The AMISOM Mandate includes protecting Somalia’s Territorial Sovereignty
The minority Ethiopian Tigray elite through its 0.1 rule (Ethiopia is made up of 9 ethnic groups in contrast with the 4.5 system in Somalia) needs to realise that Somalia will never be a region of Ethiopia. Contrary to the remarks by Hussein Aideed, former Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, in January 2007 every Somali should reject the sharing of a passport or wiping out of the territorial boundary. With various “lands” being formed within Somalia, it was implausible and unacceptable a claim then as it is now. Even the countries which willingly join international organisations such as the European Union (EU) and The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) maintain their own passport, territorial boundary and national identity.
No truly patriotic Somali would ever advocate union with Ethiopia. We need only look at the treatment of the Somali people of the Ogaden to realise unification with Ethiopia offers absolutely no benefits. As many of the other regions of Ethiopia fighting for self-determination have shown, it will result only in chronic underdevelopment, repression and human rights abuses. Somalia is seeking to emerge as a democratic nation with entrepreneurship (not aid dependency) for economic development. We cannot afford to be dragged back into failed dictatorship which only lays the foundation for civil fragmentation and tribal division. The dictatorship in Ethiopia should focus on improving conditions within its country instead of searching for resources on the borders of Somalia.
The incursions into Somalia by the Ethiopian Army is in breach of the AMISOM mandate for the “protection of all those involved in a national reconciliation congress involving all stakeholders, including political leaders, clan leaders, religious leaders and representatives of civil society.” The African Union (AU) troops should carry out their duties and confront the Ethiopian Army within Somalia if it continues to transgress into Somali territory. The threat to Somalia’s sovereignty, peace and stability is not only from armed groups fighting the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) but also from a foreign military which seems to lack a GPS (Global Positioning System) device.
Point 3 of Resolution 1744 (2007) of the Security Council, stated “its intention to consider taking measures against those who seek to prevent or block a peaceful political process, threaten the Transitional Federal Institutions by force, or take action that undermines stability in Somalia or the region”. The Ethiopian Army by violating Somalia’s territorial sovereignty, as protected by the 1960 Constitution and The Charter of The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, is looking for confrontation with the Somali people. Given the deep ethnic divisions within Ethiopia and the armed liberation groups, for the minority Tigray, going to Somalia for conflict long-term will only leave them vulnerable to overthrow at home. A foreign invasion has the effect of unifying a population with no side in Somalia to support them, certainly the weak TFG cannot afford to do so any more as it did in the past. Maybe that is why the territorial violations are “hit and run” but because it is consistent, the AU must fulfil its responsibilities in the areas being invaded or else go home. We cannot take mortar shells to Bakara market to root out Al-Shabab while Somalis are murdered on the territorial boundaries (most recently 13 people in Buuhoodle were murdered by the Ethiopians troops).
The territorial violations of the Ethiopian military seeks to deteriorate the stability in Somalia and engage armed groups within Somalia into further fighting contrary to the AMISOM and international efforts to help restore peace and security in Somalia. The Puntland Diaspora Forum which strongly condemned the Ethiopian incursion in Buuhoodle “in the strongest terms” has NOT been repeated by anyone in TFG for the killing of its citizens, in particular the President and Defence Minister. http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=51096. The various “lands” of Somalia should also realise that it is their territorial claims of separation which results in this weakness to foreign attack. There is strength in unity. The situation would have been very difference if all these lands contributed to a unified military force able to confront the Ethiopian troops within Somalia’s borders and push them back out to the territorial boundary. The physical realisation of this begins with an acceptance that all the land of Somalia belongs to all Somalis and a willingness to defend all Somalis regardless of tribal background. A border force comprising of soldiers from the various “lands” should be formed and tasked with securing Somali’s territorial sovereignty from violation from the Ethiopian border. The AU should both confirm and confront the incursion by the Ethiopian troops and international action against the Ethiopian regime should follow for undermining the Security Council Resolution.
Point 1 of Security Council Resolution 1831 (2008) further extended the AU force and authorises AMISOM to “take all necessary measures as appropriate to provide security for key infrastructure and to contribute, as may be requested and within its capabilities, to the creation of the necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance;”. All necessary measures for security conditions must include confronting a foreign force even invading periodically to undermine the mandate and instigating further fighting in Somalia. In particular, where violence is instigated far from the armed groups, the sole aim of which must be to spread instability, condemnation and compensation should be demanded by the Security Council if it respects its own Resolution.
Security Council Resolution 1910 (2010) authorize the Member States of the African Union to maintain AMISOM until 31 January 2011. Point 16 of the Resolution “[c]alls for the immediate cessation of all acts of violence or abuses committed against civilians and humanitarian personnel in violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law”. It condemned “all and any violations of human rights and international humanitarian and human rights law, stressing the responsibility of all parties in Somalia to respect fully their obligations in this regard and to take appropriate measures to protect civilians, including women and children”. The point 19 call on the TFG to “take every appropriate measure to improve security conditions in Somalia” must include protecting Somalis on the Ethiopian border and this should not absolve the Security Council of its responsibilities to hold the Ethiopian regime to account for worsening security conditions in Somalia.
In the interim, those communities which were attacked should form local security forces and the regional “land” authorities must provide support in training and personnel to retake the areas which were attacked and secure them for the rightful residents to return. The end result must be that these local forces join and see themselves as part of a national Somali force capable of defending its territorial borders as defined by the 1960 Constitution and The Charter. The heads of these “lands” if they are not completely consumed by power should form some cooperative panel to coordinate a territorial defence force against Ethiopian incursions. At the very least they must condemn the territorial violations of areas under their administration if they are truly working for their people and have the bravery a leader must possess to confront foreign invaders and inspire their nation.
The Security Council Resolutions reaffirm respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political
independence and unity of Somalia. In reality, the source of Somalia’s territorial claims is the Somali people and we must resolve our issues between us. The Ethiopian 0.1 interlopers are a distraction.
By Amal Ali
Category: Articles |
