an Article By SAKAWDIN MOHAMED — Why the US dispatched the largest military to aid Southern Somalis back in 1994? • Why has the US been so willing to provide humanitarian assistance to Somali refugees? Historical significance of the relation between people of southern Somalia (mainly the peace-loving tribes of Somalia of Digil, Bantu, Bravans, Bajunis, and Banadiris) and the United States traces back centuries of mutual, natural, cultural and humanitarian relations that the ideological connection between the two happens to be indistinguishable by nature. They are people that believe in equality and only hard work pays. Their ideals have always been the pursuit of happens, liberty and freedom for all without dominations of any sort. From the time of the Italian colonialism up to this point; these tribes over and over again refused to participate in any violence means of attaining one’s rights and always opt-out through means of understanding and other peaceful methods known by many and proven to be productive. There is no known case of reported any armed repel group belonging to these tribes.
As the United States, Southern Somalia has always been welcoming place for those seeking work, economic, better living conditions, education, and diverse experiences as well as the “adventurer, the wanderer, the persecuted, the fortune seekers, and others” Southern Somalia was a kaleidoscope of other Somali ethnic and cultural groups!
Since the independence, Southern Somalis had favorable view about the United States. Majority of the opinion polls amongst Somalis suggest that Somalis minorities in the south favor a normalization of relations with the US. Even after the independence while Mr. Bare regime became hostile to US relations, the United States have always maintained good relations with the Somali people because of the genuine human connection and shared ideology and respect. The U.S. had maintained strong ties with people of Southern Somalia, despite the long hard relations with the Somali regimes through Peace Corps volunteers, humanitarian aid and other cultural exchange programs. The historic bond between the American people and the people of Southern Somali was put to test, when the central government of Somali collapsed, the country’s humanitarian situation was becoming disastrous.
This was especially true in southern Somalia, where looting clan armies were fighting over the different quarters of Mogadishu, as well as the cities of Badio and Kismayu. With the security situation so risky, farmers in Southern Somalia were unable to plant and harvest (Cohen, 2002). By mid-1992, the UN was reporting growing starvation in southern Somalia, with infants, nursing mothers and the elderly as the chief victims. Thus, Somalia again became a major policy issue for the United States government.
The US did what a natural caring friend would have done. The US government dispatched the largest humanitarian aid ever dispatched. According to Joint Needs Assessment (Somalia-JNA) report, their geographical focus is on southern Somalia, roughly the area between the middle Shebelle River valley and the Kenya border, including the coastal region from Mogadishu to Kismayu. This part of Somalia experienced the most sustained inter-clan fighting following the collapse of the Siyad Bare regime in early 1991, and it is the area where most of the 28,000 United States peacekeepers were deployed in December 1992 (Cassanelli, 1995).
The Southern Somalis became stalwart allies of the U.S. in the 1992 war with Aided, when many ethnic southerners grieved for the U.S. soldiers killed while assisting starving Somalis and were a vital part of assisting American peace-keepers while staying the areas where they lived. Their bravery was unsurpassed and they have remained US allies since. After the withdrawal of the American soldiers and the formation of the stronger SNA in Somalia, the South Somalis were persecuted by the Aideed’s militia men largely because of their assistance to the U.S. during the Operation Restore Hope. Such circumstances have caused South Somalis from persecuted communities to seek refuge and asylum in other nations. Of grave concern to Southerners are the internally displaced Southern Somalia in the cities Brava, Afgoye, Kismayu, Merca and many other places lower Shebelle who are in imminent danger of being forcibly recruited and at times persecuted for not supporting the Shabaab militias.
To many southerners, the conflict between Shabaab and the Somali government has been the main event. Lower Shebelle, where Al-Shabaab is waging a war against the unarmed indigenous population, and force recruits them into their cause. Southern Somalia has the agricultural might – a sizable agrarian population, a deep sense of alienation as a Muslim Sufis/peace-loving society long oppressed by the Muslim Extremists/Other Major clans and regimes in Somalia; and a natural affinity for political and economic alliance with any other legitimate Somali governments and any other peace movements (from Operation Restore Hope to current Mr. Sharif government). Not Somaliland or Puntland, but Southern Somalia more specifically Lower Shebelle region is shaping up to be a critical test of America’s ability to reform distant trouble spots especially as Al-Shabaab continues to expand its control in these areas.
Southern Somalis is the only allies that the US can have as these tribes always wanted and continue to put war behind them—the US must stand with these Southerners who seek to build and sustain peace in Somalia. Peace in Somali rests when Southern Somalis are organized and strengthen enough to protect their territories and deny safe haven for the trouble- makers. U.S. and other international aid have to invest where it is critically and strategically wanted. In order to win the hearts-and-minds of the local populations in Southern Somalia ministerial agencies, roads, and schools must be built. This will assist the establishment of a fledgling Southern Somali state that will be able to stand on its own. Capacity building efforts in Southern Somali has to be a strategic focus for the AMISOM and the international community in general.
We are once again call on the United States to rescue people of Southern Somalia from extremism and their evil intentions. The US has to help build schools, roads, … in Merca, Badio, Brava, Afgoye where large indoctrinations of young Southern Somalis occurs some by force and some by deception. America and Southern Somali should have a long-term humanitarian, political and economic partnership that is if Somali and the region needs to prosper and avoid similar humanitarian crisis as we saw back in 1992 in Badio and lower Shebelle area. International community has to learn lesson in turning their back on Southern Somali and focus Somaliland or other regions. Success in Southern Somali will be critical for the future of the Somali people in general no matter what region or what tribe that they are from, for the stability of the region.
Similarly Southern Somalis must recognize who their real friends are and must remember the past and learn from their past. Nearly nine years ago, so called Islamic courts killed thousands of civilians and destroyed iconic symbols of Southern Somali prosperity and progress. Dug-out and tossed the graves of your fore-fathers and carried many extra-judicial killings simply that you are defenseless people and chose to live in peace and shed no blood of the innocent/neighbors. Before that, the same terrorists had taken Southern Somalia hostage and had killed and tortured our people for years. These terrible conditions brought many nations together in a partnership including (Uganda and the rest of African nations).
Sakawdin Mohamed, MS, MPA-candidate
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This person is a person that does not believe in allah’s power and what allah can do for him. He is crying for humans who creatd most of the problems for his country to help him. Please grow up and stop dividing the somali people, be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Both somaliland and southern and anything in between are somlia. You are dividing somalis into tribes yet you are claiming to be educated. Your poor style of writing and many grammatical errors in your article and your thoughts all together are shameful.
I think Mr Omar held the wrong end of the stick and make some suggestion that he needs to lear alot and go back to school. please Omar you seriuoly need to learn how to sort out fact from fiction.
I wonder what is your take towards this article by Mr. Mohamed. the statement is crystal clear but the way you are painting is repurcussion to you and it shows your pessimistic political stance. you should also need to grow up and leave from your clan favoratism. please my poor fellow somalian learn how to talk outside of clanish belief system and start to love those who have been suffering in somalia. one more suggestion stop baby talking in public and start reading Somalia’s history. wish you good luck.