The
Roots of the Crisis
Any critical
barbs against the crisis in Somalia create controversy
and clash of opinions (doves Vs hawks). In essence,
the controversy is reflection of the weight and
gravity of the society’s colossal disintegration,
and not the anachronistic view around clan jingoism.
The issue per se is emphatically sensitive and complex
as it embodies the myriad social problems that constitute
the intricate and extensive cultural, psychological,
ethical, and intellectual disintegration of our
society. Our discourses are inordinately attached
to the ignoble outcome of this societal degeneration,
which further augment the searing reactionary clan
jingoism, rather than presenting healthy mitigating
circumstances. This article is just a glimpse to
the past, to plausibly present some historical relevance
to the matter concisely and chronologically through
different lenses. We came to know the rise and fall
of past civilizations through the lessons of history.
The historical conflicts that devastated the most
pious generation of the nation of Islam (The Companions
of Prophet Mohamed – pbuh) had been recorded
in detailed discourse. The intention was not to
expose ignominy, blame one group while exonerating
the other, but to educate the future generations,
so they would become morally and psychologically
well prepared to avoid similar pitfalls and attain
strong leadership qualities. My intention for presenting
this discourse is in harmony with this principle.
The ideological
doctrine that shaped the cultural transformation
of the pagan Somali tribes in the first place, from
dispersed, hostile troglodytes to a cultured society
that shared strong moral values that promote peace,
unity, freedom, fraternity, and alliance was not
nationalism, capitalism, socialism, and/or secularism,
but Islam. Under the guidance of Islam, people understood
the essence of freedom, which is liberation of human
kind from the servitude of man to the one of Allah
alone. Through this understanding, clan genealogy
being part of our culture, our society had embarked
upon the long arduous struggle from Ahmed Gurey
to SYL that culminated in the formation of the sovereign
Somali state. The gist of this discourse is to highlight
the relation between three salient factors pertinent
to the demise of our nation – Western influence,
obliteration of Islamic ethics, and the social crisis
deveolped out of the two.
Somalia’s
colossal disintegration did not commence with the
catastrophic civil war of 1991, but has some historical
footprints that can be traced back to the era even
before the independence. We can divide the life
span of this regressive process into three separate
epochs, each being the breeding ground for the subsequent
one. Each period had crisis relative to the degree
of perversion the society had accepted to veer away
from its moral and cultural integrity. The disease
that had affected the society was the “moral
decadency” caused by the “destructive
culture” inherited from the colonial rulers
and their audacity for supremacy over all other
cultures. The Policy of Assimilation, Divide and
Rule of then, now under the rubric of “The
New World Order” were the true axis of evil
that the Muslim societies in general succumbed to.
All Muslim countries have identical social problems
as a result of this ignominious defeat. Somalia
is in the bottom of the pecking order, but all are
en route to the same destination unless remedy is
found for this plague.
Obliteration
of the Shariah (Islamic law) was the very epitome
of the crisis in the Muslim world. The Islamic Shariah
is divine law, which has much wider scope and purpose
than the man-made legal system which derives its
provisions only from human intelligence. The aim
at imposing the Shariah is rendering justice and
guiding the entire human society to the path of
peace, free from the evils of criminality and human
exploitation. The Ottoman Empire, the then emblematic
of the Islamic Caliphate was the first to succumb
to the influence of the Western supremacy (legal
system) in the 19th century delivered through propaganda
campaign, which depicted the Shariah as a barbaric
system of law, unfit for the modern age. This false
and illusive propaganda had caught the imagination
of the tyrant Muslim rulers and Muslim elites brainwashed
by the Western culture. The consequence was the
ubiquitous devastation (injustice, corrupt regimes,
poverty, diseases, high illiteracy, misuse of resources,
civil wars, mass migrations, etc) across all Muslim
countries.
In the
early days of the political struggle under the banner
of the SYL, the Somalis were far less educated than
they are now (may be the total literate people were
even less than our current so-called PhD holders),
destitute, uncivilized in the Western norms, but
morally sound. All these impediments did not hinder
our society from choosing the right leadership.
Islam admonishes violation of responsibilities and
stipulates clear guidelines on the criteria for
choosing proper leadership; compliant with this
principle, leadership positions were refrained from
in fear of the enormity of the responsibility. This
healthy pragmatism had encouraged the appointment
of leaders of deep insight, honest, God-fearing,
forthright, sincere men of integrity. The rapport
with this tradition of high moral standard survived
until early 60’s.
