Shams Hussain, an academic
who holds dual Somali and British nationality, said: “One would argue
that 90 per cent of the problems in Somalia are based on foreign
intervention. They include regional and international actors.”
Shams, on a recent visit to
the UAE, identified the regional actors as mainly the neighbouring
countries of Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as the “IGAD counters”. IGAD —
the Intergovernmental Authority on Development — is a regional bloc of
east African nations including Somalia. One of its stated objectives is
to support “the prevention, management and resolution of inter-state and
intra-state conflicts through dialogue.”
Meanwhile, the international actors, according to Shams, include the US and the European Union. In an exclusive interview with Gulf News,
Shams said: “There are also invisible actors who intervene through
others. Piracy and the [Al Qaida-linked] Al Shabab militia were created
by outsiders.
“But exactly who is behind it all, I don’t
know. What I do know is that without outside support and a blind eye,
they would not have lasted this long.” Shams pointed out that divisions
in Somalia go back to the colonial period that led it to be divided into
five parts: British Somaliland, French Somaliland, Italian Somalia, the
Ogaden-Haud and reserved areas (given by the UK to Ethiopia) and the
Northern Frontier Districts (ceded to Kenya by the UK).
She added that in 1991, the
former British Somaliland in the north west dissolved the union and
engaged in separate peace processes inside the country, which were
“locally funded, implementing and electing a government and a parliament
that is also regulated by the House of Elders.” However, Somaliland so
far remains unrecognised internationally.
“Somaliland
emerged as a hot potato to potential interventionists. On the one hand,
its stability was not conducive for foreign troops. When they were
united Somalis were accused of being ‘expansionists’ and not adhering to
the boundaries left by the European colonial powers. When divided, they
were accused of being secessionists.”
Meanwhile, developments have
taken a different turn in the southern regions, Shams added. “The
southern region — a former Italian colony — branched out differently.
Two decades have passed with internal conflict and despite 13
peacemaking conferences worldwide the likelihood of peace stays
delayed,” she said. From 2000 to 2012, a series of internationally
recognised ‘transitional’ institutions were formed. Today, a permanent
Federal Government of Somalia is in place. “We are pleased that the
so-called transitional governments ended,” Shams said, but though “the
recognition of the Somali federal government is a positive step, one has
to bear in mind that there are foreign troops inside Somalia. This time
they are fellow Africans funded by international actors who purport to
‘help stability’. When asked why foreign powers would be interested in
Somalia, Shams replied: “The answer is simple: strategy and resources.
Somalia is located in one of the most strategic places in the world,
connecting Africa, Asia and Europe through shipping lines of the Red Sea
and the Indian Ocean, not to mention the Suez Canal and the oil routes
of Arabia.”
She added that Somalia is
rich in mineral resources, including oil and gas, livestock, agriculture
and fishery. “I think both the regional and international actors should
revisit the nature of their involvement in Somalia. These actors are
talking about their security, but nobody mentions the sovereignty
infringement of Somalia, the illegal fishing, toxic waste dumping,” she
said.
Despite the challenges facing
Somalia, Shams remains an optimist, putting her faith in the spirit of
her people. “Somalis have suffered a lot, but they exhibited a
magnificent strength and resilience.”