Jubba Valley Initiative is a good step in the right direction

[Gabbal]

Jubba Valley Initiative is a good step in the right direction

 

 

By Abdi Jama (Gunna-Gunne)

 

It was more than a year ago when the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia was formed in Nairobi, Kenya, following two years of reconciliation talks sponsored by IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) and supported by other international organizations to restore law and order to the war ravaged country. But the long awaited interim government is plagued by infighting and wrangling from within. Shortly after the conclusion of the Reconciliation Conference, a split developed between the newly elected president and Parliament. It appears that this row, between the government and parliament, has reached a crisis level and may lead to the collapse of the whole peace process. The two groups differ on a number of issues including deploying foreign peace-keepers from neighbouring countries in Somalia and where the government should be located as the president and prime minister oppose to move to Mogadishu, for security reasons, and are based in Jowhar, north of the capital, while the speaker of the parliament and some of the powerful faction leaders and members of the government are based in Mogadishu. The two sides, not only differ on those two points, but they equally differ on what strategies should be adopted to resolve remaining reconciliation issues. For instance, President Yusuf and his Prime Minister Gedi believe that reconciliation was finalized in Nairobi and the difference is between them and members of their government which can be solved internally by face to face talks .On the contrary, the speaker of the Parliament Mr. Sharif and other faction leaders prefer to involve international mediators in these talks.

 

The international community, particular IGAD member countries, and the UN has been involved in the Somalia reconciliation process since it began and made a number of attempts to bring the two Somali groups to the negotiating table. Noticeable among these attempts was a meeting hosted by the Yemeni president, Ali Abdallah Salah to have the two sides resolve their differences. The special UN envoy to Somalia, Dr. Françoise Fall also made several trips to both Jowhar and Mogadishu to mediate the two sides. All these efforts failed to produce any tangible results. The lack of progress in these talks triggered fears that the two sides may resort to military force to settle their differences and restart a full scale civil war.

 

At this critical juncture in which the future of our country is at the crossroads, it’s time for a courageous and patriotic leader to emerge. For this reason, the initiative undertaken by Jubba Valley Alliance in Kismanyo led by Col Barre Aden Shire aimed at bringing the two parties to the negotiating table came at the right time. It is, therefore, incumbent upon each one of us to support this initiative. Given their unique clan composition and their relationship with Mogadishu based faction leaders, Jubba Valley is well suited to play a mediating role between the parties. In addition to this, Colonel Barre has always maintained dialogue with the President and Prime Minister which has earned him the trust of both sides.

 

In this respect, the Jubba valley initiated mediating conference is a welcome step in the right direction that may take the country out of the current political impasse. It gave the Somali people a renewed hope no matter how remote it may seem. Already, we are seeing a positive response from both wings of the Somalia government and millions of ordinary Somali citizens. As I write this article, I learned that Mogadishu wing have accepted the Jubba Valley proposal in its entirety and without condition, and Jowahar function is now studying it and expected to follow suit. The news that the two sides agreed to talk caught many people, including UN envoy to Somalia, by surprise. It was just couple of weeks ago when Mr. Fall traveled to Jowhar and Mogadishu and returned empty handed in his efforts to have the two parties resolve their disagreement through dialogue. As a matter of fact, Mr. Fall’s attempt to mediate the two sides had a polarizing impact as each group resorted to name calling and blaming the other for the failure of the Mr. Fall’s mediation.

 

Whether this initiative succeeds or not, Barre has shown that he is a leader who is prepared to take risks for the sake of his nation. He proved to be a man with a national vision beyond the control of Jubba Land. And if his initiative succeeds in bringing the two sides resolve their differences, irrespective of the meeting venue, he may go down in Somali history not as a warlord but as a peace-lord who brought a Somali solution to the Somali problem for the first time in fifteen years of the present conflict.

 

Abdi Jama (Gunna-Gunne)

Email: Gunnaa1_2000@yahoo.com

[Yoonis_Cadue]

I agree Gunna Gunne!

[xiinfaniin]

Kashanre, I hate to steal your thunder, but your thrill is from the vapors of your mind!

 

Kismayo was where A.Qasim and I parted ways. He failed to understand that cities like Kismayo, Baraawe, and Marka have owners who were expelled from it by force. He thought by supporting Barre and apposing Morgan simply because the first song government’s praises was the correct way to go. Hold the city under the TFG’s banner by any means, he reasoned, and let justice thing be taken care latter. If you talk about fairness now, he calculated, you’re risking Barre’s support and may never get Morgan on board. And so he announced his support to the man who won that city’s booty and took that side of the conflict. An opportunistic coward, who had no chance to restore law and order, is what he indeed was.

