Maanshallah, well done, ownership, self initiative and involving people in decision making are the key to unlock development in the regions!

Ilyria, It makes much sense for Somalia to adopt a devolved and decentralised system that delegates much of the authority, powers and roles to local/regional level of governance. And whether this system ought to be Federal, Confederal, Decentralised Unitary State or a combination of these, should be determined by Somali’s when in a sound and rational state. But for Somali’s to be able to rationally decide on this, I think we have to first reconcile the past and make peace with eachother over the inter-communal conflicts of the past decades who are still unresolved even though many are in a cooled down or frozen stage but whose presence is still impacting every day communal life and status of local governance in Somalia. Somali people and communities are still haunted by the decades of war, conflict and inflictions, which have fractured the inter-communal relationship and taint every political discussions with the underlying emotions and ghosts from the past making rational discussions impossible. In the absence of this peace, and lack of a genuine process of reconciliation and state building, initiatives have been taken for a bottom-up process of establishing localised/regionalised authorities. Which has been a positive step that filled the political vacuum and gaps experienced over the decades. Even though the established localised authorities have been positive, they were born out of necessity and political situationalism, rather than out of a long held political desire or struggles of different communities and regions. Not devaluating federalism or the established state authoritie,and certainly it makes much sense to utilise them as building blocks for whatever central State one is building, however we have to question ourselves what is it that politically Somalis or different Somali communities want and how can one satisfy their political wishes and aims. Now if we decide on federalism as the most suited structure or form for Somalias State, before fully understanding what everyone wants, we might make another mistake by prescribing a cure or remedie(federalism) without knowing the underlying disease, and that way we risk again providing a solution that doesn’t solve underlying problems(because we haven’t considered it) and then might even lead to more harm then benefit, adding to the complexity of the initial problem. An analogy from biology or medicine would be almost like a doctor prescribing a drug to a disease without understanding fully the nature of the disease is, leading both to the disease not being cured but also the drug’s side effect adding to the initial inflictions. Furthermore, if we assume indeed that ‘federalism’ is indeed the overall cure at hand, then the questions that rises is what sort of federalism, as ‘federalism’ is a ‘container’ term used for so many different state forms, of which some even are less federal than many unitary states. You have countries that unitary in structure but whose devolved and delegated authority is more ‘federal’ then countries like Ethiopia, Pakistan, Canada that all profess to be federal but whose regions have a lesser say then unitary states like Netherlands, UK, Spain and South-Africa. Coming back to the medical analogy, federalism becomes almost like a drug as ‘Hydrochloride’, which is based on acid salt, and is a base or ‘container’ drug for so many different sorts of medicine, from cancer drugs to simple cold treatments. The number of and diversity of different drugs based on hydrochloride is multitude and daunting. So for developing a new drug thinking in the direction hydrochloride is only one step, but nevertheless one has to figure out the other exact components to combine it with in order to cure the underlying disease, which still needs to be figures out.

It’s been nearly two weeks since Somaliland’s defeat in Las Anod, even though many sensible voices have spoken out about the mistakes and atrocities SL has committed more recently and also over the years in the region, nevertheless the political leaders have been quite silent on what’s next, except for distracting the people with calls to support and wave the flag for the army and worrying signs they want to take revenge and prepare for a new attack. Which many even doubt if the army is even capable of, nevertheless would serve no purpose other then to attempt to mask the failed leadership and distract the people even further. I think on the short term there shouldn’t be any doubt on what SL ought to be doing to descalate, save people from more bloodshed, get back on the track of peace and above all save SL government and social contract from imploding. A. Admit publicly its mistakes, offer apologies to the people of Sool and call for peace. B. Call all people to refrain from escalations, incitement and animosity while reaffirming the brotherly relationships between and communities. C. Send message of peace to Garaads and offer to come to Las Anod with an peace delegation of traditional leaders (Ergo) waving the white flag to Las Anod, to offer a hand of peace, negotiate over the damages committed, account for the casualties, terms for release of prisoners and guarantee peace and protection to all rural/urban civilians across all regions. I don’t think the Garaads will refuse to receive the peace delegation, but in case they do send an Ergo to Boqor Burhan with request to mediate. This is what I think specially SL traditional leaders ought to be doing as soon as possible, with or without Muse’s consent. Learning lessons of true leadership from allah ha u naxariisto Garaad’s Abdiqani’s example, when he in the 1990’s saved whole regions, communities from bloodshed and forged the reconciliation. Would this make sense?

In that sense one can state that this war, how ever unfortunate of the many casualties, has turned out to be a remedy for Somaliland that laid bare the truth, uncovered the lies and extreme ideologies spread, and hopefully might lead to modesty, and more rational political thinking.

Mr.Irir Samale, naga kala daa dee ma gobolada oo dhan ayaa isku qaadisaa. Ka waran hadaa dooda deeganada D** ku eekano.

Listen to this speech addressed towards Garaad folks by Mahamud Hashi, what do u make of it?

