Abduction Highlights somali talaban Government Collapse

The 'official' kidnapping of the two French Servicemen in Mogadishu this week is the latest warning shot to the International Community, who continually ignore the dynamics of the Islamist insurgency and misguidedly support feeble and corrupt megalomaniac groups in the name of transitional governments, that Mogadishu is under the full of control of Al-Shabab ,Since the French guests had been staying at "Sahafi Hotel", where dozens of Somali government officials have sought residence, their sole abduction demonstrates that Islamist hardliners did not abduct the two men directly but through third party. Because had they had access to the building the casualty would have been greater and more painful as more ministers who had been staying at next doors would also have fallen into the hands of the enemy. So the abduction must have been carried out by members in the government or their security guards, who then transferred them to the militants, and that was practically what had happened according to reliable sources in Somalia. The disorganization of the government security forces and the lack of chain order make the matters worse, as anybody can hardly distinguish between armed groups in Somalia. When President Sheikh Sharif was elected in January, some Islamist figureheads have held major posts in his government and their "wild" fighters have automatically joined the government forces though quite separate in terms of uniform and order without proper training. This has brought the government forces under various leadership and authorities, which is a key factor for its weakness, and triggers constant defection of its soldiers. For instance, the habab-gidir hawiye Interior minister, Abdulkadir Ali Omar, the only Islamist leader who had not fled from Somalia during the Ethiopian invasion, leads his militiamen who are autonomous from the defence ministry and Police chief and have been largely associated with Hizbul Islam since influential Islamist leader, Hassan Dahir Aweys returned to Mogadishu (despite he survived from assassination attempt, in which his bodyguard was killed) These militias are believed to have abducted the Frenchmen, who had impersonated as journalists but were later indentified as servicemen, (a status that could minimize their chance of survival), and handed them to Hizbul Islam, who are seen less radical than Alshabaab but has the same ideology. After Alshabaab demanded unconditional transfer,mostly hawiye Hizbul Islam later handed the hostages over to Alshabaab according to Somali media reports. In Somalia, kidnapping is a routine crime committed by discrete groups; Islamist insurgents, local bandits and pirates, but in different reasons. Local bandits abduct in search for ransom, and Islamists in a way of punishment, so the prospect of survival of their victims is too low compared to the local bandits as they behead their captives and prisoners of war. However, the involvement or the facilitation by government forces in the recent abduction is scandalous and questions the credibility and legitimacy of not only the Somali government but also that of President Nicolaz Zerkozy, French citizens would ask why their servicemen were sent to unsecure, Alqaeda-infested Somalia. That's why I have used the "official kidnapping" in the first paragraph, because of the involvement of government forces.Gravely, President Sharif's Government is integrating into state of non-existence and cannot survive even with the support of the international community who usually invest in unworkable politics in Somalia without consideration to past failures.President Sharif needs to form a new effective government that can restore stability, create secure environment for a free and fair election and ensure peaceful progression to a legitimate government or resign to give the opportunity to anyone who can achieve those objectives.The International Community needs to support only genuine political process, ensure that their funds are properly used, that corrupt officials are held accountable for their crimes and establish international finance team to monitor funds to Somalia to avoid the pitfalls of the past, where millions of dollars vanished into the pockets of selfish leaders, who maintain luxurious lives in the West and in neighbouring countries with impunity.They also need to establish international justice system for the war crimes committed in Somalia, and probe the human rights violations in the country to warn those continuing the hostility that such impunity is no longer tolerated. They need to warn Somalia's Diaspora Communities, who have long contributed in the continuation of war by sending funds and organizing political fundraising, of any involvement in the conflict and that they could be held accountable for such contributions. They finally need to reach out to the criminal master-minders who have been responsible for the disappearance of young Somali immigrants in US and Europe who were recruited for suicide activities in Somalia.