Badbado Consulting Bureau

Post-Transition Somalia and the Need for Justice, Reconciliation and Forgiveness:=)

In the process of state decay Somalia has reached a higher level than the conventional failed State. For the past 22 years Somali people went through an unending nightmare where Thousands were murdered, raped, pillaged, impoverished and made refugees or IDPs. Despite The occurrences of all these human rights violations mainly committed and continue to be Committed by Somalis, still no single person has been prosecuted or punished for their past History of violence. On the contrary, these criminals have been rewarded handsomely for their Crimes by giving them the ability to rule over Somalia. Anytime there is peace conference they Were convened in lavish hotels in places like Kenya, Ethiopia andDjibouti And were given a Blank page to draw the future of the very country they destroyed and continue to destroy. They Were made MPs and ministers only to destroy the institutions they created and once again to Reconvene for another conference that benefits them. In 2012, some effort to identify these Warlords and their crimes against humanity has at least been furnished although at the end they Were allowed to be parliamentarians of the first government to be established on Somali soil Since 1991. 

For over two decades the Somali people were subjected to mistreatment, loss of opportunities And privileges and in some circles it is believed they were subjected to genocide, terrorism and Torture especially among the unarmed communities in the South. Overall, the Somali people lost Their individual liberties including freedom from torture, unjust imprisonment, execution, freedom To speak, write, worship, some political freedoms and socioeconomic Rights including the right to Work, housing, education, medical and food. 

The epicenter of post-transition Somali society and politics is the need for reconciliation to ease Clan tensions and end a culture of impunity. The recently concluded political process that created Parliament and president inside Somalia gives a greater opportunity to correct past wrongs. To That end there is a need to create an environment that fosters peace and prosperity for the Somali people. The first step is to create institutions that deal with past human rights violation and Prevent future ones through forgiveness, reconciliation and education, and eventually towards Equality and retributive justice through strong courts and rule of law. At the onset these Institutions must deal with the past wrongs by utilizing transitional justice models such as Truth And Reconciliation (TRC).

In addition to the correction of past wrongs the institutions must pay attention to issues of justice Such as retributive, restitutive and restorative justice. Additionally there are terms that describe Different aspects of justice such as distributive or economic justice, procedural justice, corrective Justice, social justice and symbolic justice. These categories tend to overlap and each individual may value one type of justice over another at different times and circumstances. The institutions For the post-conflict Somalia have to take this into account in addressing the justice needs of the Population.

The second step is to foster forgiveness after the admission of guilt either through voluntary, TRC Or other mechanisms. According to the former president of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda “Forgiveness is not, of course, a substitute for justice. Forgiveness is a gift, not something we Earn, but to know the reality of forgiveness we must be ready to turn our backs on the things we Have done which required us to seek forgiveness in the first place.” 

The third step is to foster reconciliation where the Somali people as individuals or groups heal their wound and find closure. Reconciliation involves healing and end of conflict depend on a Contrition and forgiveness between aggressor and victims, which fosters a new relationship Based on mutual acceptance and reasonable trust. This process depends on joint analysis of the history of the conflict, recognition of injustices and resulting historic wounds, and acceptance of moral responsibility. 

Finally the leaders and institutions must educate the Somali public in peace-building and the Reversal of the culture violence. The institutions need to utilize the Somali culture in creating a Paradigm shift from violence to peace. Towards that end the Institutions must create continuous Education at different levels and most importantly must train in practical methodologies and Trainings such as mediation, arbitration and facilitation. The Institutions must create centers that Reduce the load of the courts by establishing mediation centers where students gain practicum And provide practical solution. After all, the Somali people can and should live in peace and Harmony and enjoy the natural wealth that Allah has endowed them if and only if each one Recognizes that any harm to his/her brother/sister is harm to him/her. 

Med vänlig hälsning / With best regards! 

/The best thing about arriving at a destination 
is the realization the road does not end there”

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