Siilanyo’s odium war against targeted communities, Gabiley being first

Siilanyo’s odium war against targeted communities, Gabiley being first

Written by Ibrahim Mead

IntroductionThis is a destabilizing move and Somaliland and the region as a whole must be worried.
When leadership is bad, a nation suffers, and then if not addressed in one point the state goes away with the wind!
Somaliland seems slipping away from our hands if the “trio” is not stopped. The question is-who is the felon here, the trio or the leadership? Who will be accountable to Somaliland, to history and to God as well? The other question is-is the president aware of what is happening and the consequences of the actions of the ‘trio’? Is he a victim or a felon? However and in the end it is Mr. Siilanyo and Mr. Gaal who will be answerable to history of the consequences of what they are presiding by virtue of being the president and the chair of the Guurti. The other guy in the House of Representatives made him self a product and it was sold by the executiveThe other question is- what has Gabiley done to deserve this odium war from Siilanyo’s administration? 

The three things Gabiley has done whether a sin or not were:
a) They made Siilanyo the chairman of SNM in 1987
b) They saved him from the colonials of SNM who wanted him ousted from his position in 1988 and ambushed him in ‘Laanqayrta’ Ethiopia in the same year
c) they made him president by giving him 80% of their vote
that is their sin!!!!!How bad leadership destroys statesBad leadership destroys people and country. This conforms to what we are seeing happening in Hargeisa, in Siilanyo’s administration run by the ‘trio.’ They use the president as a rubber stamp to their evil agendas and activities. That is the prevailing believes in Somaliland, particularly in Hargeisa!

Thus that is a testament to the continuing subtle war the government engaged with the community in Gabiley region! It is demonstrative to how Siilanyo’s ‘trio’ deniedJAMHUURIGA, UDHIS, HORYAAL IYO NDB political parties to exercise their political rights. These parties are the most popular parties with the most voting power but they happened to be from the targeted communities and their sin was that will win in the ballot box!

‘History repeats it self’ as it is said. Dictator Siyaad Barre started the war against Somaliland (then the Northern region of Somali Republic) right there in Gabiley
Mr. Siilanyo is starting a war in the same place his ex-boss did! This is in step with Another model of the ‘politics of the belly’ “it is the idea that the leaders create incentives for them selves to use “disorder as a political instrument This refers to the process by which political actors in Africa seek to maximize their returns on the state of confusion, uncertainty and sometimes even chaos which characterizes most African politics..” the trio are practicing this game with out giving a thought the consequences of this evil game!

The leadership of a people should be truly committed to the cause and the aspirations of the people and the country they rule first and foremost. That is not there in Siilanyo’s Somaliland
True leadership must be for the benefits of the people not the enrichment of the leaders and their cronies and the latter is what is happening in Somaliland these days under the “trio”administrationCorruption has engulfed Somaliland like fire does. Bribery is now a common practice among the institutions of the government.
Liu Binyan said ‘’Smashing a mirror is no way to make an ugly person beautiful nor is it a way to make (social) problems evaporate.’’ The ‘trio’ may not understand this and their wicked game is going on and on and on!!

.When the government is so corrupt, and arrogant, when that government engages subtle wars with targeted communities like Siilanyo government is doing in Gabiley Region, then that government loses legitimacy. When that happens then it loses the moral authority to govern. It got to change internally or be changed, Such immoral, arrogant and ignorant functionaries in Siilanyo’s government run by the ‘trio’ are in the process of resorting ‘the politics of the belly’ and they will do it when ever they see it fit in their greediness! It is happening now and that is a bad news for the stability of the whole region. That is becoming Somalia and the world is fed up of one Somalia and can not entertain another one! Somalia already practiced this model! They are tired of it and it looks that they are trying to change course. 

