Originally posted here
The United Nations is managing Somalia without any apparent accountability mechanisms in place.
Since the collapse of the governmental structures and the ensuing civil strife centered in Mogadishu, the UN has been providing humanitarian assistance to the suffering Somali people. The UN has been doing much more than the provision of food supplies to Somalia. Through its budgetary allocations, fundraising campaigns, administering of ear-marked resources and co-managing of programs , the Un has become the dominant player of the Somali state of affairs. The Special Representative of the Secretary General, one Ahmed Ould Abdalla, has in effect become the colonial governor of the country. In some critical aspects he has been acting more than a mere colonial governor. A case in point is his audacious recent attempt to redraw the boundaries of the country. His brazen attempt was to transfer a potential rich portion of the territorial waters of the country to Kenya. The Transitional Federal Parliament has refused to ratify the agreement. However we have not heard the last on this bizarre escapade.
Be that as it may, there are more pertinent examples of damaging UN interventions and activities. International observers accused the Somali government of being the most corrupt state. The UN, or at least its officials, is part of the intricate web of the massive and blatant misuse of resources. The report of the UN monitoring committee which was set up to monitor arm shipment to the country has portrayed the extent of corruption in the distribution of the humanitarian food supplies. Somali transporters have been accused of instances of overcharging and paying protection money to some militias . Some UN officials are also blamed but the facts on the ground suggest that the UN involvement in the pervasive malpractices are massive and unconscionable. Only an assessment by an external auditor or independent commission will be able to map out the extent and scope of corruption perpetrated by UN officials.
Another example is the institutionalized misuse of Somali resources by a UN agency responsible for international civil aviation. Since the collapse of the Somali state that UN agency has been collecting fees paid by the internal airlines that use the Somali airspace. It is one of the few source of revenue for the national budget but it disappears in a UN black hole in Nairobi. The large bureaucracy which is stationed in Nairobi and which consumes shamelessly a very high percentage of the resources purportedly allocated to meet Somalia’s needs is yet another example of the misuse and blunder by the UN.
The UN in its self-serving seminars and workshops on good governance consistently preaches the virtues of transparency and accountability. The actions and behavior of UN officials are rarely in line with those valued attributes. A current case in point is a contract that has been awarded by the UNDP to educate the Somali public on a draft constitution. A lot has been expended on the drafting on the constitution. International experts were hired. Many meetings were held by UN selected groups. Discussions were held with some Somali government officials. The whole exercise has been authored and micro-managed by the UN. Now the time has come to educate the Somali people on the values of the constitution and its unique attributes. Now has come the moment of realization to contract out the educating exercise to media outlets. For that purpose the UNDP has hired a South African firm as a consultant. A couple of Somali media specialists have been recruited. Advertisements were placed in the Kenyan media specifying the nature of the educating programs. A budget of $7 million has been allocated and authorized for publicizing the draft constitution.
A joint –venture of three Somali firms has submitted a bid for the contract. The joint-venture is led by Universal TV which as far as is known is not a registered firm, has no offices, no salaried staff or equipment to be a credible outlet to deliver the required programs. Universal does not have the offices it claims , does not possess the sophisticated equipments it claims to own , has none of the qualified staff it claims it claims to have in its payroll. It appears that the contract is being awarded to an entity which does not have the requisite resources or capacity. What this appears to be is a scheme to use the allocated resources for other purposes. Contrary to UN principals and practices, there is nothing transparent about the project. Suffice it to say that the UN IS AT IT AGAIN.
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Open Letter to H.E. Amb. Ahmed Ould-Abadallah
Open Letter to H.E. Amb. Ahmed Ould-Abadallah outgoing UN Special Envoy for Somalia
Copy: H.E. Amb. Augustine Mahiga, newly appointed UN Special Envoy for Somalia
By Dr. Jama Keenadid ( Bood Boode)
June 19, 2010
As a concerned Somali-African citizen that know you have served my people and my country well, I take this opportunity to thank you, on behalf of the Somali intellectual community for the extraordinary role , tireless efforts and tremendous sacrifices during your tenure as United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Somalia. The statesmanship, courage as well as determinations and indeed outstanding skills and leadership you had demonstrated in trying your very best to help establish a Somali government that is sovereign and one that should come back to the family of nations are commendable.
Ahmed Ould Augustine Mahiga
Unfortunately the forces against your efforts and the very momentum and level of advanced conspiracies and sophisticated and well orchestrated manipulation to keep Somalia and Somalis in the dark were indeed beyond your control thus the unfortunate fate of Somalia as we see and know it today. And status quo that succeeded in keeping the situation worse every day. Needless to mention, one of the most destructive institutions that had and have no interest in changing the status quo for the better is non but personalities and management of some of the United Nations organizations, primarily the leadership/management team of UNDP-Somalia in particular. The goodwill resources entrusted to many aid organizations and especially UNDP-Somalia were used to effectively destroy any hope for post 1991 Somalia as a nation. And sabotage your efforts as Special Envoy, and they will do to the next Envoy. Most of international aid’s rampant and free-hand chronic corruption, sabotaging every possible opportunity for Somalia and Somalis to recover politically, strategically and security-wise was perhaps the only determination of the UNDP-Somalia management teams sacred duty for the last 20 years and still ongoing. To do this effectively, UNDP-Somalia with endless money has been hand-picking install bogus cycles of TFG with incompetent and irresponsible Somali so called leaders. It is the international community who insist that illiterate and uneducated Somalia run the Somalia show for them. How else could a nation remain so solved for 20 years? In the worst case, imagine if no one interfered in Somalia. Whether the extremists win or not, the dust would settle. Somalis have no shortage of esteemed , seasoned and leaders of high caliber. Every one of them has been weeded out by the Nairobi based international aid community lead by UNDP-Somalia, and by Ethiopia and Kenya whose goal is obvious.
