Who is Ismail Omar Geilleh?

On March 1st 2010, Somali community in East Africa and all over the world witnessed a new history being made in the dusty streets of ruined but historic town of Saylac in Awdal Somalia. The occasion was the coronation of the new Issa Clan Chief (Ugas) Mr. Mustafe Mohamed Ibrahim, but number of questions would cross the mind of any Somali or any individual interested in Somali affairs. First question was not, how come Issa could have a chief besides Ismail Omar Geilleh (the defacto chief of Issa clan and the president of Djibouti)? But it was really, why export the festivities of such magnitude to Saylac in Somalia? When the same tribe historically claims the ownership of bustling cities like Diridhaba –Zone 5 Ethiopia, where the young chief hails from and Djibouti, where the proponent of this project Mr.Geilleh himself rules! Secondly, why would the Djibouti Government regardless of poor living condition of the majority its own people choose to organize such a lavish party in the soil of sovereign foreign nation with utter disregard to international norms and laws? To shed a light on the answer of such difficult questions, one would need to carefully study the history of the region for the last thirty years; the role of the Djibouti Government, especially, its president Mr.Geilleh in the Somali clan power struggle during his reign as president of Djibouti for the last 11 years and before that during his long stint as the security Chief of the Republic Of Djibouti. Issa's Power Consolidation in Djibouti after Independence of Djibouti in 1977: After Djibouti reclaimed its independence from France in 1977 Geilleh and his Issa colleagues in the secret service department started a war of attrition on non-Issa prominent Djibouti nationals, community leaders and civil servants on the basis of their tribal affiliation. Summary killing and disappearance of political leaders; forceful replacement of non-Issa top civil servants, military and police officers with new Issa junior officers was open secret in Djibouti and surrounding areas populated by other stakeholder clans in the affairs of the new republic. This war of intimidation and elimination resulted in many non-Issa prominent citizens of Djibouti to resort exile rather than to live in constant fear and humiliation; particularly, community leaders, politicians and well educated and experienced civil servants took refuge in other countries, especially, in Somalia and in France at the beginning and lately in North America and in other parts of Europe. Support of SNM in early 1980s: After Issa consolidated power in Djibouti, they started falsely claiming the ownership of the Western Coastal Area of Somalia neighbouring with Djibouti basing their case mainly on seasonal Issa pastoralists who move to the area and graze their livestock during the rainy season (xays) like anybody else, and two non-contested (nominated) parliament seats given to them 1960 by the Gadaboursi Clan in good faith as maternal cousins and uncles at Saylac district. That was a gesture of goodwill and extreme generosity on the Gadaboursi part. However, Geilleh and his henchmen in the secret service who did not know much about the reality on the ground blindly misinterpreted it as an opportunity to dislodge the Gadaboursis from the area once and for all. Therefore, they colluded with the SNM to wage a war against the Gadaboursi clan and the Somali state by organizing militias from Djibouti to fight side by side with SNM. They also provided shelter, logistics, financial and moral support to them. The battle was not waged in Somalia only but they continued their war against their own people in Djibouti too by setting tribes against each other (organizing communities to attack each other on tribal lines was well documented), mass imprisonment and deportation of Gadaboursi intellectuals and youth from Djibouti was common occurrence. After the Somali state collapsed in 1991 they unsuccessfully tried to annex Saylac and surrounding areas to Djibouti by military force. This unilateral act of aggression strained their relationship with the SNM, and ironically it drew the Gadaboursi local militias and the SNM militants closer as they faced together a new foreign invader. The rest of the story is history.  Arta Conference and Formation of the TFG in 2000:  In 2000 Ismail Omar Geilleh with the IGAD and UN support organized a marathon conference for warring Somali parties in Arta Djibouti. Finally, the Abdikasim Salad Hassan and Ali Kalif Galayr government was formed at there and for the first time, the so called 4.5 power sharing formula emerged as the future Somali tribal power sharing base. However, what missed the news headlines was, the host president's (Geilleh) rather outlandish argument; that in Somalia Issa clan and Gadaboursi clan, populate equitable areas, with comparable population and they should be given, equal shares in the Arta parliament and in any future Somali Government formed on 4.5 bases. This move caught the Gadaboursi clan delegates and other Somalis in Arta off guard, and honestly however vociferously they protested against it. Mr.Geilleh had insisted his position and finally they (Gadaboursi delegates) had to reluctantly shift their position to let the conference succeed. The rationale behind their sacrifice back then was, after free and fair elections are held in Somalia on a future date, the reality on the ground will prevail and every clan will get what its population number affords it. This is why people like Mr.Boqore (Issa clan member) the 2nd deputy speaker of Somali Government parliament is in power today; regardless of the fact his clan has neither a significant territory nor a sizable population in Somalia proper. It is simply Mr.Geilleh's dream plan for his clan.  