EDITORIAL | There was a joy this week from officials of the Somali Federal Government after receiving Abdirashid Janan, who had reportedly ‘surrendered’ to the authorities.
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Janan, who was branded a refugee a year ago, was interior minister in Jubbaland state until Monday this week.
Until Tuesday of this week, Mogadishu officials had branded him as a militia leader, a refugee, a bully and a murderer who killed and ran away from justice. These accusations have suddenly been swept under the rug now. And it is not that Janan went through the court and was acquitted.
Nor is it to be found guilty and pardoned. He just became a good political weapon, and FGS officials realized he could be strategic ammunition.
As a background, Janan had been a loyal man to Jubbal and President Ahmed Madobe. Formally known as Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur, Janan was fingered by the former UN Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group (now known as the UN expert panel on Somalia) for killings, illegal detentions and torture between 2014 and 2015.
In short, Janan carried a lot of international criminal charges and could be liable to a heavy punishment if found guilty. Arrested on 31 August 2019; Janan allegedly escaped his house arrest in Mogadishu, where the government had accused him of “serious crimes.”
Yet there was always politics playing in front of the legalities. As the leader of a militia group that supports Jubbaland in Gedo, Janan was both President Mohamed Farmajoo’s political and legal enemy.
There is no region in Somalia that Farmaajo has tried to conquer and failed, like Jubbaland. He tried to cancel the election of Ahmed Madobe in 2019 and failed. Instead, she called him interim president, another likely failure given Farmajoo’s own term has expired, and Madobe wants to run a full four years from 2019.
So when the elder mediated an agreement that Janan changed sides, Farmaajo might have rubbed his hands with joy. Janan, who had been hiding in Kenya as Somalia no longer has diplomatic relations, was suddenly the subject of back channels between the two countries. His demolition means Farmaajo has less trouble worrying about ‘the Janan militia, which had targeted SNA forces in Gedo, would stop firing.
Overall, FGS must be willing to learn that not all of Somalia’s problems can be solved with legal hammers or forceps. Janan ” escape ‘or’ surrender ‘will still anger the victims and the families whose family he maimed or killed. And it suddenly angered donors starting with the European Union itself.
But shortly after Janan, a man who has rarely smiled at pictures that have so far been made public, received a warm reception, FGS officials everywhere were hitting critics back on social media, including accusations, foreigners had no understanding for the events in Somalia.
It is true that foreigners have interfered in some way. However, closing inquiries about a man listed in a global report would be raising suspicion.
As a political solution, Farmaajo may have achieved a battle victory. Nationally, FGS will be required to hand out similar moves to those who disagree with Farmaajo, without necessarily being branded as evil unless they support him.
Knowing that his term has expired and legitimacy has waned, Farmajo must not make demands, labels or ultimatums. Northeastern State and Jubbaland leaders have specifically expressed concern about Farmaajo’s continued twisting to make favorable decisions every time he organizes a meeting with federal Member States
On the contrary, we expect plenty of trade in horses and compromise is what will help the country.
And we hope a technical committee set up Wednesday night to try to get all federal state presidents to attend another session on the election plan follows a similar philosophy.
AXADLETM
