by Dr. Mohamed Abbas
Saturday, November 02, 2013
Nothing much has been written about Somalia's current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who came to power a year ago. That is probably because there is not much to write about a man whose name became known to his people only after he became a President!
Just two weeks ago, while I was sitting in a small community library, a quiet and tranquil atmosphere, I logged in to Hiiraan Online and suddenly; a fascinating article written by Nuruddin Farah has caught my eyes. This article was originally published in New York Times on October 14, 2013 under the title: (Somalia's Leader: Look Past the Hype). I read this article a number of times and with a great deal of interest; firstly, because it was written by a heavyweight author, secondly, it was published by one of the largest and most popular metropolitan newspaper in the world, and thirdly, because it brought the Somali President under the spotlight.
Unlike many other self-styled "Somali intellectuals", Nuruddin Farah is a reliable author who does not depend on rumors, gossips, or idle-talks as a source of information. Nor does he preach anything that is inflammatory or provocative in nature. As a distinguished writer whose fame rests on his global achievements, he mainly banks on empirical researches and reliable sources for his writings. And that is why he travelled all the way to Mogadishu in April 2013 to gather information before his recent article on Somalia's leader came out.
And although Somalia still remains the sole territory of Nuruddin Farah's dramatic narratives in all his fiction and non-fiction works, but when it comes to the country's clan politics, his pen often stays away from this mess to keep its reputation. Nevertheless, the author still believes that there are certain dire situations in which anything less than telling the truth can be considered as betrayal. And that is why we have seen Nuruddin Farah's pen in full force and hitting the nail on the head.
A short, compelling and yet an opening-eye piece of writing, Nuruddin Farah has unveiled the dark side of Somalia's current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his administration. Like a whirlwind in a desert, Nuruddin Farah's article is taking us to the heart of the Somalia capital Mogadishu, so we can get the actual picture of the President and his style of governing. Here are some appalling situations that may blow up your mind:
a. Coming out from a government prison in Mogadishu, a murderer with blood on his hands is walking tall and free after killing two innocent medical staff from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)!
b. A captured Al-Shabab leader is in government custody but not facing a trial yet for fear of a backlash from his clan!
c. Agreements on Somalia's natural resources are getting signed under the table with foreign companies in exchange of a large amount of cash characterized as "securing the deal."!
d. Rampant corruption is running deep in government institutions!
e. A U. N. report on Somalia, which was released in August 2013 states that eighty per cent (80%) of the withdrawals from the country's Central Bank is used for private purposes!
Furthermore, the sudden resignation of Yussur Abrar, the central bank governor of Somalia on Oct 30, 2013, is another shocking example of how corrupt, greedy, and dishonest the current Somali government is. In her resignation letter to the country's President, she stated:
“From the moment I was appointed, I have continuously been asked to sanction deals and violate my fiduciary responsibility to the Somali people as head of the nation’s monetary authority. Unfortunately, the central bank has not been allowed to function free of interference, and as such cannot operate as a credible institution.”
This unexpected resignation is also a clear sign that the government corruption has become so endemic that the governor herself has fled the country and sent her resignation letter from Dubai for fear of her life. I say: Well done Yussur Abrar. You deserve a pat on the back as you refused to be used as a smokescreen by corrupt leaders to hide their corruption.
Experiences from the Somali civil war have shown us that Somali women are more trustworthy and honest than men when it comes looking after the public funds.
Alas, all these terrible episodes are taking place under the leadership of Somalia's current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who constantly smiles in a country where people have little to laugh about!
These alarming incidents – which were briefly highlighted by Nuruddin Farah in his recent article – are just a tip of the iceberg or shall we say: five per cent of what the writer knows about the weaknesses of the current Somali President and his administration. No doubt that Professor Nuruddin Farah has many other shocking tales to tell about the Somali leader particularly after he paid a visit to Mogadishu in April this year. But as a professional writer who has the ability to put the spotlight on those seemingly invisible fundamental issues in which the general public cannot easily predict or comprehend, Nuruddin Farah is simply giving us some hints, and most certainly, leaving the rest for his readers to discover.
