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by Rashid Yahya Ali
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed
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For the Somali citizen, in addition to a life of violence and deprivation, now the prospect of statelessness is more real and terrifyingly nearer more than any time in recent history. And even if, for some miracle, this menace is averted, the outward appearance of Somalia’s fate in the foreseeable future remains to be cast under shadows of misery and instability, tellingly more so as the conflict veers into a more ominous global jihad and religious ideology.
Many wonder if there ever will be an end to the nightmare in Somalia. The civil conflict has dragged on for almost 20 years and yet there seems to be no end in sight. The latest spectacular suicide bombings at AMISOM headquarters, killing the deputy commander and scores of others while injuring the commander underscores the portentous turn of events from a small scale, obscure clan conflict into a complex international front on the war on terror.
Somalia is too poor, too weak and ill equipped to be involved in this war.
For a long time to come, Somalia will be immersed in a fight of not its choice where the most vulnerable of the civilian population will continue to bear the brunt of the hardship and suffering.
Those who will be fortunate to escape death and flee, a life of perpetual wanderer or a permanent refugee status waits, where neither they nor their children will ever know what the lives of their grandfathers must have felt - to have one’s own country, liberty and identity.
The irony of this is that for the mistakes of so few, so many have to suffer and so much has to be lost.
Irrespective of the outcome of the strife or who in the end ascends to power, Somalis in sum stand to loose the most from the war waged in its land. The international community has far more resources and power to contain or minimize threats emanating from Somalia, and therefore has the leisure to be involved in a seemingly endless political diplomacy, while Somali children, mothers and fathers will continue to perish in slow and painful deaths.
Amazingly; with the extent of human suffering everywhere and the apocalyptic national disaster looming on the horizon, the leadership seems to be totally oblivious to the impending danger and show no urgency what so ever to cope with it accordingly.
They are ill at ease as though nothing is amiss. The global trotting goes on hat-in-hand. It appears that the Transitional Federal Unity Government (TFUG) has completely abdicated its responsibilities to AMISOM. The task of the national defense force and the protection of federal institutions are left completely in the hands of the African Peace Keepers. Administration and financial management for allocating national budget is steered to international private accounting firms or to some UN agencies. NGOs and other international organizations are charged with health provisions and to feed the hungry and shelter the displaced.
This is not because of talent shortage or lack of expertise among the Somali citizenry, but failure on the part of the government to recognize and tap into the rich source of human capital at their disposal.
The world will sooner or later get tired of transporting government dignitaries in armored cars to/ from the airport, feeding the hungry and attending to the sick. It seems as though the TFUG is waiting to be served with ready made meal. That when the international community pacifies the nation, defeats the insurgency, feeds the public and reconstructs the country, then politely will they come and softly knock the TFUG door and wake them, announcing, “ Dinner Ready; Sirs!”
One can only wonder and ask; “how in the name of Allah can these people save a nation”?
Despite the unprecedented international support and the then swelling national enthusiasm for President Sharif, there is serious question if this administration can deliver.
This administration will fall, and not because of better military prowess or higher valor and bravery of the insurgency, but because of the lack of fortitude and will to stand and fight. The government seems to have retreated, sheltering in the basement of the presidential palace, and have left AMISOM and the UN run the country; literally.
It has been over eight months since the new government came to power and to this day, the violence has surged, the killings peaked to an all time high, and a sense of insecurity insidiously continues to drain all hope from public life. Meanwhile; the government’s standing continues to proportionately suffer as people lose trust in its ability to protect them or bring about peace.
Since last April of 2009; less than six months, thousand of civilians were killed and close to a million have been forced to flee their homes. In truth, the existence of the TFUG has no bearing on the lives of the people.
The Somali people have invested heavily in Mr. Sharif and he has proven to be but a deeply disappointing failure.
It is astounding how an administration enjoying an unlimited international support both in policy and material with an overwhelming national approval rate could fall victim to an entity characterized by terror and an extreme ideology alien to the core of the Somali people? How can Al-Shabab succeed in confining the government in one block, virtually imprisoning the entire government branches in the presidential palace; while their spokesmen hold open and daily press conferences in the City?
Something is awfully out of order here. Is Al-Shabab more efficient better organized or its militias better equipped? Or do they respond, as they claim, to a higher calling, more just cause worthy of higher sacrifice and bravery? Is the insurgent leadership better trained? Or do they control better resources and richer finance draw-outs enabling them the purchase higher quality military equipment?
It is hard to believe that a rag tag militia, whose leadership is in hiding and resources scattered, whose base support of strength is thousands of miles removed from the capital city could defeat a unity government led by a charismatic and well liked leader with an unprecedented international backing?
But yet again; it is also not surprising that an administration mired in pettiness, not serious in undertaking its prime obligation to safe the country and the people will find itself in such a predicament.
On regular basis; the federal army and police force seem to be more often on each others necks than face the insurgency; when they are not manning road blocks robbing the public. Who is in charge of the army? Who do they report to? Where is their pay?
There is a glaring failure of leadership. If this government can not put its own house; Mogadishu and its outlaying districts in order, how in the name of Allah is it supposed to bring peace to the whole nation? If they can not manage two or three battalions on their immediate door step; how will the national defense force be handled?
Again; the acute shortage of sustained consistency and effectiveness in public affairs is readily seen in the government’s complete inefficiency to capitalize and confront the distorted view of the insurgency. There is no articulation to call out the violent acts of extra judicial target killings, amputations, beheadings or the cruelty and severity of their actions and lack of due bounds and limits in their administration of justice and punishment for minor infractions.
The greatest weakness of the insurgency is their complete lack of appeal to common sense and reason but as agents of mayhem, discord and destruction. For instance; take the armed opposition’s central tenets and their compelling reason in waging this war; the cause of so much suffering and hardship to our people is merely to expel AMISOM “occupation forces.” There is no grain of truth in this and every child in Somalia knows so. It is not remotely plausible for Uganda or Burundi to occupy Somalia against its will.
But; who in Sheriff’s administration has the credibility and wherewithal to articulate this simple point and expose the true color of the insurgency?
It is a cause of great bewilderment how radicals, deprived of all common sense and lacking any hope or promise of a better future, are outmaneuvering the government in winning the hearts and minds of the young in swelling their recruitment files. The truth of the matter is, if this government can not defeat the most extreme elements of society, it holds very little hope of restoring peace to the people of Somalia.
Rashid Yahya Ali
Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]