Abdirazak Haji Hussen once again speakes out.To inform the World to what is about to

[Camel Mlik]

Mogadishu Warlords Have Exhausted the Nation’s Patience by Abdirazak Haji Hussen

- Monday, September 12, 2005 at 23:57

 

Abdirazak Haji Hussen

 

Prime Minister of the Somali Republic

 

1964-1967

 

 

 

 

 

This is a follow-up to my July 2005 letter titled “A Perilous Impasse in Somaliaâ€. That letter identified four main controversies that caused the “impasseâ€. Among these was the disagreement over the ways and means of relocating the transitional federal government to Mogadishu. In line with the Transitional Charter, I endorsed relocating government in Mogadishu provided that:

 

Ø the city was secured and warlords’ militias were cantoned beyond city limits, and

 

Ø the two contending camps – Mogadishu/Jawhar – agree and jointly request an AU force deployment in Somalia to guarantee both safety of the government and its operations and the overall peace and security in and around Mogadishu “as a necessary prerequisite for relocation to occurâ€.

 

 

 

My earlier call echoed Mogadishu civil society-driven movement that produced a not insignificant initial success in removing militias and road blocks from the city. I still think {believe} that advancing such civil society initiated agenda would be the most peaceful and everlasting route to secure the city and its environment and to ensure that all operations and leaders of the TFG will peacefully/safely relocate in the capital. But that hope has been dashed as most of the militias which were removed have returned to the city. It seems that the international community has failed to grasp, let alone encourage and support, the importance of the civic initiative by providing the minimum required rations necessary to maintain the armed boys in the camps and challenge the warlords to remove the remaining elements. The latter’s argument has been that they (international community) did not want to be accused of siding with one of the contestants in the Somali conflict. It seems that the international community has been all along unwilling to support the civics’ peace initiatives, as opposed to warlords’, but has yet to propose a better and more promising alternative. The stalemate continues and the march towards sliding back into civil war steadily creeps forward.

 

The advantage and hope was that the civic initiative will move the peace process forward and convince Mogadishu’s dominant warlords to act as “responsible political leaders†in order to make the cost of deploying the AU reasonable. Unfortunately, Somali warlords, wherever they come from, have demonstrated that they do not deserve the awesome but honorable responsibilities for which they have been mistakenly groomed. Mogadishu based warlords, who have held our nation hostage for nearly 15 years, once again defy the wish of the Somali people and the world. This clears the deck for the lords of violence to engage in their despicable acts. Ethiopia, whose sinister involvement in Somalia’s affairs has been well known, is now reportedly helping its supporters prepare for military action as a means of “final solutionâ€. This will unfortunately lead to a Somali blood bath as if we have not had enough.

 

The warlords who control the militias and who own the roadblocks insist on government relocation to the capital while Mogadishu remains lawless. Recent Mafia-like assassinations of highly valued social, religious and political personalities are yet another reminder of the state of the capital.

 

We had known for a long time that the warlords, particularly those based in Mogadishu, have no interest in restoring law and order since that would run counter to their indulgent self interest. As a well known correspondent recently reported that one warlord collects monthly fees of $170,000 from the airport he controls and more from roadblocks and reported drug peddling. Restoring peace to the city and the country, and rebuilding legitimate government institutions is not attractive enough to wean the warlords from such lucrative, monopolistic and illicit businesses.

 

It appears that the international community has lost sight of appreciating the gravity of the plight of the Somali people by failing to use its powerful political, diplomatic and economic muscles to stop warlords from continuing such a destructive game-playing. This has left the population be a prey to merchants of violence and tyranny as the latter’s game dangerously slides toward an open civil war. Recent militia movements in the central region and reportedly from Ethiopia, and in Mogadishu are clear signals that something ominous is about to unfold. Thus, I can only alert the world community to brace itself for another catastrophic humanitarian situation and a flood of refugees. The tragedy is that those who sponsored and invested in the last peace process in Kenya, and helped empower the warlords are now standing by the sidelines watching another Somali calamity unfold. The question is: who will be responsible for the suffering that is bound to result from this process and will the perpetrators be seriously held accountable this time around?

 

Mogadishu based warlords’ treasonable machination is primarily responsible for creating the opening for the violence. Their incompetent arrogance may force the reconsideration of Mogadishu as the national capital. Inhabitants of Mogadishu who wittingly or otherwise condoned the violence and chaos will have to share the blame. Given the lost opportunities of the past nine months no sane person can expect anything constructive or positive from the Mogadishu warlords.

 

To condemn the ill-deeds of Mogadishu warlords does not mean to endorse a militarist agenda that only serves non-Somali interests. Somalis who share a peaceful and constitution-driven agenda must now decide the direction of the transition. The first item on that agenda is where the country’s new capital should be since Mogadishu’s soul has been soiled almost beyond redemption. Ideally, the environment of the new capital should be an area free from warlords and Ethiopian control/influence in such a way that consensus rather than coercion could be forged in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere. Jawhar, although seemingly stable, is controlled by a warlord and his militias and thus can not provide the ambience in which all members of parliament and government could be free and secure to push the national peace/reconciliation agenda. This is why it is important to have a neutral force that could at least guarantee the restoration of peace and semblance of normalcy.

