Somali President says Kenyan Peacekeepers 'Misbehaved'

[Che -Guevara]

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed addresses a news conference at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa May 26, 2013.

 

Monday, May 27, 2013

 

ADDIS ABABA (VOA) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed has expressed concern about Kenyan peacekeepers in the Somali port city of Kismayo, as the government seeks to regain control of the region. The Somali president addressed the issue at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

 

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit Sunday, Hassan said his government is in discussions with the African Union after peacekeepers from Kenya allegedly declined to provide security for a group of ministers visiting Kismayo earlier this month.

 

“For us we have no complaint against Kenya, but part of the AMISOM contingent on the ground have misbehaved and they operated outside their mandate," he said.

 

Kenyan troops who helped to liberate Kismayo from al-Shabab militants last year have since integrated into the AU peacekeeping force known as AMISOM.

 

Despite the grievance, Hassan said he has regional support for his government’s efforts to re-establish its authority in Somalia, as the country recovers from two decades of civil war.

 

He praised the eastern African organization known as IGAD, which includes Kenya, for providing technical assistance in state-building initiatives.

 

“IGAD has clearly indicated its role as a supportive to the Somali government, and we are very much satisfied with that position of IGAD," he said.

 

In particular, the regional organization is trying to help the Somali government sort out a political crisis in the Jubaland region of Somalia, which includes the port city of Kismayo.

 

Community leaders, militia groups and other stakeholders have independently arranged to create an independent state in the region, and selected former militia leader Ahmed Madobe, who worked closely with the Kenyan military, as the region's president.

 

“There is a group in Kismayo who make unilateral decisions by their own, they are Somalis of course, they have views, we respect their views as they see it, but one thing that is very important in Somalia, today, there is only the federal Somali government, which is wholly owned by the Somali people," said Hassan.

 

President Hassan also said that these groups in Somalia were getting “certain signals” and had been “wrongly lead” to believe they could establish their own state.

 

Hassan said his government has a “very clear plan” for rebuilding the country by establishing interim administrations in the regions to clear the way for eventual statehood.

 

He said the country’s first priority is to provide security, noting that while al-Shabab has been mostly defeated, there are still areas of the country under the group’s control.

 

Source: VOA

[xiinfaniin]

Hassan is desperate and firing to all directions

 

Now he is a picking a fight with Kenya because he is failing to have his way in Kismayo

[Che -Guevara]

Whatever his mistakes are, it's very important for those in Kismayo to realize undermining the SFG by reinforcing Kenya's position will diminish the chance to a peaceful resolution and not farther erode whatever is left of what our sovereignty.

[Cambuulo iyo bun]

Kenya should focus on their own country al shabaab took over a town called dhamajaaley in kenya yesterday

[xiinfaniin]

Che

 

Those in Kismayo has proved to be more reasonable by Hassan Sheekh. He is the one losing it. As blaming Kenya for Somalia's internal political conflict , it says a lot of the man's leadership skills and nothing more.

[Carafaat]

Kismayo, Ama dowlada Somalia ama Kenya ayaa ka talin doonta. Labadaa wa mid.

[Abtigiis]

President Hassan is right to criticize or stand up to Kenyans if they refused to protect SFG officials. We should support him on this because our loyalties are for the people of Somalia and he is the duly elected leader of Somalia.

 

But if President Hassan wants the Kenyan contingent to impose his officials on the people by overwhelming Ahmed Madoobe's militias who most likely will attack the officials if they leave the airport or their hotels, then, it is a different matter. He will have to get a Parliamentary law outlawing Ahmed Madoobe's militias and declaring war on them. My point is the individual position or belief of even a President must not be allowed to dictate the directions this failed country is to take. If the parliament declides to outlaw RK, then, the President will have a legal basis to ask Amisom to support his crackdown on Ras Kambooni, of course fully aware where that will leave him politically.

 

On the Kenyan contingent, they are in Somalia on the basis of the UN resolution. Their deployment was done under the chapter 7 clause. As unfair as it seems, even the Somali Government can not order their withdrawal. The UN and international actors will have to agree to it. Of course, they cannot disagree with the wish of the sovereign government of Somalia, and they will probably heed the government's call, but they could also re-assesses their support to the government if key regional allies (who have the ears of the west more than the Somalis) convince the UN that this government does not have enough ground support from various clans and therefore the fight against Alshabab cannot be continued with the current format.

