World and USA must
relief Somaliland from terror infested Somalia
Recently,
Media and Outreach Coordinator for the State Department´s Bureau of
African Affairs Greg Garland held online question and answer
discussion entitled ´Is there hope for Somalia?´. The discussion was
very much civilized and transparent. The heat and pressure mounted
as minute passed, but Garland remained very transparent and clear in
answering the questions as per his administration´s policy towards
the region.
However, the manner in which US Administration is approaching to the
two decades old Somali unrest is wrong, because it believes in a
unified Somalia. The administration failed to recognize the
democratic, independent and free Somaliland that created complete
structure of democratic and modern government without outside help.
State Department praised democracy progress in Somaliland and asked
US Aid to double its operations in Somaliland. However, Washington
administration botched to utilize Somaliland experience and Forces
to ease the violence in Mogadishu.
Somaliland Forces have advantages over African Peace Keeping Forces,
Ethiopian Forces and any other outsiders because Somaliland Forces
are Somali, Muslim and know the culture of people and government in
Mogadishu including the Islamists – Al-Shabaab. Based on these
facts, USA shall recognize Somaliland and its forces will roll into
brutal streets of Mogadishu. Knowingly, neither Al-Shabaab nor the
government will have excuse to fight Somaliland Forces.
After British Somaliland (Today´s Somaliland) and Italian Somalia (today´s
Southern regions of Somalia) united, the unrest and violence erupted
in Mogadishu streets and Late & First President of Somalia Adan Adde
used Somaliland Scouts to normalize the situation in Mogadishu.
Britain established Somaliland Scouts and trained them at the
beginning of last century. This gives Somaliland experience to
stabilize Mogadishu streets, as it did in 1960´s.
Garland said that Washington administration supports the shaky
transitional government of Somalia led by Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, who
is facing growing militancy inside the capital – Mogadishu. The
Islamist militant are receiving military, financial and logistics
support from Al-Qaeda terror organization and others like Eretria.
Recently US based New York Times published report that Al-Qaeda
leaders are making shift to Somalia/Yemen from Afghan-Pakistan
border. These are signs of growing influence of the militant in
Somalia, and ineffectiveness of Sheikh Sharif Ahmed government.
Garland said "The U.S. believes that the Transitional federal
Government provides the best solution for a unified Somalia.
Inasmuch as Somaliland provides a degree of good governance, it
offers an example to what is possible to all Somalis." Here,
unfortunately, Washington looks helpless and stuck with 40 years old
failed policy of establishing "Unified Somalia" and overlooks the
growing democracies in the region like Somaliland.
US shall realize that unity comes with acceptance from all uniting
parties but compulsory union will end up with failure like that of
Somalia during 1960´s. The uniting parties shall all agree upon
constitution that protects their rights and ensures equality and
freedom to all citizens. This cannot happen in Somalia because of
tribalism and very complicated population structure.
Garland admitted the international community failed to establish
effective and working central government for Somalia in last 20
years, and even US led forces to restore order and hope operation
during 1993 failed. He knows international community organized more
than 14 peace conferences for Somalis to settle their differences
but all failed. Mr. Garland understands that terrorist organizations
linked to Al-Qaeda (Al-Shabaab), control 90% of southern parts of
former Somalia and thousands of foreign fighters are entering in
Somalia from Afghan-Pakistan Border. He sees that Somaliland is the
only democratic and active part of former Somalia, but unfortunately
his administration in Washington overlooks Somaliland´s competence
to win international recognition.
US Forces entered Somalia with same wrong policy, in which
Washington administration is approaching to Somaliland and Somalia
until today. Former UN General Secretary Boutros-Ghali was part of
decision-making in the operation and started the initiative to use
force in Somalia. The operation cost the lives of 18 US soldier and
more than 30 UN soldiers of different nationalities including
Pakistanis.
Mr. Boutros-Ghali had secret agenda to support Ali Mehdi
(Transitional President of Somalia during the operation), but US
Administration failed to unveil such undercover agenda between Mr.
Boutros-Ghali and Ali Mehdi. The secret agenda was to eliminate
General Mohamed Farah Aydeed (the rival of Ali Mehdi in Mogadishu)
using UN Forces.
The solution of Somali chaos was simple during the operation, but
the wrong recommendations of Boutros-Ghali and his secret agenda led
the failure of the operation.
