Neutrality and the Somali civil war

[me]

Dear all,

 

I have been asking myself these questions for a long time, can one be neutral in Somalia's civil war? What does it mean to be neutral in this civil war? And is it neutrality or emotional detachment what brought us here?

 

Over 95% of the contributors of this forum would take peace over war, a full belly over famine and security over fear, at least I would. We would all take pride over humiliation in this personalized conflict were if one side was to 'loose' its rights wouldn't be guaranteed. In the conversations of my elders often I hear things such as if 'they' were to rule the country, 'they' would slaughter us all, marginalize us, discriminate against us, imprison us and humiliate us. Often they have valid points, they say look at what has happened in Hargeysa in 1988 or Xamar 1991, look at what 'they' have been doing for the past 16 years. Look at how 'they' have destroyed our beautiful country, how 'they' have even brought the xabashis to Xamar. As you can imagine they often blame 'them' but never look at their own faults. When one tries to point out the flaws in the reasoning of the elders usually one is laughed off, sent away like Oodweyne told me to play with the toys. Sometimes the debates get heated and the true nature of this conflict emerges. In the eyes of many Somalis including the elders it is about survival and just as in instances of extreme threats fear takes over, fear guides the decisions, fear is a reflex, fear is the emotion that keeps them safe, fear has brought them this far and it won't fail them now.

 

Even in the conversations of my peers who all have diverse backgrounds, in the clannish sense. I hear similar sentiments all founded on fear. In this conflict I do not exist as a person, I am no longer an individual, I am ina hebel from X clan. Yes I quit my clan, I have handed in the membership card and I haven't paid the contribution fee for a long time, but do you think 'they' would believe me if they caught me at a isbaaro or a jidgooyo?

 

So how can one be neutral in this conflict? does running away to a far away country and ignoring the plight of 'your'/'our'* people make you neutral? Does pretending that Somalia doesn't exist get you of the hook? Does simply saying I don't do qabyaalad make you neutral? How about congregating in forums and taking about how bad things are? Is that what it means to be neutral in this conflict? Is being indecisive equal to neutrality?

 

The majority of us I am talking about the 95% that pretends to be neutral are not neutral at all, they are the constituency of qabyaalad, they are the mob, they are the ones whose blood boils when their villages are threatened, who hold fund raising events, who cry tolaayeey, who buys arms, who send young men from overseas to fight along their clansmen, but when their neighbors villages are sett alight they gloat, they celebrate , they get joyful about the pain of their Somali brothers an sisters. One does not have to look far to see these folks in action, we saw them here on SOL when the Ethiopians were bombing Xamar in the 4 day war, we saw them, when the secessionists 'attacked' Dharar.

In my opinion one can not be neutral in this conflict, we all play our parts in perpetuating this war. Whether we carry a gun, send money, excuse the wrong doings of 'our side' or stick our heads in the sand like an ostrich.

 

Neutrality in the case of the Somali conflict is just a shallow facade for indecisiveness, in this conflict we all need to take sides, we can side with our factions and keep things as they are now, or rise above it and fight for the healing of our nation.

 

Neutrality is often mistaken for pacifism, but in my opinion it is being actively involved in bringing about positive change to our country.

 

While it is possible for people to try to be emotionally detached from issues like these, one can not be completely neutral. By nature people are inclined to respond differently.

 

So now I ask you, are you neutral in this conflict? and can you be neutral when you have so much at stake?

[Malika]

To be neutral one has to have a depth of understanding in the complexity of the Somali conflicts.

 

Am I neutral in these conflict?,It is difficult to be anything else but neutral if one comes from my sort of family.My family is very close knitted, we love and really look after each other, our family like many other Somali families consist of many Somali tribes, from Issaq, ******, ****** plus the subclans. I understand the fear in Somalis, it has cause even for an uncle and his nephew to hate each other..

 

I dont look at a Somali and see an enemy, I see a sister, brother...

I stay neutral only because, I got far too much invested in all parties...my wonderful family!nothing will jeapordise those relationship,even the twisted trabilist mentality which seem to be a norm of engagement in our communities.

[Socod_badne]

You can't never ever be "neutral" in the face of blatant injustice. You must always side with rapped than the rapper. The naked aggression of Somalia by Ethiopia certainly qualifies as injustice of first order and is analogous to the rape of helpless woman. Innocent somalis were presented with invasion they never asked for and punished for crimes they never committed. No sentient being in the world can remain indifferent or neutral in the face of such glaring injustice. I think what you're getting at is being dispassionate in our commentary on recent events back home. I wholly agree with you on that, one must be of sober mind to offer sensible commentary. But that's easier said than done as you would guess.

[Jacaylbaro]

It is impossible to be neutral in this world and anyone who claims he/she is neutral is a big time lier.

 

Not only in somalia conflict but in the whole world. Somalia is just part of it. There is always a good and a bad, you can't be neutral to look for a space in-between those two. You are either siding with the good or with the bad even if you are claiming you are neutral.

 

The same applies to the Somalia conflict. Even if you have a deep information about the conflict then you must think there is a solution and that solution will side with some people or at least one group. Then you must be doing your best to support that idea and provide all the necessary support to implement but only one group is taking the benefit of it and the rest is accusing you of supporting that group before you finally become a member in that particular group.

 

 

I tried, tried and still trying to be neutral concerning the Somaliland politics but my ideas must be 80% supporting one group. Yes, i'm neutral but still have ideas, solutions and political view that makes some people take a benefit of me.

[Royal Son of Ethiopia]

I believe generation after generation.. the mentality of those who originated in Africa.. become contaminated by the philosophy of colonial imperialistic order.. Politics in Africa is currupt and spreads war and poverty.. are we still fighting tribal wars? Ethiopia, Africa use to be Black and when the red, white and blue came in and too over, Africa took this 'white world' mentality.. stop.. the war and fighting.. One aim, One God, One Destiny..