zSomali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy
(SIDD)

Hassan Mohamud Geesey: Author of: "A road from a miserable, devastated town to a Regional State".

Omar Salad: Visits to Nairobi and Mudug region.

Eng. Sayid Ahmed Sheik Dahir: Mediation in conflict in Baidoa region.

Abdirahman Omar Osman: Visit to Mogadishu.

Osman Jama Ali: Visit to Mogadishu

Annual Review 2007-8

As Somalis everywhere suffer from the on-going turmoil in our native country, those associated with Somali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy (SIDD) have been taking steps to pursue its twin objectives of ‘the reconciliation and integration of Somali refugees’ and the longer term aim of ‘enabling skilled Somalis in the diaspora to return to Somalia and contribute to national reconstruction’.

In the year 2007-2008, these included:

• the participation of 18 Somalis in two training courses in Dialogue Facilitation

• a one-day programme with SIDD’s International Patron, Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, including a morning briefing, an afternoon meeting with members of the Benadiri and Sa’ad communities, and an evening reception to formally launch SIDD

• a one-day meeting and reception for those responsible for Interpeace’s Programme in Somalia

• arranging for 30 UK-based Somalis to attend the annual Agenda for Reconciliation conference and other conferences at the Initiatives of Change (IofC) conference centre in Caux, Switzerland

• a variety of occasions to maintain contact between those who have taken part in previous programmes

• briefing parliamentarians and government departments concerned with Somalia or the Somali community in the UK, including a briefing in Parliament

• discussions with the UNDP QUEST programme and diaspora organisations in other European countries about creating a database of skilled Somalis in UK who would be willing to return to Somalia, when the situation allows, to contribute to reconstruction.

Finances

The Annual Accounts show an income of £3,986 which is largely thanks to a grant towards Dialogue Facilitation courses from the Irene Prestwich Trust, donations from Trustees, and contributions towards catering expenses by participants. Substantial support for all the events above has come from IofC-UK, a charity which has generously provided facilities and helped raise funds which have made much of these activities possible. These funds were used to pay for a Training course in Dialogue Facilitation, events and the publication of the previous year’s Annual Review.

The Trustees express gratitude to all those who have devoted time and money to the task that SIDD has undertaken, and ask for ideas and help to raise the funds necessary for the expansion of this work.

Death of Fiona Leggat

Finally we must mention our sadness and distress at the sudden and shocking death of Fiona Leggat on 14th June 2008. Fiona has been a dear friend to so many of us, and as a Trustee, the development of SIDD was very close to her heart. She is deeply mourned and our hearts go out to her Kenyan husband, Miheso Musindi Wenceslaus, her parents, Campbell and Claire, and all her family.

(Click here for full Annual Review 2007-8)

Annual Review 2006-7

Mediating role

During 2006-7, several of those who have received training in Dialogue Facilitation during the last two years played mediating roles of different kinds in Somalia and among the Somali community in Britain.

Hassan Mohamud spent several months in Mudug to follow up the two years of work he had earlier done in south Galkayo to help rebuild security and infrastructure. Omar Salad, a well-known figure in the region, subsequently lent his authority to assist in the development of a fledgling regional administration. Sayid Ahmed Sheikh Dahir spent several months in Bay Region assisting elders in bringing to an end an 18 month-long conflict between two sub-sub clans. Abdirahman Osman spent two weeks in Mogadishu in June and July establishing contacts between the UK diaspora and the Islamic Courts. Abdi Afrah Gure played an important role in the continuing development of the Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisations, which has succeeded in bringing all the Somali organisations in the borough into one organisation, and is the first of its kind in the UK.

Meeting of Sa’ad and Benadiri elders

In February 2006, following a breakthrough in the communication between prominent Sa’ad and Benadiri personalities in Switzerland the previous year, a meeting of elders from these communities took place in February.