 

Today I see some parallel in the old man’s approach. The irony is that he seems to have read A.Qasim’s page. Kismayo has been the litmus test for him. And the early returns do not seem promising at all. Instead of solving the problem and bringing some resolution to it, he seems to have resolved to hire Barre’s boys. If A.Qasim was brave enough to publicly announce where his support lay, his (the old man’s that is) is embarrassingly sheepish coy. To form alliance with Barre and declare war on Indhacadde is really making a distinction without a difference. Unless you’re clannish enough to not see for these men for what they are; thugs and scoffed laws who determined to preserve the booty they won and equally so. If Barre gets to keep his loot why not Indhacadde, I ask?

 

Somalia’s conflict is rooted in resources (with the exception of Somaliland) and that is a very complex problem to solve. It needs a daring and bold approach, not the lip service tactic that the old man has taken so far. It starts to convince those whose political capital is invested in haraam that it need not be so. Any thing less than that is none starter,I say. But old habits die hard and the old man seems to have clinched back to his familiar norm !

 

What was I thinking before?

[Dhubad.]

Mr. XiinFaniin

 

I hate to tell you that Kismayo belongs to everyone who settles the Jubba Valley Region ibcluding Barre's fammily so where on earth did you get the idea that Barre or his family has stolen Kismyo from its' people????

 

 

Waryaa stop your baseless propaganda and be real.

 

Am out!!

[xiinfaniin]

Cut that crap, would you? the issue is not who has right to settel Kismayo, good Dhabad, rather it is who has legitimacy to rule.

 

The days when Gaani used to rule Hargaisa in the name of Somalis could-live-and-rule –every-where in Somalia is long gone saaxiib! You have to have a matching numerical proportionality to satisfy your political ambitions saaxiib. You can’t just assemble couple hundred militias, seek alliance, capture a town, and claim the right to rule (frankly stay in its premises with your gangs) it. It does not work that way. Passage of time should not mislead you. The fact that Indhacadde and Barre got away with it does not make it right.

 

If that is the way you think politics should be then you are older than me !

[Jacpher]

It should not be about taking sides, or who owns or runs Kismaayo. It’s more like a man that takes a urine bath before praying and asks Allah to accept his deeds. Will his prayers be accepted? I don’t know but what I do know is that Allah does not favor those that spread mischief in the land and neither should we. I despise the appraisal of warlordism.

 

Soomaaliya Soomaali baa leh, and the rule of majority, Kismaayo reer Kismaayaa leh, whoever they might be.

 

I refuse to be gullible!

[Gabbal]

Good Xiin, I certainly do not want to engage in another Kismaayo debate, chief of all because it isn't productive. The history is there, and it certainly cannot be rewritten today. You are focusing and delving the topic into a realm that doesn't hold any realistic weight. See the situation for what it is and for what it was, and then come back to me with a new approach. Your heart seems good, but your brain is most definitely being fickle and selective! Instead of engaging me in a cyper beautification of words and thoughts, come out and lay the situation in full force and full frontal display. Only then will our discussion of the city have some merit and, maybe, some understandings. However, comparing Indhacade's occupation of the Shabellas to Hiiraale's rule of Kismaayo is like comparing Somaliland's claim to Sool and Sanaag to that of Puntland. It is simply not feasible, so either come legitimately into the topic or continue mincing words. If you understand me, waa wax wacan. If not, then you simply do not deserve to start a Kismaayo debate! Waa inoo taa.

 

Waryaa stop your baseless propaganda and

be real

.

I encourage it, fully.

 

P.S. Please address the article for what it talks about, not what you want to sideline it to.

[Dhubad.]

Mr XiinFaniin,

 

 

Listen buddy, few men from Barri Region once settled Kismyo and all over sudden they City is there's and now they do not want anyone else to live in the City. Do you think people will accept that, especially the people who live the area (oo magaalada caanaha keena oo waligood meesha deganaa) ???

 

Just to educate you a bit, do you know how the Kisamyo War started?? Well let me tell you man, it started when you people started to evict Barre's Family from Kismayo by slaughtering the innocent people(Ilaahay Dulmiga Majecla), it wasn't about who will rule city but rather who can have the right to live in the city.

 

The oppressed people fought back and have taken the control of the City and unlike your Adeeros they allow every Somali to have the right to live in peace and harmony as long as they are not threat to the peace and stability of the region.

 

So you can call them whatever you like but that is the situation on the ground and wil stay that way inshallah.

 

Peace

[xiinfaniin]

HA, give up the loot saaxiib. Simple and straight.

