Recently, Somali warring factions agreed to unite under a moderate and progressive leadership. This newly formed government rejected extremism, and wants to establish positive relations with its neighbors and the world. The president is well-liked, and coolheaded individual, he is the former leader of Islamic Courts Union who single handedly brought South and Central Somalia under peace for short period back in 2006. The Prime Minister is a Somali-Canadian political Scientist, the son of former assassinated elected president of Somalia. He previously worked for the United Nations. The Prime Minister appointed small cabinet, mostly technocrats capable to rebuild and bring the country out of 20 year civil war. The leadership by enlarge is clean and has the trust of the Somali people. It is a leadership that is inclusive and representative of the Somalia clans. The government has been well received, including the Somali Diaspora and enjoys overwhelming support within Somalia.
As expected, there are extremists who will not be satisfied with nothing short off complete domination of the affairs of Somalia and would not lay down their guns until their delusionary dreams of ruling Mogadishu to Montana is realized.
The United Nations is literally handed in a basket what could be considered a dream government by the tireless Djibouti leadership and few western diplomats along with the work of many Somali peace organizations and intellectuals and religious figures.
Instead of capitalizing this unprecedented opportunity, by providing overwhelming support for the reconciliation and consensus government. Today, the Bloomberg news website is reporting that the UN "… may start planning in June to set up a peacekeeping operation in Somalia". This is a huge backtracking from the promise made by the United Nations to the broad based government.
The newly formed government cannot wait three more months for a UN planning that "May or may not" start. It needs an immediate help and it needs today not tomorrow. It needs immediate cash funding to pay the police which have not been paid in months. It needs a funding to house the parliamentarians and it needs necessary funds to secure any remaining reconciliation process with some of the hardliner insurgents. We are talking about few millions a month to secure and stabilize a war ravaged country with no functioning government in two decades.
The government relocated to the Capital, including the President Sharif and Prime Minister Sharmarke. If the UN is waiting Iraqi style Green Zone to built before they can assist Somalia, Somalia cannot wait green zone to be build, it needs funding to create vital services such as police force, courts, parliament, and key areas such as sea-port and air-port for about 24 months until taxes can be collected. The country is also facing a severe drought and needs help in humanitarian aid as well.
Somalia needs the UN political help to pressure Eritrea, stop shipping arms to Somalia and interfering Somali internal affairs by aiding insurgents to fight proxy war with Ethiopia. Eritrean arms shipments is well documented and they must be told to wait and fight its geopolitical war with Ethiopia another day. The Eritrean short-sighted objectives of aiding the most extreme and irrational insurgent elements of Somalia would have greater consequences not only for Somalia but the greater global village as well.
There is an armada of navies in the waters of Somalia under the auspices of the UN. The UN is spending millions daily to keep these navy forces to fight piracy. This is not a long term solution; the long term solution is stable Somali government that can protect its waters and land. The Somali people who suffered the worst civil wars that Africa has seen in this century is hoping the UN to play more active role in helping the Somali government.
The world is well advised to press the UN to reverse this utter indifference to the situation in Somalia. So, far the UN is only reduced to issuing statements such "we are saddened innocent lives has been lost" but when a credible government is formed that can put the killing to an end, the UN is not forthcoming with the help required.
I ask all the readers, especially those in Europe and North America to call their elected officials in their district, state, province, and counties to call upon the UN to take the necessary action in aiding the newly formed Somali government. Unfortunately, the UN is concerned countries where the media is focused, such as Palestine, Sudan and Sri Lanka but when it comes to Somalia the UN is missing from the scene.
Source: Mareeg.com
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