Tag: #Al-Shabab #fight #Somalia

REPEAT THE RISE OF UNION OF ISLAMIC COURTS (UIC) IN SOMALIA

Given the dysfunction, disarray of FGS, and infiltration of Alshabab into the rank-and-file of security apparatus and all public institutions of the fledgling government of Somalia, it looks that there will be a take-over of Mogadishu by another phase of UIC. This time, it could be a bit more complicated for them as there are foreign troops in the name of ATMIS and other security industries of Blackwater type. But one thing is certain: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALA has been compromised and can’t be expected to operate and meet the security and governance challenges of the day.

Already, Alshabab is becoming bold enough to cut off movement of people and goods to certain regions, Bay and Bakool as recent example, attacking government and ATMIS military bases anywhere in South-Central Somalia and continue to extort and blackmail defenseless population there by establishing a parallel government with its own kangaroo courts.

One may ask as hindsight where was President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during the rise of UIC and Alshabab in Southern Somalia then? An advisor to the leaders of UIC in Mogadishu?
Have your say.

WDM BREAKING NEWS

WDM EDITORIAL

Two days ago few men calling themselves the NCC gathered in a dark room in Mogadishu with the intention of hijacking the entire agenda of Somali Peace and National Reconciliation Process (SPNRP), wiping out shamelessly with the stroke of a pen any modest gains of the people of Somalia for the past three decades. Their targets for elimination were all federal framework, constitutional arrangements, institution-building and any modicum of transitional agreements to put out the fire of the civil war in order to reconstruct Somalia anew.

For this moment in time, Somali people are now suddenly realizing that this portion of NCC men were almost all either active participants in the civil war as militiamen and insurgents themselves, or they were assistants and students of militia and extremist commanders. Suddenly, this realization becomes surreal and unfathomable.

In trying to turn the clock back in Somalia to the old days of mayhem and state failure intentionally or unintentionally, these men have discarded all norms of this fledgling Federal Government and its Federal Member States. Ironically, these men want to bury their dirty deeds and disservice in a rubber-stamp parliament approval with corruption, cronyism and under-hand manipulations. Would it work for them this time once again? Stay tuned.

Postscript: If there is any silver lining in their ugly prouncements, it is the statement that Somalis must go to the election polls, an an impossible task to implement in most of the regions they claim to govern. This is the result of psychological and political impact that recent earth-shattering Puntland State Council Elections might have on them.

WHY SOMALI STATE CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT RADICAL APPROACH TO THE CULTURE OF OWNERSHIP.

To start with, there is weak collective ownership in Somalia among the native people – nobody seems to care about it beyond selfish individual interests. Its leaders seem to practice the king’s motto: “after me the deluge“. Now Somalis have become transnational in their existence – they are split and scattered all over the world, while holding no allegiance to any one country. They are fast becoming the new ever wandering gypsies. State regulations or any societal rules irrite them. Nobody can predict what will become of them. Their Capital City, Mogadishu, hosts foreign troops and none of its residents seem to care or mind. National pride and culture are quickly losing relevance. Their focus is now on social media entertainment and destructive bashing of each other in never ending and fruitless clannish warfare. In the process, they have produced tireless and unscrupulous internet clan warriors determined to secure Google clicks by equally wandering and gullible followers. Fake news and forged documents reign supreme in their malicious and destructive internet sites. Lately, interested and self-centered Somali politicians have been taking advantage of Somalia’s misery, exploited by rumor-mongers and shameless site owners. Terms like CBB (Cayayaan Baraha Bulshada) were specifically coined for these faithless groups of Somali origin sitting behind lethal internet-connected laptops and desktops in Western countries, contributing to their decadence. Depression and loneliness have drive young Somali beauties living in the Western world into nightmares and obscenity in unregulated cyberspace and on the information highway. It is frightening situation.

At home, terrorist groups and religious fanatics believe they have reached the ultimate power of controlling an entire nation, easily reaping protection money and exercising free reign in racketeering.

Somalia’s neighbors are nervous and afraid of the menace happening at their doorsteps. They have run out of other options but to contain Somalia by keeping their troops there. And as long as Western nations are paying the bills, they can tolerate the occasional murders of some of their soldiers by Al-Shabab and ISIS.

Those among the international community who wish Somalia well should act as catalysts for change.

Until Somalis learn to change their attitudes and ways of life by collectively and individually belonging to a country of their own and take care of it, they are likely to be doomed.

Shall we be?

WDM EDITORIAL

THE WAR ON AL-SHABAB SHOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE IN ALL SOMALI REGIONS AND BEYOND

You can’t fight the extremists in isolated pockets in some regions and give them respite in other regions to rest and regroup. That would be a bad war strategy bound to fail. Moreover, Al-shabab is engaged in guerrilla warfare, financial extortion, public intimidation and recruitment drive of unemployed youth. Bullets alone wouldn’t defeat Al-Shabab menace – the fight must be comprehensive in its approach to all issues in the extremists’ tool-box in all parts of Somalia, including Northwest Regions (Somaliland). It must be universal to engage international community in the struggle against this long playing terror group.

Recent rise of community awareness of Al-Shabab epidemic in Hiran Region (Hirshabelle) is a good example for others to take cues and join the noble cause of freeing this country from the destruction, murder and maiming of innocent people, and pervasive fear and intimidation by extremist bandits.

To deter Al-Shabab recruitment drive of idle youth, it is about time to introduce the strict collective responsibility of clans for their strayed youth in the ranks-and file of Al-Shabab mafia, while authorities, business community and civil societies do their part in addressing the problem of poverty and youth unemployment. Parents are better placed to help in the fight against this security menace.