Warsame Dheere
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Posts posted by Warsame Dheere
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On 9/9/2019 at 8:45 PM, galbeedi said:Having local control of the basic services is the ultimate desire of every Somali. By nature, we Somalis are fiercely independent almost to the borderline of anarchism. At the moment , the Somali regions are not interested about federal system or even delegation of power to towns and cities. Federalism would force them to allow the locals to manage their affairs and collect taxes. Might even force direct taxation from the federal government, they will be no longer able to print money, build regional armies and have their own foreign policy. They have neglected their basic duties of set up local administration according to the federal system.
I do not blame them for some of the shortcomings since they have to fend off themselves and take care of their own security by creating local militia, but peaceful regions like Puntland should have moved to the next level.
I hope in the near future that the federal government doesn't need to interfere the elections and politicians of the regions as long as they abide by the charter and constitution. At the moment, it is the duty of the federal government to eliminate those who are serving the interest of the neighbors who are fighting us both in the international arena and within Somalia through proxy forces.
Direct democracy and real delegation of power is a threat to the regional leaders and to many Somali tribes. It has been 15 years since Somaliland held parliamentary elections and Puntalnd doesn't even have any elections in the cards after 21 years. How can they blame the national government for incompetence while keeping the status quo for themselves, especially Puntalnd without implementing any direct democracy and delegation of power.
By nature Somali tribes are greedy and unjust. The idea of tribes coming together and forging a national charter without no one enforcing these agreements is a folly that exists only in Somalia. Peace is achieved through strength. Al-shabaab might be defeated one day, but the dysfunction of the regions and throat cut tribal competition inherited for the last 30 years, would stay with as for a long time. If we let them to design their own narrow interest for the nation, they will use the typical Geeljire methods of winners taking all. Yet, despite the hubris of these tribes, each one of them is venerable. They might celebrate a short victory , but history has shown that no tribe is invincible in the nation of the nomads.
Just look at Tukaraq and other places. THese entities are fighting to dominate and control people who should be free to choose their own destiny --Sool and Sanaag. The same goes with those ridding the Kenyan tanks. They have no interest of people voting or agreeing with a fair charter. The idea of tribes accepting and being honest to each other is impossible. Gari laba nin kama wada qosliso. Ninka qaadiga ahi (The judge) markuu xukumayo gacan ku dhiiglaha ma ahan in uu la ooyo ama ka naxo.
Also, history has shown that tribes do not judge or even adjudicate justice.. When was the last time you seen a real court dispensing justice and convicting anyone among the tribal homelands?. We must have a just arpiter who has the ultimate legitimacy to right the wrongs and that should be the national government and the national army represented by every villager.
. So, we can't let tribes dictate, national destiny. Besides, tribes are narrow minded, some even think that the wealth of the nation might not be enough to divide among the people. Xataa garan maayaan in dalku ina wada deeqayo.That is why they taking as much as they can when they get power. I wish tribes would vote for their own interest, yet they even fail those basic things.
These so called fear of dictatorship is a political maneuverings of the opposition. The era of dictatorship is gone and it is not going to come back. Few years ago, around 2014, I asked a local professor about prospect of a national government being achieved in the coming years. He said , it will take 25 to 30 years, it might be slow but is the nature of democracy. No one should wait another 30 years to have a national government.
Even democracy has due dates and ways to pass unpopular bills regardless of the opposition. A national leader must accommodate the regions, yet at the same time , he must understand that the overriding responsibility of fulfilling his national duties of securing the nation must be paramount despite the constant grumbling of the opposition. Personally, I favour a benevolent authoritarian leader who would pacify the nation first and then deal the internal housekeeping issues later.
I bet if these maneuvers were done by Hassan Sheikh or others these smear campaign of dictatorship wouldn't have been used.
Our Islamic tradition teaches us the the power or the " Chair" is in the heavens and Allah the almighty bestows it whom he wishes. It is the will of Allah that a slow speaking and reclusive man from Ansalooti, Banadir to become the head of the state and many of our compatriots are up in arms.
Some guys in Hargeisa, Gaalkacayo and Mogadishu are probably terrified of anything led by the Kacaan community. Since most of the Al-shabaab and and the threat to security emanates from the land of the two rivers, the federal government has a duty to interfere both politically and militarily. Puntalnd should not have to worry for now.
