The ONLF Contradiction

[Abtigiis]

"Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my master. The fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me saying to me ‘Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot’, or ‘good Gobbo’, or ‘good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away’. My conscience says ‘No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo', or, as aforesaid, ‘honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels’."

 

These are the words of Launcelot Gobbo, the comic servant of a wealthy, usurious Jew, Shylock, in Sheakpeare’s 'The Merchant of Venice'. It captures the fascinating clash between submission and revolt inside the divided mind of the subjugated. It shows the paradox that faces those under oppression. It solves the enigma of a horse that even after being freed from a tether still continues to go round the tree it was tied to, dutifully conforming the limits of habitual captivity.

 

The horse fears the whip, which is the real danger for it; the incarceration to which it has grown so inured is not the danger. Tether long cut, the horse will not spurt to freedom. It waits to be whipped hard to run away from this bondage; it craves after the rider’s kind but enchaining stroke on its crest. A stroke that lulls its mane but so fatal to its inner sense of freedom!

 

The political import and connotation of the above character’s word is that the urge for human sovereignty or the urge against slavery is presented as devilish, while the acceptance and kowtowing to tyranny is presented as divine.

 

If there is anything the ONLF got it right it is to refuse the soothing stroke, and not to take the urge for human freedom as devilish. The ONLF stolidly and defantly refused to gleefully take whatever the TPLF gives. It refused to accept colonialsm, and we are ever grateful for that heroism. But, that is the only thing it got right. Everything else is a mess, a massive confusion.

 

And it starts with its name. Who does the ONLF want to liberate? The Oga.den clan or the whole of the people in Somaligalbeed? The Answer from the leadership is always straightforward. “We are fighting for the rights of all Somali people in Oga.denia’? The sad thing is this tautological answer doesn’t answer the question, but rather leads to another question: “Where is Oga.denia? Does it include Jigjiga, Shinile, the tiny Araarso village between Daghabur and Jigjiga, Jinacsani, Awbare, Yamaarugleey, Lasoole, Ferfer, Filtu, Xarshin, Gora-baqaqsa (to name few)?” If yes, who says so? The ONLF?! The people in these areas don’t agree, so how can the ONLF represent them when they are not represented in the ONLF, when they don’t share its objectives and its name?

 

This problem is the result of an inherent contradiction in what ONLF says it wants and what it actually wants. The aim of the ONLF is to create a homeland for the Oga.den clan. It is the same aim the SNM had in mind when it fought Siyaad. But the problem Awdal and SSC caused SNM also awaits (or rather is facing) ONLF: The land it wants carries more than the clan it fights for. Solving this problem can be attained by either pretending all the rest of the people in the region agree with it or by forcefully occupying them and imposing the coveted name ‘Oga.den ia’. For now, the ONLF is following the first strategy, often making statements on behalf of regions it doesn’t represent, and fronting few men who are from other clans as an alibi of the inclusive nature of the liberation struggle. If it wins the war, this charade will not work and the second strategy doesn’t seem as one it can implement with any degree of success. A clan cannot win and control another clan, no matter what names it uses: Somaliland, ONLF etc. Through the pseudo-labels, people can see the real names.

 

This contradiction is hampering the struggle, it is weakening it. And ceaseless lobbying within the ONLF for a change of name, strategy is becoming futile.

 

There soon may be a peace talk between the ONLF and Ethiopia. The South Sudan framework is the benchmark for the ONLF, and we can be certain the surrender packaged as peace deal by greedy mullahs some months ago will not be repeated. We have identified key issues for the negotiation and divided it into those that can be used as ‘bargain tools’ and those that are the ‘red lines’. A strong and skilled negotiation team will have to be formed. All depends on how the ongoing third-party dealings go. The bottom-line is a workable compromise which can even take the form of a ‘phased approach’ to the self-determination issue can be accepted. The framework needs to be that of the South Sudan, the timelines and outcomes not necessarily the same. But, any deal will have to show that the self-determination issue (a referendum basically) is pending. There has to be international guarantors of this agreement.

 

The more I think about this issue, the more I feel like on whose behalf will the ONLF be negotiating? On behalf of the Oga.den clan or the whole Somaligalbeed people? If on behalf of the somaligalbeed people, where are the others?

