Need to re-think our policy towards Somalia
By MUKHISA KITUYI
In the recent past, two events have occurred in lands far apart which force Kenya to re-think its policy towards Somalia.
First, the people of Somaliland, the self-declared autonomous region formerly called British Somaliland, held a very credible election last month which was won by the opposition.
Second, came the traumatic bombings that killed and maimed hundreds of people in Kampala with the Somali group al-Shabaab rushing to claim responsibility.
These two events are bound by the reality of the failed state in Somalia and even worse the failed response by the international community to the shame that is Somalia today. Kenya must read the line and make a firm stand in the national interest.
At independence in 1960, British Somaliland voluntarily joined the Republic of Somalia in the hope of peace and development. When all they got was the brutality of the Siad Barre regime, they declared independence in 1991.
The response was painful and remains enshrined in the mass graves of Malko-Durduro near Hargeisa. They picked up the pieces and, while the rest of Somalia descended into chaos, the people of Somaliland have sustained dialogue in modelling a democratic system balancing between clan elders and elected chambers of parliament.
Visiting Select Committees from the House of Commons (2004) and the Kenya National Assembly (2006) have applauded the progress made.
Trying militants
Today Somaliland has fashioned an effective administration regularly collecting due taxes, arresting and trying militants bent on disrupting the peace, patrolling the Gulf of Eden to keep pirates off its shores, and operating efficient air and sea port facilities at Berbera.
Despite their best efforts, the people of Somaliland remain constricted because the world has refused to recognise their statehood. Arguments about sanctity of independence boundaries run hollow in the face of cases like Ethiopia-Eritrea and failed federations like Senegambia.
The sick state of Somalia requires no further pretence at sanctity. More crucially, incremental solutions to the mess that is Somalia require solidarity with successful Somali peace initiatives. There is none better than Somaliland.
Kenya should lead other regional players in recognising and strengthening the Republic of Somaliland as a frontline counter to the violence spewing out of Somalia. This is the least we can do for a country that gave us the Isaq immigrants of the post World War II that played a key role in the spread of African entrepreneurship in the hinterland of pre-independence Kenya.
In the wake of the Kampala bombings, President Museveni has vowed strong response in Somalia. It is important to see Uganda's predicament in its context.
President Museveni committed Ugandan soldiers to the peace initiative of Igad. Since then, three major things have emerged which require a total re-think of the Africa Union and Igad approach to Somalia.
First there is no peace to keep in Somalia and the AMISON forces are pretending to offer security to an interim government that is permanently on life support.
The idea of a green house for the transitional government to grow before being let out to pasture has failed as the government in Mogadishu remains a cacophony of foreigners of Somali origin who fly in from Nairobi, Australia, Canada and Scandinavia for Cabinet meetings and fly back home.
If government is wilting in the green house, when will it grow capacity to govern without Barundi and Ugandan soldiers?
Secondly, the alternative to the TFG in Mogadishu left on its own remains absurd and disruptive. Al-Shabaab wants us to appreciate it on the basis of its ability to spread pain and shock, and its recent declaration of a fatwa on democracy.
The third thing is the recent coming into force of the Common Market for East Africa. This has entailed a commitment by the member countries to grow the protocols on Foreign and Defence co-operation into unified policy on regional security and foreign relations.
Somalia accords them the earliest opportunity to think and act together. This is the time for Kenya and the rest of East Africa to tell Uganda "you shall not walk alone".
The strategic interests of East Africa are tied to secure maritime trade off the shores of Somalia. Illicit trade in small arms and the threat of terrorist acts can be better dealt with in Somalia than at our porous borders.
Firm decisions founded on clear measurable and achievable goals must inform the way forward as we join our brothers in Uganda in mourning the innocent lives that have been lost so meaninglessly.
The writer is a director of the African Governance and Leadership Centre and a former minister.
Secessionist Somaliland and Al Shabaab two faces of the Same Token (Al Shabaab Puzzle!)
ReplyDeletehttp://terrorfreesomalia.blogspot.com/2010/07/secessionist-somaliland-and-al-shabaab.html
Terrorist break away tribal enclave of so called Somaliland is the breeding ground of Al Shabaab Movement in the south of Somalia. Ahmed Abdi Godane, the Al Shabaab leader and spiritual cleric, top Al Shabaab circle of influence and the backbone of the Al Shabaab militia numbering in the thousands, all hail from the break away Issak secessioinist enclave.
ReplyDeleteThe Secessionist Administration of Somaliland supports the Al Shabaab with leadership, terrorist policy and guidlines, man power, finances and logistics. The secessionists divert the financial and material aid received from the western countries to Al Shabaab. The intention and end goal of the secessionists is to keep the southern part of Somalia hostage as long as possible and up untill the time their tribal enclave wins recognition as an independent country. The secessionists wrongly calculated that if the Somalia's south remains in chaos and under Al Shabaab's grip, the international community would eventually run out of patience with the south and grant recogntion to the secessionist tribal enclave.
However, the secessionists gravely overlook all the other factors impeding any prospect of recogntion granted to a very small one clan enclave, such as the North-West Region of Somalia aka Somaliland. The over-riding reason obstructing the Issak clan of secessionist Somaliland from winning a recognition is that other major tribes are inhabited in the North of Somalia (ex British Somaliland Protectorate), and these tribes, such as the DHULBAHANTE with more than 60% share of the territory , are strongly opposed to secession from the rest of Somalia. What happens, if say, the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn Regions of Somalia (SSC), also located in the North of Somalia, campaign for secession and international recognition???
For you to put into perspective the extent of involvement of the secessionist Somaliland enclave into the operations of Al Shabaab in the southern part of Somalia, on the link below, please read more on the article published on the telegraph titled,
'At your service, Osama' - the African Bin Laden behind the Uganda bombings
Unfortunately, The title could mislead many into believing that Ahmed Abdi Godane the so called Somalilander, is the only African Bin Laden who is making the pledge ' At your service, Osama' where in fact, more correctly, it's all the Somaliland secessionists who are taking the pledge into their hearts, because all of them are behind the Al Shabaab leader Somalilander Mr. Godane who is in a mission to keep the south in shatters so that the Issak enclave gets recognition.
The international community is missing the point when it comes to how to deal with Al Shabaab Puzzle?
ow, is the time, considering what happened in Uganda, the international community and particularly the West wake up, opens its eyes, and understands the reality on the ground - The Al Shabaab comes from the secessionist enclave of Issak one clan so called Somaliland, so deal with them appropriately with an unambigious message which reads as,"you are one of many Somali tribes, who need to come together and put their house in order...forget about secession..." and Al Shabaab will vanish altogether, because no longer will be there any incentive for the secessionists to continue the madness in the south. Try this very simple cure