Hiiraan Online

While the people of Somalia, inside as well as outside the country were jubilant for this  relative peace that was taken place in Mogadishu and its surroundings for the first time in  past 17 years. On the other hand, outside world, particularly the Ethiopia who is the traditional archenemy of the Somali-race converged with the United States mission of war-on-terror. As the result, they backed the most hated and ruthless warlords to launch war on Mogadishu’s population. In addition, it went even more extreme by given the green line to Ethiopia to invade the country with pretext of alleged ‘terrorists’ suspects were hiding in and around Mogadishu, by means of helping of some individuals within the courts.

Contrary to the claims, there are no terrorists in Somalia, and no body has so far produced an evidence to support that claims and Somalis condemn any type of terrorism. Be it state terrorism or act of terror by groups or individuals. What’s more, with political, financial, as well as intelligence supports from the United States, the only black colonialist ever existed in modern history seized what it thought to be a golden opportunity to finish it its project and get rid of any hope of establishing Somali government ever-again by the use of its incompetent and corrupt hand-picked so called Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Baydhabo, as its mouth piece.

In December 2006, the convergence of Ethiopians forces with the logistical support of USA invaded the country and subsequent occupied and undone the relative peace that Somalia has known for so long. Somalis in every region, clan, were united for the mourning of this tragedy, with exception of few opportunists, such the ousted warlords and leaders of Harakatul-Islah (Somali type of Muslim Brotherhood International) who were sad when the rest of Somalis, were euphoric and welcoming courts and peace it has brought back to Mogadishu in particular and Southern Somalia as a whole. Somalis responded to this aggression towards their country and its people, by the Tigrinya Regime in Addis Ababa and took up arms to defend their land, religion and dignity. That is the reason why resistance started to fight for the liberation of their country, hence, that was, what French resistance did in the 1940s against Nazis occupation, what Vietnamese did against the United States, what Afghan Mujahideen did against Soviet Union when invaded their country in 1979 and it’s a God given rights which no one can take away from.

The TFG has proved nothing other than being the front for the rapist and throat cutters of Addis Ababa. Therefore, the liberation of Somalia from the occupation and their Vichy like gangs is not just nobility, but survival for existence of Somali people and therefore duty calls it for any Somali men and women fighters to face this old and well-armed enemy with heroism. Regardless of their political views or religious observance. 

Some would argue that armed resistance against occupation is counter productive, because they say: firstly, Ethiopia has the backing of the only superpower in the world. Secondly, the occupation has not short of men power to fight and is accountable to no one, because Meles Zenawi is a dictator, therefore, the body packs from the war would have very little  influences on the public opinion back home in Addis Ababa. Thirdly, the disunited Somalia, will find hard to defeat their enemy. Fourthly, and most importantly, working with TFG and support the existing Institutions is the only way forward.

Let us try to examine each of above arguments. It is true, the regime in Addis Ababa enjoys the political, financial, as well as military intelligence supports from the United States and indirect backing of some European Union countries, in addition, they have strong national army, well armed, well trained and fully functioning state institutions behind them. So, this argument will raise another important question, which is; Was it not the case for the colonial powers in the past, when they were occupying other people’s lands – which they eventually had to leave – faced with determined national liberation movements from those occupied lands, in which they could not sustain their imperial goals that were to keep those territories under their control? Likewise, today, Somalis are fighting for their survival, if they surrender to the enemy of Somali-race they will be wiped out from the earth; therefore, they have no other options than fighting for their existence, moreover, history teaches us that, the longer the resistance goes on, the harder for the enemy to sustain its occupation.

It is also the case that, the dictator in Addis Ababa is accountable to no one, but for how long? They are facing ever increasing attacks from the Resistance, which have been spreading with strength not only in Mogadishu and its immediate neighborhood, but most of the Southern and Central Somalia. The case for disunity of Somali people is also real, it is the reason and root causes for the breakdown of Somali society along clan lines. But there is no historical evidence to support the arguments that, unless Somali unity is achieved first, the enemy cannot be defeated. Somalis have never united against its colonizers in the past. There were always exceptional few minorities who used to stand up, while majority either had been passive or sided with colonials. That was the case when the father of Somali nationalism Sayid Mohamed Abdallah Hassan and his Daraawiish were fighting their war of anti colonials against British, Italian and Black Colonialists. It was a similar case, when Somali youth League (SYL), SNL, and others were fighting against British and Italian. That was same for every other nation in the past that had fought for the liberation of their homeland.

