Earlier this year I ran a series of derisive tweets on
Twitter poking fun at ‘Somali Federalism’ and the resultant this-and-that
Federal State (Some exist in illusory names only, others more genuine), that
mushroomed overnight; their ridiculous names, unsavory flags and everything in
between. Most are not more than a clan
fiefdom. Fela Kuti, the departed
Nigerian musician and political activist, once declared his communal compound
in Lagos Kalakuta Republic in protest. Unlike some of these this-and-that
Federal States of Somalia, no disrespect to Fela, one of my favorite African
musicians, his Kalakuta Republic had a free health clinic and a recording
studio. It was later razed to the ground
by the incensed Nigerian government. So
I referred to these Somali phenomena as Kalakuta Republics. The federal Somali
constitution has since been approved by the National Constituent Assembly. It
is the current constitution of the country, albeit provisionally, awaiting
approval by the Somali people.
Federalism, however unsuited it might seem to some, it has
come to this and the reality must be accepted. Formation of a Federal State by
two or more of the 18 districts of Somalia is sanctioned by the federal
constitution. Federal States came into
existence and others are encouraged to do so by the central government in
Mogadishu with its least interference. It is against this backdrop that one such
Federal State is mooted by the local clan elders of the Lower Juba, Middle Juba
and the Gedo region and coordinated by IGAD-Jubaland Initiatives. People of the
Jubas publicly demonstrated their support. Alas! President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the
central government would have none of that. Ironically, the president went on
record exhorting residents of Baladweyn to shape their own local administration,
with absolutely no interference from the central government. Instead President Hassan insists he names
administration for Jubaland from Mogadishu. Grand double-standard, one would
say.
Flimsy, some even farcical, excuses are tossed around. The
inclusivity of a future Jubaland State is doubted although the process is
ongoing and it’s as fairly inclusive as it could get. The UN charcoal ban is violated. Raskamboni
Brigade that rid Kismayo and much of Lower Juba of AlShabaab are expediently
dismissed as ONLF to play with Ethiopian emotions, although Ethiopia is part of
the IGAD Jubaland Initiatives. These are all collusions to kill the proverbial
baby before it is even born. The president’s un-statesman-like, unfortunate stand
evokes memories of Mogadishu-Kismayo clan animosity of the 90s.
Among Somalis it is conveniently tempting to explain issues
away citing clan affiliation. Your confusing message, Mr President, and
subsequent silence are creating a whole lot of negative hullabaloo. It can only make it easier for one to go down
that route of explaining things.
The Kismayo-Jubaland issue has caused a stir in the media. A
concerted media effort to derail the Jubaland Initiatives at any cost is
ongoing. Flood gates of emotion are spewed in portals. At least this is
expected in the prejudiced Somali media. Partisan Somali media houses like
Shabeele Media are leading the crusade to discredit the Jubaland Initiatives. Unrestrained clan bigotry paraded in public by
arriviste journalists. It is getting so heated even Somali intellectuals are
taking centre stage and engaging in political pillow fights. The disgusting
arguments put forth by some of the detractors of the Jubaland Initiatives are
the stuff of unadulterated clan chauvinism. Even non-Somali international news
sites are falling for it.
For instance, this
one that appeared on Africa Review news website titled,’ Kismayo : A Disaster
Waiting To Happen’, penned by a certain Mr Kamaluddin ( Perhaps now taken down by Africa Review following
repeated protestations on twitter). Such pieces, besides being fraught with
factual errors, would best come complete with a disclaimer, Warning: Graphic
nincompoopery! Reader discretion strongly advised.
Africa Review tweeted back: ‘Noted. However, the personal
opinions of writers who contribute to Africa Review are their own only.” But surely there must be a mechanism in place
to check the veracity of opinions expressed. What about ethics and
professionalism.
This piece http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21566710-it-vital-new-government-controls-countrys-ports-and-trade-it
by The Economist caught my attention, a lopsided one made to pass as pithy
analysis. The piece is static and one dimensional if not utter cock and bull
story. The writer dabbles in what is now
becoming charcoal politics. We’re informed of the UN charcoal ban in place and
the devastating effect of charcoal trade on Somali flora, but follows up with an
exaggeration that the $ 40m proceeds from the charcoal stock pile could ‘affect
fate of Somalia’s new government’. How? If it didn’t ‘affect fate of Somalia’s
new government’ during AlShabaab’s, avowed government enemy, reign. Regardless of
the substantial charcoal proceeds the Shabaab were routed. Scare tactics.
In the process the writer concocts an imaginary threat to the central
government therefore justifying the ‘new government’s control’ of Kismayo.
It is agreed,
logically ‘you can’t turn charcoal back into tree’. Common sense dictates selling it. It is of
utmost importance not to alienate the local business people who own the
stockpile and unduly punish them. But who said more trees would be severed for
charcoal?
Surely this writer must be impressed by his charcoal
politics. He dismisses Kenyans as ‘Charcoal-trading’ and calls ‘America’ and
‘Britain’ to stop them. Yes. Kenyans are the devil reincarnates while the
Ugandans, Burundians, Djiboutians, and Ethiopians are liberators worthy of
praise. Cool story.
The writer goes on and writes with blithe ignorance or
duplicity of the matter. ‘He (the president) wants time to put in place and
bolster new port authorities to channel revenues back to the central’. The
writer once again flaunts his fatuousness and his uninformed analysis of
Somalia’s political realities. Aren’t we a federal republic?
The writer’s lack of
profundity and grasp of the real issue is further laid bare. The writer exposes
his/ her proclivity to engage in irresponsible rumor mongering that fuels the
whole leitmotif of the piece. Ahmed
‘Madobe’ for all his steadfastness in the war against AlShabaab deserves
appreciation even recognition. Yet the writer paints a picture of a mercenary,
rogue warlord on the loose aided by his Kenyan Somali kinship for his own
convenience. It is laughable how the writer touts clan ambitions for Kismayo as
if the Banadir administration-the new government’s seat-is any better in this
department.
The Economist’s writer would
want us to believe that Kismayo and Jubaland are only about Ahmed Mohamed Islam
‘Madobe’, charcoal, contraband sugar and the port. It is more than that. It is
about the constitutional right to a local administration.
Where are the federal constitution and the ongoing
legitimate and reasonably inclusive Jubaland Initiative in all of these? Where are Amisom and IGAD? And his piece is left desperately crying for
context.
The writer’s main accomplishment is presenting the president
as self-righteous tree-hugger fighting greedy lumberers somewhere in the
Amazon, which needless to say, is beside the point.
A pertinent question begs, what makes the Central Government
think it could control Kismayo when it can’t even properly secure Banadir? Or is it the type of twisted political
dispensations that are an indisputably of Somali provenance. Grand hallucinations of the proverbial weary
travelers scale. ‘Waan socon waynaye aan orodno.’ –‘Too weak to walk, lets
run’!
It goes without saying; the unduly politicizing of the issue
does a disservice to the ambitions of the denizens of the Jubbas and Gedo to
have at least a modicum of governance and stability.
On the other hand, a stable and peaceful Jubaland is an
invaluable asset in the bottom up approach of rebuilding Somalia rather than a
threat. And the Somali government ought
to recognize it as such.
By and large, this deliberate sooty disinformation partly by
the Central government and media doesn’t help an iota and only further
complicates matters and endangers peace.
Where is objectivity and truth? Wait. Am I naïve to expect
fairness in a failed nation (ooops! It is unbecoming of a proud Somali to be so
blasphemous) like ours?
Otherwise; not all Kalakuta Republics are treated the same,
some are more legal and obviously palatable than others. Straight from the
Animal Farm!
