Remembering an unsung Somali humanitarian worker

Ayub, also transliterated Ayuub, is an orphanage centre on the edge of the port city of Merka, in southern Somalia. in this center, hundreds of hapless orphans, male and female who have been wallowing in the streets or lived with out caretaker in squalid IDP camps are fed, schooled and given shelter. The biological parents of these children perished during the heinous civil war, either by bullet or for hunger. Ayub orphanage center was set up by an unsung heroine and humanitarian worker Mana Suldan Abdirahman Ali Ise widely known "Mana Xaajow", a fame personality in lower Shebelle region, with the help of an international organization called water for life (WFL) headquartered in TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE province of Italy- a former colony of southern Somalia.

Mana has been toiling hard for many years to educate and feed these children to build their future. As, an interest to the children and their future is sine qua non of teaching & helping children Mana had the caliber of a humanitarian worker, she was always motivated by her inner feeling and belief that children are the cornerstone of the every society´s development, her humble and affable character earned her the love of her coworkers, partners and Somali society at large, her serene face inspired hundreds of children in Ayub orphanage center who called her MAMA MANA and those scattered in every corner of lower Shebelle region. During her career as relief worker which dates back during 1980s but intensified during the civil war in Somalia, she faced intimidations, death threats and several work related impediments but she never give up. The successive administrators of lower Shebelle region had tried to politicize her humanitarian work to extort her money to finance their self-aggrandizement activities in the region but she had adroitly managed to continue her work for the benefit of these needy and abandoned children. Her determination to work and advocate for the women and children never waned.

Mana suldan Abdirahman, the director WFL Somalia was not only working for the betterment of the life of the children but involved in several capacity building projects in lower Shabelle region like digging water canals, providing capital for small scale farmers.
WFL under the supervision of mana suldan Abdirahman managed to build and run several schools in lower Shebelle like; Shalambood, C/Minye, Mushaani, Waagadi, Jannaale, Ugunji, Buulo mareer, Golweyn and Gaywarrow-all are villages in the region.

Mana Suldan Abdirahman passed away on 14kii December 2007 for heart attack.
One of staff of the center told me that they could not dare to inform Ayub children the disheartening death of their Mama- Mana suldan Abdirahman for many days. After her death her sister Fatima Suldan Abdirahman succeeded her to continue the charity work initiated by her sister but unfortunately Fatima was abducted on 30/06/2008, while she and 4 of her colleagues were travelling on the road between Merka and Mogadishu on their way to Italy.

The abduction of Fatima Suldan Abdirahiman;

An eyewitness travelling with Fatima at the day of the abduction said;
"we, a delegation of WFL from Merka were heading to Mogadishu Airport to attend a conference to be held in Italy, our trip started from Merka 110 km south of Mogadishu, after arduous journey with twists and turns because of the roughness of the unpaved road we reached N0.50 village just 50 km south of Mogadishu, when we reached N0 50 village I and my driver returned back to Merka to collect some documents we left behind and commutted again to Mogadishu, we have been in regular contact with Fatima via our mobile phones but, while they were a stone throw to Mogadishu and I was talking to one of her entourage suddenly the line dead and on subsequent attempts to reach them did not work. Later we learned that Fatima and her colleagues Mohamud Abdi Osan, Ali Maow, Mohamed Haji and their driver Mohamed Ise Bil were abducted. Hitherto no one claimed the responsibility of her abduction; all on going efforts to find any clue that could help reach and negotiate with her abductors failed, no one knows if they are still a live or killed".

Plea

WFL is a charity organization dedicated to help the needy people of Somalia especially those live in lower Shebelle, it never involved in politics and sided with any faction or a group of the warring parts of Somalia, it was people oriented in fulfilling its tasks by taking into account the priorities of its target groups as well as the culture and norms of its beneficiaries, so, Ayub orphanage children and WFL family in Merka, call upon those who hold Fatima Abdurahman and her colleagues captive to release her, so that she could continue her work which is the raison d'être of hundreds of young children who need her support.

They also, for the benefit of these young children call on Somali traditional elders, human right activists and all peace loving people in Somalia and around the world especially in Italy -who might have an influence in Somalia- to stand and work hard for the release of Fatima Suldan Abdirahman and her colleagues.




Photo: late Fatima Suldan Abdirahman
more information about Ayub orphanage Centre and Mama Mana could found here;

http://www.portal-info.ro/video/videoclip-ayuub_1_3-806048.html
http://www.portal-info.ro/video/videoclip-ayuub_3_3-806068.html

Somali war criminals to ICC, the timing is ill-advised

UN secretary general’s special envoy to Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, recently proposed the formation of an international commission mandated to probe killings and atrocities committed by the warring parts of Somalia during the 18 years of inter clan warfare. Ahmedou Ould Abdallah also called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution authorizing the international criminal court in Hague to indict and prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes in Somalia.

Apropos the call of Ambassador Ould Abdallah, I do believe in terms of the timing it is counterproductive that such a high ranking UN diplomat who sponsored the peace talks between the transitional federal government and the alliance for the re-libration of Somalia-the first victory Mr. Ould-Abdallah has chalked up during his career as a UN especial representative for Somalia -to make such a call in this transitional period where the major players of Somali’s fratricidal war are involved in the peace process and elected Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as a president in a bid to end Somali quagmire. To prosecute and sentence those who were behind the ruthless and vicious killing that took place in Somalia is quintessential justice that every Somali is yearning for and many Somalis are well prepared to take part the fray and testify against those who ordered the killing of their families or fellow citizens but the lingering question is; is it the right time to embark on bringing Somali war criminals before justice?.

