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Prepared
By: Omar Ahmed , Dubai, UAE
Somalia
was in an internecine civil war for the past ten years. And
despite so many attempts failed to form a national government
that can unite all the warring factions and the interminable
mesh of clans and sub clans competing for power and recognition
to be represented in the higher governmental institutions.
The latest
attempt by Ismail Omar Gelle of Djibouti, which is in progress
for the last four months, achieved the establishment of a
Transitional National Assembly or parliament, who in turn
elected a president. The newly elected president Mr. Abdulkassim
Salad Hassan is not new in the political arena of Somalia.
He is
a former minister in the regime of Siad Barre, who held many
posts and was the last Minister of Interior of that regime.
In exploring more about this man, who he is, what he stands
for and if he is a potential leader who can deal the crisis
in the country. Abdulkassim was born in Dusamareb, a small
town in central Somalia and one of the most inhospitable areas
in the whole country.
He is
from a posturalist family. He is educated in Russia and as
soon as he completed his studies he joined the revolutionary
vanguards or revolutionary cadres of former dictator Siad
Barre and quickly jumped up in the ladder by ingratiating
his bosses. During his tenure in the former regime of Siad
Barre, his acquaintances characterize him as an ideologue
and strong believer of clan ideology and supporter of his
sub clan at any cost and demonstrated his ultimate favoritism
for his Ayr sub clan and unrelenting aversion to dissent.
He was
a last minute loyalist and sycophant of Siad Barre and one
of the last days of his regime, he described the USC (UNITED
SOMALI CONGRESS) as a bunch of thugs and thieves. During the
struggle of throwing the former dictatorial regime, he was
indeed in-charge o the security of the country as Minister
of Interior. In the early days of his political life, he was
a socialist who dreamed the utopia of scientific socialism.
He is not known as a visionary leader but an avenger who seeks
a grip on power and deals with a firm hand on his foes.
Recently,
he joined an Islamic sect known as AL-ISLAH in which he is
a member and who strongly supported his election in Djibouti.
AI-SLAH is an Islamic group, which is a liberal form of Islam.
They are well organized and they recruit only educated and
well-established personalities in their hierarchies. They
control most of the education system in the country and numerous
NGO's who are actively operating in the country.
They
advocate peace and harmonious relations among the communities.
They became influential and subtly were seeking to infiltrate
the power of the country, which is exactly what they did by
electing Abdulkassim. They demonstrate commendable tolerance
towards women and ostensibly indicate in accommodating them.
He belongs
to the Hawiye clan family, HabarGidir clan and Ayr sub clan.
His sub clan inhabits the lower Mudug valley of Somalia. A
very hostile environment in which the people are in a constant
struggle in search of water and grazing for their livestock.
The only
source of sustainability in there in subsistence level. They
are also in perpetual conflict with their neighboring clans
which made them either in the attack or in the defensive due
to the arid land they live on which is in short of water and
grazing land to share for their meager animal herds.
This merciless
environment and the beseech of late notorious warlord General
Aidid lured them to south of the country in large numbers
to participate the looting and pillaging of properties in
his ambitious war to capture the power. They occupied Mogadishu
and the lower Shabelle regions of the country and thus acquired
almost all government farms and properties in those regions
and most privately owned farms to enrich themselves quickly
and maintained their subjugation over the locals in these
regions.
The influx
of his clan in the southern regions of he country and their
access to the wealth of the nation created the acquisition
of lot of businesses by his fellow clans men. The prominent
ones include a consortium of Ayr business men who made the
counterfeit money in a number of occasions at least four times,
making each time an equivalent of USD2.5-3.0 MILLION.
That means
they illegally acquired USD10-12MILLION in the last year alone.
The same group had connections to Mr. Abdirahman Booraa a
businessman in Djabouti who arranges L.C.'s in Djabouti banks
and shares jointly sugar deals brought to Somalia periodically.
Mr. Booraa is well known in Djabouti for his arrogance and
notoriety and is related to the president of Djabouti Mr.
Ismail Omar Gelle.
He is
the man behind the election of Abdulqasim as president and
contributed significantly his campaign funds. Also, his fellow
clans men are the owners of the two private TV stations in
Mogadishu (Horn Afrik & Somali Television Network), Juba Airways
is another recently founded carrier from Dubai to Mogadishu.