That ‘belly’ politics, the vindictive policies and the behavior of the ‘trio’ will put Somaliland to a breakdown and, then disorder will descend until we become like Somalia. If we continue to point out mayhem bad leadership has caused without confronting it and implementing solutions, then we are making another big mistake. Somaliland can not let her throat cut while she is seeing the knife coming her wayLet sanity prevail and let us stop the evil doers the “trio” as soon as possible. The president seems a hostage to the “trio” in one fashion or the other. That is the prevailing believes in Hargeisa! In the end the ‘buck stops at his desk’ and he will be responsible of the actions of the‘trio’Peace and prayers for the Mother land

Ibrahim Mead kingmead1@yahoo.ca

Somaliland: Why Siyad Barre fired Ahmed Silanyo from his Cabinet Thirty Years Ago?

Somaliland: Why Siyad Barre fired Ahmed Silanyo from his Cabinet Thirty Years Ago?



It was almost thirty (30) years ago when then President Siyad Barre removed Ahmed Silanyo from his cabinet as the Commerce Minister of now defunct Somali Democratic Republic. Siyad Barre was upset with Ahmed Silanyo because of his refusal to reinstate two of the then President’s relatives who were earlier dismissed from their position by Ahmed Silanyo, the then Minister of Commerce. Thirty years later, the same drama is playing out in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

The drama is exactly the same: A President is asking one of his ministers to reinstate two of his relatives who were earlier removed from their positions by a minister. After refusing to reinstate the two relatives, the minister is dismissed from his ministerial position.

The Actors:
The current President of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, is playing the role of late President of Somalia, Mohamed Siyad Barre. Moreover, Bobe Yusuf Duale is playing the role of Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo as the cabinet minister who refused to reinstate president’s relatives and then lost his ministerial post. The latest move by President Silanyo to dismiss his Information Minister, Bobe Yusuf Dualeh, justifies the wrongs done to him earlier by Siyad Barre.

This shows that Siyad Barre was absulately right to dismiss Ahmed Silanyo from his cabinet thirty years ago.
The question many people are asking now is that: was Ahmed Silanyo wrong when he earlier refused to reinstate President Siyad Barre relatives and in the process losing his ministerial job or is he wrong now for firing his Information Minister for refusing to reinstate his relatives? The President cannot have both ways. He cannot possibly be right on both of these situations.would not have involved his esteemed office in this situation. However, there is a growing concern among the public that the presidency is unnecessarily interfering the day-to-day working activities of many government departments and agencies. For instance, those who resist to blindly obey orders coming from the presidency are summarily dismissed from their positions.

There must to be a process through which dismissed public employees could file an appeal and receive a fair hearing. For instance, if the two dismissed officers have grievances, they should have approached the Public Service Commission or the courts for reinstatement. The Minister stated that two sacked officers impaired the day-to- day operations of the Ministry of Information and the only way to make things go smooth is to remove them from their positions.

According to the local press, the Information Minister has sacked Somaliland National TV Director, Ahmed Suleiman Duhul and the Editor of Dawan newspaper, Mohamed Osman Mire “Sayid’ for having instigated a clan motivated investigation against now suspended Director of Administration and Finance of Somaliland National TV, Hassan Mohamed Mohamoud who hails from Awdal region. Earlier, another government official, Director of Finance and Administration of the Ministry of Education, who also hails from Awdal regions, was investigated, arrested and them dismissed on corruption charges by the Audit General’s office. It is really sad that some people are using the full-force of the government to unfairly target their perceived enemies.

If Silanyo Administration is indeed serious about government corruption, Ali Xoor-Xoor, the Managing Director of the Berbera Port, and a symbol of Somaliland government corruption, should not have been reinstated after having him relieved of his duties by the President immediately after assuming office.

Abdullahi H. Daud
abdhdaud@yahoo.com

The Best Man for Somalia’s Presidency – Who is it?

The Best Man for Somalia’s Presidency – Who is it? 

By Faisal A. Roble

In few days, a body of 275 men and woman representing Somalia’s disparate clans, who often engage in warfare than in each other’s welfare, would elect a post- transitional president. So far, more than 32 individuals, overwhelmingly men and political carpetbaggers from the bourgeoning Somali diaspora communities, have officially filed their applications. Despite this historic election taking place in an imperfect political environment, getting to the Promised Land (permanent government) is the goal of the exercise.