The totalitarian rule of the former president of Somalia Mohamed Siyad Bare and his barbaric actions that favored his kinsmen on the price of other Somali tribes triggered the popular uprising spearheaded by some Somali clans to get rid of his rule but misfortunately the odious crimes committed during his presidency and the legacy of that era pitted against two of the major Somali clans Hawiye and Darod. When the clan internecine erupted in Somalia January 1991, the civilians have taken the brunt of the heavy missiles exchanged by the warring clans or direct cold blood killings carried out by the marauding militias, it all started spontaneously when ordinary folks took the arms from the military barracks and turned against each other although some prominent community leaders both traditional and political were in cahoots with the notorious clan militias who mercilessly killed their Somali brothers and sisters.

Malignant Clan warlords and their protégés might have masterminded or ordered acts that could be classified as war crimes like; Willful killing, torture or inhumane treatment and Unlawful wanton destruction or appropriation of property and their ilk but some times there is no correlation between the leadership and atrocities while other times the leader did actually ordered mass killing, rape and instigated clan animosity.

Its not the right time to prosecute those who were responsible for war crimes in Somalia because it might hinder the peace process currently underway since Somalia is tribal community and the clan whose leader or tribesman is indicted might give him a save haven and its implication might be devastating like; acts of retaliation against whom they believe is behind his indictment or might supposedly extradite him to the international criminal courts.

On 17th October 2005, Swedish police in the town of Lund, southern Sweden, arrested Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdid the commissioner of Somali police force during Abdullahi Yusuf’s tenure, Swedish police took Abdi Qeybdid from his hotel and sent him to the prison on the charge of war crime after another Somali living in Sweden testified that Mr. Awale has participated the execution of two men in Somalia.

Abdi Qabdid who is also the de facto commissioner of Somali Police, was among a visiting Somali delegation to participate a conference on the peace of Horn of Africa. The news of his arrest reverberated across Somalia and Sweden -where a large community of Somalia lives-, hundreds of Somalis in Mogadishu took to the streets in support of Abdi Qebdid and demanded his immediate release. They were steadfastly demanding the release of a warlord whose henchmen had fired in late 1990s mortar shells to Bakara Market -one of the biggest Market in Mogadishu, specially the jewelry Market where dozens of jewelers were massacred, the same Mogadishu residents demonstrated in favor of Abdi Qadid for simple reason that he is their kinsman.

This shows how clan loyalty might challenge any future arrest warrant for Somalis who were responsible for the killing of other Somalis and if current initiative to set up the proposed commission goes a head through UN, it will spur them to entrench themselves in clans and reject the establishment of a functioning government in Somalia particularly in the south.

Oul-Abdallah tried to juxtapose Somalia case that of the other countries like Congo where the murders were sent to the international criminal courts in Hague but the war in Congo is different from that of Somalia in terms of sociopolitical situations of the two countries, the only similarity is the massive civilian casualties of the two wars.

To bring justice those who ordered or took part the killing of innocent people will come in a later stage, when current pacification process is successful and Somalis agree on a modus vivendi and Sheikh Shrif’s government stands on its feet, when this condition is met, Somalis have more options to consider;

To establish truth and reconciliation commission like that of South Africa after apartheid era, the victims of the war and the perpetrators appear before the this committee to be heard and testify respectively, the criminals might be granted amnesty or prosecuted, this will necessitate new laws to be enacted by the parliament.

So set up in side the country a special tribunal, similar to Nuremberg Trials after World War I &II, those charged with war crimes and instigation of clan hatred during the civil war are prosecuted.

International criminal court in Hague to deal with the case of Somali war crimes and all those charged should be sent to ICC for trail..

Sheikh Sharif, a new hope for Somalia

Many Somalis both in Diaspora and inside the country have vehemently welcomed the election of Sheikh Sharif sheikh Ahmed as the new president of Somalia and hope he will unite the feuding parts of Somalia in an all-inclusive government capable of ending the protracted civil war in Somalia but I see it as an increasingly forlorn hope because of the colossal obstacles he should face. He would lead the third Somali government to be incepted outside the country for the last decade in which its predecessors failed to function and restore peace and stability.

The same factors triggered the demise of Abdullah Yusuf´s government still prevail, as Sheikh Sharif prepares to return home after his election, he will be catapulted into familiar problems like; Ethiopian intervention to Somalia, Islamic extremists vowing to confront his government and Piracy. Al-Shabab Al-Mujahidin a designated terrorist organization on American list -albeit it was one of the loosely related entities embodied by Islamic courts union led by Sheikh Sharif- is apposing his presidency, Al-Shabab seized large swathes in southern Somalia for the last few months and imposed their style of Islamic rule on Baidabo town, the seat of the Transitional Federal Government after Ethiopian troops departed Somalia. So, the upcoming government of Sheikh Sharif and the expanded parliament are left with out seat.

Sheikh Sharif hails from "Majmca Culumada Somaliyed", Somali clergy assembly, a franchise of Muslim brotherhood movement set up by late Hassan Al-Bana in Egypt, Majamca culimada is one faction of the fractured Muslim brotherhood in Somalia, according to the canon and credo of Muslim brotherhood in Somalia similar to its parent movement is a peaceful not violent organization seeking to govern Somalia under Sharia law through community service and capacity building. After the collapse of the central government of Somalia, Somali Islamic movements spearheaded by Muslim brotherhood have been active in the social activities like building schools and providing food and accommodation for orphans with the support of oil rich Gulf countries, supports of Muslim brotherhood did not take arms to jockey for power. Jihadist Islamists contend that Muslim brotherhood like Majmaca culimada Somaliyeed and Islah (another faction of Muslim brotherhood) are not true practicing Islamic movements while others label them quasi-secular movements.

