Peace and Unity in Somalia – One Way Ticket to Africa’s Future

To better illuminate the real dimensions and the unnoticed aspects of the Horn of Africa grave problems, we planned on giving space to genuine and influential Somalis, who can offer an authoritative analysis of their country’s problem. The mass media failed at the a global scale to properly inform the average public allover the world, focusing mostly on impressive incidents, not insightful analysis.

Yet, there are many critical dimensions of the Horn of Africa problem that unfortunately are totally ignored among Western readers. That is why we decided to start our Horn of Africa interviews with the World Somali Congress, and their Vice President, Mr. Abdillahi Ahmed. The organization principles are solemnly stated (http://www.somalicongress.org/article22.html) in the About Us section of their website, along with the extensive Mission statement. We publish here excerpts

Principles of the organization

The World Somali Congress respects and subscribes to Muslim tradition. The organization will respect and use the positive elements of the Somali culture, the national experrince and any good human experience.

The organization will defend the independence and unity of the Somali republic.  The organization subscribes will respect constitution, rules, standards and conventions both national and international. The organization intends to support all initiatives which aim to the re-establishment of peace and justice in Somalia or any other area.

The mission of the Organization

Context

This organization was created in the current context of despair, desolation, tribal division and the lack of a central government.

The causes

1- The dictatorship of the last government and its political errors, nomad mentality, and its tribal organization, and the clash with the State nation.

2- The persistence of the crisis can be attribute to the Warlords who hold as an hostage wells and populaces for their only interest.

3- Also the permanent interference of Ethiopia and others nations to the internal affairs of somalia.

It is of primary importance:

To restore peace, the unity, forgiveness, justice and the capacity of a central government. To fight poverty and dependency.

The organization set as priorities:

- The defense of the nation, the faith, the State and the people
- The return of the political structures like the parties, assembly etc.
- The return of Democracy
- Conscientisation of the population and the Diaspora
- Development of a political, social, and economic program to prevent any return towards a similar situation, and to help Diaspora toward an effective integration with programs

Activity and programs

1- To build a new mentality and a new Somali personality
2- Popular Education: denunciation of the tribal system, conscientisation and the making of a spiritual and rational awareness to end the crisis. Means used: conference, round table, debate, interview, etc.
3- Propagation of any idea impregnated with justice, peace and reconciliation
4- Alliance with any organization with similar goals in order to be effective
5- Our organization will do everything possible to establish relation between Diasporas and the inhabitants of the Horn.
6- Our organization will get involved in any activity which contributes to peace, justice and development.
7- Building of schools to help and educate the youth
8- Our organization is opposed to any external interference without invitation of the national community or the international community.

Interview with Mr. Abdillahi Ahmed, Vice President of the World Somali Congress

- Mr. Abdillahi, would you narrate briefly for our readers your family background, and your formation years in Somalia?

Abdillahi Ahmed - I was born in Djibouti where I completed all my education, graduated from the Teachers’ Training School. I worked subsequently as teacher, and I got involved with several parties of the Somali opposition, until I emigrated to Canada for political reasons.

- Would you give us an outline of your studies and career?

Abdillahi Ahmed – I graduated from the University of Quebec in 
Outaouais with major in International Studies. I am currently completing my Master’s Degree in regional development; my research is focused on the Horn of Africa region. In parallel, I work as part-time administrator.
 
- For 16 years, Somalia has been divided and at times constrained to fratricide strives. What is the origin of these problems? Is there in Somalia a long colonial shadow? To what extent is the present situation due to the quadripartite colonial (French, English, Italian and Abyssinian) division of Somalia?

Abdillahi Ahmed – The problems that we are facing today in Somalia are mostly the result of the colonial partition of the country, the latest phase of a long struggle for survival, which lasted for over 100 years, and the Quest for Somali Nation Unity.

Western Colonial Biases in favor of Abyssinia

- Let's come closer to our times; if we go back to 70s or the 80s, was there anything that would be considered as alarming signal for a forthcoming division and fratricide war? Could one anticipate developments?
 
