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hand, Somalia belongs to both African Union and Arab League and both
regional blocks mostly pull Somali issue into different directions.
Moreover, Europeans represented by the former colony of Italy and UK
are not always in agreement with the US hegemonic and unilateral
policies in Somalia. Therefore, Somali conflict is so complex that
involves not only divided Somalis but also many divided regional and
international actors. Not aware of that complexity, many people,
particularly, the Somalis are upset why homogeneous Somalis so much
united in their common language, religion and aspirations fail to
reconcile and reconstitute their collapsed state.
External actors like the US, IGAD countries particularly Ethiopia and
Eritrea, Arab League in particular Egypt and Yemen and other
international community are involved in this conflict. They are divided
on how to deal with the complex Somali situation. US and Ethiopia
advocate that the fighting is part of the global war on terrorism and
both countries cooperate to deal with it militarily. They also mobilize
other African states to participate in the pacification of Somalia. On
other hand, Eritrea and other actors support insurgents, remnants of
UIC and other oppositions. Unfortunately, Somali people who had
suffered greatly from the cold war and civil war are becoming a gain a
victim of the proxy war between Ethiopia and Eritrea and US global war
on terrorism.
3. Conclusion
Military defeat of UIC does not mean that the core ideology that
motivated them and their supporters will easily dissipate and fade
away. Also, it does not means that protracted Somali debacle will be
solved once for all. The biggest challenges in solving Somali conflict
are: (1) the low capacity of the current transitional institutions, (2)
proliferation of weapons, (3) anarchists who are opposing any system
of governance and (4) interventions of the regional and international
actors. Eventually, this conflict will persist until all political groups are
disarmed and accept to participate in the political process through
peaceful and democratic means. Classification of Somali citizens into
“good and bad Muslims” advocated by some Islamic circles and
relinquishing Islam into the periphery espoused by secular elites and
supported by the external actors will not contribute to restoring peace
in Somalia and the Horn of Africa. Therefore, there is a need for a
comprehensive and inclusive approach that offers all Somalis an
opportunity to reinvent their system of governance and to
accommodate all groups within that system. For that reason, it
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