But, if they keep mixing up with bad actors in Jubba , and the gulf, then the national army might land in Galdogob and slowly move to Boosaaso and kick the fat Arabs from the country which is the legitimate right of the federal army to secure ports and points of entry. I know it is a long way from that scenario, and I hope the separatists and their brethren in Puntalnd should not lose any sleep for now. I do not know about tomorrow.
WE must allow those who have mandate to govern to implement their agenda . If they fail , throw them out office next time. despite the talk of dictatorship, I haven't seen anyone accuse Farmaajo of tribalism. In fact, there is no one from Gedo even working inside the office of the president.
Waar waxa meesha ka talinaya Madaxweyne aan qabiil lahayn. Madaxweyne aan cidna ilaa hadda ku eedeyn in uu lacag dhacay. Daara ma dhisan sidii kii ka horeeyey.
Anyway, we do not oppose a fair and democracy based federal system.
in conclusion, Our friend Deni has to make his mind. If he joins the national agenda and oppose Kenya, UAE and others we will welcome him and help his efforts to bring prosperity to Puntland, but if he joins the axis of evil and those who are our current enemies, may Allah help, because we might get him.
Galbeedi you miss the point. The guy seems to have done his job , he said 10 years of observations and study. He is not talking about only what form of government. He says Somalia will never be a nation sate. Hence Puntland must save itself from the wolf pack.
I agree. He seems to have determined the end result. Read all his articles references he used .
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On 9/10/2019 at 12:30 AM, Peace Action said:Secession is not a serious option for Puntland because that will not work as Somaliland demonstrated. Even the rich Emirates united to form United ARAB Emirates. Most Puntlanders are against secession and want to see the federal system to succeed. Unfortunately the rest of Somalis want to go back to one city Mogadishu rule which has been disaster for Somalia. What Puntland leaders need to do is be patient and continue to push for decentralized federal system where all Somalis are stakeholders in order to establish effective home rule in the interest for all Somalis.
He is not talking about a secession. It looks like he says Somalia will never be a nation sate. Hence Puntland must save itself from the wolf pack. He seems to have determined the end result. Read all his articles references he used .
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Haaye, why did you have to identify him. He is the same guy as he was back at home Really good person
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or may be we are wasting time as I read here
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3 hours ago, galbeedi said:One might argue that both Puntland and Somaliland might have served the people well during the warlord and antachy times, but if they do not move to join the nation state, the civil war would come back to these parts.
In Somaliland, tribal quarrell is getting ugly and the only way to resolve is to look higher ideals like joining the federal government. Any tribal " Xadhig isu Dhiib" will not fix the system.You can't bribe tribes for the small meagres that supposed to build schools.
A national government might cure some of these illnesses.
I think he says the northern kingdoms (East Sanaag Clan and Majeertenia) lost a lot by waiting for the south. He has a good point. What is your point other than forcing people to accept Hargeisa or Mogadishu
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12 hours ago, Dhagax-Tuur said:Well it's an idea, but the writer obviously oozes grudge with Somalia-proper, a nation state, in his words. Instead of banging the drum of 'Somalia is finished, let's go and declare our tribal enclave a breakaway republic ', I would like to point out defected gene in all Somalis, which is that the minute they find their elusive idyllic state, guess what, the same tribal divisions will start among them. So careful what you wish for!
4 hours ago, galbeedi said:I read this article from the beginning and found some interesting responses , especially from Mr. Abtigiis who showed a well versed knowledge of the situation. This writer seeking Puntland sovereignty must have got the attention of many Somalis by his bold declaration, yet it doesn't really surprise me because some twenty years ago during the Carta, Djibouti process, I have met some Puntlanders who were advocating for secession.
Also, unlike many Somalis, most Puntlandes do not even consider the elusive Somaliland separation seriously. Not because they are indifferent about the breakup of the country, but they see either the " Ictiraaf Raadis" thing as a game or political maneuvering of a clan seeking to gain something they do not deserve or just a process and stage Somalis must go through. They just do not worry that much about it.Even a some told me that , " Somaliland Mashruuceeda waxaan soo xidhnay maalintii aanu maakhaayada Puntland ka ag furanay".In other words, by incorporating Sool and SAnaag , Puntland has dismantled any notion of Somaliland separating.