Abdillahi Ahmed – Yes, to mention view here is some points:

a) The multifaceted aid that colonial Europe had offered to the Abyssinians, involving both arms and political guidance, and more particularly in the case of the Abyssinian invasion and occupation of Somali territories i.e. Herar (1882).

b) The partition of Somalia into British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, and French Somaliland, and the transfer of part of British Somaliland into Abyssinians hands (1897-1954)

c) The persistent attempt of colonial advisors to prevent Somalia from achieving independence (1950 - 1960), and the constant colonial instigation of tribal divisions aimed at eternalizing the colonial tribal partitions (See Omar Osmaan Rabeh: Republique de Djibouti ou roue de secours d'...Ethiopie, Silex, Paris, 1985. L'Etat et le Pansomalisme, Editions le Derwish, Paris, 1987, etc.)

d) At the end of the Trusteeship (1958), the colonial advisors based the first
 
Somali Government on tribalism, although the Somali Youth League, who had led the fight for Independence, and the first Somali Prime Minister, Abdirizak Hajji Hussein, were against.

Amhara Communist Mengistu and Tigray Neo-Nazi Zenawi: crueler than Somali Dictator Siad Barre

- Many Somalis from Somaliland complain about the treatment they had at the times of the late Somali President Siad Barre. They insist on the fact they were then persecuted, and kept out of the administration of the country. Do you agree with this?

Abdillahi Ahmed – This topic needs very careful consideration since people do not have the facts; in addition, we have to admit that there were several well-orchestrated agendas involved. Here are some explanations:

a) Tribal colonial policy of divide and rule (pitching tribes against each other)

b) Mistakes made by the late dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

c) Our enemy, Abyssinia, took advantage of existing problems.
 
- As many still speak negatively about Siad Barre, what is your opinion about the last president of (a united) Somalia? Was it finally good or bad to oust him?

Abdillahi Ahmed – Whatever he might have been, down-to-earth reality shows that Mohamed Siad Barre was far better than those who overthrew him. These criminal thugs are today responsible the misery that our nation is in. They couldn’t agree on anything, let alone anticipate developments, and their shallow mindedness was clearly demonstrated when they invited our archenemy into the country. Today, our Nation is in deep trouble, more than before, and average Somalis, innocent people, are massacred without any reason on daily basis.

Ogaden will be cut off from Neo-Nazi, Fake ‘Ethiopia’.

- The foundation of the modern state of Somalia in 1960 was somewhat incomplete, as occupied Ogaden was still under Abyssinian occupation. To what extent was Ogaden's liberation, and the completion of Somali Unity, a priority for the Somalis between 1960 and 1977?

Abdillahi Ahmed – It is not only Somalia that suffers senseless colonial partition, but Africa at large was forced to accepted existing boundaries. European Colonial powers and the Abyssinians, Africa’s single and denounced colonialists, were behind the formation of these irrelevant borders. This is the reason that there would never be a peace in the Horn of Africa. The liberation of Somali-West (Ogaden) and the Quest for Somali Unity was root cause of the disintegration of the last Somali Government.
 
- A great national Somali effort was deployed in 1977, in the Ogaden Liberation War; although the Somali army reached close to Finfinne, the old Oromo capital that has been re-baptized by the Amharas as Addis Ababa, finally Somalia lost the war because the late Soviet Union abandoned Somalia, sided overtly with Abyssinia, and even then the US failed to support and sustain the anti-colonial effort of the Somalis. How traumatic has been the experience of the Somalis, and
what traces did this undeserved attitude leave down to our days?

Abdillahi Ahmed – After we won the 1977 war against Abyssinia, both the West and the East ganged up against us, and finally took away our hard won victory. Thus, they granted what we call an "artificial victory" to the Abyssinians. As you mentioned, we got close to Finfinne, but unfortunately, our victory was snatched in front of our eyes by far greater enemies of Somali Unity than the one we fought. It had a drastic experience on our moral, and had a very unhappy ending; however, in the long run the Truth will prevail.

Note
In a forthcoming article, we will publish the second part of Mr. Abdillahi Ahmed’s interview.