Special meeting with the United States Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security, Washington DC.
A Word of Appreciation: I am grateful for the opportunity to visit the great nation of the United States of America and to meet, greet and exchange information with ordinary citizens and public officials at the local and national levels as to enhance collaboration and communication on issues of mutual interest between our two nations.
The purpose of my trip to North America and particularly to the United States is to meet and consult with the large Somali Diaspora communities and officials from their host governments. The Diaspora communities are important to the Somali Government because they represent the biggest economic engine of the country and in fact the life line of the nation through their remittances to the tune of one billion dollars a year as documented by the World Bank and other UN agencies. They also have the knowledge, skills and expertise we require to reboot the country, that is, if we can bring about a semblance of peace.
The situation in Somalia
Somalia has been for two decades a by-line for anarchy, insecurity, human displacement and armed confrontation. The situation has been such that Somalia not only became a threat to its own people but also a threat to its neighbors, with continuous flow of weapons and humans across its borders. Like all failed or failing states, our country has become not only a threat to the whole region but as we now find with international piracy on the high seas, a threat to trade, the flow of commerce and international peace.
My point here is that, if Somalia was a basket case issue with isolated factional fighting among its people, this is no longer the case and the stakes are much higher than we might have anticipated. The Somali issue is an international issue and this reality is for the first time understood by the United Nations, the African Union, the EU, the League of Arab States. We are grateful that the United States is a leading member of the International
Contact Group on Somalia, together with the some African, Arab and European countries.
The contact group and the United Nations facilitated the January peace agreement which culminated in the formation of a Unity Government, the election of Shiekh Sharif Ahmed as president and the appointment of Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke whose government is the most broad-based government that was arrived at a consensus with different opposition groups. Yet, the challenges are enormous. We do not have any government institutions that are functional and we do not have the capacity to train our own police force, revenue generation mechanism, a functioning judiciary etc. At the same time, although the president and Prime Minister have indicated that they are willing to accommodate all opposition groups, there are still challenges that remain to be resolved peacefully in order to bring about peace and security to Somalia.
I urge your government to assist us now and not later. We have a narrow window of opportunity and if we lose this opportunity, we may go down the same road that Afghanistan went and by that time it will be too late. The United States and the international community must work to help this fragile government stand on its own feet and together we can develop a new paradigm that is anchored around governance, security and development.
About The Somali Diaspora in the United States
The Somali Diaspora in the United States and other parts of the world are an integral part of any durable peaceful solution to Somalia. They are the most educated group of our nationals or former nationals in most cases; to date they make the biggest monetary contribution to Somalia through monthly remittances to their family members in Somalia and they have the necessary skills and expertise that can assist in the reconstitution of the Somali state. During my consultations with the community in the United States and Canada, I found that the community is slowly reconciling its own internal issues just as the Somali political actors have done in Djibouti. As such, there is a unity of purpose and a genuine desire to contribute to the arduous task of peace building and reconstruction in their homeland.
Members of the Somali Diaspora in the United States and Canada are also law abiding citizens of the United States and Canada. In my consultations, I also made it clear to the community that it is incumbent upon them to respect the laws of their host countries, in light of the fact these countries have given them asylum and afforded them opportunities for them and their families.
As a government, we are mindful of the fact that some impressionable Somali youths may have been lured and taken to some parts of Somalia to fight for a distorted ideology that the majority of the Somali people do not ascribe to. I have visited Mosques and community centers in Minnesota and Ohio; met with religious leaders and community leaders. In all these meetings, my message was very clear; these leaders have a responsibility to their community and also to their adopted countries to instill the youth with civic responsibility. I also reminded them that the Somali people have been victims of terrorism for the past 20 years, whether at the hands of warlords, criminals or religious fanatics.
It is my governments’ opinion that if the United States becomes a full partner with us on peace in Somalia and affords institutional and financial support, then together, we can face the challenges that face us in that part of the world. If the TFG has a functioning immigration and national security systems, we can better monitor criminals as well as terrorists crossing our land and maritime borders. If we have an effective coast guard, we
can police our coasts and shipping lanes better.
