by Hamdi Abdulle
Monday, November 05, 2012
With regard to the 30% women’s quota in the Somali new government, for many years we could not balance the equation to seek our rights as women and as intellectuals who deserve to serve their country. Many women were not sure of what steps to take to pursue justice at those difficult days of the unpopular transitional governments. However, most if not all the Somali women are clear about the Somali men who live in mediaeval times and will not cave in until they overcome all the obstacles that are set to marginalize their political rights in Somalia.
Our new deputy prime minister/foreign Minister Ms. Fawsia H Adan is also known as one of the pioneers to stand for Somali women’s political rights in Hargeysa. I hope through her personal experience she will make a difference and will make her country shine like the stars in the sky. We welcome her nomination! We also equally welcome Dr. Maryan Qasim’s nomination she is a women beyond compare and we are proud to support them as they take their first steps to implement feasible strategic plans that can bring the much desired and long awaited positive impact to end the suffering of our people to the best of their ability.
I commend the new prime minister in considering his first work as one step to the right direction, while expecting more from his government. The true success of his new government will be gauged by his ability to call upon the people of Somalia to hold accountable enough transparency to forbid corruption, nepotism and avoid loss of trust.
It makes me personally happy, that things have changed; today, we the Somali women are able to voice out our concerns to the civilized world and to the international community. Yet, one must admit that our voice could not have a meaning, had we been alone in our quest for justice.
Of particular note, is the domino effect that the so called clan elders may have on the rest of the country! For example, excluding women from certain sub clan to participate in the Parliament was used as a pretext by many clans and thus lead to the marginalization of women in the Somali politics during the MP selection process.
This criminal act of stealing Somali women’s seats in the Parliament was not a mistake. Many Somali women believe that it was designed and architected by men who thought they can get away with it. Those individuals have nothing to do with egalitarian doctrines and practices. They pushed us to the wall; unfortunately their poor actions did not help them either. They truly pushed themselves out of reality. Letting our intellectual capital go to waste and allowing gender segregation did not salvage their intention to climb the ladder with their chauvinist agenda without any respect to human equality and affairs.
Marginalizing women’s participation, while calling the Road- map a success has never resonated with our hearts and minds, let alone the heart of any human being that cares about human dignity.
We are very grateful that the noble position of the international community specially the USA and British Governments in promoting the rights of the Somali women has never been compromised.
In hopes to see more support to women participation in the new government, I will keep my advocacy to seek justice for our political rights, without any regard to any clan affiliations.
Hamdi Abdulle
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