Somalia at 61: Struggles, Pain and Hope
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Exactly 61 years ago today, the Blue Flag was hoisted in several parts of Somalia, with citizens thronging the streets to celebrate independence after the Italians gave up and returned to Rome, but leaving behind them traces of colonialism.
Already, messages of goodwill have started pouring in congratulating Somalis on their independence, some from politicians and others from foreign countries, specifically committing to long-term relationships and eventual partnership.
The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and his deputy were notably the first to send their message of goodwill to the people and to the outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, in difficulty at home because of latent political tensions.
In his post, Farmajo saluted the Founding Fathers for their sacrifice and called on the present generation to have faith in the vision and continue to inspire others with the goal of building a stronger democracy and an economically viable nation.
“Our courageous ancestors liberated our lands and set us free with the firm conviction of our potential and our greatness within us. To every Somali, everywhere on earth, as we celebrate SomaliaAT61, let us be inspired by the same vision and the same goal that we inherited to leave a legacy for the future, ”he said.
A number of international partners led by the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM], which is responsible for maintaining peace, also sent their message of goodwill to the population, stressing the need to adhere to the virtues of independence.
“On behalf of AMISOM, I wish the Somali people and their government at all levels a happy 61st anniversary of independence and a bright and prosperous future. It is wonderful to see so many young Somalis celebrate with passion the independence of their country, because it is in them that the future of the country lies, ”said AMISOM Chief Francisco Madeira.
“Each country is built by the dynamism and energy of its young people. Somalia has a bright future ahead of it, and we wish to reiterate once again our greatest support to help the country achieve greatness. [Soomaaliya ha noolaato], Long live Somalia, “said the Ambassador of Madeira.”
Political instability in Somalia
For decades Somalia has struggled with political instability that has often threatened national integration and cohesion. This has been observed for years since the ousting of military dictator Siad Barre, whose regime has also been overshadowed by bloodshed.
Clan militias have emerged as various groups seek shortcuts to power, leading to the current peace mission which is largely funded by external actors. In other words, Somalia has never had a democratically elected government by secret ballot.
Instead, the country has often depended on indirect polls which are often marred by voter corruption, propaganda and rigging, thus marring little gains made by stakeholders. Such elections are often opaque and questionable.
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, the leader of the official opposition, noted this in his message of independence, adding that the country is widely divided with few gains made so far even in the defense of the country’s sovereignty.
“After 61 years of independence, our country remains divided, terrorists are slaughtering its people, foreign forces are deployed to help, and we are still seeking unity and sovereignty,” he said in a tweet. .
“The anniversary of independence is meant to be an opportunity for us to engage in critical debate and deliver crucial messages to understand what went wrong and why we are not reaping the rewards of the fight for it. “independence. It is not bad to celebrate, to wear clothes bearing our flag, to organize ceremonies, to sing,” he added.
A few months ago, even the army split in two, with the majority staging a brief mutiny in Mogadishu, accusing Farmajo of a hidden plot to stay in power even after his tenure ended. An agreement has since been signed, but the usual suspicions have often existed even after the signing of such agreements.
For most of the Farmajo administration, opposition leaders denounced the use of the military to suppress them or suppress their activities. This has often been disputed by Mogadishu, but the actions of Haramcad and Gor Gor’s troops have often betrayed the state.
Threat of Al-Shabaab and future elections
The country’s common enemy has been Al-Shabaab, but infighting among politicians and the discrediting of the efforts of the international community often give activists the ability to continue to hold the country hostage.
For nearly a decade, al-Shabaab, which controls vast swathes of rural central and southern Somalia, has stepped up campaigns to overthrow the fragile UN-backed Somali administration. In most cases, innocent civilians and security forces are targeted.
The group still collects taxes in several strategic cities and there are allegations of its clandestine cooperation with the current administration. In fact, there has been more loss of life from 2017 to date compared to ten years ago when the group first formed.
With such disorganization of the government, a number of activists and their supporters have often made their way to the government, making it difficult to defeat them. Their infiltration is so alarming that even the United Nations has often warned of it.
However, the country has made progress in the war against Al-Shabaab thanks to the invaluable support of AMISOM, the United States, Turkey, the United Kingdom and other nations which have invested in the army of the United States. country. A few weeks ago, SNA troops managed to kill more than 300 Al-Shabaab militants.
But the most notable progress is the deal that was signed on May 27, which now paves the way for elections in the country. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble led other stakeholders in shaping the country’s electoral calendar.
In the calendar, the country will hold Upper House elections before July 25. Subsequently, the deputies will be chosen before September 10 before electing a president on October 10, a decision that will effectively end political wrangling in the country.
Despite the milestone, there are lamentations from the opposition team that the elections will not be free and fair. The team lobbied for the removal of a number of members of the elections committee due to their alleged association with the state, in particular the National Intelligence Security Agency. [NISA].
AXADLETM
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