 

The absence of a viable location free from warlords domination and Ethiopian influence makes it more paramount than ever that a neutral third force is needed not only to provide a secure place for the TFIs but one that is sufficiently safe from tyranny. The ill-will of the protagonists (warlords of all stripes) has brought our people to the brink of another bloody war which will foreclose the avenues for reconciliation. The only peaceful exit open is for the AU and international community to have the moral decency and fortitude to act and act decisively in order to avert another humanitarian catastrophe:

 

· Reiterate its earlier position and make it clear to the two factions (Jowhar/ Mogadishu) that the international community has zero tolerance for either group moving militias and attacking the other;

 

· Demand that all faction leaders and warlords cantonize their militias in designated places that will be monitored by international observers;

 

· Provide rations for all securely encamped militias until an integrated national police force is created;

 

· Warn Ethiopia that it should cease forthwith its unlawful meddling, military or otherwise, in the internal affairs of Somalia;

 

· Set up an urgent and a clear schedule for the introduction of an International force (AU) to secure the relocation of TFIs;

 

· Convene a conference for the leaders of TFI (with a limited time span) to iron out their differences and to commit themselves once and for all to the net “division of authority†as articulated in the transitional charter.

 

 

 

If the African and world community do not have the conscience and/or willpower to avert the unfolding disaster, then they should at least be honest enough to announce that they are making effective preparations for the victims of such a looming disaster which they have helped induce through their condoning/connivance with the perpetuation of the warlords’ tyrannical domination.

 

 

 

 

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[Camel Mlik]

I so agree wtih the Abdirazak Haji Hussen on these terms. what about you guys what you think?

 

· Reiterate its earlier position and make it clear to the two factions (Jowhar/ Mogadishu) that the international community has zero tolerance for either group moving militias and attacking the other;

 

· Demand that all faction leaders and warlords cantonize their militias in designated places that will be monitored by international observers;

 

· Set up an urgent and a clear schedule for the introduction of an International force (AU) to secure the relocation of TFIs;

 

· Convene a conference for the leaders of TFI (with a limited time span) to iron out their differences and to commit themselves once and for all to the net “division of authority†as articulated in the transitional charter.

 

If the African and world community do not have the conscience and/or willpower to avert the unfolding disaster, then they should at least be honest enough to announce that they are making effective preparations for the victims of such a looming disaster which they have helped induce through their condoning/connivance with the perpetuation of the warlords’ tyrannical domination.

[OLOL]

Good scrutiny of the warlords and analysis of what could transpire if this impasse is not curbed soon in a peaceful manner...from one of the most qualified culprits of tribalism in the Somali government history.....a veteran statesman whose past is open to discussion.

 

I somehow doubt his sincerity.

 

He has done his share of political duplicty and division in his era and perhaps the elderly politician knows where all the somali disarray and turmoil started... so as they say..belaayo ninkii keenaa bixiya ....

 

However; Somalis are very sensitive and clan-minded people and will question why Yeey's name or his clique is not even mentioned one time in this article. Somalis will question what is with the oversimplification of this problem and the paintbrush labeling of the Mogadishu populace as people who don't want to see an end to this senseless gridlock.

 

More than ever, few days ago, people were taken aback by the Ex-prime minister's recent pronouncement on the airwaves where he was candidly talking like a characteristically obsessed Somali clan-minded personality and aggressively attacking a certain Somali clans and condemning them as criminals who get rich on the suffering of the people.

[General Duke]

^^^ Yey is President while the Mog's warlords are warlords with temporary titles. I must agree with the old fox on this. He is tired like the rest of the masses at the ********* and sheer ignorance of the boys in Xamar. When will they wake up?????

 

As for Olol and Juma why was Mr Xussen not your hero a few articles ago??

[Camel Mlik]

"As for Olol and Juma why was Mr Xussen not your hero a few articles ago"??

 

warya General Duke do you meant Why was Mr Xussen your Hero A Few articles ago???

[General Duke]

^^^ Yes M.I.L.K thats exactly what I meant. They liked the old PM when he seemed to criticise the TFG and now they attack him, ironic..

[OLOL]

A phrase I like is in the "Get up Stand up" song by one of my idols, The Rastafarian Jamaican prophet Bob Marley. It goes like this.. “You can fool some people sometimes But you can't fool all the people all the time." I guess it was a Peter Tosh's line...in the song.

 

We ( Supposedly Me&Juma& the rest of clannish challengers)are just telling these inflated “old hand-talking heads†that the past shtick had worn off! laba wajiile waqtigiisii waa la soo dhaafay- it is a whole new ball-game now and no one can be deceived no more!

 

I am not aware if there is any modus operandi now to enable us a clear-cut calculation of what will eventually happen in our messy upcoming sick-clannish and primitive affairs. However, I will rely on guessing that one way or the other we can come close to foretelling what will inevitably happen tomorrow, and that is by taking note of today's clatter and clamor. By anticipating tomorrow's potential evils in the cacophony of today's clannish jingle,- the quest for a certain clique to dominate others and have its way - We will make sure to counter the angst of tomorrow by dismissing proactively all apologetic and opportunistic "old-hags" who hide behind clannish masks in the fight for peace and stability and thus we will continue our vehement opposition to tribalism and warlord-ism and that will remain unassailable.

 

Unfortunately, nomadic unlettered cheerleaders in this Forum have their short grasp on things.