Somalia and Somaliland Security Status (Essay Sample)

Somalia and Somaliland Security Status
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Conflict remain as a main challenge in Somali as compared to Somaliland. Competition for scarce resources and power, environmental degradation, lack of a common national vision and state fragility have highly contributed to the state of Somali security issues. Different organized armed groups and the proliferation of light and small arms accessibility have also increased insecurity in the country.
Conventional attempts have been made to stabilize Somalia though the conflict has defied the strategies developed by the international communities. There exist various questions on the right stride to be adopted to enhance security and stable Somali CITATION Seb00 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2000). In this case, diagnosis of the conflict has been developed through intervention of international communities and effective solutions are being adopted and implemented through various strategies of recapturing of some areas controlled by illegal groups.
The Federal Government of Somali can manage security stabilization through reaching out to Somaliland, Puntland, security stabilization in South-Central Somali and the adoption of development of professional and inclusive mechanism in security sector. This paper focus on establishing the causes and drivers of insecurity in Somali as compared to Somaliland CITATION Ken08 \l 1033 (Rutherford, 2008). Accomplishment of this objective depends on understanding the current and existing drivers of conflicts and insecurity in Somalia and the policies adopted by Somaliland to heighten security. Somaliland is a region of post conflict recovery but has maintained unique and relative peace with stability prevailing in the region. Somaliland enjoys stability as significantly reflected by low level of conflicts and positive perception regarding state safety and cohesiveness among the communities.
Causes of insecurity in Somali as compared to Somaliland
This section scrutinizes the structures that steers the level of insecurity in Somalia as compared to low in Somaliland. The root cause of the of Somali state consider the bedrock of insecurity that have enhanced insecurity in long-term basis.
Colonial legacy
The conflict and insecurity of Somalia can be drawn to the colonial administration that led to division in the country into Somalia, Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland and the French Somaliland (Djibouti). The division of the country not only facilitated to clans division but facilitated to inequality among the clans. Typically, colonial division in Somalia was based on exploitation and oppression of the citizens a trend that was inherited by the subsequent administration. The ruling elites after colonial administration were from Medug and Mejertinia clans. The power in this clans were enhanced by favors that colonial administration gave to clans that delivered the interests rather than the capable people CITATION The08 \l 1033 (Theissen, 2008). In this case, nepotism continued after independence and this can be substantiated by the existence Somaliland territory that seeks self-rule from Somalia. The insecurity increased as the division of the country brought conflicts among the clans based on divided regions halting the governance of the country. The conflicts hindered stability in the country leading to increase of insecurity in Somalia. The Somaliland stability was enhanced by the division due to the increased resources gained during the colonial administration enhancing stability of the country in terms of economic and effective governance. The stability has continuously lowered the level of insecurity with the regions working hard to gain sovereignty from Somalia such as Djibouti that used to be French Somaliland.
The colonial legacy also facilitated to conflicts and insecurity while the leaders supported both west and the USSR. In this case, Somali managed to build the largest army in Africa as the leaders were in a position to access resources from both power frons that existed. The largest army later turned to killing Somalia citizens and rebuilding illegal groups based on clans. The army continued to abusing human rights until the fall of the regime in 1991. Since 1991 Somalia has continuously experienced difficulty times in terms of stability leading to existence of different groups rebuilding with the existence of large army that was created in the previous regime. The groups have rebuild to the extent of raising money to finance the acquisition of firearms to stabilize themselves CITATION UND12 \l 1033 (UNDP, 2012). Different illegal groups existing in Somali has led to increase of insecurity. Moreover, the acquisition of firearms by citizens have increased the level of insecurity since rules and regulation does not exist in the country. In this case, the county does not have state army and police that can control the level of insecurity activities in the country leading to expansion and growth of this activities. Comparing this situation to Somaliland the region has managed to control the expansion of illegal activities through existence of rules and regulation empowering the state army and the police to minimize the insecurity in the region.
Governance crises and state fragility
The security sector of Somali is weak and can no longer guarantee the security to all the citizens in the country attributing to increased insecurity experienced in the country. The weakness in the security arise due to the crises in the governance of Somalia that has not managed to strengthen the activities of the country to the extent of maintaining and controlling the illegal activities carried out by the outlawed groups. The crises of governance has facilitated to failure of stipulating a constitution that guides the country on policies to be upheld in enhancing security in the country. In Somaliland security enhancement revolves around effective and stable government that have enacted rules and regulations to guide the region on issues of security. In this case, Somaliland have a functional ministry regarding security and this ensures effective measures on security are enacted CITATION Chr04 \l 1033 (Webersik, 2004). Strategies and policies of security adopted by Somaliland are efficiently implemented due to existence of effective ministry and the army.
Crises in governance in Somali creates venerability of security in that, measures focusing on insecurity are not implemented. Moreover, the failure of functional security ministry, army and the police leads to strengthening and establishment of outlawed groups. For instance, the failure of Somalia governance led to establishment of Al-shabab that has continuously carried out insecurity activities in the country. The cementation of the group in the country has been boosted by the control of some strategic regions where it raises revenues to increase resources of managing the army and continuous recruitment in the group. The control of strategic places such as ports and areas where illegal business are effectively carried out has enhanced the increase and development of the group leading to issues of insecurity being rampant. The group carries out insecurity activities as a strategy to recruit and radicalize people in the outlawed group. Comparing to Somaliland outlawed group do not exist due to strong army and the existence of cohesiveness that has been created by the government to ensure illegal activities are reported ensuring security of the citizens CITATION Ric04 \l 1033 (Gueli, 2004). Moreover, the existence of formal judicial system in the region ensures the level of insecurity is lowered as compared to informal and nonfunctional judicial system in country Somalia.
Judicial system assists in ensuring security is enhanced through apprehending and prosecution where necessary but due to crises in governance in Somali apprehending and prosecution functions does not exist. The inability of the government to restore security in capital city and stabilize the functioning of the city has continuously led to insecurity issues despite the government being in control. The inability to control reflects the incompetence of the government security structures leading to strengthening of illegal activities being carried out. The continuous carrying out of these activities arise due to failed strategies adopted by the government on security. The incompetent of the security structure to reach the point of controlling or implementing policies that out power the rival groups pressuring the government policies increases venerability of the Somalia security CITATION Mar00 \l 1033 (Kaldor, 2000).
The continuous recruitment and radicalizing of youths in various illegal groups in Somalia fuels due to poor governance that exist in Somalia. The groups manages to recruit and radicalize people given that many people grew in chaotic and turbulent environment where oppression, use of a gun and impunity was a normal thing. The government has failed to change the perception of people regarding visualizing peaceful situation leading to increase of insecurity in the country.
The poor governance existing in Somalia has enabled the importation of firearms in the country. The prevalent access of fire arms in Somalia has attributed to increase of insecurity in the country. The firearms are used to carry out activities that subject people to insecurity. This has led to increased migration as people as they look for secure places. Moreover, ineffective governance has resulted to free entry in the country presenting a strategic area where illegal activities are carried out. These activities such as drug trafficking and piracy leads to increased revenues for the illegal groups to finance the operation of the captured regions from the country CITATION Ale15 \l 1033 (Lewis, 2015). Comparing to Somaliland free entry and exit of the country must be verified by the ...