SOMALIA: East African Security Force Created
The Chinese News Agency; Xinhuanet reports:Â Â
East African military chiefs began a three-day meeting here on Monday to review security progress in the region ravaged by conflicts, insecurity and poverty. The East African Chiefs of Defense Staff Meeting which drew military chiefs from 12 states called on regional governments to support the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade to deal with conflicts in Sudan, northern Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia and other trouble spots. In his opening remarks, Kenya’s Defense Minister Njenga Karume said the African Union (AU) is assembling a strong rapid response force to deal with conflicts and disasters on the continent. “The African Union has formed a standby force aimed at ensuring quick intervention in conflicts arising within the continent,†Karume told military chiefs from Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Mauritius, Madagascar, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Seychelles, Somalia and Tanzania. Â
Well, this is at best another way of wasting much needed resources! The fact is that almost all the countries in the above list are undemocratic and dysfunctional states that have deeply rooted internal conflicts with their own people. Not to mention the fact that majority of them are at war with each other. The question is: how can a country that cannot even protect its own borders help others to achieve peace and security? More importantly, Somalia has no business of forging military alliance with East African States. As I wrote many times before on this page and elsewhere, I do not see any reason why Somalia should be part of failed states club! We have our problems to deal with! Personally, I believe that Somalia should look north politically and economically. Indeed, I have argued that we should leave the African Union altogether. The notion behind the creation of the OAU and African Union is indeed racist! For instance, we have been told that “Europe†is not a geographical location but and idea based on common cultural and religious heritage. Yet, the overriding criterion for the creation of the African Union is indeed skin color. How can you explain Somalia and Ghana being in the same union?Â