Month: September 2024

FORTHCOMING INTERVIEW WITH RADIO DALJIR SOMALIA ON ARTA/MBAGATHI SOMALI NATIONAL PEACE AND RECONCILIATION CONFERENCES. FACTS.

HIGHLIGHTS OF TALKING POINTS

  1. Meeting with Ismail Omar Guelleh at end of 1998 to take up Somali file from foreign powers, especially from so-called Frontline States, a term coined by Puntland Government.
  2. Before Arta Conference, Garowe had established Somali Peace Alliance (SPA) of all Somali existing fronts except Hussein Aydiid faction and met with Mr. Guelleh President in Djibouti in 1999. Guelleh was the President at that time.
  3. Puntland Government persuaded President Daniel arab Moi of Kenya to support Guelleh (2000) in Somali National Reconciliation. At the time, Ethiopia was an AU-sponsored mandated country for Somali National Peace and Reconciliation. It was a bold move by Puntland Government.
  4. Another meeting with Guelleh on the eve of Arta Conference to warn him against hijacking it and to avoid entangling with Somali internal affairs as early indicators did show that he was doing just that.
  5. Puntland State decision at all levels, including elders to warn President Guelleh that it was nonstarter for Puntland State on the way Arta Conference was being managed.
  6. Severe Puntland and Djibouti political frictions following Arta fallout.
  7. Severe public square campaigns between Puntland State and newly formed Arta Government.
  8. Stories relayed by David Stephen (UN Secretary-General Representative) and Islaan Mohamed Islaan Muse on the overwhelming shadow Puntland State had cast on Arta Conference.
  9. Attempts by Djibouti Government, Egypt and Foreign Minister of Kenya then, Kalonzo Musyoka, to split Puntland State delegation to Arta Conference into factions of Abdullahi Yusuf and Jama Ali Jama on the Eve of Mbagathi Somali Conference. The conspiracy was about re-electing AbdulQasim Salad Hassan.
  10. Having been isolated within Somali Peace Process, Ethiopia attempted to undermine Mbagathi Conference in indirect confrontation with Puntland Government leadership. It took more than two years of Mbagathi Conference to agree on the National Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), the founding document of the Second Somali Republic.

HOW DID THE SOMALI NATIONAL PEACE CONGRESS IN CARTA/DJIBOUTI COME ABOUT, IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHOSE BRAIN-CHILD WAS IT?

Executive Summary

Since the Military Coup of 1969, Somali National History has been distorted intentionally by some actors, starting with the Regime of Siyad Barre, who had attempted to reduce Somali History to the rebellion of Sayid Mohammed Abdulle Hassan Derwish Movement against British Colonial Military Administration in Northwest Somalia because of latter’s family ties and similar sounding name, and the exploits of his repressive regime; by USC/NSA, which has been distorting Somali history dishonestly to incite violence and clan cleansing against Daroods upon the fall of Military Regime, and by some South-Central political activists, politicians of the likes of General Aydiid, and some Hawiye scholars trying to disown “the so-called “The Darood-dominated” Somali National history to discredit the contributions of Daroods to that History.

There are others also, who took part in political activities detrimental to the interests and aspirations of the Somali people.These actors are now trying to cover up their wrong-doing and misguided approaches to the re-institution of the 2nd Somali Republic following the Final Somali Peace and National Reconciliation Conference in Mbagati/Kenya in 2002-2004.

Because of these distortions in Somali history and attempts to erase some historical facts associated with certain clans on the part of “Clan Revisionists”, the subject has become too tribalistic and controversial, bordering on taboo to discuss nowadays, let alone to teach in any school in Somalia. This situation heralds the beginning of an era when a nation ceases to survive. Somali and Oromo boys are at same level in the dark when it comes to Somali history. It is alarming!

An example of recent ill-advised historical distortions include the following false assertions:

  1. False claim that the defunct TNG of Carta Conference as the 3rd Somali Republic, counting coup-produced Military Government of Siyad Barre as the 2nd Republic.
  2. False claim that 4.5 Clan Power-sharing Formula was developed in Carta/DJIBOUTI.
  3. False claim that Carta Conference was initiated by President Ismail Omar Ghuelleh.
  4. False claim that some Traditional Elders of Puntland State were sent to officially participate in Carta Conference.
  5. False claim that Puntland State participated in Carta Conference. Instead Puntland State had boycotted that Conference after it had been hijacked by Mr. Guelleh.
  6. False claim that Ethiopia was behind Somali federalisn for it was fond of and preferred dealing with ambitious tribal warlords having no any structure of government or organization. Dealing with Federal Member States upended Ethiopian foreign policy, among many other falsehoods, deliberate and innocent distortions propagated within Somali society.

Stay tuned to my next interview over Radio Daljir Somalia.

https://amisom-au.org/about-somalia/somali-peace-process/