The major
share holders of the under construction Coca-Cola factory
and the major share holder of both Aerolite Telecommunications
and Nation Link telephone companies are Ayr, the sub clan
of the new president and the most these money is filth lucre
acquired through the counterfeit money and other illegal and
corrupt ways sponsored by the same group.
Even there
is a strong suspicion that he is one of the share holders
of these Mafia like group, since a number of his nephews are
confirmed to be members of the group. His clan also maintains
a formidable militia in Mogadishu and southern Somalia as
far as Kismayo. The Ayr militias occupy most of South Mogadishu
and the lower Shabelle region. They changed recently their
loyalty from Salbalaar (the vague government of General Aidid)
to the so-called Islamic courts, acquiring new appellation,
Islamic brothers and protectors.
This Islamic
court militia headed by colonel Hassan Dahir Awes, a well
respected former military officer and Islamist who relatively
contained the militia and reduced their public threat and
their indiscriminate attacks on the public. He also rehabilitated
a significant portion of the militia forcing them to abstain
eating the Qat leaves and smoking drugs. Though other large
portion is employed the by the novice riches of the clan and
eventually stayed out of the streets.
The Ayr
militia also controls the Balidogle airport (former military
air base) located about 120 KM south west of Mogadishu. This
airport is the gateway to Mogadishu and southern Somalia,
which is being used by the cargo planes and passenger jets
who could not use smaller airstrips. It is a source of quick
cash for the occupying militias as they extort USD20-40 for
all passengers coming or leaving the country.
They heavily
charge for the cargo shipments and collect enormous landing
fees. It is the airport being used still today for the export
of female camels and the wild animals including lions, leopards,
and all kinds of birds' even tortures and many others to the
Arab World. The notorious former militia leader Farafadan
died few months back of a cancer.
He was
the most infamous militia thug born out the Ayr during their
occupation in Banadir. He used to terrorize the locals and
even small suspicion would have caused their lives. Since
his death the airport is in power struggle between his lieutenants
and its security gets out of hand in some occasions.
Another
zone of occupation by the Ayr militia is the lower Shabelle
region, the towns of Awdegle, Merka, and as far as Brave.
All the commercial activities, employment and NGO's whether
local or international are controlled and enjoyed by HabarGidir,
mainly Ayr, while the locals are forced to pay taxes on what
ever they possess and own let it food, farm, animals as well
as other things. The courts that claim as protectors actually
protect and condone the subjugation of the HabarGidir on the
local people.
They receive
a major financial support and training to hasten their settlement
plan in the region from Ester Abdi Arush who practically controls
all NGO's and UN agencies in the lower Shabelle region. She
is the first women warlord and she controls some of the militia
in the region. She extends assistance for the HabarGidir to
remain in the area and supports them to establish themselves
in the towns. She funds all kinds of smaller project from
agriculture to fishers as well as trade, thus ensuring the
settlement and the dominance of her sub-clan in these regions
while she keeps the local people on the disadvantaged side
and without concern of their plight. In Kismayo area a prominent
force of the coalition who controls are Ayr and Merehan could
not have managed in controlling that sprawling coastal city
which is one of the most prosperous districts of Somalia without
the Ayr militia.
They
are the backbone of the coalition and they can even takeover
the city if Abdulkassim gives them the permission and the
necessary logistics. The coalition between the Ayr and the
Merehan appears to be a marriage of convenience, as they are
traditional adversaries in Mudug and according to the caprice
nature of the Somali alliance system it can change as new
leadership appears on the horizon.
The Hawiye
coalition might deem essential for Abdulkassim to consolidate
his power and that might turn the tide against the Merehan.
As the government of Siad Barre was ousted and the armed groups
occupied Mogadishu, Abdulkassim fled with his government and
remained in Cairo for sometime.
When he
ensured that the various factions who had taken over the power
split into clan lines, he came back immediately and joined
his clan's ambition for grabbing the power by force. He became
a member of the HabarGidir central committee and he was always
lustful of fitting in as opportunity arises, and it eventually
did in Arta, Djibouti.
