Tuesday July 4, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Amid escalating community tensions in the wake of Hirshabelle's President Ali Gudlawe's controversial dismissal of Hiiraan governor Ali Jeyte Osman, Somalia's political luminaries, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former Hirshabelle state President Mohamed Abdi Waare, convened in a joint press conference Monday to address the ensuing turmoil.
The abrupt removal of Governor Osman has sparked fierce opposition from the Hawadle clan, inflaming a longstanding dispute with the Abgaal clan over territorial ownership of the Khalfooley area. As these tensions smoulder, the two leaders appealed for calm and the initiation of peace-building measures.
Mohamed Abdi Waare categorically labelled the ongoing Hawadle-Abgaal discord as unnecessary, underlining the critical importance of community harmony. "There is no need for war at this time. Those individuals destroying mosques and schools are also desecrating the Quran and making life difficult for our people," Waare said.
Former interim government President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, echoed these sentiments, expressing the importance of protecting Somali youth from clan warfare's deadly grasp. He emphasized the real threat of the Islamist extremist group al-Shabaab, and the need to divert communal efforts towards this struggle.
"Brothers, our focus should be the fight against al-Shabaab. Our bullets should be aimed in that direction. We understand what we are fighting for. We don't want more people to die unnecessarily, especially if you are strong enough to fight Al-Shabaab. That goes without saying," Ahmed declared.
The Khalfooley area, in the Jalalaqsi district of south-central Hiiraan, was a major flashpoint during the first phase of the Somali government and local clan militia's offensive against Al-Shabaab.
Ahmed also addressed the hot-button issue of Osman's removal, advocating for dialogue and an honest acknowledgment of the problems to navigate these challenges.
Their united call for peace underscores the mounting concern over the clan conflict's escalating nature, highlighting the urgent need to tackle the broader challenges impeding Somalia's path to enduring peace.