SHASNA MediaWatch

BOSTON, MA

[October 19, 2001]  

SHASNA Reports on the Report of the Secretary-General on the 

Situation in Somalia

The Truth from Ground Zero and the Situation in Somalia

AFP – September 24, 2001 (Nairobi): “AIAI helped establish Somalia’s Islamic courts and then ceded control of these courts to the Transitional National Government (TNG) that was set up in Somalia last year…”

Telegraph – September 28, 2001 (Nairobi): “Al-Itihad Al-Islamiya, a radical Islamic group that owns banks and other businesses, joined forces with Al-Qa’eda in 1992 after its leaders met Osama bin Laden in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where bin Laden was living. …Al-Itihad certainly supports Salad. It has posts in his government and runs its headquarters openly in the capital, Mogadishu.”

The New York Times – October 16, 2001 (New York) By Thomas Friedman: “To listen to Saudi officials, or read the Arab press, you would never know that most of the hijackers were young Saudis, or that the main financing for Osama bin Laden – a Saudi – has been coming from other wealthy Saudis, or that Saudi Arabia’s government was the main funder of the Taliban. No, to listen to them you would think that all these young men had virgin births: they came from nowhere, no society is responsible for them, and no Arab state need reflect on how perpetrators of such grotesques act could have come from its womb.”

Koffi Annan – UN Secretary General, after the Attack on America: “The task now is to build on that wave of human solidarity, to ensure that the momentum is not lost, to develop a broad, comprehensive and, above all, sustaining strategy to combat terrorism and eradicate it from our world.”

UN Report – October 15, 2001: “Concerned about the lack of progress in Somalia’s peace process, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is considering establishing a ‘Committee of Friends’ for the war-torn country.”

 

I.                  Introduction

Now that we have the long awaited report of the Secretary-General, before we get started, let us remind our audiences and the casual reader about the following predictions we have previously made: SHASNA – August 31, 2001 (Boston): “We predict this [Report of the Secretary-General] will be a summarized report of the UN’s IRIN daily political reports. Northern Recovery Zones will be reported as ‘unstable’ and that the Arta sub-clan’s TNG has ‘made inroads and is cooperating’ with local authorities. Of course, they will also predict that the Southern half of the country is ‘soon expected to cooperate’ with the sub-clan.”

About IRIN and their usually incomplete and fabricated political reports, please refer to prior SHASNA reports or directly go to the source at the following address: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN/archive/somalia.phtml

Having that in mind, we will proceed to report about the real situation in Somalia. Our report will cover from the period of Arta group inception on August 2000, to today. We will present the true political and humanitarian situation in the country. We will also disagree with the Secretary-General that at this time “the security situation did not make it possible to deploy a peace-building office in the country.” We will also explain to the Secretary-General and all concerned parties about the difference between the country of Somalia and the debilitated city of Mogadishu.

II.              Political Developments

A.       Internal Political Situation

During the reporting period, beginning early 2000, a group of men, supported by wealthy Saudi individuals, gathered in Khartoum, Sudan, and agreed upon the establishment of a ‘just government’ for Somalia. With all necessary financial needs in place, they collected the previously disgraced, willing and unemployed Siad Barre Ministers. Assuming they cooperated, Djibouti tycoons and their corrupt ruling elite were guaranteed with promising business interests in Somalia; and hence, on August 2000, the ARTA Transitional National Government (TNG) was born in Arta, Djibouti.

This newly formed Arta group was no less and no more than the previous followers and militia members of General Aideed and his clan; but of course, they were of a different sub-clan and of a different mind and ambitions. Foreign influences, proud of the General’s recent achievements, had no stomach for his goals and ambitions and were getting restless. And this was the beginning of irreconcilable differences within the clan and their supporters.

Enter Mr. Abdikassim Salad Hassan, his Al-Itihad supporters, Arta cohorts and the remainder of General Aideed’s Militia, mainly consisting of Mr. Salad’s sub-clan militias. This was the beginning of a clan war, let alone the beginning of a Somali peace process. The Secretary-General’s representative, Mr. David Stephens, with his euro centric view, never got it right at the beginning and has yet to understand the implications of Somali clan and sub-clan dilemmas, let alone that of Somali local politics and peace reconciliations.

