Somalia: A Great Day and A Way Out

Finally, despite many tergiversations, many hesitations, and many thorny obstacles, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) agreed upon a three-month cessation of hostilities at the UN-sponsored peace talks in Djibouti on Monday 9 June 2008.

At the ceremony witnessed by the Arab League, the African Union, the European Union, the United States and Saudi Arabia, Somali TFG Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) chief Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed signed the accord. The agreement is expected to be renewed at the end of its terminus, and it will come into force within 30 days from the signing of the agreement throughout the national territory.

Discord still persists among the Somali opposition’s wings. According to the authoritative Somali portal Mareeg "while some Islamist leaders and influential clan leaders joined the talks, other hard-line Islamists, insisting the mediation was biased, have maintained their call for an Ethiopian withdrawal before any talks" (http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=6156&tirsan=3&PHPSESSID=7e70617591ccc48579280345feb57bed) .

Politically, this situation helps the pro-talks part of the ARS, and notably its Chairman, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Being disentangled from the unconditional part of the ARS, and all those who are based in Asmara, helps Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed shape a much needed for today’s Somalia profile of tolerant, open-minded statesman of the Somali political Center. A modern, democratic, Islamic political leader of the times of the globalization, able to coordinate among many, to synthesize in an effort to rehabilitate the country, and to market Somalia among the world’s top capitals as the Greatest Nation of Eastern Africa, imposed interlocutor for anything going from Archeology to Stock Exchange, and from Trade to Human Rights.

The two principal wings of the Somali political life demanded the deployment of UN peacekeepers from countries friendly to Somalia, excluding the neighboring countries, which – with exception of Djibouti and Eritrea – are all undemocratic and tyrannical, and – if we refer to the under abolition, erratic pseudo-state of fake ‘Ethiopia’ - certainly deeply, provocatively and inhumanly anti-Somali.

According to the text, the UN peacekeeping force will be deployed within 120 days from the day the armistice takes effect.

Outstanding Success of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

What consists in a great victory for ARS Chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the provision according to which, during the aforementioned period of 120 days the TFG government "will act in accordance with the decision that has already been taken by the Ethiopian government to withdraw its troops from Somalia after the deployment of a sufficient number of UN forces".

This heralds the departure of the criminal Abyssinian thugs of the Tigray tyrant Meles Zenawi from the Somali South, an event that is expected to trigger a greater pacification and concord among the Somalis. To consolidate this victory, ARS Chairman Sheikh Sharif will have to prevail over the other wing of the ARS, and convince them that they must give him the chance to bring them back to Mogadishu.

If this proves to be a difficult task, a tacit agreement between ARS Chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and the leader of the unconditional part, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, must be reached in order to totally stop attacks against TFG forces, and limit the attacks against the Abyssinian thugs of Africa’s cruelest dictator, Meles Zenawi.

To oversee and ensure the truce implementation, the two signatory parts agreed to form a UN-chaired Joint Security Committee; this is expected to happen within two weeks. In addition, further talks have been scheduled for July 30th.

Somalia Rehabilitation: A Concern for the International Community

Clearly revealing the extent of destruction caused after 17 years of Somali Civil War, the two parts called upon the international community to fund the implementation process; furthermore they agreed to convene within 6 months an international reconstruction and development conference for Somalia.

Of critical importance, as far as relief for 2.5 millions of Somalis is concerned, was the decision taken by the two parts to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to the needy. A decision is expected for the fate of this round of talks that started on May 31st, as an earlier round had ended on May 16th. The negotiations have been reinvigorated with the visit (on June 2) of a UN Security Council delegation, which visited several African last week.

Over the next few weeks, both signatories will have the colossal task to convince several countries friendly to Somalia to send enough troops so that the UN peacekeeping force of 8000 soldiers. It will be essential to reassess Somalia’s true friends either within the Islamic World or worldwide. In forthcoming articles we will expand on the issue; here suffice it to say that countries to be contacted by both TFG and ARS should primarily be the following: Turkey, Italy, Poland, Albania, Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, Morocco, Egypt, India, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Tunisia, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, China, Japan, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, Mozambique and Indonesia. The same countries should also be contacted for Somalia’s most desired rehabilitation.

