Editorial
Somalia faces further regional meddling in 2012
December 31, 2011 · 11 Comments
Somalilandpress Editorial
With Ethiopian troops having surrounded and ‘taken’ Beledweyne, the strategically important capital of Hiiraan province the prospects for peace in Somalia in 2012 looks as uncertain as ever. Somalia’s fourth largest city is no stranger to incursions from the Ethiopians, although this time the actions of the Ethiopian troops are in Somalia at the invitation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Mogadishu. Ostensibly, the TFG claims it is inviting external forces to tackle the menace of Al Shabaab and similar militant groups. As the TFG has no democratic mandate this current policy seems at the very least questionable and is certainly not helping regional stability. Whilst the so-called government in Mogadishu seems happy for the Ethiopians, Kenyans, French, Americans, British and almost anyone else to meddle they seem surprisingly reticent to expedite a ‘war’ on the corruption in Mogadishu that has seen aid stolen on a scale far more venal and destructive than the activities of Al Shabaab. With overt and covert military activity taking place daily the prospects are not promising. US drone attacks from bases in Djibouti, Ethiopia and the Seychelles are certain to kill yet more innocent civilians just as they have done in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Motives from most of the powers involved are questionable. Ethiopia is hardly a democratic state and would do well to put its’ own house in order, Kenya too is no stranger to inter-ethnic violence and the persecution of minority groups. Both the US and France have Presidential Elections in 2012 and so the incumbents in each country are desperate to appear tough no matter what the cost. As for poor old Britain, whilst the British PM has committed himself to hosting a conference on Somalia, the entire event will be shaped with a security agenda and feature the usual players with little or no room for creative thinking or breaking the cycle of aid dependency. Sadly the likes of China, India, Russia and Brazil have made no effort to champion the Somali people inside Somalia or beyond and as for the African Union and the Arab League they are utterly bankrupt of new ideas. So it looks like the Somali people themselves will finally need to take ownership of their problems and stop putting their faith in other countries.
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Tags: Beledweyne, Ethiopia, Hiiraan, Somalia, TFG
Readers Comments (11)
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A nice piece of writing, but I'm not sure what its relevance is as far as Somaliland is concerned.
Somaliland is part of this troubled country, it is corrupted and innocent unarmed people are massacred by the current government. I believe there will be no military activities but there will be political change which will take place soon. The great change will came from SSC and Awdal Soon then Sahel and many other groups will come up with new political plans………..
Better wake up now and reconcile the political differences, disputes, stop assassinations, stop nepotism and sky rocketing corruption. Remember "justice is the mother of peace and unity".
Ha igu oran ha odhan
Heebtayda ha iswaydeen
Hunguri dalka ha siisan
Hawo been ah hadimo yay kugu ridin
Habeen yuu maalin kuu noqon
@Zakariy Ahmed,
Huqdii ku gaadhaa ku hadrinaysee maxaan kala hadlaa
Habar fadhidaay hawaawirkatoos kuu habooneydaa
Hebed nacasoo hurdo-socod oo hayayda hayaan ka aqaana
Beledweyne is not ‘taken’ it is taken.
If you think prospects for peace in Somalia in 2012 look as uncertain as ever, then you are wrong. The process towards a peaceful Somalia is better than many years. Its still have a long way to go and many things can go wrong, but to say the prospect has become worse is just wrong.
I think the article is bias.
Somalilandpress,
Please delete all these offending comments by Zakerya Ahmed. These comments have relevance what so ever to this article. This is a person, who thrives in hatred and offending Somalilanders and the serious and respectful readers of Somalilandpress.
Somalilandpress,
CORRECTION:
Please delete all these offending comments by Zakerya Ahmed. These comments have no relevance what so ever to this article. This is a person, who thrives in offending Somalilanders and the serious and respectful readers of Somalilandpress.
Excellent Report. Indeed Somalia belongs to Somalis not Foreigners and the self appointed
good for nothing TFG or TGS of Somalia who are nothing more than self serving pupets for Foreign political interests to remain in power..somehow some Godly Miracle has to happen to get rid of this menacing cancer the TGS. No body knows how the so called freedom fighters Alshabab would be a good solution too which's subject to doubtful speculations.
May God help the poor imporvished Islamic Somalia out of the awkward Crisis. There's no other
solution except the Arab Spring revolts.
Cheers.
Exaggerating "Al-Shabaab" threat suits both the foreigners and the cheap self styled somalia government officials. We will see nothing of siginicancee wether it is held in London or Nairobi, except more of the same.
The stake holders should be the people who live on the land, not refugees with USA, UK and other passports appointed as government officials when they are nothing but spies for CIA or MI5. It is a conference made for UK national security, not to protect Somali civilians in their homelands.
Al shabab never excested,to have good excuse you need to create This sort of idea,to distabilize destroy a country.
Al shabab it’s funded by The west Throught The termites ethiopains.