Collective work and collective actions represent and involve multiple parties or groups of people working together. This requires a deep commitment from each of the parties to the collective work at hand, the same way a person is committed to personal works. It is what Somalis need to achieve if they have to change the lot of their country and people for the better. We noted in the last article that there is need for involving Somali elders in a new process of national reconciliation.
In discussing the way of the elders in a Somali society or context, one must always start with hope for the better, away from the worst in Somali relations – clan warfare, and that everything will be alright. It is they who are perceived to be legitimate, credible, and are trusted by the people, and with that optimism on the role of elders, we start this article.
Somali elders represent the epitome of being Somali. It is the segment of the population which keeps the Somali fabric together and respect for them in everyday life is manifested in their continuous roles of mediating, counselling and negotiating among various groups when there are both joyous and sad moments and when there are visitors from beyond a community, irrespective of the origin of those visitors.
It is the elders that people seek for advice and counselling when embarking on most ventures be it political, business, family, or personal, where often one would hear, “Let us hear what elder so and so, has to say on this matter or that.”
It is how the Somali family is important in a Somali life system where the male patriarch of a family or the eldest male is the head of a household and hence a community and clan. A general respect for Somali elders is part of the Somali identity from time immemorable and it is one major factor that was ignored in the reconciliation processes that were held outside the country.
The elderly community usually execute their roles as counsellors, negotiators and mediators, for free and without a fee. They could probably be fed and accommodated, if there is no other way, but pay for their services is not part of the Somali etiquette, and hence their authority, which has enabled them to uphold the traditional laws of the people and country.
It is in their interest and the interest of a Somali community to keep peace among themselves and with others, unless transgressed, in which case they can also be used as representatives and speakers of the community.
Although age generally determines who is an elder, it is not a defining feature. Sometimes, the title as head of a clan or group is inherited but a younger person in an elder community would generally be surrounded by other elders from the same community adept in the ways of the land and the traditions to ensure that the younger elder man does not go astray on some matters, of which he may not be aware.
It must be understood that the international community used mostly politicians seeking income sources or material gains in the reconciliation processes that were held in Cairo, Djibouti, Addis Ababa and Kenya (Nairobi and Eldoret). It is how they perceived a solution process of the conflict in Somalia could be settled. It is where those who have interest in the country urged and encouraged their own people to play active roles in the process.
Those processes led to the current governance infrastructure which does not suit a Somali society, a uniquely homogenous society in terms of ethnicity, language, culture, and religion.
The current governance infrastructure does not appear to be suitable also, for a fierce generally pastoral society, where freedom of action, voice, and choice is strong. They have enhanced the role of politicians, who are most often accused by the people as being puppets of others, and whose main interest is perceived to be personal material gains as opposed to the making of peace in the country or its development for that matter.
The way of the Somali is to listen to their elders who have authority to enforce their decisions in the communities where they sway power, not because they are powerful but because they are respected for age and experience, and they are not paid for their services, which is free and of benevolent nature.
Elders settle disputes among clans and communities through informal negotiating processes, whose end results are generally imposed on conflicting parties. Those who do not abide by the rulings reached by the elders are usually fined or punished. Punishments take various forms including cursing a difficult party which appears to be causing most disturbance or refuses the peace proposals among the people.
Note elders carry a moral authority. They could include not only elderly people by age but also religious people. Somalis carry great respect for their faith and a curse from community elders and material punishments in the form of fines, are usually avoided at all costs. They avoid a disgrace to the community and clan, which can be carried and kept throughout the ages into the future. There are clans who have been ostracized in that form, perhaps centuries or thousands of years ago and still carry those markers.
National reconciliations carried out through the traditional Somali model of deploying the community elders were successful. Such reconciliations were held in northern Somalia – the parts of Somaliland and Puntland, and to some extent the Southwest State, and today they hold stronger and more peace than other parts where the elder community was ignored, including the formation of the federal infrastructure which appears to have been created for power-sharing and arrangements thereof. In the Southwest, the new foreign imported religious terrorists sway power in many parts.
It is perhaps the richest part of the country, which needs to be exploited for the interest of foreigners, and hence the terrorists. The intention was perhaps, to place ‘chosen’ people in positions of power and not the real desire of the Somali population, which could have produced a different outcome and governing infrastructure. It is not still too late and the country does need a new locally organized reconciliation process using the traditional Somali model, which could be better than the current governing system which is respected by no one.
This model will deploy the traditional Somali moral etiquette and ways, which may include honor, respect for the elders, generosity towards others, fierce resistance to outsiders and troublemakers, kinships, and modesty, among others.
Having lived in this territory for thousands of years, a territory marked by its geostrategic location for always from time immemorable, connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe, Somalis are always suspicious of the foreigner and they always unite against foreign interferences. All arrangements so far made including the federal infrastructure are seen to be serving foreigner parties and not really Somali interests. They currently perceive the federal infrastructure as having been imposed by others who have interest in their lands and seas, and it would be a difficult proposition to succeed.
Somalis need to revisit their governing infrastructure to make it suitable to their wants and meet their own needs and this could only be achieved through a locally organized process involving the elders community. It was done before and it can be done again.
This traditional Somali model will require to be a Somali affair only from organizing to financing to decision-making and final results. It is the only job the federal government could have done since its inception in 2012 but where it failed miserably as it thought it had power, which it did not and does not have.
It is perhaps good for the federal government to finally realize its predicament and make amends with its own population and work on a national reconciliation process, the Somali way. Should the federal government insist on its present hold of power, which is generally illegitimate in Somali eyes and perceptions, there is nothing that prevents the Somali elder community to embark on a national reconciliation process to make peace in the country on their own, for if there is no peace there is no country, indeed.
The traditional way of the Somali would involve an initiation process where contacts are made by the elders on each other to establish a rapport with the intention of making peace among the people, say among two clans, but in this case among all Somali clans.
It could probably involve an initiative from an elder statesman to another and then to another and another until the whole country is covered. This may lead to the creation of a preparatory committee to organize elders across the country, resources and assurance of security, travel processes and, in the end, the selection of a potential venue for a national meeting.
The preparatory committee will assign other committees to oversee different aspects of the process, including fundraising or the selection of hosting community and location. The hosting community generally provides mainly the security and a substantial amount of the costs involved. The national reconciliation process could involve a different infrastructure than a reconciliation process between two clans.
It involves a larger body and larger communities/clans. It is why in the beginning, ad-hoc committees would be preferable to rigid western style chairpersons and officers. The ad-hoc committee members should be trusted members of the communities and would often be senior elder community members.
A national reconciliation process involving the Somali traditional model or way will always be inclusive and delegates whether large or small speak on behalf of their communities and are all respected.
In the modern context, women, who, in the past were not generally involved or stayed outside the inside discussions, today form of the decision-making processes. They have earned their newly found power through sheer work and dedication, and they are respected. A national reconciliation process in the Somali way would be an inclusive affair.
A general Somali meeting and reconciliation venue would be colored by Somali folklore dances, poetry, songs, and of course, by religious sermons from important religious personalities emphasizing on the merits of peace in a Muslim ummah.
This is designed to entertain those who are participants in the meetings and to avoid boredom and negative side-discussions. They keep the venue generally pleasant and happy. There would be many other actors including civic societies, but the latter are generally seen with great suspicions as they often represent and spearhead the interests of those funding them, which is often foreign. Businesspeople may be involved as it is in their interest to have a peaceful market to operate.
A locally organized national Somali reconciliation process will produce results that may not be perfect but would be much better than those created in foreign forums and would be acceptable to the people and the nation. Follow on the next article a continuation on the processes of a locally organized reconciliation.