The government of Somalia started a disarmament
in Mogadishu to collect weapons from militias. The exercise was taken to
respond growing and intensifying security threats challenging the existence and
operations of the newly formed government of Somalia. The government proposed an initiate to
stabilize Mogadishu, the seat of the government, which experiences attacks
almost on daily basis.
Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) are important steps for
post-conflict situations. The three go hand in hand and cannot be separated.
Disarmament involves collecting arms including heavy and light weapons form the civilians. It cannot achieve its goal if combatants are not controlled in demobilisation and reintegration process.
Disarmament involves collecting arms including heavy and light weapons form the civilians. It cannot achieve its goal if combatants are not controlled in demobilisation and reintegration process.
Above all, disarmament
should be carried out after a successful reconciliation. In Somalia, true and
meaningful reconciliation has not been done. Hence the militias and clan
leaders do not trust the government. Asking them to hand over their weapon in
devoid of reconciliation is hard to achieve its purpose. That is why DDR shall
be part of a wider peacebuilding process. The current scheme of the government
lacks the basics of DDR.
DDR cannot be confined to
Mogadishu. Mogadishu is the government seat and important place for the stabilization
of Somalia. However, DDR should be part of a strong and viable plan that is
intended to cover the entire country. Such plan should be put in place in open
and inclusive consultations integrated with a bottom-up peacebuilding process.
It is a grave mistake to
consider the war in Somalia as one solely between violent extremists and government.
The conflict of Somalia started long before al Shabaab emerged. Al Shabaab took
advantage of a disintegration, chaos and anarchy. Addressing these serious and
complex issues requires holistic approach.
Somaliland as a case study
The manner Somaliland controlled the
militias and arms after it declared independence in 1991 can help Somalia.
Somaliland refused to accept DDR. Instead it opted its own way compatible with
the context and political realities. Instead of collecting arms from civilians,
the government took a nationwide Nationalisation of arms and combatants. The
militias were called to join the army with their weapon. In this way the
government addressed two main challenges; clan tension and shortage of
government soldiers.
First, clans did not feel threatened because
the government has not taken away the weapon from them, but it recruited the
clan militias with their weapon into the army. Second, the government was able
to get more soldiers and systematically eliminated rival armed groups.
Whether it chooses DDR or
Nationalisation, the government of Somalia shall first and foremost make an authentic
reconciliation in which justice is integral part.
Guleid
Ahmed Jama, LL.B, MA
Hargeisa Somaliland
Hargeisa Somaliland
The views expressed in here are
the author's own.