Yet, I can assure you that if one single Somali entity separates, Puntland will be next.
for certain generations of Somalis who have studied history in the diaspora, it is difficult for them to grasp the real history of the country without quoting some distant foreigner with ulterior motives. This writer is also throwing around the so called Northern Sultanates without distinguishing the Maakhir Sultanate of the Sanaag and Bari from the Osmania Sultanate of Hobyo and North East. One was under British while the other was under Italian rule. He is faulting the Puntlanders who participated the SYL movement.
Well, just like those from Ceerigaabo, Borama and Zaylac had to go to Hargeisa for the power transfers from the British, Mogadishu was the main Italian headquarters , and since the north easterners were part of the Italian Somaliland, they had no choice but to go to the main city and join these movements. Yet, Mr. Ahmed, the writer should probably point out the biggest mistake the SYL and the North Easterners made in late nineteen forties was rejecting the British to administer all the Somali territories until independence which would have given the Somalis an opportunity to gain as much land as possible at once , rather than fragment the land. Instead , they opted to be under the defeated Italian administration.
Also his idea of lambing Puntland , Somaliland and Jubbland is another partisan maneuver to make them the opposition front against the federal government. Furthermore, Somaliland doesn't favour the so called federal system or even decentralized power sharing following the federal system. They oppose the idea of Hie-Shabeele, Puntaland and Galmudug.They insist on negotiating to the South Somalia as a whole. They are shocked that everyone is equal just like them. They also afraid that the federal caravan would reach them and give everyone its own place under the sun. Jubbaland is one city state at the moment with the occupation of Kenya. While Somaliland and Puntland are stable at the moment, all these three are different entities.
Also, by declaring that a unified Somali state whether its federal or centralized as a threat to the nations of the horn, the writer had showed the colonial arguments advanced by certain neighbors of Somalia. If a Somali who enjoys the multicultural nature of the nations states of the west and other nations can't accept the desire of the mere 15 million Somalis who share unique cultural ties under one flag, he is certainly a man of backward looking person arguing on tribal viewpoint.
While one must point out the buying of regional leaders by the federal government as grave danger or abuse of power, they must not be advocating for the dismantling of the state. I consider these arguments as part of certain pressure groups who are out of the power at this juncture. As I said, these voices become louder when Puntlanders are out of the power structure just as in twenty years ago.
This fear of centralized dictatorship is a red herring. On the other hand , it is the duty of every national government to keep its nation together. Furthermore, with political brinkmanship of Kenya and others, only the federal government can stop the dismantling of the nation. People should not assume that the NGO sponsored meetings between these entities to go on for decades.
Puntalnd has done its part to keep the country together by blocking Somaliland, now it must help the federal government to pacify South Central Somalia to stop Kenya and others from curving out Jubbaland. Farmaajo and Khayre are both outsiders according to the old guards, yet these groups like SAnbaloolshe and others had the opportunity to affect real changes but failed.
If Farmaajo succeeds to pacify South Central Somalia , the opposition voices could get louder.
4 hours ago, Che -Guevara said:Somalis indulge in fantasies. They want to turn one headache into many smaller headaches. Secession won't take us to the promised land.
Read his article carefully, I don’t think he is trialist, I don’t think he wants to be separatist. All he is saying is Mogadishu regime is abusive, people of Puntland have options.
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3 hours ago, galbeedi said:Che,
When Puntland was formed some twenty years ago, the hope was that these bottom up approach would reach everyone and a decentralized federal government would take shape. Which was noble idea.
Yet, Puntland must understand that if the instability of the South Central Somalia continues, it will eventually affect the cohesiveness of the system. in Puntland. If you can't advance to the second stage, the chances are you might regress and move backward..The new generation and the young doesn't care what happened 40 years ago.
I am the youth of Puntland, you claim to be and you are probably from Mogadishu. The youth of Puntland know what happened 40 years ago and they see tat their young sisters and brothers cannot get Certificates from Mogadishu.
Leave us alone. Abdul Ahmed III was too kind for you southerners. He tried to reason with you but you don’t understand reasoning.
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Love the George Orwell reference of Ministry of Truth
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The Debate Continues after 10 years, Abdul Ahmed III & Janet Britt Vs Ali Bahar & M Heebaan
Here is Abdul's latest prove of irreversible damage to nationhood of Somalia.
