From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Sat Jul 26 2008 - 12:04:50 EDT
US needs to better grasp what went wrong in Somalia
By Frankie MartinThe
Commentary by
Friday, July 25, 2008
In Somalia, there are no diplomatic superstars like Condoleezza Rice or
Kofi Annan, who rushed to Kenya to settle its election crisis; there are no
celebrities like Mia Farrow, Stephen Spielberg, or Jim Carrey to urge
international action and awareness as they did in Sudan and Burma.
Instead, Somalia has elicited a collective yawn of indifference. Just
mentioning the country's name is enough to cause even the most dedicated
diplomat or aid worker to throw up their hands
in desperation.
Ironically, unlike the conflicts in Kenya, Burma or Sudan, the current
crisis in Somalia has developed in part due to America's "war on terror,"
and Washington's failure to grasp some of the nuances of Islam.
The Muslim world is not a monolith; there is an ongoing struggle among
Muslims with differing interpretations of the religion. Somalia is a
traditionally Sufi country - the mystic, open form of Islam distinct from
more conservative interpretations such as those seen in places like Saudi
Arabia. But in Somalia, a more conservative movement developed under the
secular dictatorship of President Siad Barre and during the anarchy that
followed his ouster in 1991. The resulting Union of Islamic Courts (UIC)
implemented Sharia law, and although its stricter tenants were opposed by
many Somalis, the grassroots movement gained strength because people sought
order and justice in a country marred by starvation, warlord violence, and
tribal conflict.
Despite internal differences in the interpretation of Islam, the UIC
created a state of relative stability that led to the return of Somali
businesses. It also united conflicting tribes and ended piracy off
Somalia's perilous shores. But the ascension of the UIC worried the United
States, which believed the group was sheltering Al-Qaeda members seeking a
safe haven in Somalia. The US intervened by backing secular warlords -
reportedly some of the same individuals it had fought during 1993 "Black
Hawk Down" incident - against the UIC. The result was a strengthening,
rather than isolation, of extremism in Somalia.
Despite their ample firepower, the warlords, dubbed the Alliance for the
Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism, were defeated by the UIC in
mid-2006. In December of that year, UIC extremists threatened Somalia's
traditional arch-rival Ethiopia, which they accused of intervening in
Somali affairs. Already concerned the UIC would support a domestic ethnic
Somali insurgency, Ethiopia invaded. Washington backed the invasion, and
Ethiopia's ensuing occupation, with intelligence, air strikes, Special
Forces, and rendition of terror suspects to Guantanamo Bay.
An Iraq-style insurgency soon began inside Somalia, mainly drawn from
UIC elements but also members of the Hawiye clan, the tribal base of the
UIC. These tribesmen believe the US and the Ethiopians are attacking them
by supporting the Somali transitional government, run largely by tribal
rivals, the Daarood. Because they are Muslim, they believe Islam is under
attack and seek to defend it.
Somalia faces many profound challenges, but a recent cease-fire - which
calls for an end to the insurgency ahead of an eventual Ethiopian troop
withdrawal in favor of United Nations troops - has brought some optimism
and hope. The recent momentum in Somalia for a shift to religious
conservatism - and sometimes militant extremism - mirrors similar shifts
around the Muslim world. However, with quick and responsible action, the US
can still help shift it back.
Washington should first pressure Ethiopia to withdraw and bring all Somali
factions to the negotiating table. It can also work within traditional
tribal structures to reach out to Somalia's people, effect political change
and distribute aid. By reaching out to Somali moderates who would be happy
to challenge the extremists themselves, and funding development programs
that show a renewed respect for local customs and religion, the US can help
swing the pendulum away from extremists who preach that Islam is under
attack from the West.
To do this, the US must immediately change a failed policy. Instead of
fighting those individuals who wish America harm in a smart, effective
manner, it has taken on the Somali people. The disasters in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Pakistan show that using force to crush "terrorists" at the
expense of entire populations only strengthens extremists.
These days any attention given to Somalia is encouraging. But to create a
stable society that would alleviate the suffering of Somalis and address
Western security concerns, something more is required: a true understanding
of what has gone wrong and the will to effect positive change.
Frankie Martin is the Ibn Khaldun Chair research fellow at American
University's School of International Service in Washington. He has
conducted field work among Somalis in Kenya. THE DAILY STAR publishes this
commentary in collaboration with Search for Common Ground.
--
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