Somalia stakeholders face-off in Washington

[sheekh-Farax-zero]

The showdown in Washington will offer testimonies from three presenters from Somalia – Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole," President of Puntland; Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdullahi Mohamed Du'ale; and Mr. Mohamed Oomar, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Mogadishu. Ugandan Defense Minister, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, will also address the Congressional hearing on the theme, " Somalia: Prospects for Lasting Peace and a Unified Response to Extremism and Terrorism."

It is an important Congressional hearing, since it is the first time U.S. policymakers will be exposed to first-hand testimony from Somali officials who wield influence and power in Somalia. The Puntland government's decision to send a high-level delegation to Washington can be translated as an indication of how serious Puntland is about peace and stability in Somalia.

There is plenty of misinformation in Washington and other world capitals about the true situation in Somalia. Supporters of the TFG, if the name still applies, tell the world that the TFG controls Mogadishu and is a government. In reality, the only factual thing about the TFG is the "transitional" part of its name – it is neither "federal" nor a "government." Supporters of Somaliland often flood Internet sites with misinformation, labeling other regions of Somalia as "violent" while portraying Somaliland to be "peaceful and democratic." In reality, there is no democracy in Somaliland, where an African dictator has extended his mandate illegally two times since 2008. While many regions of Somaliland enjoy peace, the conflict with Puntland over Las Anod city is a present-day danger and the Somaliland town of Burao has long been a major base for Islamist guerrillas waging war in southern Somalia.

In Puntland, the situation is unique as new President Farole won a peaceful election in January and has already made progressive steps to restore the region's image as a stable and governable part of Somalia. President Farole has articulated his government's plan to combat piracy and to protect the region's marine resources. In Puntland, there is a strong desire for change, as demonstrated by the organized and peaceful election followed by the smooth transition of power.

The U.S. government has an opportunity to listen to Somali officials present separate cases in efforts to restore national order in the country. Beyond the talk, it is time for a dramatic shift in U.S. policy regarding Somalia. If U.S. policy does not change, the alternative is that Islamist guerrillas will take over south-central Somalia and pose a serious threat to peace and stability beyond war-ravaged Horn of Africa country.