Though an improbable event, the United Nations Security Council UNSC has declined to designate the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen (HSM) as a terrorist organization 28th August 2019, under resolution 1267. The watershed event was a response to Republic of Kenya’s formal request that UNSC list Al-Qaeda’s most redoubtable offshoot and branch as a terrorist organization. Interestingly, Kenya is undoubtedly, and remains, the most critical counter-terrorism partner in East Africa, despite suffering the brunt of terrorism. Another interesting outcome of this decision is that Somalia, which has suffered from terrorism directly, celebrated the decision.
We, at S.I Look at the Big Picture, not Just the News.
What happened?
A Coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations funded by UN Mission in Somalia besides dozens of American Agencies wrote to the United Nation Security Council claiming that listing the Al-Qaeda branch in Somalia, Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen (HSM) as a terrorist organization would critically hamper humanitarian aid to critically fractured Somalia. The United States, Kenya’s main partner in Regional Counter Terrorism alongside several Western Countries, voted against the bid. If UNSC granted the prayer, Kenya would have achieved a strategic edge in countering extremism and nipping the core of its funding. Regional Intelligence already have lists of companies and individuals directly and indirectly involved in funding the terrorist organization, and if UNSC listed HSM as a terrorist organization, Kenya would have successfully froze assets and bank accounts of these entities.
A terrorist organization is defined as “any association or combination of persons” which “commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism or encourages terrorism or is otherwise concerned in terrorism. The UNSC resolved to list members of the Al-Qaida organization and the Taliban and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them as terrorists under resolution 1276. Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen is a member and scion of Al-Qaeda in Somalia. The group has for umpteenth time swore fealty to Al-Qaeda and followed through AQ’s instructions including conducting terrorist attacks in East Africa.
Insight
Collaborated Intelligence reports have provided insight on how UN funded non-government organizations pay thousands of dollars to the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia to operate in the Horn of African country. UN funded agencies pay up $20000 to move aid to draught and pandemic hit areas directly funding terrorists operations. This is evidence of the symbiosis between the coalition of UN-funded NGO’s and Harakat Shabaab Mujahideen. If UNSC listed HSM as a terrorist organization, these UN Funded NGO’s would incur costs of providing private security to its workers in Somalia. The UNSC would also be obligated to deploy peacekeepers to conflict zones where these NGO’s are operating in Somalia. Such an eventuality would undo the hefty burden AMISOM troop’s shoulder. The Americans who rallied behind these non-governmental organizations would lose billions of dollars of funding and earnings from these humanitarian aid programs. The listing would have also given Kenya powers to list and expose these NGO’s besides other financiers of terrorism in Somalia.
What Next?
Kenya can orchestrate a purge on these financiers. Freezing their assets and bank accounts in Kenya besides closing their shops in the country will go a long way to keep the terror group at bay and eventually weaken and destroy it completely. Certain businessmen continue to do multi-billion business whose part proceeds go to fund and support terrorism.
