are Somalis capable of building state with one political entity?

[Matkey]

Asalaamu Alykum my brothers and sisters,

 

As we all know, it has been over twelve years, and yet we have had no success in terms of building state that has one political entity. There have been many meetings in effort to end the internal conflict; however, they all failed to produce a promising future for the Somalis. What do you think are the mechanism for building state? Can we have state that integrates every qabiil into the government? If so, how can we sustain that? Because it said that Somalis are nomads, therefore they are incapable of establishing one that has complete authority over its people.

 

Is is true tha tribalism precedes or Supercedes nationalism? if so isn't this obstacle to state building?

 

What is your opinion on this?

 

 

Thanks

[Bakar]

I must agree with Matkey because Prior to British and Italian colonialism, “there was no common Somali identity or centralised control over the territory of what became Somalia. Although more homogeneous than other countries in Africa – with a common ethnicity, language, culture, and religion (Islam) – Somalia’s geographical area was occupied by nomadic pastoral groups, organised predominately by paternal kinship. The continually moving population made establishing a centralised governmental body difficult and there was no recognition of a “hierarchical system”. “ May be Odayaasha loo yaqaano ruugcadaaga ama Gun”. This lack of a controlling body led to conflict among the indigenous Somali peoples. The conflict was “common among lineages, especially in competition for land and resources necessary for survival. But there were conflict resolution mechanisms within the lineages, known as the ‘xeer,’ which prevented the escalation of conflicts by inhibiting the excessive economic stratification in Somali society.

The spread of Islam modified conflict management by adding a mild form of the Shari’ah Islamic Law. Acts of vengeance were diminished through the concept of the ‘dia,’ or the payment of ‘blood money’ compensation to the victim by the violator. Despite the lack of a governing body to enforce laws, social institutions were there to control behaviour. While the basis of organisation was direct lineage, groups were also structured by subclans and then clan families, each predominantly associated with sometimes overlapping geographical areas. The six overarching major 8 clan families are the Digil, Dir, Hawiye, Jareer, Saransoor, Isaaq, Darood and Rahanwein. Traditionally, lineages continually created and shifted alliances among other groups and subclans. The end of colonialism in 1960 further shifted alliances amongst the clans. The transition from a lineage/clan based society to a centralised state authority posed new problems for the independent Somali government. However, governmental attempts to rid the political environment of clan-influence failed when an army coup in 1969 placed Siad Barre in power. The result of Barre’s rise to power and Barre’s policy of ‘scientific socialism’ aimed to eliminate ‘clanism,’ but the end result of his twenty-two-year rule was strengthening of clan-based politics. He forbade the use of clan names; however, his primary method of obtaining and maintaining power was to draw support from his own clan Marehan and those linked by lineage Darod and to pit other clans against one another. That show that all Somalian are emotional like old lady.

May Allah help us to help ourselves.

 

Saransoor

[TIIMBARO]

Somalis are capable of building a state with one political unit but not if they expect team of power hungry criminals to solve their problems. Nationalism is a radical concept to the Somalis and their African contemporaries. Whenever a disputer takes place, they look to their clans to solve the problem as oppose to institutionalized public court… We lack that national outlook. The problem will always be there as long as the Somalis are looking these criminals to lead them. Eldred and all of those previous held summits were recipes for failure from the get-go. For heaven sake, how do people expect to reach a positive end when the people involved are the same people who have wreaked havoc in the country? If Somalia in the future reaches agreement and a central government is established, it will have to be done by individuals of high caliber.