Sheikh Sharif and his fellow moderate Islamists, although they allied with hardliners like Al-shabab and other jihadist movements but their role has been confined to non military tasks. after Ethiopian troops routed out Islamic courts union 2006, sheikh Sharif´s group seemed to have changed their mind and renounced violence if any, they opted to sit with the transitional Federal government, Sheikh Sharif´s efforts to secure Ethiopian withdrawal from Somalia peacefully has been fruitful and he was rewarded by the expanded members of Somali parliament to elect him president. Sheikh Sharif is now facing myriad problems, Al-Shabab fighters are gaining more ground and declared war against Sheikh Sharif´s forthcoming government. Al-shabab´s militias are well armed and ready to die or blow them selves up-though their real military power is exaggerated, during Ethiopian presence in Somalia they waged rhetoric and nationalistic Islamic propaganda as a recruitment outcry, even young Somalis from America were reportedly joining Al-shabab.

Besides Al-shabab, other radical Islamists boycotted Sheikh Sharif´s government. Four armed Somali Islamist factions announced they knitted together their militias and formed a new unified faction dubbed "Islamic movement" led by Dr. Omar Iman, in a conference held in the remote area near the border between Kenya and Somalia. These armed groups Raskamboni camp, Caanoole, Al-Jabha Al-Islamiya and the alliance for re-libration of Somalia Asmara wing announced the unification of their leadership and militia and showed a firm determination to continue what they call jihad against Somali government and AMISOM peacekeepers but the central gravity is that endless jihad and counter jihad would only exacerbate the suffering of Somali people. Many observers predict that these factions will not get the support of Somalis after Ethiopia troops vacated Somalia, there are signs that residents of Mogadishu and its vicinity who fervently supported Islamist insurgents during Ethiopian occupation are resisting calls made by Jihadists to divert their war to AMISOM peacekeepers.

Former foes of Sheikh Sharif, Ethiopia and US also welcomed his election by calling him a moderate Islamist who could re-unite Somalia because of his moderate approach as well as his good relations with the Islamists but many analysts believe America and its regional ally Ethiopia are under delusion that moderate Islamists could be a bulwark for them as long as the threat of Al-Qaida linked organizations in Horn of Africa is concerned since they did not change their ill-advised policy towards Somalia.

Ethiopian troops hitherto infiltrate parts of Somalia, like Hiiran region adjacent to Ethiopian border where Ethiopian troops seized Kala-Beyr junction, this comes as their government overtly claimed it pulled all its troops from Somalia, Ethiopia is undermining sheikh Sharif´s presidency since sheikh Sharif´s marketing strategy that earned him wide public support has been the participation of Djibouti peace process that resulted the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia and if Ethiopian troops still kill innocent populace inside Somalia it will discredit sheikh Sharif and boast his detractors´ position like al-Shabab. In his inauguration speech, sheikh Sharif sent a reconciliatory message to the neighboring countries especially Ethiopia when he said "we want the folks of horn of Africa to live in peace and harmony", in contrast to Somali leaders since the independence who publicly claim sovereignty over Somali inhabited regions of Ethiopia but his call got a lukewarm response from Ethiopia. American allergy to any collaboration with Islamist even those of moderates might hamstring sheikh Sharif´s efforts to establish a functioning government in Somalia and subsequently embolden hardliners like Al-Shabab to undermine his government that might usher the dominance of Al-Shabab the political arena of Somalia and install Taliban style government in Somalia. I call upon the new American administration to support Sheikh Sharif financially and politically and pressure Melas zenawi to stop Ethiopian cross border incursions into Somalia.

Al-shabab and Media houses

Few months ago I stumbled upon an audio recording posted on the site of Horn Afrik Media Company, it has been the last time I heard the voice of the deceased journalist Said Tahlil Ahmed, the director of Mogadishu based Horn Afrik media outlet, the audio recording was a political radio talk hosted by Said Tahlil. I inquisitively listened to the talk participated by the widely loathed former warlord Yusuf Mohamed Indhacade and the secretary general of the alliance for re-libration of Somalia- Djibouti wing Abdurrahman Janqow, in which Yusuf Indhacade accused his former crony of derailing Union of Islamic Courts´ vision of Imposing Sharia law throughout Somalia and verbally attacked Sheikh Sharif and his comrades. I also curiously followed this talk as Abdurrahman Janaqow counterattacked and labeled his friend of ignorant and insular who is only determined to sabotage the regional and international efforts to put an end the prolonged Conundrum of Somalia.

I reminisce; since the two guests have been formerly allied and split and more listeners participated through phone , Said Tahlil had the knack to run the talk smoothly by giving each of them a fair share on air in a professional and impartial manner.

I was shocked and dismayed by the news of the vicious and vile killing of Said Tahlil, Tahlil was reportedly shot on the head by 3 masked gunmen armed with pistols while he and other journalists from several radio stations were walking near Dahabshil building inside Bakara Market, the biggest Market in Mogadishu. At the outset, before I discuss who killed the journalist and the motive behind his killing, let me shed light on the role of the media during Ethiopian occupation of Somalia.

When Islamic Courts Union has taken the control of southern Somalia in 2006, the overwhelming majority of Somali media particularly Mogadishu based FM stations were biased to Islamic Courts Union and virulently opposing to the beleaguered transitional federal government led by former president Abdullah Yusuf seated in Baidabo, these radio stations were airing lopsided news and calling the TFG weak and dysfunctional, even during swift and short lasted fighting between UIC and Ethiopian troops propping the TFG some of the stations like Shebelle have been broadcasting nationalistic rhetoric songs recorded during Somali-Ethiopian war 1977. After Abdullah Yusuf´s government relocated in Mogadishu, these radio stations were disseminating orchestrated propaganda against the government and were adorning the insurgents, the directors of these stations contended that it is a patriotic obligation to side with the insurgents and exaggerate the shortcomings of what they call at that time a puppet government concocted by foreigners to suppress its civilians.

