovereign states on grounds of
international security and human security. The risks, abuses and distortions
inherent in foreign interventions have been forcefully raised.

The inability of the Somalis to care their shared destiny and primordial
identity, culture, values and land has been used against them and it remains
an excuse for the neo-trusteeship. In a Speech of June 19, 2009 at Chatham
House in London, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General
(SRSG) stated that most of the problems in the Somalia are related to
leadership and the Elite- be they political, intellectual and business- have
taken the population, the agenda and everything hostage. He hailed articles
8 and 9 of AD prescribing the formation of Joint Security Committee for
security sector reform and the High Level Political Committee for national
policy coordination and implementation. A Commission for drafting Federal
Constitution is also chaired by the UN.

The SRSG added, "It is very difficult to run a country or to be a candidate
for running a country if you don't have the right skills. This was visible
in Djibouti and is the case with the opposition who are from young
generation.. The High Level Political Committee will be a good preparation
for the political management of a future Somalia.The committees will not be
parallel government but something that helps address national issues and
whose members should be seen as members of a leading group." He asked: "Why
should the Central Bank be under the control of the minister of finance? It
is good that for the opposition to gain experience of the national central
bank, where there is a problem of printing fake money." However, it is
important to note that at the end of the Djibouti process, there were no two
parties sharing power. Instead, TFG became Transitional Federal Unity
Government (TFUG) and the opposition leaders took over the power to run the
country.

Besides UN Trust Fund and the AMISOM forces, the spring-board for the UN
Transitional Administration is UN Somalia Aid Coordination Body (SCAB) -
International shadow government based in Nairobi, Kenya- , established after
the collapse of Somali State and chaired by UNDP. SCAB manages the annual
Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) for Somalia. The 2009 CAP is $ 919 million
compare to $ 662 million of 2008.

The Report of the Secretary General S/2009/210 details the short and long
term strategy, goals and policies for implementing Security Council
Resolution S/Res/1863/2009. On October 2, the Secretary General submitted
Report S/2009/503 that falls far short of providing a right picture of the
human tragedy witnessed immediate after the UN-led Djibouti peace initiative
and ignores the far greater crimes and systematic destruction of livelihood
of the local population, corruption and poor governance in public domain
associated with UN supported parties. The call for reconciliation on the
basis of DA is a game as long as the operative policy is that the opposition
must join ARS-D Government or be completely isolated.

The report remains silent about the strategy of African Union Mission for
Somalia (AMISOM) to fight insurgents by terrorizing the civilians in order
to displace them so that Mogadishu remains empty. AMISOM's recent
compensation for killed camels in contrast to the standard denial of
shelling, killing, wounding and displacing innocent civilians and destroying
their properties has deeply offended and angered the local population who
composed poems decrying AMISOM's abuses. The dismissive, abusive and
accusatory comments of AMISOM's Spokesman are symbol of the hostile
relationship between AMISOM and the public in Mogadishu.

Despite the full knowledge of the absence of command and control security
structure as well as political oversight capacity inside Somalia, the United
Nations and International Community are spending millions of dollars in
recruiting and training in multiple foreign countries soldiers of unknown
citizenship, loyalty and selection criteria. Former Somali Military
Officials who met in Washington, D.C had advised against such process.

Massive extra CAP resources are allocated to security and development of
physical infrastructure like pre-fabricated building, armored vehicles, fuel
supply system, food refrigeration and distribution system, modern
communication system and compensation. Recently, TFUG signed an agreement
with US Private Security Firm for protection and training of forces. The
efforts could be part of the establishment of Green Zone for the UN
Transitional Administration in Mogadishu.

In contrast, the Humanitarian Agencies (WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR) face huge
shortfalls of humanitarian emergency assistance needed for 1.5 million
Internally Displaced People since early 2007 and about 3.8 million people or
50 % of the Somali population. More worrisome, almost all displaced and
vulnerable people are concentrated in the areas controlled by the opposition
distrustful of UN's role in Somalia. The wave of refugees in neighboring
countries, high numbers of people drowning everyday in the sea or
languishing in foreign prisons are merely statistics.

The United Nations directs the local counterparts from the overlapping
Administrations of Somaliland, Puntland and Sool, as well as from GalMudug
and Himan and Heeb Administrations, Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama Authority, TFUG,
Civil Society and whoever else comes along. Whether it is a deliberate
obfuscation or genuine confusion about the ongoing mayhem in Somalia,
incomplete narratives constitute major obstacle to long lasting peace and
stability in Somalia. Peace and sustainable governance in Somalia depend on
genuine conflict resolution and peace-building centered on the people and by
the people.

Mr. Mohamud M Uluso

 <mailto:mohamuduluso@gmail.com> mohamuduluso@gmail.com

 


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