Doha - Peace and stability is returning to Somalia with the warlords having been defeated and pushed into the oblivion by the Joint Islamic Courts, says a senior visiting Somali official.
Dr Mohamed Ali Ibrahim, from the Foreign Affairs Department of the Joint Islamic Courts (JIC), which has control over large parts of the country, told The Peninsula in an interview yesterday that the political and military role of the warlords, who held sway over the country for long, has come to an end.
The Joint Islamic Courts has control over five of the 18 provinces of Somalia and, according to Ibrahim, it enjoys the support of tribal leaders and people in the other 13 provinces.
The kidnappings and killings that had terrorised people have ended in and around Mogadishu, the capital city, and in the other provinces in control of the Joint Islamic Courts.
And, if the violence is still continuing in some parts of Somalia which are not under the control of the Joint Islamic Courts, "we cannot be held responsible for it," he said. "There are no fights taking place in areas under our supervision," he added.
Ibrahim said that at a meeting held between representatives from the Joint Islamic Courts and the Transitional Government in Khartoum late last month, the two sides agreed to recognise each other and it was decided to meet again on July 15.
"Our aim is to achieve peace and stability in the country," said Ibrahim, who was here to attend a forum organised by Al Jazeera Channel on the need for a free and frank dialogue on the future of Somalia.
Lauding Al Jazeera, Ibrahim said that it has opened a bureau office in Mogadishu and its coverage of the Somali events as well as the current forum are important since the network has a wide reach.
Ibrahim said that the violence in his country since 1991 had claimed about 100,000 lives. The Joint Islamic Courts as well as the people of Somalia do not favour the intervention of foreign forces since the issue of security of the country has been fully resolved. He said members of the former militia need to be rehabilitated.
Somalia has a population of 10 million and is blessed with immense natural resources.
It has the second largest coastline of 3,300 kms in Africa and its rich natural resources include fisheries, agriculture (it has a very fertile land), livestock and minerals, said Ibrahim.
© The Peninsula 2006
