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A historical backgroud on terrorism in the horn of africa, a case study of sudan

INTRODUCTION

This paper focuses on terrorism in the "The Horn of Africa" a case study of Sudan. The Horn of Africa is in a part of the African continent with a region of 4,387,385 square kms and is inhabited by about 75 million people. It is a region 18 times the size of the United Kingdom with immense natural resources. It covers Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. However due to the spillover of conflicts in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, the Horn of Africa was extended to include Kenya and Uganda. Even though these countries vary in terms of strengths, capabilities and size the pattern of conflicts and problems affecting them are similar (Mwagiru, 2004, p.7).

 

 

 

From the map it can be concluded that the strategic position of the region is much more important because of its proximity to the rich Gulf region which contains half of the world's oil as well as the Holy shrines of the Islamic world (Mecca and Medina). The Horn commands the straits between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. With its ancient Judaeo-Christian and Islamic legacies, the region has for centuries provided a unique bridge between sub-Saharan Africa and the old traditions of the Middle East and Europe.

The region has had its share of challenges that has undermined its potential power to realize peace and stability. It has been characterized by economic, political and social challenges which are mainly centered between those in power.

A HISTORICAL BACKGROUD ON TERRORISM IN THE HORN OF AFRICA,A CASE STUDY OF SUDAN

One of the main challenges that are posing a threat to this part of Africa is terrorism. Drastic measures have to be put in place to prevent terrorism from escalating to higher levels. Even upto date there is no concrete agreement on what could be the definition of terrorism.

Although according to Baylis et al. they define it as the use of illegitimate violence by sub-state groups to inspire fear, by attacking civilians and/or symbolic targets. This is done for purposes such as drawing widespread attention to a grievance, provoking a severe response, or wearing down their opponents' moral resolve, to affect political change. Determining when the use of violence is legitimate, which is based on contextual morality of the act as opposed to its effects, is the source of disagreement over what constitutes acts of terrorism.

Countries in the horn of Africa have involved themselves with the elements that constitute terrorism. Unfortunately all countries in the Horn of Africa are part of this problem. Illegitimate groups have emerged like the Al shaabab in Somalia, Oromo Rebel Group in Ethiopia, Mungiki in Kenya, and Lord Resistant Army in Uganda  but to only name a few. The groups are very powerful and it is almost becoming a nightmare to fight them. There have been a lot of cases for casualties who have been killed by some of these groups.

There are reasons to why states link themselves to these terrorist groups depending on the interest. Strategy is not the only and at times not the primary reason that states link themselves to terrorists groups. Many states seek to export their ideology and political system and use terrorist groups as a proxy to this end.

An ideology explains the world's conditions and offers a blueprint for action. Also ideology helps individuals formulate, consider, and respond to political problems. Using the noted anthropologist Clifford Geertz's terminology, an ideology thus offers both a "model of" reality and a "model for action". The most important role of ideology was a desire to export the sponsoring regimes political system. Exporting a political system played a major role in the decision of three major sponsors since the end of the cold war-Iran, Sudan, and the Taliban's Afghanistan to support terrorism.

Sudan represents an important additional instance where ideology trumped strategic interest and led a state to support terrorism. In early and mid 1990s for example, Sudan's government was led by General Omar al-Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide but heavily influenced by radical Islamist Hasan al-Turabi who headed the National Islamic Front. During this time Al-Qaida, the Abu Nidal Organization,Hizballah,the Palestine Islamic Jihad,al Gama' at al Islamiyya,HAMAS,the Armed Islamic Group, and other movements established a presence in Sudan.Indeed,an al-Qaida lieutenant later testified that the government in Sudan went to Bin Laden to convince him to relocate in the country. The invitation was issued in 1989, and Bin Laden moved his organization there in 1991.

In 1993, secretary of state Warren Christopher designated Sudan a state sponsor of terror, and in 1996 the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Sudan for its involvement in the failed 1995 attempt to Egyptian militants to assassinate Egyptian president Mubarak. The United States in 1996 and 1997 imposed additional penalties designed to isolate and punish Sudan.

As the US Department of State noted at the time, "Sudan continued to serve as a refuge, nexus, and training hub in 1995 for a number of international terrorist organizations primarily of middle eastern origin: Sudanese officials also had ties to individuals involved in the New York city "Landmark" plot in 1993 (Byman, 2005, p. 41).Sudan has been an active actor and also played an active role in terrorism.

