Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Somali government defense minister Hussein Arab Isse with TFG Armed Forces commander Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini visits Baidabo. also TFG and Ethiopian alliance forces captured Manas camp

Defense minister of the Somali government, Hussein Arab Isse

A delegate lead by the defense minister of the Somali government, Hussein Arab Isse with TFG Armed Forces commander Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini have today reached Baidabo for the first time since the withdrawal of Shabaab militias from the town.The minister was accompanied by fellow state ministers, members of parliament and security officers where they recieved warm welcoming from from the locals in Baidoa town.Hussein visited TFG and Ethiopian troops bases in Baidabo before he had a meeting with parliamentarians and the forces that have captured the town.The visit was aimed at observing recent military activities waged by TFG forces  in Bay and Bakool region.Moreover, the visit comes at a time when TFG forces in collaboration with Ethiopian troops have captured Baidabo town that was previously controlled by shabaab militia, the Al-qaeda surrogate in Somalia. n alliance of TFG forces and Ethiopian troops have captured Manas camp,140 KM South of Baidoa town which was previously controlled by Shabaab militias, indicates reports from of  Bay region.Moreover, reports say the alliance of TFG and Ethiopian troops entered the camp peacefully with no challenges as situation remains calm.Previously Shabaab militias were controlling the camp where they are said to have been harming innocent residents dwelling there.Meanwhile, provincial Commissioner of Bay region,Abdifatah Ibrahim Gesey vowed to continue fighting Shabaab militia till they wipe them out of the entire Somali nation.Recently Shabaab militias have withdrawn from Baidoa where they were controlling since 2009.

Al-Shabab Thugs Steal Somali Children

One recent morning outside of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, Al-Shabab militants linked to al Qaeda loaded 700 displaced children onto buses, as their parents and the staff of Dr. Hawa Abdi’s hospital and camp looked on in horror. There was no guarantee that the children would ever return. In Somalia, it’s a common sight to see children younger than 12, awkwardly cradling Kalashnikovs twice their size, man the frontlines of a murky and escalating war that pits a powerless U.S.-backed transitional government against a well-armed group of mercenary killers and freelance gunmen...more

Senior Al-Qaeda militant arrested at Cairo airport, say Egypt officials

FILE | AFP Rescuers help survivors after a bomb explosion in one of Al-Qaeda’s attacks near the United States embassy and a bank in Nairobi on August 7, 1998. The blast killed 212 people, including eight Americans, and left more than 1,000 people injured.

A suspected mastermind of the US embassy bombing in Nairobi 13 years ago has been arrested at the Cairo airport, Egyptian security officials claimed on Wednesday.Unconfirmed reports, however, seemed to cast doubts into the man’s identity.Saif al-Adel arrived in the Egyptian capital on a flight from Pakistan, media reports quoted the security chiefs.At the time of the US embassy bombing on August 7, 1998, Adel was serving as a top security adviser of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed by US troops in Pakistan in May last year.He was one of the terror group’s leaders placed on the FBI wanted list for their role in the embassy bombing which left 212 people dead and over 4,000 injured.Officials told state media they knew he was intending to hand himself in, and that his real name, Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi, was on the passenger list.He was also suspected of training Somali fighters who killed 18 US servicemen in Mogadishu in 1993, and some of the 11 September 2001 hijackers.The US has offered a $5m reward for information leading to his capture or death.Security officials told the Egyptian state news agency Mena that Adel was detained at Cairo International Airport as he arrived on Wednesday, after flying to Egypt from Pakistan via Dubai.The officials said they had received information about his plans to return to Egypt and hand himself over to the authorities.All flights from Asia were monitored as he was expected to come from either Afghanistan or Pakistan, and eventually his name was spotted on the passenger list of an Emirates Airline flight, they added.Adel was handed over to the Higher State Security Prosecution for interrogation. Mena did not say where is being held.However, the Associated Press reports that a man identifying himself as Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi told journalists at the airport that he was not the senior Al-Qaeda leader known as Saif al-Adel.Adel, a former special forces commander, who is in his 50s, first travelled to Afghanistan in the 1980s to fight Soviet forces with the mujahideen.He has been wanted by the Egyptian authorities since 1987, when he was accused of trying to establish a military wing of the Egyptian Islamist group al-Jihad, and trying to overthrow the government. Adel later joined Al-Qaeda and became Osama Bin Laden’s security chief. He assumed many of military commander Mohammed Atef’s duties after his death in a US air strike in November 2001.Following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Adel is believed to have fled to Iran with Saad bin Laden, a son of the late Al-Qaeda leader.They were allegedly then held under house arrest by the Revolutionary Guards, although Iran never acknowledged their presence. Several letters and internet statements bearing Adel’s name or aliases were subsequently released, leading analysts to believe he was still in contact with Al-Qaeda’s leaders in the region.
Recent reports said Adel might have been released and made his way to northern Pakistan, along with Saad bin Laden.There was also speculation that he was appointed temporary leader of Al-Qaeda after Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid by US special forces on a compound in the north-western Pakistani city of Abbot taad last May.State television’s Channel One and the official MENA news agency also reported his arrest. The news agency quoted airport officials as saying that security had received information that Adel intended to return to Egypt and was monitoring flights for his arrival.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: 101 ways you know your Somali

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: 101 ways you know your Somali

Chief Of Cabinet ka maamulka Khaatumo Oo si diiran Loogu soo dhoweeyay Norway+Sawiro…

Oslo:-(RT)Soo dhawaytii Chief of Cabinet Ee Khatumo State Of Somalia mudane: Mukhtar Ibrahim Xabashi, Mudanaha ayaa shaqo qaran ugu maqnaa dalkeena hooyo ee Somalia muddo 7 bilood ah, Isaga oo mukhtaar kamid ahaa gudigii G15 ee ceelalyada loogu diray shirkii Khaatumo2 si ay u sahamiyaan halkay ay khaatumo2 caga dhi ganayso taasoo markii danbe ay u doorteen degmada taariikhiga ah Ee taleex,waxay mukhtaar iyo kooxdiisu baabuur ku mareen dhamaan gobolada, degmooyinka iyo tuulooyinka Gobolada SSC..more

Somali Army forces conducts security operations in Mogadishu


 Somali Armed Forces commander Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini

Mogadishu  TF.SF — The Army  forces of Somali Interim Federal Government on Monday conducted search operations in parts of Mogadishu's districts, arresting dozens of people suspected over Al-shabab militants.
Most of the operations took place in Bondere and Shibis districts where are filled with newly returned people to their houses after three years ob conflict in Mogadishu.
Reports say that the forces have been searching any person suspected over links with Al-Qaeda linked Al-shabab fighters who recently vowed to step up their attacks against TFG and AMISOM bases in the capita, Mogadishu.
At least 20 people were detained, 10 of them accused to have links with Al-shabab during the operations in Mogadishu which conducted by TFG police and military. TFG Armed Forces commander Abdulkadir Sheikh Ali Dini
The Military with police forces were ordering the drivers of civilian buses not to park their cars beside the street to assure the security. General  Dini the Commander somali Army  told tf.sf  that the operations were aimed at ensuring the security in parts of the city.








