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Italian Somaliland: A Return to the UN
Trusteeship System
December 27, 2007
In much analysis, Transitional Government of Somalia (TGS) failed to restore law
and order in southern Somalia, including the vicious Mogadishu that paralyzed
the country for about two decades. IGAD and Arab League also failed to install
government in Somalia after 14 Peace Conferences in Arab and IGAD territories.
It is likely that UN Trusteeship System that worked in the Italian Somaliland
for about ten years in 1950’s will again restore law and order in Italian
Somaliland.
Effective from January 27th 1950, General Assembly adopted a resolution
recommending that Italian Somaliland be placed under an international
trusteeship system, and requested the Italian government to be administrator of
Italian Somaliland until further recommendations to lift the resolution. The
decree worked fine between 1950 to 1960 and established local administration for
the Italian Somaliland until the unity of Italian Somaliland with British
Somaliland on 1st July 1960. Now, international community has all the legal
authority it needs to shape a solution to humanitarian crises and armed
conflicts around the world including Italian Somaliland, Mogadishu.
We can say, during trusteeship, Italian Somaliland passed through best of its
history and people call it today “Golden era of Italian Somaliland”. A lot of
development and basic social services were founded.
Whereas, the General Assembly, after having examined the question at its third
and fourth sessions, adopted at its 250th plenary meeting on 21st November 1949
a resolution recommending, with respect to the territory formerly known as
Italian Somaliland, that the territory shall be an independent and sovereign
state; that its independence shall become effective at the end of the ten years
from the date of approval of the Trusteeship Agreement by the General Assembly
with Italy as Administrating Authority, aided and advised by an Advisory Council
composed of representatives of Colombia, Egypt and the Philippines. Italian
Somaliland remained under the trusteeship for ten years of prosperity and peace.
Its, however, strongly recommended that United Nation must accept and act upon
its responsibilities to maintain international peace and security more
aggressively then its has in the past, and support the governments that failed
to restore domestic peace and human rights respect in their areas like that of
TGS, as well as to promote the political, economic, social, and educational
advancement of all the peoples in the world. Its clear that United Nation
maintains minimal role in the failed state of Somalia especially Italian
Somaliland compare to IGAD, where Ethiopian forces invaded in Somalia to support
the suffering Somalis in their own hometowns.
On the other hand, Arabs preserve their policy of using oil for money as Arabs
especially rich gulf countries distribute money to warlords like current
Abdullah Yousif of TGS and his henchman, who later turned foe Former Prime
Minister Ali Mohammed Geddi. This kind of Arabian shaky policies in Somalia will
not lead Italian Somaliland into stability instead build muscles of new warlords
in Somalia politics.
One of the analysis, U.S. Ambassador Edward Marks suggests the need for the
international community to search for a structure of governance that would
assist and strengthen a country experiencing internal and civil turmoil, guide
it through an unstable transition period, and allow it finally to reach a mature
condition of governance in the world community. He is aware that some
authorities do not consider the past League of Nations mandates system and the
United Nations international trusteeship system as successes or the type of
structures needed in today’s environment.
Ambassador Marks described in his article how the international community, as an
alternative to the trusteeship system, has attempted peacekeeping missions where
the United Nations “aggressively interfered” in the internal affairs of member
states such as in Cambodia, Somalia, Haiti, the successor state of the former
Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Georgia, and Iraq — all with varying success.
In his conclusion, Ambassador Marks asserts that the world community must assume
responsibility in international and internal conflicts, and that the United
Nations is the most effective institution to accept this responsibility because
of its consensual base. He suggests that the principle of a trusteeship system
should be revisited with variations, even perhaps to supplement peacekeeping
activities. UN should enforce again the UN Trusteeship System in Italian
Somaliland (South Somalia), as the system worked successfully in 1950’s. The
system will create local authority for Italian Somalilanders who suffered for
two decades from civil wars.
