Somaliland Must Defend Freedom, Civil Liberties, Democracy & Human Rights In The Horn Of Africa
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By Rashid Nur, Metro-Washington
The proxy war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in Somalia has started months ago and is at full swing right now. Ethiopian forces are present in Baidoa to support TFG and they have supported Abdillahi Yusuf to capture the town of Burhakaba recently, until the Islamic Courts from Mogadishu have recaptured the town with the logistical equipment and weapons provided by Eritrea. The Islamic Courts declared Jihad against Ethiopia, and intensively started recruiting efforts in all the areas it currently controls to prepare for long conflict with Ethiopia forces. Ethiopia on the hand increased the troops in Baidoa and has committed to protecting Abdillahi Yusuf’s TFG in Baidoa and defeating the Islamic Court; hence the stage is set for new and potentially long conflict in Somalia despite the well intentioned efforts of the international community in Khartoum. This new conflict in Somalia presents potentially more dangerous threats against Somaliland in particular and in the Horn of Africa in general. The conflict also presents an opportunity that might help to end the Somaliland isolation. The new security threats come from those who are respected religious leaders and their followers in Somaliland communities who sympathize with and support the Islamic Courts from Mogadishu model of government. The opportunity comes from the stake-holders in this conflict who need the support of Somaliland to protect their interest in the Horn of Africa; for example, Islamic Courts (and Arab League) would be very happy to receive the support of Somaliland, Abdillahi Yusuf’s TFG desperately needs protection from Islamic Courts and would be delighted to receive support of Somaliland, Ethiopia, IGAD, US and EU needs support of Somaliland to defeat Islamic Courts. The question is; how will Somaliland protect itself from these new threats and at the same time take advantage of the opportunity this conflict provides to end its isolation?
The Role of Religion in Somaliland Society
The Somaliland people are moderately religious. They trust their religious leaders more than they trust their politicians; more than 80% of the population is illiterate and lack formal education, but some of them has basic Islamic education. It is extremely rare for women to wear western clothes in Somaliland cities without at least partial covering of the hair or face. One of the main obstacles for women to occupy a leadership role in politics or in the society is based on religious arguments. In some of the cities the majority of the business establishments are closed during the prayer times in general and particularly during the Friday prayers. The political parties cannot under any circumstances take a position that will alienate the religious community for fear of losing their support and being labeled against Islam and that fear has been enough to send shivers down their spine; this fear is based on the assumption that the people will undoubtedly not give the benefit of the doubt to the politicians. That is why you have seen President Rayale, and the leaders of the political parties who are making contradictory statements; on the one hand pledging their support for Islamic Sharia Law while on the other hand stating their firm commitment to the Somaliland Constitution to appease the conservative community. The fact that Somaliland just came off the 2005 parliamentary elections; the upcoming local government elections in 2007, and the presidential election in 2008 are further complicating this issue. The political parties will not under any circumstance take a controversial position that might hurt them politically given the upcoming elections in 2007 and 2008 – not to mention the current constitutional crisis involving the Guurti..
The most successful Somaliland business establishments in telecommunication, money transfer, oil & gas imports, construction, and general trade are owned by individuals who members of the religious community. The members of this community occupies the leadership role in the Mosque, leads the community in religious occasions, supports, teaches or attends religious classes in his or her communities. The members of this community consist of very conservative groups as well as moderately religious groups. Currently the moderate group has the upper hand and controls the religious houses and moral leadership in Somaliland; but the emergence of Islamic Courts in Mogadishu provides momentum to the conservative elements in Somaliland religious community as shown by the letters, the press releases they have issued recently, or the demonstrations they have organized in Somaliland.
The Security Threat in Somaliland
One way to define the security threat at the present time is a potential civil or armed confrontation between the conservative religious community in Somaliland who are encouraged by what the Islamic Courts have done in Mogadishu and would like to see the Islamic form of government in Somaliland, and the government of Somaliland who was trusted and elected to protect the constitution of Somaliland. Clearly the conservative religious groups (not the moderates) have demonstrated their willingness to speak up via public letters and press releases in the newspapers, burned newspapers that criticized the Islamic Courts, done live press conferences in Buroa and Hargeysa, and have already demonstrated in the streets of Buroa. There are unconfirmed reports that they have armed forces who have been trained in Mogadishu and they are presently stationed in the outskirts of Buroa as well as in the cities. There is also a possibility that the conservative religious groups might participate in the democratic process and more quickly gain power and influence through democratic means – however, I’ll not hold my breath to believe that will be the end of their journey. If you believe what Somaliland has done thus far, which is to create national constitution and elect their leaders through democratic process, is a major accomplishment and it is the right path for Somaliland; then you’ll agree with me the serious nature of this potential threat from the conservative religious (not moderates) community in Somaliland – who are currently minority group in the overall Somaliland religious community. Imagine a scenario where this conservative group are talking to the people and telling the people; “We are Islamic community, we must follow the Islamic Sharia law, those who are happy to tell you the western ways of government is better than your religion are lying to you, we must stop this government and create one that follows the letter and the spirit of Islamic Sharia Law, because in the day of judgment it is not enough to say we choose the western form of government through democratic process and rejected Islamic Sharia Law form of government. We are Muslims and we must follow Allah’s word”. The fact of the matter is this is a moral message that will resonate with the Somaliland people. This threat is real and eminent and it can only be defeated by uniting the people, making strong commitment to protect the democratic process and government institutions the people have worked so hard to build thus far, strengthening the moderate religious leaders at the expense of the conservative religious leaders, and educating the people about the motives of these conservative religious leaders who are seeking power through the use of religion. Somaliland government can only defeat this ideological war by empowering the people to protect their achievements through information dissemination and other ways. The government must make sure this issue is not used as scare tactics for political reasons, because it is in the tough position of playing leadership role to convince the opposition parties and the people about the seriousness of this threat and its policy proposals to eliminate or neutralize this threat.
