SOMALIA - President Sharif Stages Successful Mogadishu Visit

C O N F I D E N T I A L DJIBOUTI 000112


DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO AND AF/E

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019-02-12
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR SO DJ
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - President Sharif Stages Successful Mogadishu Visit

CLASSIFIED BY: Bob Patterson, Somalia Unit Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Summary: Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President
Sheikh Sharif led a broadly representative delegation to Mogadishu
from February 7 - 10 and held a wide range of meetings, largely
focused on security. Sharif used the visit to successfully
encourage some members of the former Islamic Courts Union (ICU) to
end their opposition to the Djibouti Process. Public reaction to
the visit was excellent. A highlight was a rally of over one
thousand Mogadishu residents that was capped by a symbolic gesture
of reconciliation by the attendees. Contrary to some media reports,
sources among the delegation who traveled to Mogadishu tell us that
Sharif had no contact with al-Shabaab spokesman Mukhtar Robow or
al-Shabaab's Hassan Turki. End summary.


A Warm Welcome
--------------


2. (C) From February 7 - 10, Transitional Federal Government (TFG)
President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and seventeen other TFG
officials, reportedly evenly divided between TFG and Alliance for
the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) figures visited Mogadishu.
Sharif reportedly received a red-carpet welcome on February 7 and
announced on arrival that the goal of his trip was to consult with
the Somali people about next steps in the Djibouti Process. Members
of Sharif's delegation told us that President Sharif was pleasantly
surprised to find Villa Somalia (the President's residence) had not
been looted by allies of former President Abdullahi Yusuf after
Yusuf's resignation. The delegation members told us this would not
have been the case without AMISOM's presence. and Sharif publicly
thanked AMISOM for its help in stabilizing Mogadishu.


3. (C) Sharif was protected by AMISOM's Ugandan troops throughout
his visit. The delegation endured only one significant security
incident, when approximately six mortars were lobbed onto the
grounds of Villa Somalia. There were no casualties and only minor
property damage. Sharif, certainly acutely aware of AMISOM's
reputation among residents of Mogadishu for overreacting to
insurgent attacks, ordered the AMISOM troops and other militias not
to return fire. In a media interview, Sharif underlined his
strategy not to respond militarily and instead sent security forces
into the areas where the mortars originated. Mogadishu residents
noted this restraint, giving Sharif a public relations victory and
winning over a population anxious to see a new approach to security
in the capital.


Diverse Set of Meetings,Focused on Security
--------------


4. (C) Sharif's many meetings focused on security, especially how
it would be achieved in Mogadishu. We are told that he ordered the
formation of temporary security sub-committees. The national
committee was to be comprised of six TFG and six ARS figures. A
Banadir regional committee was also to be formed. Sharif reportedly
asked Abdullahi Boss, an MP and Minister of Defense under former
President Yusuf, to remain in Mogadishu to coordinate these
efforts.


5. (C) We are told that Sharif made an effort to reconcile with
members of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU),including senior militia
commanders Abdulkadir Omar Ali and Abdirahim Isse Adow. Sharif
reportedly won their support after a series of three meetings. He
held talks with civil society representatives whose delegation was
led by the chairman of the recently-formed peace and security
awareness team, Abdishakur Sheikh Ahmed (an IVP alumnus). Sharif
also held consultations with business leaders, who pledged to
support his government. Sharif also met with Mogadishu media
figures, who were still recovering from the recent assassination,
probably by al-Shabaab, of Horn Afrik Director Said Tahlil Ahmed.
The President reportedly encouraged them to persevere, and noted
their essential role in the peace process. He described the
journalists as "heroes" who bravely took part in the country's
liberation.


6. (C) A member of the delegation that traveled to Mogadishu
described Sharif's meetings with the Hawiye elders, who reportedly
agreed to fully support Sharif on two conditions: that he declare
Sharia law, and that he appoint a Marehan as prime minister.
Contacts have told us that Sharif demurred, and the following day
disappointed Marehan elders who came to him with the same request,
but offered the Marehan a deputy prime minister slot. (Note:
Sharif appears ready to appoint a Darod as prime minister, in order
to reduce lingering resentments in Puntland over Abdullahi Yusuf's
resignation, and in order to assure the semi-autonomous region of
Puntland that it has a key role in the reconciliation process.)


7. (C) The February 7 - 10 visit culminated in a public rally of
over one thousand Mogadishu residents that was capped by a symbolic
gesture of reconciliation among all attendees. Influential
representatives from the TFG, leaders from various Mogadishu
districts, ICU representatives, and AMISOM officers all addressed
the crowd. The meeting was held at the former police academy and
Sharif delivered the closing speech. Attendees describe to us a
scene of a sea of Somalis clasping hands and articulating a
newfound hope for Somalia.


Reportedly No MeetingWith Robow
--------------


8. (C) Our sources state that, contrary to media reports, Sharif
did not meet personally with al-Shabaab spokesman Muhtar Robow
during his Mogadishu visit. We understand that some members of
Robow's group participated in the first prayer at Villa Somalia
during the visit. Robow had reportedly deployed militias to
Afgoye, but the militias did not engage directly with Sharif's
security forces. Several members of the Mogadishu delegation
confirmed to us that Sharif did not meet with al-Shabaab's Hassan
al-Turki or with ARS -Asmara representative Omar Imam.
Mogadishu-based contacts outside the TFG told us the same.

Public and Media Reaction
--------------


9. (C) The public received Sharif's visit very positively.
Somalis took note that Sharif had returned to the capital almost
immediately after his election, and the Islamists reportedly viewed
this as an unpleasant surprise. The public also appeared to be
taking the measure of Islamist public statements, including one
that claimed that Ethiopian General Gabre had accompanied Sharif to
Mogadishu. Media reaction was generally positive. Sharif held a
press conference before departing for Djibouti and summarized his
trip, focusing on the creation of the security committees. One
contact expressed some disappointment with al-Jazeera, who he
alleged gave noticeably more coverage of a press conference by
ARS-Asmara representative Omar Imam than to the one held by
President Sharif. The positive media reviews were echoed upon
their return by TFG members like Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed
Abdisalaam Aden, were skeptical of Sheikh Sharif in the days
immediately following his election.


SWAN

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