W A G O S H A M O V E M E M E N T O F S O M A L I A
Ladies and Gentlemen
It’s great honor for me to have this opportunity and share my experience and insight about the bad situation of what is called the minority groups in Somalia. First since there is no any fair and exact census for Somali population, I can simply say that there is no majority and minority in Somalia, but marginalization which is similar to apartheid and discrimination.
This is historical problem, which still exists in Somalia.
One of the major marginalized groups in Somalia is the Bantu group which is found in nine regions. As Somalis needs to get lasting peace, still other Somali clans do not want to fully recognize the rights of these people.
Many efforts have been done, but to this day all has been done is only talk without action.
We need to see prosperous Somali nation that respects the rights of all without leaving out a single Somali citizen, but it’s unfortunate to see marginalization and discrimination continuing in the day to day life of Somali people coming from the government itself, the interim regional administrations as well as international bodies like UNSOM, IGAD and AMISOM.
For example, I am from Juba regions in southern Somalia, where the Federal Government of Somalia and the international community recognized non-inclusive administration of Juba led by Ahmed Madobe. Our politicians, our MPs, our elders and the whole community if Bantu in Juba were not allowed to take part in the process, but instead the international community helped Ahmed Madobe to bring proxy people from the region to claim representing the Bantu so that our rights are denied forever.
Look, members of AMISOM, and IGAD who are involved in Somalia politics, most of them have been in the country since 2007 without being replaced, such officials are compromising the peace process because they made friends among the Somali groups and they are clearly siding with particular groups.
Even the historians and authors writing about Somali have fallen into the trap of Somali clan divisions. You can find some authors based on their Somali friends writing false and unreliable history about other Somali clans like the marginalized groups. How come an oppressor becomes a source of the victim? I am very sorry that is what happening in Somalia today where authors are publishing inaccurate books and papers.
After all we are all Somalis. We are equal shareholders. So that to ensure this dream of one Somali nation, we do not need to look back and think of violence or revenge we need lasting peace through dialogue and justice.
In all the nine regions, where the Somali Bantu are found, the people should be given equal chance to determine their future under the federal system. We need to see the elite in the marginalized groups standing for their people in the formation of the regional states. In Jubba we are ready to do that, in Lower Shabelle, Middle Shabelle, Bay, Bakool, Hiiraan and Banaadir people are ready.
We just need the Federal Government of Somalia, UNSOM, IGAD and other stake holders to acknowledge this. We call and need independent representation not the current hoax representation where the FGS and the international stakeholders are sidelining the marginalization group and allowing the oppressors to determine the future of other clans by force.
Regards
Eng Yarow Sharef Aden
Chairman
Wagosha Movement of Somalia
E-Mail:swagosha@hotmail.com/or swagosha@yahoo.com