khatuma State Method An Answer to the Somali National Government Question.(Grassroots Development Framework )From Bottom to the Top

my take on London Conference on Somalia: Communique
Summary

Although Somali people have the same religion, language and cultural background, they have been forced to fight each other by self-interested warlords and their supporters at the cost of rule of law and statehood. The  civil war has caused enormous destruction in the economic, social and political spheres of Somalia. Despite the current Transitional Federal Government that has been brought back to Mogadishu The African Union Military Mission on Somalia (AMISON) . Ethiopian force and Somali militia known as Ahlu Sunnah Waljamaah (ASWJ), an Ethiopian proxy it could not control and stabilize the country. The government has no support from most Somalis and its efforts to exert itself by force might bring another cycle of bloody violence. Hence, Somalia is still in partial anarchy, and its people have been hopeless and helpless about their future.
After so much destruction, after so much human misery and suffering, Somalia's civilian population is desperate for any solution. Somali people need hope and peace. They are in desperate need of a trustworthy government, free from clan and sub-clan influence, which can serve the interest of the whole Somali population to bring peace and stability. But peace and reconciliation might not be easy to come by in Somalia. There is a great social divide created by spilling of blood, which will take generations to erode. This paper, therefore, presents a bottom-up approach to build peace from the grassroots level in Somalia. The paper argues that the bottom-up approach is a viable strategy to narrow down the social divide in Somali communities and to realize a lasting peace and reconciliation in Somalia.

Background

As the winds of change began blowing in the Communist block that led to the demise of the Soviet Union, the political landscapes of many other authoritarian  countries were affected by the changes as well. Internal conflicts erupted in many countries under authoritarian regimes, in which the oppressive governments had been maintained and tolerated during the Cold War by the superpowers.[1] As a result, some oppressive and tyrannical governments in Africa, including the Somali government, were overthrown by armed factions and revolutionaries.
Siad Barre's regime in Somalia was one of the oppressive regimes that fell during the eruption of internal conflicts. In 1991, after years of political upheavals, Honourable Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown by a coalition of armed factions motivated by clan hostilities. The Somali National Movement (SNM) from isaaq clan, and The United Somali Congress (USC) from Hawiye clan
.[2] The fall of Siad Barre's regime "left a vacuum that rival clan militias fought savagely to fill."[3] None of the warring factions could successfully win the war, but the same time, they could not come to a consensus on who would govern the country. As a result, in early 1991, "Somalia was at the mercy of armed factions, which were organized along clan lines."[4] Since then, Somalia has been without an effective government or any political system capable of governing the country.
The civil war among clan and sub-clan factions was destructive in terms of its material cost and the loss of life. "Not only had the state collapsed but all logistics were interdicted and roads blocked, the feeble economy ruined, and anarchy imposed. The result was a famine that put 4.5 million people at risk, including half a million dead, two million displaced, and one million made refugees."[5] This chaos and loss of life received regional and international attention. Consequently, several peace and reconciliation efforts were held by IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority onDevelopment), the United Nations, and regional governments such as Ethiopia and Djibouti, to reconstruct and reunite the Somali state.[6]
Despite the fact that "some of the Somali peace and reconciliation efforts have had positive outcomes" they have frequently failed to take root in the long-term.[7] So far, none of the efforts could reconcile the warring factions, and thus could not end the anarchy in the country. The outcome of every peace effort has generated new and worse conflicts. Therefore, the important questions are:
  • Why did all effort in Somalia not bring peace and stability?
  • Was the approach used in the previous Somali peace efforts relevant to the realities in Somalia?
Roy Licklinder in his article "Obstacles to Peace Settlements" argued that the reason why peace effortsin civil wars or violence, fail is because they do not solve the problems that caused the civil wars.[8] This argument is relevant to the Somali peace efforts. The main causes of the Somali civil war were unequal power distribution, poor sharing of resources among different Somali clans, negative clanism, marginalization of intellectuals, misrepresentation in the government, and negative external influences. In most previous peace efforts, the top-down approach was used to reconcile the divided Somali society by addressing the causes of the conflict. Paradoxically, a top-down approach could not properly address the aforementioned factors, which contributed greatly to the failure of those peace efforts.
The scope of this paper is, therefore, to propose a bottom-up approach to solve the conflict in Somalia. The paper argues that the best strategy that could solve the problems related to power, resource-sharing, participation, and representation of all communities would be adopting a pure bottom-up approach.
The Failure of the Top-Down Approach
According to Somali scholar Abdullah A. Mohamoud, "through [a] From Bottom to the Top approach, twelve national reconciliation conferences were convened with the goal of restoring a central authority in Somalia, yet no success was achieved. The immediate reason for this was that the faction leaders and warlords who signed the peace deal, and agreed to form a national government, frequently failed to honor their promises."[9] The main reason that these warlords failed to fulfill their promises is that they did not trust each other; and they feared being bypassed and losing their economic and political power in the national government.
There is a great social divide that has been created by the spilling of blood, accompanied by bad memories of the devastation in Somalia. Characterizing contemporary conflicts like that of Somalia, John Paul Lederach says, "The conflicts are characterized by deep-rooted, intense animosity; fear; and severe stereotyping." Given this reality, Somali people are very alert and sensitive to any kind of authority that is imposed from outside their country or from above through a top-down approach to peacebuilding. They are afraid of a clan-lord and warlord-dominated central government, which might repeat the ugly events of the civil-war period. Considering this deep mistrust and suspicion between Somali clans, it cannot be surprising that adopting a centralized approach has been problematic in Somalia.

The "Quasi-From Bottom to the Top Approach"

A quasi-From Bottom to the Top approach has been tried in some of the previous peace efforts in Somalia. I call the approach used in these peace efforts a "quasi-bottom-up approach" because, in reality, the approach did not have the characteristics of bottom-up approach. First of all, the conferences were held outside of Somalia. Second, the participants were all warlords who have no Somali public support. Third, nothing was done to build local capacity, raise public awareness and lay ground inside Somalia for a successful outcome of the  conferences.

