Musse Sudi and his Associates: An Enemy of Peace?

By Ali Mohamed

As fighting, hunger and destruction in the Capital Mogadishu reaches horrible new heights, many are asking whether the time has not finally come to stop tolerating an intransigent warlords who refuses to put an end to the violence and wrongdoing. Not that they should be killed, or even arrested, but wouldn't exile be an appropriate response?

The case seems rather compelling. This is not simply an inept warlords, but ones whose commission of horrendous atrocities going back many years has been well documented. Despite the signing of the Eldoret Agreement in 2003, they have in fact opposed any accords.

Indeed, the case for exiling Musse Mudi and his associates are strong one, but in fact it would be wrong to focus just on Mr. Sudi. The underlying cause of the current crisis is that Somalis have been denied their basic rights of peace and dignity. They have been forced to endure a cruel civil war for fifteen years. Under both Siyad Barre and current leaders, Somalis have been subject to daily oppression and humiliation. And now Musse Sudi is part of the anti-peace coalition that is today laying siege to Banadir Region and its people.

And the responsibility goes beyond Mr. Sudi alone though he has been described as the top threat to peace ahead of others. Different warlords have backed the continuation of the misery and the terror of Banadir Region and its people with military and economic support for years. The Latest of Mr Sudi's ruthless destruction of what a Legitimate Prime Minister of Somalia has appointed as the Governor of Banadir was given a green light by these warlords with their only aim is to continue the looting and assassinations.

The exiling of Sudi, Atto, Salad, and Qanyare would enhance peace in Mogadishu. We should see them as an enemy of peace and not only as an enemy of Mudulood or Banadirs.

The Muduloods should stop crying and stood behind the greater slogan of National Peace in the Capital and start pressuring those among them Like Mr. Sudi who use cheap tribal propaganda to disrupt peace and take hostage for the whole Somali Nation. They should embrace this goal with unbridled determination, courage, and energy. They should have a real target to vent their fury on. It would be a very short fight only if they do it right.