Hiiraan Online

God helps those who desire to help themselves. The deep rooted division and mayhem that exist in the country cannot be solved unless hearts open up to each other and rationality prevails. But unfortunately, when one talks about Somalia, one must be dealing with complex issues and paradoxical phenomena. The matter looks good from outer view but is rotten beneath the outer layer. One frequently hears some statements saying Somalia is a homogeneous society, meaning its people have everything in common, but neither homogeneity nor monotheism has helped this ailing society. And one may simply argue that the overly used statements concerning the society’s homogeneity are unfounded statements devoid of veracity.

What makes this homogenous society with the monothetic views of Islam destroy each other? One may not shy away from saying that tribal ideologies are the corner stone of the nation’s affliction as they are the monothetic views adopted by the Somali people. Clan loyalty supersedes both monotheism and homogeneity, thus making the nation unable to see anything except through tribal lenses and egotism, so to speak. Hence, speaking about the Somali society’s fabric sounds good, in theory, just not in reality.

But nothing is set in stone and everything is open for change. The Somali people can change their condition if they want to. Now that the society is fed up with devastating wars and directionless fragmentations and that a draft-constitution is in place, sanity may prevail and hearts may accept one another. Consequently, durable solutions might be reached for the country after which Somalia can reclaim its dignity. Everyone knows what the country has undergone and how its people suffered, in the names of lineages and religion.  

If the brewing attempts succeed, Somalia will rise above the ashes and can eventually build up itself to a better stage. And unless previous times, all Somali clans have agreed to select and send members of their own to the newly formed Parliament. Going down a bit deeper, the country’s people are still adopting the 4.5 formula when it comes to dividing seats amongst themselves. The formula is still operational, though it has been shamed. When will it end? It will end whenever justice takes root in the country. But at this time, the Somali people are vowing to put the prolonged transitional period to an end in order to make justice prevail in the country and the world appears to be standing by them.

But what exemplifies justice in Somalia? Justice is seen differently in the eyes of the beholder. What is justice to someone is injustice to another.

However, the Somali people must agree on something which works for them, or else they will continue to limp and languish in the prolonged darkness and wretchedness.  

What can replace the quota formula? What about if the country’s important positions are rotated? For example, let this clan have the Presidency position for four years after which it is passed on to another clan. The same thing should apply to the Speaker of Parliament and Prime Minster positions, and so on.

On the other hand, will the Shariah bring about a just society? The Shariah has already been stained as thousands of innocent Somali people have been killed and oppressed in the name of Islam. Then what will work for this troubled society? The answer might be the quota formula! It is the only thing they have agreed on thus far.

But every Somali clan is divided into sub-clans. So what about the sub-clans themselves? Do they get a fair share of the quota? A justice has to be served here too. So far bigger sub-clans have gotten unfair, bigger shares of the quota, leaving smaller sub-clans with scant shares. Where does injustice end, then? It is true that the Somalis’ lineage is like an onion, a layer after layer, unlimited. You just peel the onion to see the example for yourself.

If the international community is sincere about the wellbeing of Somalia and its people, the country can stand on its feet, no matter how long it takes. But ever since Somalia ceased to exist as a sovereign dignified country, the international community has been attempting to help the Somali people put their house in order. However, none of the countless attempts has come to fruition, prompting one to question the sincerity of the attempts.

The international community spends heftily on Somalia, but the way the spent funds are used or whose pockets they wind up are questionable. In fact, there are many regional and international broker organizations which continually subsist on the blood of the Somali people and deliberately misappropriate and stash away relief funds  meant to uplift the status of the displaced, starving population. Unfortunately these organizations are under the United Nations umbrella and are directed by it concerning their dealings with Somalia.

Most of the so-called humanitarian organizations are not even based in the country. Rather, they watch the whole situation from afar, oblivious to catastrophes the country’s distraught people undergo. The organizations receive millions of dollars in the name of the Somali people. However, a very small portion of that money is put to good use. Sadly Somalia has become a fat cow milked by unprincipled organizations and groups. Perhaps they will be unhappy to see the status-quo of the fat cow changed. Nonetheless, the international community must put donated funds to good use if it is sincere about the country’s salvation and wellbeing.

Somalia’s instability is entirely due to individual gains emanating from many levels and directions. But a little can be achieved if the country’s people cannot be convinced to join hands, work on the common good and shun division and tribalism.