During the UN-sponsored Addis Ababa Peace and Reconciliation Conference of 1993[11] and the later IGAD-led Peace and Reconciliation Conference of 2004, for example, a quasi-bottom-up approach was tried. In the Addis Ababa conference, the Transitional National Council was formed with the objective of establishing strong regional administrations before building a central government.[12] The approach was not successful because nothing was done to clear the ground for effective institutional and administrative apparatuses at regional and sub-regional levels. "The idea of the Addis agreement was a parallel top-down and bottom-up approach (track 1 and 2)".[13] But in practice the top-down approach was the dominant one. From the beginning, the UN was pushing for "quick top-down solution with the warlords."[14] In addition, when warlords like Aideed rejected the formation of regional administrations, the UN officially changed its approach and tried to form a central government by bringing all of the warlords together. Therefore, the quasi-bottom-up approach of the Addis Ababa conference did not work.
Similarly, in the IGAD-led conference of 2004, the Transitional Federal Government was formed with the aim of establishing a federal system composed of clan-based regional governments.[15] The formation of clan-based regional administrations was problematic because it was difficult to specify the boundaries of different clans. In addition, nothing was done to raise the local capacity, or to create a favorable ground for regional administrations. Members of the federal Assembly could not even agree about where to locate the seat of the federal government. The minister and the members of the federal assembly had no public support inside Somalia since all were self-appointed.[16] "Given all these factors, some Somali people have lost hope of a successful outcome for this peace process. They do not trust what they see as the network of warlords and their masterminds."[17] Overall, the approaches previously used to try to establish a federal administration were considered as externally imposed, and were unable to serve the interests of Somalis.

The Potential of a True "From Bottom to the Top" Approach

If the top-down approach and quasi bottom-up approaches could not work, then, what approach might possibly solve the Somali problem? The simple answer is: a true bottom-up approach. From Bottom to the Top approach is a people-centered approach that advocates peace from within the affected societies and requires changing hearts and minds of the local people to get them to work for peace and reconciliation whole-heartedly. A pure bottom-up approach requires developing institutions from the grassroots level, developing local capacity for self-government, raising public awareness, promoting representation of all Somali communities, and providing an ideal environment for the development of local administrative units as the basis for a decentralized government. When strong regional administrations are established, it will be easier to establish a federal government. The bottom-up approach is, according to Mohamoud:
"Basically an internal affair and a locally driven peace process. The dominant players are the local-level leadership, such as the traditional elders, religious leaders, locality and community leaders, local traders and [the] network of grass-roots civic associations such as women, intellectuals, etc. The local-level leadership initiated the reconciliation procedures as a gradual process and attempted to build the peace step by step."[18]
Therefore, the bottom-up approach is establishing basic institutions and administrative apparatuses as a cornerstone for a future federal government starting from the local communities, and free from clan affiliations and the interference of warlords.
The Life and Peace Institute of Sweden and John Paul Lederach have contributed comprehensive approaches to peace building that could possibly be  used in solving the Somali conflict. In his comprehensive transformation-oriented peacebuilding and conflict transformation approach, Lederach divides the society into three levels: top leadership (level 1), middle-range leadership (level 2) and grassroots leadership (level 3).[19] In divided societies like Somalia, Lederach advocates concentrating on indigenous actors within the country and not external actors. "The aim of Lederach's peace-building approach is to identify representative individuals or groups in the middle range level and empower them by means of mediation and other peace-building measures. The role of external actors is limited to supporting the internal actors by means of empowerment."[20] Basically, Lederach's idea is that by empowering the middle-level leadership, it is easier to influence the bottom or the grassroots level, as well as the top-level leadership, to transform the society quickly.[21]Slightly different from Lederach's approach, the Life and Peace Institute (LPI) focuses on both middle-range and grassroots level leadership with more emphasis on the grassroots level in the conflict country. Basically, LPI's approach is by "empowering these two levels sooner or later the entire society will be transformed by peaceful means."[22] In this case, the peace buidling process is both vertical and horizontal with more emphasis on people and affected communities.
Although focusing on the middle-range leadership is important, putting more emphasis on the grassroots level is very crucial in the case of Somalia. Given the reality that there have been no clear and legitimate leaders that have support in the middle and top-level, it might weaken the bottom-up approach to put more focus on the middle and top levels. The current government in Somalia is made up of former warlords who do not have full public support. The government has been brought to Mogadishu by external forces, and it has been exerting itself using external forces. As history shows, however, a forcefully imposed government cannot be sustained in Somalia. In the middle-range level, there are no strong cross-religious or regional organizations, NGOs or other influential groups that could influence the top and bottom levels at the same time. Even most Somali intellectuals who could play a great role in the middle-range leadership live in the diaspora. In addition, Somali society has been divided along clan and sub-clan lines and their allegiance is to the clan leaders or elders at the village level, not to intellectuals or politicians who live in the diaspora. Therefore, a bottom-up approach with more emphasis on the grassroots level is very consistent with the realities in Somalia.

The Bottom-Up Approach as a Multi-Dimensional Process

In the bottom-up approach, the peace process should not be conceived of as a  single process. In previous peace processes, efforts were made to establish a government for Somalia, but little had been done to raise the awareness of the people, to identify the social, cultural and political constraints for the process or to prepare the Somali society to accept the government. For lasting peace in Somalia, developing a local capacity and basic institutions is very crucial. Strategic accessibility and the mobilization of those localities and communities,[23] and sections of society like elders and women, who are willing to be involved in the process, are also crucial steps in attaining peace.

The Role of Women

At this point I would like to emphasize the role that women could play in uniting divided communities in Somalia. In traditional Somali society women "play an indirect but important part in conflict resolution. In the early stages of a conflict they can act as peace envoys for their clans and are sometimes the 'first messengers sent between disputing clans to break the ice."[24] Even during the course of the civil war, "women across Somalia have been deeply involved in peace promotion and peace-making."[25] In the grassroots and community level, women have respect and could exert influence over their traditional leaders (clan leaders), elders and politicians. Understanding this fact, the Life and Peace Institute has put "a strong focus on the empowerment of women as peacebuilders, through direct capacity building and training, or support to special women's meetings."[26] Therefore, women should be empowered in order to be at the forefront of any peace efforts in Somalia. They should be allowed to participate in any future peace and reconciliation conferences and decision-making processes.

