The Current Political Assessment of Somalia By: Keydmedia.net

The beleaguered Somali populations are sure about the perils of foreign intervention of Somalia and the discord among Somali politicians; a fact very common in the past two decades, which put the southern and central regions of Somalia losing hope of seeing Somalia reunited in lifetime.

Editorial Keydmedia Online
23 January 2011

The underlying factors are weird and unprecedented. There are multiple political games played by the UNDP Regional Political Office that prepares Somalia to become a fertile, conductive ground for UN envisioned system of the “New World Order” as is the status quo of Somalia, currently handled by the UNDP political office. The EGAD countries also played their political overtone of electing protégée leaders to lead the TFG. In particular, Ethiopia’s military involvement showed a bent traditional vengeance to destroy Mogadishu and its civilian population.

The established unpopular TFG establishment under-mined the flickering hopes of the people. Except the current PM who is on the job less than 100 days, the rest of TFG leaders are corruption and ineptitude. Other relevant factors that complement the UN and neighboring East African countries’ political vision for Somalia include:

A - The geographical layout of the country which makes Somalia an international strategic asset to safe guarding the shipping lines of the Arabian Golf and the East Africa.
 

B - The pristine rolling sand beaches of 1800 miles, the longest in Africa, which could be turned into a magnate of touristic destination for East African and the Golf countries, if properly developed and commercialized.  

C - The romantic climate is a farmer’s dream, where tropical crops, fruits and vegetables are harvested four times a year, by providing only labor intensive management, land preparation and simple irrigation system.

D - There are 8 million hectares of pristine arable lands in the southern regions suitable for perennial agro-industry projects that can feed the entire WFP recipients around the World. These flatlands are sandwiched between two potential rivers-Jubba and Shabelle, and their perennial water flow can irrigate these farmlands with the force of gravity, and thus making cheaper to invest any crop production needed.  

E - Somalia weather is ideal for growing Spirulina in mass scale production- a future quick recovery micro-algae food supplement for children against malnourishment.

F - Where there are unprecedented global climate changes and recurring natural disasters hampering agricultural food production of the world, fortunately, Somalia is not affected by any of such natural calamities- like flooding, hurricanes and typhoons, earthquake, frigid temperature, shortages of irrigation water and the impact of over population.

G - The patrimony wealthy of the country, such as livestock, fisheries, and prospective oil and gas resources are currently under-developed.  A jumpstart economic development could put Somalia an economic giant among the under-developing countries of the world within a decade.

In reflection of the above mentioned prospects, and the absence of a legitimate, central government on the helm of the country, no wonder then that Somalia is being categorized as a treasure chest spoils coveted by powerful nations, that ultimately put the fate of the country indirectly under the trust ship of the United Nations, specially the southern and central regions of Somalia, where 70% of the country’s wealth is concentrated. That’s why the south is turned to become the epicenter of local and international contention.   

The AMERICAN INTEREST

America is a powerful nation that pursues vested national interest over the rest of the planet earth, and has all the reasons of the world to achieve its goals, whether- Political, socio-economic and the containment of security concerns of the world as fits its foreign policy of the day. This USA political vision is a time honored fact that nobody can dispute its well-tailored foreign policy and its interest is unequivocal. In substance, it is my way or the highway and only naïve local politicians believe that the much voiced USA democratic rhetoric fits the political horizon of 3rd World countries, and much less about Somalia. However, the Somalis people believe that only USA and the UN can restore the hope of Somalia.

The failing nations in 3rd world countries, like Somalia, USA intervention is sometimes deemed necessary and timely, and the UN Security Council blesses the takeover and legitimizes the arbitrary move. Currently, nations that fall under such category are underlined as prospective “New World Order,” which literally translates to succumbing to USA indirect control and direct UNDP political office administration.

Somalia happens to be the 1st candidate to fell under the “New World Order” system. What followed was the balkanization of the country that weakens the traditional hegemony of the people, the degeneration of social fabric and cultural values- the strong-holding bonds of the Somali unity.

A FACT ON THE GROUND

It was the end of senior President Bush presidency term that dispatched UNITAF contingent in December of 1992 to Somalia in order to escort food supplies to the needy communities in remote areas of southern regions of Somalia. It was a calculated political investment under the guise of humanitarian mantle and it paid back. A reliable local witness who was close to President Bush during his visit in Baidoa Orphanage Center in the New Year Eve of 1993 informed us that when news reporter lady from French Press asked him what’s was the America’s position of Somalia?” He remarked off the cuff, “We will stay put Somalia for long.” That short, yet powerful response reflects the ambition of USA over Somalia. The former President is well-liked in Somalia because of his truthful assertion.  

THE RULE OF UNDP POLITICAL OFFICE

To promote the policies of UN Security Council, UNDP Political Office endorses parochial, power hungry autocrats to rule the country in the absence of political parties, except the Somaliland. In essence, the absence of legitimate governance, the rest of the country runs into a bipolar, corrupt political system without political parties guiding the nation, where the UNDP political office became the undisputed czar of the Somalia.