As a Somali intellectual, and one indeed whom Al-Shabab would slit his throat today if I return to Somalia, I can tell you that in fact for better or for worse they I believe that they would be better than these recycled TFG stooges. They made peace where they govern. Peace at any cost is better than no peace at any cost. The international community lead by UNDP-Somalia is investing at no peace at any cost. This must change in the new tenure of the new Envoy. Al-Shabab is already in power in Somalia, why does the international community dismiss that they have learned or will learn their lessons and indeed change course and indeed go against global Al-Qaida?. Government policies change. Why would Al-Shabab not change for the better? Al-Shabab can change if they get the opportunity to get total power. They can be partner in dealing with Al-Qaeda in Africa. The International community does business with Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of Jihadism and the mother and father of Taliban and where 90% of funds now come from for Al-Shabab and other Islamic extremists all over the world. I took arms against the early Islamists in Somalia and continue to do so to this date. But, I have realized that indeed, the international community is part and parcel indirectly responsible of the making and engineering of Islamic extremism in the Horn of Africa. The international community has approved negotiating with the Taliban. Why not with Somali Islamists? The reason is simple: Kenya and Ethiopia want Somalia in ruins for ever and have no interest in a Somalia in one piece and in peace. They have taken over the economical, political and natural resources of Somalia already. With Al-Shabab in power, they will and can never do that. Wise men said only fools don’t change their minds. Al-Shabab can, and are more reliable than the TFG who has never kept one word. Who starve their own soldiers who steal left and right and where each and every one of them has one ambition. The pocket game, in concert with UNDP.
There is ample proof that UNDP-Somalia conveniently as well as confidently being in control rejected every possible hope and projects that would have helped curb corruption, sidelined every possible project that would have significantly enhanced life in peaceful areas of Somalia (especially Somaliland) and every possible project that would have significantly contributed to the security efforts of unstable regions of Somalia. Instead, wasting millions on irrelevant projects and programs that facilitate corruption and rampant misuse of public funds entrusted to them for 20 years and counting. Spraying funds on projects that have no real , durable impact on the livelihoods of the Somali people. And worse, the UNDP team team has evolved to be one of the most dangerous pact of human beings who use money to buy off corrupt Somalis to sign off and rubber stamp for them what ever they as the team want and decide for Somalia as long as it serves the strategic and personal interest of the UNDP-Somalia management team whose focus was and remains their personal interest including being part of Somalia’s competing power system. Indeed, as you know UNDP-Somalia has been often the main force suspected of being behind the coordinated ejection of Somalia’s elite, educated and talented forcing many flee following the unexplained assassinations of many Somali engineers, scientists and high caliber professionals over the last 20 years inside Somalia and around the Horn of African region. UNDP-Somalia is also in bed with various Somali TV and radio media to avoid criticism, effectively buying them off by way of bribing them with millions of dollars on fake ‘ Somali HIV, constitution and etc awareness ’ projects. Projects that would normally be 5 minute episodes that would cost $2000.00, instead UNDP-Somalia pays these 5 minute radio and TV episodes more than $7.0 Million. Does any one believe that the money was for good purpose? No. It is a hush money to keep the media out of the UNDP-Somalia and international aid criticism. There is also proof that UNDP conspired to and engaged in the character assassination of several prominent Somali scientists, accountants and indeed development specialists. Some of whom have taken their case to the United Nations Head Office and the Office of Accountability as well as the United Nations Auditors office in South Africa.
The second counter-current force in the Somali problem was the Somali leaders themselves. Sarcastically and derisively cruel, seemingly in effective most of them as rampant hallucinating Qat chewers who have least clue of governance and the fundamental statues of statesmanship. In all cases, the UNDP-Somalia had major hand in shaping Somalia’s leadership by way of managing funding many sterile conferences and many believe most of the incompetent and corrupt Somali leaders were drafted and put into high positions with the help of UNDP-Somalia’s guidance and who remained under UNDP-Somalia’s financial dependence and therefore direct control , could not lead a sovereign nation and had no hope of building a Somalia that will stand on it’s feet. They neither had/have the capacity nor intent to change the situation. Somalia is under the seage of coordinated international community and that of it’s neighbors. In fact, Somalis alone if left alone can even defeat Al-Shabab. If the international community stops supporting this fake TFG and if AMISOM is removed, there will be a big wind of dust but the dust will settle for sure.
