It is time to stop the indoor games (The leaders’ in-fighting derailing Somaliland’s Recognition) and start playing outdoors. It is time that Somaliland leadership at all levels should concentrate on things that the People of Somaliland elected them for: The games of outward, outbound politics and diplomacy. The games that southern warlords, with the help foreign hands, played so well in the world stage that they succeeded in casting a shadow over Somaliland – Africa’s Shinning Example of Peace, Tolerance and Democracy. Now, that the shinning light came through - thanks for efforts of the Somaliland people both at home and in the Diaspora and some diplomatic initiatives of the Government, it is time to put everything else in the backstage and work hand-in-hand towards the recognition.
The visiting Kenyan Parliamentary Delegation brought a golden ball to Somaliland and just put it in President Riyaale’s court. By golden ball I mean a golden opportunity that needs to b played very well and very quickly. The length of visiting period and the statement of the Kenyan Parliamentary Delegation constitute a virtual recognition of Somaliland as fully sovereign state. This is a new development that needs to be pushed to make it concrete reality.
Like a new moon the recognition of Somaliland came over the horizon many times before and only to recede back after a while. It never came, before, as close to the zenith, to make it full moon, as it did today. The English saying goes: time and tide wait for no man (Geeso riyaad kulayka ku jar). What it means is that one has to be quick and decisive when time or tide will make the difference. At the present time the time and the tide are on the side of
Somaliland but no one knows for how long.
Since the disintegration of the Somali Republic and the Second Declaration of Somaliland as autonomous sovereign state, smaller golden balls were coming to Somaliland now and then. However, the leadership has been, strangely, throwing all these balls to Mogadisho. It looked like the country and the people separated but the successive Somaliland Governments of Abdurrahman Tuure, Cigal and Riyaale seemed to maintain, perhaps subconsciously, some mental attachment to Mogadisho. Certainly there was nothing conscious or coming out in the open. But the lack of decisive action in the face of opportunities presented by the time and other players including the warlords in the South can be interpreted that way.
Due to lack of quick and decisive action from Somaliland leaders, it has always been the warlords in the South (Ali Mahdi, Abdul Qasim and Abdullahi Yusuf) that turned out to be the unintended beneficiaries of these golden balls coming to the Somaliland court. Abdillahi Yusuf and Cadde Muuse conflict and the shameful chasing of President Dahir Riyale Kahin from Sool Area by Puntland Militia are two good examples. Most people expected that “a Fire Ball” will hit Garoowe but nothing was done at all. If Somaliland acted to restore the dignity of the President Riyaale that has been violated, things would have been a lot different today.
Sometime ago I read someone write that the Western powers react to events in Africa at the visceral level at the rare times they react. They usually enjoy watching the African debacles as they would enjoy deadly cockfights or ignore it as the usual savagery typical of the lower forms of life in the big Serengeti (many Europeans see Africa as a big global park full of wild animals and primitive people). Pretending to have been oblivious to the troubles they have been watching for a while, they act with impulsive force often disproportionate to the problem when someone pushes the right button.
In line with the Somali saying: “Gaal Dil Gartiisana Sii “(Give the devil his due), I would admit that Cabdillaahi Yusuf and his master, Melez Zenawi succeeded in finding and pushing the right button (of the US Administration), getting western support to kick out the UIC. Of course, they all have to deal with the consequences of their impulsive acts now. Abdillahi is identifies, evaluates, makes timely decisions on and acts upon any opportunities, risks and challenges presented to him or his group. Where he runs the most serious problems is in his lack of identification with and compassion for the plight of the Somali people. He also has no eye for the big picture and the long term consequences of his decisions.
Conclusion:
During the last few weeks calls for the recognition of Somaliland were coming many directions and the biggest one from the Kenyan Delegation. Reading the face value of the recognition statement tells us a lot but there is more to be gained from in-depth analysis (reading between the lines and words coupled with current and past contexts). We did not hear only statements calling for recognition but we heard reasons justifying the recognition. We heard statements about bilateral relations and business connections. For the Kenyan Delegation to talk like that they must have been given the green light.
The question that begs for answer is whether President Dahir Riyale, his cabinet, the Somaliland Senate and parliament will maximize the benefits presented to Somaliland by the timed window of opportunity brought about by media coverage and the Kenyan Parliamentary delegation (certainly with the tacit approval of Britain and other powers). There is a timed window of opportunity for Somaliland leadership to take advantage of the tide and push right buttons.
In may humble opinions the following should be done:
1. The Government of Somaliland should urgently embark on extensive diplomacy and media campaigns before the opportunity passes. The window that is now widely open will partially close if the situation in the South, though unlikely changes for the better. All state institutions and public should take part on the campaign, continuing the demonstrations and other actions that already bore fruit for Somaliland
2. President Riyal should forgive (whether there is crime or not say the word) free the jailed journalists. All the recent media reports mentioned the jailing of these journalist as negative points detracting from the Somaliland Democracy. Freeing the journalist will bring back few the few points lost.
3. The Government should show good faith in bringing about a speedy solution to its dispute with the Election Commission using the countries institutions and expert mediators.
4. The Somaliland Senate and Parliament should take non-partisan stance on all current internal conflicts
5. Those who do not like other president for whatever reason should differentiate between being against the country and being against the leader. You have every freedom to speak out but you one must not cross the fine line between being against a leader or his policies or actions on one hand and being against the country and the people on the other. I could not believe what I heard yesterday when I spoke with a well-educated elder about Somaliland recognition as being on the horizon. He seemed not happy about it at all, and all he wanted to talk about is how bad the president is.
Let us think, more than we feel.
Ahmed Aden Doob-baje
qotonshe@yahoo.com
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