Nuruddin Farah is aware that after two decades of anarchy and lawlessness, Somalia has become like a can of worms – the more you dig, the more you discover nasty and unspeakable miseries!
Nuruddin Farah's article underlines that the President is still in his infancy when it comes to politics and how to run government affairs and that is why he lacks the determination to lead the country. Rampant corruption is also the hallmark of President Mohamud's government. To prove this claim, Nuruddin Farah is giving us practical examples, and there is nothing more powerful than narrating the story of a murderer who killed two innocent doctors! To put this case beyond doubt, Nuruddin Farah has named the murderer and his location! He wrote in New York Times and I quote:
"I was troubled that Doctors Without Borders felt compelled to quit Somalia after the murders of two staff members, Andrias Karel Keiluhu and Phillipe Havet, in December 2011. What’s appalling is that the killer was identified: Ahmed Salad Farey, himself a former Doctors Without Borders worker. He was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. But mysteriously, a panel of appellate judges ordered his release after he’d served about three months. A government source whom I trust told me that the government did not open a public inquiry or even an internal investigation. My source also told me that Mr. Farey has lived openly in Guriel, his hometown in central Somalia, since his release."
Not many people, even I or you (the reader) were aware or heard of Mr. Ahmed Salad Farey before. We wouldn't have known this murderer if we haven't been told explicitly by Nuruddin Farah. Nuruddin Farah's article has angered the President, his supporters, his inner circle and his Damul Jadid faction at large, but it was well received by the mainstream of the Somali people.
The President and his supporters should remember that Nuruddin Farah has no political interest whatsoever. He is just aiming to give advice for the interest of the nation and its people who had suffered long enough. He is a man who is globally known as a distinguished writer, a Professor of literature and one of the world’s most gifted novelists. So, when he writes, he chooses his topic carefully and his articles find no difficulties in attracting global audience. His pen is well-trained to take the readers deep into territory he has chartered and mapped and made uniquely his own. And if I borrow the words of Chinua Achebe: "Nuruddin Farah excels in giving voice to tragedy in remote places of the world that speak directly and familiarly to our own hearts." Or I use the words of Princeton University scholar Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah: “Nuruddin Farah has made Somalia a real place for people who otherwise would never have thought about Somalia except for what they hear on the news from time to time.”
The uniqueness in Nuruddin Farah’s personality is that he favours nobody in his writings and he doesn’t take things at face value. When it is time to write about the truth, we can rest assure that he will write about the truth both against his friends and foes alike.
On the other hand, Nuruddin Farah is not a pessimistic person who just looks things from a negative aspect. His pen is generous enough to give acknowledgements when necessary. For instance, when Somalia’s Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) defeated the US-backed Somali warlords in 2006 and brought law and order in Mogadishu, Nuruddin Farah has praised the Union of Islamic Courts and gave them a credit for what they have done at that time. In his famous article “My Life as a Diplomat” which was published in New York Times in May 26, 2007. He wrote and I quote:
“And, truth be told, I admired some of what the Islamists had accomplished. Indeed, they had done the impossible: in a series of fierce battles from March to June last year (2006), they had routed the warlords and pacified Mogadishu. For the first time in many years, the city enjoyed peace.”
It is an undeniable fact that Nuruddin Farah will also give similar praise to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud provided that the President needs to improve his Key Performance Indicators (KPI). The fact also remains that those people who do not want the truth to be told will definitely get irritated by Nuruddin Farah's recent article. But such people will – sooner or later – find themselves on the wrong side of the fence.
When you read Nuruddin Farah's previous writings against corrupt governments and you compare that with his recent article, you will then agree with me that the current Somali President is, in a way, fortunate that Nuruddin Farah's pen and prose didn't come down hard on him this time as many were expecting.
And in a fair judgment, this article can be considered as an early warning to the incumbent Somali President to put his house in order.
Dr Mohamed Abbas
Chairman,
Jubbaland Intellectuals
[email protected]
"Jubbaland Intellectuals" is a non-profit, intellectually-based organization which is concerned with the social, political and economic development in Jubbaland. It was founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2005 and is headquartered in Kismaayo, Somalia.