Having inherited and looted more of the remainder of General Aideed’s collections, and at the same time armed with money from wealthy Middle East ruling classes; Mr. Salad proceeded to buy off small-time Mogadishu warlords and hooligans, and wisely started settling old time clan debts and scores.

Mr. Hussein Aideed, leader of the Sa’ad sub-clan, inheritor of the throne and the presumed undisputed leader of the Hawiye tribe was getting restless. Mr. Aideed, together with other Mogadishu clan leaders, was knowledgeable about the newly imported rules and their sponsors; they challenged this new invasion of Mogadishu, and to this date, they continue to do so.

Mr. Muse Sudi Yallahow, the undisputed heavy weight of Mogadishu clan elders, is currently the only spokesman in Mogadishu for the indigenous Mudulood tribe in the Benaadir region. Not only does Haji Muse advocate for his tribal cause, but he is also at the forefront for the Banadiri community cause, and also for the rights of all other persecuted minorities in the Benaadir region. One of Haji Muse’s often repeated phrases is: “no rest for me unless and until every farm and property is returned to its rightful owner.”  Al-Haji, we concur with you and may Allah be with you too!

Most Somali leaders and clan elders, who have not been bought yet with the Saudi money, are at the forefront of fighting these foreign influences. And while the Somali struggle continues, the invading Arta sub-clan and cohorts still reside in Hotel Ramadan and surroundings. Coincidently, this hotel is of course owned and operated by Al-Itihad entrepreneurs who previously, in prior years, worked and lived in Saudi Arabia. The Arta group militia, often called a police force by the UN, solely consists of those of the TNG President’s sub-clan. They have no control of either of Mogadishu’s seaport or airport. The sub-clan militia is responsible for the safety of Arta members; the sub-clan is responsible for importing fake currency; they are responsible for safekeeping the Arab donated funds; they are also responsible for charcoal production and environmental degradation; they are responsible for running their Al-Itihad Islamic courts; everything about the Arta TNG revolves around these invading sub-clan militias.

With the permission of their leader, Mr. AbdiKassim Salad Hassan, these same sub-clan militias have invaded the fertile Lower Juba; they have dislodged the indigenous farming tribes from their farms and properties and massacred innocent civilians. All IRIN and the Secretary-General’s reports as presented by his representative Mr. David Stephens, about the establishment of an inter-clan council in Kismayo, is at best to be considered an incompetence in political reporting and at worst a pure fabrication on their part. There is no single peace agreement signed between the invading sub-clans and the indigenous tribes; and it should never, never take place, unless of course, these invading clans are defeated or they retreat to their sub-clan areas.

Some other faction leaders and individuals who honestly and sincerely attended this Djibouti conference, for the benefit of all Somalis, subsequently withdrew from this foreign import. Still, some others never attended the conference, and to this day, have no desire to add more fuel to Arta’s disastrous consequences and greedy ambitions. Even the highly respected former Prime Minister, Abdirizak Haji Hussein, after believing the Arta group lies at the beginning have since resigned from their National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement (NCRPS), another misnomer, which it seems the Secretary-General’s representative still thinks is a sincere commission. This commission is no less and no more than a transitional mechanism for the sub-clan from a looter to a legal owner. We hope Mr. David Stephens adjusts to it accordingly.

On the Secretary-General’s report, his representative again mixes up Somalia and Mogadishu. Of course, it is a well-known fact that Mogadishu has no government infrastructure and no tax-collecting capacity. It is also known that Mogadishu is still in civil war; and no representative in his right frame of mind could suggest that this city be a seat for government operations. While this suffering in Mogadishu is painful to us and to the rest of Somalis, whose fault is it and who should bear a final responsibilty for it? Somaliland, Puntland and to lesser extent, the RRA have government infrastructure and tax-collecting capacities. These Recovery Zones have functioning police forces and police stations trusted and relied on by their constituents. They often and always will have disagreements, and as a proper functioning entity, will continue to have disagreements. Therefore, given their achievements and proper functioning authorities, does the UN have to tarnish their image and achievements because some other region is not at par with them? We are always shocked to read the Secretary-General’s IRIN information agency spread cheap propaganda directed against these progressive Somali entities!