 

You’re one level up from Dhabad’s second-grade thinking, to be fair. But for you to think that the question of Kismayo is settled and the rule of Barre is legitimate is non-starter. The ilk you’re trying to distance from their reeking pillage are ironically your backers. The spin you intend to embark is also the one they have based their scheme. As you can see Barre’s position has become untenable and he is about to choose sides again. For me I don’t really care which one he chooses. What I passionately care is the fate of these southern towns and farms that has become the booty of this war. Adeer fallaari gil-gilasho kaagama harto. I am not sure about you but clearly the culture of looting that has been legacy of the late dictator is still fresh in Barre’s mind.

 

It is intellectual dishonesty to frame the debate as a one where one is fighting for the safety of this city’s residents. That is a debate that I am not fond to indulge. You could boast about your clannish victories. You could tell me that Morgan’s ilk has been defeated. You could take a satisfying pride in the current political maneuvering of Kismayo gangs. But what you could not say with sanity is Kismayo is legitimaly held.

 

Perhaps in your mind there is no legitimate rule in Somalia today :confused: ! Every thing is free for all.

 

The reason I took issue with this latest political hype is because I had a hunch that Kismayo, and not Mogadishu, is the litmus test for the old man. It is only reasonable that I should hold judgment and see where this Kismayo thing goes. As for starting Kismayo debate, nay I say. As you rightly guessed, the reason is that because its not gonna be productive at all. But that does not mean I won't periodically pierce at your naked argument .

[Gabbal]

What loot saaxiib :confused:

 

Now it is ridiculous to engage you in a debate, simply because you seem to have chosen the parameters of the debate. Saaxiib, convince whomever you come across, but the situation is nothing like you have described! The way you are purposely setting up the frameworks of the debate highlight, atleast to me, your ignorance or even more honestly, your denial of the truth. I will repeat again, instead of engaging me in a cyper beautification of words and thoughts, come out and lay the situation in full force and full frontal display. Once you have passed your self-rightous high moral stand, come to me then and speak to me about the situation in an honest and candid voice. Otherwise, continue wallowing in selective facts and justices!

 

I will tell this one last peice of information though. Barre Hiiraale is the man to have dug Gedo out of the ditch it had fallen in low-point of the civil war. Aspects of his militiamen were spilling blood to liberate areas ranging in length from Gaalkacyo to Kismaayo; yes Xiin, Kismaayo. Afterwards the man did not engage in the rampant warlordism that was taking ahold of every region in the former Somali Republic. He even sat down from the politics of Gedo and Cabudwaq, because he had no reason to engage in self glory and take advantage of the people. As a very respected and honored man, he could have risen to the top of his particular sub-clans's leadership chain, but he chose not to do so, because his conscious would not let him. That is a personal presence of heart he has continuously sighted. However, when he saw injuictice, it also spured him to action.

 

Good Xiin where were you in that timespan of 1996-1998 when all Somalis opened their mouths in shock and surprise at what was taking place? Yesterdays co-liberators were became the day's victims in the same and very city they spilled blood to liberate! Morgan encouraged it for whatever reason beseiged him to do so (conspiracies are widespread you see), and to add insult to injury, he personally expelled in clear daylight any member of that particular sub-clan, even close relatives of his in-laws! Dishonesty, disgrace, and despicable are words that would come into any fair-minded person's brain when discussing this. As for Barre Hiiraale, he saw the situation for what it was, rose from his humble belongings and immidiately declared retaliation. Ragiisuuna soo watay, dalsankiina fadhiisay! Good Xiin, where were your bouts of self-rightousness in those days! Where was your cry of justice and you sense of fairness in those days! Or have you been relagated to making a legitimate point only by forgetting those days and of Morgan's rule to focus entirely on Barre's rule of the city? Especially a rule that is lauded for being the msot efficient and blemish-free in the last decade and a half. That will not do good Xiin, because history is not selective and impartial.

 

Barre Hiiraale then effectively came to replace Morgan and all know the effect he has had on the city. You speak of loot, when no one has been evicted. You speak of self-conceived injustice, when Barre Hiiraale was lauded nationally for embracing elements of Morgan's former militias in the last war and for promising amnesty to all those who wanted to settle in the city. Barre Hiiraale could have declared his opposition to this infant government simply because of the man who heads it. He could have given the last blow to what seemed to be the most irrelevent and powerless transitional government built so far. He could have also ignored it all and pretend they were another government in another nation. He didn't, and it is because of that we still have hope sxb. If for anything, I posted this article to highlight that.