At the outset, I personally feel comfortable with no guilty conscious to state that those who deserve the least should not be elected. The following criteria should be observed to weed out the unqualified:

A religious fundamentalist (past and present) who may contribute or have contributed in the past to the erosion of the open and liberal version of Islam in Somalia should not become the next president. There are clouds hanging over some of the front runners, who are known to have either aided or abated al-shabab or piracy; these individuals should be denied the privilege to lead the country.


Candidates who are not adequately educated or do not possess any tangible skills to lead Somalia out of the socio-political quagmire in which it has been drowning for the last twenty years must not occupy Villa Somalia.


Those who wield power by agitating or polarize the community on wedge issues in such an already fragile society of Somalia must also be barred from sitting on the seat of power lest there is that fear that such individuals can submerge Somalia in a renewed crisis.


Those who had shown signs of megalomania or a behavior of tantrum as exhibited bySharif Hassan in his videotaped threat targeted against Abdurrahman Hosh, Minister of Constitution, should never be given a chance to take any leadership role, let alone giving such a person the privilege to lead Somalia.

But who are the candidates we can trust? Without having each candidate’s s resume at hand, one can only go by the personal knowledge one possesses about them. I personally have fair knowledge about nine candidates’ qualifications and abilities:

Dr. Ahmed Ismael Samatar, professor of Political Science, and a world class scholar needs no introduction. Ahmed, who declared that he will work for a $1 salary monthly, has for some time now eloquently explained what ails Somalia. If elected, he says he will draft a dynamic vision for Somalia and lead it out of its endemic political crisis, hunger, warfare and inferiority that engulfed it for the last 20 years. In a private email I once exchanged with Ahmed, I told him: “you are at the pinnacle of your scholarship that it is Somalia that needs you and not the other way.”


Dr. Ahmed Muumin Farah Warfa, professor of Agriculture, comes to the frying pan with a lot of academic and professional experience. He has worked as researchers and professional both in Somalia and abroad. Warfa has shown me in our frequent telephonic conversation for the last one year to be an inclusive and a no-nonsense man, with an unparalleled level of willingness to reach out the other side of the aisle.


Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdi Hashi possesses extensive experience in international finance and about fifteen years of past employment with the World Bank. He is an all-round intellectual and well acquainted with Washington DC. The son of former vice president of Puntland, Mohamed Abdi Hashi, Dr. Abdirahman would make a great leader if, in addition to his credentials, he possesses an ounce of his father’s honesty and forwardness.


Dr. Bashir Nuur Looyan, Ph.D. in agriculture is a friend and both a former student of mine and a soccer mate; he is young and a true Balaja Carab kid with a lot of energy to implement radical ideas. He has a wide range of political connections to world leaders. He could be someone to mend the breach Somalia had sustained and help it heal its wounds.


Ali Abdale Guuri, a friend and an honest patriot with disability, is someone who would challenge the status quo in a never-seen way.


Dr. Abdirahman Badiyow, an academic of the Muslim Brotherhood, is a critical thinker and a well known quantity in Mogadishu’s fledgling educational institutions.

Mr. Yasiin Issa, a close friend and a graduate of management buttresses his education with integrity and honesy. As a former colonel in the now-defunct Marine of Somalia, and a long time employee of the County of San Diego, California, he comes to the candidacy with both professional and military credentials. He could help Somalia and its search for secure cities in a meaningful way.


Mohamed Hirsi Khalif of Islamic Bank also comes to the podium with multiple experiences and the most important one being his days at the Islamic Bank. He could help foster good understanding between Somalia and the rich and deep-pocket Arabs across the Red Sea.


Mohamed Farmajo, former Prime Minister, has a populist streak and a can-do attitude.

