Let Democracy Prevail in Somalia

SOMALIA has dominated world headlines for the last 15 years for all wrong reasons. One, it is a failed State and has been without a Central government for the last 15 years. Its current Head of State and his government controls a tiny provincial town called Baidoa.

The horn of Africa nation degenerated to the abyss of misrule following the overthrow of the then marxist President Mohammed Siad Barre who had ruled the desert nation with an iron fist for decades.

But the recent happenings in Somalia are quite interesting. First, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) is now in command of almost the entire country and has a popular backing from the impoverished ordinary Somalis. Second, the President Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf just recently survived an attempted assassination from hired gunmen in Baidoa after attending a Parliamentary session. Third, Ethiopia, a long-time enemy of Somalia has deployed hundrends of troops deep into the country apparently to protect the helpless government of Yusuf and his allies. Yusuf has a long running ties with Addis Ababa, a country that many Somalis loath with a passion.

On observing the scenario, many Western countries have been asking Somalias neighbouring States - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Djibout, Sudan to send a peacekeeping force with a view to protect the interests of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that was formed two years ago in Nairobi, Kenya following a two year Peace and Reconciliation Conference.

However, i must say as a media person who followed and reported on the Somalia issues like a personal pet project that there is more than meets the eye in the whole standoff betweeen the UIC commonly called Islamists and the TFG.

One, the TFG is very unpopular among ordinary Somalis. Majority of those who comprise the TFG Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Prof. Ali Mohammed Ghedi are former warlords who extorted poor citizens and deliberatly prolonged the crisis with a view to maintain status quo, by this they new they would continue to rake in huge sums of dollars without folding the sleeve of their shirts.

As in any democracy, large or otherwise, let the people decide! If the principles of democracy are universal, then the will of Somalis should be respected by all, including the International comunity and regional States that played a pivitol role in brokering the peace deal.

The UIC has managed what blood-thirsty warlords were unable to do for 14 years - bringing order, peace and stability in the capital Mogadishu, reputed to be among the most insecure cities in the world. They have also managed to accomplish what the fledgling TFG could not even attempt for the last two years - win the confidence of the people, restore order and enhance national security.

Those are the virtues that make UIC a darling of majority Somalis.

On the other hand, the Islamists should not allow the goodwill to spill away from their hands by engaging in hardline way of leadership reminiscent of the brutal Taliban regime in Afghanstan that was overthrown by United States of America (USA) shortly after the 9/11 bombing in New York, USA.

As exemplified in the Holy Quran which is the UIC'sr book of reference, religious tolerance should be upheld by all and individual rights respected. We have witnessed them shut video shops, and eve stone crime offenders to death. This is not right!

But there can be peace in Somalia if dialogue and diplomacy were given a chance by both sides of the political divide - TFG and the UIC.