- Title: [SW Column] (Mohamed Khadar) Why I Would Call the Djibouti
Conference a Chimera!
- From:[]
- Date :[14 May 2000]
Why
I Would Call the Djibouti Conference a Chimera!
By
Mohamed Khadar
The reasons that I call Djibouti conference “a day-dream” is too numerous to
mention all in this limited space. Therefore, I will touch on those salient points that
most people know but refuse to acknowledge.
To begin with, Somalia's disintegration did not happen at the will of international
community or at the will of Djibouti, but it resulted from the prescription of Siad Barre
and his foreign advisers in particular from the Arab league and Djibouti. What Siad Barre
failed to attain is what the president of Djibouti is enjoying today. A fact that I would
like to bring fresh into the minds of those who do want to scratch the surface of the
rotten political realities of Africa.
The Somali people have fought against the kind of corruption and nepotism that has
elevated the current president of Djibouti to power.One of the prime reasons that Guelleh
is putting an emphasis on the Somalia problem is to divert the attention from his
administration and create another discussion for his people in Djibouti. He also wants to
get a healing for his ailing economy as Somaliland flourishes. It is a clever gambit, if
you like.
Secondly, why Djibouti is shedding a crocodile tear for the notion of irredentism is
some thing that can only appeal to those who were not following the Somali struggle very
well. Even though Somaliland is accused as anti-Somali, Somaliland and its people were the
engine of irredentism. They helped Djibouti in their long struggle for independence. When
I was a kid, I remember how Somaliland people verbally, financially and in every respect
took part in the struggle for the Djibouti’s independence. They used to sing "
Diigool wax buu damcoo, doofaarku wuu kibroo, dakadii wanaagsanayd, xayluu la doonayaa,
dad yahow Somaliyeed, soo diyaar garaow." Djibouti, as well as other Somalis did not
show any reciprocity to this date for the Somaliland people. Djibouti has never thought or
discussed to be a part of the irredentism. They were the first to refuse the concept of
greater Somalia.
Worse yet, during the dark days when the Somaliland people were under the hostile fire
of the Somali regime, when every minute of the day a child was being killed in
Djibouti’s neighboring south, they were fully in support of the then dictator Siad
Barre. The Somaliland people will never forget how they were collectively betrayed, and
will not accept any plot in any epoch in the future that undermines their dignity and
security.
The history of Djibouti is replete with injustice and taking sides in the
conflict between the Somalis. In no one day has this small port city shown impartiality in
the conflict between Somalis. Always, there exist a labyrinth between Djibouti and some
Somali interest groups. It is that apparent maze and the hidden agenda of Djibouti and its
accomplices that will certainly fail this conference. The history of Djibouti and the
unhealthy packaged approach to the very complex issue of Somalia will lead to a disastrous
end to this conference. Djibouti cannot impose its will on the Somalis. Somalis are known
for their resistance to subjugation.
Why Djibouti presses so hard for this agenda is also of economic importance for
Djibouti. The Somaliland’s peaceful situation and the economic growth with zero
inflation are very dangerous to the subsistence of Djibouti. This has made Djibouti to
team up with other adversaries who do not want to see a recovered and successful
Somaliland. These adversaries can be divided into three categories.
Category 1
This category comprises of those who give the most trust to the Djibouti
conference. They believe that all previous conferences in Djibouti worked in their favor
in an indirect way, and now they greeted this conference in a blind jubilation. This group
believes that if they are provided the necessary military force which they need to
subjugate the will of the rest of Somalis, they would make a better monarchy than that of
Saudi Arabia—after all they say, every monarchy only rules with absolute force. This
category is always fighting against Somaliland covertly and overtly.
Members of this group range from war criminals to scholars whose pen prolongs the
rift that were made between Somalis by the artillery. They forget their history and their
current hostile tribal activities and label the Somalilanders as clan extremists. They
search Somaliweyn with same old tactics and tools with which they have demolished it.
Without this group showing remorse and repentance and bowing with shame for what they have
caused to the brotherhood of Somalis, it is unlikely forever the question of Somalia to be
settled or Somaliland to accept any tongue in cheek negotiations.
This group, instead of congratulating Somaliland for the achievements it made and
using it as modal to solve the problems of the rest of Somalia, systematically works to
kindle a new polarization and hostilities in Somaliland so as to make it qualify as one of
the troubled regions of Somalia.
Category 2
This category is collections of Somalilanders who are not genuine about the Somali
issues but think that they could secure better government posts than what they can achieve
in Somaliland. Those Somalilanders who do not have any popular support inside Somaliland
cannot cut a deal with the others with whom they want to elope for convenience. Betting on
this group and magnifying their importance adds a salt to an already sore wound. It is
another dimension that shows how the Somalis tend to turn a blind eye to their real
problems. This group cannot secure the endorsement of their people, and therefore they are
not a genuine group that represents Somaliland. To repudiate the validity of this point is
like calling a cow a horse. No matter of what you call a cow, it remains a cow. Similarly,
you cannot say few handpicked personalities are more important than the other people in
Burao or Hargeisa, just because of the positions they have served in the past. Hence this
group cannot sufficiently speak for all.
Category 3
This category is one that is fed up with their stalemate in the south and cannot
make a compromise between their warlords. Also, they fail to disarm their roaming militias
and to have a unitary front against bandits. Their position made them weak for any call
for common peace and they are simply told that they could have a government at the expense
of Somaliland. This gullible group is made to believe Somaliland’s involvement with
future negotiations will magically end their stalemate. So unless this group finds the
bitter fact that no one in the world can change them unless they change themselves and
work seriously to learn to reach compromise among themselves, it will be utterly
impossible for them to go to a table with the rest of the Somalis. All in all, the
supporters of this conference from Djibouti to other participants are groups whose
insincere aims ultimately converged; they are groups who want to short-circuit the natural
progression of events for their own personal gain. The Somalia quandary has deeper roots
than can be solved in an ill-devised conference in Djibouti and in 15 days. Unless that is
understood, by Somalis and non-Somalis alike, the holding of series of failed conferences
will be the norm not the exception.
(Geel-loo-kor, Somaliland)
Mohamed Khadar
[Column] |