The Recovery Zones have functioning courts, but the Secretary-General’s representative claims that “a judiciary is gradually coming into place, with Sharia courts and their militia being absorbed by the TNG” in Mogadishu. Does the UN mean the Recovery Zones should emulate the TNG and replace their functioning court system with Al-Itihad Islamic courts? The Secretary-General reports “the TNG claims that the lack of resources makes it impossible, for the time being, to introduce similar law and order arrangements in other parts of Somalia.” Does that mean it is fine and dandy for the TNG sub-clan to use Arab and Italy donated funds to conquer other tribal lands, and then claim no funds are available for local police protection in Mogadishu? Somali people are getting quite confused; therefore, when the Secretary-General’s representative reports about ‘Somalia,’ does he really mean ‘Somalia’ or ‘Mogadishu?’ We don’t think the two are as easily interchangeable.

The Secretary-General’s representative also, in numerous times, refers to the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) as an Ethiopia ally, but with intent to undermine foreign influences in Somalia in the form of Arta TNG. Of course that is the case, and the SRRC is supported by majority of all Somalis. But, what is so sad about the Secretary-General and his IRIN reports are their intent of presenting the TNG as an all inclusive entity representing the interests of Somalis everywhere and against the interests of ‘evil Ethiopia.’ Well, that could never be further from the truth. Ethiopia is a friend of Somalia and they have proven it during the Somali civil war. Ethiopia stands alone, and above every other country, as the only country in Africa and the Arab world, which treated Somalis not as undesirable refugees but as brothers to be treated no different and no less than their own citizens. The Sudanese, the Yemenis, the Egyptians, and the Saudis didn’t even open their borders for us, let alone their doors. During the past eleven years, history has been written and recorded by suffering Somali refugees; and there is no rewriting of that history either by UN special representatives or by other Arab influences in the form of Somali TNG.

As to the RRA leadership, there is only one goal worth pursuing: the liberation of their farms and properties from Mr. Salad Hassan’s TNG and sub-clan. With or without the blessings of the Secretary-General’s representative, all persecuted clans in southern Somalia will pursue these goals. All obstacles opposing these pursuits will, sooner or later, face the same fate as that of the Arab supported Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

As to Somaliland and puntland of which the Secretary-General’s representative neither mentions their developed governmental infrastructure nor their tax collecting ability, how come their achievements have to be neglected and not be extended to other Somali regions yearning for self-rule? They have proven, without UN intervention, that they can solve their problems and create a developing and stable environment. Should not the Secretary-General’s special representative be extending the Northern Recovery Zone influences and achievements instead of the influences of the Middle East ruling classes and their henchmen?

B.    Regional and Other Peace Initiatives

The Secretary-General’s representative reports about the Arab League, OAU and the IGAD organizations spending hours after endless hours on Somali reconciliations and urging all Somali parties to work towards peace and safeguard Somalia’s territorial integrity.

Yet, the Secretary-General’s representative doesn’t even report that they, these three or four letter organizations and not the Somali people and their leaders, are the obstacles to a lasting peace in Somalia. And as far as Somalia’s territorial integrity is concerned, we have no neighboring countries, be it Kenya or Ethiopia, with eyes towards the Somali lands. It is Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Egypt, and surprisingly Italy that have plans for Somalia. It is them that brought in the Arta sub-clan; it is them that created and funded the Al-Itihad organization to dominate Somalia and create havoc in Ethiopia; it is them that Somalia is getting restless. Yet, by reading the Secretary-General’s report, you would never know that these Middle Eastern countries and not Ethiopia contrive Somalia’s problems. As Ari Fleisher has recently mentioned on his press briefing, “President Bush also recognized that Kenya [and Ethiopia] lives in a tough neighborhood with others that harbor terrorists.” But with the consent of the secretary-General’s representative, the neighbor denies the facts daily and Mr. David Stephens is always out there for the sub-clan! Even our Arab brothers vehemently deny that they have conceived and funded the Arta terror reign in Somalia, and the Secretary-General’s representative should know better. But then again, may be, we are expecting too much; even the UN corridors are filled with known sponsors of terror cells, and to this date, even certain Arab countries deny that the hijackers came from them. Indeed, it is a strange world that we live in!

Again, we refer to the New York Times’ Thomas L. Friedman commenting on New York’s Mayor Guiliani after returning the $10 million donation made by a Saudi billionaire, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal: “Attention, Prince Alwaleed: These young men came from your country, and while the Palestine issue no doubt angers them, it does not compare to their hatred of what Mr. Bin Laden called the corrupt, ‘hypocritical,’ ‘hereditary’ Arab regimes, starting with Saudi Arabia.”