The same directors, when the bloodshed and infighting did not cease after the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops and more sub-factions are emerging to fight against the new government they agreed upon not to be a mouthpiece for peace spoilers. The directors and editors of the main media houses in Mogadishu convened to a meeting held in Mogadishu in which they agreed on;

1. To halt live broadcasts of religious sermons held in Mogadishu Mosques, in a bid not to give the speakers a chance to polarize the society and seize this opportunity for their political agenda as happened on several occasions, such religious talks should be recorded and aired after edited.

2. Not to accept and cover the press conferences hold by the warring factions of Somalia via telephone, since the security concerns caused the emergence of such sort of press conferences no longer exist. We call upon Islamist insurgents and other political organization holding a press conference to inform the local media the proposed time and venue of the press conference and media houses will dispatch reporters to cover regardless of geographical area.

3-Not to interview low profile novice politicians who have no official political title but could destabilize the country, the quoted individuals should be the well-known politicians currently operating in the political arena of Somalia

4-Not to air defamatory remarks made by propagandist self proclaimed politicians against Somali politicians and not to allow hatred comments that could instigate violence reach the public through the media and consequently cause infighting and displacement
5-eventually the media houses should encourage peace and those advocating for peace to contribute positively to the peace process.

Days after this media agreement, the press secretary of Al-shabab Al-mujahidin called the directors of the media houses of Mogadishu including said Tahlil on meeting and informed them to assemble the headquarters of Shebelle media network to be later accompanied by the above-mentioned shabab leader to the venue of the conference, but suddenly as they walk to the meeting venue, three armed gunmen appeared and killed Said Tahlil.

Such act has the fingerprints of Al-shabab, when the three gunmen were firing shots on Said Tahlil, Al-shabab official accompanying the journalists was on the scene with his armed body guards, such incident would not have occurred if Al-shabab did not give the culprit the green light. Three militias could not have killed Said Tahlil in a cold blood on the gaze of Shabab leader who invited the journalist on a meeting if they are not involved in the plot, its militias would have definitely defended since they were armed.

Although Al-shabab dismissed any involvement of the assassination of Said Tahlil, it goes with out saying that Abu Masor´s condolence message to the family of Said Tahil does not suffice, he should disclose to the concerned Somalis any evidence verifying that they are not behind this brutal killing

Ominous January!

While most of the students had been on the school yard during the recess, suddenly, the school bell rung before the end of the break, all students rushed to their classes, when I and classmates returned hustling each other to class, one of our teachers who seemed perturbed told us to go back home with out giving reasons. I and my friends nipped out of the school and headed to our respective homes, on my way home I could see terrified people standing outside their houses, artillery gun shells could be heard across Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia where I was dwelling.

It was january 1991

When I came home, some of my family and my neighbors were assembled outside our house, they were effusively applauding and ululating to an armed clan faction called USC (united Somali congress) that was battling with Siyad Bare’s elite red helmeted troops in the city, some of them were chanting “death to big mouth”, “Let him vanish and we would live peace and prosperous life after him”. But my uncle was not enthusiastic to USC militias, he was an old man who lived under the different systems that reigned Somalia since independence, he was boisterously saying to them “who comes and who goes is a trivial matter, since USC has no clear agenda to rule this country and are dominated by one clan, I envisage a dark future”. All those who lived in our village similar to most of Somalis have been vociferously supporting the armed guerrilla fighters whose members emanated from Hawiye Clan, they contended and tried to convince him (my uncle) that the stark situation they live economically and politically would end if USC defeats Siyad Bare and his henchmen, but my uncle won’t budge.

Although I was a child, but I could understand most of what has been going on. A fierce fighting between the remnants of Somali’s military forces and USC militias has been going on in the downtown; the roar of heavy artillery shells echoed the whole city. The first time as a small kid, I heard a pullet was –I can’t recall the day and month-when soldiers guarding the house of ex-minister late General Adan Gabyow clashed with government soldiers, Gabyow’s residence, a two- story house was situated near to our house, we were terrified by the bullets exchanged by these two government soldiers one defending late General Gabyow and the other mandated to arrest him. Also I was aware of that Somalia and its archenemy Ethiopia fought in all-out war in 1977 that resulted many Somali soldiers to fall on the hands of Ethiopians and consequently being held captives for many years , I used to read “Xidigta Oktobar” newspaper published by the ministry of information where my Dad had been working, I recall one day a relative of mine came to our residence informing us that another relative who was a Somali war prisoner held by Ethiopia during 1977 war has been released, I found his name on the list of freed prisoners on "Xidigta Oktobar". I was told that Ethiopians held Somali prisoners in an underground prison.

I was also aware of that starting from 1989 many Somalis from northwestern Somalia had been fleeing from their houses and coming to Mogadishu, pupils from Northwestern Somalia were joining our school to pursue their studies since Mogadishu was safer at that time. I reminisce one of them joined our class at Dhame Yasin intermediate School, in Medina, Mogadishu. He was conversing to us a different dialect used by northwestern, he was a nice guy. During literature subject -one of the school subjects- he was an active participant. He used to sing Somali songs while I barely knew a single song. One day he sang “jammaaday, jammaaday ubax jacel aan mooda. Intu jilibka ii dhigay I jibaaxay anigee”

When the fighting intensified, our family decided to send us to the remote areas especially the countryside in Lower shabelle region where my distant family lived. We started our journey and took a circuitous route; we walked on foot 30km between Mogadishu and Afgoye. On the road, while we were traveling to Afgoye we come across several government troops taking positions in the bush, but none of them was harming the travelers, after little rest and gulped little water we continued our journey and traveled on bus to Merka town, 110 km south of Mogadishu.

Months later I returned to Mogadishu after siyad Barre has been toppled, every one was armed, even those of my age who we played together. after Siyad left Mogadishu residents rampaged to the military barracks and every one took arms and ammunition as much as he/she could, clans begun to fight each other. Before that, all people in our neighborhood regardless of Clan identity lived in unison, I and my fellow neighbors have been playing football together, attending Quran school together and shared bad and good alike, no one in our village menaced the other for clan identity.

