January 17, 2013 is a memorable day for the entire
people of Somalia. It will be marked as a day for
jubilation. It is the day the US government abandoned its
misguided policy towards Somalia and formally recognized the
central government of Somalia after 22 years of avoidance,
indifference or miscalculation. US diplomatic recognition
symbolizes a walker or underarm crutch for united Somalia.
To move fast forward, two challenges that need quick actions
are the mobilization of international aid package and the
overcoming of internal divisions based on clan loyalty, past
injustices, collective mistakes, fear of the future or
political self interest.
The people and government of
Somalia are now delighted and grateful for the surprise
decision of President Barak Obama and Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton not only to liberate Somalia from Al Shabab,
pirates but also from foreign subjugation and manipulations
as well as from self destructive Hobbesian mind-set. This
historical move must be a vindication come late for the
former US State Department Political Officer for Somalia
Michael Zorick who was removed in 2006 from his position
after he dissented from the G. W. Bush Administration’s
counter-terrorism policy towards Somalia and late
congressman Donald Payne who challenged Ethiopia’s
involvement in Somalia. The announcement is also a triumph
for Professor Michael A. Weinstein of Perdue University who
consistently spoke for the best interests of the powerless
and voiceless Somalia, for John Prendergast who wrote in
2006 the article Our failure in Somalia, for the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars for its report
Pathways to peace in the Horn of Africa: What Role for the
US?, the Human Rigths Watch, and for Somalis who sacrificed
their lives, resources and time for the dignity, freedom,
unity and respect of Somalia.
Indeed, many were
disappointed, skeptical or critical about the US policy
focused on war on terror and foreign intervention without
commitment to the restoration of the Somali State. Now, with
its diplomatic recognition, the US government joined the
forces for peacebuilding and statebuilding strategy in the
fragile states through the New Deal Framework in opposition
to the forces for trusteeship administrations, mediated
models of governance, clan based building blocks or
fragmented community governance. In response to a question
from Falastin Ahmed Iman of VOA on the now abandoned
deleterious dual track policy, the Secretary of State
Clinton said categorically, “But our position now is the
work that we did to help establish a transitional
government, to support to fight against Al Shabab, to
provide humanitarian assistance, now is moving into a new
era, as the president said. I believe that our job now is to
listen to the government and people of Somalia, who are now
in position to tell us, as well as to other partners around
the world, what their plans are, how they hope to achieve
them.” I truly hope that the substance of this message is
clear to all leaders of the Republic of Somalia.
The
people of Somalia find themselves in the miserable life of
fear, distrust, selfishness and aggressiveness harrowingly
described by the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes. The
interest of the Somali people, of the United States and the
international community at large lies in the establishment
of an absolute but democratic, accountable sovereign central
authority in Somalia. Here again, in her remarks, the
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphatically declared
that the establishment of new government through democratic
process was a personal priority for her during her time as a
Secretary of State and that the US government finds
admirable the level of commitment shown by the newly elected
leaders of Somalia for carrying out their hard work mission
of nation building.
The US diplomatic recognition of
January 17 gives hope to millions of Somalis languishing in
refugees camps in the neighboring countries or in internally
displaced people camps. Surely, huge challenges and
responsibilities are coming with the bold action of Obama
Administration. It is up to the people of Somalia to step up
and make responsible decision on their future. According to
words of the Secretary State, the US Government has promised
nation to nation relation, a steadfast partner to Somalia as
Somalia makes the decisions on its own future.
Between 2009 and 2012 the US government spent close to 1.4
billion dollars on Somalia’s problems. The human and
material costs inflicted on defenseless Somali civilians are
immense. The Obama administration took long time to change
the shortsighted US policy inherited from the G. W. Bush
Administration. The path followed to arrive to today’s
turning point was tortuous, troublesome and tarnished. For
example, the constitution making process and resultant
provisional constitution have sowed political and
constitutional confusions that could undermine the huge
benefits expected out of the US diplomatic recognition.
Nevertheless, the future role of the US Administration as
described by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could
mitigate those flaws:
The president had a chance to
meet President Obama earlier today at the white house, and
that was a very strong signal to the people of Somalia of
our continuing support and commitment. So as you, Mr.
president and your leaders work to build democratic
institutions, protect human rights and fundamental freedoms,
respond to humanitarian needs, build the economy, please
know that the united states will be a steadfast partner with
you every step of the way.
For the first time in the
world history, a formally recognized functioning government
of Somalia which got independence on July 1, 1960 completely
disappeared on January 26, 1991 when national and local
institutions imploded and late President Gen Mohamed Siad
Barre and his cabinet fled the country. No central or local
authority replaced the government overthrown by the people.
Thus, Somalia became a stateless (failed state), an
unprecedented situation that has threatened the
international peace and security because all malevolent
forces have been thriving under it, e. g., warlordism,
radicalism, piracy, human and drug trafficking, violence and
illegal waste dumping. As failed state, Somalia ceased to
provide state functions to its people and started feeding
national despair, distress and survival of the fittest.
Somalia is now a bankrupt country, which owes billions
of dollars to international creditors while it urgently
needs billions of dollars in grant in the next 10 years for
rehabilitation and recovery. The federal government lacks
political and institutional capacity necessary to navigate
through the complex conditionality procedures regulating
countries in arrears or debt default with the international
lenders like the International Monetary Fund and the World
Bank or get access to international financial markets.
Therefore, Somalia needs the power and voice of the US
government for solution. The Secretary of State offered
hopeful commitment on this issue by saying,
So today
is milestone. It’s not the end of the journey but it’s an
important milestone to that end. We respect the sovereignty
of Somalia, and as two sovereign nations we will continue to
have an open, transparent dialogue about what more we can do
to help the people of Somalia realize their own dreams.
It’s not secret that Somalia is not yet a solidly
cohesive society. However, without immediate collective
action, the new momentum could be lost and consequence could
be disaster for all Somalis. Genuine, practical, respectful,
and responsible dialogue among Somali stakeholders and elite
is the path for win-win outcomes.
Mr. Mohamud M
Uluso
Email:
mohamuduluso@gmail.com
The opinions
contained in this article are solely those of the writer, and it does not represent the
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