Hiiraan Online

by Abdirizak Omar Mohamed
Sunday, February 08, 2009

In community-based reconciliation it is widely agreed that the bottom up approach is the means for achieving durable peace, where elders, women, religious groups play a critical role in moving the peace process forward. We have seen the constructive contribution made by regional clan elders AKA Guurtada in Somaliland and punt land, how is the Mogadishu-based elders group are different from their brethren regional clan elders is a mystery to grasp, albeit the obvious recognition by your editorial of their contribution in the struggle as well as their participation of the peace process. They were the voice whenever civilians were targeted by both parties of the conflict.

Not only is your editorial disingenuous, it is equally an affront to the all elders group to equate them with spurious-traditional elders, when on the other hand you admitted their positive role as champions for the victims of the civil war by illustrating the heroic effort of the spokesman of the Mogadishu elders group Mr. Ahmed Dirie

Notwithstanding, the positive contribution made by HOL editorials hitherto, in contrast this editorial lacks objectivity, let me list below few of the most visible contradictions that are mired in this piece

I).Lack of clan inclusive; Regardless of Mogadishu elders clan affiliations, they were the only effective voice that confronted and brought forward to the public attention and in the mainstream media the atrocities committed by the invading Ethiopian forces. They have sacrificed their lives in order to safe the lives of thousands of Somalis, to the extent the spokesperson of the group spent three months in Biado jail under the watchful guard of Ethiopians and by suggesting the only dissident voice in town be silenced because they are not inclusive enough is illogical and defies reasoning. Why not argue making it more inclusive?

What about the Guurtada elders of Somaliland and puntland, are they inclusive enough? it seems Hiiraan Online instead of endorsing the success and effectiveness of the Mogadishu elders is baffled and blindsided by their clan identity.

II).Similarly, you editorial seems to be obsessed with the clan identity of Mogadishu elders rather than reflecting on their positive contributions and activism at the most critical juncture in our history, during the Ethiopian occupation and you keep repeating whether they are legit and representative of the Hawiya clan on the one hand and accuse them of exclusivity on the other hand, your subjective thinking suppressed any objective, balanced and constructive analysis of the Mogadishu elder's role, and instead of proposing, for instance, expanding their citizenry participation, activism and making it more inclusive, your retired zombie like suggestions of disbanding them is undemocratic at best and unconscionable at worst.

III) Furthermore, your editorial insidiously argues that Mogadishu is diverse city and requires progressive non-clan group participation; however such thought lacks insight and vision and it begs to ask then what prevented those individuals (other groups) to stand up and be a voice for the voiceless when it mattered the most. This editorial is inline with arguments made in the past by many Somali scholars who ascribe the Somali problem to the desire of the nomadic groups in the society to impose cultural and political hegemony on the settled agro-pastoral groups in and around the inter-riverine region in the southern parts of the country and such distorted facts then and the rhetorical arguments in this editorial now only polarizes communities and is potential barrier to prospects for peace, Hiiraan on line Editorial Board shouldn’t distort facts and be shallow in their analysis and accept the fact that though Mogadishu elders happen to be Hawiye, they should only be evaluated on the conduct of their character by standing up against oppression and advocating for the victims of the Ethiopian invasion, this is the veracity that exist now in Somalia, and their voice will remain a voice for the voiceless even when the expanded TFG parliament relocates to Mogadishu and Hiiraan On line should be ashamed of posting such lopsided perspective on its reputable site.