From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Dec 21 2009 - 12:15:42 EST
Quest for peace and effective State in Somalia
Dec 21, 2009 - 3:32:37 PM
By: Mohamud M Uluso
http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Opinion_20/Quest_for_peace_and_e
ffective_State_in_Somalia.shtml
Somalia has been placed in intensive-care with ‘death counseling’ physician
at its bedside. Expected medical prescription is euthanasia. Multiple
destructive groups with different objectives contributed to its ailment.
Only mobilization of critical mass of citizens with their real leaders can
avert the dreadful end of history of Somalia.
This article advocates the launch of Somalia Citizenship Defense Movement
(SCDM) with the goal of mobilizing three quarters (3/4 or 75 %) of citizens
led by their real leaders for the formation of Somali State that not only
has de jure legitimacy but more importantly has de facto legitimacy in order
to defend and protect the security, dignity and sovereignty of all citizens.
Somalia is different from Kenya, Liberia, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia for
understandable reasons so it must help itself. The claim that a Government
exists in Somalia is to deprive the Somali people of the opportunity to
quest for peace and effective State in Somalia.
The tragic situation in Somalia has solicited the US Government to develop a
fresh strategy that first and foremost would aim to defeat terrorists,
pirates and reverse the precipitously worsening humanitarian situation.
However, experience shows that external strategy formulated on
interpretations and conclusions worked out by external actors will overlook
issues pivotal for the internal political dynamics of the Somali people who
will ultimately bear the consequences of ill-conceived policies. Therefore,
while transnational factors dominate the Somali crisis, it is imperative
that the Somali people search solution from within.
Jeffrey Gettleman noted how it is exceedingly difficult to identify who the
country’s real leaders are, if they exist at all and as he put it how
Somalia is a political paradox-unified on the surface, poisonously divided
beneath. His knotty suggestion is that the entire national psyche must be
rebuilt. The scramble for the creation of “Regional States”, civil war and
Islamic wars all are the result of widespread sense of alienation among
communities whereby fragmentation is seen as solution.
Recent National Reconciliations of Somalia have created many problems.
First, it is the creation of Transitional Government in conformity with 4.5
clan formula and landed in Mogadishu without public support, power and
influence beyond small area of Mogadishu. Second, the elected leaders of
Puntland and Somaliland were neither members nor subordinates of the
Transitional Government. Third, Somaliland and Puntland were encouraged to
continue on their separate path. Fourth, the International Community
supports contemporaneously and independently ‘constitutional processes and
state or capacity-buildings’ in Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland. Fifth,
Ethiopia overtly or covertly controls the Transitional Federal Government of
Somalia, Puntland, Somaliland and other Somali Regions. Sixth, AMISOM forces
destroyed the lives and livelihood of the entire Mogadishu residents for the
excuse of protecting less than 100 ‘politicians’ most of them from
constituencies under autonomous authorities in an area of 3 km. These
problems have deepened social anger and sense of vengeance. The people of
South Central Somalia became taxpayers and victims of fictitious
Transitional Government.
The mission of Somalia Citizenship Defense Movement would be to motivate the
Somali clans to open political dialogue among them and discuss the past,
present and future of Somalia, particularly the issue of Somali Citizenship.
Consensus on the Citizenship issue should pave the way for transformation
and transition to a society governed by rule of law. The wisdom of solving
the Somali problems consists in the increase of confidence in Citizenship
benefits and the decrease of reliance on clan solidarity. Injustices,
nepotism, fear of “others”, corruption, dishonesty, hypocrisy, religious
factionalism, allegiance to foreign interests have sullied the morale,
conscience and sense of patriotism of Somalis.
Challenges to Somali State Formation are:
1- The division of the country into Somaliland, Puntland and South Central
Somalia. The latter is divided into 8 areas.
2- The flagrant and persistent abuse of political power for personal, clan
or group gains and lack of checks and balances mechanism and absolute
contempt for truth.
3- The USA-led war on terror perceived as attack on Muslims. This sentiment
has gained much credibility in Somalia when the US Government supported the
Warlords’ Alliance, Ethiopian invasion and its self-righteous interference
in the internal political affairs, AMISOM’s unpopular military operation.
Ashley Elliot and Georg-Sebastian Holze observed that “as the majority of
the world’s states remonstrated against ‘international terrorism’, elements
of Somalia’s political elite were queuing up to declare their country a
potential haven for terrorists. The phenomenon-one party attempting to
de-legitimize its opponents and garner support through accusations of
terrorism has become a vital currency of power in Somali politics since
9/11.”
4- The Islamists’ clashes and lack of vision and wisdom. A Muslim scholar
lamented: “the greater challenge for Muslims in the future is not in living
with the West but in living with ourselves and securing human dignity and
well being for all.” The armed Islamists, designated as terrorist
organizations or radical Islamists, adopted angry character, bunker
mentality, and tactics of indiscriminate destruction and killing of innocent
people. Islam spread to 1,627.61 millions in all over the World through
individual conviction, free choice, and responsibility. In Rwanda, after
genocide, huge number of Christians converted into Islam because small
minority of Muslims saved them not by force but by conviction and choice
from other Christians.
