Six Elements for Success of Somali Conference in UK

Six Elements for Success of Somali Conference in UK

By Dr Abdulshakur Jowhar (jowharabdi@gmail.com)

OPINION |
1. Complete abandonment of the failed formula of 4.5. No tribal representation of any kind. If Somalis should have learned one thing from the last 20 years it should be this: You cannot build a nation with tribes. You can only create havoc, rivalry, mutual annihilation.

2. There is a distinct possibility that this conference will be about the ultimate absorption of Somalia by its neighbours. Only a united Somali position can abort the desire on the part of some to make this the conference of final Somali partition.

3. Neighbouring states of Ethiopia and Kenya must accept during this conference to transfer any militia they have created to the full control of the Somalia National Army. Ethiopia and Kenya must forcefully disarm these militias if they refuse complete and unconditional and unquestionable absorption into the Somali army. This will help us believe that Ethiopia and Kenya are not preparing militias that will allow them to slowly absorb different parts of Somalia with full funding for their project of "Somali Afro-Colonization" utilizing funds from the international the projects of war on terror and war piracy (these two issues, one must see, are central to the London conference, the issue of Somalis is an afterthought).

This one step of forcing Ethiopia and Kenya to give up their control of tribal militias will strengthen the Somalia army potentially ensure the appearance of Somali state in South Somalia.

Every child knows by now that the creation of tribal armies that are under the control of Ethiopia or Kenya is not for the purpose of uniting Somalis. It is for the purpose of permanently dividing the Somali people. Tribal minds will not be able to see this fact at all, for the only enemy a tribe knows is the tribe next door.

4. There should be only 2 Somali sides participating in this conference; Somaliland and Somalia. Somaliland will be represented by its elected leadership. Somalia will decide who should represent it with the help of its TFG and its allies using any mechanism of selection ( other than 4.5 or tribal representation, or determination by others eg Ethiopia and Kenya)

5. The only issues discussed in this landmark conference should be: peace, and good governance and collaboration between Somalia and Somaliland. The issue of one country or two countries cannot be central to this conference for it will destroy it completely.

6. Residency requirement. The leading Somali participants in the London conference should have lived in Somalia or Somaliland for at least 8 months in the past one year. The traveling sales men of Diaspora Somalis who are not personally affected by Somali chaos in anyway have caused much more harm than good to Somali society. They together with the bureaucracy of various organization are driven primarily by greed, corruption, search for personal power and aggrandizement. They must stay live with the people or stay out of their affairs.

Dr Abdulshakur Jowhar