The Concerns of The Somali- American Communities
During my recent trip to the states of Ohio, Minnesota, and Washington DC metropolitan areas, I have tried to listen to the concerns of my constituents in the U.S. regarding challenges hampering peace and progress in their homeland as well as challenges they face in the United States as result of the events of September 11th, 2001. After mentioning to the communities that I will relay their concerns to American authorities when I visit
the nation’s capital, the following were a common thread in all of the conversations with Somali-Americans in the localities that I have visited:
- Regulate but Maintain Free Flow of Remittances: Many Somali-Americans have confided with me the importance of sending financial support to their extended family and friends back home and the absence of functioning banking system in Somalia that can provide instant remittances to needy family members. Most do not mind government regulations ensuring the integrity of the remittance business; however, they are most concerned about the ongoing fear and intimidation from federal authorities threatening to shut down remittances altogether. The potential abuse of the system by few bad apples, should not threaten otherwise legitimate and viable businesses that ensures the livelihood of millions back home and the satisfaction of legitimate customers in the United States.
- Surveillance of Mosques and places of gathering. It has been reported to me by many Somali-Americans that there is a widespread perception if not belief that mosques frequented by Somalis and other community gatherings are under close scrutiny and surveillance for no clear and apparent reason. Some view this as a byproduct of the few missing Somali youth in Minnesota and elsewhere that have been reported to have joined the warring factions back in Somalia. However, many law abiding Somali-Americans wish that a better way to prevent this
problem from happening again is through education, communication and awareness and better relations between the community and law enforcement agencies.
- Burdensome and unnecessary lengthy border checks for Somali born citizens:
Many Somali Americans have complained about the selective profiling of Somalis reentering the United States through airports and border crossings. Many have complained about intimidations and lengthy cross examinations that violate their citizenship rights to re-enter the United States like other Americans. Many believe that this collective punishment is less likely to yield a positive relationship between Somali-Americans and law enforcement agencies. A better method of
apprehending the few bad apples without injuring the innocent may help improve the situation
- Travel no-fly lists: Some have reported to me that their names are included in the no-fly list for no apparent reason. Others have been examined at airports and prevented to fly seemingly because they have a name similar to a suspect’s name on the list. These law abiding citizens have reported lengthy waiting periods at airports and undue burden to their spouses and children only to be released hours later with little or no explanation. These practices add little values to securing the nation but only develop negative sentiments against law enforcement agencies.
These are some of the most common issues that Somali-Americans in Minnesota, Ohio and the Washington Metropolitan have confided in me to share and discuss with their government. I am confident that you will be able to address these issues to the satisfaction of the U.S. Government and its Somali- American citizens. As the Minister of Diaspora and Community Affairs, it is my solemn duty to work for the betterment of the
conditions of the Somali Diaspora in the United States and in other countries and to build bridges of understanding and collaboration with host governments
On the other hand, I have on numerous occasions conveyed a message to Somali-Americans that they are first and foremost Ambassadors of Somalia to the people and government of the United States and that they must continue to become an exemplary community and law abiding citizens of the United States. Their immense appreciation and gratitude to the people and government of the United States who gave many Somali immigrants and refugees a second chance in life is a frequent reminder that I hear from them wherever I go. I am hopeful that we will be able to collaborate and coordinate our efforts to improve civic responsibilities of Somali-Americans and their overall quality of life as American citizens.
Again, thank you for giving me this opportunity to share and discuss with you issues of mutual interest to the United States and Somalia. I look forward to hearing from you through our liaison office for the United States listed below.
Warm regards,
Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle (Azhari), Minister Diaspora and Community Affairs
Transitional Federal Government of Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia
Tel: 2521-534861
Email: azhari01@hotmail.com
United States Regional Office:
Mr. Abukar D. Osman, Director
Ministry of Diaspora and Community Affairs
United States Liaison Office-Ohio
6179 Lloret Court
Columbus, Ohio 43228
Tel: 614-778-3130
Email: adballos@yahoo.com
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