Somalia: President Yusuf too divisive to rule
By Ali Osman
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision” – Helen Keller
Oct 3, 2006 — President Abdullah Yusuf was elected by warlords in a chaotic campaign mired by secrecy, bribery and coercion and bankrolled by Ethiopia. Yusuf’s government has been plagued by political infighting, chronic mismanagement and lack of local legitimacy. As President Yusuf’s history shows, he has always been deficient in vision and has been prone to failure when it comes to political dialog which is badly needed at this juncture.
In fact, the tactics that Abdullahi Yusuf has sharpened for decades as a warlord and rebel leader shows he knows only two ways to solve problems by bribes and by military force which both are in short supply. Abdullahi Yusuf is a loathed by the majority of Somalis and had no political capital or legitimacy to speak off. Therefore, it would be very difficult if not impossible for him to marshal the support needed to bring about a lasting peace in the horn of Africa.
Most Somalis highly suspect his commitment to democratic principles which makes even the secularist worry of his government. President Yusuf’s credibility is further questioned by his refusal to recognize the former Arta government which was established in Djibouti after an exhaustive negotiation and many believe he and Ethiopian government were a major factor the failure of that government.
President Yusuf is also known to side line the Arab League. Therefore, countries of the Arab League which Somalia is a member of do not trust him and his current prime minister.
President Yusuf’s anti-Arab stance further alienates him from the Arab and Muslim world. Majority of Somalis believe the links and relations between Somalia and the Arab world is as important and their survival depends on it. In Somalia, business and education system is highly dependent on the Arab world. The business community is weary of any government that might antagonize the Arab countries because of the historic links between the Somali business men and the neighboring Arab countries such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
President Yusuf is unabashed Ethiopia’s friend and proxy and most Somalis know President Yusuf would not last more than a week without the support of the Ethiopian dictator who enthroned him by bribing the Somali warlord parliamentarians. Yusuf’s historic association with Ethiopia and coming to power by their support and staying in power due to their direct military intervention sealed his faith and he would never succeed in ruling Somalia as a legitimate President or central figure.
The world must see the quandary in standing behind such a leader and the reality on the ground shows there is a golden opportunity to seek a uniting figure. The warlords who made negations impossible are outdone and replaced by a moderate Islamic Courts that showed, they can maintain the peace and can run government and are able to build a working society.
The world should not stand behind a man rejected by his people, his nation and historically friendly countries of Somalia.
President Yusuf is calling IGAD and Ethiopian military because he has no legitimacy and cannot draw upon the support of his Somali population. If President Yusuf had legitimacy Somalis would have volunteered and cities would have been falling under his leadership like the Islamic Courts have. The world should demand his resignation and the election of a uniting leader before it is too late. If United States with 20,000 UN soldiers were unable to coerce unwilling Somali population to accept a puppet regime, then it would be even more difficult for IGAD and Ethiopia to do just that. President Yusuf is too divisive and polarizing figure to rule Somalia. It is time to consider for credible replacement.
* Ali Osman is a Somali citizen currently living in United States. He can be reached at [email protected]