Completing this report, we quote the integral text of the agreement, which was first published in the leading Somali portal Wardheer (http://www.wardheernews.com/News_08/June/09_agreement.html). As this day heralds a great future for Somalia, we will come up with further analyses about ways to reconstruct, re-incept and rehabilitate Somalia, including Ogaden.

Agreement between TFG and ARS

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent and the most Merciful

Agreement between
The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG)
And
The Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS)

1.The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia and the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) attending a meeting from 31 May to 9 June 2008 in Djibouti, facilitated by the UN. They are hereafter referred to as "the Parties".

2. The Parties gave their respective analyses of the 18 year old crisis and made proposals aimed at restoring trust, confidence and at ending the conflict. Their discussion led to the present Agreement.

3. The primary requirement of this Agreement is to: ensure the cessation of all armed confrontation and a political settlement for a durable peace; promote a peaceful environment; avoid a security vacuum; facilitate the protection of the population and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and call for the convening of a reconstruction and development conference.

4. The Parties noted that:
a. Over the past eighteen years, Somalia has suffered massive human losses, insecurity and vast destruction of its physical infrastructure and other vital public investments. A whole generation of young people and adults has been sacrificed or denied education and development;

b. The human and humanitarian situation is continuously deteriorating. At the same time, the country’s international image and standing have been seriously undermined;

c. This tragic situation, and the fact that eighteen years of war and conflict have brought neither durable peace nor stability and inspired by patriotic and religious examples of compromise.

5. Decided to:

a. Reaffirm the dignity, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Somalia;

b. Take courageous measures to finally bring this situation to an end and resolve the crisis through peaceful means.

6. Agreed on:

a. The termination of all acts of armed confrontation by the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) and its allies and by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and its allies;

b. The cessation of armed confrontation shall come into force thirty (30) days from the signing of this agreement throughout the national territory;

c. The cessation of armed confrontation is approved for an initial period of ninety (90) days, renewable.

7. The Parties agreed from the date of coming into effect of this Agreement:

a.To request the United Nations, consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1814 and within a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days, to authorize and deploy an international stabilization force from countries that are friends of Somalia excluding neighboring states;

b. Within a period of 120 days of the signing of this agreement the TFG will act in accordance with the decision that has already been taken by the Ethiopian Government to withdraw its troops from Somalia after the deployment of a sufficient number of UN Forces;

c. The ARS shall, through a solemn public statement, cease and condemn all acts of armed violence in Somalia and dissociate itself from any armed groups or individuals that do not adhere to the terms of this Agreement.

8. To ensure the effective implementation of this Agreement, the Parties agree to:

a. Undertake all necessary measures to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and assistance to affected populations;

b. Refrain from declarations and actions inconsistent with the peaceful spirit of this Agreement;

c. Establish a Joint Security Committee to follow up the implementation of security arrangements within fifteen (15) days of the signing of this Agreement. The composition and mandate of this Committee, chaired by the UN, shall be adopted within the same period.

9. A High Level Committee, chaired by the UN, should be established within fifteen (15) days of the signing of this Agreement to follow up on issues relating to the political cooperation between the Parties and concerns over justice and reconciliation. These issues will be discussed at a conference to be organized by 30 July 2008.

10. The Parties will work with all other relevant Somali stakeholders to ensure the full and effective implementation of this agreement.

11.The Parties call on the international community to help provide the adequate resources for the implementation and follow-up of this Agreement. The Parties also consider it a priority to convene within the next six (6) months an international conference aimed at addressing Somalia’s Reconstruction and Development.

Djibouti
9 June 2008

Transitional Federal Government
Alliance for Re-Liberation of Somalia

United Nations

Observer States:
France
United Kingdom
United States
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Djibouti

Observer Groups:
African Union
League of Arab States
Organization of Islamic Conference
European Union