 

As for the city you talked about; Kismaayo is like no other city in the republic. It cannot not be comparable to your "occupied" cities simply because it is not in the same league as them. The city is unique in it's civil war history and present situation, and there is no way you can compare it to early stolen loot in Mogadishu or occupation of the Shabellas. I repeat that to do so will only highlight your ignorance of the city or your eagerness to engage in selective history.

[xiinfaniin]

^^Adeer maxaan kaala doodaa? Ma siyaasada boolida kula gashay baad rabtaa inaad taariikh u yeeshid. Hal xaaraan ahi nirig Xalaal ah ma dhashaa?

 

Showering praises on a man who contributed to the instability of that region speaks volumes of what your principles are. Clear is the version of history-ga aad hayn la’dahay ood la qar-qarasyo, ood rabto in Xiin kaa dhegeysto. Keep that for the consumption of your like minded ilk.

 

But let me tell you this much; in the final analysis, Barre is insignificant nuisance to the question of Kismayo, a placeholder for the larger conflict, and a proxy war fighter. Hard to swallow but that is essentially the truth. Neither he nor his community is the beneficiaries of this land-grab.

 

Marka saaxiib, sheekadaydu kama foga;

 

Rag baan sharad ka furayee adiga kuma shiddeeyeene

Shay-yadii adaan kuu ceshee sharac allee qaado !

 

Raggii caqiidkaan u socday adeer, adigu iska fago boolidaada.

 

P.S: It is unfortunate that I smell to you Morgan. But I can understand that as he is the frame of reference from which you formulate your thinking!

[Gabbal]

^Good day to you too sir.

[Xoogsade]

My question is, how does Xamaraawi by claim like Xiin-Galti learns to speak somali that good? My assumption is either he left Muqdisho in 1990 and went to Gaalkacyo as an impressionable kid, then forgot the banadiri accent and learned the kind he speaks now, or waa oday gaboobey. I am really curious

 

Xiinfaniin.

 

Saaxib, Why don't you leave these kind of arguments to the real Reer Kismayo fellas? Just because someone who shares the tribe with you lived there for three grandfathers doesn't give you any particular entitlement to it.

 

PS: Turning Kismayo into tribal enclave is the workings of an imported mentality from Mudug among other things. Hands off saaxib.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Originally posted by Kashanre:

Aspects of his militiamen were spilling blood to liberate areas ranging in length from Gaalkacyo to Kismaayo; yes Xiin, Kismaayo. Afterwards the man did not engage in the rampant warlordism that was taking ahold of every region in the former Somali Republic. He even sat down from the politics of Gedo and Cabudwaq, because he had no reason to engage in self glory and take advantage of the people. As a very respected and honored man

Maaaaan, this is... The man is a warlord, qabqable iyo dagaal-ooge, for Eebbe's sake. A warlord man and "respected and honoured" man labada gees ayee kala joogaan. It is impossible the same man to be compatible.

 

He is an occupier too; he occupies Kismaayo and its vicinity. That he is an occupier cannot be questioned by a reasonable person. He has absolutely nothing to do with deegaankaas. If he can claim Jilib or Kismaayo, I might as well claim Wisconsin and be an Ojibwe clansman. As outlandish as it is.

 

He was born and bred somewhere up in Galgaduud, and were he figthing up there "liberating" his lands... no body would pay attention, but do NOT misrepresent a warlord to be a savior.

 

I also remember your fingers slipping one time not in that distant, calling that warlord a "god-like" figure, which, if it is not downright blasphemous, would have been unheard in Soomaali politics.

 

Whether "respected or honoured," the man, again, is a warlord and occupies a land he has absolutely nothing to do with, same like Moorgan, Indhacadde and others. There is utterly no reason to justify this occupation and nothing differences it from the occupation of Shabeellada Hoose.

[xiinfaniin]

^^Right on, MMA.

 

Xoogsade, af Soomaaliga Xamaraan aan ku bartay, saaxiib ! By your standard, MMA would be from Gaalkacyo as well . There was a time when my mother used to worry about me, not any more as Xoogsade testifies to the proficiency of my af Somali. As to my age, well, not sure if I could be classified as an old man .

 

Kismayo was the route through which my late dad came to the south. Although I have never seen the city till after the civil war, it is where I was conceived and the birthplace of most of my sibling’s saaxiib. Technically I am not reer Kismayo if it means growing up in there, but the town is my fathers. Besides, with all the properties my family had in the south, only modest fargaas-cariish built early sixties in Kismayo survived. The rest waxaa ku habsaday, peasants from the barren land :mad: .

 

Gaalkacyo is an interesting city that I have yet to see. So you are wrong in your assumptions on me. So wonder no more!

 

Are you still struggling on the issue of political capital invested in Haaraam, good Xoogsade?