The UN has to come up with strong terms of accountability when some local leaders go astray. The TFG needs UNDP constant supervision, as it handles sporadic relief shipments and restoration of nominal services as it holds the strings of development purse and humanitarian relief operations to control the country. There’s no hope of political parties to emerge and establish a legitimate democratic process for the country and forming a broad-based national government that restores the sovereignty of proud Somalia, which cannot surface as long as the country remains in the same status as it is today.

What stands its way of forming political parties? The opposition proponents are many and hail from different camps: The TFG, the members of the cabinet ministers and members of the parliament, the warlords, the interest groups, exponents of the business community, function groups, former political and social criminals in the past two decades, the laxity of UNDP political office are mainly blamed of the absence of political party(s) participation into the political process of the country. UN and the USA can make this happen in a few months. We need the initiative and the encouragement.

Creation of USC Splinter Groups (United Somali Congress)

Before its decline in late 1995, the USC militia enjoyed a level of national power and took over the southern and central regions of Somalia in six months. However, the militaristic attitude of USC leader has been vilified by UN Security Council, the USA state Department and Western mass-media because he rejected the UN and USA servitude plans about Somalia that under-mined his  ambition and marginalized his legitimate political status. To them, he was a thorn in their flesh as they declared after his assassination.

The Western leaders faced the challenge of a proud son of his country and planned to get him out of their way, because the lords saw him out of step with their political vision about Somalia. The UN Assembly and the Security Council mandated to capture the USC Leader. Many local political antagonists jumped on the stage, euphorically, in delight about the position of the Security Council, the USA and the UNISOM apparatus stationed in southern Somalia, who were up in arms to get him and deliver him to the UN Security Council. Some of UN ambassadors of the General Assembly debated hotly where to imprison him and how to persecute him. Some of them meekly asked the legality of his assassination. But no one had ever envisioned the political fallout of Somalia aftermath of his disposal by way of force. The Somali masses ask the wisdom of his elimination until today.

Ultimately, UNISOM commissioned to hunt him down and undermine his political base by utilizing the paid alliance of USC splinter groups. The genuine son of his country was labeled as the enemy of USA foreign policy, the “New World Order” political design of UN, and the interest of the Western countries, as well as being a troublemaker against local political rivals. He became a victim of his independent political philosophy and genuine leadership!

In the eyes of the UN, Somalia was untamable country as long as the leader of USC remains the undisputable leader of his country. At times, UN and CIA can use all the tools available at their arsenal whenever necessary, including political defamation and ultimately capital elimination.  In such confrontations, they believe that any measure of action is fitting and any means of liquidation is legal. And that does not mean they should hold the handle of the bloody dagger. They simply contract out liquidation of uncomfortable target, and job is done to the letter!

The paradox is that 16 years after the death of USC Leader, Somalia is further disintegrated into clan-based regional entities, riddled with wars, foreign political intervention and military invasion that caused the death and destruction of the southern and central regions of Somalia that caused thousands of civilian death, millions of displaced families, many who fled to refugee camps in Kenya, while many more are internally displaced. After the death of USC leader, there are a number of teaming rival, antisocial radicals on the raise that kill and destroy Mogadishu residents- a fact happening under the supervision of UN and USA. This controversy marked the beginning of the country’s political tragedy. But the means always justify the end and the winner rewrites the history and lays down the ultimate policy.

Political Parties

The birth of political parties in the southern regions of Somalia may face a real challenge, locally and internationally. Protégée leaders of the UNDP political office and the neighboring countries have an interest to abort any political party(s) to take part in the political process of the southern and central regions of Somalia.

Bipartisan rule of the country is the only handy means of fighting and uprooting the social malice that includes: Corruption, nepotism, regionalism, favoritism, clannish system and myopic leadership. The interest group vehemently opposes political parties to lead the fate of the country and phasing out the role of political warlords and unpopular TFG establishment, and the elimination of radical groups. Genuine politicians who believe multiparty system and democratic process may face a tough UN hurdle to be accepted and recognized. Possible UN road-blocks include:

A - UNDP Political Office may abort any initiative of national agenda that is not in tandem with their political vision. UNDP is not yet ready to relinquishing the administration of Somalia affairs, socially, politically and economically; and may fight to the end to keep the country as politically insolvent as ever.

B - UNDP political office may invest on proxy leaders to form their own political party(s) in order to counter-balance the legitimate, popular ones and getting their way. This is a political road-block to say the least.

C - UN may keep up its clan policy of supporting some autonomous regions in order to block the Somali unity.

D - UNDP may use seductive tools of favoring certain clan-based regions by giving political leverage and development quota more than given to other regions of the same category. But the result is square one!

Handpicking an autocrat favorite of UN and placing him to lead a fourth TFG establishment is a waste of time and resources, and the three precedents suffice an ample example. Instead, encourage national political parties to fill up the gap so they can restore the democratization process of the country. That is the only politically viable road for the stability of Somalia, and the UN has the last, fourth chance to do the right thing. US have to support this stand by endorsing genuine political parties lead by clean, charismatic leaders that make a difference.

keydmedia.net