Each and every one of these candidates is highly educated and seems to be up to the task. I could see voting or accepting each and every one of them as the next president of Somalia.
However, one candidate stands out with the biggest chance than the rest – that is the sitting Prime Minister Abdiwali Gas Ali. Prior to joining the TFG, Dr. Ali was a professor of economics at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Ali joined the faculty in August 2003. He has a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University, a Certificate of Taxation from Harvard Law School, and a Masters of Economics from Vanderbilt University; a Ph.D. in economics from George Masson University.

Dr. AbdiWali Ali has the unique advantage of boosting his credentials beyond academia. In the last one year, he has accomplished the impossible:

(1) He has succeeded through sheer discipline and tenacity to implement the excessively fastidious and fussy Roadmap,

(2) He has finished the stalled and controversy-mired Draft Constitution and literally made the defiant and illusive transition a reality. Somalia today has a living constitution which could be perfected through s serious of amendment as needed in time; Going to election is one-step forward,

(3) He helped bring peace to Mogadishu by closely partnering with the AMISOM troops and the nations that fund it,

(4) He was able for the first time to bring together regional leaders (Faroole of Puntland, Caalim of Galmudug) and the sitting president, Sharif Ahmed, the result of which has been the signing of Garowe agreements. Prime Minister AbdiWali was also instrumental in the establishment of the Jubaland administration, otherwise a tough terrain for the last twenty years,

(5) He showed a higher sense of good judgment by assembling a capable and cooperative cabinet that showed collegial and cordial culture in their day-to-day discharge of their national duty,

In the final analysis, leading a nation requires both a vision and a craft. Moreover, to succeed a leader could use friends and family support. In the case of Prime Minister Abdiwali, a decent and honest family man, his other half, Dr. Hodan Essa, herself a professor of economics in New York, is an asset. Watching them complement each other reminds us of the 1992 interview the Clintons (both of them are lawyers by training) gave to 60 minutes. In it, Hillary said: “You get two with one price,” suggesting that if elected, the White House will be occupied by a competent and capable couple. A couple of Somalis with Ph.Ds. in economics occupying Villa Somalia is a far cry than when a dictator or a Muslim cleric occupied it. This is indeed a high standard, even at Western norms.

A prudent first step by the eventual occupier of Villa Somalia should include inviting for consultation some or all of qualified contenders (AbdiWali, Ahmed Samatar, Warfa, Issa, Hashi, Looyan, Khalif, Guure, Badiyow, and Farmajo) to draft a plan to move forward.

My departing words to winners and non-winners are none other than Mark Twain’s wise words: “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it,” and hope the next president deserves our loyalty.

Faisal A. Roble
Email: fabroble@aol.com

Will the chairman of the supreme court of Somaliland show a moral fortitude?

Will the chairman of the supreme court of Somaliland show a moral fortitude?

Ibrahim Mead
Ottawa, Canada



Will the chairman of the supreme court of Somaliland show a moral fortitude?

Ref: “the case the Four parties; JAMHURIGA, NDB, HORYAAL and UDHIS forwarded to the Supreme court or the constitutional court of Somaliland regarding their right to win or lose by popular vote as to participate the Municipal elections.

Will the Supreme Court show a moral fortitude and say NO to the injustice the government is pushing against the rights of the four parties mentioned above?

There is a talk in Hargeisa that the president called xeer ilaaliyaha guud ee qaranka Xasan Axmed Aden iyo gudoomiyaha maxkamada sare Yusuf Ismaaciil Cali, the top judges of the land to his house as to tell them some thing!! That some thing is about ‘what to do with the targeted parties which a government nominated crowd called- party commission, mismanaged the process of legalizing the parties which are supposed to participate the up coming Municipal elections.

Calling the judges to execute the government’s agenda is a scam in its highest levels. Why are they hastening to do evil….! “Lima tastacjiluuna al sayiata qablalxasanah” Allah asks his servants “why do they hasten to do evil actions while they can do righteous deeds

The judiciary must not follow the “Guurti and the legislatures who abandoned their duties and chose to be cabals and functionaries for the executive!

