By Dalmar:
Mogadishu, Somalia –
Former Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and former HirShabelle President Mohamed Abdi Waare held a joint press conference to address the escalating clan tension in HirShabelle.
During the conference, Mohamed Abdi Waare, the former president of HirShabelle, emphasized the unnecessary nature of the conflict between the Hawadle and Abgal clans, urging all parties to work towards peace.
He stated, “There is no need for war at this time. We must strive for peace among our people and create a harmonious environment. There is already one ongoing war, and opening another front is uncalled for. Those burning mosques and madrasas [educational institutions for Islamic instruction] and making life difficult for our people should be fought against. [We should] focus our efforts on combating Al-Shabaab.”
Former President of the Transitional Federal Government, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, expressed his belief that no one should lose their life in a clan conflict, emphasizing the primitive nature of killing one another as it has been done for centuries.
He highlighted the importance of dialogue that he also held with the current HirShabelle President, Ali Gudlawe, to resolve the crisis and foster peaceful coexistence between the two communities in the region.
“Honor and humanity are rooted in mutual respect. The people who have been neighbours for hundreds of years, who share ancestors and have so much in common, should not resort to the same kind of warfare from a century ago.
“If we continue fighting in the same manner, we have failed to promote our culture, heritage, and diversity. In the area of Halfooley, there were repeated conflicts during the Islamic Courts period, particularly during the rebellion phase. However, these conflicts were settled through mediation, and the intellectuals who worked towards peace are still present.
“Furthermore, the local administration is now established. President Mohammed Abdi Waare and I have held discussions with [HirShabelle’s current] President Ali Gudlawe, who informed us that he had dispatched a delegation to the disputed area to address the problem.
“We commend President Gudlawe’s proactive approach and express our commitment to strengthen peace and foster good neighbourly relations,” stated the former President of Somalia.
Renewed land dispute in Halfooley
The efforts of these two formal statesmen from different clans demonstrate exemplary leadership in attempting to resolve the current conflict before it escalates into bloodshed. More leaders in HirShabelle need to promote peace and seek alternative means to resolve land disputes without resorting to violence.
The tensions between the Hawadle and Abgal communities have been on the rise following a recent land dispute in Halfooley, a village situated on the administrative border between Hiran and Middle Shabelle states. The conflict has been fueled by weeks of antagonistic rhetoric from the Abgal community, who claim that the Hawadle have unlawfully seized their land and established a village in the area.
The longstanding rivalry between the Abgal of Middle Shabelle and the Hawadle of Hiran has been a persistent undercurrent shaping the region’s politics. Local land disputes, even if limited to small areas such as Halfooley, have the potential to deepen this already existing rivalry.
