No Peace Without Justice

When the only right a person has is the right to die from hunger and disease or get killed with impunity by rival factions, it is impossible to speak about peace and human rights. To get peace nationwide, justice should be put in place. Unless war criminals belonging to different tribal, political and religious factions are brought to justice there will be no hope of to have peace in Somalia.  A semblance of peace could be attained but shall never be sustainable for a period of time. If we are seeking peace without justice, then we are fooling ourselves. the drama of the Somali war will continue longer than anyone can imagine and at any stage of the war, new actors will emerge taking up the sword against each other, to shed the blood of the innocent. To find a solution for the Somali problem, we should get out of the current conflict box and embark on a  new visionary direction to restore peace to the motherland. Here is where I think we should start: Justice first, peace next. Peace is the soil on which stability grows  But without justice there shall be no peace I do not know why we expect rain When we have no clouds on the sky   Peace is the bedrock of a nation's existence But without justice there shall be no peace I do not know why we  dream of peace When we take sides between peace killers   Reconciliation is a gateway to settle disputes  But without truth reconciliation is a wishful dream  I don't know why the world is wasting its money  When reconciliation talks lack a substance of truth    Unity is the force that pulls a nation to the centre  But without TRUST unity can never be obtained  That is why peace is bleeding in the alleys of war I don't know why we speak of forging peace  When we defy the logical sequence of getting peace Abdi-Noor Mohamed Writer and Filmmaker  University of Växjö Department of Peace Sweden nuuru2003@hotmail.com