Let the targeted parties be given their rights to run for the Municipal elections should that happen at all.
In a real democracy, a president wouldn’t call the judiciary to his house /office to tell them what they should do or shouldn’t do for government created political fiasco, nor would a judiciary bow to a government political program focused for some targeted people as to deny their rights to form their parties and run for elections!
The judiciary does not work for the executive but in Somaliland they do work for who ever the president is!!! I hope they do not “kalshaalize” this issue as they did many other issues before!!

I am calling the chair of the constitutional / Supreme Court to show moral fortitude this time and side with the justice.

An official of SOMALILAND WATCH GROUP told me that they are concerned of the de-democratization activities going on in Somaliland and for that reason they are coordinating this case with the international groups who help Somaliland in the areas of elections and democratic advancement. The official told me that they are worried of what Siilanyo’s administration is doing as well as what they are not doing regarding the process and development of democracy and the dispensation of justice to all communities in equal bases in Somaliland!!

I am asking president siilanyo “why is he (most of the time) choosing to do wrong deeds while he can do the right deeds!?” I believe it is mostly the wrong people running the affairs of the nation. The very people he chose. That does not mean he will not be accountable to the bulk of the misdeeds and mismanagements in his administration! The buck stops at his desk!

With out The existence of an opposition, politics ceases and dictatorial administrations take over. Therefore political parties and not cabals and functionaries are indispensable to the functioning of democratic political systems

Genuine political opposition parties are not some thing to be afraid of! Only Shaky administrations are scared of the opposition parties for they are not sure of themselves and because of the wrongs they do every time they want to do some thing. They consider them a threat. But they are not; they are necessary attributes of democracy, tolerance, and trust in the ability of citizens to resolve differences by peaceful means.

Mr. President, let all the political parties exercise their rights to run for the Municipal elections. It is not a matter of passing one’s money back to him in bribery form, to solve a problem emanated from your administration! It is a matter of rights. Let the people whether you like them or hate them practice their constitutional rights to run for office, to elect and to be elected. Only a popular vote can qualify a party to become the national party. Only by vote would they win or lose. Not touching same moving heads from region to another region as the case was! You may not get funding for this undemocratic act from the international community.

Let the vote be the verdict of who wins and wh o loses and not the moving heads! Let us be fair here and else where as well. Let us be kind to the Mother, once.

Peace and prayers for the Mother
Ibrahim Mead

How to build or loose the trust of the people

How to build or loose the trust of the people

Written by Ibrahim Mead

Authors note:

I compiled this note in response to the cynicism and the doubts and fears surrounded the recent London conference for Somalia, as well as the trust deficit prevailing in the country in general, objectively positively, however.
Some hailed as success realized by the government in Somalia’s conference in London. Others questioned the fundamental nature of the whole conference.
Others casted doubt what was in it for Somaliland, other than the usual call, like; “you two Somalis talk and come up with some thing!?” “Same old, same old!” they argued!

But the two Somalis are unequal and the entities telling Somaliland to talk to Somalia knows this fact! One(Somalia) is recognized as representing the other! It has an international recognition even when they don’t govern one city of their own Somalia! The other (Somaliland) is not recognized as an independent state even when they effectively govern the whole country of Somaliland! One (Somalia) did all the wrong things yet recognized! The other (Somaliland) did all the right things and not yet recognized! That is how it was for the last twenty years plus!

On their side the government of Somaliland sees the matter differently. The government claims that there was a lot gained for Somaliland’s cause and case in the London conference i.e.
a) The president spoke in the conference before the international community and delivered a speech about Somaliland’s case there.
b) In the communiqué it was written that “the two Somalis must talk and reach some agreement of some sort then the international community will respect that what ever it is!”
1- Doubters argue that “let the two Somalis talk” is what has been said through out the 20 years Somaliland and Somalia were separated. “What is new there!?” they wondered!?
2- Skeptics still persist that the president may deliver a speech but may did that in a different avenue not before the international delegations there! “We were there” they disputed!
This is unfortunately a people and a government not trusting each other! This all comes down to trust deficiency!