Marriage as a Tool of Peace

Another thing that could contribute to peacebuilding from the grassroots level in Somalia is identifying cross-clan and sub-clan marriage relations. In Somali society, marriage across clans and sub-clans is prevalent. "Marriage in Somali society is a contract between families or lineages... and young people are encouraged to marry into a group where new relations can be established."[27] Marriage relationships are a binding force among different clans and sub-clans and could help them develop close relationships and solve any disagreements through peaceful means. "Cross-clan marriages create diplomatic relations between groups, and are therefore treated with respect."[28] Marriage strengthens bonds between lineages and often creates a basis for interaction among different clans and sub-clans. Thus, in a bottom-up approach to peacebuilding, cross-clan marriage relations could be used to solve disagreements among communities. People who have marriage connections from different clans and sub-clans could play a crucial role in narrowing the differences and perceptions among rival communities to work together toward lasting peace. NGOs and Civil Society: In the building of a local capacity, the NGOs and civil society could contribute a lot in the peaceprocess in Somalia, through awareness raising programs, and by undertaking different socio-economic projects that benefit the local people. Civil society organizations and NGOs could raise the hopes of people of different clans by changing their hearts and minds in order to develop mutual trust and confidence, so that all can work for lasting peace whole-heartedly. The warlords and fighters, who have savaged the country, are sons of these people. If the society could develop confidence and trust in each other, it might be easy to eliminate warlordism.
In every society, the stories you tell to your children are very important for the harmony of the society.[29] If you pass narratives of hatred and enmity to your children, that means the conflict and mistrust will continue. Thus, civil societies, grassroots level organizations, and NGOs are needed to change the hearts and minds of Somali communities, so that they can begin to bury the past misery, hatred and enmity, for the sake of peace and a united Somalia. Timing Since From Bottom to the Top approach requires mutual understanding and confidence-building among communities, there should be no time limits during the peace process. "Enough time must be made available to find a quality settlement, that is, one that deals effectively with the basic issues of conflict. When this is not met, and negotiators are forced into rushing a decision, agreements of poor quality may result."[30] Such problems, of limiting time and rushing for a decision, have taught peacemakers bitter lessons that should be remembered, especially those learned during the UN-sponsored Addis Ababa conference of 1993. In connection to the time frame, mediators in the peace process should be  familiar with the social and cultural realities of the communities they are working with, so that they can understand the real problems of the culture, and help work toward their solutions. In protracted conflicts where the societies have suspicion and distrust of each other "only intermediaries that understand the cultural nuances of the society and who enjoy the Confianza (something more than simply 'trust') of the antagonist can hope to carry out intermediary roles successfully."[31]
Though the initiation of building a local capacity should come from within, external support is also important in terms of providing financing, facilities and technical assistance. The Life and Peace Institute and John Paul Lederach also argue that external actors should be limited to facilitation roles.[32] I agree with LPI's and Lederach's idea of facilitation, but external actors who facilitate the process should be sympathetic to the cause of Somali people. They should not be politically motivated and self-interest oriented international and regional actors.
In addition, any facilitation role played by external actors or the international community should not be that of arranging another conference outside Somalia. The international community must also not just pump money into the process for conferences. The international community should provide support for building the Somali local-level capacity for self-government, developing grassroots institutions, and encouraging civil society as a corner stone for regional administrations.

From Bottom to the Top Approach and Somali Traditional Peace and Reconciliation Mechanism

The From Bottom to the Top  approach has clear appeal in Somalia, when we see Somali traditional peace and reconciliation mechanisms called Xeer.[33] "Xeer is a precedent-based social code which is understood to apply to all Somali people  and served as a necessary restraint and moderating guide in disagreements and feuds between groups and individuals ? [it is] equivalent to an ad hoc village council and at which all males are ostensibly permitted to voice their concerns."[34] It is the most democratic tactic, which solves disputes peacefully and allows all people to participate equally in the process of electing their leaders and establishing their administration.
Xeer fits with the bottom-up approach in the sense that it contains social and political conventions and contracts, and it emphasizes a decentralized political authority that is administered by community leaders. "Xeer is an institution to mediate social and political arrangements in present-day Somalia, where anarchy and state collapse continue."[35] Xeer has been tried, experimentally, in khatuma State, Somaliland and Puntland and has proven to be very successful. These three  regions succeeded in creating institutions led by a council of elders that "have both mandates for, and experience in conflict resolution and continuing responsibilities in establishing peace."[36] Especially in Somaliland, the council of elders "succeed not only in creating a constitution but in appointing the government."[37]
khatuma State ,Somaliland,  Puntland state and  Others Coming Soon!  like jubbaland in the pipeline might serve as models for stabilizing the other regions. , Somaliland . Puntland and new khatuma State  has something in common  all three region administrations  has something in common. the land is  inhabited by peace loving people Dhulbahante clan,We also have to take into consideration Dhulbahante clan  politician was one  the founders of the Somali  State Somaliland and Puntland.   If all regions succeed in establishing community-based administrative institutions, the formation of a federal state would not be difficult. "It must be realized that true peace for Somalia can only come from the Somali people themselves, with the engagement of traditional and indigenous peace and reconciliation mechanisms, and without international domination."[38]
Bottom to the Top Approach as a Means for Fair Power and Resources Sharing The problem of power and resource-sharing is a major factor that led to the failure of previous peace efforts in Somalia. The power and resource-sharing problem is not limited to the Somali case; but it is a determining factor in most civil wars and intrastate conflicts. "It is logical as these wars involve a struggle for power and influence in society. This is a way to handle the participation of parties in a society after a war: to give space to a host of actors who have previously been suppressed or excluded from influence."[39] Unless all parties feel secure, the peace-process is likely to fail because it "involves control over government, as government resources can be used to maintain the security dilemma or to transcend it."[40] Thus, ensuring the security of all parties should be part of any peace process.[41]
If one of the warring parties is skeptical about its security after the agreement or in the future government, certainly it will spoil the agreement. "Even a small but dedicated group can commit a series of violent acts that can bring about the collapse of the peace process."[42] Therefore, for any peace process to be successful, it should involve all parties.[43] In addition, a successful peace process requires the properly shared control of power and resources.[44] But "shared control may require some degree of trust; [and] it may also be a temporary arrangement for a transition period?This is where all parties are represented in [the] government according to a formula agreed upon beforehand."[45]
Therefore, in the Somali case, the use of the bottom-up approach is ideal for solving the aforementioned problem of power and resource-sharing, and the participation and security dilemmas. Somalis have a "traditional system of land management, agricultural and grazing systems, conflict mediation, legal adjudication, and related functions."[46] Using this system, Somalis solve disputes related to power, land, resources, and the security of different communities and clans. Somali people "seek broad-based power sharing, both as an echo of the past and as a search for a more participatory future."[47] For this reason, "any new model of governance must include power sharing,"[48] which could only be realized through a bottom-up approach in order to represent all Somalis.

Conclusion

Today, Somalis are in desperate need of peace and stability. After enormous destruction in the economic, social and political spheres of Somalia and loss of life, Somalis need any sort of peace. In all previous peace efforts, Somalis were hoping to hear good news, news of peace and unity. Unfortunately, most of the previous peace efforts could not bring the lasting peace that Somalis have dreamt for decades. The main causes of the conflict are believed to be unequal power and resources sharing among different Somali clans and sub-clans. These issues have never been addressed in the previous efforts. The top-down approach, forming a centralized administration starting from the top-level leadership, was used in the previous peace efforts. However, given the hatred and suspicion among Somali clans, a top-down approach could not solve the Somali problem. The only possible approach that could solve the Somali problem, as this paper argues, is adopting a bottom-up approach.
khatuma State Method is a comprehensive and community-centered long-term  strategy that could bring a lasting peace in divided societies.From Bottom to the Top approach in Somalia requires empowering local people, raising public awareness, and ensuring representation and participation of all sections of the community in the process. Accessible sections of the society like women and elders should play a crucial role in the peace process. In short, a bottom-up approach in Somalia should be indigenizing the peacebuilding process. The peace process should start from within and trickle up in Somalia and should win the hearts and minds of the Somalia people.
Somalis do not need externally convened conferences where self-appointed governments are set up. As history shows us, Djibouti Agreement, the Kampala Accord, and the Roadmap.Garowe I and 2, London Meetings and previous peace and reconciliation  conferences failed and the governments which had been elected in these conferences had no public base. They could not win the support of people, so they could not unite the country. Therefore any future peace process should be inside Somalia by Somalis. External actors should restrict themselves to providing facilitation for the process. In addition, they should provide financial and moral assistance for the process. Otherwise, external actors should let the Somalis take the ball of the peace process and play the game by themselves.

by Abdirahman Warsame 

 Executive Director of the Terror Free Somalia Foundation, a national grassroots organization that opposes terrorism and supports democracy in Africa.