In 1960,
Somalia was a fully independent state. The south
and north joined to form the Somali Republic with
the vision to a greater Somalia. That was the beginning
of the first epoch (1960 –1969). Without critically
examining the negative consequences, the greatest
mistake made was accepting canons, policies, and
political system emerged from European cultures
and city-states of thousand years old. That European
system was not only unrealistic for a 99% rural
population of African culture to adopt but was morally
wrong, as it sanctimoniously ruled out the Islamic
Shariah. This was the turning point of the downfall.
Within very short period of time, civility and modernity
in the Western term of the word has opened doors
of crises. Gale of mistrust and uncertainty has
swept from coast to coast. Military officers from
the ex-Somaliland attempted a coup in 1991 to secede
from the Republic. The trust and believability has
been replaced by greed and distrust. Competition
for power and fierce political campaigning similar
to those in the West has replaced the one motivated
by the ethics inherited from Islam. Leaders whose
vision was not beyond the gaieties of the world
and personal greed came to power. Practices of corruption,
favoritism, and nepotism started to be visible.
The assassination of Dr. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke,
the second and last freely elected president of
Somalia shocked the nation in 1969. It was apparent
that the alien system was dysfunctional, the decline
was also discernible, but the society failed to
acknowledge the problem let alone to foresee solutions.
A coup
d'état led by General Mohamed Siad Barre
started a new epoch from 1969 to 1991. Things changed
from bad to worst. It was an Era of dictatorship,
corruption, nepotism, favoritism, fear, intimidation,
terrorization, tyranny, repression, incarceration,
and brain drain. As for the repression, it was parallel
to the era of Stalin in Russia as the system imposed
on the people was also Communism. Ethics and Islamic
theology came under perpetual attacks, the divine
book (Qur’an) was reprimanded as impracticable.
Debauchery and diabolical practices aimed to abate
Islamic values were enforced by the communist regime.
In short, the current menace is the product of this
reign of terror. The Somali society had to survive
through the Scylla of Westernization and the Charybdis
of Communism.
From
1991 to the present day, is the epoch of lawlessness
and anarchism. Unprecedented social mores that thunderstruck
the whole world has emerged. Despite the shameful
atrocities committed in the name of clan, the worst
problem that became a chronic malady is the issue
of mistrust emanating from a reservoir of hatred.
This is the effect of the moral sickness that had
permeated to the social fabrics of the society.
What is mystifying about this syndrome is the fact
that even organized Islamic movements that had survived
the vicious assaults of the communist regime were
not able to resist this sickness. The demise of
Al-Itihad Al-Islami is one good example. Many people
might think that Al-Itihad is still existent, but
in reality the organization has been demolished
by the same myopic mentality that had destroyed
our state. Since the brutal dictator was from Darood
clan, USC’s rhetoric which rendered its war
against the regime as legitimate raids against Darood
people has caught the imagination of many influencial
members among Al-Itihad. These individuals created
commotion with the intention to dismantle the organization.
Al-Islah, another prominent religious group, rival
of Al-Itihad due to ideological frictions, capitalized
on the opportunity and waged a fervent propaganda
which rebuked Al-Itihad a violent organazation dominated
by Darood. At the end, crisis developed from these
commotions dismantled the organization physically
and spiritually.
A recent
political remark enunciated by Al-Hajj, Sheikh Sudi
Yalahow, in which he claimed that his caln has indisputable
legitimacy for the Somali presidence astounded many
people. I did not agree with him principally, but
I was delighted with his courage and sincerity to
speak of his conviction. It was a remark that can
be used as a barometer and a point of departure
towards resolving our cirses. It is very clear that
we would not be able to resolve our problems by
pursuing the same trend that led us to the abysmal
devastation in the first place. The divine guidance
that had elevated our standard was a favor from
Allah. We did not appreciate that favor, then the
Almighty God has deprived us of that privilege.
A verse from the Qur`an states – “ If
you become thankful (to my favors) I will increase
them for you, but if you deny them, ideed my punishment
is severe”. Islam will prevail and the evil
forces will falter, that is the promise of Allah
– the creator and caretaker of this universe.
Burhan
Alas