The third element is a mixed bag: The Somali business community has been, undoubtedly the lifeline of ordinary Somalis at large. However, what is debatable is indeed whether they contributed to the sustained lawlessness and lack of regulations, legislations and dissolution of state organizations existence. And worse, as you know some of these were the hands and legs of corruption industry that was fueled by UNDP-Somalia as has been reported many times including some of the United Nations investigators at large. The business sector of Somalia thrived at the expense of whole sale liquidation of the nation. Lack of consumer protection bodies resulted in the sales of expired and contaminated foods, medicines and indeed many dangerous supplies unfit for human consumption as well as the business of human parts trafficking and arms sales as well as WFP food aid misuse. Telecommunications, while very helpful, also remained the backbone of conflict sustenance and as one of the most destructive infrastructure utilized by warring factions. Similarly, money transferring facilities while the lifeline of ordinary Somalis, had the side effect of becoming the lifeline for the warring factions as well without which war could not have been sustained for so long . UNDP did everything it could to support effective central banking in Somalia and other regions including Puntland and Somaliland. Indeed as recently as the last Somalia’s UN summit in Istanbul, the most prominent Somali business community representatives were the very ones that rendered Somalia beyond repair, those who were benefiting from WFP and UNDP’s Somalia remains and who indeed facilitated the sophisticated and organized criminal looting of Somalia’s sovereignty at the hands of WFP, UNDP and other international aid organizations in Kenya. What remains not a mystery is how these business tycoons who were proxy to Somalia’s demise were selected to represent Somali business community. The only explanation is the fact that they represented UNDP and WFP as shadow men and women.
Unfortunately the last but not least heavyweight players of Somalia’s demise remains the countries of Kenya , Uganda and Ethiopia who remain the lion’s share beneficiaries of Somalia’s hopeless disintegration. No intelligent Somali doubts Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda’s irresponsible interference and exploitation of the disintegration of Somalia.
At the backdrop of these words of mine, by copy of this email, it is my intention to impress on the newly appointed United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga to take serious note of these facts and take great heed in correcting these contributing factors to the demise of Somalia. One of the key priority steps for you tenure and efforts for Somalia’s reconstitution and resurrection as a nation , kindly find the following suggested notes, comments and issues discussed below.
1.Decentralization of Somalia’s international aid groups. This by way of moving 90% of the aid agencies to other regions in Somalia where peace is prevalent. This is Somaliland and Puntland. Indeed, if these agencies generate fictitious excuses that they will not move out of Nairobi, the next alternative should be that they move and dispersed to Djibouti, Ethiopia and Yemen which are closer to the majority of geographic proximity to Somalia than Kenya. Kenya’s laws are not effective against corruption and that was and remains the only reason why 100% of Somalia’s aid machinery drivers in particular the UNDP-Somalia finds it a convenient corruption safe-haven in Kenya. These agencies should therefore be distributed between Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya where corruption laws are tougher and Ethiopian being the toughest, that is where UNDP-Somalia should move with an office close to Somaliland-Ethiopia border area and new management appointed. In the event these Nairobi based aid agencies refuse to move to these safe countries and safe regions of Somalia, - Your Excellency, it is time to dissolve the Somalia Aid mafia in Kenya and delegate the existing aid organizations in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen and all Somalia funds transferred to the UN bodies in these three countries. The current management of UNDP-Somalia should be formally put under serious criminal investigation.
2.All projects that are not related to durable infrastructures, direct health and education projects and production of food should be cancelled at once and immediately. In particular funds earmarked for reconciliations, travels for the TFG and the recent $7-10.0 Million dollars earmarked for the fake and corrupt UNDP-Somalia’s constitutional awareness project costs should be scraped. It is pointless to waste money on a constitution whose government cannot and will not control a few blocks. The rebels have already banned the application of the so called constitution awareness media projects, and Al-Shabab has already banned the so called “Constitutional awareness” project that UNDP-Somalia has earmarked more the above mentioned $7-10.0 Million dollars. Since Al-Shabab has banned listening of radio programs about the constitution, is this not an outright robbery of public funds? . Unless the media who were contracted to run the $7-10.0 million dollar for 5 minute radio programs can prove that Al-Shabab and others have not banned radio stations from broadcasting constitutional awareness programs, this project must be suspended and the money used to buy badly needed medicines and food for Somalia’s 100,000 orphans living inside Somalia and the money should be given to Islamic charities helping these children .
3.All major projects costing more than $100,000.00 should be suspended and a new code of conduct for international aid groups to operate should include mandatory requirement for approval of the respective regional impact parliament (TFG, Puntland, Somaliland) for any project over $100,000.00 . And every organization should be required to spend 90% of resources on infrastructure development inside Somalia as a matter of law, this if the sounds of helping Somalia is serious.