5- The absence of link between representation and constituency.
6- The Political elite in power in ‘Somaliland and Puntland.’
7- Ethiopia’s organized campaign against Somalia as irredentist or terrorist
safe haven country for its hegemonic agenda. Failed Somalia as a neighbor of
Ethiopia under autocratic regime will remain vulnerable to destabilization
and civil war.
8- The many faces of Diaspora that have created external confusions and
complications.
9- Somali Corps coached and sponsored by foreign powers for their political
game and who see everything in the eyes of their foreign sponsors.
10- The UN’s self serving Transitional Administration.
Ethiopia promotes building-blocks approach based on clan territory. This has
perceptibly raised support for Islamic State. With different emphasis
Brownyn Bruton and Peter Haldén suggested Community-Development and Nascent
States-System approaches respectively. Peter Haldén, considering the wide
cleavages among clan-families, argues for dismemberment and extinction of
Somalia in favor of nascent States-system. He cited the following reasons:
1. Different Somali clans have assumed different positions towards certain
issues like Ethiopia, Islamists-cum-terrorism, and form of Government.
Similarly, Brownyn Bruton has noted that disagreements over the form of
Somali State, type of judicial system and the independence of “Northern
Regions of Somalia” prevent talk about the existence or formation of Somali
State in this time. Her suggestion is bottom up process controlled by local
communities.
2. All clan-groups except clan-group (Hawiye) have attempted to establish
a ‘purely’ regional entity.
3. The greater sense of community and commonality developed in Darod
clan-family did not develop in Irir (Hawiye, Isaaq and Dir) clan-family. The
transparency of clan influence helped stability in Somaliland.
However, the best approach is the one that responds to the culture and long
term strategic interests of Somalia. Small territories under different
sub-clans or Islamic factions will deepen social division, institutionalize
relationship between sub-clan or Islamic faction and territory at the
expense of citizenship territory and will weaken Islam’s attraction. The
failure of ethnic based federal experiment in Ethiopia and the challenges
faced by Puntland should be cautionary tales for Somalia’s elite and people.
The concerns related to powerful central authority can be alleviated by a
broadly agreed framework for equitable distribution of resource and
participation in the political power.
South Central Somalia recovering from Warlords’ devastation has been thrown
back into abyss by the existence of the Transitional Federal Government,
Ethiopian invasion, the war on terror and armed Islamists opposition.
Nevertheless, it is critical that the people of South Central Somalia find
ways to achieve cessation of hostilities, and start communication within and
across with other regions.
The people of Somaliland have established a system of governance applauded
internally and externally. As fate has demonstrated, the survival, security
and prosperity of the people of Italian territory of Somalia is inextricably
linked with Somaliland’s fortune.
The leaders and people of Somaliland (former British Somaliland) were
instrumental in the union of the two Somali territories as symbol of their
fervent nationalistic spirit demonstrated by late Haji Farah Omar. In fact,
on April 6, 1960, Somaliland legislative Council decided the unification
three months before Italian territory became independent. The politicians of
Somaliland have invested efforts in unification and the political dynamics
in Somalia as proved by the election of His Excellency late Mohamed Haji
Ibrahim Egal as Prime Minister of Somalia.
Without prejudice to the right of people of Somaliland for secession on the
basis of self determination right or of remedial right for the injustices
subjected to in the past, the present and future generations of Somali
descendants deserve explanations on the fundamental causes of the
dissolution of Somalia which would mark the end of Somali nationalism.
Somalia is threat to the regional and global security. Therefore, a peaceful
dispensation of Somalia’s future is a win-win solution for all and leaders
and people of Somaliland can be instrumental again in the revival of Somali
nationalism, restoration of peace and formation of legitimate political
entities within the boundaries of Somalia.
The establishment of Puntland State as clan-based territory has provided not
only peace but also homeland, pride and hope for its people. It has also
established a parameter, signpost for national political reconciliation and
discourse, the concept of citizenship identity and form of state formation
which means institutionalization of clan identity and politics. It has been
reported that Puntland has new constitution while a new flag and new anthem
are under preparation. This is road to complete secession supported by
majority of Puntland Elite.
The above described alienation process is why there is an urgent need to
launch a Somalia Citizenship Defense Movement for the revival of Somalia if
possible. Social grievances, widespread unemployment, poverty, humanitarian
crisis, piracy, terrorism, socio-economic development, and foreign
interference throughout Somalia can only be addressed effectively under a
functional State of Somalia.
Mohamud M Uluso
<mailto:mohamuduluso@gmail.com> mohamuduluso@gmail.com
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