Vested interests spur war in Somalia

For years, Somalia has earned many adjectives as a ‘failed state’, ‘war-torn country’ and ‘haven for terrorists’.

Somalia has not had a central government since the late dictator Siad Barre was toppled from power in 1991. The war that continues to rage has claimed the lives of thousands of women and children, making life miserable.

The players in this arena include warlords, religious extremists, the unpopular and unelected Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and business opportunists out to cash in on the war.

To sustain the conflict between these inside players, outside groups with vested interests have not made things any better.

This category includes the regime of Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia, the misguided American policy of interventionism, the indifferent African Union and the helpless Arab League.

Politically disorganised

Mr Zenawi sees Somalia as a country that should permanently depend on Ethiopia. For this to happen, Somalia must be militarily weak, politically disorganised and geographically dismembered into smaller states like Somaliland and Puntland.

For Zenawi to fulfill his expansionist ambitions in the Horn of Africa, his plan is to ensure every Somali transitional government fails. By doing, he would ensure that all warring factions acquire enough military hardware to sustain the conflict even as Ethiopia arms the TFG.

The Eritrea factor is another obstacle to peace. The country’s interest in Somalia is to perpetuate the conflict because it poses a threat to Ethiopia. This serves to counterbalance Ethiopia’s permanent aggression against Eritrea.

The Sharia law factor is another challenge. Western countries are never happy with countries that govern their citizens through Islamic rule.

Al-shaabab also has its own interpretation of Islamic law that is contentious because it’s using Islam to serve its own interest.

Therefore, until individuals and entities with vested interests come to their senses, peace in Somalia

Will remain an illusion

But peace also depends on how Somalis themselves accommodate, forgive and embrace one another as brothers and sisters.

If they can iron out their differences peacefully, there is hope for a better Somalia.

{Abdiaziz Luqman, Egerton Varsity}