We, the Somali people, are at cross roads and must choose between anarchy and peace. We must choose as the options and the time are very limited. We must choose between having a country, nation, state and a tribal fiefdom at the mercy of other nations. We must choose between war/conflict and dialogue and peace. We must choose a better and a brighter future without forgetting the past.
Currently we have an institution called the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) which we agree is not the best institution but all the same, we must support this nascent institution as it is the only choice left for Somalia. We must support it for the simple reason that it is a conscious choice between a glimmer of hope and a total chaos and anarchy, considering that since the onset of the civil war, all of our fundamental institutions collapsed; institutions such as the central government, regional institutions, municipal institutions, health, education, legal and commercial institutions. The TFG represents an institutional memory bank that can be built upon for a future reconstitution of the Somali state, not to mention all other contingent institutions thereof. For this, we believe, that in a spirit of good will, the TFG must be supported by the Somali public. Instead of expending energy and resources in the weakening and destruction of this weak institution, it is better to engage in building and correcting it so that we can have a better system of governance for a better tomorrow.
The Islamic courts came to prominence in June 2006. Prior to that, the only Islamic courts on the scene were a disparate collection of clan-specific courts more known for chopping the hands of the poor, minorities and the militarily unprotected civilians of Mogadishu and elsewhere in the south, than for any political agenda. Not only that, the progenitor institutions of the ICU were in cahoots with the business enterprises and anarchists of Mogadishu to the extent that when the TFG moved to Jowhar in the fall of 2005, you could spot in Balcad in a show of force, the majority of the notorious personalities of the as yet not formed ICU breaking bread with all Mogadishu warlords, including prominent business personalities. How far deep were the Islamic Courts in cahoots with the business enterprises with whom they co-existed in a cesspool of injustice, anarchy and mayhem for the past 16 years?
The infamous CIA funded war between the Islamic Courts and the so-called Anti-terrorism Alliance was not really a war of ideologies but rather a business/turf war that started between two business adversaries: The extremists wagered on one and the warlords bet on the other, and the winner was the one fronted, armed and spoken for by the extremists now constituted itself as the ICU. Yet the genesis of that war and the current belligerent resistance to the TFG’s relocation to Mogadishu were/are nothing but an attempt by the defenders of the status quo to preserve the monopolistic stranglehold they had on the public infrastructure such as ports, airports, highways, ocean lanes, and the illegal control of southern regions of Somalia and thus uphold the status quo; a status quo that dealt in unregulated legitimate as well illegitimate businesses while impoverishing millions of Somali citizens in Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle and Juba regions.
Their reckless and out of control behavior triggered the presence of Ethiopian troops in Mogadishu today. Why would anyone who is concerned of the suffering of the Somali people invite foreign fighters to Somalia and drag the country into a regional war? The answer is simply that the ICU leadership have always been and still are driven by individual and clan interests as their actions in Mogadishu, Lower Shabelle and Lower Jubba indicated.
It is ludicrous to entertain the thought that, at the dawn of the 21st Century when almost all Africans completed the re-claimation of their independence and statehood from Western colonial powers; that an African country, in this case Ethiopia, will embark on imperial designs on another African country, unless; of course, its leadership is hallucinating. That might explain why, for the past 16 years, without a central government and in the midst of chaos, Ethiopia with its state and military apparatus intact did not invade and permanently occupy our country. It only came in when the ICU threatened to conduct its next prayer rituals in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
All of this should explain why there is nay a word from the international community, nor from the EU, nor from the UN, nor from the AU about the Ethiopian presence representing a latter day imperial adventure. As a matter of fact, all the communiqués and policy pronouncements from these regional and international bodies nuance their statements with a proviso that unless a replacement contingent either from the AU or the UN can be deployed, Ethiopia must not withdraw from Somalia lest such action creates a vacuum.
However, it seems such rational proposal does not sit well with the anti-TFG contingent. In a recent statement from Asmara, Sheriff Ahmed, a key Leader of the ICU, stated defiantly that even if the Ethiopians withdrew and were replaced by other African peacekeepers the ICU and their international Jihadist allies will continue their insurgency. Such statements graphically expose the hypocrisy and the lies propagated by ICU and their Somali Diaspora cheerleaders and apologists who always, with a shrill voice, proclaim that the Ethiopian presence is an obstacle to reconciliation.
For the first time in 17 years, a relatively broad based national reconciliation conference has been in session in Mogadishu since July 15, 2007, and based on the proceedings of the conference, it is going on as well as might have been imagined or expected. Clan elders, religious leaders, intellectuals and representatives of different Somali communities were given a fair and a level-playing field to choose their own delegates independently and with no influence from manipulating foreign hands. The overwhelming participation and the willingness of these brave delegates to come and listen to each other’s concern have already signaled success and registered the legitimacy of the conference and inclusiveness of the process through which the delegates were selected. To his credit, the Chairman of the Reconciliation Conference, Mr. Ali Mahdi Mohamed, in his spirited and moving inaugural speech of the conference, set both the tone and tenor of the conference by emphasizing forgiveness and tolerance. Following suit, representative clan elders are daily voicing their communities’ narratives of pain and victimization and other elders from other clans are listening with empathy. Nothing of this sort could have been imagined a year ago when many leaders were expressing their anger and pain with gun fire, killings and vengeance.