Resettlement of Issa Tribesmen from Ethiopia in Saylac District of Awdal in Somalia:  Soon after Tahir Rayale Kahin came to power after President Egal's untimely death, Mr.Geilleh duped the gullible new president of Somaliland, to normalize the relationship between Djibouti and Somaliland, which was sour for a while due to Geilleh's incessant territorial claims and continuous sabotage to the reconciliation of the warring tribes of Somaliland. Soon after that agreement was signed, Djibouti started with the help of the UNHCR repatriating Issa tribesmen of Ethiopian origin to the Saylac District of Awdal Region. This operation was started soon after Tahir's inauguration into office and it continues up to date. According to reliable sources in the region tens of thousands of Ethiopian Issa tribesmen have been successfully resettled in this area.  Establishment of salal Region in the North Western Coastal area of Somalia:  Not long ago Geilleh's persistence for Issa state (even though they are in absolute minority) in Somaliland paid off when his close friend (Tahir Rayale Kahin) and partner in crime formed the Salal State, which Saylac is the State Capital, not the biggest town of course. With the consternation of the majority clan (Gadaboursi clan) both the mayor of saylac and the State Governor were appointed from Issa clan, handpicked by Mr.Geilleh himself. The fact of the matter is, when Mr.Rayale curved out Salal from Awdal and handed over its administration to Djibouti nationals. He transplanted, modern day viceroys from Djibouti on the local population. The current administration's mandate is not to work for the people of the state as a whole as one would think, but it is to fulfil their tribal headmaster's sinister plots and warped imagination. And if what have been happening there since its inception are any indicators of their loyalty, they have been at the service of the whims and demands of neighbouring Geilleh regime. The latest snap was the March 1st 2010 event when Djibouti security forces effectively invaded Saylac and the whole Djibouti Government minus President Geilleh crossed the border without proper immigration arrangements.  This continuous hostile interferences from Djibouti, put a wedge between the brotherly people of that area to the level, that in certain towns people do not trust each other to form a united administration and they do not trust the state or central governments either, as imported ills of nepotism and favouritism on tribal affinity play major role in their day to day life.    Ugas's Coronation in Saylac:  Historians have in contrary to the claim that 18 Issa Ugases were enthroned prior to this one in Saylac. In fact this was the first one to be crowned in that city. Their (Issa clan's) historic crowning site is called SITTI HILL (buurta sitti) IN SHINIILE REGION BETWEEN AYSHA'A (AYSHACA) AND DIRIDHABA-ZONE 5 EHTIOPIA. You can find the same information in the Utube.  As I mentioned in the beginning of this piece the coronation of the Issa Ugas in Saylac was a calculated process of deception that started about 30 years ago. In reality, one could argue this was the culmination of a long drawn project whose whole aim was to show the world (where ever Somali's might live) that Issa owns Saylac, from that day onwards to legitimize the presence of 8 Issa clan members in the Somali parliament and to gather support for Mr. Geilleh's morbid affliction for power as he is preparing to revise his country's constitution in order to let him run for presidency in Djibouti for the 4th time in a row without meaningful opposition candidates.  In conclusion, what we have witnessed in Saylac on March 1st 2010 was unprecedented, miserably misplaced display of showmanship in terms of its magnitude, organization and wastefulness. However, one would argue if Mr.Geilleh and his subjects want to have a meaningful foothold in Somalia and Somali political environment, they need to participate the rehabilitation of the Somali state by coming up with both positive political agenda and badly needed financial and social investment, especially neighbouring towns and regions like Saylac would heavily benefit from any tangible, well intended investment from neighbouring friendly nation. This would bring the clans together, for the good of all Somalis rather than poisoning them with short lived and divisive projects, devised to deepen centuries old resentments among Somali clans. As of today, though Mr. Geilleh has all the markings of modern Somali tribal warlord, time is on his side and it is his choice only, either to go down in Somali history books as another M.F.Aideed or a champion of process of change, peace, reconstruction and reconciliation among his subjects in Djibouti in particular and the Somali race in general. If he takes the latter path and becomes the elder statesman he could become, nobody will remember his missteps in his early political infancy days. Long life to the Young Ugas and May Allah guide him to the path of wisdom, reason and positive leadership that would lead the Somali race to peace and prosperity and as they said bring them together forever…Aamiin…aamiin!  Mohamed Dugsiye

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