So the demand for unity ought no to be the prerequisite for liberation of Somalia from the occupation of Ethiopia or excuse to derail, this noble cause of restoring the freedom and dignity of Somalia and its people.

I am supportive for Somali owned, be the corrupt one (institutions), where they exist, because, Somalis need to come back to the fold of its respectability place in the world, but TFG, have proved not only their impotency to do anything for the people; say the Xaafuun district, which was badly effected by tsunami, millions and so become internal displaced peoples in and around Mogadishu. These cases and others prove that, up to now there is no single person from the so called TFG visited or speak about it, on the contrary, TFG officials have been accused by the aid agencies for preventing humanitarian supplies to reach these displaced persons. Besides, the TFG demonstrated their indifference for their plight. Hence, when Nur Cade, the Prime Minister of TFG, was recently asked about his reactions on the massacre inside the Masque, whereby un-armed Islamic Ulamas were cold bloodedly murdered by the Ethiopian armies in Mogadishu. His answer was “the Ethiopian had a right to defend them-selves”.

These people (TFG) have no legitimacy to run the country and lack the skills as well as the will to do so. Therefore, if Vichy of France in 1940s was not acceptable for the French people and wider world, why should the world ask a Somali person to accept TFG, who’s the surrogate of Ethiopia to rule Somalia?  Meles handpicked them at Mbgathi in Kenya in 2004 in the first place. Moreover, any diplomat, Journalist, commentator, you talk to, who is familiar with situation in Somalia would tell you that.  The Ethiopians conceal to no one from their real intention, which is not to ever allow Somali state standing its own feed again. Accordingly, what would that tell us, about the Ethiopian intent of invading Somalia? Supporting Somali institutions or to prevent it? Latter appeals to common sense and supports the evidence available to us. The best they are aiming with regard to Somalia governance and government is something like that of clan based administrations, like those of North-Western and North-Eastern Somalia, “Somaliland” and “Puntland” respectively, which takes their orders directly from lower ranking officers from  Addis Abba.

Somalia was thrown back into chaos again to the surprise of many Somalis and non-Somalis alike. If the intention was to obliterated, people’s lives, their properties, and what very little basic services were enjoying, in their war torn cities, before this period, especially the city of Mogadishu, such as schools, then that has been success. If it was however, meant to legalize this brutal invasion and to force Somali people to accept its subsequent occupation, then gracefully, that has failed and failed badly. According to the Newsweek Magazine on 10 of April, 2008, “The Ethiopian forces ousted the UIC but have been bogged down since then fighting an Iraq-style insurgency by Somali Islamist and clan militias”.

When these failed, the administrators of these bad policies; namely the International Community tried employ another tactics, that of finding someone to blame for their failures and to divert the attention from the real issues which was the Ethiopian occupation in Somalia. They sacked the loyal servant of Meles, Ali Mohamed Gedi as Prime minister, and subsequently appointed another one in his position; however, the incoming premier was same as one before him; serving under the same institutions, albeit sounded differently. This ploy did not achieve its intended aim, which was to stop or obstruct the speed of the national resistance movement, who fights against occupation. Mogadishu and its surrounding has become the occupation’s hell hole, the resistance spread into entire Southern Somalia; from Galgaduud to Hiraan and from Bay, Bakool and Gedo as well as the rest of the Southern. Having failed the attempts, one and two, where the U.S.A firstly tried using Mogadishu Warlords in early 2006, followed by Ethiopians to invade the country, currently, the CIA turned to the political wings of the resistance movements, calling some “moderate” and others as a “hard-liners”, the leadership of the opposition, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), has felled quickly and easily into the trap. Rather than going back and selling whatever ‘deal they have been offered’ to the their Alliances in Asmara and on ones on the Ground, inside Somalia, they went straight to Djibouti, where in 9^th of June, 2008, they have co-signed on an agreement with the Transitional Federal Government (FTG) which have called among other things on its article 7, paragraph c. it stated that “ The ARS shall, through a solemn public statement, cease and condemn all acts of armed violence in Somalia and disassociate itself from any armed groups or individuals that do not adhere to the terms of this agreement”.

