Building peace from the margins in Somalia: The case for political settlement with Al-Shabaab |
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Authors: | Mohamed Haji Ingiriis |
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Institution: | 1. The Faculty of History, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK;2. African Leadership Centre, King’s College London, London, UK |
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Abstract: | The prevailing discourse in Mogadishu among the federal government of Somalia and the international community is that Al-Shabaab is no longer relevant in contemporary Somali political landscape. In the language of the government, Al-Shabaab is like a lost crocodile thrown out from the river. In the lexicon of the international community, Al-Shabaab is gradually receding. In fact, Al-Shabaab is actually puissant and potent in terms of social, political and military capabilities; not just in Somalia, but also in the wider East Africa region. Why is Al-Shabaab resilient and resistant? Why is it even more effective than the federal government? To answer these questions, this article reveals how Al-Shabaab is increasingly more legitimate than the federal government. In conclusion, the article proposes that negotiated settlement with the insurgency movement could lead to peace in war-torn southern Somalia. |
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Keywords: | Al-Shabaab Somalia conflict peacebuilding negotiated settlement |
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