Somalia as Ethiopia exits
As Ethiopia prepares to exit, Somalia inches deeper in a hole of tribal war yet again. We must stop it before it is too late. It was yesterday in 1991, when the political vacuum emerged and the rest of the world didn’t rescue Somalia. The government was toppled which paved the way to Somali’s present chaos and helplessness. Another war will devastate Somalia due to its current fragile state. The only hope it seems are Somali nationalism and Islam. Especially Islaam which teaches against hate based tribalism, anarchy and injustice. The ills of Somalia are many, but in these last two decades of turmoil Islam has served as a healing mechanism to Somalia’s many problems. Tribal unrest is number one on the list of why Somalia is a failed state.
A failed state indeed, Somalis should blame themselves. Still many in Somalia, only follow and listen to their tribal leaders. This blind following has crippled Somalia. To such an extend rape, robbery, murder and unimaginable atrocities are committed and tolerated in Somalia, so long as it serves the greater tribal interest. The result a lawless country, and the problems don’t end there; a refugee on the shores of Yemen gets raped; a poor student in Cairo, Egypt is denied visa thus education; it doesn’t stop there a shop keeper in South Africa is burned alive. Don’t blame Egyptians, or Yemenis, Somalis only have themselves to blame. The turmoil cause by tribalism has caused us dearly, our standing in the world has gotten to such a state that Somalia has become the nuclear waste dump of the world.
But don’t lose hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so it seemed with the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). I give credit to the ICU for ending lawlessness in Somalia; the six golden months they were in power in the south will never be forgotten. Our former president Abdullaahi Yusuf Ahmed can’t take all the blame for their downfall; they were blamed for not being inclusive clan wise, and of having former criminal warlords in their midst. However baseless these claims maybe the Somali public needs healing, the emotional scars that the tribal based civil war has cause maybe deeper than some imagined.
The healing process can start by standing up for justice everywhere in Somalia and forgiving each other. This concept of forgiveness is essential for our present Somalia and it has benefited many societies. Some countries like Malaysia has gained the successful development using this Islamic formula, today Malaya, Hindu, and Chinese are living side by side in peaceful manner and build together in their country, the heterogeneous people, I think Somalis who are homogeneous will benefit more than Malaysia. To do this we need a strong government be it Islamic or not for as the saying goes “Justice without force is powerless and force without justice is tyrannical”.
Lastly I must asked my fellow Somalis, Whatever happen to “Soomaaliyeey toosoo, toosoo isku tiirsada ee, hadba kiina taag daranee, taageera waligiinee” (wake up Somalia, wake up and lean on each other, and whoever is in need support, support them always). Somalis have to renew their lost faith in their country to do this we must demand answers from our leaders by hold them accountable for their actions and to stop blindly supporting tribal warlords whom are bent on the destructions of Somalia. As I write this I hear a former warlord maybe be running for president and yet I will never lose faith in Somalia, only Somalis can make it great again.
Abdishakur A Geyre
