Religious scholars and key Somali opinion leaders met in Mogadishu on 24 June to discuss reconciliation in the context of Islamic teachings and local culture in a forum hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The event brought together representatives from the civil society, religious groups and the Federal Government of Somalia.
Participants analysed reconciliation efforts in Somalia, scrutinising historical events and case studies from other countries that have applied Islamic jurisprudence in resolution initiatives.
For UNSOM, the event provided critical insight for its programming priorities, ensuring ownership and deep knowledge of the local context in their future activities.
Religious scholars and key Somali opinion leaders met in Mogadishu on 24 June to discuss reconciliation in the context of Islamic teachings and local culture in a forum hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The event brought together representatives from the civil society, religious groups and the Federal Government of Somalia.
Participants analysed reconciliation efforts in Somalia, scrutinising historical events and case studies from other countries that have applied Islamic jurisprudence in resolution initiatives.
For UNSOM, the event provided critical insight for its programming priorities, ensuring ownership and deep knowledge of the local context in their future activities.
Religious scholars and key Somali opinion leaders met in Mogadishu on 24 June to discuss reconciliation in the context of Islamic teachings and local culture in a forum hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The event brought together representatives from the civil society, religious groups and the Federal Government of Somalia.
Participants analysed reconciliation efforts in Somalia, scrutinising historical events and case studies from other countries that have applied Islamic jurisprudence in resolution initiatives.
For UNSOM, the event provided critical insight for its programming priorities, ensuring ownership and deep knowledge of the local context in their future activities.
TRADITION TRT: 4:10 SOURCE: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is not to be sold on and is restricted for other purposes. All enquiries to news@auunist.org CREDIT REQUIRED: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION LANGUAGE: SOMALI/ENGLISH/NATS DATELINE: 24 th / JUNE /2014, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
SHOT LIST
1. Wide shot, Somali Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed addressing the Opinion Leaders Forum 2. Med shot, Participants at the forum discussing reconciliation through Islamic tradition 3. Close up, Somali Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed at the forum 4. Wide shot, Participants at the reconciliation forum on Islamic tradition 5. Med shot, Tariq Chaudry UNSOM Senior Political Affairs Officer and Annie Demirjian, Head of UNSOM Political Affairs listening 6. Wide shot, Tariq Chaudry, UNSOM Senior Political Affairs, officer at the forum 7. Med shot, Somali Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed listening to Tariq Chaudrys contribution at the forum 8. Close up, Annie Demirjian, Head of UNSOM Political Affairs speaking at the forum 9. Close up, a participant taking notes at the forum 10. Close up, a participant taking notes at the forum 11. SOUNDBITE: ANNIE DEMIRJIAN, Head of UNSOM Political Affairs The outcome for the United Nations, for the United Nations in Somalia, is really to take the recommendations from the participants of this conference on reconciliation through Islamic traditions and to compile the recommendations, make sure that we translate them into a programmatic approach so that the government, civil society of Somalia can take the recommendations and the outcome of this conference forward. 12. Close up shot, a participant listening in at the forum 13. Med shot, Participants listening in at the forum on reconciliation through Islamic tradition 14. Wide shot, Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed addressing the forum 15. Med shot, UN special representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia (SRSG) Nicholas Kay addressing the participants at the forum 17. Close up, Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed listening to the SRSG 18. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) NICHOLAS KAY, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR SOMALIA: Members of al-Shabaab are Somalis mostly, they are sons, brothers, cousins, nephews of Somalis and there must be between Somalis, some way in which you can begin to reach out to these misguided people, assure them that there is another way and that there is an opportunity for them to play a positive role in society, a positive role in Somalia, there are ways they can come and join programmes for education ,for training and they can give up the gun and give up the bomb and give up killing people and start as good Somalis to build Somalia. 19. Close up, a participant listening in at the forum 20. Close up, a participant at the forum 21. Wide shot, Tariq Chaudrys speaking at the forum 22. Close up, Sheik Bashir Axmed Salad, chairman of Association of Somalia Scholars giving his contribution at the forum 23. Med shot, Participants listening in at the forum 24. Close up shot, Dr. Hassan Sheik Ali addressing the forum 25. SOUNDBITE: ENGLISH: DR.HASSAN SHEIKH ALI, ISLAMIC SCHOLAR: The importance of this meeting is very good because it is open up to the Somali Intellectuals, politicians and religious men to discuss, debate and to see if there is a possibility to use it or not and thirdly, it is to the international community and also the entire world, because maybe they want to help the Somali people but they do not know how to how to help them. So let us come back and look into the internal problem and see if the Somali people can solve this through the clan, politically sharing power. This can be used in religion, in other things just to see if there an alternative in the country. 26. SOUNDBITE: ENGLISH: SAMIRAH HUSSEIN DWALE, PARTICIPANT: Attending this consultative forum was highly educative and uplifting and most of all for the Somali Woman. Its time for our rights to be heard and our time to know when to ask questions from the necessary authorities such as the Islamic leaders, scholars, the government officials and moreover the people who are in charge of Somalia, the UN all of them collectively.