THE LIST OF DESIGNATED SPONSORS

This focus on states as the source of the problem is reflected in US legislation. The US department of state's office of counter-terrorism is required by law to report to congress every year since 1979, on the state terrorism and state sponsored terrorism. The secretary of state, in this report, designates a number of countries as state sponsors of terrorism. Currently seven states have this designation: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (US department of state 2004).Governments that find them on this list are subject to four main sets of US sanctions.

a)      A ban on arms-related exports and sales;

b)      Control over exports of dual-use items

c)      Prohibition of economic assistance

d)     A range of financial restrictions including US opposition to loans from international institutions, denial of duty free treatment, tax credits for companies and individuals, and so on.

Although the case of keeping Sudan on the list is a weak one given Sudan's expulsion of the "infamous" European terrorist, Carlos the Jackal, and the even more "infamous" Osama Bin Laden, in 1994.Sudan also signed a number of anti-terrorist conventions, shut down two terrorist groups operating in the country and since 2001, has been sharing intelligence files with the US. Sudan apparently does, however, continue to provide refuge to some terrorist suspects. Its position on the list however has more to do with the opposition to the war against Christians in the south of the country, than it does to sponsorship of terrorists outside the country (Bjorgo, 2005, pgs 191-192).

 

CONCLUSION

There have been efforts by the international community to fight terrorism. The main target has been imposing financial sanctions which have had relatively few successes to date.However; serious multilateral efforts to target financial sanctions have only been attempted during the past few years. The biggest challenge for the global enforcement targeted financial sanctions has been the absence of political will on the part of individual states to devote the resources necessary to establish the institutional mechanisms to make them succeed.

In contrast to conventional militaries, terrorist groups themselves have few assets worth bombing. The infrastructure of support for terrorism is often not possible to destroy through bombing: training camps are rudimentary, and the weapons systems involved are small and easy to replace. Terrorists themselves can easily dispose, making them difficulty to strike-especially by air strikes or other "standoff" means. Even worse, terrotists often melt back into the civilian population increasing the likelihood of significant civilian casualities.Many terrorists are also part of a broader insurgent movement. At such, it is relatively easy for the group to replace the cadre lost in a limited military strike with other dedicated recruits (Byman, 2005, p.286).

WAY FORWARD

Iraq, Somalia and Sudan have all been mooted as possible targets by the international community. How to deal with them depends on how terrorism is defined. On the narrow answer, these states only become targets if there is evidence that they are complicit in international terrorism, or that they themselves pose threats to international peace and security. Example the problem is Somalia is not the afghan one of a government and or people constructing it as an enemy. Rather it is that Somalia has no coherent government, and this political chaos can allow space for international terrorists to operate autonomously. Military strikes there could have to be highly selective against the specific targets of international terrorism and their local supporters. Sudan appears to have been cooperative against Al-Qaida, so the question of military action may well not arise (Booth &Dunne, 2001, p.92).

It is clear that the United States will continue relentlessly the pursuit of these leaders and of the remnants of the huge Islamist networks connected with al-Qaida. The next months will witness the continuation of the war, mainly against the states that harbor Islamist terrorist networks or cells, like Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon and also Iraq and Iran (Das & Kratcoski, 2003, p.109).

On the other hand, countries in the Horn Africa should be considerate of its citizens. Although the US might be ready to fight terrorism but without the support of the key actors all the efforts are in vain. Then the lives of the citizens will be at stake.

 

 

REFERENCES

Baylis et.al (2008).Globalization of world politics: An introduction to international relations. United States, Oxford University Press Inc.New York

Bjorgo, T. (2005).Root causes of terrorism: myths, reality and way forward. London and New York, Routledge, Taylor and Francis group.

Booth. & Dunne, T. (2002).Worlds in collision: Terror and the future of global order. New York, Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Byman, D. (2005).Deadly connections; states that sponsor terrorism. United States of America, Cambridge University Press.

Das, D.K, & Kratcoski, P, C. (2003).Meeting the challenges of global terrorism: prevention, control and recovery.USA, Lexington Books.

Shinn, D.H. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/28390831/Challenges-to-Peace-and-Stability-in-the-Horn-of-Africa) .Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1993 13:28:08 -0500 from: GL251225@Orion.YorkU.CA Subject: The Horn of Africa Forum (HAF)

About the Author

Am a third year student at the United States International University pursuing a degree in International realtion.

Elect Problems on a 94 Camry. Power to lights, Horn ect?

Owner hooked new battery up reversed. Alt & main fuses blew and have been replaced ( all Fuses good ) Starter High Amp cable has power. Any suggestions?
Both fuse boxs where checked

Maybe the computer got fried. Maybe some of your wiring got fried. This is not a good situation at all. It may take a very long time for a mechanic to locate the problem, unless you can find someone who has had this happen before. Maybe call your local automotive college professor.

Car wash slappin w/ Power Horn!