By A S Kivamwo
ONE of senior leaders of the strongest Somalis Community in Maine’s Lewistone, Dr Saidi Mohamud has said that once external forces stop supporting ward-lords, Somalia will restore its traditional symbol of being a heaven of peace.
“The war in Somalia will be a history once western countries such as USA, Italy, France and Saudia pull out their interests through supporting extremists and war-lords. We have evidence that, the war is externally motivated and not otherwise,” Dr Mahamud told a group of nine Tanzanian journalist, currently attending a month-long USAID Exchange Programme at the University of Maine, USA
Made up of more than 95% of the over 15,000 African immigrants living in Lewiston, Somalis refugees (both bantus and non-bantus) have been living in the city for about seven years. This was after they were granted a third part refugees status by the USA government in special agreements with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
This was after it had been evident that their country, was almost ungovernable since 1991 and the possibility of returning to their homeland was almost “next to impossible”.
For Dr Mohamud, it was saddening to see, Somalis opting to leave their motherland because of the reasons that are caused by outsiders, whom he claimed had own interests in the country that was, actually, not their belonging whatsoever.
Neither the war-lords nor the so-called Islamic extremists have guns or capacity to buy weapons. They are instead getting support and influence by western countries and other Asian states with vest interests in Somalia. The day they will stop supporting war-mongers, the war will be over and peace will prevail, remarked Dr Mohamud who also run a consumer goods business in the city centre of Lewiston.
Dr Mohamud who also serves as Founding President of African Immigrants Association in Lewistone called for the deployment of a neutral force in Somalia that will safeguard the security of Somalis without discrimination.
“Once all external forces stop their personal interests and allow the humanitarian mission to take its course, Somalia will turn a better place to live,” said Dr Mohamud, who also plans to start a Scandinavian-type of political party.
After years as Italian and British colonies, Somalia gained its independence in 1960. Siad Barre assumed control of the country in a dictatorship. On the other hand, Farrah Aideed spent the late 1960s and early 1970s in prison for planning a coup against Barre. Barre eventually freed Aideed and made him ambassador to India, Sri Lanka and Singapore.
By 1990, Barre's dictatorship had crumbled, and he was deposed. Aideed became a prominent leader of the United Somali Congress, one of the rebelling factions. USC Somalian ex-patriates in Italy then proclaimed Ali Mahdi President of the Republic of Somalia, a claim recognized by very few inside the country.
In June 1991, Aideed was elected chairman of the United Somali Congress by a two-thirds vote, but Ali Mahdi refused to step down as President. By October 1991, Ali Mahdi had formed a government of eight ministers, and the Italian government promised massive financial support.
Civil war erupted as various clan-based military factions competed for control after the collapse of Barre's regime.
Aideed's militia forces gained the upper hand, confining Mahdi's supporters to a portion of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Aideed then concentrated his efforts on violent factions in southern Somalia, which were largely responsible for the famine in that region.
In March and June 1993, six clans from northern and central Somalia sided with Aideed, adopting the traditional Somali political system known as the Xeer (pronounced "hair"). In a bloody civil war with devastation on all sides, Aideed's faction was emerging as the center of a coalition.
- Caption: Dr Mohamud briefing Tanzanian journalists yesterday
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