Published on Sept 7, 2019
PUNTLAND BEWITCHED: QUESTIONS ABOUT RESTORATION OF PUNTLND’S SOVEREIGNTY AND THE FORMAL PARTITIONING OF THE FORMER SOMALIA
September 7, 2019
By Abdul Ahmed III
Somalia has been a nation-state for a mere 30-years. It is unlikely ever to restore the Former Somalia as a nation-state. That is the conclusion I reached in 2009. I published my findings/conclusions ten years back. I presented it within academic circles (see Dynamics of Collapse and the Emergence of Alternative Forms of Social Organization) and published on WardheerNews ( see Regionalism and Alternative Forms of Governance:
A Critique on Centralized, Top-Down Approach to the Problem of Somalia, September 16, 2009. The Former Somalia; Facts and Fallacies, October 01, 2009. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Former Somalia, November 07, 2009 and Saving Somalia: Theseus Paradox, January 20, 2010.Now, after 10-years of additional observations and reflections – since I last wrote about this topic. – I assertively state that Somalia will not be a viable functioning nation-state ever again. (notwithstanding the risky nature of projections about the future). I also worry for Puntlanders whose time and efforts were wasted by an illusory Somali nation-state.
Puntland’s silence and authoritarian tendencies of Mogadishu are contrary to the moral claims of those who advocate for the restoration of a fair and just nation-state. However, that is not my main argument. My contention in this article has little to do morality and more with the naïve surrender of Puntland to an imaginary idea of a Somali-nation state. My point here is to argue against some 100-years of effort by Puntlanders seeking and fighting for Somali nation-state. It is an argument for the self-interest of the Puntlanders – I will try to argue so, with all respect for other Somali people in the Peninsula.
Don’t accept my arguments without thoughtful examination. To do so, I want to bring your attention to peculiar facts at hand. First, you may acknowledge that Somalia exhibits strange patterns of spatial differentiation in ideology and politics. Here is what I mean by that. By observing Somali people today, one cannot help but notice an extraordinary correlation between pro centralist totalitarianism and the lawless regions of the Former Somalia. Most of the people who support a centralized command system in the Former Somalia come from the most lawless regions, and perhaps insignificant areas of the Former Somalia. Some of these people are mushy, sentimental for and about an absolutist regime that controls the daily life of people – perhaps even the destruction of stable parts of the Former Somalia.
I may sympathize with many well-meaning Somalis who believe that a centralized nation-state. I understand the sentiments of unity and pan nationalism but reject the notion because it is wrong! Doomed is the idea of a Pan Somali nation-state! I also refuse the fondness of totalitarianism and the prejudiced logic of violence (if we can call that logic at all).
I reject the rationalization of the violent destruction of the stable regions of the Former Somalia, particularly violence against Puntland, Somaliland, and Jubbaland. Violence and abuse will not restore the Former Somalia. A violent force of rebellion destroyed the Former Somalia, violence can’t repair it. Nor will the silence and patience of Puntland recreate a just nation-state. This assertion is not a rejection of an abstract idea; it is the rejection of Mogadishu’s totalitarian tendencies. It is a rejection of an attempt to use of force against Jubaland.
Today the Former Somalia consists of Puntland, Somaliland, South-Central Somalia, and TransJuba (Jubbaland). It is not a wise idea to put these pieces together by force; instead, one should save the broken pieces from each other and keep them in-situ.! No one can put Humpty Dumpty together again. Somalis and their friends in the world have been attempting to – miraculously – recreate Somalia for the last 29-years. The latest experiment is the nominal Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in Mogadishu – A corrupt entity that is reminiscent of the intra-war era the Weimar Republic.
As was the case in the Weimar Germany, the FGS evolved to an incompetent, corrupt entity that harbors Islamic extremists, irredentist, nationalists, pseudo-secular politicians. An authoritarian regime of the Orwellian type. – Complete with Newspeak, the Ministry of Truth and the Ministry of the Plenty. Worse, the FGS in Mogadishu poses the greatest threat towards the most stable and well-governed parts of the Former Somalia. (namely Puntland, Jubbaland and Somaliland). By destabilizing these areas, the FGS turns out to be a direct threat to all the nations in the Horn of Africa region.