And to follow up Mr. Friedman, in no way and no matter how the Secretary-General’s representative words it, does Somalia need a regime sponsored by these ‘hypocritical’ and ‘hereditary’ Arab regimes. Somalia deserves better and will get better; and we hope the returned $10 million doesn’t make its way to the coffers of the Arta sub-clan. Even better, he could invest in privately owned roads and highways in Somalia; or even much better, they could lift their unjust livestock ban, so we could sell few more goats and camels to feed the family and seek a better future for our kids. These little steps to achieve a brighter future for the family will most definitely address the roots of New York tragedy and that of the Muslim world.

III.          The Humanitarian and Development Situation

The Secretary-General’s representative often writes about ‘economic and social systems’ in Somalia. While SHASNA has no knowledge of drought and flood predictions, we do have a very good knowledge of Somali livestock and environmental conditions. We were there before Mr. David Stephens and will remain there after Mr. David Stephens.

We have no predictions of when the gu rains are due, but we can predict and tell Mr. Stephens who is responsible for Somalia’s environmental degradation. If he can only pay attention to the truth in Somalia, he could easily, if he doesn’t already know, find out who robs, cuts, burns, and produces and exports charcoal to the Arabian Peninsula. We will not speak of the lawyerly and sophisticated language of the secretary-General’s language of “these are man-made factors that exist within the natural context of aridity and environmental uncertainty,” but we will report to you who is making our environment less uncertain and less safe. It is Mr. Salad Hassan’s sub-clan that cuts, burns and then exports trees for charcoal. It is Mr. Salad Hassan that even made his sub-clan less safe for themselves and the environment. He recommended that they move from Galgaduud all the way to Mogadishu and Kismayo; and in the process, moving out, they have burned down their own environment; and as the Secretary-General says, they have to themselves undertaken “asset depletion and destitution.” Not only that, with the blessings of their President, they have extended their ‘asset depletion and destitution’ all the way to Kismayo and surrounding areas. These are not mere accusations; the Secretary-General’s representative can easily visit Kismayo and environs and witness this horrendous environmental degredation undertaken by Mr. Salad sub-clan and their unholy alliances.

On the economic front, since arrival of the Arta group, the living conditions for the average Somali family deteriorated. It is indeed sad that the Secretary-General’s report sarcastically refers to the Arta group and sub-clan importation of fake currencies as “injections of new Somali currency.” These are not injections; they are importations of fake Somali currency to benefit the sub-clan and impoverish the rest of Somali society. It is a crime against humanity and against international law; the UN should not aid and abet the perpetrators of these crimes.

Therefore, given these asset depletions, the United Nations and their agencies should not elaborate a ‘multisectoral strategy’ to protect and rebuild the destroyers of their own assets. We hope Mr. Randolph Kent is taking note and not pretend that his agencies are working in tandem with other international NGOs. Some NGOs have already withdrawn from his umbrella for its lack of “neutrality and impartiality” in the Somali conflict.

Given the Secretary General’s UN strategies of working together, there is no need for SHASNA to elaborate on Mr. Randolph Kent’s Somali Aid Coordination Body (SACB) and its elaborate plans towards Somali peace and reconciliation. But, we should call to attention all claimed 60 international NGOs that work in tandem with Mr. Randolph Kent, and ask them, what they really do for Somalia. Mr. Randolph Kent’s SACB claims that they have spent $115.5 million for the year ended 2000 and its “Inter-Agency Appeal for 2001 has been provided by Member States.” Where are the detailed reports of how and where those funds were spent? What is the ratio of management expenses allocated to their Nairobi compounds versus actual program costs?  Is Mr. Randolph Kent’s SACB intended to guarantee a lifetime employment opportunities for his office and the never seen and never heard from UN staff in Nairobi, or are there additional staff that help the needy Somali people? Who is serving whose interests anyway? Mr. Randolph Kent and his SACB should please take note: what is wanting in Somalia is not more funding, not more “adequate financial and material resources” and not more charity; it is justice! It is one word: justice!