Targeting houses of fellow tribesmen and looting their propriety started, any one from targeted clan was either killed in a cold blood or escaped to his clan’s constituency. Words like Bililaqo(looting) and Isbaaro (checkpoint) preoccupied everyone’s mind. Young guys installed checkpoints on the streets and Forcefully take the belongs of Pedestrians ,they killed their preys if their demands are not met.

My school turned into a graveyard where innocent residents killed by marauding militias and their killers like notorious Yusuf Qadhob were buried alike before its refurbished years later.

Somali people’s ambitions to live in peace and coherence have been shattered by warlords, warmongers and clan strives and the country is plunged into anarchy and mayhem.

After 19years, the last Ethiopian soldier left Somalia and somali factions are jockeying for power, they are fractured and might engage in deadly confrontations. I call on all feuding parts and clans in Somalia to put their differences a side and come on the round table to salvage our country. Enough is enough…. Let us unite and rebuild our beloved country.

These are Somali news sites, shame!!!!

One of widely visited Somali news sites published today a breaking news titled "US supports a new Somali president to be elected in a national reconciliation conference in which all-inclusive government would be established” a press release from American embassy.

The body of the news which I roughly translated into English says ”US government said that the upcoming Somali president should be elected in the Djibouti conference. In a press release issued by the US embassy in Nairobi, has been declared the position of American government towards the peace process in Somalia. In the press release the US government welcomed the peace process in Djibouti and the formation of a national reconciliation government. In the press release US government also called upon the alliance for re-liberation of Somalia Djibouti wing to submit the list of the 275 new members of the parliament coming from the alliance, the deployment of the attending delegations to Djibouti conference would bee airlifted starting from tomorrow. The press release in English is here below:-"

Good morning-I’m looking to establish who among the Somali media outlets has correspondents in Djibouti. We’d like to be able to work with them when we’re in Djibouti, especially in the context of the TFG-ARS talks. If your outlet has anyone in Djibouti, I’d appreciate the person’s name, phone number and email address so I can be in touch with them.
Thanks and regards,
Mark
Mark Zimmer Somalia Affairs U.S. Embassy Nairobi http://somalia.usvpp.gov/ this message is UNCLASSIFIED based on the definitions provided in E.O. 12958

Firstly, no one can understand what the website under question really meant this news; they talk about the support of US to Djibouti conference. What is the conference? Is it the conference between the TFG and ARS that concluded in Djibouti? Or it’s a new conference? No one knows.

Secondly, if you read the statement mentioned above in which the news site says is the original statement from US embassy in Nairobi is a correspondence between some one called Mark Zimmer, from -as he claims- Somalia Affairs U.S. Embassy Nairobi, who asks a non identified person to help him find any one in Djibouti who can guide him during his stay in Djibouti, so where is the press release, or they think that Deception, and misleading news will crown them journalists.

So there is no press release from US embassy, I don’t know if American embassy’s press releases are written like this, good morning and hi. What a shame!!!

please read even if dont read Somali you will see and hopefully read the english words there, in wich they say is the press release from US Embassy in Nairobi

this is the link of the news in the Somali site

Somalia:Clan card played in Islamist showdown

When Islamic courts union has taken the control of large swathes in southern Somalia in June 2006, I was a virulent critic of these loosely allied Islamist factions, not that I was against their intentions of pacifying the country and restoring peace and order but that they have been less qualified and ill-prepared for reigning a country like Somalia in terms of the administrative experience of their leadership, lack of hierarchical authority and ideological differences that I thought could trigger future infighting, but many Somalis have been delusional to take my concerns seriously. Union of Islamic courts embodied many factions and personalities with different ideological back grounds. when the news of the fierce fighting between militias loyal to the defunct Islamic courts union and those of Alshabab Al-muajahid in Bal’ad in middle Shabelle region, reverberated across the country, it seems that many Somalis suddenly had a strong feeling of déjà vu.

The fighting started early in the morning on Saturday in the town of Bal’ad just 30 km north of Mogadishu when militias loyal to Al-Shabab and union of Islamic courts union clashed in one of the deadliest infighting between former Islamists allies Al-shabab and UIC, at the beginning Al-shabab fighters have been dislodged from the town and it fall on the hands of UIC, but later in the day al-Shabab fighters after getting reinforcement managed to regain the control of the town, 2 people were reportedly injured and 4 others sustained injuries.

This infighting came a day after, when sheik Abdirahman Janaqow- a top leader of Islamic courts union and the secretary general of the alliance for re-liberation of Somalia Djibouti wing, accused Al-shabab of attacking and destabilizing the peaceful areas of Somalia like Ceel-Garas,Guraceel,dhuusa mareeb and beledweyn in center Somalia, he said while addressing to a congregation in a mosque near Lafaweyn Hotel in Mogadish that Al-shabab militia are attacking towns and regions with a local authority set up by the elders of these areas as they(Al-shabab militia) solely have the writ to rule. He also vehemently dismissed accusations levied on his group that they derailed the struggle to liberate the country from Ethiopian occupation and allied with what Al-Shabab call the enemy of Allah.

Janaqow alleged that Al-shabab are not interested in Ethiopian forces to quit Somalia as they claim, he said “while Ethiopians are leaving they attack their barracks to disrupt their imminent withdrawal by saying we let them quit Somalia by force, why they force them withdraw while they are leaving Somalia” .He said the presence of Ethiopian Troops inside Somalia is their raison d’etre

Janaqow also for the first time -since Al-Shabab declared their secession from the mainstream Islamic courts union when the later allied with opposition members of Somali parliament who resigned their posts and formed the alliance for re-liberation of Somalia in Asmara Eritrea-accused Al-Shabab of venality when he said they take photos of those of killed in the confrontations between Ethiopian troops and put on the websites to get funds from others whom he did not mention.

