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Somalia: U.N. Resolution Is a Mistake |
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Saturday,
December 9th, 2006 |
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The 15-member United Nations Security Council
unanimously passed
Resolution 1725 on Dec. 6 2006. The resolution, which was
led by the U.S., authorizes a regional force from the
Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the
African Union (AU) to establish a protection and training
mission in Somalia. It also authorizes the lifting of the U.N.
arms embargo in relation to supplying the peacekeeping force. |
The previous U.N. mission in the
country ended in a bloody battle and the death of 18 marines who
were attempting to disarm rival factions. The current resolution
states its intention to consider taking measures against those
that seek to prevent or block a peaceful dialogue process,
overthrow the Transitional Federal Institutions by force, or
take action that further threatens regional stability. This
suggests that, like its predecessor, this mission could become
far more than one of protection and training. This may well have
an adverse effect on regional stability.
The U.S. pushed for the resolution because they fear that the
Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) will turn Somalia into a
safe-haven and breeding ground for terrorists if they take over
the entire country. This is because the Salafist Islam of the
Courts is inspired by the Wahabi ideology that drives Al
Quaeda's Jihad.
The current situation and likely near future presents
similarities with other regions in the world past and present,
none of which have gone well, in fact quite the opposite. When
the U.S. proposed the resolution, they were immediately
criticized for their intention to send troops into another
Muslim country where they were not wanted. In Iraq's case that
is where the similarities end and the opposites begin...
The U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq to topple the government,
whereas, no U.S. or Western forces will enter Somalia. This is
to ensure that the government is not toppled.
The resolution reiterates that the Transitional Federal Charter
and Institutions are: "The only route to peace and stability" in
Somalia, a northeast African nation that has been without an
effective central government since 1991.
Statements like the one above, and the passing of the
resolution, suggest that the U.N. shares America's tendency to
lump all Islamic militants together. This immediately makes the
Union of Islamic Courts the bad guys in any conflict, and draws
them into the ideology of the War on Terror.
This is despite Kofi Annan saying on Thursday that the nations
providing the troops should convince the UIC that they would not
be an invasion force, adding: "It is important that we get the
Somalis to understand that the force is coming in to help."
The resolution and proposed force are provoking a predictable
reaction from the Somali Islamists. Ibrahim Adow of the UIC told
the BBC on Friday: "Deploying foreign forces to Somalia is seen
as invading forces and the Somali people are prepared to defend
themselves against aggression."
Another UIC spokesman, Abdirahin Ali Mudey told
The Washington Post on Thursday that the resolution will
introduce sophisticated weapons into Somalia and provoke a war
between his group and the government.
The U.N. security council hopes the resolution will restore
peace and avert wider conflict in the region. But Mudey accused
them of allowing Ethiopia to occupy Somalia and said that his
movement would now reconsider attending the scheduled peace
talks with the government later this month.
The UIC considerations would have taken a turn for the worse
Friday when Somali government forces accompanied by -- according
to eyewitnesses -- Ethiopian troops, attacked UIC-controlled
Dinsoor.
Some, like
BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut are warning that it could be
the opening shots of the long awaited war for control of
Somalia. I think it more likely that they are attempting to grab
as much land as possible before the arrival of the peacekeeping
force. This would give them more leverage in the power-sharing
agreement that will supposedly follow the U.N. mission.
A peacekeeping force in Somalia may yet be a long way off, as
many of the IGAD and AU nations are reluctant to send forces
into the depths of the Somali conflict.
Uganda, the only country to pledge troops for the force, are now
saying they may hold off until the security situation improves.
Their Deputy Defense Minister called the lifting of the arms
embargo "a first step" but said: "It may be that we will think
of holding off until the terrain is not so hostile for Ugandan
forces."
Some are saying the U.N.'s adoption of the resolution is more a
symbolic display of support for the Somali government.
If or when a peacekeeping force does arrive in Somalia, I
suspect they will be in for a rough time. A comparison can be
drawn with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, when forces
entered the country to strengthen the weak Afghan government
against a Mujahideen onslaught. In Somalia the plan is for IGAD
and AU forces to enter on behalf of the U.N., to protect the
weak Somali government which controls only a fraction of the
country.
In the light of the failure of the previous U.N. mission in
Somalia, and the problems in Iraq, Israel/Palestine, and
Afghanistan past and present, the reluctances of the AU and IGAD
nations to pledge troops is understandable.
If a peacekeeping force ever does enter Somalia it won't achieve
its title aim, especially if it follows the U.N. mandate.
Imposing sharia law throughout Somalia by Holy War (Jihad) if
necessary is central to the UIC's Salafist ideology, force is
the operative word and they will always meet it with force. And
they will always have outside support from the world's
extremists.
The only way to avert all out war in the region is by reaching
out to Somalia's moderate Muslims with diplomacy to secure peace
first, followed by an appropriate force to make sure the
agreements are implemented.
After a decade of war Somalians deserve peace. They don't
deserve the U.S. hijacking diplomacy to open yet another front
in the War on Terror that will end in catastrophe.
I'm really surprised and disappointed with the U.N. and the
U.S.'s failure to learn from their -- many -- mistakes.Liam
Bailey |
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| Caynaba News
kama masuul aha afkaarta ay xanbaarsan yihiin qoraallada ay
akhristayaashu fekerkooda ku cabbirayaan. |
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11:00 GMT
