by AbdulRehman Hassan
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
A sea of change is currently underway in Somalia. The country is at the crossroads of the old past and a new epoch. This change is real, and it sure, will not enter into the history as an inconsequential one. It had already drawn a line between its opponents and proponents. There are sharp differences between the two camps. In each side, you will find more than enough dedicated individuals, groups, communities, and nations in full swing. For all, it’s a mission worthy dying for.
The question is: What is the source of these irreconcilable differences? The opposition forces are so determined to keep Somalia as is, and the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) and its allies are here to throw the status quo out of the window and open a new chapter. That is all!
Somalia has been without government control for over sixteen years and that is enough time to adapt culture of violence and lack of discipline. It’s enough time to form an opinion in a wrong way if you are a defenseless civilian under relentless pressure and intimidation. It’s enough time to build a coercive social hierarchy if you are a ruthless warlord, or create a fortune if you are a senseless war profiteer.
In the absence of law and order, people moved into government buildings, annexed city parks, and seized other people’s houses and farms. Some started new lives by changing roads into homes of their own, causing the traffic to make a long and excruciating detours.
The lack of authority also created mayhem within the ranks of the religious scholars and their followers. The wisdom, guidance, and the teaching of the seasoned spiritual leaders were ignored. Some academically challenged mostly young-aged students aimlessly dived into a cooking jar head first. In Islam, raising weapons against the leader of the nation is a serious crime. It constitutes a death by sword.
All the above mentioned categories of the society are anti-government, because they think they will lose at least some of what they currently have if accountability is enforced. In contrary to these groups, the government and its allies have got a vision. They have a goal to achieve and as a result, have got a work to do. That is to bring Somalia back to its feet. They are determined and they are giving their lives for this cause. For sure, they see the light at the end of the tunnel.
One may struggle comprehending the level of ignorance in those thugs and outlaws, who are trying to make the ends meet by keeping Somalia ungovernable. Yet, nothing was more disappointing than seeing people like Samatar brothers of Minnesota, whom I long adored, cashing on the desperation of the Somali society. Mr. A. I. Samatar, what alternative do we have in order to dismantle this government? Can we wait one more day without a system? Of course, you and your brother can wait forever, because you are enjoying the peace and security that had been restored by Abraham Lincoln. He was a man, and for sure Mr. Samatar, neither he was a traitor nor he was a coward. When the southern administrations refused to take the high road and abandon chasing their short term gains in lieu of nationhood, he fought their men fiercely, burned their houses and cotton farms, and shot their horses and cows, so that they may lay down their arms, in which they eventually did. To establish a system of governance first is must. We can then discuss what type of government and what kind of leader and so forth. Does this require a rocket scientist to understand?
I suppose there are men with leadership ambition out there. Seeking an influential position in your country in a legal and decent way is always a noble deed. However, when men like Dr. Ali Khalif Galydh, who made a day light robbery to the very department in which he himself headed joins the line from behind in quest of the top job of the nation, it becomes to look like a pedophile revisiting his crime scene for the sole purpose of doing more abuse to the victim. Give me a beak Mr. Galydh! Running away with the annual budget of the ministry you presided, living your unpaid employees with bankrupt department in their hands wasn’t cool at all. Of the whole history of the Somali nationhood - South and North, Mr. Galydh is the first and the last cabinet minister, who acted this way. Mr. Galydh, next time you take the podium to give another worthless destructive speech, please explain how and when you would like to pay our money back.
Let us not forget that, the leaders of the TFG are people like ourselves. They persevered unbearable level of torture from their own people. Can you imagine! This government operated without budget for three years, because we didn’t pay our due taxes. Forget about paying taxes, but we didn’t even let it alone. Yet, many of us foolishly repeated saying, “Why the government didn’t help us?” It’s you to help your government and not the vise versa. I am really so proud of the President, the Prime Minister, and some of their civilian and uniformed officials, who refused to blink a minute till they get the work done. Their tenacity paid off. I am wondering why no one is appreciating and talking about all the good things that are concurrently happening in Somalia?
We are all so saddened about the war that destroyed much of the city and the many lives that are no longer with us. The opposition groups are to be blamed for all that loss. If anyone has any doubt about this, why don’t they tell me of one single country that would give the insurgents anything other than live bullets?
No matter how the rebel fragments entertain themselves with their distance dreams of getting us back to where we started. This looks a success of total package. However, the government must not take any revenge from anyone. It has to focus on justice and equality. No one should be privileged over the other and no one should be left behind. If fairness is practiced, we will all become winners. The best example belongs to Profit Mohamed - peace be upon him. When he entered Mecca, he immediately showed his generosity and mercy to the weak and to the surrendered men and women by forgiving them for all the atrocities they committed against him, his family, and his companions may Allah be pleased with them all. The general amnesty that was announced by the government must stand and must be religiously enforced.
AbdulRehman Hassan
E-mail: [email protected]