Those opposed to the conference, despite having been invited publicly and privately, disingenuously base their opposition to the conference on several bad arguments. For example, they insist that that the conference should have a political reconciliation thematic format, instead of the current topic of community reconciliation, conveniently forgetting that the TFG and its charter came into fruition as a result of the Embgathi political reconciliation conference of 2002-2004. They also discount the fact that there has been a 17 year civil war that had a communal and tribal dimension to it and which unfortunately pitted clan against clan with some ugly consequences, not to mention the mistrust index that it has considerably raised. As the majority of the political antagonists of the past 17 years are under the TFG tent, it was imperative to have a national reconciliation conference that brings all the traditional leaders with moral authority and also to hear/listen and share diverse narratives of pain, suffering and victimization so that the Somali public can visually and psychically place these feelings in a human context.
As it is, the conference has already produced significant results and is moving forward, to the chagrin of the opposition supporters, who are circulating lies around the world. The Hawiye, and Darood clans have already admitted committing unjust and blatant atrocities against their fellow brothers and sisters, and clans victimized by the civil war had the fortitude and sagacity to forgive their victimizers. Yes, this conference was about reconciliation among clans and sub-clans and it is working so far. They have also agreed to strike out the derogatory misnomer “OTHERS”, an Arta creation, from the Somali clan identification system and discard it in the dustbin of history. It is a step in the right direction that could lead to a genuine reconciliation process to move the community forward. Needless to say this conference wouldn’t have materialized without the support of foreign troops, including Ethiopian and Ugandan troops, protecting and guaranteeing the safety of the conference at any cause.
The opponents of the conference/TFG also posit that the conference should not have been held in Mogadishu but in a neutral venue because Mogadishu is a city controlled by the Transitional Federal Government troops. It is impossible to find a more neutral place to hold a national reconciliation meeting for Somalia. Let us for a moment reflect on the last 14 reconciliation conferences; they were all held outside of Somalia and yet many critics, rightly or wrongly, blamed the host countries for lack of neutrality and held them responsible for the collapse of the respective conferences. Mogadishu is the symbol of Somali unity and there is no suitable place other than Mogadishu to be the venue of a conference of this magnitude if the ownership of the conference outcome has to have a Somali imprint.
We have no other choice today but to support, empower, and hold accountable the only viable tool for change, the Transitional Federal Government.
LIST OF SIGNATORIES
1) Dr. Ali Said Faqi, (Ph.D), MI (USA)
2) Avv. Abdurahman Hosh Jibril, ON (Canada)
3) Dr. Ali Bahar (Ph.D), Texas (USA)
4) Ahmed Jama Hamud, (P.Eng), ON (Canada)
5) Jamal Hassan, Ottawa, ON (Canada)
6) Sagal Ali Jama, ON (Canada)
7) Abdulhakim Mohamud Faqi, VA (USA)
8) Dr. Abdiweli M. Ali (Ph.D), NY (USA)
9) SheikhNur Abukar Qasim, MN (USA)
10) Eng. Abdulkadir Khalif, MN (USA)
11) Avv. Yusuf Said Samatar (Bardacad), Boston, (USA)
12) Yasin Maah, Stockholm, (Sweden)
13) Abdi Hashi Seed, ON (Canada)
14) Nasir Abdi Baale, Toronto, ON (Canada)
15) Eng. Mohamed Ahmed Gilao (Tennis), ON (Canada)
16) Abdalla Hired, NY (USA)
17) Abdi Goud, Connecticut, (USA)
18) Avv. Nurto Hagi Hasan, ON (Canada)
19) Eng Mohamud Dhafuuje, ON (Canada)
20) Prof. Mohamud Siad Togane, Poet, QC (Canada)
21) Suldaan Abdulkadir Galbeyte (Ex), ON (Canada)
22) Prof. Abdihamid H. Mohamed – Nederland
23) Prof. Abdulqadir Ismail- Manchester, (UK)
