News Analysis
Ahmed Ali Jegan
Nairobi (Somali Press Review, March, 30)–The Asmara Based Somali opposition is facing its first major political test since it was formed in August last year when more than three hundred Somalis convened in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. Many issues that were not addressed for reasons of momentary solidarity are now resurfacing in the opposition. A couple of months ago Al Shabaab insurgents in Mogadishu distanced themselves from the Asmara based group. Al Shabaab spokesman, Abu Mansuur, was angered by the coalition made up of former Islamic Courts’ leaders and politicians who still believe in the legitimacy of the Transitional Federal Institutions. Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweis, the Union of Islamic Courts leader, downplayed schism. A major bone of contention was the appointment of Sheikh Yusuf Mohamed Siyad (Indha’adde) as the defence chief of the opposition. Sheikh Siyad was the defence secretary for the Islamic Union of Courts. He is regarded by many as a man who made policies without consulting the Courts’ leadership.
The designation of Al Shabaab as a terrorist organisation has given the Asmara based leaders, especially Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, an opportunity to recover political ground lost internationally since the defeat of the Courts forces by the Ethiopian army in December 2006. Although the Union of Islamic Courts’ leaders have operated under religious-cum-nationalist platform, they have now adopted a stealthily moderated stance after meeting with the Egyptian officials in Cairo recently. This news was broken in Al Ahram Weekly by the columnist Galal Nasar who said the Islamic Courts “are more clannish than the Palestinians and less sectarian than the Iraqis.” Will such a change of position bring the opposition and the Transitional Federal Government closer to the negotiation table? “The opposition’s standpoint is pragmatic and it can be a basis for negotiation but Eritrea will not be happy to see the Somali opposition throwing the ‘re-liberation’ card, ” says Mohamed Ali Siyad, a Somali analyst in London.
The international community has emphasised that the solution to the Somali crisis ought to be a political one. The opposition has rebuffed the Somali prime minister’s peace overtures. The Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia looks fragile because incoherent policies and public relations setbacks in the international arena.
2 Comments
Why don’t we establish a genuine United Horn of African Nations but this only be acheived when both dictators in Eritrea and Ethiopia, Isayas and Melels, destroyed and replaced by democratic government. Let we start today by thinking positive and join or establish a democratic movements either in the core states or from outside in the perphery. Do you understand my friend what I mean?
God Bless the United Horn of Africa Nations!
somalia is independent countrey the asult of ethiopia is an aceptbale as longg as ethiopian are somali country peace will never take place and aney one who opoese ethopia wil win hart and mind at laest most somalia peaple there is only one good sulition be against ethiopa where ever you are den you will succeed there for asmara group is winar