Janaqow also outlined that Al-Shabab are camouflaging under the banner of Islam by quoting verses from the Quran with out depth knowledge for ulterior agenda

Janaqow literally said “their leaders came from other regions while they escaped their respective regions and could not dare to return, they have been welcomed by the people of Mogadishu but unfortunately they kill the people with out reason”.

The spiritual leader of Al-Shabab labeled Sheikh Sharif’s Group renegades in an audio speech published on the site of Al-shabab on the World Wide Web after he said they allied with the transitional federal government and collaborated with the international community in which he accused of fueling the internecine in Somalia.

In the long term, the two main Islamist factions and their affiliates would jockey fro power after Ethiopian withdrawal if happens, both groups already started to wage a propaganda and military war against their rivals.

In these propaganda and military war, the rumps of Islamic courts union led by Sheikh Sharif will fight on these levels;

-At clan level; the top leaders of Al-shabab emanated for Somaliland, bay &Bakol region and Putland, and those who paid and still pay the highest price of the deadly confrontations between Ethiopian troops and Islamic insurgents are from Hawiye -one of the four main clans of Somalia, many quasi-liberal Hawiye leaders both in the country and in Diaspora made unsuccessful attempt to convince Hawiye members financing and giving ammunition to Al-shabab to stop their support since their innocent tribesmen are paying the price of these fighting while other regions where Al-shabab leader originate have a relative peace as long as Al-shabab are not active there. Hawiye traditional leaders like the spokesman of Hawiye traditional elders Ahmed Diriye made such allegations but the blatant allegation made by Abdurrahman Janaqow about Al-Shabab’s lack of empathy to Hawiye population in rebuffing all suggestions to stop fighting, flabbergasted many Somalis especially those of Hawiye who effusively supported Al-shabab as freedom fighters dedicated to liberate their country form Ethiopia but Janaqow resorted such well documented clan rhetoric to lure his kinsmen to support Djibouti peace process spearheaded by sheikh Sharif and stop their support to Al-shabab.

-Religion level: sheikh sharif’s group are employing a new strategy to counterattack Al-shabab which usually use Islam and religion card to win the hearts and minds of Somalis and alienate Sheiksh sharif’s group, they started to part take talks hosted by local media and deliver speeches to audience by using religious perspective to argue or challenge Al-shabab, because most Somalis understand most leaders who speak to them religious language more than they understand political language. So, they started to justify their political agenda on religious point of view, like labeling their rivals (Khawarij) or accusing Al-shabab of venality and heresy.

-The support Seikh Sharif’s group get from the international community will give them boast, many Somalis in a civil war crippled country might join them or support them since they have the support the international community and consequently could put an end the suffering of Somalis

In the side of Al-shabb they will play the cards of Security, religion and their formidable force to overpower their rivals

-Al-shabab use security card, as they usually market them selves to sustain their current record in terms of the support they get from Somali folks especially those in Mogadishu and its vicinity, they have a tested record of pacifying towns and regions under their control, Merka and Kismayo are a clear evidence for their lead in security matters when you compare with their rivals.

-Al-shabab will also beef up their propaganda war against sheikh Sharif’s group by using Islam and religion as their lethal weapon to defeat their foe.

-Al-shabab will also use their militia and formidable force in the battle field to get the upper hand as long as they maintain recruitment tactics currently used.

Warlord baptized Islamist

Clan militias loyal to Bare Adan shire Hiiraale-former defense minister of TFG, a warlord and a colonel of ex-Somali national army- are now regaining some ground in Gedo and Bay region in Somalia and are heading to the port city of Kismayo, their former stronghold before they lose this economically and politically strategic town roughly a year ago in favor of Raskamboni camp, one of Al-Shabab affiliated Islamists militias. this come back and resilience comes after they secured the support of Ethiopian military who ushered them to Beled Xawo, Burdhubo, Baardhere towns in Gedo region..

Many Somalis might reacted sarcastically to a cartoon published on the website of the great and veteran Somali cartoonist Amin Amir, but it was the best creative way to predict the coming days and months of Somalia, this political cartoon has depicted the filthy and autocratic prime minister of Abyssinia Melas zenawi having a meeting with some former warlords of Somalia like the loathed Muse sudi Yalahow and Mohamed Qanyare among others, during the meeting Meles addressing to them and Ak 47 rifles on the the round table, said “ you should incept factions with Islamic names, such factions currently have publicly in Somalia” Muse Sudi abruptly with overwhelming enthusiasm responded to this prudent suggestion, by saying “From now on I have Al-yalahow”. His opted name has the suffix (Al), a popular Arabic word that comes before the names like Al-shabab and Al-mahakim. Malas zenawi has put forward this heartfelt and generous suggestion to his former allies to re-operate in the political scene of Somalia because factions with Islamic names could easily win the hearts and minds of Somalis in terms of recruitment and financial support.

Muse Sudi seems to be insular and amateur when you precipitously compare with Bare Biraale, he (Muse Sudi) is hitherto using his last name (yalahow) that symbolizes clan favoritism and subsequently could not win the support of All Somalis but Bare Hiiraale scored a new record in putting Melas’s suggestions in to action. While addressing to the people of Bardheere in Gedo region after his militias propped up by Ethiopian forces have taken the control of the town, he outlined that he knitted to Ahlu-suna wal Jamai, a traditionally non violent group which is archetypal suffi sect of Islam that most of Somalis adhered before wahabist clerics schooled in Saudi Arabia in 80s and 90s dominated the religious life of Somalis. Its worth mentioning that local and international media speculated that Ahl-usuna group confronted with Al-Shabab in Guri’el town in central Somalia but the reality is that who has battled with Al-Shabab were not Ah-lu suna but have been clan militias belonging to Habargidir sub clan dwelling in that town.