[Tillamook]

^

Culosow only wants the Kenyans to impose his authority on the people of Kismayu. He wants Kenya to go forcibly go against the wishes of the people Jubaland to democratically and independently form their own regional administration. The Kenyans are not foolish and refuse to take sides in what is clearly becoming a clan v clan political tussle in Jubaland.

 

Culosow is hopeless and hapless. Better luck next time!

[Dabrow]

Kenyans are playing with fire and risk halting and reverse the gains against Alshabab.

They should stop the political interference and stick to peacekeeping mission in the region.

[Miyir]

Abtigiis;955349 wrote:

President Hassan is right to criticize or stand up to Kenyans if they refused to protect SFG officials. We should support him on this because our loyalties are for the people of Somalia and he is the duly elected leader of Somalia.

 

But if President Hassan wants the Kenyan contingent to impose his officials on the people by overwhelming Ahmed Madoobe's militias who most likely will attack the officials if they leave the airport or their hotels, then, it is a different matter. He will have to get a Parliamentary law outlawing Ahmed Madoobe's militias and declaring war on them. My point is the individual position or belief of even a President must not be allowed to dictate the directions this failed country is to take. If the parliament declides to outlaw RK, then, the President will have a legal basis to ask Amisom to support his crackdown on Ras Kambooni, of course fully aware where that will leave him politically.

 

On the Kenyan contingent, they are in Somalia on the basis of the UN resolution. Their deployment was done under the chapter 7 clause. As unfair as it seems, even the Somali Government can not order their withdrawal. The UN and international actors will have to agree to it. Of course, they cannot disagree with the wish of the sovereign government of Somalia, and they will probably heed the government's call, but they could also re-assesses their support to the government if key regional allies (who have the ears of the west more than the Somalis) convince the UN that this government does not have enough ground support from various clans and therefore the fight against Alshabab cannot be continued with the current format.

Every Somali would have supported Qoslaaye if it was sincere call, to single out Kenya shows only his failure to lead and how incompetent he is as leader.

[nuune]

A country concentrating all its energy on Kismaayo, this has to be a record breaking governmennt that half of its existance was busy with Kismaayo, at least try also to talk about other major issues facing the country, in Addis, he talk about Kismaayo, in Djibouti, he talks about Kismaayo, in London he talks about Kismaayo, in every place he goes he talks about Kismaayo, nothing is wrong with that but putting all your energy and power and time into one place is something that needs full explanation, also nothing is wrong by asking Kenya to observe the mandate it was sent and not taking sides on this issue, the government needs to do a multi-tasking on every issue and not put all its eggs on one basket, waxan waa ka dareey wallaahi, it is like Qeybdiid versus Madoobe camal, here it all came to being: Somali president against former Alshabaab leader.

[Miyir]

Oodweyne;955362 wrote:

I think Hassan Sheikh is playing a hard-ball politics in here. In the sense of trying to take his "wind-behind-sail" advantage in which he received in that IGAD meeting, into a proper diplomatic goal. And by that I mean he wants to cripple any support the Kenyans may give to Ahmed Madobe and Co. if he through his proxies in Kismayo and what he could cobbled together from his forces, were to move to establish themselves as the regional government short of a federal state pending a proper region-wide reconciliation which is what he promised to do.

 

Secondly, he also wants to "telegraph" to Western powers that since he is not confident that the Kenyans are going to do his political bidding then he wants them to accept that a replacement for the Kenyans must be found soon enough and they must be ready to financially underwrite that.

 

And thirdly, he wants the local actors in Jubbaland to know their diplomatic room of "leaning" on Kenya is at end and therefore it will be only time before he gets the wherewithal to do as he "envisaged" for that region. So the message between the lines is that they (i. e., Ras-Kambooni clique) must better start entertaining to deal with him, and not behind Kenyans muscle.

 

All in all its a version of diplomatic hard-ball. Which means it's a high stake game for him to try to play, since if he loses (which means the Western powers decline to push Kenya in the manner he wants them to be pushed) then all will be lost for him and he will be a powerless to impose himself in Jubba region. Hence let's see if his hard-ball diplomacy will be as successful with the western powers as it has been with IGAD's states.

Good analysis totally agree but is it necessary to play hardball? when you have no back up? the IGAD packing was not that much to bank on, mostly supported by non players countries that tilted the balance it amounts almost to nothing when it comes Jubaland where Kenya is supreme.

 

Waiting the next move when Kenya shows her hand, lot will be clear and we will know where the donors stand. Qoslaaye made unforced bad move no wonder Kenya is keeping quit unless Donors are pushing Qoslaaye's behind you never know.