He was about to say, ‘waxa la idin ka rabaa ina wax badan dhiig (daadisiin)’. Sending freshly recruits with zero military experience, zero battle experience, with even zero guarding exp, immediately to the front. Someone needs to still answer questions on where the +10.000 troops are, which 40%+ of the SL budget was spend on all these decades. This really needs to be investigated, all the facts collected and Nuux Tani and Co brought before a court or investigation to answer questions. This is unacceptable.

atleast adhigaasi waxbuu so dhalay, kuwan siiyasiinta ah mexee dhalaan.

What you’re preaching one moment is contrary to what you’re saying and actions of the next day, that’s what wrong here. It’s schizophrenic! You can’t govern a country based on the emotional whips of a clan or individual supported by his clan, and one has to separate the two and choose whatever politics, laws and line of thinking one has agreed upon, above what the boiling (clan) blood is dictating at that moment. One has to admit and fight to control this constant ‘cadifad’ that is taking over any discussion, argument, and issue at hand. And perhaps it would help if every government or political officials starts writing’ down everything, their speeches, comments, their discussions, their agreements, notes from their meetings, and to keep their mouths shut unless they have written down something on paper, for that should be the language, medium and standard to do things by.

Muse already weakened and divided your sub-clan, politically, economically, and now your desperately looking for a way back on big chair, in meantime division will continue and you have new emerging civil war at your doorsteps, in Sanaag, and soon Oog, and Buhoodle. Your politicians are more divided then ever, and nothing can unite even on Mise they are divided. Let’s see what you gain from your new ‘politics’, and further sub-clan division. I can already see you crying in a year for Habro and Somali unity, Marku xaalku faraha ka baxdo.

I don’t blame u, Xaaji Xunjuf thoughts it’s a sexual dance, meant as a form of pre-mating ritual dance. The dance has been fervently debated here on SOL, some cultural barbarically even stating it should be banned. https://www.somaliaonline.com/community/topic/64281-niiko/#comments

I hear the Xamari song, but don’t see any forms of Niiko being exercised. Mr.Ilyria, are u labelling again by throwing the Xamari songs and Niiko dance on the same pile of koonfurian culture?

No, as in a commentator or analyst of the Niiko dance, so to say. ‘Northerners’, excuse my connotation, seem to hold distorted views of the Niiko and it’s underlying meanings. Read below thread.

I see your quite the cultural critic, we should consider you for the house cultural critic and connaisseur, but how is your expertise beyond music, such as forms of other cultural forms, e.g. dance, poetry, literature. P.S. I have been voted the house ‘Niikotologist’ a few years back, so that spot is taken.

Makes much sense, and eventually they might perhaps once It’s clear Mogadishu politicians are focussed on South-Central Somalia and has no need in new States or unity for that matter, but only wants them waving the blue flag during 1 Luulyo. When can we expect to hear from Maakhir, it’s quite silent from those corners.

I am sure she lived and worked in Bosasso, but she rised and became famous in the Diaspora. We are talking about homegrown and federalist enabled talents in the likes of Maryan Mursal, Ahmed Naaji aun, Omer Dhuule. Would they be able today to rise and become huge talents in the clan based federalism of today. My take is, they would not. Not saying federalism is wrong, but it wouldn’t enable talents and excellence, specially from disenfranchised communities. Prove me wrong, Mr.Ilyria.

Miss Laki rised and became well known while in the Diaspora and not while she was in Somalia, same for Didi Naaji. So I won’t count these, talking about home grown(federalist enabled) talent and not Diaspora residing YouTubers rising through online likes and clicks.

Don’t know them and neither can judge their talents . Will let our resident urban cultural critic and Beesani spokesman (MMA) be the judge.

Let’s see, I haven’t seen any talents from Beesani community in Somalia rising up since Federalism.

That’s what you get when Business people leading the people and running the country. Not sure if the Unuka guys in Xamar and Deni are different though, maybe they have less hubris.

Have a safe trip home, and have a good rest there. FYI, both XX and Baaloxoofto left SL a long time ago and have no hopes for the country, their game is nowadays to score online points against Dblock during work breaks and defend Heego politics from other envisions enemies. And neither is planning to retire in SL, or has hope in that place but want to keep hope for tolka winning alive and who can blame them. So everyone looses at the end, even Duriyada, nevertheless we should keep hope for the Somali people alive, as our fate is intertwined and interdependent irrelevant whatever wars and structures have been adopted. Keep that in mind young fella.

I met in Dubai back in 2012, when had to leave his new home in Yemen due to another war. Don’t know where he went after that. He seemed distraught, a true Wadani with the heart at the right place, always kept hope in Somalia and Somalis. May Allah forgive him and have mercy on him.

Above all no Caqli and Rational thinking, that cup goes to Sool indeed.

Sool and Muuse did, no denying that. But where one is celebrating to have achieved their goal (Sool), another is calling for more divisions and making even more enemies (Jeegaan/Heego). So the cup for deconstructing SL has to go to Heego/Jeegaan, sorry Sool but other team is not finished yet.

May Allah have mercy on him P.S. @Ilyria, as this is still the political section, I have to ask the obvious. Do u think federalism will be able to produce or enable artist, politicians, sportsman, writers and excellent in individuals like Ahmed Naaji aun, from the Xamari, Banadiri, Barawe, Mushungulis and other reer Beesani communities?