Somalia remained under harsh instability and violence for last 20
years, which weakened the country and led terrorist organizations
like Al-Qaeda to establish bases. Al-Qaeda planned the suicide
bombing of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; there are many
Al-Qaeda fugitives hiding inside lawless Somalia. These can be
minimized if Somaliland is recognized, because the US Forces can
establish based inside Somaliland and use its experience to crack
down the terror.
Today, Transitional President of Somalia Sheikh Sharif Ahmed lost
control of the southern parts to Al-Shabaab, and only controls his
residence in Mogadishu (Villa Somalia). Please refer the articles at
the bottom for the story.
The USA is watching the growing terror inside Somalia and innocent
civilians dying under harsh conditions of strict and wrong Islamic
Sharia practices by Al-Shabaab. The group blocked the entire basic
social services: No education, electricity, water…etc.
In other hand, the US administration is pressuring and forcing the
free people of Somaliland to remain within the human rights
violations and killing. Mr. Garland´s administration is holding
Somaliland hostage for failed theory of "unified Somalia".
Somaliland government and people cannot do business with outside
world due to the diplomatic embargo imposed by USA. They cannot sign
trade and partnership agreements with other international business
partners. The Somaliland students cannot attend international
universities because their certificates are from unrecognized
Somaliland. No passports to use and even no embassies for Somaliland
across the world. All these are happing to Somaliland, due to lack
of diplomatic recognition.
Mr. Garland added. "…The U.S. believes that the Transitional federal
Government of Somalia provides the best solution for a unified
Somalia. Inasmuch as Somaliland provides a degree of good
governance, it offers an example to what is possible to all
Somalis…"
Garland braces democratic process in Somaliland, at the same time
doesn´t accept it, and he is holding Somaliland until southern
Somalia comes out of the current chaos and violence. The question
is, If Southern Somalia fails to recover from the violence and chaos
that killed hundreds of thousands in last 20 years then will US
administration continue overlooking development, democracy progress
and good governance in Somaliland?!
There is most devastating humanitarian crisis in southern Somalia
including ethic killing, hunger and killer epidemic diseases that
take the lives of thousands of civilians. Human rights abuses are
daily event. Illegal piracy is common in many parts of former
Somalia that disturbs the international sea water, under sponsorship
of Puntland. My question is why the world shall punish Somaliland
for crimes it did not commit?!
Al-Qaeda´s makeshift & Talibanization of
Somalia:
Recently Pakistani High Commissioner to London during a debate at
Press TV underlined that Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders are working on
plans to relocate from Afghan-Pakistan Border into Somalia and
Yemen. He added that fighting in Pakistan will end if these leaders
leave their country, because the Pashtu tribes are protecting them
as guests.
There are feasible Al-Qaeda activities of relocating from
Afghan-Pakistan Border to Somalia and Yemen, after Pakistani Forces
crashed the Taliban inside Pakistan. This forced Al-Qaeda leaders to
look for alternatives like violent and lawless Somalia, which has
100% Muslim population.
Somali eyewitness from Mogadishu told Somali news website that
foreigners including Arabs are fighting alongside Al-Shabaab terror
organization – Al-Qaeda´s African Wing. These foreigners train the
local Somali youth as suicide bombers and on roadside bombs.
NATO Forces operated last four to five years in Afghanistan to
defeat Taliban but until now, there are no fruitful results, because
Taliban is active and strong. Taliban carry out daily attacks on
NATO forces and Afghanistan forces that kill many soldier. It will
not be easy for the international community to fight terrorists like
Al-Qaeda inside Somalia because Al-Qaeda will get plenty new
recruits due to the poverty and lack of education in the country.
NATO Forces will not use magic wind to eliminate Al-Qaeda inside
Somalia except using Somaliland against the Al-Qaeda. This method
succeeded in Iraq, after US forces formed Sunni militia to fight
Al-Qaeda and this disabled Al-Qaeda´s operations and death rate of
US forces dropped very sharply in very short period.
Comparisons are already being made between the Islamists in
Mogadishu and the Taliban in Afghanistan. At some point, the United
States government will have to make an unsavoury decision about how
to handle the jihadists in Mogadishu. It will almost certainly be
necessary to have allies on the ground willing to offer the United
States assistance, local information, access to territory, and so
on.
