Editorial
Somalia: The new Prime Minister deserves a chance
20 Jan 20, 2008 - 9:05:44 PM
SUNDAY EDITORIAL | A career humanitarian, Prime Minister Nur Adde fully understands the impacts the savage war is having on the civilian population.
The mortar shells that slammed in and around Somalia's presidential palace moments after new Prime Minister Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein arrived in the capital, Mogadishu, is another worrying indication that the country's rebels know only violence. The new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet flew into Mogadishu today [January 20] for the first time since being appointed to the post last November. In his brief comments to journalists at the airport, Prime Minister Nur Adde reiterated his calls to the opposition for peace talks. He has repeatedly stated that his government is different from that of his predecessor, Prof. Ali Mohamed Gedi, who referred to the opposition as "al Qaeda" or as "terror sympathizers."
Somali PM Nur Adde
But many people, especially the armed opposition, are not giving the new Prime Minister and his government an opportunity to address grievances and shift the government's policy. The mortar shells, presumably launched by Islamist-allied insurgents, indicate that the guerrilla fighters only understand the language of excessive force. These mostly young fighters have shown utter disregard for the safety of Somali civilians, because they continuously launch mortars from densely-populated areas, and then flee before the Ethiopian army's equally destructive artillery response.
A career humanitarian, Prime Minister Nur Adde fully understands the impacts the savage war is having on the civilian population. Thousands have been killed and hundreds thousands more displaced since January 2007, when the Ethiopian army first helped the Somali government oust Islamist rulers from Mogadishu. He has declared that the facilitation of humanitarian aid to needy Somalis across the country is one of his top priorities.
Included among those in need of humanitarian aid are the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts of the young guerrilla fighters aiming to topple Prime Minister Nur Adde's transitional federal government. This man has welcomed the opposition as fellow Somalis, not as outsiders or "terror sympathizers." He has expressed his views on the continued presence of Ethiopian and other foreign troops by arguing that foreign troops can only remain in Somalia as long as the Somalis remain divided.
His repeated appeals for peace talks deserve a chance, lest the country continues on its current path to self-destruction. The Prime Minister has even suggested that he is willing to meet with the opposition without any preconditions, given that the opposition drops its precondition that Ethiopian troops withdraw before any talks begin. Tomorrow, the Ethiopians can leave. But we Somalis must first sort out our differences through peaceful negotiation, which can pave the way for the anticipated withdrawal of foreign forces from our beloved soil.
But as long as militant elements continue the use of violence to achieve their goals, then genuine Somalis such as Prime Minister Nur Adde will be sidestepped and silenced by the likes of hawkish President Abdullahi Yusuf and Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere.
Garowe Online Editorial, editorial@garoweonline.com