It is necessarily essential that the government of Somaliland and her people must trust each other. The government must show the people the “Gooder” and the people must respect their government and cooperate with it in return. That is a reciprocal move.
This effort needs men, mind and maturity. Maturity is the scarcest commodity in the government of Mr. Siilanyo these days! That is the prevailing believes in the country!

1- There must be a policy in motion in all our institutions. That is not the case now! Politically immature official argued traditional elders who were in one corner of the country complaining by a long distance telephone conversations while imprisoned traditional and community elders from the other end of the country! Some one ought to be called accountable for these uncalled for and unprofessional moves! He ought to be changed for the sake of Somaliland, her credibility and unity.

2-Crazy and lonely brief case wondering with out compass and worse yet, covers up his ill fated activities and failures with lies, ought to be changed.

There must be sole searching, and reflection to what went wrong and why.
The country is divided now! It must be united. With out a united Somaliland our hopes and aspirations would not bear fruit! With out unity we will perish! God forbid.


There are two groups of people. One group is “what can my country do for me” people. The other group is “what can I do for my country” people. The later are the ones who answered the call of conscience when no one dared to go near by that call! They have psychological and emotional bond with the Mother. The later is what the country needs in this historical juncture but the former are the ones in the front seat of the car driving the vehicle in the wrong lane! That ought to be changed for the sake of the nation as well as for the sake the legacy of the president. .

I am and ‘some’ others are of those who answered the call of conscience when that call was to exist or to perish, when that call was toxic to answer. I am one of many who want the government of Somaliland to succeed so that Somaliland succeeds. Therefore there must not be any distance between the people and their government.
On the government side: defiance, denial and demagoguery are not the answer, ignorance and arrogance are not the answer either. They are recipe for failure. They are counter productive. Indeed destructive. Unity and understanding of each other is the right call“Guus” is warranted here.

How to build or loose the trust of the people

In Somaliland there is a deficiency of trust between the people and their leaders!
Many institutions lost the trust of the people! The parliament being first and others follow! The government is not safe from this deficiency either. Probably she is the core of this predicament!
Most of the people agree that trust is perhaps the most important element of a harmonious and efficient work environment. Institutions that have trust of its people are usually successful; those which lost trust with their people are not successful. Somaliland’s house of representative and the house of Guurti for example lost trust of the people of Somaliland. They simply don’t know their duties! Other institutions which may or may not know their duties are either not honest or just lost the trust of the people!
So, honest people often ask, "how can we build trust in our people, and how can we avoid losing their trust?" I believe that, it all starts at the very top; since trustfulness - and trustworthiness - can exist only if top leaders set the example, and then build that example into every level of government
“Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants and who strictly guard their payers: - these will be the heirs” the righteous will inherit heaven” (Al muminoon ch.18-v, 7&8)
Trust may be expressed or implied. Express trusts are those where property is entrusts or duties are assigned by some one to some other one whom he trusts to carry out on his behalf.
Implied trusts arise out of power or position or opportunity.
Covenants create obligations.
To sum up all, express and implied trusts and covenants taken together cover the whole field of obligation owed for the people and the country of Somaliland.
Ways for leaders to build trust

A Establish and maintain integrity. First and foremost be not a perverse or hypocrite! One must be a person of God and trustworthy before we start any thing!
It is the foundation of trust in any organization. Trustworthiness and integrity must begin at the top and then move down. This begins with “thou shall not betray” This means, among other things, keeping promises and always telling the truth, no matter how difficult it might be. If its leaders have integrity, an institution or organization can be believed. Show the “the Gooder” where seeing it is due, then the people will believe you
B You must have vision and values. Communicate that vision and those values. Communication is essential, since it provides the channel for information and truth. By communicating the government’s vision, government defines where it's going. By communicating its values, the means for getting there are established.
Mendacity must not be used in hiding failure. Not in any case here however.

D Focus on shared rather than personal goals: When people feel everyone is pulling together to accomplish a common shared vision, rather than a series of personal agendas, trust results. This is the essence of earning the trust of the people. Tell the truth even when it is not popular!

