- Title: [SW Country] (SHASNA-Shadali- Boston) RISKS POSED BY THE
EXILE LED DJIBOUTI PEACE INITIATIVE FOR SOMALIA
- From:[]
- Date :[7 July 2000]
"...In Somalia, accountability can only come from a
well thought out Federal Administration. The Foundations of that Federal System is
inarguably now functioning in Puntland and Somaliland. We urge the International community
not to heed the Djibouti-based exiles’ and International conflict resolution
experts’ daily mantra that if we don’t come up with a government, Somalia will
disappear from the face of the earth..". "...Somalia
is alive, well and will soon be the beacon of hope in Africa. The Recovery Zones are the
first signs of hope, but lately they have faced significant political attacks and
ideological challenges. In essence, what we have seen from the Djibouti-based exiles is
the unfortunate reversal of the intentions of the World Community. This reversal is
misguided and dangerous to the progress being made inside the country by the Somalis who
have remained and returned home to build for a brighter future...." JSA 7 July 200
SOMALI HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH
AMERICA
PRESS STATEMENT
BOSTON, MA
[June 30, 2000]
To: H.E. William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States of America
US Senator Jesse Helms, Chairman – Committee on Foreign Relations
Massachusetts Congressional Delegation
USA Embassy, Djibouti
USA Embassy, Nairobi
European Union Heads of State and Government - Brussels
UN Secretary General – New York, NY
Mr. David Stephen, UN Secretary General Representative
IGAD Heads of State and Government
League of Arab States
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)
cc: Puntland State Government of Somalia
Puntland Civil Societies
Somali Peace Rally
Somaliland State Government of Somalia
H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti Republic
Republic of Djibouti Embassy, Washington DC
The Wall Street Journal
The Boston Globe
The Boston Herald
The Bay State Banner
World Media Organizations
RE: RISKS POSED BY THE EXILE LED DJIBOUTI PEACE INITIATIVE FOR SOMALIA
RISKS POSED BY THE EXILE INITIATIVE: We believe the direction of the exile led
Djibouti Peace Initiative for Somalia threatens to destroy the peace and progress being
made in the Recovery Zones of Somalia. The so-called "peace initiative" process
is being headed by Somali exiles in Djibouti who actively participated in and benefited
from the Siyad Barre regime that destroyed Somalia. If permitted to prevail, this exile
group will use the so-called "peace initiative" to destabilize Somalia and
rekindle the civil war in the Recovery Zones of Somalia, retarding the progress, freedoms
and private investment initiatives being made in Puntland and Somaliland. The attempt by
exiles to appoint a transitional government-in-exile is a back door attempt to regain
power.
BACKGROUND ON THE EXILE LEADERS: The exiles leading the Djibouti Peace
Initiative for Somalia consist of people who held high portfolios in the late Siyad Barre
dictatorial regime, the most tyrannical regime in the history of Somalia. The
Djibouti-based exiles have handpicked a group called the "Civil Society" from
the ranks of individuals who paved the way for the country’s civil war and who are
actively making it possible to wage wars today. These individuals are the brains and the
financiers behind the inextinguishable flames in Mogadishu and environs. In the previous
regime, they were the ones who looted the nation’s wealth. They were responsible for
the rape and the wholesale torching of cities, villages and destroyed water wells in the
Somali central and northwestern regions. And unfortunately, these are the same individuals
nominated by the exile led group to chair every imaginable committee and subcommittee of
the Djibouti Peace Initiative. In a glaring act of incompetence or downright
condescension, the chairs of the committees to disarm warlords and armed factions are none
other than the Generals who for the later years of Siyad Barre regime were commandeering
members of the Somali Armed Forces responsible for the KILLING FIELDS and wholesale
torching of Somali central and northwestern regions. They have practically leveled towns
and villages and in the process killed thousands of innocent children and women. The have
given clear orders to their conscripts to burn, loot and rape anyone in the territories of
the "undesirable clans."
THREATENED PROGRESS AND HOPE IN SOMALIA: Today, Puntland and Somaliland are
laying the foundation of the Somali Nation, and the International Community has
acknowledged their efforts. Here is one example:
The UN General Secretary’s concern with the lack of government in Somalia observed
in his report – GENERAL S/1999/882 16 August – "As a country without a
national government, Somalia remains unique," but acknowledged the, "fact that
administrations in some parts of the country, notably in northwestern Somalia ("Somaliland")
and northeast Somalia ("Puntland"), have began to provide some basic
services to their people." He continued, "This move towards decentralization is
fueled by the need to survive. The International Community, therefore, needs to support
economically these regions. We must reward those who have made serious efforts to restore
security and peace to protect human rights."
Puntland and Somaliland have attempted to reconstruct their previously meager
infrastructure and they have made great strides towards tangible development. The Recovery
Zones today represent bright stars in otherwise gloomy African State failures. Freedom of
speech is prevalent. Most businesses are private and are run by bright, young locals and
western educated repatriates. They are young men and women of all strides. Today, by
product of private investments, all major cities in the Recovery Zones are proud to have
one of the best Landline Telephone Systems and Mobile Telecommunications Technologies in
the whole of Africa. In April, the first Internet Server with 56K V90 Modems were placed
in Boosaaso, Puntland. Other Internet projects are in the works for other cities in the
Recovery Zones. Through individual business collaborations and associations of individual
venture funds, these technologies are bought from USA and European companies. They have
built small-scale industries of which the exports go all the way to Djibouti, Kenya and
beyond. The UN and/or any other Governments did not contribute to the finances of these
private projects. Accountability and free markets are what drives the Recovery Zones. They
are also driven by the desire to have accountable Governments of which they have never
experienced. Accountable governments are not the hallmarks of Africa, including the
Djibouti Republic. In Somalia, accountability can only come from a well thought out
Federal Administration. The Foundations of that Federal System is inarguably now
functioning in Puntland and Somaliland. We urge the International community not to heed
the Djibouti-based exiles’ and International conflict resolution experts’ daily
mantra that if we don’t come up with a government, Somalia will disappear from the
face of the earth.
Somalia is alive, well and will soon be the beacon of hope in Africa. The Recovery
Zones are the first signs of hope, but lately they have faced significant political
attacks and ideological challenges. In essence, what we have seen from the Djibouti-based
exiles is the unfortunate reversal of the intentions of the World Community. This reversal
is misguided and dangerous to the progress being made inside the country by the Somalis
who have remained and returned home to build for a brighter future.
A CALL TO ACTION: We urge the international community to seriously examine the
direction of the Djibouti Peace Initiative for Somalia to prevent it from destroying the
progress being made in the country. We also urge the World Community to examine the facts
in the Recovery Zones, especially the progress in Puntland and Somaliland and not to be
misled by the seemingly rosy statements from the Djibouti-based exiles and delegates.
Finally, we encourage the International Community to trust the Somalis, especially those
in the Recovery Zones, to bring all Somalis together and work on the foundations of a
Federal System that will bring lasting peace and prosperity in the Horn of
Africa.
We thank you very much,
J. Shaadali Abshir
Executive Director
Somali Historical Society of North America ("SHASNA")*
* SHASNA is an advocacy group based in Boston, Massachusetts. It stands for the unity
and peaceful coexistence of the Somali people. It supports the creation of a Federal
system of governance to safeguard the emerging free markets of the Recovery Zones. SHASNA
encourages corporate and individual investments in the Recovery Zones. It has presence in
both Puntland (Boosaaso, Garoowe, Buurtinle, Bacaadweyn and Gaalkacyo) and Somaliland
(Hergeysa, Berbera and Burco).
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