The deceptive and fallacious allegations made by Bare Hirale that he is fighting under the name of Ahlusuna wal jamia is a well-organized strategy architected by circles with in Addis Ababa aiming at rejuvenating the notorious and ruthless warlords like Barre Hirale to counter Al-shabab Islamists after their imminent departure. By having a more acceptable title with Islamic features, Bare Hirale is replicating the tactics of A-lshabab which is to recruit fighters on the name of God and Islam. In his address to the people of Bardhere, he called upon the people to gather in Sharkole base in the town to register by uttering “ The responsibility shouldered by Ahlusuna wal jama followers is that every one of us old, famous cleric or youth should go to the suggested location to join our militia, we, Ahlusuna wa jamia our flag is hovering over us, symbolizing both our Somali republic and our group Ahlu sunna wa al jama, every one should know that Ahlusuna Wal jamia is from now on in control of this town”.Bare also commented that they arrived at the town to dislodge Al-shabab Islamists.

Bare, has been controlling Kismayo in lower Jubba region, 500 km south of Mogdishu before his militias have been routed out by the gruesome and well organized militias of Al-Shabab particularly Raskamboni Brigade, he never alleged that he is Islamist albeit he is Muslim as the rest of Somalis but his untenable new tactic to forward an Islamist agenda will botch the image of Islam and Muslims in Somalia and sends a blatant message to the people of Somalia that their sacred religion has been misused by these Perfidious Pseudo-leaders like Barre Hirale to reach political gains and disastrously causes death and havoc to hundreds of Somalis already overwhelmed by hunger and diseases. Ethiopia is now remote controlling these Ignominious warlords to adorn its Twilight in Somalia

Another warlord who is unabashedly re-branding his vicious rule is the former governor of Hiiraan region adjacent to the Ethiopian border, reminiscing his days in Balatweyne the capital of Hiiraan region before he is ousted by Islamist, Mr. Adan Abdi ise ( Garaso) fervently said to the local media that he is well prepared to retake Hiiraan region and fight with Islamists currently reigning the town. He claimed that he is operating under the helm of Ahlusuna group that he recently joined.by saying “if god’s name is being politicized and religious men are targeted or Ahlusua waljamia’s supporters are attacked we have no option but to fight on the name of Ahlusuna waljamia since it is the widely followed sect in Somalia. If the name of religion is to be used for personal agenda (pointing a finger of suspicion to Al-shabab) we have joined Ahlu suna group and fight under their mandate”.

Pondering to the comments of both abovementioned so-called leaders of Barre Hiiraale and Adan Garaso some one might see;

· These former warlords are making their comeback under their new corporate name (Ahlusuna waljamia) to market them selves since under their real brand name (warlord) and logo “we thrive for the blood of innocent folks in Somalia” they can not sell their products; murder, mass killing, checkpoints manned by marauding militias and instigating clan hatred, their products are designed in Adis Ababa and its raw materials are imported from America, they are stored in giant warehouses in Godey, Feerfeer and Luuq, supervised by vicious Ethiopian army generals. these raw meterials are later manufactured and sold in Somalia by unpaid manpower (Somali youth recruited by the warlords).

· The whole re-branding project is supervised by America under the name of 5GW (fifth generation warfare) after their lack of acumen strategies resulted the radicalization of Somali society. Firstly, the Pentagon and CIA supported and financed former warlords like Mohamed Qanyare and Muse Sudi to capture and handover the alleged Al-Qacida members in Somalia, secondly, after their puppets were defeated by Islamic courts union they shifted their support to spur Ethiopia directly send troops to Somalia and the consequence has been the deterioration of the situation is Somalia from bad to worse. Although America changed its policy towards Somalia due to the impracticality of their strategy to contain Islamists in Somalia. Thanks to the ingenious recommendations from think tanks like (the Senlis council) who published a report summarizing the failure of American's covert war in Somalia and suggested to the decision making bodies in Washington to change their policy towards Somalia but unfortunately America is still reluctant to pressure Ethiopia not to repeat its past mistake by taking to account its ramifications to the region as a whole.

· Somali people are still cheated through the usage of fraudulent entities like among others; Al-Shabab and Ahlusuna Al-maxakim and clan to perpetuate their predicament, so they should take sound but peaceful actions to challenge the so-called opportunist leaders and put and end to their captivity.

Ethiopian pull-out will not bring positive change

Somalia, already plagued by rampant insecurity, clan strife and foreign interventions is now plunging into a new era of uncertainty as Ethiopian troops pack up to leave, many observers foretell that Somalia is heading to blurry future at a time that arrays of Somali factions scramble to fill the vacuum which could result anew round of bloodshed in the country. The pessimistic reaction from Somali analysts inexorably reverberated by many Somalis is a challenge to those who believed that Ethiopian presence is the root cause of Somali problems and Somalis will live in prosperity provided Ethiopians vacate.

Colossal challenges are emerging in a country designated to “the worst of the worse” after Somalia ranked number one in foreign policy magazine’s failed states index, Somalia topped the list after scoring the worst record in; Social Indicators, Economic Indicators, Political Indicators. To ferret out the allegations made by many Somali politicians and Islamist opportunists as a rallying cry to recruit fighters or sabotage the transitional federal government, let us analyze these facts;

-Somalis are clan based societies who fight on the relatively scarce resources of their country. Lack of all inclusive government representing all Somalis to run the country through rule of law and allocate the national resources to the various regions and communities of Somalia triggered clan disputes to infiltrate in the government bodies during late 60s till early 1990s, which latter spawned secessionist factions fighting each other after the collapse of the central government 1991.

