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http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint/Somalia_continues_to_suffer_under_occupation.html
Somalia continues to
suffer under occupation
(The
following article is from
the July 1-31,
2007
issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles
can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in
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By Stephen
Von Sychowski
On December
24, 2006, Ethiopia
launched an unprovoked military assault on Somalia, with full U.S.
backing. Ethiopian troops were largely used as cannon fodder and as a
cover to make a much bigger imperialist occupation of Somalia look like
a smaller conflict between two African nations. The occupation has been
largely ignored by all corporate media outlets, obviously on purpose.
So what is going on in Somalia?
The goal of
the attack and
occupation was to topple the popular Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The
ICU had brought the Somali people the first taste of national identity,
independence and legitimate government, based on the widespread support
of the people that they had seen since the overthrow of Mohamed Siad
Barre over 15 years ago. An end to over a decade and a half of war,
chaos, violence, economic insecurity, poverty, and rule by warlords and
interference by imperialism seemed possible. This is why the majority
of Somali people rallied around the ICU.
But this was
not acceptable to
U.S. imperialism, who saw the ICU as a threat to their interests in the
region. Why? It could be the large reserves of natural resources such
as iron ore, copper, salt and more. It could be the 3,025 km long
coastline which links the Red Sea, African Ocean and Suez Canal. But
more than likely, its oil... again. The World Bank listed Somalia as
one of the most promising areas in the region for oil development in
1992. The very warlords who were puppeteered by U.S. imperialism were
suddenly driven out by the ICU, whose leader, Sheik Sharif Shaykh Ahmed
had stated that the ICU "was established to ensure that Somali people
suffering for 15 years would gain peace and full justice and freedom
from the anarchic rule of warlords."
It's no
wonder that the U.S.
imperialists were shaken, but they could do nothing to reverse the
changes peacefully. The ICU was an objectively anti-imperialist force.
They now constituted the new governing force of Somalia; the only
answer for the empire was invasion and occupation.
Their pretext
would be to back up
the "Transitional Government" set up two years ago through a UN
sponsored conference. This government was made up of pro-U.S. warlords
led by Abdullahi Yusuf and based in the town of Baidoa. It lacked all
real authority, legitimacy and power. To most Somalis, it didn't exist.
The ICU, meanwhile, would be painted falsely by their enemies as "Al
Qaeda linked" and "terrorists," often the fate recently of those who
oppose imperialism.
The ICU,
despite its control of
most of Somalia and its widespread support, was no match for the might
of the U.S. military and its Ethiopian allies. As a result, the ICU was
rapidly forced from power and made to withdraw from the frontlines to
wage a protracted guerilla war against the invaders.
Meanwhile all
traces of progress
have been wiped out. Like their Iraqi, Afghan and Haitian counterparts,
Somalis are far worse off now than before the invasion of their
country. The occupation government has carried out a campaign of
violence, censorship and Islamophobia. For example, a ban on the
wearing of the Hijab has been implemented and enforced in Somalia, a
predominately Islamic country. Unknown numbers of people have perished
in the ongoing fighting and in massacres by occupation forces. Somali
radio and media have been censored and forbidden to report on the
violence and conflict.
Currently,
the occupation force
does not include Canadian troops. The people of Canada should beware of
any attempt by the reactionary Harper Tories to change this.
For now,
however, the U.S. seems
to be happy with their own troops and those of some of their puppet
governments. But it should be noted that other than Ethiopia, only
Uganda seems prepared to fulfill its part of the African Union's pledge
to send an 8,000 troop force to Somalia. Leaders of other countries are
reluctant to send troops to take part in this debacle, despite American
and European pressure.
Progressive
and democratic people
must cast aside the racist myth carried on by the imperialists and
their hangers-on, that Africans and other "Third World" peoples are
incapable of governing themselves. This myth is only a cover for
imperialist intervention each time that a government interferes in the
interests of imperialism, and especially in cases where these
governments and peoples begin to go down a path of social justice,
national liberation, independence, and their biggest fear... socialism.
In such cases, imperialism sees fit to declare that the government
represents a "failed state" or "terrorists," and implements regime
change. The overthrow of governments like that of Lavalas in Haiti and
the ICU in Somalia, and the attempted coup in Venezuela, are recent
proofs of this.
The ICU, of
course, has never
been a socialist organization. But despite this, it has constituted a
force for national liberation and against the U.S. Empire. They
represent a people struggling for self determination, just as the
people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Colombia, the Philippines, and so on. We
must demand that U.S., Ethiopian and all foreign forces leave Somalia
immediately, so that the Somali people may settle their internal
affairs independently and choose their own government without
interference. This is the right of all nations.