Somali Peace Rally (Galkaio City)

Somalia: Blaming Djibouti is a Lame-Duck Tactic

press release

­After a year and few months of stop-go Somali talks in Kenya, the good intentions of the international community who sponsored these talks seem to be ending up in the wrong foot that they started.

Two dozen warlords, who have no respect for good governance and/or accountability, and their sympathizers, were gathered to take Somali out of its current mess. Instead, they hijacked the goodwill of the international community for their own greed and self aggrandizement.

The worst civil war in some parts of Somalia erupted before the ink of the so-called "seize-fire agreement" dried up. Unfortunately, still we read IGAD talking about this worthless agreement, signed by two-dozen warlords who most of them have common denominators. Some have continued to commit crimes against their own people, including broad-day-light assassinations. Calling these losers the "leaders committee" has been the misnomer of 2003.

These "losers committee" who are mainly in the service of a foreign hand that is apparently against a strong Somalia, made Somalia and the Somalis a laughing stock in the eyes of the world community. This latest cheap ruse of blaming Djbouti in fomenting war between Puntland and Somaliland is obviously a lame excuse to justify the failure of these men on anything more than a goaded handshaking.

Djibouti has shown its interest in forming a national government for Somalia but its efforts failed primarily because of Somalia’s enemies, be it "these losers", their godmother and the unfortunate leadership elected at Arte. Somalis will never forget the efforts of Djbouti whatever a power hungry warlords who have no qualms with killing respected traditional leaders.

Blaming Djibouti will not drum up support for a war triggered by brigands holding a large swathes of Somalia hostage. Nor will it be an excuse to withdraw from the ill-fated conference in Kenya. Indeed, the blame of any bloodshed lies with the power hungry warlords and their sponsor who have inundated Somalia with weapons and ammunition in breach of the UN’s embargo on Somalia.

The recent threat of taking Somali warlords to court because of "slow genocide" (not to mention their violent actions) should be taken seriously. SPR urges all peace loving Somalis and the international community not to expect anything from the losers’ committee, but indeed take them to where they deserve - the UN Court in Arusha.


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