In an address to the UN Security Council on 17th Dec 2007, UN Special
Representative for Somalia A. Ould-Abdullah called for Saudi Arabia and NATO
joint forces for Somalia, and described the situation in Somalia as dangerous
and a threat peace and security. Ould-Abdallah, reaffirmed that a withdrawal of
the International would result in a fighting that could create a humanitarian
catastrophe. Mr. Ould-Abdullah is thinking that Saudi Arabia as the Custodian of
Holy Mosques will win trust of Somalis, but reality shows the opposite. In
Somalia politics, the religion is no more important factor.
Ould-Abdullah is missing that Saudi Arabia, who is part of the conflict in
Somalia failed several times to reinstate the stability in Somalia, and main
reason is that Saudi Arabia build muscles of particular warlords that serve its
interest in Somalia. Currently, Saudi Arabia supplied $32 million to Abdullah
Yousuf and Geddi in cash. My question, Can Saudi Arabia guarantee that the cash
will not be used against innocent people in Mogadishu? The situation in south
Somalia is deteriorating and UN should enforce UN Trusteeship in Somalia, as
it’s the only way out from clan based conflict.
On 9th Oct 1992, UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996) proposed UN
Forces in Somalia to transfer the administration of the country to UN
Trusteeship Council and appoint administrator, in order to build the local
administration. This proposal did not win the support of the UN Security Council
who failed to stabilize the vicious Somalia.
Many analyzers highlighted the situation of Somalia could have been different
today, if the UN Security Council could have accept the suggestion of Mr. Ghali.
Somaliland: The Modern State in the Horn of Africa
In other hand, 18 years old independent, democratic and stable Republic of
Somaliland remains neglected as international community preferred to remain
uncommitted, although the peace loving people of Somaliland established complete
infrastructure of statehood in their part of the world. And, even, IGAD
countries that enjoy strong diplomatic and economic relations like Ethiopia and
Djibouti remained silent to cause of Somaliland. On the other hand, Somaliland
leadership made clear to international community that Somaliland will remain
independent with or without international community. Somaliland has peaceful
border with all its neighbors unlike Italian Somaliland where terrorist and
Islamist fundamentalists operate against other IGAD members like Ethiopia.
Somaliland voiced up many times to international community and officially
requested African Union membership in 2005, after fact-finding team led by His
Excellency Patrick Mazimhaka, Deputy Chairman of African Union suggested to the
African leaders to consider Somaliland case different, and even highlighted to
the leaders that recognizing Somaliland will solve the chronicle problems of
Somalia. I believe that Africans should help the active and hardworking members
of their community in the black continent like Somaliland that have security and
democracy better then many AU members. Somaliland has entire necessary tools to
build nation including modern government, defined border and populations, which
are necessary conditions for modern state.
Somaliland managed stability and continuous growth through its democratic
policy, but its foreign policy has been paralyzed by diplomatic embargo against
Somaliland, where the international community realizes process, democracy and
statehood in Somaliland but still remains blind and even refuses to hear the
Somaliland voice of freedom. In 2007, Somaliland diplomacy started shinning
after Rwanda Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Charles MURIGANDE highlighted
Somaliland development followed by a lecture delivered by Somaliland Minister of
Foreign Affairs Abdullah Mohammed Duaale in the last AU Foreign Minister’s
meeting. Besides, the recent statements of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates,
in a support to Somaliland during his visit to U.S. Forces in Djibouti
Clearly, we can say Somaliland is victim of other regional policies. As I.G.A.D.
is committed to Somalia’s unity fearing that a successful secession of
Somaliland could be misinterpreted as a precedent of other secessionist
movements in East Africa. Arab countries are trying to balance Ethiopia’s
influence in the Horn, to ensure their interest in the region like Egypt with
Nile Water Policy and Gulf Arab countries securing the path of oil exports to
the west that crosses the Somali-Yemen coastal areas.
My final word
UN should consider imposing similar trusteeship resolution to save Somalia, and
support the independence of Somaliland in order to reduce the size of the
problem in failed Somalia. This shows that keeping Somaliland away from current
chaos in Somalia may save Somaliland. UN should know Somaliland can be helpful
in restoring peace and stability in horn of Africa. UN Trusteeship System is
must for Italian Somaliland today, as Italian Somaliland failed to solve their
internal problems.
By Abdirahman Ahmed Ali
Email: an.ahmed@somaliland.net
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Source: Harowo
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