Hiiraan Online

I admire their professionalism, their intellectualism, their able articulation of their opinions and the vigor with which they present, and when challenged, defend their convictions. Besides, their high stations in education and career successes should be a source of inspiration to the younger generations of Somalis, no matter where from, and the deference of their contemporaries.

In my earlier encounters with the professors’ views on the issue of Somaliland’s reclamation of its independence, they were just dead against it, period. So much so that I had the inclination to think that they might be harboring some irrational phobia of anything that has something to do with Somaliland. Lately, however, their opinions on that issue seem to have mellowed somewhat. While they still profess their passion for the restoration of the erstwhile unitary Somali Republic, they now pay service, lip- or no lip-, to Somaliland’s achievements in areas of peace, good governance and resolution of social and political problems.

Good progress, may I venture to say. When anyone, friend or foe alike, acknowledges the undeniably good progress that Somaliland has achieved, it is a welcome development. I understand that friends tend to overstate this progress and foes are predisposed to underrate it. But the operative word here is progress, not regression.

No ethic Somali, who is worth his salt and wherever he or she might reside, can not dispute that we as Somalis are a failed nation. As Pros. A. I. Samater so aptly said in a recent interview, we are fast becoming the scum of the world. Does any ethic Somali like this? I bet my boots he or she doesn’t. Doesn’t this characterization adversely affect every ethic Somali? I will bet my socks too it does. It is a sad story. The only thing incumbent on all of us, ethic Somalis, is how to get out of this mess; how to redeem ourselves and be again part of humanity.

These are the issues on which I would like to debate Professor Samaters and ask some questions, if I may.        

I think that those who do not know their history will never know their present or future. Likewise those who are enslaved by their history will never aspire to advance to a better future.

That is why while I can and will always listen to you, Professors, I can also beg to be convinced by you and indeed be also able to convince you

What about a little history, a little present and a little future from me, Professors?

A little History:

Somalilanders were in the forefront in the quest for Pan-Somalism. That quest surprisingly became a nightmare for the Somalilanders. When Somaliland became independent from Great Britain on June 26, 1960, they put their newfound liberty and soul on a silver platter and, without pre-conditions, deposited them at feet of the Southerners in Mogadishu in the name of unity. The result was the Southerners not only ate the liberty and soul but the platter too. Do you deny this?

Professor A.I. Samater once said that Somalilanders have only themselves to blame for this. He argued that they should have had negotiated and bargained with the Southerners for some kind of power sharing agreement and safeguards of their rights. Fair enough. I agree it was the height of naivety on the part of Somalilanders.

But it was an attestation of the Somalilanders’ love, devotion and enthusiasm for Somali unity that they committed this, in hindsight, foolhardy act. Those who may be inclined to accuse Somalilanders as the dismantlers of Unity need look no further than these events of 50 years ago. At any rate, if one is so selfless and generous, does one deserve praise and appreciation or does one deserve repression, genocide and tribal cleansing? Your call Professors!

Nothing the Southerners did or said since the demise of the Somali Republic has made me doubt that what Somalilanders did on May 18, 1991 was the right thing.

Whenever one tribal group in the South gains the upper hand, in either fair or foul means, their immediate instinct is to visit mayhem on other tribal group. That is what the residents of Mogadishu and the central regions did to the people hailing from the eastern and north-eastern regions after the fall of Siad Barre. The traditionally placid and highly productive people of Banadir, Merca and lower Jubas and Shebelles were not spared of these horrendous events. When they tried of this bedlam they turned on each other (remember, the ghastly battles between Aidid and Ali Mahdi?) Then some sub-clans turned on other sub-clans and the result was the emergence of several Aidids and several Mahdis and their attendant death and destruction.

Then, when those who do were victims of yesteryear who themselves might have been the not so-yester-year victimizers somehow come back to power. Their first instincts too were to seek revenge and dominance in even uglier manner. They had no qualms to invite non-sympathetic foreigners to do the job for them. One further step to create more hatred; isn’t it Professors or not?

And where, dear professors, did we ever get the hijackers of the beautiful and peaceful religion of Islam; those who have tried to invent or import a version of it, whether Wahabism, Talebanism and not what else, but the real one, that seriously destroy the very soul it was intended to sustain. Admittedly, extremism and misrepresentation of Religion is not unique to those who profess to be Muslims. You would find them in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and others. But when one happens to be at the receiving end of this totally un-Islamic and un-Somali extremism, it is truly scary.

Between you and me, in my opinion, religion is spiritual; between a man or a woman and The Almighty God. Nobody has the right to force his or her version on me or on anybody else.      