Opportunity for Somaliland
The situation in the Horn of Africa presents new opportunities for Somaliland; first and foremost the international community is divided on the present situation in Somalia; the Arab league led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia are supporting the Islamic Courts, IGAD lead by Ethiopia and Kenya are supporting TFG in Baidoa; United States and EU do not want to see Somalia become a safe haven for terrorists who’ll attack their interest. The opportunity for Somaliland is to adopt a strategy that will end its international isolation by formulating a foreign policy based on strong commitment to protect the freedom, civil liberties, freedom of press, human rights, and democratic process both for Somaliland and Somalia, it also means supporting those who are willing to accept democratic values in Somalia, and it means opposing the Islamic Courts and the Arab league. There is an opportunity for Somaliland to be the star (defender of) and torch bearer for the democracy in the Horn of Africa and that will help to end its isolation from the International community. The alternative is to support Islamic Courts and Arab League who wish to see the end of the Somaliland’s democratic process and introduction of the Wahabism in Somaliland. The real question is; will the Somaliland leaders have the firm commitment required to defend the achievement of Somaliland and the democratic values of the people of Somaliland on the face of the mounting pressures from the people and from the conservative religious community?. It seems incredibly easy to adopt a policy that supports and defends democracy in the Horn of Africa, but unfortunately it is not that easy for Somaliland leaders or people, because its leaders have to do the following; which might put the political leaders on the uncomfortable position of defending unpopular policy during election time, hence my hesitation if the Somaliland leaders have the stomach for this policy at this time. On the one hand this might require Somaliland leaders to establish working relationships with leaders from Somalia TFG and others to effectively influence their actions, some of those leaders have allegedly committed human rights violations and crimes in Somaliland during Siyad Barre’s regime, so this is difficult policy to defend during election time, at the same time, there are not many in Somalia who have accepted the sovereignty of Somaliland and that means working with people who deny your existence, and again that is difficult to explain during election. However, I’m convinced the people of Somaliland will support this policy if the Somaliland leaders (executive branch, opposition, Guurti, parliament) commit to champion this policy and show leadership by supporting a policy that will protect the interest of Somaliland in the long run, and accept criticism in the short term. The bumper-sticker message for this policy is “ Somaliland - the defenders of freedom, civil liberty, and democracy in the Horn of Africa”.
Conclusion
The issue here is whether Somaliland should keep its democracy, constitution, and one man one vote model of government or follow the Islamic Sharia Law model of government. The Somaliland people have already spoken and approved the constitution that defines their preferred model of government and determined their leaders should be elected through the ballot box. Also, the supporters of the Islamic Courts from Mogadishu are determined to turn the clock back and use religion to get the power. The people must take a stand on this discussion and defend their democracy, civil liberties, and human rights. My position is that Somaliland people shall protect their achievements and constitution. Somaliland is a free society and must fight hard to protect its freedom. Anyone who thinks that the current short comings, as serious as they may be, in the government institutions or the democratic process in Somaliland calls for changing the course by giving up on democracy in Somaliland is making gross and serious mistake. Natan Sharansky talked about the idea of “free society and fear society”. In his analysis dictators such as the soviet communism represented fear society and western governments democracies represented free society. I believe Somaliland today represents free society, and if the Islamic Courts followers in Somaliland have their way it will undoubtedly become banner for fear society. You should have no illusions about any significant differences between the followers of Wahabism brand of Islam in Mogadishu and in Somaliland. Both of them believe the same ideology and neither subscribe to and believes in the sovereignty of Somaliland; even if they do believe sovereignty of Somaliland they will be dictators who believe sovereignty of Somaliland.
Somaliland has been blessed to survive many challenges, it has accomplished total peace, democratic process, and it has built government institutions incredible at a fraction of the cost that other people have spent to built the same. But its success has always been limited by the lack of long term vision and strategy to influence the political climate in the Horn of Africa. The neighboring countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen, and Djibouti as well as other nations such as Egypt have all played key roles in the Somalia situation, but Somaliland has always been the elephant in the room, yet never played a role to help shape the direction of the discussion. The Islamic Courts presented another opportunity for Somaliland to play a key role in Somalia and the Horn of Africa. It is time for Somaliland leaders to show leadership and formulate a foreign policy that will help end the international isolation of Somaliland, even if that policy carries some cost it is their job to explain to the people, the long term benefit of this policy that far out weights its short term cost. The government must create consensus by consulting with the opposition parties, parliament, Guurti, and the civil society. The people who oppose Somaliland has been doing their best to isolate it, unfortunately the Somaliland people and government do a better job of isolating themselves by running away from anything that remotely touches Somalia, walks like Somalia, or smells like Somalia; we (Somalilanders) have made their job so easy because we have condemned ourselves to isolation by running away from Somalia. It is time to end that self imposed isolation and feel confident enough to sit with factions from Somalia on the same table to help them build democratic society in Somalia and to push back the influence of the Islamic Courts in Somalia. We should request to attend the Khartoum conference as an observer and extend invitation to host the next meeting in Hargeysa, or formulate a foreign policy and long term strategy that will help Somaliland end its isolation – it is time to end our isolation; let’s stop making it too easy for them to isolate Somaliland; it is worth asking “Why should they bother to isolate us we are doing better job of isolating ourselves?”.
It is time for Somaliland to take the banner for Freedom, Civil Liberties, Democracy, Human Rights in the Horn of Africa.
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