Abdulkadir Suleiman: The London Somalia Conference

The London Somalia Conference: Expectations and Reality

The London plan which was concluded on 23^rd February had met with great expectations: it created euphoria for its participants, despair for its opponents and skepticism for the Somali masses. Prime Minister of Somalia Abdiwali Mohamed Ali optimistically termed the Conference as highly successful and its outcome beyond his expectation. However, for Somalians the event did not pave the way for the resolution of their problems.

For me as a Somali, this was the 15^th luxurious assembly for the cause of Somalia, a poor country where lawlessness is rampant, and ended in vain. People wonder how calculations made miles away from the place of havoc could match the hard realities we Somalians are faced with. This view is fully supported by a report, made by the Guardian journalist Jamal Osman, which revealed the wide difference of opinion existing between the people of Somalia and the policymakers with a certain mindset. For example, they failed to figure out why al-Shabaab, militarily much stronger than the Somali governments or the attendees at the consultation, was excluded from the scope of the discussion.

Despite facing some setbacks recently, al-Shabaab are still powerful enough to pose a challenge to the national, and regional, security and would not support any initiative that does not address their concerns. Although President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed said that “we are scared of tomorrow”, the US Secretary of State Mrs Hillary Clinton vowed to keep al-Shabab “on the run”.

Where’s Pakistani Justice for Victims of Acid Violence?

Pakistan’s laws are capable of punishing criminals. Yet, outrageously, innocents are punished and criminals walk free. Acid throwing, or vitriolage – which works almost exclusively against women and is generally committed by jealous lovers, close family members or enraged husbands – is a seriously horrific crime and its victims are scattered all over Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. In the Pakistani context, an older post on this site by barrister Afzal Jafri is available here.

Fakhra Younus was a victim of acid violence. Prior to her tragic suicide on 17 March 2012 – Fakhra jumped off the 6^th floor of a building in Rome – she left a message that she was taking her own life because her victimizer could not be brought to justice.