24) Eng. Jeilani Sheikh Hussein, OH (USA)
25) Eng. Rashid Guleed, IL (USA)
26) Asha Abukar Qasim , MN (USA)
27) Said Ahmed Salah, VA, (USA)
28) Abdisalaam Haji Mohamud Dheere, London, (UK)
29) Aden Abokar, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
30) Prof. Dahabo Farah Hassan, Toronto, ON (Canada)
31) Caaqil Mohamoud Ali Jimale (Koogaar) AZ (USA)
32) Haji Mohamoud Ghedi Aw Hilowle MN(USA)
33) Abdifatah Maroyare, Toronto, ON (Canada)
34) Mohamud Jama Hamud , MN (USA)
35) Ismail Gaafow, ON(Canada)
36) Prof. Mohamed Siad Togane, ON (Canada)
37) Avv. Hareedo Ibrahim Boolis,
38) Saido Awad Muse, VA (USA)
39) Col. Mohamud Qaali Gacamey, MN (USA)
40) Sarman Ramses, VA (USA)
41) Ahmed Sharif Ahmed, VA (USA)
42) Muse Kulow, ON (Canada)
43) Bashi Hosh Jibril, ON (Canada)
44) Osman Ali Omar Sheegow, Seattle, WA (USA)
45) Suldan Said Faqi, Columbus- Ohio (USA)
46) Abdullahi Mohamed Sheikh, NC (USA)
47) Muse Ahmed Abdirahman, ON (Canada)
48) Yasin Mahamud Yusuf (Karani), Stockholm, Sweden
49) Dr. Liiban Abdullahi Farah (Medical Doctor), L.A. California (USA)
50) Jeilani Ahmed Adda Munye, GA (USA)
51) Safia Giama Cagmadhige, Cairo, (Egypt)
52) Omar Warfa, Toronto, ON (Canada)
53) Naima Xayle, Toronto, ON (Canada)
54) Eng. Cabdulqadir Mohamed Abow, ON (USA)
55) Prince Osman Fatah, San Diego, California (USA)
56) Abdiaziz Abukar Baafo, MI (USA)
57) Malaq Mukhtar, MI (USA)
58) Mohamed Haji Dhagax, San Diego, California
59) Omer Jamal, Minneapolis , MN
60) Mohamed Abdi Gacmocadde, Virginia-(USA)
61) Ali Alio Mohamed, Columbus- Ohio (USA)
62) Bashir Gardaad, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
63) Mohamed Omar Faqi, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
64) Mahdi Shakiib, Atlanta, GA (USA)
65) Sheekh Shabaab Sheekh Mumin, Minneapolis, MN (USA)
66) Ahmed Mohamed (Ahmadey), San Diego, (California)
67) Jeilani Mayow- Rochester, MN (USA)
68) Hassan Shire Sheikh, Kampala, (Uganda)
69) Yusuf Mumin Maio’- London, (UK)
70) Col. Abdi Daad, Ontario (Canada)
71) Col. Abdirahamn Ahmed Yare (Maan), Toronto, ON (USA)
72) Liban Hassan Abdi, Phoenix, AZ (USA)
73) Halima Farah, Denmark
74) Hussein SH. Abdulqadir, NC (USA)
75) Hassan Yusuf, VA (USA)
76) Amin Abu Hadi, Ohio (USA)
77) Safi Abdi, Dubai, (UAE)
78) Prof Mohamed Jibril (USA/Minnesota)
79) Haji Hussein Jimale MN (USA)
80) Abdulle Hassan Nuurow , MN (USA)
81) Dr. Ibrahim Mao Osman (Ghandi) California (USA)
82) Osman Mohamed Sheikh, MN (USA)
83) Sheikh Ali Hussein Jaras, MN (USA)
84) Abdirizaq Jamac Janagale, Alberta, (Canada)
85) Adan Abdulle Howle, Alberta, (Canada)
86) Abraham Koshin, Alberta, (Canada)
87) Hassan Siad Togane, MN (USA)
88) Sheikh Hassan Ali Alassow, MN (USA)
89) Haji Abdi Mouse Maahaay,MN (USA)
90) Mas’uud Sheikh Amir, MN (USA)
91) Ahmed Mohamed Afrah (Shutul), MN (USA)
92) Caydiid Ali Hassan, MN (USA)
93) Dayib Sheikh Ahmed, VA (USA)
94) Ali Isse Ahmed, MN (USA)
95) Abdirahman Mussa (timadheere), Toronto, ON (Canada)
96) Eng. Osman Ali Ahmed (Dheere), Toronto, ON (Canada)
97) Mukhtar Mohamed Ahmed (Katiitow), MN (USA)
98) Abdulqadir Omar Ahmed, MN (USA)
99) Architect Abukar Yusuf Hassan, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
100) Adan Abdi, Islamabad, (Pakistan)
101) Shukri Tohow Mohamed, MN (USA)
102) Madina Hussein Jeyte, MN (USA)
103) Hawo Mohamed Abdulle, MN (USA)
104) Macallim Ahmed Halane, MN (USA)
105) Abdiaziz Omar Hussein, VA (USA)
106) Abdiaziz Osman Sheikh, VA (USA)
107) Abbas Abdi Maxaad-Isse, VA (USA)
108) Shukri Giama Cagmadhige, Bosasso, (Somalia)
109) Falhad Ahmed Mohamoud, VA (USA)
110) Mohamoud Mudey Hassan, MN (USA)
111) Ali Muhudin Mohamed, MN (USA)
112) Jibril Mohamoud Jilao, NE (USA)
113) Gargaar Mohamed Hassan, Economist, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
114) Abdulkadir Abdullahi Jama, Agriculturist, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
115) Dr. Abdifatah Khalif .H. Farah, Oral Surgeon, Columbus, Ohio (USA
116) Ali Yusuf Dirie, Agriculturist, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
117) Eng. Mohamoud Mohamed Ali, Columbus, Ohio (USA).