AFP new agency published on 12th June 2009 report about Al-Qaeda´s
plans to shift to Somalia entitled "Some Qaeda fighters head to
Somalia, Yemen". Dozens of Al-Qaeda fighters and some of the
extremist group´s leaders are shifting from their haven in
Pakistan´s tribal areas to Somalia and Yemen, The New York Times
reported on Friday.
Violent militant groups in all three countries are now communicating
more frequently in a apparent effort to coordinate their actions, US
administration, military and counterterrorism officials told the
Times.
A senior administration official attributed the shift to "the
enormous heat we´ve been putting on the leadership and the
mid-ranks" with Predator drone strikes launched from Pakistan and
Afghanistan that President Barrack Obama has intensified since
taking office in January.
"Al-Qaeda has been hit by drones and it has generated a lot of
insecurity among them," said retired Pakistani general Talat Masood,
a military analyst in Islamabad. "Many among them are uneasy and it
is possible that they are leaving for Somali and other Jihadi battle
fronts…The hard core, however, will like to stay on."
Another explanation, the newspaper said, may owe to expanded violent
extremist campaigns in Somalia and Yemen, with US officials pointing
to Somalia as a failed state and to a weak central government in
Yemen.
CIA Director Leon Panetta said Thursday that the intelligence agency
is focusing on countries like Somalia and Yemen as possible safe
havens for Al-Qaeda. The group´s leader, Osama bin Laden, is still
hiding in Pakistan, Panetta told reporters… End of Report.
The Ideal Solution for Somalia:
The solution for Somali unrest is to go back to old codes of 1960
union, and cure disa greements and uncertainties between the Somali
communities. We understand that fact don´t satisfy all people,
because there is always winner. However, in Somalia all shall be
winners, even if it takes giving the leadership of the country to
all tribes per term.
The unity of 1st July 1960 that created Somali Republic was not
fundamentally agr eed, because the Somalis were uneducated and did
not understand the meaning of unity; there was no constitution and
agreements. It was enthusiastic union that ended on 18th May 1991,
after Somaliland was retained its sovereignty afterfive decades
within Somalia.
The theory of "Greater Somalia" is based on unity between Somali
dominated five regions in the Horn of Africa including Djibouti,
Somaliland, Eastern Region of Ethio pia, North Frontier
District of Kenya and Somalia (Former Italian Somalia). Somaliland
and Italian Somalia united on 1st July 1960, but other three parts
remained unint erested in the unity. The Somali dictator
Mohamed Siyad Barre attacked Ethiopia to take the 5th Region of
Ethiopia by force, as part of theory. Also, the diplomatic relation
between Kenya and Somalia was very bad due to the theory, as Siyad
Barre believed that Kenya occupies parts of "Greater Somalia".
Recognizing Somaliland could be as good
as the disintegration of USSR, because the people unite and
disintegrate based on their own desire, and people of
Somaliland voted for independence
during 2001 Referendum with 97%. Yes to independence.
Somaliland is 3.5 million with 168,000
miles square, and nobody in the world will be able to force them
back into another marriage with failed state of Somalia. So, USA
government shall recognize Somaliland
and utilize its expertise in Somali conflict in the right path.
USA should change its policies in the horn of Africa, and support
the growing democracies instead of dancing with dictators. The faith
of Somalia will be similar to that of USSR, and dividing the country
into Somaliland and Somalia will be an
ultimate solution. USA shall not redo in Somalia its failed policy
in Afghanistan that created terrorism after USSR lost the war.
Dancing with dictators never pays off. Frankly, the worst democracy
is better than any dictatorship. Dictatorship leads to frustration,
extremism and terrorism. Somaliland is
unique form of democracy and it is growing without democracy mentors
and Somaliland created peace without
crisis management experts. Somaliland
deserved appreciation from the outside world, as neighboring
countries do every day. Today, the landlocked Ethiopia uses
Somaliland main port ´Berbera´ for its
imports and exports; Djibouti shares very peaceful border with
Somaliland border securities of both
countries cooperate on security. In other hand, millions of illegal
and drug traffickers cross the border between Southern Somalia and
Kenya; large quantities of weapons are smuggled daily into Kenya and
Ethiopia. This is different between having
Somaliland or Somalia on your border.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, in his recent article on
Washington Post, said "once the Soviets were defeated, the Americans
took the next bus out of Afghanistan, leaving behind a political
vacuum that ultimately led to the Talibanisation and radicalisation
of the country, the birth of Al Qaeda and the current jihadist
insurrection in Pakistan."