According this, ARS signed on a document renouncing the struggle to liberate the country from the foreign occupation. Some called it with justification, the phase three of the project of “War on Terror” in Somalia. The first phases, being “the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism” (ARPCT), which consisted of different Warlords in Mogadishu, Botan Ise Alin, Mohamed Dheere, Mohamed Qanyare, Musa Sudi Yalahow, Nuur Daqle, Abdi Hasan Awale (Qaybdiid), Omar Finish and others.

While second phase, was the authorization of Ethiopia’s invasion into Somalia. In which, the third phase is believed to be “Djibouti function of ARS” or the “moderates”. Things that these three are in common include: they have all enjoyed the support and acceptance of the United States Agencies. Thus, the analyst are wondering where first two, have failed, can Sheikh Shariif Ahmed and Co. deliver the Goods?  It was quote obvious from Sheikh Hassan Daahir Aweys, as a saying:  “The whole purpose was to divide the ARS and strengthen the enemy of our nation, unfortunately some of our members were trapped by those who wanted to deepen the division," Aweys continues. "The so-called agreement in Djibouti only legitimized Ethiopian occupation of Somalia and the continued destruction of lives and property,”. One can’t help but agree with Sheikh Aweys’ points here. So far no sign of cessation armed hostility on ground plus the Ethiopian war of aggression, mass murder, mass destruction of peoples and properties intensifies. Latest in the list is a city of Beledwayne in Hiiraan region. Of course, the division between the ARS will only serve the interests of Ethiopia and whether that split will have an effect on those who are fighting on the ground needs to be watched carefully. So far, they stayed clear of the politics in Djibouti and in Asmara and get on with Job in hand. God alone knows how long that will last.

The Author had the opportunity to attend discussion here in London, where one of co-signatory (Abdirahman Abdishakur) of Djibouti agreement on the ARS side was asked, what convinced them the Ethiopians will withdraw their forces from Somalia, while that is not in the signed paper? Surprisingly, his answer was, they received verbal promises from “a female officer from the State Department” who was in Djibouti at the time. Additionally, according to him “it was clear the way wind was blowing” that Ethiopia could not stay in Somalia any longer, they therefore, agreed to “withdraw without humiliation”, whilst he was not insisting on a deadline for its withdrawal.

ARS function in Djibouti, are saying by signing this agreement, they are not in  isolation any more and gained the ears of International Community, at the same time as they also expect financial reward, they said “ Whatever TFG gets, they have been promised to get equal share”.

Nevertheless what ARS’s Djibouti function are confronted with is, the reality of International Community’s unwilling to deal with real problem here and that is the withdrawal of Ethiopians from Somalia and the absent of which the fight shall continue. What is more, if recent history of American policies towards “war on Terror” teaches us something, one must have everything to be pessimistic, because, these policies have failed in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Afghanistan and so far have failed in Somalia, so that “A power without brain” and sense of policy direction changes are not insight. There is no one that I know of, who is not in favour for political dialogue in order to find way-out from this mess and hear no group who does not want a real dialogue including; Al-shabab. What the people are objecting is a sale out, and is suspicious of the conducts of Sheikh Shariif’s group with a reasonable ground.

In conclusion: no one is denying that Sheikh Shariif is very charismatic leader, but who is he?  No one knew him before 2006, within Islamist in Somalia, let alone wider world, while on the other hand, there is Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who has been well known, well liked and respected, even the ones who does not agree with his political views. He has a proven record of teamwork, trustworthiness and compromises, more importantly; he was the glue keeping together, the different groups within courts, be they, more radical Al-shabab, Salafis, Ikhwaanis, business communities and clan elders. So, there is no realistic, hope that, what was signed-on in Djibouti, will deliver any meaningful development towards peace in Somalia, if only that was the intention in the first place, on the part of UN, the U.S. and others. There are strong suspicions that this is a phase three of “War on Terror” where Sheikh Shariif and his groups in Djibouti will mimic the role  of failed Mogadishu warlords, wittingly or unwillingly.

They should not be fooled by the false promises and diplomatic charm of the western intelligence apparatus, which is their trade. In reality, the west surrogates, in Baghdad, in Kabul, in Ramalah and in Mogadishu have all failed to deliver what they were designed for, which was to fight “war on Terror” on behave of Bush administration and be rewarded the suitcases with full of cash. One waits to see whether inexperience chap in Djibouti will deliver what others before him have failed.