4.Other than the Office of the President, the Prime Minister , Ministries of national security, Defense and Foreign Affairs, all other social development ministries should be moved to Puntland State of Somalia’s Galkayo city to accelerate public service delivery expansion towards the South. The Idle Somali military forces in Mogadishu should be moved to Galkayo to defend these ministries as supplementary contingent taking direct orders from Ahlu-Sunna WalJamai commanders and liberate the areas between Galkayo and Beletweyn from the rebels as an initial phase of clean-up. AMISOM should remain in Mogadishu to continue as body guards of the rest of government ministers and the President in Mogadishu. And they need to stop shelling the Somali civilian population as retaliation against rebel attacks. Otherwise, since the Somali government boasts they have 10,000 trained soldiers facing 2000 rebels, AMISOM should hand over the military equipment to the Somali government and must be evacuated back to Uganda and Burundi. What is the military logic of not relying on 10,000 soldiers in one city? Who cannot defend even themselves? The only explanation is that the TFG does not want to change the situation and the international community is also not interested in Somalia’s recovery but uses as a humble toy to play with year in/out.
5.Somali territorial Unity should be considered as a fundamental Somali and regional Africa security matter. A divided Somalia into fiefdoms and warlord-lands as well as secessionist-lands is nothing but a strategic partition of Somalia and exploitation of Somalia by Ethiopia and Kenya and the aid groups. Indeed, at the highest level, if the United Nations wants to promote peace in Africa, it should promote a United States of Africa as one nation, one people with colonial borders dissolved. That is the best short cut to accelerate peace in Africa. No other single effort will ever bring peace in Africa. But, many of us know the effort to keep Africa devided and Africans quarrel on colonial borders is an employment generation scheme for many including the United Nations and emergency aid groups who cultivate and support Africa’s dictators.
6.The UN as well as the international donor community needs to seriously assess the viability of Mogadishu as the capital city of Somalia. Beletweyn is a strategic and seemingly resourceful city and region that can be considered as a serious candidate as the next Somali capital and 5 year rotations should be considered for all major Somali cities .
7.One of the devastating problems of Somalia is indeed the negative impact of Qat, the green leaf Somalis chew. Al-Shabab, for all it’s misgivings should be commended for trying to ban this deadly drug. Since it is seriously un-Islamic to chew this drug, Ethiopia and Kenya should refrain exporting this drug and the Somali business involved in importing this drug into Somalia should be punished under Islamic law, and nothing less than public execution of Qat traders just it is in Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam. As the new Envoy, helping stop Qat in Somalia must be your 1st direct order. Without stopping the flow of Qat in Somalia it is impossible to create a Somali government and impossible to rebuild Somalia. Addicts and alcoholics cannot run a government nor can they fight.
8.However naïve and indeed strange many might seem to think, Somalia at this time and state of affairs cannot be governed by a civilian secular government. In the modern history times, no civilian government has defeated religious extremists. Somalia can only be saved by a potent and effective and well supported military government or indeed a well supported moderate Islamic military force. Al-Shabab and Hizb-Islam are military organizations. A weak, in effective Somali civilian government has no hope whatsoever to defeat these extremists. The international community should stop daydreaming about democracy and stop wasting millions on constitution writing for Somalia. The funds should be used to support to defeat these ruthless machinery of deceit and destruction, misusing Islam. As said however, I give them credit for trying to stop Qat and creating some peace where they govern, however heavy handed. Yet, to defeat them a potent military government or an Islamic government such as Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca is the only hope. Pumping money into the current government is not only a waste, it is counterproductive. In summary, the international community needs to either negotiate with Al-Shabab so that they don’t have to seek help from Al-Qaeda and they can denounce Al-Qaeda if properly and diplomatically handled. Or, if that is a taboo, then build a potent Military government in Somalia with the necessary fire power to neutralize Al-Shabab’s military strength. All that is need is to establish an effective Somali command and well fed and well paid soldiers that do not chew Qat. Within 90 days, Al-Shaba and other extremists will be history in Somalia. And Ethiopia as well as Kenya will behave as good neighbors, that they will respect. I believe this is one of the effective short cuts to revive Somalia. The other option being negotiate with AL-Shabab just as it is being done with Taliban and the Iraqi Sunni Insurgents.
9.Training of Somali militia’s in Uganda must be stopped. Many Somali leaders including prominent ministry of defense officers of Somalia are on record seriously disapproving it, rejecting it and calling for the cancelation of this scheme which is non but another mask for corruption. The officers who disapproved Uganda’s trainings were last forced to resign under the direct orders of the President and the Prime Minister. Because these 500 heavily equipped AMISOM are non but body guards for the President and the Prime Minister and paid $3.0 million dollars per month. The most expensive body guards in the world. They are not peace keepers. Just body guard Mercenaries.
10.Somalia’s foreign embassies should be assigned with educated and competent professionals. In particular, the Somali Embassy in Kenya is far overdue for a cleanup.
11.There are too many aid organizations pretending working for Somalia. Most of them need to shut down. It costs too much for the international community. In fact, the only UN organizations that should work in Somalia is those that directly help the Somali people in health, education, infrastructure building and law enforcement. Indeed, one of the most competent and able UN organizations is the UN organizations helping and involved to some extent, on piracy issues. It is a small UN organization based in Nairobi. For concern of UNDP-Somalia retaliation against this small organization that has done much, I will refrain from disclosing their name here.