E Do what's right, regardless of personal risk. That is the essence of leadership.
We all know intuitively what's "right" in nearly every situation. Following this instinctive sense, and ignoring any personal consequences will nearly always create respect from the people. From this, respect will come and trust of the people will follow

The ways to lose trust from the people
1- Act and speak inconsistently. Nothing confuses people faster than inconsistency. People will start suspecting you. And if confusion due to contradiction is the only constant venue, trust is sure to fall victim. Act- first- then- think later is deadly and that is what some aids of the government do!
2- Seek personal rather than shared gain. One, who is out only for him or her self interest, quickly loses the respect and trust of others. Some of the aids are just that!
.
3- Withhold information. When the communication channels shut down - both top-down and bottom-up - rumors start and misinformation is believed to be real. Then comes, denials, and lies. True information is often too late, or is never offered, or never there! Then trust falls apart.
4- Lie or tell half-truths. Dishonesty is a quick way to break a bond of trust. People may accept it once, even twice, but as the old saying goes, "twice burned.”
5- Close-mindedness. An unwillingness to consider other ideas and points of view, and/or to create an atmosphere of, "it's going to be my way or the highway" will certainly cut-off communication and eventually shatter trust. (Ref: Dave Bowman-five ways to build or los trust) that kind of mindset and attitude ought to be changed for the good of the Mother. For the good of the legacy of the president
When we look at successful leaders, governments and institutions, we find that they fostered these principles ofcreating trust and dispel distrust. And it is this that spurs success and greatness for themselves as leaders, as well as their governments, and their people. It is therefore a win, win, win, situation for them in this end. Travelling on the opposite side is fail, fail, fail proposition. It is there to choose the good from the bad, and to choose the right from the wrong. However the end belongs to the righteous, so peace and prayers


Ibrahim Mead
Political analyst
Ottawa Canada
kingmead1@yahoo.ca

A Response to Amb. Ahmed Hashara: Shake-off the old habits

A Response to Amb. Ahmed Hashara:

Shake-off the old habits by Zahra Yusuf

Two writers, one is career diplomat, has served his country of Mauritania well, has been in the UN circle, was recently appointed for helping the reconstitution of the Somali state, and so far he is struggling to make a sense for what has been the world's ugliest civil war in Africa. His name is Ahmedu Ould Abdalla, a soft spoken man with great enthusiasm for the future of Somalia. His comments, a direct appeal to Somali Diaspora, have been a very passionate and sincere. The other writer, also a career diplomat, has served Somalia at the UN, has been active during Arta government, has been a spoiler of peace, and was spotted at Eritrea in company with hardliners of what used to be the Court Union. His name is Ahmed Hashara.

Mr. Abdalla wrote to us several times for ending the civil war and hence picking up the pieces, while Mr. Hashara played the old politics. Mr Aballa wrote to the world about the plight of the Somalis in Washington Post, Mr. Hashara dismissed this as lies and deceit from a man who lacks the basic understanding about the state of our affairs. Who is right and who is wrong and which path should the Somali people choose? This reminds me of that critical poet, Robert Forest, in his famous poem--Two roads diverged in yellow woods, and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler, long I stood…………and I, I took the one less travelled by.

Could a Somali say to another Somali, enough is enough and our fate is in the hands of god with the help of foreigners? Perhaps the road less travelled by, however shameful it may be, is always better off than that long journey of the unpredictable behaviour of our fellow country man. Cries for political partisanship from unscrupulously political hustlers, often rallying behind group mentality (religious, clan or region) with out considering the depilated Somali populace, had forced the international community to look differently on Somali case in post East Timor UN trusteeship. Can this trend be reversed?

