MOGADISHU , Sep 6 2013 (IPS) - The system of government remains the biggest
political obstacle in Somalia as key political players boycotted the
government's current national conference to discuss this country's political
future, according to Jaylani Mukhtar, a local academic based in capital
Mogadishu.
"I think Somalis do agree much about their future. But the issue of
federalism is what we will mark as the biggest political obstacle facing the
country, and the current conference will have much to debate about it,"
Mukhtar told IPS.
On Sep. 2, the Somali Federal Government's five-day conference began with an
agenda to discuss key issues, which include implementing federalism,
reforming the constitution and conducting elections in 2016 when the
government's term of office ends.
But representatives from many of this Horn of Africa's breakaway states did
not attend. The northeastern semi-autonomous state of Puntland said it would
not attend the conference and accused the Somali government of "tampering"
with the national constitution. It is a claim denied by Somali parliament
speaker Osman Jawari.
The breakaway republic of Somaliland, in the northwest of the country, also
did not send official representation to the conference.
Mohamed Jama, one of the organisers of the conference, said the meeting was
not meant to represent the regional states but had brought together "experts
and the national intelligentsia" to chart a pathway for this country's
political future.
"This was never meant to be a conference where various groups, whether they
be regional states or political factions, record their stances, but a
platform for Somalia experts, intelligentsia and the general public to
discuss and debate about the country's future direction politically," Jama
told IPS.
He said after deliberation and discussion on the various issues, conference
participants would present recommendations to the government.
But the exclusion of key players in the current debate is similar to the
previous government's handling of the issue of federalism, always a divisive
subject in Somalia.
The issue of giving member states autonomy over regional affairs, but still
holding them subject to the authority of the government, has been praised by
some as a solution to the two decades of civil conflict here. Others say
that such a political system could further escalate the conflict by
encouraging clan-based mini states.
Somalia's former and interim Transitional Federal Government, which ended
its mandate in August 2012, had agreed with regional states and local
factions in central and southern Somalia that the country would adopt a
federal system of government.
But Mukhtar said that the agreement had been among political leaders, and
the Somali people had not been given a chance to vote on it. He said that it
was a constitutional issue that was yet to be endorsed by the people.
"The problem is that the issue was just a political agreement and not a
constitutional one because such an arrangement and how we implement
federalism will be decided by the people when given the chance to have their
say," Mukhtar said.
Ahmed Daahir, a political analyst from the northern Somalia town of Bossaso,
in Puntland, said federalism in Somalia could be a way to bring the
government to the people.
"We have been governed directly from Mogadishu for many years, since
independence actually, and that has brought destruction and state collapse.
So what the people are saying is let's empower citizens by having federated
states," Daahir told IPS.
The most recent breakaway state here is the semi-autonomous state of
Jubbaland in southern Somalia. In May, local militia known as Ras Kamboni
declared the three southern border provinces of Lower Jubba, Middle Jubba
and Gedo as the state of Jubbaland and elected their leader, Ahmed Mohamed
Islam, better known as Sheikh Madobe, as president.
The leaders argued that the constitution gave them the right to form the
state, but government officials said the new state was not inclusive of all
clans in the provinces and this could lead to bloodshed.
After Ethiopian mediation, the Somali government struck a deal with the
regional leaders to institute a two-year interim administration for the
breakaway state.
The agreement was seen as test of the government's leadership. But the
practicality of federalism in Somalia was rejected by many of the clans in
Jubbaland who were not represented in the peace talks. Many saw the
agreement as the government giving the leadership of the regions to Ras
Kamboni, thereby ignoring the rights of other clans in the area.
"The Addis Ababa Agreement has shown us that to some federalism means a
mini-state for one's clan within Somalia, even at the expense and exclusion
of others," Mukhtar said.
He said that other autonomous states have "organically grown" in Somalia,
such as the breakaway republic of Somaliland, and the self-autonomous state
of Puntland in the northeast. There are also the breakaway states of
Galmudug, as well as the Himin and Heeb states in central Somalia. These
states are also clan-based "in various degrees" from being pure single-clan
entities to being quasi multi-clan states.
As the debate rages at the national conference over the future political
make-up of the country, Daahir fears that it will further the deep distrust
among Somalis.
"What we need in Somalia more than anything now is real and genuine
reconciliation to heal the wounds of the past three decades then and only
then can we have meaning full discussion about the future of this country,"
he said.
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Received on Fri Sep 06 2013 - 23:30:48 EDT