12.Somali refugees in Kenya must be relocated back to Somalia. It is nothing but an organized scheme by the government of Kenya to milk millions off of the international community and non but a job security for UNHCR Kenya’s bosses. Somalis always have a place to return. Their tribal lands. The international community needs to close these camps effectively and help create livelihood programs in the respective tribal lands of each Somali family. Indeed, where Al-Shabab rules, there is some peace.
13.Finally, the UNPOS in Nairobi is populated with a few irresponsible opportunists that have been an embarrassment to the current Envoy. Only recently has been added with a good staff member who was relocated from NY. He is a very competent UN officer of Japanese decent I was told . As the new UNPOS boss, you will need a clean table. Get new staff untainted by the status quo of Somalia’s sad saga. The current staff is and remains part of the UNPOS failures.
Wishing you all the best, we Somali-African intellectuals remain eternally indebted to your honest efforts to try resurrect Somalia out of the ashes. For the new Envoy, we welcome him provided he avoid the many pitfalls and conspiracies that remain thorny and difficult to break it’s backs. And one last advise for the new Envoy. Please remember that racism in the aid industry is rampant. Yourself as a black African, the UNDP-Somalia folks remain least concerned and least respecting for any competent black African leader. They will intentionally, directly and indirectly sabotage and ignore your guidance and indeed do all they can to put your fate in the same black-hole as they did to the outgoing Envoy. The only cure to such prejudice is to populate the African aid human resource with African professionals with integrity and skills necessary to do better than folks now steering aid business in Somalia and Africa at large.
Sincerely,
Dr. J. Keenadiid.
Email: Keenadiid86@hotmail.com
______________________
Dr. J. Keenadiid was formal Somali government senior civil servant, Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
Copy: H.E. Amb. Augustine Mahiga, newly appointed UN Special Envoy for Somalia
By Dr. Jama Keenadid ( Bood Boode)
June 19, 2010
As a concerned Somali-African citizen that know you have served my people and my country well, I take this opportunity to thank you, on behalf of the Somali intellectual community for the extraordinary role , tireless efforts and tremendous sacrifices during your tenure as United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Somalia. The statesmanship, courage as well as determinations and indeed outstanding skills and leadership you had demonstrated in trying your very best to help establish a Somali government that is sovereign and one that should come back to the family of nations are commendable.
Ahmed Ould Augustine Mahiga
Unfortunately the forces against your efforts and the very momentum and level of advanced conspiracies and sophisticated and well orchestrated manipulation to keep Somalia and Somalis in the dark were indeed beyond your control thus the unfortunate fate of Somalia as we see and know it today. And status quo that succeeded in keeping the situation worse every day. Needless to mention, one of the most destructive institutions that had and have no interest in changing the status quo for the better is non but personalities and management of some of the United Nations organizations, primarily the leadership/management team of UNDP-Somalia in particular. The goodwill resources entrusted to many aid organizations and especially UNDP-Somalia were used to effectively destroy any hope for post 1991 Somalia as a nation. And sabotage your efforts as Special Envoy, and they will do to the next Envoy. Most of international aid’s rampant and free-hand chronic corruption, sabotaging every possible opportunity for Somalia and Somalis to recover politically, strategically and security-wise was perhaps the only determination of the UNDP-Somalia management teams sacred duty for the last 20 years and still ongoing. To do this effectively, UNDP-Somalia with endless money has been hand-picking install bogus cycles of TFG with incompetent and irresponsible Somali so called leaders. It is the international community who insist that illiterate and uneducated Somalia run the Somalia show for them. How else could a nation remain so solved for 20 years? In the worst case, imagine if no one interfered in Somalia. Whether the extremists win or not, the dust would settle. Somalis have no shortage of esteemed , seasoned and leaders of high caliber. Every one of them has been weeded out by the Nairobi based international aid community lead by UNDP-Somalia, and by Ethiopia and Kenya whose goal is obvious.
As a Somali intellectual, and one indeed whom Al-Shabab would slit his throat today if I return to Somalia, I can tell you that in fact for better or for worse they I believe that they would be better than these recycled TFG stooges. They made peace where they govern. Peace at any cost is better than no peace at any cost. The international community lead by UNDP-Somalia is investing at no peace at any cost. This must change in the new tenure of the new Envoy. Al-Shabab is already in power in Somalia, why does the international community dismiss that they have learned or will learn their lessons and indeed change course and indeed go against global Al-Qaida?. Government policies change. Why would Al-Shabab not change for the better? Al-Shabab can change if they get the opportunity to get total power. They can be partner in dealing with Al-Qaeda in Africa. The International community does business with Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of Jihadism and the mother and father of Taliban and where 90% of funds now come from for Al-Shabab and other Islamic extremists all over the world. I took arms against the early Islamists in Somalia and continue to do so to this date. But, I have realized that indeed, the international community is part and parcel indirectly responsible of the making and engineering of Islamic extremism in the Horn of Africa. The international community has approved negotiating with the Taliban. Why not with Somali Islamists? The reason is simple: Kenya and Ethiopia want Somalia in ruins for ever and have no interest in a Somalia in one piece and in peace. They have taken over the economical, political and natural resources of Somalia already. With Al-Shabab in power, they will and can never do that. Wise men said only fools don’t change their minds. Al-Shabab can, and are more reliable than the TFG who has never kept one word. Who starve their own soldiers who steal left and right and where each and every one of them has one ambition. The pocket game, in concert with UNDP.
