US Mission Statement and Call for Dialogue and Reconciliation in Somalia Welcomed

EDITORIAL | After days of blistering attacks and condemnation in response to the US Mission’s endorsement of the election of Ahmed Abdi Kariye “Qoorqoor” in Galmudug, Ambassador Yamamoto has changed course, and is calling for reconciliation and dialogue, admitting the recent elections were far from perfect and accepting the status of Federal Member States including Jubaland. The US message accepts Jubaland as a member of the 5 five FGSs and accepts the 2019 Jubaland presidential election and the status of Ahmed Mohamed Islam “Madobe”, as the elected president of the state.

Fueled by bribes, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre and Fahad Yasin corrupted Galmudug election and set a new milestone of corruption in Somalia. The International Partners must stop hiding how corrupt the Farmaajo – Kheyre government has become.  

The US Mission in a break with the International Community diplomatic norms and without consulting or coordinating with stakeholders hastily issues a twitter message endorsing the outcome of the Galmudug election. In doing so, Yamamoto became a pariah, seen by many political and clan leaders in Somalia as a lackey for Farmaajo and Kheyre. Yamamoto and other US officials have been receiving the persistent and stark warning about Farmaajo, Kheyre and Fahad’s culture of corruption could undermine Galmudug elections and US and IC efforts in Somalia.

For the last three years, Somalia has been descending into political madness and chaos fueled by Farmaajo and Kheyre’s arrogance and ignorance as well as their diversion of state resources and aid for political use against the Federal Member States, draining vitally-need security, development and humanitarian funds and alienating citizens across the country. The US Mission blind support of Farmaajo, Kheyre and Fahad, in turn, fueled the renewed belief that the US is the enemy Somalia.

As a result, the US government is paying a steep price for Ambassador Yamamoto, and the US Mission mistakes, losing credibility with Somali political leaders and the Somali people. In fact, Yamamoto has little to show for his efforts blindly supporting the federal government. There is a growing concern in Washington and among the International Partners capitals about how much Yamamoto and the US Mission are hiding from US policymakers and congress in an attempt to get Somalia debt relief and buy Farmaajo more time to consolidate power before the upcoming elections. Ambassador Yamamoto and the US Mission must tell US policymakers and congress the truth about what’s happening in Somalia.

The US Mission in about-face reversed course and issued a new statement calling for reconciliation between the FGS and FMS. The statement reflects US government concern about the situation and reflects Yamamoto’s failure to grasp complex and competing political and clan interests in Somalia and highlights US arrogance and belief that US Mission can impose its wishes on the Somali people.

The US has failed to engage with the Somali people in pursuit of common strategic interests. The US cooperation with the Somali people must be the key front in the conflict against violent extremists, security and stability across Somalia. The US Mission’s endorsement of the FGS corruption and corrupting political activities as well as the one-sided approach against the International Community agreed to and UN resolutions that called for an inclusive approach to resolve conflicts in Somalia.

The extensive political turmoil and US Mission one-sided approach lead many to believe that the US Mission is incapable of playing a constructive role in stabilizing and transforming political and security situation in Somalia. The US cannot escape its role in Somalia and the strategic interest to defeat al-Shabaab and Islamic State in Somalia (ISS).

To succeed, the US and the international partners must adhere to the value of democracy, rule of law, respect for the provisional constitution and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. The US Somalia strategy policies going forward should include ensuring partnership with all stakeholders in Somalia at federal and state levels as well as the Somali people.

In order to create secure, stable and democratic Somalia, the US must recognize that Farmaajo, Kheyre and Fahad Yasin disregard of the constitution and settle laws that established a federal governing system, their rejection of the provisional constitution, rule of law and democracy is the source of the greatest conflict and instability in Somalia. Allowing FGS to corrupt the process and circumvent the constitution and rule of law will set a dangerous precedent for Somalia, encouraging all other internal and external actors and their proxy allies to buy future elections.

Farmaajo, Kheyre, and Fahad Yasin who are fueling political corruption, using proxy allies’ vast sums of money with limited foresight or regard for the consequences. The IC partners have ignored the FGS use of Ethiopian forces to suppress dissent in Southwest, leading to the massacre of innocent civilians by Somali security forces and their Ethiopian allies. Finally, the IC partners have also failed to stop the FGS’s dangerous activities in the Gedo region of Jubaland that is fueling clan and sub-clan conflicts.

The IC partners must learn a valuable lesson from the battering the US Mission took this week and realize the Somali people and stakeholders are concerned about the future of the nation and abhor the FGS’s corrupting actions and behaviour in Southwest, Galmudug, and Jubaland. The IC partners are advised to pursue a more balanced approach that places Somali people interest ahead of the interests of Farmaajo, Kheyre and Fahad.

In the age of 24X7 news cycle, social network, and other communication platforms, the Somali people are more aware of what’s going on in their country and will oppose any actions that will undermine security, stability and sovereignty of Somalia they deem as corrupt or unbecoming.

In conclusion, the IC partners must not lose sight of whose interests’ matter. There is a high price to pay in losing credibility when siding with the corrupt federal government against the interest of the Somali people, their dignity, and rights to a fair election free of corruption. Somalia has a great potential, and there is an appetite for reconciliation, however, ignoring FGS’s unconstitutional and illegal actions in Southwest, Galmudug, and Jubaland will delegitimize the government and its supporters and further fragment Somalia, leading to return to perpetual conflict that only benefits al-Shabaab and other violent extremist groups.

The time has come for a serious assessment of what has failed over the past three years under the current FGS leadership and bring all stakeholder from across to participate in a national reconciliation conference to remedy the outstanding issue to safe Somalia and move the nation forward.

GAROWE ONLINE