A Little Present:

Somalilanders might have asked for remorse on what happened. We might asked that justice be served for those who lie in mass grave in Hargeisa’s dry river (doox), Mogadishu’s Jaseera Beach, Berbera’s airport, Gabile, Burao and other towns in Somaliland. Don’t some of the perpetrators, like Morgan, of these atrocities hold important positions in the so-called TFG of Somalia? Though Siad Barre is long gone, his modus apprandi is very much alive in even more acute and crueler form.   

Whenever a so-called TNG or a so-called TFG is formed in a foreign country, why do they lay claim on being the rightful government for Somaliland even though such governments never succeeded to control a few blocks of any city in Somalia? Indeed, why do they need to meet in foreign lands when they are blessed with so much land of their own? This is the people who invented the notorious 4.5 tribal formula as the very basis of government. They could not even be faithful to their demented invention and in no time, the one that assumes the presidency tend to assume everything else including all the vital levers of state power and not excluding the not so vital positions. Doesn’t it click where the holders of these presidencies hail from?

These are the so-called leaders who invited foreign armies into their country. These are the so-called leaders whose constituencies seem to reside in foreign countries and capitals. There are the so-called leaders who could be installed or removed by not their own countrymen, but by foreigners. These are the so-called leaders who displaced almost the entire population of their own capital city into the harsh countryside and under the mercy of nature’s elements not to mention the massacre of untold thousands of the same population. With all due respect and sympathy for the poor populace of Somalia (not to be mistaken as the former Somali Republic, which ceased to exist in 1991), what good did they ever do for themselves? Only to support their own tribesman as president, no matter what; or oppose the other tribesman as president no matter what! How long would it take before they could stand up for themselves and against the bad and ugly whose only apparent strength is that he hails their own tribe?  

A Little Future

It is unimaginable that Somaliland will ever ask the Southerners for acceptance of their self-determination and independence. As matter of fact, it is Somaliland that can argue, under any definition of rationality and nationhood that Somalia not exists for all intents and purposes. If the IGAD, UN, AU, AL, EU, US, OIC, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Sudan and what not, could have restored the erstwhile unitary state of the Somalia Republic or a viable state of Somalia, they have been at it for the last twenty years. Notwithstanding my suspicion that none of these organizations and countries does have entirely Somalis’ interest at heart and not an axe to grind, one can take the horse to the water, but one can not make it drink.

Where are their wise elders, both men and woman, who could say enough is enough? Where are the young men and women who should revere their elders’ counsel? Where is their civil society? Why can’t the voice and sight of a suffering, crying child be loader than the sound of a detonating pullet, bomb or artillery which always silences the voice of the child?

It broke my heart when, after the fall of Said Bare, Somalia sled into an abyss. I am still heart broken. My hope, indeed my expectation, despite all that happened, is that the Southern brethren will somehow see better days. How could it ever get worse?

Supposing that the Southerners could succeed in getting their act together, what will be the future relationship of a Somalia and Somaliland? A unitary Somalia Republic encompassing Somaliland is obviously not an option. I don’t think that God will impose it and certainly Somalilanders will not permit it.

An alternative would be some sort of a “Special Relationship’ along the lines of the European Union. It should be noted that more than half a century since the signing of the Treaty of Rome, the members of the EU are essentially sovereign countries. They may have a joint parliament, but national parliaments are more paramount. They may have a common currency, the Euro, but some countries, notably Britain and Norway opted to keep their currencies. They do not always see eye to eye on foreign policies either (witness their diverse policies on the Iraq War, when the UK sent troops and almost every other country in Europe opposed it).

But by and large the Union has been beneficial to all the member states. They have open borders; integrated economy; common security arrangements; the right of a member state’s nationals to live and work in other member states.

Even such a similar potential relationship for a future Somalia and Somaliland should not be rushed. It should be noted that being a European country is not an automatic right to be eligible to be a member of the EU. There are conditions attached. A prospective member country has to bring its fiscal, democratic, social and judicial policies up to the existing EU’s standards. Most member states had to wait decades until they could achieve to implement these changes. In our case a future Somalia or Somaliland has to match whichever one has superior laws and governance. Otherwise, the bad guys will drag down the good guys and things will get back to square one.

Such a potential relationship, if it works, could eventually be expanded to include other African Horn countries, such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea and even countries beyond. Let us dream. Why not? For the moment let us stick with the reality and not deny it: Somalia and Somaliland are two different countries. It is a good start.

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