 

The ONLF leadership must reconcile its stated goals with its unwritten clan agenda. This is not difficult to do. Change the name (take the default one which is Somaligalbeed), involve other ant-colonialist Somali personalities, and reflect clan balance in the leadership of the organization. Or if this is too diluting the real hidden cause, then come up with a different map (showing the areas the clan to be freed lives) and stick to the name. These are the two choices. There cannot be a third-way.

[Maaddeey]

Abtigiis, there's nothing ONLF can do if other Somalis in the region don't see the struggle as a resolution!.

[Abtigiis]

The issue is not about if or whether others can join the struggle or whether they feel sufficiently oppressed to support the liberation struggle. The issue is who does the ONLF want to liberate? If it is the O clan, then the current approach is right. If the ONLF wants to claim the whole map of Somaligalbeed, then they cannot rely on just one clan. If the silence of the non-O clans mean they want to be part of Ethiopia, then the ONLF can do nothing, but it then must not claim their areas.

 

I strongly feel the ONLF must stop all the excuses put forth for maintaining a divisive name, and must start changing before it asks others to change. Afterall, as the leading liberation front of the region, the onus is on it to bring the others onboard. I lost three hours of my sleeping time last night debating this matter with some senior leaders and the depth of dogmatism on their part is astounding. They must change this name FIRST, and we shall talk about the rest of the issues afterwards. As we stand, those who do not want the liberation fight use the name as scapegoat for their inaction, while ONLF keeps on using the inaction of others to promote a divisive clan name.

[Maaddeey]

^Haddii magaciina la beddelo, halgankana soo geli waayaan ka warran? qaar badan oo O-da ahna waad lumineysaa sida Kamaavi, eeddii ahayd in qolooyin kale la maroorsadayna sidii bay u taagantahay. In Hal qabiil keliya gumeysi ka dhiidhiyo ceebna maaha wax cusubna maaha!.

[Abokor Omar]

The ONLF is a vehicle for the O tribe to increase it's land size and eventuall power, it has no ambition to free anyone, just for the poor inhabitants to swap one occupier, the Ethiopians, for another, the ONLF. You won't find any group with in Somaligalbeed who prefer the ONLF to Ethiopia which is why most are hostile to it's presence in their regions. The O tribe and power are an oxymoron, totally Incompatible. You only have to look at the major catastrophic role they played in the dismantling and destruction of Somalia. To somehow assume that these people have changed and deserve total domination of Somaligalbeed would be suicide. Ignoring all these factors and to answer Abtigis, you can't even unite your own tribe in the ONLF, why would other Somalis?

[Abtigiis]

This is a very weak argument that we face. First, if the Front cannot convince its grassroots and rank and file the virtues of embracing the bigger ideal, it can be accused of following the mass and not leading. Second, there is no evidence that the O will leave the organisation just because the name is changed. Already the cadres telling the fighters that they are fighitng for Somalinimo in a land called 'Oga.denia'. All it takes is to tell them a name change is necessiated because of the present challenges. Third, even now, while the Front has a clan name, there are some from the same clan who abandoned it. So, few more people leaving will not be a new thing.

 

I don't share Abokor's assessment. And while returning the favour for my attack on SNM is fair, what he wrote there is trash. The ONLF, even with its weaknesses, is a bona fide liberation movement with genuine aspirations of freedom for all Somalis in the land they call by the wrong name. If it is about O hegemony, there is no need for the gun. They could just have joined Iley's crew.

[STOIC]

Hmmm...I honestly didn't know there were other clans in that region (Of course blame it on my sijuiness)..I always thought the champions of suppressed voice in that region was ONLF only.They should win the hearts and minds of other clans.The native informers are there to corrupt the struggle the ONLF fought for...

 

PS AT&T both of my father and grandfather mothers were from that region..I guess we share a long history together as a people that are bound together by a long history of intermarriage.....

[Abokor Omar]

The ONLF is a rag tag militia inflicted with a cancerous tribal mindset trying to convince the west it's some national struggle to free people. The only people who believe in this narration are the likes of the utterly blinded by clannish tunnel vision, Abtigis, and his O people. No other group, not the other D's, not the ones from Gedo or Bosasso or even the ones from Somaliland, nor do the H's of Mogdisho support the ONLF. not even all the O's support the ONLF. So it's quite clear that this group is singularly one of the most divisive group to exist today, yet it somehow believes that they are fighting for Somali freedom.

