They Disagreed for What?
Hussein salad
h.salad@vivatelecoms.com
OPINION
Bal inaad Muranle tahay lacag aan la hayn baad xaqal qalin qaadanysaa
Bal inaad Macangag tahay, lacag aan la hayn baad xaqal qalin diidaysaa
[You are really so irrational and arguer! You want to take payoff for money that we don’t have it]
[You are so unreasonable! You are refusing me a portion of money we don’t even have it!]
Most of the time the above absurdity is the common and prevalent stand of our beloved politicians. That is, if you allow me to call them politicians. As Politics is both skills and art that you learn to harness the good of your country. None if applicable in the part of the world we live.
In 28 of April 2013 was a date most Somalis were closely monitoring as the President of the Federal Government of Somalia Hon. Hassan Sheikh has made his first visit to the capital of the autonomous region of Puntland.
It was overdue visit that, in my humble opinion, should have come much earlier. I tell you why. It is not about pride and competition. It is about healing and tethering of our collapsed nation. That requires different caliber of leadership. Leaders, who are above the malaise and the endemic tribalism, that torn our society apart. A Caliber of Mahatma Gandhi who is able to see beyond the horizon.
The expectation of that meeting was elevated and the stakes were high. To my knowledge, there were no prior squabbles between the President and head of Puntland, at least not in the media. To reach a cordial agreement was not only necessary. It was must. But they failed big time! Why?
We, Somalis, are never in short of empty arrogance and senseless pride.
Here are the sticking points, officially published in the Somali amateur news pages, in the Garoowe meeting.
1) London conference agenda –who shall have saying and who shall not.
2) Jubaland administration -shall be supported, shall not be
3) Alternations of the constitution-shall it be written into law or not
I can not help laughing, but this time with despair and bewilderment. Let us examine the points one by one.
London Conference
David Cameron and his Tory party are organizing the conference. Albeit the conference is for Somalis, yet the organizer is the owner of both the Agenda and the outcome. Do those quarreling for London conference agenda know who is the conservative party? I doubt. The conservative party is rightist party with ruthless capitalist ideology that blundered the resources of the third world through the history of Great Britain. This is the same party that called ANC and Nilsson Mandela a terrorist organization. A haunch supporter of apartheid South Africa and ruthless party that does not hide his detest to everything less than British. Not even European Union is good enough for the Tories. You might argue Britain is not the same colonial power as it used to be. I disagree. No one, not even Great Britain is saying we doing this for Somalis.
Who in Gods name will ask these gentlemen to bring the Agenda? It is already prepared. This was just courtesy and test to see if they could behave civilized. In fact they remind me the famous Somali play “Magaala joog Xumo”. I hope you recall “Muranle and Macangag”? The two typical, Somali mindless, guys who argued and argued to divide a bag of money, which was not there in the first place. Is this the same Play in Costume format?
Jubaland administration –which attracted the attentions of the whole polarized nation has became a contentious subject that gave hope and ammunition to old criminal warlords. I was very disenchanted the mammoth jingoism still rife in the society. The Government could have tackled this issue much better than they did. This was an assessment that the Government didn’t pass. Now it is in a state where it has another dimension altogether. The government should spread head the creation of the administration. Au lieu de alienating them, It would have been much simpler to work with the organizers and bring under the umbrella of the Government. Don’t you guys know we are just coming from the civil war? Don’t you know that we are not yet a full-fletched state? Don’t you need the support of every and each Somali individual? Please don’t waste this great opportunity.
Alternation of the constitution
Somalis have never, in the modern history, had a constitution written, revised, and approved by them. The Constitution in 1960s was drafted by the former colonial masters and adapted in postcolonial governments. Late 1980’s we had voted for another Constitution. This time by force, and voted overwhelmingly yes. I voted but didn’t know what it was all about. The only option we had was “Yes”.
The constitution prepared by the former transitional government was good start but not perfect. To alter or amend at this critical time is not very wise. Why do you need to do that now? Somalis are Somalis. No matter how much they fight and wrangle they are still brothers and sisters. They will never ever be separated. Ask Sh.Mustafa Haji Imail. He said Somais are like “Bahal Higle” they will always look for each other and when they grow in numbers they quarrel. That is our nature. Moreover, do we really need to make an issue of a document of several hundred articles that we never read? Why you create unnecessary constitutional crises?
Finally, the government must embark upon the daunting issues of Security and stability.
Let us not rake old wounds and loose precious time. Consult as many as you can. Listen to all. It is important. Or you will miss the opinion of great portion of the population. Make the government as inclusive as possible and rebuild the institutions. You need friends not enemies.
BR
/Hussein Salad
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