He never
denounced the violence and the unwarranted aggression of General
Aidid on the other clans and territories. He never denounced
the occupation of Baidoa by his clan's militia and he was
actually in support of all the expansionism of HabarGidir
in the Southern and Central Somalia. So, I would say, where
have you been Mr. Abdulkassim all these years, when your clan
was tormenting the country? Or are you a newborn Muslim today.
So many
of your fellow clans men did overtly denounced the aggressions
and aimless wars engaged by General Aidid and the militia
of HabarGidir including the notable General Galal, who would
have been definitely better leader and more courageous in
facing the mayhem in the country.
The man
who raised his voice in the difficult days and responded to
his conscience without appeasing the popular emotions of the
moment will rather be rewarded than opportunists who hideout
for the moments of truth and appear when they think their
selfish interests can be achieved.
His election,
despite appearing democratic on the surface, was mired with
manifold allegations and all kinds of deals of bribery and
promises behind the seen; as well as manipulations by Ismail
Omar Gelle, the president of Djibouti. His primary supporters
were, of course, his sub clan, who came in large numbers with
a lot of intellectuals and provided a contribution of about
half a million US dollar from the counterfeit money printed
by his sub clan. AL-ISLAH had contributed about one hundred
thousand US dollars and campaigned for him in the name of
religious man in exploiting the traditional religious sentiments
of the Somali people.
The third
major force was the Djibouti government which contributed
about four hundred thousand US dollars, through Abdirahman
Booraa a business tycoon in Djibouti and friend of other Ayr
business group (he is known the Hoosh of Djibouti) and created
a milieu conducive to him by making the necessary propaganda
campaign and even making deals for him to other personalities
like Shatigudud, Hassan Abshir, Ali Khalif, Dr. Rajis etc.
as well as other clans.
His election
is worth about one million US dollar, in which most of it
was spent on buying the votes by approaching the obviously
broke and venal representatives. Other defects of the conference
include the principal in which the parliament was established,
which is on the basis of clan.
This notion
is contrary to values of democracy and negates the concept
of representation based on electoral and constituency, which
is the basis of democracy. It is against the civilization
and modern society and statehood. It created a total inequity
among the clans and it gives some clans an unjust advantage
while it reduces others to a negligible representation that
is not proportional or equivalent to their estimation.
The other
inconceivable fault, which is accepted in the conference,
was the re-establishment of the eighteen tiny regions fabricated
by Siad Barre, which is inspired by the allocation of all
Darood sub clans to a region, so as to secure future domination.
No territory should be granted a regional status unless it
can sustain itself economically with sufficient population
that deserves autonomous rule.
Somalia
should be actually reduced to only five or six major provinces
instead of these too many tiny regions that would never support
themselves. The denial of the newly formed regional entities
during the civil war such Puntaland and SomaliLand would be
another challenge for the new government, which I would have
accommodated as it is. In summary, Abdulkassim always showed
propensity to dictatorial tendencies and is referred as cantankerous
by former colleagues.
He is
not spotless politician as he served under Dictator Siad Barre,
as deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. He already
indicated that his government would comprise his cronies in
the former government. His first choice as Prime Minister
is Ali khalif a similarly former minister of Siad Barre and
a man widely believed to have stolen huge sums of money from
the Juba Sugar Project, while he was Minister of Industry
and Trade.
Abdulkassim
will face a daunting responsibility and how courageously he
will deal with it remains to be seen. However, there is genuine
suspicion, that he will not be honest in many issues of national
concern, particularly, removing the militias of his sub clan
from Mogadishu and lower Shabelle districts.
There
is a serious fear that he may institutionalize the hegemony
of his sub clan in these districts or remain connive as their
illegal settlement continuous surreptitiously.
Overall,
the return of the old political class in the reign of the
country will bring back the old policies and the old style
of governance, which is totally archaic and incongruous for
the desires of the Somali people. There is still a genuine
doubt that he will not be able to deliver the peace, stability,
democracy, justice and good governance with accountability
and transparency demanded by the Somali people today and tomorrow.
With
the above mentioned peculiarities, Abdulkassim is betrayal
to the Somali cause and what the people fought for all these
years, simply because, he represents the old political establishment
which stand for repression, oppression, corruption, nepotism,
favoritism and clanism.
He represents
the source of the Somali conflict and the demise of the Somali
people and the curse in which we are all busy in resolving
it today.
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