There is ample proof that UNDP-Somalia conveniently as well as confidently being in control rejected every possible hope and projects that would have helped curb corruption, sidelined every possible project that would have significantly enhanced life in peaceful areas of Somalia (especially Somaliland) and every possible project that would have significantly contributed to the security efforts of unstable regions of Somalia. Instead, wasting millions on irrelevant projects and programs that facilitate corruption and rampant misuse of public funds entrusted to them for 20 years and counting. Spraying funds on projects that have no real , durable impact on the livelihoods of the Somali people. And worse, the UNDP team team has evolved to be one of the most dangerous pact of human beings who use money to buy off corrupt Somalis to sign off and rubber stamp for them what ever they as the team want and decide for Somalia as long as it serves the strategic and personal interest of the UNDP-Somalia management team whose focus was and remains their personal interest including being part of Somalia’s competing power system. Indeed, as you know UNDP-Somalia has been often the main force suspected of being behind the coordinated ejection of Somalia’s elite, educated and talented forcing many flee following the unexplained assassinations of many Somali engineers, scientists and high caliber professionals over the last 20 years inside Somalia and around the Horn of African region. UNDP-Somalia is also in bed with various Somali TV and radio media to avoid criticism, effectively buying them off by way of bribing them with millions of dollars on fake ‘ Somali HIV, constitution and etc awareness ’ projects. Projects that would normally be 5 minute episodes that would cost $2000.00, instead UNDP-Somalia pays these 5 minute radio and TV episodes more than $7.0 Million. Does any one believe that the money was for good purpose? No. It is a hush money to keep the media out of the UNDP-Somalia and international aid criticism. There is also proof that UNDP conspired to and engaged in the character assassination of several prominent Somali scientists, accountants and indeed development specialists. Some of whom have taken their case to the United Nations Head Office and the Office of Accountability as well as the United Nations Auditors office in South Africa.
The second counter-current force in the Somali problem was the Somali leaders themselves. Sarcastically and derisively cruel, seemingly in effective most of them as rampant hallucinating Qat chewers who have least clue of governance and the fundamental statues of statesmanship. In all cases, the UNDP-Somalia had major hand in shaping Somalia’s leadership by way of managing funding many sterile conferences and many believe most of the incompetent and corrupt Somali leaders were drafted and put into high positions with the help of UNDP-Somalia’s guidance and who remained under UNDP-Somalia’s financial dependence and therefore direct control , could not lead a sovereign nation and had no hope of building a Somalia that will stand on it’s feet. They neither had/have the capacity nor intent to change the situation. Somalia is under the seage of coordinated international community and that of it’s neighbors. In fact, Somalis alone if left alone can even defeat Al-Shabab. If the international community stops supporting this fake TFG and if AMISOM is removed, there will be a big wind of dust but the dust will settle for sure.
The third element is a mixed bag: The Somali business community has been, undoubtedly the lifeline of ordinary Somalis at large. However, what is debatable is indeed whether they contributed to the sustained lawlessness and lack of regulations, legislations and dissolution of state organizations existence. And worse, as you know some of these were the hands and legs of corruption industry that was fueled by UNDP-Somalia as has been reported many times including some of the United Nations investigators at large. The business sector of Somalia thrived at the expense of whole sale liquidation of the nation. Lack of consumer protection bodies resulted in the sales of expired and contaminated foods, medicines and indeed many dangerous supplies unfit for human consumption as well as the business of human parts trafficking and arms sales as well as WFP food aid misuse. Telecommunications, while very helpful, also remained the backbone of conflict sustenance and as one of the most destructive infrastructure utilized by warring factions. Similarly, money transferring facilities while the lifeline of ordinary Somalis, had the side effect of becoming the lifeline for the warring factions as well without which war could not have been sustained for so long . UNDP did everything it could to support effective central banking in Somalia and other regions including Puntland and Somaliland. Indeed as recently as the last Somalia’s UN summit in Istanbul, the most prominent Somali business community representatives were the very ones that rendered Somalia beyond repair, those who were benefiting from WFP and UNDP’s Somalia remains and who indeed facilitated the sophisticated and organized criminal looting of Somalia’s sovereignty at the hands of WFP, UNDP and other international aid organizations in Kenya. What remains not a mystery is how these business tycoons who were proxy to Somalia’s demise were selected to represent Somali business community. The only explanation is the fact that they represented UNDP and WFP as shadow men and women.
Unfortunately the last but not least heavyweight players of Somalia’s demise remains the countries of Kenya , Uganda and Ethiopia who remain the lion’s share beneficiaries of Somalia’s hopeless disintegration. No intelligent Somali doubts Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda’s irresponsible interference and exploitation of the disintegration of Somalia.
