Mohamud Uluso: Change of TFG leadership key to ending Somalia Conflict

Immediately after the election of Col Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as President of Somalia in October, 2004, the International Crisis Group (ICG) issued a report titled “the continuation of the war by other means”. The report pointed out that for many Somalis, President Yusuf’s election was controversial and represented not a step toward peace but continuation of the war by other means. The report warned President Yusuf and his partners to refrain from the attempt to impose their own agenda on the transition.

After three and half years of TFG’s rule, the ICG’s prophecy has come to pass. Today Somalia faces unprecedented level of devastation and human sufferings perpetrated by the Ethiopian forces allied to TFG, the US war on terrorism and predatory actions of clannish government that is worse than the hated warlords. An exodus of new refugees, almost 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, including one million internally displaced persons are TFG’s deplorable accomplishments.

International humanitarian organizations are issuing joint declarations one after another on Somalia’s humanitarian crisis as the worst crisis in the world and calling for urgent and effective actions.

Eric Le Roche, former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia said, “I was in Congo, I was in Chad, I was in Afghanistan. But never, ever have I seen a crisis where there is absolutely no protection for civilians. In Somalia, there's nothing”. Unfortunately, unlike Zimbabwe, Somalia’s plight failed so far to perturb the international conscience.

As if the above failures were not reason enough for resignation, President Yusuf sought further help for his destructive vision at the special session of UN Security Council of April 16. He demanded deployment of UN peacemaking force, lifting of the arms embargo and help for the formation of security and intelligence organs to prop up his failed Government. These demands were beyond his constitutional responsibilities and authorities provided in the Transitional Federal Charter and contradicted his sham declaration for peace and reconciliation.

He also characterized the current conflict between the Ethiopian Forces allied to TFG and the national insurgency as a conflict between democratic forces and extremists. Both Ethiopia and TFG have no democratic credentials to show off. The aim was to secure unconditional support for the continuation of war.

The Somali people noted the President’s deliberate choice to ignore in his address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, the need for genuine national political dialogue and for the investigation of the war crimes and atrocities committed. This is an affront to the million victims of South Central Somalia. Majority of the Somali people reject the President’s efforts to establish an autocratic regime based on personal loyalty, patronage and nepotism. To overcome such opposition, he strives to convince deceitfully his international supporters that the opposition forces- South Central inhabitants- want to maintain the status quos of anarchy and chaos, an accusation far from the truth. He demands the opposition forces “terrorists” be persecuted, starved, their properties and livelihoods destroyed or looted to force them into submission.

President Yusuf’s vision is profoundly influenced by the cultural foundation of the Ethiopian ruling power based on the Naftaynaa Sirat system. Dr. Negaso Gidada, former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from1995 to 2001, described the concept of Naftaynaa Sirat “bearer of the gun” as forcible subjugation. Gidada argues the Naftanyaa system was and is the major cause of instability, conflict and underdevelopment in Ethiopia. The Somali people despise such system.

The developing peace initiative led by Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould Abdalla has already been sabotaged by President Yusuf’’s belligerent statements and Ethiopian atrocities and political manipulations. Adversely, the International key actors support the Yusuf’s collapsed Government which is blatantly corrupt, accused of war crimes and human rights abuses, and failed its principal responsibility to protect the civilian population. The crisis in the horn of Africa can no longer be addressed with isolated and uncoordinated ad hoc peace initiatives and build on false premises and greedy personalities. The developing initiative should comprehensively respond to the complex dynamics of the current conflict.

Immediate change of TFG Leadership and withdrawal of Ethiopian forces are key solutions to Somalia's political conflict. Otherwise Somalia will remain a threat to the international security and stability in the foreseeable future.

Chairman, Arta Center for Governance and Development-Somalia