118) Ali Maollim Mouse, TN (USA)
119) Faantoy Omar (Faanka), VA (USA)
120) Shamso Nur, MN (USA)
121) Mohamed Omar Karani, MN (USA)
122) Yasin Abdi jire ( Wiilwaal), (Sweden)
123) Abdikhalaq Mohamoud, (Nederland)
124) Fuad Ibrahim (Fuju) , (Nederland)
125) Hilal Muse Nero, (UK)
126) Jama Warsame, London (UK)
127) Adam Moblen, Naples (Italy)
128) Abdinur Bashir, Naples (Italy)
129) Abdiqani Mohamoud, (Italy)
130) Yasin Mahi Moalim, Nederland
131) Jani Dheere, Stocholm- (Sweden)
132) Abdirashid Issa Ugas, ON, (Canada)
133) Asli Jama Badwi, ON, (Canada)
134) Khali Mahdi Abdi, ON (Canada)
135) Abdikarim abdulle (Garweyne) London, (UK)
136) Abdullahi Farah (Dihal) IL, (USA)
137) Abas Mohamed, VA (USA)
138) Abdirashid Hassan Hirsi, ON (Canada)
139) Mubarak Dhiidhaco, ON (Canada)
140) Mohamed Abdullahi, London, (UK)
141) Samatar Abdullahi, WA, (USA)
142) Ibrahim Ahmed Ali (Shaash), Bonn, (Germany)
143) Dayib Mohamud Sheikh, DC (USA)
144) Eedaad Hassan Mire, MN (USA)
145) Saciid Abdi Cali Baradho, Nairobi, (Kenya)
146) Waris Mohamed Wilad, ON, (Canada)
147) Shaafici Xassan Maxamed, Gotenburg, (Sweden)
148) Eng. Abubakar Maxamed Darood, (UK)
149) Abdirizak Mohamud, ON, (Canada)
150) Mohamed Jama Jibrel, MN/USA
151) Abdirizak Bihi, MN (USA)
152) Mohamed Abdi Hassan Qaac, MN (USA)
153) Mohamed Osman (Majino), MN (USA)
154) Saeed Fahiya, MN (USA)
155) Ali Igal, MN (USA)
156) Faduma Dubbad, MN (USA)Eng. Ibrahim Sheikh Jama, OH (USA)
157) Khadra Cadaawe, ON, (Canada)
158) Mohamed Abdirizak, VA (USA)
159) Aden Sheegow, ON (Canada)
160) Hodon Siiqe, ON (Canada)
161) Abdirizak Galoof (Mulikiyuul), ON (Canada)
162) Muna Mohamud,Hovedstaden, Denmark
163) Hassan Mohamed Mudey, ON (Canada)
164) Ahmed Musse Nero, London, (UK)
165) Suad Awad, ON (Canada)
166) Jibril Mohamed Said, ON (Canada)
167) Shuceyb Osman Mohamed, ON (Canada)
168) Faduma Jama Dirie, ON, (Canada)
169) Rabiica Barre, ON (Canada)
170) Hodon Ahmed, ON (Canada)
171) Hassan Jama Ali, Piemonte (Italy)
172) Avv. Fadumo Jawaanle, ON (Canada)
173) Abdirizak M. Ahmed (Caanogeel), ON (Canada)
174) Omer Mohamed Dufle, ON (Canada)
175) Abdinur Mohamed Aden, ON (Canada)
176) Faysal Jama (Jabdhurwaa), AB, Canada
177) Cumar Gaab, ON (Canada)
178) Farah Aw-Osman, ON (Canada)
179) Jibril A. Hassan, GA (USA)
180) Ahmed Nur Basey, ON (Canada)
181) Ahmed Shire Dirie, ON (Canada)
182) Abdiqani Farah Musse, MN (USA)
183) Ibrahim Koshin Barre, AB (Canada)
184) Fadumo Abdullahi Barre, MN (USA)
185) Ilyas Ali, MN (USA)
186) Mohamed Ali Maamow, (Norwey)
187) Cabdulahi Mohamud Faytaan, (Norwey)