Illegal Occupation and Tricky Ploy

[rudy-Diiriye]

Somalia: Illegal Occupation and Tricky Ploy

 

Ethiopia has quietly interfered in Somalia for years and directly or indirectly controlled different parts of this country. However, on 24th December 2006, Ethiopian troops unwittingly applied a sharp jolt of electricity to Somali nationalism, which had been in deep coma for many years, and revived it. A sense of disbelief and shock enveloped Somalis when they saw Ethiopian troops roaming round the streets of Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. Somalis expressed and continue to express their deeply resentful indignation towards Ethiopia by holding worldwide demonstrations and disapproving the Ethiopian-backed Somali government. Mogadishu is now the contesting place for those who want to arrest Ethiopia’s illegal occupation and those who want to put Mogadishu, the symbol of the Republic of Somalia, at the mercy of Ethiopia.

 

Regrettably, the revived Somali nationalism is now under threat because different groups are suggesting or want to present the current conflict as a conflict between ******, a Somali clan, and Ethiopian troops. Ethiopia favours the ****** Vs Ethiopia approach because it wants the world to think that other clans are comfortable with its presence in Somalia. On the Somali side, some want to use clan name to avoid being labelled Jihadists or terrorists. Others see using clan banner as the best way to deal with the occupation. Whatever the motive, Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia is a national issue and using clan strategy to liberate Somalia is a tricky ploy. This approach will derail the liberation agenda and make it esoteric if not a family business. Or worse, it may rekindle another brutal Somali clan war by setting clans against each other.

 

Clan has no currency. In 1991, clan-based rebel groups managed to overthrow Siad Barre’s government but they failed to make a functioning government. As a result, Somalia is the longest running instance of state collapse in the history of Africa. In fact, it is the clan war that claimed many lives, forced many people to flee from their homes, debilitated the country, and brought mortification to the Somali people. It is the prolonged clan conflicts that enabled Ethiopia to conquer Somalia.

 

Ethiopia troops use heavy machine guns to shell Mogadishu residents indiscriminately. And it gives no pleasure to any Somali, with a sense of nationalism in his blood, to see Ethiopian attack helicopters and rocket launchers targeting thickly populated areas of the city. Non-Somalis are testifying that Mogadishu has plunged into the abyss of despair since the Ethiopians have taken over the control of the capital. Senator Norm Coleman noted the sufferings of Mogadishu residents in a letter to Jendayi Frazer, U.S. Assistant Secretary. He wrote: “there continues to be a severe humanitarian crisis in Somalia. It is estimated that the recent violence in Mogadishu affected over 100, 000 civilians, forcing them to leave their homes and endure significant suffering. This large population of internally displaced persons, who often sleep outside under trees with no food, water, or sanitary facilities, is in need of urgent assistance. Consequently, diseases such as diarrhoea are exacting a very high toll on the displaced children.” The International Committee of the Red Cross recently said: “The population of Mogadishu is caught up in the worst fighting in more than 15 years.” The Ethiopian government and others have been accused of war crimes. A security adviser to the European Commission recently told the Commission: “I need to advise you that there are strong grounds to believe that the Ethiopian government and the transitional federal government of Somalia and the Amisom force commander...have through commission or omission violated the Rome statute of the international criminal court.” Although the above evidence is not exhaustive it clearly shows that Ethiopian troops are punishing Mogadishu residents collectively. Therefore, is it reasonable to present Mogadishu residents as one clan or group?

 

Since the current crisis began at the end of last year, the Somali Diaspora communities have continuously demonstrated against Ethiopia’s illegal invasion and occupation of Somalia and have held a number of conferences discussing the ways and the means of liberating their motherland. The conferences, held in Stockholm in February and in Columbus, Ohio, in March 2007, are relevant examples. The participants of the demonstrations in various countries and those who attended the conferences are Somalis from different backgrounds. These people feel depressed and miserable as their country and people are under occupation. Therefore, isn’t it important to recognise and appreciate the sacrifice and contribution of these people?

 

At the meeting of the International Contact Group in Cairo, Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said: “spoilers should refrain from making the situation in Somalia unstable.” It is important to ask: “Who are the spoilers”? If the name of one clan is used as the only group which opposes Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia that gives the impression as if other clans are happy to live under Ethiopia’s occupation, which is not the case. There are a lot of Somalis regardless of their clan affiliation who show true patriotism and nationalism and oppose or disapprove Ethiopia’s presence in Somalia.

 

Those who are resisting the occupation are not purely from one clan, but Somalis faithful to the freedom of their motherland. To call a name of a clan in the struggle for the liberation is nothing but the infamous policy of divide and rule applied by the occupation forces. Pursuing the clan tactic to liberate Somalia perfectly suits Ethiopia’s approach of clan manipulation. Buri Hamza, a Somali writer, explained this point nimbly. He said: “The policy of manipulation of clan cleavages and differences in Somalia has provided the Ethiopian regimes with the conditions that are propitious to the dismemberment of the Somali homogenous national identity. The Ethiopian governments have used the “clan card” skilfully to perpetuate the Somali mayhem and impede the reconstitution of the Somali state. It bodes well for any regime in Ethiopia to resort to “clan card” in its destabilization policy of Somalia.”

 

Ethiopia is occupying a country not a clan. One clan cannot encompass all Somalis who are against this illegal occupation nor can it single-handedly liberate the country, therefore it is important to oppose Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia under a credible national movement. If this movement is to succeed, it must not only aim to end Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia but it must also address the dynamics behind Somalia’s ills. Ethiopia’s occupation has awakened Somalia’s nationalism and this nationalism must not be allowed to pass out again.

 

 

Submitted by: Mohamed Mukhtar, London, UK