The London conference on Somalia
Khaatumo state Of Somalia have Some Advice For The Participants At The London Conference
Resurrecting the Land of Milk and Honey

Somalia: Jihad against soccer matches

Al-Shabaab is suspected to be doing what it does best here: asymmetrical warfare and the deliberate targeting of civilians. As demonstrated by the advance of Kenyan and Ethiopian troops, the jihadists don't seem to do as well when they have to fight like men. "Blast kills three at Mogadishu football match," from Agence France-Presse, February 27:An explosion killed three people Monday at a football match in the war-torn Somali capital Mogadishu, police and medical officials said."A heavy explosion, presumably a roadside bomb, went off at the football pitch as the match was about to start. ... Three spectators were killed and seven others injured," police Colonel Abdi Mohamed said.
Witnesses said the blast occurred as spectators were arriving at a pitch in the southern Hararyale neighbourhood. One person was killed on the spot, while ambulance driver Mohamed Moalim said two died in hospital. Abduhafid Bashir, a witness, said: "The explosion went off at a corner of the pitch before the game started. I saw the dead body of a young man." No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but Islamist Shebab insurgents have carried out grenade and suicide attacks since abandoning bases in Mogadishu in August. The insurgents have waged a brutal war to oust the Western-backed Somali government and a contingent of African Union forces protecting the weak transitional administration. But the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels are now have been weakened since Kenya and Ethiopia deployed forces late last year to the lawless Horn of Africa country to defeat the insurgents they blame for causing insecurity in the region. The Kenyan forces in the far south have carried out aerial and ground assaults against the extremist militia, while Ethiopian troops in the west last week wrested control of the southern Baidoa town from the rebels.A missile strike last week also killed four Shebab rebels and destroyed their vehicle, reportedly carrying foreign fighters, some 60 kilometres (35 miles) south of Mogadishu.

Somali govt: Al-shabab is behind the Blast at football match


Abdullah Anod
  
MOGADISHU (tf.sf) - Somali government has accused its strongest terms a deadly bomb blast hit on Monday afternoon a football match held in a stadium in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, wounding 8 civilians.

Abdullah Anod, one of TFG armed forces officials told tf.sf  that Al-shabab militants were behind the attack at the stadium in Wardhiglay district that injured at least 8 people, among fans and players.“The incident was tragic and inescapable. Such brutal explosion could only be responsible by Al-shabab militants, it was heavy and deadly, presumably a roadside bomb, went off at the football pitch as the match was about to start,” Mr. Anod said.No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but Al-Shabab insurgents have carried out grenade and suicide attacks since abandoning bases in Mogadishu in August last year in 2011.

Senior al Qaeda official killed in Mogadishu attack

A senior foreign al Shabaab official was killed last night after the man he was deputizing was killed in January in a suspected US drone attack. Sakr was killed in an explosion in Mogadishu last night in what is suspected to have been a trap laid for him. He was the deputy of Lebanese al Shabaab commander Bilal Al Berjawi who was killed in Elasha Biyaha. Sakr was expected to take over the command of a number of foreign militia fighting alongside al Shabaab against AMISOM and Somalia's Transitional Federal Government troops.
However, there have been several killings of foreign fighters since al Qaeda leader Aymaan Zawahiri announced the merger of the group to al Shabaab. The killing of foreign fighters in Somalia has split the al Shabaab  with one group led by Ahmed Godane based in Kismayu, and another allied to Ali Mohamed Rage, Hassan Dahir Aweys and Mukhtar Robow.
In early January, Rage, Robow and Aweys held a crisis meeting to discuss the killing of Berrjawi whose death was blamed on Godane. "Some of our  colleagues may be involved in this latest killing to pursue their own  goals," Robow was quoted telling a crowd in Afgoye shortly after the meeting. The killing of al Qaeda's East African leader Abdul Fazul Mohamed at a roadblock in Mogadishu in June 2011 then his deputy Al Berrjawi and now Sakr has led to mass escape to Yemen by foreign fighters who are afraid of being killed in the infighting. Sakr was arrested in Kenya in 2009 alongside Berrjawi on suspicion of their involvement in terror activities, but they were deported. It is suspected that Godane's faction is conspiring to eliminate foreign fighters anmd commanders allied to al Qaeda in order to take over as the commander. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Saving Somalia: A wasted effort? - Inside Story - Al Jazeera English

Saving Somalia: A wasted effort? - Inside Story - Al Jazeera English

KDF capture major areas in Somalia

The Standard | KDF capture major areas in Somalia

Charcoal is fueling Al Shabaab

Al Shabaab says extends reach into Somalia's Puntland


MOGADISHU (Reuters) - An Islamist militia group in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region has merged with the al Shabaab rebel group, said the insurgents on Saturday, a union which threatens to destabilize the relatively secure area targeted by oil explorers.Al Shabaab said it wanted to scrap the licenses of Western oil and gas firms drilling in Puntland. The al Qaeda-backed insurgents used social media site twitter to declare all oil and gas exploration and drilling licenses nullified.While they do not hold the administrative control in the region needed to enforce their demand, the militants could try to target installations operated by Western oil companies.The Puntland administration was not immediately available for comment.The union comes as the insurgents are being weakened, relinquishing ground to African Union troops around the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and losing territory to Kenyan and Ethiopian forces in parts of southern and central Somalia.Puntland security officials have previously said the Islamist militia camped out in the Golis hills outside the port city of Bosasso is led by Yasin Khalid Osman."I ... the leader of Golis ranges Islamists have signed an agreement with al Shabaab leader Sheikh Muktar Abu Zubeir. We are now al Shabaab," a voice identifying itself as Osman said in an audio recording on al Shabaab's website."I urge residents to take part in the jihad against the Christian invaders and the Somali infidels that work with them," he said, referring to the foreign troops inside Somalia.Osman rarely makes statements and it was not immediately possible to verify his voice.
SHOWCASE
Last month, Canadian oil and gas exploration company Africa Oil Corp. began drilling an exploratory well in Puntland, the first to be sunk in the country since civil war erupted two decades ago.Africa Oil and its partners in the two Puntland licenses, Australia's Red Emperor and Range Resources, are targeting prospective resources of over 300 million barrels of recoverable oil.In a country that has lacked effective central government for two decades, Puntland's relative stability is showcased by foreign powers advocating a loose federal political system in Somalia.Some donors have focused development funding on the semi-autonomous region as a reward.However, Puntland's authorities have blamed the militants for the mounting insecurity in the region. While al Shabaab control parts of southern and central Somalia, they still have a much lighter presence further north."The jihad will be redoubled in those areas," Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, al Shabaab's spokesman, told Reuters.