Course in Dialogue Facilitation

12 British Somalis completed a course in Dialogue Facilitation on five Saturdays in April and May. The training was delivered by Lawrence Fearon and Phoebe Gill of Hope in the Cities, an IofC Programme. The course focused on different aspects of facilitation such as: the practical aspects of organising a dialogue; the role and qualities of a facilitator; aspects of communication, listening and understanding one’s own emotions; how to ‘take in, make sense and decide about intervention’; how questioning works, different types of question; how to manage the dialogue process; dealing with challenges and conflict; using silence as a tool in dialogue; and creating an action plan.

Course participants, trainers and others at the Presentation of Certificates on 13th June 2006

What the participants said:

‘I feel there is a need to open dialogue between different communities in Somalia’

‘I appreciate this course and I hope that other Somalis will have the opportunity to learn what I learned.’

‘We need more help to bring about needed change both for ourselves and the community.’

‘This course shows us how to share ideas and how to resolve current problems.’

‘To get involved in the process of dialogue in Somalia would be an opportunity to implement and if necessary modify the theory given to us.’

‘It should have been longer!’

Conference: 'An Honest Dialogue for a Clean and Just Africa'

A group of Somalis participated in the annual Agenda for Reconciliation conference in Caux, Switzerland, 7th -17th August 2007. The purpose was to learn from other African peace-making initiatives and to build team-work among them. There, they presented a workshop on issues relating to reconciliation in Somalia, and contributed national songs and dances to an international cultural evening.

The Somalis who participated were: Ahmed Abati, Dr Ahmed Sharif Abbas, Khalid Maou Abdulkadir, Asha Aden, Osman Jama Ali, Dr Yusuf Ali, Hibak Egal, Abdi Afrah Gure, Mohamud Gure, Abdullahi Hassan, Mohamed Bashe Hassan, Ali Jeilani, Mohamed Kilas, Rashid Sabrie, Sudi Ali Yusuf.

International cultural variety evening, presenting national songs and dances (left) and (right) Mohamud Gure introduced the whole Somali delegation to the assembly.

(Click here for full Annual Review 2006-7)

Annual Review 2005

Building on the association of prominent Somalis concerned for national reconciliation with Initiatives of Change International (IofC) since 1991, and following a year of weekly meetings throughout 2004 with IofC's Agenda for Reconciliation (AfR) team in London, Osman Jama Ali, Dr Ahmed Sharif Abbas and Abdi Afrah Gure launched an initiative to promote reconciliation among Somalis in the diaspora and in Somalia.

Workshops on The future of Somalia - Building trust and confidence

30 senior Somalis, former government ministers, civil servants and journalists, representing all the clans, met in three workshops on The future of Somalia - Building trust and confidence in February and March. A broad consensus was achieved on the causes of the collapse of the Somali state, the reasons for the failure of successive peace conferences, and the priorities for the future. A decision was taken to create an organisation, Somali Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy (SIDD), to carry forward the recommendations.

Training in Conflict Transformation, Dialogue and Reconciliation

Ten of the participants were took part in a programme of training in Conflict Transformation, Dialogue and Reconciliation in the context of a conference, A world in crisis – learning from one another how to be peace-makers, 13-19 August 2005, at the IofC International Conference Centre at Caux, Switzerland. They were joined by a delegation of six nominated by Hon. Ali Mohamed Ghedi, Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, and three other participants from the Somali diaspora communities in Sweden and Switzerland.

One significant development was a conversation that developed between prominent figures who had been supporters of the United Somali Congress (USC) and leaders of the Benadiri people. This led to an apology being offered by the former, which was accepted by the latter.

Reception in London for Speaker of the Somali Parliament

Some of the participants reported on their experiences to Hon. Sharif Hassan Sh. Aden, the Speaker of the Somali Parliament at a reception in London in October.

Course in Dialogue Facilitation

Fifteen of those who had participated in these meetings were selected for five further day-long training sessions in London in the skills of Facilitating Dialogues.

(Click here for full Annual Review 2005)