In search of Common Ground - Somalia and Sudan

There has been a lot of denial of the clash of civilizations. The overlap in Arab and African demography, culture and influence over parts of Africa however appears to create its own space in which violent conflict tends to strive albeit under the guise of the quest for political power based on tribal, clan or religious supremacy; domination and control by an elite group. In these parts of Africa, Human Security has become subject to perspectives of power, history and a myriad of cultures seeking survival instead of a commonly accepted framework for social engineering or law for peaceful co-existence. Resort to violence is seen either as a right to assertion or maintenance of the status quo within a colouring of cultural perspectives whatever they imply and not the protection of human life. This appears to be at the base of the situations in the Sudan and Somalia. The international community is very helpless in these circumstances in which state sovereignty and rebel activity are still not subservient to a robust regime of international humanitarian intervention. Financing and human investment among other interests have often deterred such intervention or rendered it problematic/ineffective for poor and rich neighbours alike. Sudan and Somalia are not peaceful and as in history, we need a peace to keep and it might not matter very much if it is imposed. These thoughts make one wonder whether in the particular cases of Somalia and Sudan the rich countries of the Middle East could not do more? It would appear we are still in search of common ground.