The emergence of externally backed Somali sub-states: the saga continues‏

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

The emergence of externally backed Somali sub-states: the saga continues‏

By Mohammed Ibrahim Shire

July 05, 2012

 

It is no secret that for the past two decades; dozens of regional administrations – many overlapping their virtual regional borders – have sporadically emerged. Notwithstanding that majority were driven by the recent US Policy change in employing the US dual-track approach; it seems that the external actors continue to spur this process fully knowing its impracticability when applied to a nation ripe with clan carved fiefdoms. The US optimistically claims its dual-track policy will expand its capacity to engage with the interim Somali government and sub-state political stakeholders in order to promote peace and stability.

 

Not too long ago, an IGAD/AU-backed conference was held in Nairobi with the primary aim of establishing a regional state known as Jubbaland. The conference was attended by political stakeholders who incidentally do not share the same let alone similar political outlook for the proposed region apart from the common denominator of eliminating the al-Qaeda-allied al-Shabab rebel movement. The local participants represented various groups, all professing to be the main stakeholders of the regional authority in Jubbaland. They are: the venal TFG, the paper-state Azania; the Ethiopian-backed Ahlu Sunnah Waljama’a; the Kenyan-backed Ras Kamboni and finally a pro-government militia better known as Gedo Defence Forces.

 

Jubbaland is an area comprising the three most southern regions of Somalia, namely: Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba. A name initially coined by the British a century ago to describe the perennial Juba river; it is often described as Somalia’s breadbasket for its considerable potential of irrigation development. This inter-riverine area has been bedevilled for the past two decades by factional fightings; man-made famine; prolonged droughts and general interminable instability. Presently, al-Shabab holds sway over much of the region.

 

What differentiates this southern area from the adjacent regions and farther up north in Somalia is its unique heterogeneous clan-composition. It is an area where pastoral, agricultural, and coastal traditions meet. It is often dubbed as ‘Little Somalia’ for its inhomogeneous tribal make-up and the mere fact that those three regions, given its vast size, can harmoniously host the entire populace of Somalia.

 

A communique was released detailing the proposed foundation of this wildly contested region. The points agreed seem to be ticking all the right boxes of a prototypical sub-state that could serve as an exemplar save one pivotal point: the deliberate omission of all-inclusiveness.

 

The source of my distrust towards this sham ‘inclusive’ conference is that the local participants all hail from a single umbrella clan, purposely leaving out the rest of the clan confederations inhabiting ‘Little Somalia’. At a time when Somalia is supposed to come together given the current momentum in Mogadishu; it seems that the external powers continue to exploit the same existing factor (i.e. exclusiveness) in order to protract the current turmoil in that particular region. Neglecting the latent breadbasket and the millions of Somalis it could serve and feed once given her due right of stability; the contending factions seem to only envision the prospective exploitation of revenues that awaits them once al-Shabab leaves the scene.

 

It is therefore important, nay, crucial and equally imperative that if Somalia in the foreseeable future does decide to adopt a federal constitution, that the clan complexity existing in that particular region is not exploited or at worst imbalanced.

 

To IGAD/AU and its external backer: the US; any solution that hopes to achieve positive outcomes must be indigenous, coming from within Somali society itself.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

The beauty of clan federalism and the division of Somalia continues along clan lines with the help of neighboring countries.Its not just diaspora members setting up clan states its encouraged by IGAD and the African union.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

General gabre the Ethiopian general reading how Somalia should be structured to the various clan factions proposed states and warlords

 

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

The Somalis are taking notes

 

[xiinfaniin]

^^Nonsense,

 

One understands your newly found fake nationalism as your separatist scheme has been shot down . Your hero , and chief negotiator calls Ethiopia more closer to Hargeysa than Mogadishu. And now you're acting as a concern citizen ...

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Xiinfaniin this is not about me lets see how it goes if a state can come and be created in the two Juba's and the gedo region.As for Faisal cali waraabe he says all kind of things he is the opposition leader he doesn't represent the entire peoples of Somaliland.

[Somalia]

This is an utter lie. His job is purely militarily, and how to defeat Al-Shabaab.

 

Xaaji Xunjuf;848541 wrote:

General gabre the Ethiopian general reading how Somalia should be structured to the various clan factions proposed states and warlords

 

[Che -Guevara]

Somalis are emotional creatures!

[burahadeer]

fake unionists show their true colors every now and then.Anything they say is obsolete,not to be trusted...sinister agenda carried out under the umbrella of somali nationalism...new game in town!