EXCLUSIVE REPORT:Identities of international militants killed in suspected #Somalia drone strike revealed.The first is named a “Sheikh Abu Ibrahim” (pictured below) who is a Morrocan national, Sheikh Abu Ibrahim. Al-Shabab: Moroccan militant killed by US drone




clapping






update on Reports: Air Strike Kills Al-Shabaab Militants In Somalia

 (note: links and blog contents are for research and educational purposes only, links are not to endorse sites or contents)

US military launched a drone strike yesterday, against a convoy carrying international militants linked to Al Qaeda, the convoy was travelling in an area known as K60 approximately 60KM (35M) south of the capital Mogadishu in the lower Shabelle region.
“We heard a very loud explosion, and people are saying the target was a vehicle of al-Shabab,” Ahmed Moalim, a resident in a nearby village, told AFP.
 US officials confirmed the strike against the foreign convoy on a condition of anonymity, a second US official speaking to the assosiated press said a “white” Kenyan killed in the strike was not a target.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC that some of those killed appeared to be of European or Asian origin.
 According to “somalimemo” a somali islamist news site sympathetic to Harakat Al Shabaab Al mujahideen (HSM), a member of  Jihadi Al Qaeda affiliated Al Shumukh forum,  partially revealed the identity of one of those targeted in the US drone strike.
Those killed according to the forum member are two Muhajireen (emigrants) and one Ansari (Supporter/Local).
The first is named a “Sheikh Abu Ibrahim” (pictured below) who is a Morrocan national, Sheikh Abu Ibrahim is said to be the man who features in a video released by HSM media wing Al kataib (the brigades) named “Ba’thu Osama” (usama’s expedition), Abu Ibrahim appears in the video eulogizing  the Al Qaeda leader Osama bin laden killed in navy seal raid in the Pakistani city of abbotabad last year.
The other two are named as “abu ahmed” whose country of origin is not known as yet (possibly the “white” Kenyan US officials mentioned) , and Abu Bakar who is said to be a Somali national.
The US administration has been almost exclusively targeting foreign fighters it accuses of being
Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen, who recently pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda  , have so far neither confirmed or denied the drone strike.

Moroccan jihadist killed in Somalia airstrike - The Long War Journal. US blast Brit plan to bomb terrorists. Somali al Qaeda's western reach

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: The Somali Awakening: Abolish the TFG & TFP

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: The Somali Awakening: Abolish the TFG & TFP

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Somalia: Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab militia shabaab carried out another barbaric actions .amputated the hand of a young Somali boy

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Somalia: Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab militia shabaab carried out another barbaric actions .amputated the hand of a young Somali boy

TFG, Ethiopian troops conduct security operation in Baidoa

Somali and Ethiopian forces in South-west city of Baidoa are reportedly conducting security operation in the city which has fallen into their hands on Wednesday.Reports say the operation started after a landmine exploded in an area called Afar-Irdod, targeting Ethiopian troops.There is no official Somali government comment regarding the operation.The operation comes a day after Somali and Ethiopian forces wrested the city from Al-Qaeda-backed Al-Shabaab rebel group without any bloodshed.Baidoa is a business route for most commodities that are transported from Mogadishu to other towns in the region. It also has an airport, which the rebel group is thought to have used to bring in weapons.Reports say the allied forces have set up bases on the outskirt of the city. They are also pitching tents in several other buildings including the area presidential palace, Hasey Factory and the area airstrip as well as an area called Asharow.Both Somalia and the African Union have applauded the capture of Baidoa, saying it is of huge significant for the Somali people.

Hillary Clinton: Time to buckle down in Somalia. US considering sanctions on Somalia ‘spoilers’

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the international community will not extend Somalia’s Transitional Government’s mandate after the August deadline.The Secretary of State was speaking at the opening of the Somali conference in London where world leaders were discussing on finding peace and ending threats of terrorism and piracy.“Time is of the asset, and I want to be clearer, the international community will not support an extension of the TFG’s mandate beyond the date said in the roadmap-August 20th”, said Clinton.She said the goals they expect to achieve under this timeline are ambitious, adding that the people of Somalia have waited many years, heard many promises and have seen many promises come and go.Clinton said the time has ripped “to buckle down and do the work that will bring stability to Somalia for the first time in many people’s lives.”Clinton, whoever, made clearer position of the United States regarding people trying to disrupt efforts to stabilise the country.“The position of the United States is straight forward; attempts to obstruct progress and maintain the broken status-quo will not be tolerated” she added.Hillary Clinton said the U.S will encourage the international community to impose further sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes on people inside and outside the TFG who seek to undermine Somalia’s peace and security or the political transitionClinton was among the world leaders meeting in London to discuss the future of the Somalia, including how to help tackle piracy, civil war and famine.At the start of the conference, Hillary Clinton announced an extra $64m in aid for the Horn of Africa, saying Somalia’s people deserved to see international promises kept

US considering sanctions on Somalia ‘spoilers’
The US is mulling the possibility of imposing sanctions on “spoilers” blocking political progress in Somalia, a US official said Wednesday on the eve of a London conference to address the country’s troubles.

“We would contemplate imposing both travel restrictions and visa bans on individuals who serve as spoilers in the political process,” the senior US State Department official told reporters under the cover of anonymity.
These sanctions could involve officials within the Somali transitional government (TFG), he added.“We are saying very clearly that individuals who undermine political progress” towards the implementation of basic structures intended to replace the TFG by August “should be held accountable,” he stressed.“We have indicated (this) in various discussions with TFG officials and also with other Western partners,” he added.Another US official said sanctions are likely to be discussed at the London conference, which has already kicked off on Thursday.Source: AFP

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Shabab leaders from the Northern Somalia are mainly to blame for destroying Southern Somalia.

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Shabab leaders from the Northern Somalia are mainly to blame for destroying Southern Somalia.

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Somalia: 20 years of anarchy

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Somalia: 20 years of anarchy

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre departing words to the Somali people. Nations must learn from past mistakes in helping Somalia

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: City of Minneapolis Minnesota USA Not Hargeysa No tribal entity sepretest Somaliland Flag Allowed... or 1/2 green Hamas flags?