27. Med shot, Participants listening in at the forum 28. Wide shot, Participants listening in at the forum
STORY
UNSOM hosts opinion leaders forum in Mogadishu
25 June 2014- Religious scholars and key Somali opinion leaders met in Mogadishu on 24 June to discuss reconciliation in the context of Islamic teachings and local culture in a forum hosted by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
The event brought together representatives from the civil society, religious groups and the Federal Government of Somalia.
Participants analysed reconciliation efforts in Somalia, scrutinising historical events and case studies from other countries that have applied Islamic jurisprudence in resolution initiatives.
For UNSOM, the event provided critical insight for its programming priorities, ensuring ownership and deep knowledge of the local context in their future activities.
The outcome for the United Nations is to take recommendations from the participants and turn them into actionable approaches that will be useful for the stakeholders in moving the reconciliation forward, said Annie Demirjian, Director of the Political Affairs and Mediation Group.
Its important for intellectuals, politicians and religious leaders to debate and discuss this important issue and see if we can resolve things through tradition and religion, said Dr. Hassan Sheikh Ali, an Islamic scholar who participated in the forum.
As Somalia turns around to ensure a stable future for its citizens, dialogue on the future of those on the fringes of the society is inevitable.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) Nicholas Kay challenged the representatives to begin considering reaching out to members of the Al Shabaab and urge them to denounce violence.
Members of Al Shabaab are our sons, brothers, cousins, nephews of Somalis and there must be, between Somalis, some way in which you can begin to reach out to these misguided people, he said while urging the participants to think about programmes in education and capacity building that would encourage combatants to lay down arms and contribute to the rebuilding of Somalia.
Some of the scholars at the dialogue recognised the need for continued dialogue to ensure sustainable peace in Somalia.
This meeting is very good because it is open up to the Somali Intellectuals, politicians and religious men to discuss, debate and to see if there is a possibility to use it or not and thirdly, it is to the international community and also the entire world, because maybe they want to help the Somali people but they do not know how to how to help them. So let us come back and look into the internal problem and see if the Somali people can solve this through the clan, politically sharing power. This can be used in religion, in other things just to see if there an alternative in the country, said Dr. Hassan Sheikh Ali, an Islamic scholar.
Samirah Hussein Dwale, one of the female participants noted that fora such as these provide an opportunity for positive engagement.
Attending this consultative forum was highly educative and uplifting and most of all for the Somali Woman. Its time for our rights to be heard and our time to know when to ask questions from the necessary authorities such as the Islamic leaders, scholars, the government officials and moreover the people who are in charge of Somalia, the UN all of them collectively, she said.
Participants at the dialogue emphasized the need to address misconceptions associated with Islam, which have been exploited by al Shabaab to recruit youths into acts of terrorism.
UNSOM has facilitated dialogue and outreach events across Somalia, hosting debates and important discussions on key issues facing the country as it embarks on important political processes including the state formation, constitution review and the 2016 elections.