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Grand Mosque in Garadag district, Somaliland
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What are the prospects for urgently needed national unity?
ARTICLE BY PETER LOCKWOOD
Nairobi
, Kenya: Since 1991, Somalia has undergone a tumultuous
process of geopolitical reconfiguration. Some have termed this the
‘balkanisation’ of Somalia, where regions and states have sought varying
degrees of autonomy from central government in Mogadishu. After
Somaliland’s unilateral declaration of independence in 1991, other
regions followed, such as the Puntland State of Somalia, which declared
its autonomy as part of a federal State of Somalia in 1998.
At
first glance, these moves have been vindicated. By fencing themselves
off from the wider environment of political instability, Somaliland and
Puntland have been able to create internal environments of relative
peace. Without the spectre of Al Shabaab that the Transitional Federal
Government (TFG) has had to compete with in South and Central Somalia,
the Somaliland authorities have successfully expanded their capacity,
and developed their economy, largely due to the healthy state of
livestock exports from the northern port of Berbera. Next door, in
Puntland, post-conflict reconstruction has likewise benefited from
internal stability, and the more effective state apparatus which that
has allowed.
Social
mechanisms for ending conflicts within these societies have remained
strong. Elders, religious leaders and politicians notably came together
towards the end of last year to end conflict in Galkacyo, Puntland. That
is not to say that the regions are without serious problems. As
security concerns related to armed conflict fade away, other more social
and cultural concerns have arisen in these areas, such as gender
inequalities, urban poverty, and the plight of the large numbers of
internally displaced persons who have fled the south.
However,
as Puntland and Somaliland move towards reconstruction and development,
South and Central Somalia has been left behind. Caught in the mire of
insurgency, famine, and now foreign invasion, many Somalis in the region
can only dream of the peace that their northern brothers and sisters
have been able to secure.
Echoes of nationalism
For
many Somalis, the concept of reunification is out of the question. The
inter-clan warfare that precipitated the fall of the Siyad Barre regime,
and continued long afterwards, remains embedded in the country’s social
memory.
Despite
this, for some intellectuals national identity, and some kind of
nation-state remain the most logical and practical ways for the
betterment of the Somali people. In his 2010 book Understanding the
Somalia Conflagration, Afyare Abdi Elmi argued for a national federal
system, but which would be flexible enough to accommodate regional
autonomy and clan differences.
Such
a prospect looks extremely unlikely when one looks at the current
situation, and yet more than ever Somalia requires the strength that a
national identity, and national political structures could bring. In his
book, Abdi Elmi continues to advocate for the unity of Somalia, and its
need to defend itself against neighboring powers such as Ethiopia and
Kenya.
There
is no doubt that the state has failed in Somalia, and that the Somali
people are divided by clan, and ethnic identity. However, these
divisions see some Somalis prosper, whilst others must live under
foreign occupation.
The
Kenyan invasion of 2011 saw the international media abound with talk of
the creation of a buffer zone, a move that would further divide
Somalia, and render it a pawn of other regional and international
powers. A fundamental way of reversing this process would be the
realisation that Somalis from all regions and states have a common
identity and a related duty to protect one another. The politicisation
of clan identity at national level has thus far hindered this, but a
change needs to occur. Northern regions cannot sit by whilst the South
is torn up according to the interests of other regional powers.
The need for national identity, national politics
Islam
will always provide a unifying identity for Somalis, and it is in this
spirit that a national identity ought to be resurrected. Prior to the
collapse of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) government in 2006, its
chairman, Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, stated that: "We will leave no
stone unturned to integrate our Somali brothers in Kenya and Ethiopia
and restore their freedom to live with their ancestors in Somalia."
When
faced with foreign occupation, and incursion, the need for Somalis from
the north to assist their brothers and sisters in the south has become
more important than ever. Whilst clan identity remains potent, Islam can
provide the blueprint for a wider concept of Somali identity that can
include the protection of all Somalis, especially those living in the
South.