At the backdrop of these words of mine, by copy of this email, it is my intention to impress on the newly appointed United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga to take serious note of these facts and take great heed in correcting these contributing factors to the demise of Somalia. One of the key priority steps for you tenure and efforts for Somalia’s reconstitution and resurrection as a nation , kindly find the following suggested notes, comments and issues discussed below.
1.Decentralization of Somalia’s international aid groups. This by way of moving 90% of the aid agencies to other regions in Somalia where peace is prevalent. This is Somaliland and Puntland. Indeed, if these agencies generate fictitious excuses that they will not move out of Nairobi, the next alternative should be that they move and dispersed to Djibouti, Ethiopia and Yemen which are closer to the majority of geographic proximity to Somalia than Kenya. Kenya’s laws are not effective against corruption and that was and remains the only reason why 100% of Somalia’s aid machinery drivers in particular the UNDP-Somalia finds it a convenient corruption safe-haven in Kenya. These agencies should therefore be distributed between Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya where corruption laws are tougher and Ethiopian being the toughest, that is where UNDP-Somalia should move with an office close to Somaliland-Ethiopia border area and new management appointed. In the event these Nairobi based aid agencies refuse to move to these safe countries and safe regions of Somalia, - Your Excellency, it is time to dissolve the Somalia Aid mafia in Kenya and delegate the existing aid organizations in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Yemen and all Somalia funds transferred to the UN bodies in these three countries. The current management of UNDP-Somalia should be formally put under serious criminal investigation.
2.All projects that are not related to durable infrastructures, direct health and education projects and production of food should be cancelled at once and immediately. In particular funds earmarked for reconciliations, travels for the TFG and the recent $7-10.0 Million dollars earmarked for the fake and corrupt UNDP-Somalia’s constitutional awareness project costs should be scraped. It is pointless to waste money on a constitution whose government cannot and will not control a few blocks. The rebels have already banned the application of the so called constitution awareness media projects, and Al-Shabab has already banned the so called “Constitutional awareness” project that UNDP-Somalia has earmarked more the above mentioned $7-10.0 Million dollars. Since Al-Shabab has banned listening of radio programs about the constitution, is this not an outright robbery of public funds? . Unless the media who were contracted to run the $7-10.0 million dollar for 5 minute radio programs can prove that Al-Shabab and others have not banned radio stations from broadcasting constitutional awareness programs, this project must be suspended and the money used to buy badly needed medicines and food for Somalia’s 100,000 orphans living inside Somalia and the money should be given to Islamic charities helping these children .
3.All major projects costing more than $100,000.00 should be suspended and a new code of conduct for international aid groups to operate should include mandatory requirement for approval of the respective regional impact parliament (TFG, Puntland, Somaliland) for any project over $100,000.00 . And every organization should be required to spend 90% of resources on infrastructure development inside Somalia as a matter of law, this if the sounds of helping Somalia is serious.
4.Other than the Office of the President, the Prime Minister , Ministries of national security, Defense and Foreign Affairs, all other social development ministries should be moved to Puntland State of Somalia’s Galkayo city to accelerate public service delivery expansion towards the South. The Idle Somali military forces in Mogadishu should be moved to Galkayo to defend these ministries as supplementary contingent taking direct orders from Ahlu-Sunna WalJamai commanders and liberate the areas between Galkayo and Beletweyn from the rebels as an initial phase of clean-up. AMISOM should remain in Mogadishu to continue as body guards of the rest of government ministers and the President in Mogadishu. And they need to stop shelling the Somali civilian population as retaliation against rebel attacks. Otherwise, since the Somali government boasts they have 10,000 trained soldiers facing 2000 rebels, AMISOM should hand over the military equipment to the Somali government and must be evacuated back to Uganda and Burundi. What is the military logic of not relying on 10,000 soldiers in one city? Who cannot defend even themselves? The only explanation is that the TFG does not want to change the situation and the international community is also not interested in Somalia’s recovery but uses as a humble toy to play with year in/out.
5.Somali territorial Unity should be considered as a fundamental Somali and regional Africa security matter. A divided Somalia into fiefdoms and warlord-lands as well as secessionist-lands is nothing but a strategic partition of Somalia and exploitation of Somalia by Ethiopia and Kenya and the aid groups. Indeed, at the highest level, if the United Nations wants to promote peace in Africa, it should promote a United States of Africa as one nation, one people with colonial borders dissolved. That is the best short cut to accelerate peace in Africa. No other single effort will ever bring peace in Africa. But, many of us know the effort to keep Africa devided and Africans quarrel on colonial borders is an employment generation scheme for many including the United Nations and emergency aid groups who cultivate and support Africa’s dictators.
6.The UN as well as the international donor community needs to seriously assess the viability of Mogadishu as the capital city of Somalia. Beletweyn is a strategic and seemingly resourceful city and region that can be considered as a serious candidate as the next Somali capital and 5 year rotations should be considered for all major Somali cities .