-Foreign intervention in Somalia has been correlated with factional and clan rifts where every clan or faction resorts to the neighboring countries like Ethiopia when ever it feels its clan agenda has been hamstrung by their rivals to rebalance the equation. According to the records of the past 17 year, many Somali factions or clans have been emboldened to foreign intervention when the belligerence from their fellow Somali clans or factions reached at a level that their basic human rights has been violated and could hardly manage to dislodge the marauding militias of the other faction or clan. Ethiopian backing whether direct or indirect became inevitable to their point of view as long as they are denied to live decent life in their neighborhoods, So, Ethiopian intervention is the effect of internal Somali dispute and Ethiopian presence in Somalia would not exist if there is unison between all Somalis to run their country peacefully.

-All regional and international efforts to install a viable and functioning government to Somalia has been mainly foiled by some Somali clans both in the north east and southern Somali whose members flourished during the years of anarchy, they emplaced strong clan-based financial and military capabilities through at least unethical manner. They became cordon ahead of any international and regional effort towards stabilizing Somalia, because they are preoccupied by the notion that they can survive with out government.

-Every clan or faction in Somalia spares no effort to thwart any political break through spearheaded by other rival clan or faction because of the trepidation that its victory will pave the way for forming clan dominated system that might oppress other clans or factions. What happened to Abdulqasim Salad and Abdullahi Yusuf’s presidency are clear evidence for such behavior.

I do believe that Ethiopian withdrawal will not change the critical situation positively in Somalia because there are factors that existed before the incursion of Ethiopian troops to Somalia and would influence decision made by Somalia politicians and factions after the imminent Ethiopian pull-out. These factors are;

· Few virulent and feuding Somali clans have been fighting each other in Somalia through either direct deadly confrontations or through proxy war by supporting rival clans to undermine their counterparts.

· Somalia Islamists’ threats to the neighboring countries and the world might result Ethiopians and other western powers to forge hostile policies against Somalia in a pretext to hunt down Al-Qaeda groups although American administrations’ shock and awe policy failed in Somalia.

In order the political change ushered by the resignation of Abdullah Yusuf and Ethiopian pull out- to be fruitful in Somalia, these steps should be taken into account;

- Rival Somali clans should renounce reciprocated blots and sabotages and compromise each other for the sake of peace and rule of law to blossom in Somalia as well as to put and end the odious debacle in Somalia. If such mischievous behavior does not halt and Somalis did not truly reconcile, Ethiopian pull-out would change nothing on the ground.

- Current Islamists factions should refrain from any negative acts that could fuel further fragmentations with in the Islamists in Somalia

-The time frame of the proposed independent commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity by all sides-as mentioned on the last report of international crisis group- should not be restricted to the post Islamic courts union era but should inquiry crimes committed during 18 years of Anarchy.

Somalia: problems of leadership and irredentism

“Any one can manage for the short term- just keep squeezing the lemon. And any one can manage for the long-just keep dreaming, you are made a leader because someone believed you can squeeze and dream at the same time”

Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, in his book Winning

If you contemplate current Tumultuous situation in Somalia you will see that lack of prudent and responsible leadership is one of the main root causes of current political impasse in this war torn country.

in the post civil war era, Somali leaders are characterized by lack of clear political strategy to effectively run the country and manage the conflicting interest of all Somalia stakeholders. It seems that most of Somali leaders both traditional and political, don’t know what they want when they call them selves leaders, that is to say they don’t figure out exactly where they are going to (political vision). No one of them can portray the political system he envisages and if there is any, he/she does not have behaviors and traits to reach his/her visualized style of governance.

Leadership is not to exchange hatred and abusive comments on the media or display muscles, it has beyond meaning. A leader is responsible of the lives of his subordinates, but in Somalia, the most successful leader is the one who prospers on the predicament of his people and trades on their blood. When you heard Somali leaders both Islamists and non Islamists like Abdullahi Yusuf, Sheikh Hassan Dahir, Mohamed Dheere and Hassan Turki, giving media interviews or attending political talks , you might ask your self if they really have the basics of people management and governance.

They dominated the political scene, preoccupied by clan driven disputes while their militias kill innocent people and lastly ended up in a humiliating defeat like; the experience of Abdullahi Yusuf or behind bars like Mohamed Dheere who has been arrested by Ethiopian forces in Mogadishu after they raided his head out in KM 4 junction, Mohamed Dheere, the Cantankerous former Mayor of Mogadishu was held by Ethiopians after years in Somali politics as a militia leader in 1990s to a warlord and governor of middle Shabelle region and eventually the mayor of Mogadishu. But many analysts believe his arrest is politically motivated masterminded by his foe with in Nur Ade’s government.

One might say recklessly I want a political system based on democracy but if you contemplate his behaviors are stained with clan favoritism, Grandiosity, lack of integrity and oppression that contradict his claims about democracy. Other might utter that he is determined to impose Islamic rule in Somalia but unfortunately he and his group have dim knowledge about Islam that qualify them to be tolerant and read well the socio-political situation of Somalia as well as world policy.

In a letter to the diaspora, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative, said that there is an “emerging consensus that ultimately your country’s problems stem from the absence of accountable and committed national leadership, I am confident that progress is being made towards a situation where responsible leadership will have friendly relations with its neighbors, and smooth integration into the international community.”

This testimony from this veteran diplomat echoes similar confessions made by most of Somalis that their destiny is hijacked and held hostage by these notorious leaders who some times tacitly collude with foreign powers to destroy the country. One of the most absurd behaviors they show is the provocative and inattentive comments they make against neighboring countries that backfire the country, especially irredentist claims over Somali inhabited regions in Kenya and Ethiopia and threats against these countries. Somalis under Ethiopia and Kenya administration- though they suffer oppression and marginalization –live in relative peace, and Somali irredentism will only exacerbate the debacle in Somalia.

Peace to prosper in Somalia current Somali leaders should show patriotism, dedication and political commitment or retire to be replaced by young and educated leaders before they end up in disgrace or on foreign jails, also Somali irredentism remarks should be stopped at this critical moment at least at the official level, not to give our enemy a chance to perpetuate our suffering.