[Abtigiis]

Oodweyne;955362 wrote:

I think Hassan Sheikh is playing a hard-ball politics in here. In the sense of trying to take his "wind-behind-sail" advantage in which he received in that IGAD meeting, into a proper diplomatic goal. And by that I mean he wants to cripple any support the Kenyans may give to Ahmed Madobe and Co. if he through his proxies in Kismayo and what he could cobbled together from his forces, were to move to establish themselves as the regional government short of a federal state pending a proper region-wide reconciliation which is what he promised to do.

 

Secondly, he also wants to "telegraph" to Western powers that since he is not confident that the Kenyans are going to do his political bidding then he wants them to accept that a replacement for the Kenyans must be found soon enough and they must be ready to financially underwrite that.

 

And thirdly, he wants the local actors in Jubbaland to know their diplomatic room of "leaning" on Kenya is at end and therefore it will be only time before he gets the wherewithal to do as he "envisaged" for that region. So the message between the lines is that they (i. e., Ras-Kambooni clique) must better start entertaining to deal with him, and not behind Kenyans muscle.

 

All in all its a version of diplomatic hard-ball. Which means it's a high stake game for him to try to play, since if he loses (which means the Western powers decline to push Kenya in the manner he wants them to be pushed) then all will be lost for him and he will be a powerless to impose himself in Jubba region. Hence let's see if his hard-ball diplomacy will be as successful with the western powers as it has been with IGAD's states.

1- I think Oodweyne you misread the IGAD communique. While it was a clear cut support for the Government, it was not entirely unexpected. It merely re-affirmed the lead role of the internationally recognized government on the domestic political issues of Somalia, including that of Somaliland. If you go to the "Implications of the IGAD report" which I posted here, I have explained why the report meant very little in terms of altering the parameters of the conflict over Kismaayo.

 

2- I forgive you for thinking Kenya will allow to be replaced in Kismaayo. Perhaps you haven't heard the emerging stories that Kenya will not allow any other international force to protect its border with Somalia. Simply stated, it does not want to transfer the responsibility of defending its borders to other nations. In effect, your "eastern Congo" scenario may be on the offing. Mainly so, when SAHAL MPs already warned the President that asking Kenya to leave the Jubbas and risk the return of Alshabab gives the impression the President wants certain communities to be enslaved, while working hard to liberate other regions.

 

3- The situation is getting bad. As HAG regionalizes the Kismaayo issue, SAHAL is internationalizing by putting it at the heart of the global war on terror where national jurisdictions and sovereignty matter very little.

 

But the most important point we are missing in this confusion is was this where we wanted to be when we elected President Hassan on 10 September really? Have we moved forward, or we made giant leaps backwards?

 

President Hassan was an activist before he become a President. when he was elected, I have said in this forum, his biggest undoing will be if he fails to tell the difference between activist politics (saying everything you think is right) or strategic politics. Old habits persist, and it looks the President is clashing with so many actors - Puntland, Jubbaland, Somaliland, Kenya, soon Ethiopia, and if the British support Kenya even Britain itself- that he will soon find himself cornered.

[YoniZ]

I respect the rhetoric side of the government that they have action plan and clear roadmap (PM Sacid few days ago) for the formation of federal states.

However beautiful and sound, empty words cannot solve the problem unless backed with concrete actions. They need to put the clear roadmap on the table and let everyone know what is in there. Then and then only people will know and can rightly discuss what is the real issue.

 

This country badly needs to be blessed with a pragmatic leader that can play unifying role in extremely sensitive and polarised society.

A leader that can heal and bridge the widening gulf of difference that kept increasing over the past two decades.

A leader that doesn’t surf with the layman’s emotional waves. However, can carefully pick and choose his words, timing and actions.

A leader blessed with Hikmah (Ibn Hazam’s definition) “Doing the right thing on the right time in the right way”.

[Abtigiis]

YoniZ;955406 wrote:

This country badly needs to be blessed with a pragmatic leader that can play unifying role in extremely sensitive and polarised society.

A leader that can heal and bridge the widening gulf of difference that kept increasing over the past two decades.

A leader that doesn’t surf with the layman’s emotional waves. However, can carefully pick and choose his words, timing and actions.

I don't know President Hassan is the leader you described. But I know anyone someone who thrusts his whims over agreed laws, someone who micro-manages, someone who suffers from messianic complexity of "I alone is the savior, and the rest should follow me", someone with inflated ego, someone who cannot admit shortcomings and mistakes, can not be the leader you described.