7.One of the devastating problems of Somalia is indeed the negative impact of Qat, the green leaf Somalis chew. Al-Shabab, for all it’s misgivings should be commended for trying to ban this deadly drug. Since it is seriously un-Islamic to chew this drug, Ethiopia and Kenya should refrain exporting this drug and the Somali business involved in importing this drug into Somalia should be punished under Islamic law, and nothing less than public execution of Qat traders just it is in Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam. As the new Envoy, helping stop Qat in Somalia must be your 1st direct order. Without stopping the flow of Qat in Somalia it is impossible to create a Somali government and impossible to rebuild Somalia. Addicts and alcoholics cannot run a government nor can they fight.
8.However naïve and indeed strange many might seem to think, Somalia at this time and state of affairs cannot be governed by a civilian secular government. In the modern history times, no civilian government has defeated religious extremists. Somalia can only be saved by a potent and effective and well supported military government or indeed a well supported moderate Islamic military force. Al-Shabab and Hizb-Islam are military organizations. A weak, in effective Somali civilian government has no hope whatsoever to defeat these extremists. The international community should stop daydreaming about democracy and stop wasting millions on constitution writing for Somalia. The funds should be used to support to defeat these ruthless machinery of deceit and destruction, misusing Islam. As said however, I give them credit for trying to stop Qat and creating some peace where they govern, however heavy handed. Yet, to defeat them a potent military government or an Islamic government such as Ahlu Sunna Waljamaca is the only hope. Pumping money into the current government is not only a waste, it is counterproductive. In summary, the international community needs to either negotiate with Al-Shabab so that they don’t have to seek help from Al-Qaeda and they can denounce Al-Qaeda if properly and diplomatically handled. Or, if that is a taboo, then build a potent Military government in Somalia with the necessary fire power to neutralize Al-Shabab’s military strength. All that is need is to establish an effective Somali command and well fed and well paid soldiers that do not chew Qat. Within 90 days, Al-Shaba and other extremists will be history in Somalia. And Ethiopia as well as Kenya will behave as good neighbors, that they will respect. I believe this is one of the effective short cuts to revive Somalia. The other option being negotiate with AL-Shabab just as it is being done with Taliban and the Iraqi Sunni Insurgents.
9.Training of Somali militia’s in Uganda must be stopped. Many Somali leaders including prominent ministry of defense officers of Somalia are on record seriously disapproving it, rejecting it and calling for the cancelation of this scheme which is non but another mask for corruption. The officers who disapproved Uganda’s trainings were last forced to resign under the direct orders of the President and the Prime Minister. Because these 500 heavily equipped AMISOM are non but body guards for the President and the Prime Minister and paid $3.0 million dollars per month. The most expensive body guards in the world. They are not peace keepers. Just body guard Mercenaries.
10.Somalia’s foreign embassies should be assigned with educated and competent professionals. In particular, the Somali Embassy in Kenya is far overdue for a cleanup.
11.There are too many aid organizations pretending working for Somalia. Most of them need to shut down. It costs too much for the international community. In fact, the only UN organizations that should work in Somalia is those that directly help the Somali people in health, education, infrastructure building and law enforcement. Indeed, one of the most competent and able UN organizations is the UN organizations helping and involved to some extent, on piracy issues. It is a small UN organization based in Nairobi. For concern of UNDP-Somalia retaliation against this small organization that has done much, I will refrain from disclosing their name here.
12.Somali refugees in Kenya must be relocated back to Somalia. It is nothing but an organized scheme by the government of Kenya to milk millions off of the international community and non but a job security for UNHCR Kenya’s bosses. Somalis always have a place to return. Their tribal lands. The international community needs to close these camps effectively and help create livelihood programs in the respective tribal lands of each Somali family. Indeed, where Al-Shabab rules, there is some peace.
13.Finally, the UNPOS in Nairobi is populated with a few irresponsible opportunists that have been an embarrassment to the current Envoy. Only recently has been added with a good staff member who was relocated from NY. He is a very competent UN officer of Japanese decent I was told . As the new UNPOS boss, you will need a clean table. Get new staff untainted by the status quo of Somalia’s sad saga. The current staff is and remains part of the UNPOS failures.
Wishing you all the best, we Somali-African intellectuals remain eternally indebted to your honest efforts to try resurrect Somalia out of the ashes. For the new Envoy, we welcome him provided he avoid the many pitfalls and conspiracies that remain thorny and difficult to break it’s backs. And one last advise for the new Envoy. Please remember that racism in the aid industry is rampant. Yourself as a black African, the UNDP-Somalia folks remain least concerned and least respecting for any competent black African leader. They will intentionally, directly and indirectly sabotage and ignore your guidance and indeed do all they can to put your fate in the same black-hole as they did to the outgoing Envoy. The only cure to such prejudice is to populate the African aid human resource with African professionals with integrity and skills necessary to do better than folks now steering aid business in Somalia and Africa at large.
Sincerely,
Dr. J. Keenadiid.
Email: Keenadiid86@hotmail.com
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Dr. J. Keenadiid was formal Somali government senior civil servant, Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
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