Doha Conference Deliberates Solutions To Somali Crisis‎‎

Doha, Qatar, July 5, 2006 – AS the people of Somalia share a common religion, ethnicity and language, they have the necessary fundamental elements for unity, a Doha conference on the current crisis in the north-eastern African nation has concurred.

Organized by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, the seminar was held under the title: ‘The Current Status of the Somali Situation: Dialogue, Reconciliation and Future Perspectives.’

Among the delegates were a number of researchers and experts on the political situation in Somalia, as well as members of the Somali Islamic Courts, the Transitional Somali Government, the Somali Land Government, and participants from Kenya.

The meeting was divided into sessions covering a range of issues that included the question of the roots of the Somali crisis, the current situation, and future scenarios and solutions.

A spokesperson for the Doha-based Al Jazeera Centre for Studies said in a release that the meeting concluded with a consensus on the following key recommendations:

*   The people of Somalia have the necessary fundamental elements for unity.

*   They share a common religion, ethnicity, and language.

“Although the people of Somalia are from many sub-tribes they derive mainly from one tribe. The need is to reassert and value the historical role of the sub-tribe and avoid exploiting it in political conflicts.”

It was agreed that importance should be given on emphasizing and acting upon points of unification rather than points which would cause division.

“All concerned have to recognize that the concept of the ‘state’ is relative and that the particular conception of Somalia requires taking into consideration its unique social and cultural constitution. The desired political system must take into consideration the diversity of traditional Somali social structures.”

The conference also stressed the necessity to increase and enhance the awareness of the challenges facing Somalia.

“These include challenges relating to the religious, cultural, and social nature of Somali society in addition to the political and geo-strategic challenges relating to the construction of the state.

“Importance should be given to recourse to resolutions through peaceful means and the necessity of negotiations between the members of the same society; the establishment of a climate of trust where a spirit of brotherhood, love and respect reigns. This includes emphasizing the common unifying features so as to avert disintegration of Somalia through fraternal and internal wars.

“For a just and quick solution, the following points should be stressed: safeguarding religious unity, preserving the integrity of the country (the Somali Land delegation expressed their reservations concerning this recommendation) and defending the interests of the Somali society and working towards a secure Somalia.”

The participants deemed that Islam is the religion of all Somalis and that Somalia is an Islamic, Arab, and African country.

The participants stressed the importance of the Arab-Islamic role in building the Somali state and society which implies further commitment on the part of Arabs and Muslims worldwide in supporting and developing the Somali economy.

“In regard to negotiations, the assistance coming from non-Somalis - if and when necessary - should be restricted to mediation and facilitation,” the delegates said.

They urged all parties involved in Somalia’s current situation to put the interest of Somalia at the forefront so as to establish a climate of trust.

“The land of Somalia should not be used as a staging ground to harm the interests of any other country.

“International media and especially Arab and Islamic media should be accurate and objective when it comes to reporting what happens in Somalia in this critical time. Media can play a key role in facilitating reconciliation in Somalia,” the delegates said.

Source: Gulf Times

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