The only reasonable way this group could be successful is to dismantle it and replace it with another organisation which is inclusive of all the tribes in that region. This is a very distant future taking into account the current animosity, hostility and so little trust between Somalis.

As this would no be possible, I'm in favour of each tribe arming themselves to defend there land.

Somaliland needs to put time and effort in uniting all the hawd tribes from Somaliland, inorder to give them the means to defend themselves against both the ONLF and it's surrogates the O occupation forces.

[burahadeer]

Abtigiis...you are not being honest with yourself?the O clan is very much less than 1/2 of the population in the somali region where as the SSC & Awdal are not even more than 1%..if they are let them prove.That 20% I said earlier was taken from SSC thread which I was not aware at the time.I see you'r obsessed with SNM & somaliland but no matter what you try to propagate, truth is on the ground...everything has a limit,at the end they will take the little that's theirs peacefully & forgo any kind of grandiose agenda from the TOLL like you or they will lose everything.

I suggest you stay with the topic of the O & find a solution.

 

 

BY Abtigiis(see above):"If the silence of the non-O clans mean they want to be part of Ethiopia, then the ONLF can do nothing, but it then must not claim their areas. " so you'r secessionist now.Af gaalo ama muslim aan miduun kuugu nimaadno!

[Somalia]

No other clan is going to unite with an organization which has brought nothing more than carnage and the false sense of pride to its people.

 

The ONLF is nothing to be proud of. Instead of playing along like the rest of the clans do, get a piece of the pie, building solid institutions, roads, schools, this organization has not only divided with clans who are all in the same struggle, it has divided the very same clan it thought was its base.

 

If they are vying for independence or unity with Somalia they need to look beyond their pride and start to evaluate the situation you are in. Build up, from the ground and when the time comes a struggle begins.

 

The people they allegedly represent are in Dadaab refugee camp, across another border and the region it is suppose to represent is being overtaken by people who deport them to that very state.

[Duufaan]

this obserd. ONLF had made a peace deal with the ethiopian goverment.Since than the region is much more safe and first time new schools and clinics are opening for many villages. the road between Warder and Jigjiga is open for first time. Jigjiga is becoming main regional city. a lot of good things is happening in the region. this should be supported. The region is known Oga and nothing wrong with that name.

I do understand some poeple are not happy about it. they will never be happy and do any sacrife if name is changed or not.

[Abtigiis]

With all due respect to the opinions of some people here, the timing of the struggle is something more mature heads discussed and agreed on. It is not for juvenile online persons who have yet to see an accacia tree let alone know about the region to judge whether liberation struggle should start after roads are built or not. Refugees are a byproduct of any struggle. It is to be expected and it is to be tolerated. You cannot defer struggle against arbitrary arrest, rape and extrajudicial killings. These injustices have to be faced right at the time they take place.

 

Duufaan also seems to live in another planet. The ONLF did not sign a peace agreement with Ethiopia. Individuals went ther and got some lands, no political concessions whatsoever. The struggle is not about roads etc. It is about self-determination, a higher ideal.It is about refusing to be told who to be, who to elect and how to live by marauding Tigres. Ironically, many people believe the 'development concessions' the region is getting is because of the ONLF struggle.

 

Burahadeer, the O clan is between 50-55% of the population in the region for your information. That is from authoritative source like me. if you ask some others, they will tell you it is 65-70%.

[burahadeer]

Abtigiis;768173 wrote:

 

Burahadeer, the O clan is between 50-55% of the population in the region for your information. That is from authoritative source like me. if you ask some others, they will tell you it is 65-70%.

 

:D:D

[Somalia]

Abtigiis;768173 wrote:

With all due respect to the opinions of some people here, the timing of the struggle is something more mature heads discussed and agreed on. It is not for juvenile online persons who have yet to see an accacia tree let alone know about the region to judge whether liberation struggle should start after roads are built or not. Refugees are a byproduct of any struggle. It is to be expected and it is to be tolerated. You cannot defer struggle against arbitrary arrest, rape and extrajudicial killings. These injustices have to be faced right at the time they take place.

I haven't been to the moon neither and I know what it looks

 

I do not care for internet scholars who sugar coat failure but I will tell you this; you've been fighting longer than Somalia has had a civil war and the world still doesn't know your name.

 

Accept failure, start over.

 

[Abtigiis]

Somalia;768185 wrote:

I haven't been to the moon neither and I know what it looks

If you know more about the moon than those who landed on it, then you are for sure a genius.