Stability of Puntland, Jubbaland, and Somaliland is central to peace Horn of Africa. The autonomous Puntland, and to a lesser extent Somaliland are well administered and stable de-facto states as witnessed by Brian Hesse in his article titled “Lessons in successful Somali governance”. Puntland and Somaliland are distinctly different and better governed than the FGS administered South-Central regions of the Former Somalia. So why would Mogadishu want to destabilize and/or undermine Puntland and Somaliland? Why and how did the FGS hitch its wagon to megalomaniacs, supporters of Islamists, and totalitarianism?
Knowing the facts I mentioned above, – and recognizing the trends in Mogadishu towards totalitarianism – Should make Puntlanders contemplate, force them to ask themselves why be part of Somalia? Why advocate for a nation-state? Why spend so much effort and material on restoring Somalia? That indeed is the question for Puntland to answer. Puntlanders have to realize that they must save themselves first in order to be of help to others. Puntland must not be bewitched by the illusion of a potential Great Somali nation-state.! (An unattainable goal).
It is also mind-boggling to examine why in the first place did Puntlanders of 1940s choose to become part of Somalia after the second world war? – after their long struggle. The heroic struggle of the Northern Sultanates (Obbia, Migurtenia and the East Sanaag Clan Sultanate) against Fascism.
It is a common knowledge that after the defeat of the fascist, the British authorities in Mogadishu promoted the restoration of the Sovereignty of Sultanate States. Sadly, however, the sons of the Sultans not only reject the British suggestion, but they strangely helped organize the Somali Youth League (SYL). They did so to create a post-colonial Somali nation-state. They probably meant well, but this was an unfortunate act on their part. An act that made them be blamed for wanting power, thought of as Machiavellians monarchist, a power-hungry monarchist from the Northern Sultanates. With all that, they naively continued to build Mogadishu and abandoned their ancestral land! – Not quite the kind of Machiavellians we read about or hear about!
At this juncture, it is worth noting that 5-members of the 13 founding members of SYL were from the region of Northern Sultanates, by far a large number from any areas of the Somali inhabited territories at the time. Most of them were the sons of exiled leaders of the Northern Sultanates. One may ask, why wouldn’t they go back to the Northern Sultanates after the defeat of the Italian fascists in 1942? That is a mystery! The mystery of history! It was a bad decision worth examining! Shall we re-examine that bad decision? Well, that will take multiple pages, exposes and more importantly, more of your time. The more pertinent question is, shall the mistake be corrected?
More directly, shouldn’t Puntland consider the rightful act of restoring its Sovereignty? Raising the question – Restoration of Puntland’s Pre-Fascist era, Sovereignty is not bringing separatism or clannism. In fact, both clannism and separatism are already there, already practiced by Mogadishu to alienate not only Puntland but Somaliland, and Jubbaland. Yet, it is often overlooked by Puntlanders for the sake of an imaginary Pan Somali state. The question is, why? Again, I do not have a simple answer! I would, however, suggest that Puntland needs a way of accounting for politics that operates in and through the prism of centralization, and – a process of enregisterment of – Anti Puntland Ethos. The FGS continues to do so with the resources of the supposedly a just “centralized state” and the and amplification measures of the propaganda of Mogadishu’s Ministry of Truth).
My final question is, shouldn’t Puntland seek to restore their rightful Sovereignty? Of course, by and with the consent of the governed in Puntland. In doing so, Puntland would and should wish the best for the rest of inhabited Somali regions in the former Somalia and the Horn of Africa.
Puntland’s self-denial is not patriotism, and it will not restore the former Somalia; it is a weakness.! Puntland’s undue silence and patience with Mogadishu amounts to self-defeat. It also is not an effective analgesic for the pain Puntland’s people endure daily.
Yes, perhaps, it is just about time for a full and formal partitioning of the former Somalia. I ask why not?
Abdul Ahmed III
Email:drahmed0604@gmail.com
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Popular Contributors
Mr. Mohamed Heebaan, Ali Bahar Ph D Vs Abdul Ahmed III, Janet Britt
in Politics
Posted
September 23, 2019
By Abdul Ahmed III
Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history
to wait for the train of the future to run over him. Dwight Eisenhower
This article reflects on my views as it reinforces my arguments on and about the former Somalia (1960-1991). The following points are for the optimists and skeptics alike. I have no desire – or at a minimum reluctant to – convert the cynics for they may be hostages for an illusion.
