As you guys all know, there has been literally a war of all wars in Muqdisho for the last couple of months. This war is much different then other wars because the two sides are fighting not for clan interests two opposing views. One represents the now and one represents the future, one represents the past 16 years and one represents the next 1600 years, one represents all the ill gains of the civil war and one represents all the positives of our culture and religion.
From accurate reports, we can much say Mogadishu is cleaned up of the warlords and is going to be cleaned of what are left. It has been the warlords who always keep their militias and support by playing with qabiil, in instigating a Darod vs. Hawiye, or Other vs. Other, mentality to keep the violent qabiil sentiments in place. The warlords have used people for their own good, have ruined the capital and encouraged lawlessness by setting up checkpoints (isbaaro) and a money laundering scheme at the expense of the poor Somalis that would make even organized Italian and Chinese mafia look harmless.
The Wadaads of all qabiils came and said enough is enough. The warlords saw that a unity of the Somali qabiils in a very passionate appeal to religion was a threat to them. They made their little terror group and pre-emptively attacked. They underestimated. They underestimated both the capabilites of the Wadaads and the support they would get from the majority of our people in Mogadishu who are fed up with everything the last 16 years represented. The warlords started being crushed, chased out of their power zones, and loosing their controll over money and men. The warlords are all running away now (a most despicable one Ilqeyte just crossed the Kenyan border to get amnesty) and the others are in hiding, fearing like they have never feared before.
This is a new chapter in Somali history and in Mogadishu. Will this war in Mogadishu be the one to end the civil war there? Will it be the one that brings back peace, security, and prosperity to Mogadishu? Will it be the one that invites all Somalis from every qabiil again into Mogadishu with the same guarantee of security? Will it be the one to right the wrong that has taken place from 1991 and onwards? Will it help conquer our demons and show the world Somalis are infact self-respecting people who have a very proud and long history and a great cultura that was not represented by what happened in the last 15 years in Mogadishu and the rest of the country?
It is too early now but I am dearly optimistic that in a short time (maybe even less then a year from now!) all those who want to visit Mogadishu will be welcomed to be they Dir, Darood, Isaak, or Hawiye.