Let us look some perspectives. If good Somalis are honest enough and if good Somalis believe justice, and if good and morally upright Somalis care millions of a destitute Somalis to have a state of their own, then a good Somalis should weigh the words of Ambassador Hashara. But today's Somalis are not rational enough, not critical enough, and not caring enough to ask the Ambassador this simple question: Mr Ambassador, why would you need to convey yet another round of conference? In his piece posted on Somali websites, he justified the necessity to have for one more conference because Sharif government was formed "in exile in Djibouti", while its members were "hand picked by foreigners including Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti". The Ambassador goes on to say that Sharif is holed up and has no "constituent and territorial control". According to the ambassador, the current government must fail because it lacks "security and essential services for its own citizen

What the ambassador never declares is his bias toward Mr. Abdalla, the UN envoy, and Mr. Sharif, the current president based on his past political activities and membership. Furthermore, Mr. Hashara did not share with us about the facts on Arta and how it relates to the current regime. Arta government, which appointed Mr Hashara to the UN ambassador for Somalia, was formed in Djibouti, was an imposition government from the top, was "holed" up in some pockets of Mogadishu, had no constituent and territorial control, and was captive to powerful warlords who had the control of Southern regions as well as districts of Mogadishu. Rather than sharing his pain of the past and give advice to the current regime, he chose to become a spook for Eritrea, the very same regime that want to settle Abyssinian grudges in Somali soil.

We Somalis are stakeholders of that great piece of land called Somalia. We do know that we are going through the most horrific part of our history, an ongoing conflict for more than two decades while our future is unclear: The looming departure of unilateral secessionist Somaliland, self declared autonomous Puntland, a vicious power struggle in Southern Somalia that has been mutating from clan to religious conflict, as well as a dead capital city with moral decay. Having seen all these, having been the victims in all these years, Somalis should have been more active and responsive to individuals, organizations and entities that want to derail peace, cantankerous for nothing but greed, inconsistencies for their political actions, and above all those who struggle for power to keep the status qua for their own benefits to the detrimental of the public benefits. The Ambassador's new deal begs the question: who should Somalis listen, Mr Abdalla who tirelessly advocates for Somali unity, or the myopic thinking of the remnants of Arta who are confused and want to sell extremists whom they have no commonalities what so ever?. As fatalistic as his analysis is, one thing is clear, the Ambassador is not alone and there are many like minded individuals from Arta era, so nefarious that Somali quagmire has been sold to the world as the Ethiopian hegemony, permanent and Babylonian captivity of the Abyssinians. Free Somalia from Ethiopian colonialism slogan has been a dead politics, ravaged by Sheikh Aweys and his ilk, the killing machines of Mogadishu for power struggle and prestige.

Had the Ambassador chosen to write history in post Arta Somali politics, we would have witnessed the later day Omar-the-pathological liar, the Somali fairy tale story that challenged the integrity of human security over sleaziness, the imagined wolf that became real. The wolf (Ethiopia) is coming is no longer sellable and marketers of this idea are bogged down with false nationalism in order to attain personal or group interest. I may also add to be fair for many academics----- your work and your analysis on Somali politics and Ethiopian factor are genuine, and should not be confused with my analysis on partisan Somali politicians, and I mean the Samatar brothers, Said Samatar and Faysal Roble.

Thus, in my humble opinion, Mr. Abdalla is right to expose the ruthless Somali businessmen across Africa and Middle East for financing Mogadishu war. He is also correct to point out the piracy and criminal activities in our country, particularly in Puntland. More importantly, he is genuine on Somali reconciliations. In contrast to Mr. Abddalla, Ambassador Hashara is wrong to play old politics when Mogadishu is pleading. Politics has a taste when stability is the threshold, and partisan manoeuvre is permissible as an art to stage a regime change considering that the outcome is favourable. Yet Mr. Hashara knows that if and when he and his friends are selected for another trail of provisional government, the outcome would still be the same. So why a learned person, if he is not unconscionable, a ruthless opportunist, would crave for power. My best advice to Mr.Hashara, focus on the rebuilding of the country, which by and large became a prisoner of its own citizens, citizens whom anarchy became a norm and thriving.

Zahra Yusuf

Zahrayusuf@rocketmail.com

Gatineau, Quebec