Terror Free Somalia Foundation: City of Minneapolis Minnesota USA Not Hargeysa No tribal entity sepretest Somaliland Flag Allowed... or 1/2 green Hamas flags?

The world should join hands to get Somalia back on its feet




Yesterday Britain hosted a major international conference on Somalia, attended by heads of government and senior representatives from more than 50 countries and organisations, including Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, the AU Secretary General Jean Ping and a large delegation of Somali leaders.

Together we agreed that the time was right to work on a series of practical measures aimed at helping Somalia get back on its feet. 
First, we affirmed that the transitional government in Somalia must end in August and that there must be no further extensions.  The Somali people must determine the shape of their future political institutions – so we emphasised that the political process must be inclusive and representative. 

We also agreed that the political process should be open to all those who are prepared to reject violence, including those in areas currently under Al Shabaab control.


We also acted on the decision of African Heads of State to establish a Joint Financial Management Board to improve public financial management.  Our aim is to have a mechanism in place for reducing corruption, rebuilding trust and ensuring that Somali and donor funds are properly and transparently spent on providing services to the Somali people. 

Establishing security is essential for making political progress. That’s why the international community has agreed to help AMISOM (the African Union troops) extend beyond Mogadishu, to further counter the challenge currently posed by Al Shabaab.  A new UN resolution has endorsed an increase in troops from 12,000 to 17,731, along with a new equipment package.

We also moved to support Somalia’s regions of relative stability, agreeing principles for aid and establishing a new fund to resolve disputes at the local level, provide jobs and basic services that local people need and support the development of the local authorities.  The British Government announced a contribution of £15 million and several countries followed suit.  

The conference also addressed the challenge of terrorism - a threat shared by the Somali people, the region and the wider world - prioritising the need to disrupt terrorists’ travel to and from Somalia and to disrupt their finances. We will also be supporting the Somali criminal justice system.

On piracy, the British Government and the Seychelles will establish a new regional Anti-Piracy centre with support from other partners, which will look to prosecute the king-pins, ransom negotiators and middle men to break the piracy business cycle.   There were also a number of agreements between nations to make it easier for suspected pirates to be tried in the region, and then transferred to Somali prisons.

Somalia has suffered from a terrible famine in the past year. The conference also highlighted the need for donors from across the world to continue to respond generously to the crisis – and provide aid on the basis of need alone. 
Despite the welcome announcement by the UN that famine conditions in Somalia have now ended, the humanitarian situation remains gravely concerning.  About 2.34 million people are still affected.

Together these measures represent an attempt to change the dynamic in Somalia from one of inexorable decline to one of gradually increasing stability and security.  We must be under no illusions about how long it will take to achieve it and our approach must be realistic and sober. 

We cannot turn Somalia around with one conference and the future is ultimately in the hands of Somalis themselves. However, Somalis cannot do it on their own; that is why we called this conference – to galvanise international support to Somalia and to send a signal to the people of Somalia that we will stand by them. And to remind all those who wilfully import and perpetuate violence and terrorism there that they should not underestimate our resolve. via the citizen.



Baidoa hopes as troops search for Somali rebel remnants. Blasts in Somali town seized by Ethiopia from rebels. AU Official Welcomes London Somali Conference, Capture of Baidoa


MOGADISHU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Ethiopian and Somali troops searched houses for lingering al Shabaab militants in the captured rebel stronghold of Baidoa on Thursday, said a regional official and residents hopeful of a new start.The al Qaeda-backed militants suffered a significant blow when they surrendered the strategic city on Wednesday after columns of Ethiopian troops backed by tanks rolled through outlying areas."We were engaged in house-to-house inspections today. With the help of residents, we collected bombs, grenades and explosive devices," Abdifatah Mohamed Ibrahim Gesey, the governor of Bay region which includes Baidoa, told Reuters.Ethiopian soldiers set up bases at the former government headquarters and at the city's airstrip, as well as checkpoints on the road leading southeast to Mogadishu.Al Shabaab appear weakened as Ethiopian and Kenyan troops move on rebel strongholds in southern Somalia, but they must be routed from the port city of Kismayu, their main outpost, for any hope of a military victory, security analysts say.Addressing a conference aimed at energizing attempts to end the anarchy in Somalia, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demanded greater efforts to cut funding for al Shabaab militants fighting Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG).


REVENGE FEARS

Some civilians who had fled Baidoa early on Wednesday having feared a bloody battle for control of the city began trickling back, quietly celebrating what they hoped was the end of al Shabaab's draconian three-year rule over their lives.Any joy, however, was tempered with anticipation of revenge attacks."The capture of Baidoa reminds me of the good life when the government ruled here. Life was pleasure and there was cash everywhere," Rukia Aden, a mother-of-four, told Reuters.Others forecast businesses would benefit from the end of taxes levied by the militants infamous for amputating the hands of thieves, banning women from wearing bras and forcefully recruiting youths into their rank.Addis Ababa sent troops across the border into Somalia in November to open up another front against the militants already suffering financial constraints and internal divisions.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said last month his troops would stay indefinitely in Somalia until AMISOM troops replace them, to avoid a power vacuum that could see a resurgence of Islamist militants or warlords in the country.

Blasts in Somali town seized by Ethiopia from rebels

AU Official Welcomes London Somali Conference, Capture of Baidoa 


World pledges new help for Somalia but rebels defiant. US threatens sanctions on Somali peace spoilers. Somali PM would welcome air strikes against militants. PM: No impunity for Somali pirates


LONDON (AFP) - International powers pledged Thursday to boost aid for Somalia to tackle Islamist militancy, piracy and political instability, warning that failure to help now could hurt the rest of the world.
In a final communique, 55 countries and organisations gathered in London said they would act to punish anyone trying to prevent a peace process under which the fragile transitional government will hand over power in August.But even as the leaders discussed the Horn of Africa nation's attempts to end two decades of chaos, Somalia's Al-Qaeda-allied Shebab insurgents vowed to "wage war" against any international peace initiative.British Prime Minister David Cameron said the problems Somalia faced, ranging from Shebab militants and pirates plaguing the Indian Ocean, had global implications."After two decades of bloodshed and some of the worst poverty on Earth, there are the first signs of fragile progress in Somalia," he said."Supporting these efforts is not just right for the people of Somalia, it is right for the whole world."Because when pirates are disrupting vital trade routes and kidnapping tourists and when radicalism is poisoning young minds and breeding terrorism, it is in all our interests to support the Somali people in taking back their country."UN chief Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were among those attending the talks in London, along with Somalia's president and prime minister, the Arab League and the African Union.The communique also hailed the UN Security Council's decision on Wednesday to boost the AU force in the country to 17,000, but was short on promises of concrete assistance for Somalia.It said possible sanctions would be further discussed at a follow-up summit scheduled for June in Istanbul.Clinton said earlier the United States would push for sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, for those "standing in the way" of progress by the fragile transitional government, whose mandate expires in August.She also pledged an extra $64 million in humanitarian assistance to the region to help improve the lives of ordinary Somalis, blighted by famine and civil war for the past 21 years.We have come together at a critical halfway point," she said.Ban meanwhile urged the world to build on recent progress.
"We have opened a space for peace and stability in Somalia. It is a small space but it presents an opportunity we cannot afford to miss," the UN secretary-general said.In the chaotic Somali capital Mogadishu, residents raised home-made British flags on Thursday in solidarity with the conference...more
US threatens sanctions on Somali peace spoilers



(Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday threatened sanctions on anyone blocking reforms intended to end Somalia's "hopeless, bloody conflict" and counter militant and pirate groups seen as a growing menace to world security.Addressing a conference aimed at energizing attempts to end more than 20 years of anarchy, Clinton also demanded greater efforts to cut funding for al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants fighting Somalia's weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG).Al Shabaab is the most powerful of an array of militias spawned by the conflict in Somalia, where armed groups have a history of wrecking attempted political settlements and perpetuating war, instability and famine."The position of the United States is straightforward: attempts to obstruct progress and maintain the broken status quo will not be tolerated," Clinton told the one-day gathering in London of about 40 African, Arab and Western leaders and government ministers."We will encourage the international community to impose further sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on people inside and outside the TFG who seek to undermine Somalia's peace and security or to delay or even prevent the political transition."A conference communique said participants agreed to "act against spoilers to the peace process, and we would consider proposals" before a followup conference in Istanbul in June.In a statement, al Shabaab dismissed the London meeting as part of a "concerted Crusade against the Muslims of Somalia" and pledged to fight on to establish Islamic rule.President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed of Somalia's TFG said Somalis wanted to shake off "horrendous memories of the past" but feared the gathering might be just another diplomatic talking shop.
"Today we are looking for security. We are scared," he said. "We want to know what happened to the resolutions, all those hopes in the past which never saw the light of day and which remain as mere words on pieces of paper?"Clinton and other speakers welcomed a February 17 agreement among Somali leaders on plans for a parliament and constituent assembly to replace the TFG when its mandate expires in August.
FRACTIOUS
Establishing a legitimate successor government seen as inclusive by the fractious clans would be a vital step in restoring respect for formal politics among Somalis who tend to equate state power with corruption and brutality.In a remark likely to stir attention in Mogadishu, Clinton raised the possibility of what she called "a more permanent diplomatic presence in Somalia" as security improves.
U.S. diplomacy is currently managed from neighboring Kenya. The United States closed its embassy in Mogadishu in 1991, the year Somalia collapsed into feuding between warlords, clans and factions after president Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown.Up to a million people have since been killed, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The TFG got a boost on the eve of the conference when the U.N. Security Council voted to increase by nearly half an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia, seeking to press home a military offensive against al Shabaab.The resolution expanding the AMISOM force to 17,731 from 12,000 troops and police passed the council unanimously.But some experts worry that the military campaign against al Shabaab may divert the energies of the TFG, a body widely seen as corrupt, badly managed and riddled with infighting.
Clinton said al Shabaab was weakening but pressure needed to be maintained. "Especially in south central Somalia, it has turned an already bad situation into a nightmare. It has dragged fathers and sons from their homes and forced them to fight in a hopeless, bloody conflict," she said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron told the gathering that a failure to end Somalia's chaos would endanger international security, arguing that Somalia's problems "affect us all."
RANSOM
"In a country where there is no hope, chaos, violence and terrorism thrive. Pirates are disrupting vital trade routes and kidnapping tourists," he said.Cameron announced several aid and development initiatives including a proposal to set up an international taskforce on ransoms, the main tactic used by Somali pirates who seize ships and their crews in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden.Cameron told a news conference Mauritius and Tanzania had agreed to take suspected pirates captured at sea for trial in their courts as part of an effort to strengthen the Indian Ocean region's judicial capacity to address piracy.British officials said the breakaway Somali enclave of Somaliland had said it was prepared to take pirates into its jails who are currently being held in the Seychelles."There will be no impunity for piracy," the communique said. "We reiterated our determination to prosecute the kingpins of piracy." PM: No impunity for Somali pirates

Somali PM would welcome air strikes against militants

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner  General Mohamed Abshir

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater
Somalia army parade 1979

Sultan Kenadid

Sultan Kenadid
Sultanate of Obbia

President of the United Meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Egal of the Somali Republic,

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Sultanate of Warsengeli

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre
Siad Barre ( A somali Hero )

MoS Moments of Silence

MoS Moments of Silence
honor the fallen

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre  and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie
Beautiful handshake

May Allah bless him and give Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan

May Allah bless him and give  Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan
Honorable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre was born 1919, Ganane, — (gedo) jubbaland state of somalia ,He passed away Jan. 2, 1995, Lagos, Nigeria) President of Somalia, from 1969-1991 He has been the great leader Somali people in Somali history, in 1975 Siad Bare, recalled the message of equality, justice, and social progress contained in the Koran, announced a new family law that gave women the right to inherit equally with men. The occasion was the twenty –seventh anniversary of the death of a national heroine, Hawa Othman Tako, who had been killed in 1948 during politbeginning in 1979 with a group of Terrorist fied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre , the Terrorist Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre . In January 1989, the Terrorist United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group Terrorist of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC Terrorist was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Terrorist Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a Terrorist prisoner imprisoner from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other Terrorist groups, including the SNM (ONLF) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Terrorist Ogadeen sub-clan force under Terrorist Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. , 1991By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre’s government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre’s effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM Terrorist advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed factions Terrorist drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew. Warlordism, terrorism. PIRATES ,(TRIBILISM) Replaces the Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre administration .While the terrorist threat in Somalia is real, Somalia’s rich history and cultural traditions have helped to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism. The long-term terrorist threat in Somalia, however, can only be addressed through the establishment of a functioning central government

The Honourable Ronald Reagan,

When our world changed forever

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)
Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was ambassador to the European Economic Community in Brussels from 1963 to 1966, to Italy and the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in Rome from 1969 to 1973, and to the French Govern­ment in Paris from 1974 to 1979.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac 'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac  'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.
Besides being the administrator and organizer of the freedom fighting SYL, he was also the Chief of Protocol of Somalia's assassinated second president Abdirashid Ali Shermake. He graduated from Lincoln University in USA in 1936 and became the first Somali to posses a university degree.

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic
Somalia

About Us

The Foundation is dedicated to networking like-minded Somalis opposed to the terrorist insurgency that is plaguing our beloved homeland and informing the international public at large about what is really happening throughout the Horn of Africa region.

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We Are Winning the War on Terrorism in Horn of Africa

The threat is from violent extremists who are a small minority of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the threat is real. They distort Islam. They kill man, woman and child; Christian and Hindu, Jew and Muslim. They seek to create a repressive caliphate. To defeat this enemy, we must understand who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.

Terror Free Somalia Foundation