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.
15/02/2009
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
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
الاشتراك في:
الرسائل (Atom)