1. The Former Somalia: A technical and a Political Term
The term “former Somalia” is an academic and a technical term as well as a political term. I first used the term in 2009 to characterize the collapse of the former Somali Republic 1960-1991 (Please refer to my WardheerNews article The Former Somalia: Facts and Fallacies). The term also signifies the abstract idea that whatever is left of the former Somalia is not the Somalia of the past.! Think of the Ship of Theseus! (or refer to my article titled Saving Somalia: Theseus Paradox).
The term is equally a political term embodying and articulating a political viewpoint; Awareness of failure, irreversibility, and the need to abandon a Mogadishu based Somali state. The former Somalia didn’t work; it was not viable!. Otherwise, it would exist today. Its collapse is complete and irreversible. Ethnic and religious homogeneity does not guarantee statehood. (there are too many examples in the world to list).
The collapse of the former Somalia is certainly not the highest achievement for what was supposed to be a homogenous nation-state. But there is nothing exceptional or unique about that. Nations fail, disintegrate, and life goes on! The exception in this case – and for that matter the problem- is the interminable attempts to restore the past, the imposition of a forced coexistence by attempting to restore the former Somalia.! A pointless effort for 29-years!
The idea of a sacrosanct Mogadishu based nation-state is a dangerous notion advanced by the decadent heroes of Mogadishu. Let me state the forbidden truth; there is nothing divine or sacred about a Somali-nation state. There is nothing holy or sacred about the old blue flag of the former Somalia. (itself modeled on the United Nations flag after contentious discussions in Mogadishu back in 1950s).
2.On the Misfortunes of Puntland
Is Puntland ill-fated? The answer is a resounding “No”! Bewitched though it may! Here is an excellent way to appreciate the abstract idea of Puntland Bewitched. Sometimes, ideas embedded in literature do an excellent job of explaining social and political life.
Essayist like the late Christopher Hitchens often use the classics to show us present-day ironies. So let us make use of literature and particularly the story of John Marcher; the Beats in the Jungle in the celebrated work of Henry James titled “Best Sorts”.
This story can beautifully demonstrate the irony of Puntland’s idée fixe. Just like John Marcher, deferred living a good life for an obsession with a future event that will change his destiny, the leaders of Puntland (past and present) are fixated with a glorious a future event!.
Puntland is obsessed with an ordained and an illusory Somali-nation state. I worry that Puntland, just like John Marcher would realize it didn’t live to its full potential. I advise Puntland not to suspend judgment; Don’t live in the past! Shape the future – your future! Puntland must unchain itself from Mogadishu. Puntland must focus on building human capital, that is unchallengeable sacred mission! A better fixation? Irrefutably Yes!
3.The Language of Patriotism / (Pan)-Somalism: Past and Present
I want the reader to understand that the concept of nationhood is culturally rooted phenomena, the conception of the former Somalia is no different. Somali political and social life itself is based on some established frames of reference, some mode of knowing and established cultural schema.
Pan-Somalism – the idea of Somali nation-state – was just one of those epistemological frames, a framing and language intended to liberate, to wage war against colonial powers. A framing with which Somali peopled achieved some sort of a socio-political cohesion. The idea of a Somali-nation state may have had currency in the 1940s. It worked for the anti-colonial movements! Sadly, it didn’t work for the Somalis to govern themselves in a single united nation-state.
Today! Patriotism / (Pan)-Somalism – as a political and cultural framing -is appropriated by the decadent heroes of Mogadishu. The decadent’s heroes of Mogadishu are acrimonious self-appointed custodians of Somalism whose raison d’etre is to subjugate the peaceful areas of the former Somalia.
For them, the language of Patriotism / (Pan)-Somalism is a tool to conduct political contestation, for abuse and coercion against Puntland, and Jubbaland (and Somaliland to a lesser extent). Patriotism / (Pan)-Somalism has become a language of war, subjugation, A sacred abuse! A call for submission, a surrender to relinquish one’s history and identity. What is sacred about that? What to like about that?
Abdul Ahmed III
Email:drahmed0604@gmail.com
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Abdul Ahmed is the president and founder of Strategy and Operations Group and former employee of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) in Washington DC.