The world should put southern Somalia under UN Trusteeship for ten
years in order to restore the basic social service and help the
Somalis to establish their life again. The African Peace Keeping
Forces should stay in Somalia during the trusteeship to protect the
civilians from the terrorist organizations. Also, the world should
recognize Somaliland as an independent
state, which will reduce the magnitude of problem inside former
Somalia.
Southern Somalia was under UN Trusteeship from 1950 to 1960, because
the people in Southern Somalia failed to put effective
administration in their part of the region. However, this shows that
UN Trusteeship can be ideal solution to Southern Somalia, and
recognition of Somaliland will support
the growing democracy and good governance.
Members of US Congress believe that recognizing
Somaliland will open Pandora Box in the
region, and many other Somali regions will demand independence like
Somaliland. However, the congressmen
should understand that Somaliland was
independent in more than two centuries before it united with Somalia
on 1st July 1960.
Somalilanders joined Somalia to examine
possibility of creating Greater Somalia, which includes Djibouti,
5th Region of Ethiopia and Northern Frontiers Province (NFD) of
Kenya. However, this theory failed and created unrest in the region
including war Somali-Ethiopian war in 1964 and 1977. Also, Djibouti,
who was part of the Greater Somalia, turned down the theory and
declared independent Republic of Djibouti. This was the end of
Greater Somalia.
On the other hand, Somaliland could not
retrieve its sovereignty from Southern Somalia because of dictator
leaders, who bombed and killed thousands of civilians in
Somaliland (former northern regions of
Somalia) after the people of these regions called for independence
until 1991. Somalilanders took up the
arms against Somalia government and liberated their country on 1991,
and suddenly announced the long waited independence. On 18th May
1991, it was rebirth of Somaliland. So
my question is why US Congress holds back the independence of
Somaliland from Somalia?!
US Government should encourage the democracy, good governance
against the dictatorship and terrorism that dominated the Horn of
African region. This can only happen if Washington administration
recognizes Somaliland as strong,
democratic and modern ally. Today, there are dictators everywhere in
the Horn of Africa including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, Sudan and
Kenya except Somaliland, which had
three leaders from its rebirth on 18th May 1991 and fresh
presidential election expected on Sep 2009.
The below articles are fact-finding by scholars, university
professors, former US ambassador, and other intellectual and
politicians about Somaliland and the
region in general:
1.Somaliland: The Little Country that
Could
Africa Program £ Center for Strategic and International Studies
1800 K Street, NW £ Washington, DC 20006 £ Tel: (202) 775-3135 £
Fax: (202) 775-3199 £ www.csis.org
AFRICA NOTES
Number 9 November 2002
David H. Shinn
http://www.mbali.info/doc45.htm
2.Why the United States Should Recognize
Somaliland´s Independence
By Peter J. Schraeder
Peter J. Schraeder is a professor in the Department of Political
Science at Loyola University Chicago. He writes on African politics
and U.S. Africa policy.
http://forums.csis.org/africa/?p=19
3.The Ghost of Somalia: Somaliland
Should be Allowed to Depart a Chaotic Country in Transition
Pittsburgh Post - Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pa.: Jul 12, 2006. pg. B.7
Dan Simpson, a retired U.S. ambassador, is a Post-Gazette associate
editor (dsimpson@post-gazette.com).
http://www.mbali.info/doc151.htm
4.U.N.´s Boutros-Ghali Proposes Armed Intervention in Somalia
By John M. Goshko
The Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:JmLEligNtlMJ:tech.mit.edu/V112/N61/somalia.61w.html+Boutros+Boutros-Ghali+created+somali+problem&cd=2&hl=ar&ct=clnk&gl=kw
5.Somalia –Afghanistan of Africa, HASSAN DAHIR AWEYS the Trojan
Horse of Issayas Afeworki
By Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
The American Chronicle
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102255
Somaliland enforced all possible
procedures, codes and technologies to host free and fair elections.
Somaliland Election Commission (SEC)
installed biometric based system, where all fingerprints of the
citizens are saves in centralized database. SEC conducts
One-Man-One-Vote.
By Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
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