Djibouti has been playing an active and vital role in the Somali political scene since the fall of Siad Barre’s regime at the end of 1980s, and it’s repeatedly summoned various Somali factions, led by war-lords or common peace activists, in the Djiboutian soil for peace initiatives, negotiations and talks sponsored and orchestrated by Djibouti itself for the last two decades. At the surface, this was construed as show of gratitude to Somalia and its people who have stood beside Djibouti’s freedom bid and fight in the 1970s, but how the regime heinously exploited the chaotic situation of Somalia to its benefit and continuously dealt with the breakaway NW Somali region alongside the main question of Somalia’s unity and sovereignty, calls for fresh analysis of the entire issue. Let’s scrutinize the crux of the matter as follows.
Notwithstanding the fact that Djibouti owes too much of its existence to Somalia and its people, what we’ve been witnessing the Djibouti regime was doing so far was unfortunately far from being sincere attempt to stabilize Somalia, and was rather a sheer chameleon attitude towards the different components of the Somali people and regions. For instance, while all those Djibouti-brokered peace deals failed to materialize due to their factually groundless basis, Djibouti invites now and then representatives of the shaky government in the South of the country and others from the secessionist NW region of Somalia. Lately we became aware that a so-called minister of the breakaway region was on an official visit to Djibouti for the preparation of Silanyo’s next visit, by which he supposedly requested for an official reception of Silanyo accompanied by bouquets, red carpet, fanfare and national hymn chanting! Politically speaking, that means simply that this self-proclaimed republic of the breakaway NW region of Somalia asks for official recognition from Djibouti which could lead in return to its international recognition of higher level. Meanwhile this same regime is the main supporting source of the government in Southern Somalia, which by no means has ever (or will never do so )relinquished the unity of Somalia at all. In this context, when is the regime in Djibouti is expressing goodwill towards Somalia? Is it by manipulating the war ravaged country of Somalia and its people who is stricken by all forms of man-made and natural disasters for the last two decades and more, or being an honest mediator whose primary goal is to help a neighboring sister country out its ordeal? How come that ,even when the president of the provisional government in the South of Somalia,Mr.Sharif,; who enjoys an international recognition of some extent, has never been considered ,honored and received as a head of state, an unrecognized, self-proclaimed leader of secessionist region would ask for that privilege? Or is it the charms of the Djiboutian first lady has bore its weight and hence influenced the whole scenario? Or is IOG poised to serve more gallantly towards his in-laws than he actually did to his ousted maternal uncle Dahir Rayale?
Suppose Hargeisa is being rewarded for the relative peace that prevails in the region, which is itself as a result of people’s own volition and will so far, not the outcome of just and fair approach to the status quo equality of the different tribes? Has Hargeisa treated the people of Sool, Sanag, Gubban (or Zeila) better than Siad Barre'd treated them,in order to claim statehood?
I wonder which, but nonetheless, the delicate situation of Somalia’s current affairs need more prudent and precautious measures to be taken in order to avoid rendering the already harrowing plight of the Somali people hopeless and the difficulty that Somalia is facing now more desperate.
Peace and Milk,
Sougeuh Wabéri Darar.
No comments:
Post a Comment