January 21, 2013
January
17, 2013 is a memorable day for the entire people of Somalia. It will be marked
as a day for jubilation. It is the day the US government abandoned its misguided
policy towards Somalia and formally recognized the central government of
Somalia after 22 years of avoidance, indifference or miscalculation. US
diplomatic recognition symbolizes a walker or underarm crutch for united
Somalia. To move fast forward, two challenges that need quick actions are the
mobilization of international aid package and the overcoming of internal
divisions based on clan loyalty, past injustices, collective mistakes, fear of
the future or political self interest.
The people and government of Somalia are now delighted
and grateful for the surprise decision of President Barak Obama and Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton not only to liberate Somalia from Al Shabab, pirates but also from
foreign subjugation and manipulations as well as from self destructive Hobbesian
mind-set. This historical move must be a vindication come late for the former
US State Department Political Officer for Somalia Michael Zorick who was removed in
2006 from his position after he dissented from the G. W. Bush Administration’s
counter-terrorism policy towards Somalia and late congressman Donald Payne who challenged
Ethiopia’s involvement in Somalia. The announcement is also a triumph for
Professor Michael
A. Weinstein of Perdue University who consistently spoke for the best
interests of the powerless and voiceless Somalia, for John Prendergast who wrote in
2006 the article Our
failure in Somalia, for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
for its report Pathways
to peace in the Horn of Africa: What Role for the US?, the Human Rigths
Watch, and for Somalis who sacrificed their lives, resources and
time for the dignity, freedom, unity and respect of Somalia.
Indeed, many were disappointed, skeptical or critical
about the US policy focused on war on terror and foreign intervention without
commitment to the restoration of the Somali State. Now, with its diplomatic
recognition, the US government joined the forces for peacebuilding and
statebuilding strategy in the fragile states through the New Deal Framework in
opposition to the forces for trusteeship administrations, mediated models of
governance, clan based building blocks or fragmented community governance. In
response to a question from Falastin Ahmed Iman of VOA on the now abandoned
deleterious dual track policy, the Secretary of State Clinton said categorically,
“But our position now is the work that we did to help
establish a transitional government, to support to fight against Al Shabab, to
provide humanitarian assistance, now is moving into a new era, as the president
said. I believe that our job now is to listen to the government and people of
Somalia, who are now in position to tell us, as well as to other partners
around the world, what their plans are, how they hope to achieve them.”
I truly hope that the substance of this message is clear to all leaders of the
Republic of Somalia.
The people of Somalia find themselves in the miserable
life of fear, distrust, selfishness and aggressiveness harrowingly described by the English philosopher Thomas
Hobbes. The interest of the Somali people, of the United States and the
international community at large lies in the establishment of an absolute but democratic,
accountable sovereign central authority in Somalia. Here again, in her remarks,
the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphatically declared that the establishment
of new government through democratic process was a personal priority for her
during her time as a Secretary of State and that the US government finds
admirable the level of commitment shown by the newly elected leaders of Somalia
for carrying out their hard work mission of nation building.
The US diplomatic recognition of January 17
gives hope to millions of Somalis languishing in refugees camps in the
neighboring countries or in internally
displaced people camps. Surely, huge challenges and responsibilities are coming
with the bold action of Obama Administration. It is up to the people of Somalia
to step up and make responsible decision on their future. According to words of
the Secretary State, the US Government has promised nation to nation relation,
a steadfast partner to Somalia as Somalia makes the decisions on its own
future.
Between 2009 and 2012 the US government spent
close to 1.4 billion dollars on Somalia’s problems. The human and material
costs inflicted on defenseless Somali civilians are immense. The Obama
administration took long time to change the shortsighted US policy inherited
from the G. W. Bush Administration. The path followed to arrive to today’s
turning point was tortuous, troublesome and tarnished. For example, the constitution
making process and resultant provisional constitution have sowed political and constitutional
confusions that could undermine the huge benefits expected out of the US
diplomatic recognition. Nevertheless, the future role of the US Administration
as described by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could mitigate those flaws:
The president had a chance to
meet President Obama earlier today at the white house, and that was a very
strong signal to the people of Somalia of our continuing support and
commitment. So as you, Mr. president and your leaders work to build democratic
institutions, protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, respond to
humanitarian needs, build the economy, please know that the united states will
be a steadfast partner with you every step of the way.
For the first time in the world history, a
formally recognized functioning government of Somalia which got independence on
July 1, 1960 completely disappeared on January 26, 1991 when national and local
institutions imploded and late President Gen Mohamed Siad Barre and his cabinet
fled the country. No central or local authority replaced the government
overthrown by the people. Thus, Somalia became a stateless (failed state), an
unprecedented situation that has threatened the international peace and
security because all malevolent forces have been thriving under it, e. g., warlordism,
radicalism, piracy, human and drug trafficking, violence and illegal waste
dumping. As failed state, Somalia ceased to provide state functions to its
people and started feeding national despair, distress and survival of the
fittest.
Somalia is now a bankrupt country, which owes
billions of dollars to international
creditors while it urgently needs billions of dollars in grant in the next 10
years for rehabilitation and recovery. The federal government lacks political
and institutional capacity necessary to navigate through the complex
conditionality procedures regulating countries in arrears or debt default with the
international lenders like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank
or get access to international financial markets. Therefore, Somalia needs the
power and voice of the US government for solution. The Secretary of State offered hopeful commitment on this issue by saying,
So today is milestone. It’s not
the end of the journey but it’s an important milestone to that end. We respect
the sovereignty of Somalia, and as two sovereign nations we will continue to
have an open, transparent dialogue about what more we can do to help the people
of Somalia realize their own dreams.
It’s not secret that Somalia is not yet a solidly
cohesive society. However, without immediate collective action, the new
momentum could be lost and consequence could be disaster for all Somalis. Genuine,
practical, respectful, and responsible dialogue among Somali stakeholders and
elite is the path for win-win outcomes.
Mr.
Mohamud M Uluso
mohamuduluso@gmail.com
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