Also, the Secretary General’s report claims that “programmes linked to the TNG have received virtually no assistance from international donors, including United Nations agencies, although the TNG itself has received some support from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.” This statement, by itself, is amazing, and it seems nobody has given a serious thought about the wording of the Secretary-General’s report or the serious Somali situation. Aren’t these Arab countries part of the international donors and also UN Member States? What category does the $54 million dollar Arab donation to the TNG fall in? And based on the Secretary-General’s report, these Arab donors are not part of the international donors that provided “virtually no assistance” to the TNG; then, can we deduce from the UN report that they are not part of the international community and therefore are pariah states! If so, can pariah states create peace in Somalia?

IV.            Security

Overall Somalia has been stable. The Recovery and Transitional Zones keep making baby steps towards stability and development.

Overall, Somali clans have returned to their own regions, and this has substantially contributed to peace in Somalia. Unfortunately, since arrival of the Arta group in Mogadishu, The Arta leader brought with him expansionist policies for the sub-clan. With the help of the UN, he reaffirmed the policies of his sub-clan, which was to legalize the sub-clan’s war spoils and loots. And Al-Itihad, with the help of the sub-clan but with a different agenda, continues to dominate Mogadishu and southern Somalia.

These sub-clan and Al-Itihad Al-Islamiya expansionist policies did not sit well with Mogadishu and southern Somalia clan leaders. Because of that simple fact, to this day, wars continue in Mogadishu and in southern Somalia. 

V.                Observation

The inception of the Arta group and its arrival in Mogadishu was a milestone in Somali politics and its influences by foreign forces with different agendas. The intent of these foreign puppeteers of the Arta group is to keep Somalia under perpetual turmoil. The Arta President’s intent is sub-clan superiority. Both agendas clash against the Somali will for peace, stability and development.  

Now, one year old, the dismantling of this Arta group remains the most viable option for lasting peace in Somalia.

We agree with the Secretary-General’s report that “much more attention could be paid to local political settlements.” As a matter of fact, we would add that the ‘bottom-up approach’ is the only viable option.

We would also recommend to the Secretary-General to help the local authorities of Puntland and Somaliland. We would also advise the UN’s IRIN information agency to refrain from nominating Presidents for the Recovery Zones.

We would also remind the Secretary-General that after more than one year, neither the TNG nor their National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement (NCRPS) has made one inch of progress and will not make another inch of progress forward.

We are extremely worried about the Secretary-General’s proposed setting up of “Committee of Friends” to promote national reconciliation. We also understand that you are concerned about the TNG’s lack of progress in promoting peace and reconciliation in Somalia. Would the “Committee of Friends” replace the TNG as the mechanism for national reconciliation or would they help the TNG promote the peace and national reconciliation they haven’t promoted since inception? Either way, we believe this is another horrendous mistake. With or without “Committee of Friends” the TNG has been a failure; it will remain a failure. Let us stop using fancy language to describe their dismal failure and move on. The TNG belongs to “history’s unmarked graveyards of discarded lies.” The sooner we admit this, the better Somalia will be in the future.

The Somali peace process will not take a long time to complete. It is almost complete with the exception of Mr. Salad Hassan’s sub-clan and their illegal conquests of other tribal farms, lands and properties. The TNG sub-clan is the problem not the solution; and as long as they are around, the Somali peace process will take a long, long time to complete. Somalis don’t plan to wait that long. Peace will be born in Somalia soon.

The Secretary-General concludes “it is not possible at present for me to recommend the deployment of a post-conflict peace-building mission in Somalia.”

We conclude, Your Excellency, there is a difference between ‘Somalia’ and ‘Mogadishu.’ With the exception of the debilitated city of Mogadishu, Somalia is peaceful and is making quite a progress towards stability and development. Hargeysa and Berbera are stable and peaceful; Boosaaso, Garoowe and Galkayo are stable and peaceful; Baydhabo is stable and peaceful. And yes, it is possible to recommend the deployment of a post-conflict peace-building mission in Somalia and not in Mogadishu.

 SHASNA* Editorial Board
cc: SHASNA Members

*SHASNA is an advocacy group based in Boston, Massachusetts. It stands for the unity and peaceful coexistence of 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 presences in both Puntland (Boosaaso, Garoowe, Buurtinle, Bacaadweyn and Galkayo) and Somaliland (Hergeysa, Berbera and Burco).