The recently cold blooded murder of three innocent Somaliland citizens, which took place near Baki township, shock most Somaliland communities including me. What I thought was a murder case that needed to be investigated thoroughly and bring justice those responsible for committing the crime, turned into vicious campaign, to discredit, condemn and defame the Gabiley community as the whole and particularly its respected leaders, on the court of public opinion.
Ironically, our own president spearheaded the smear campaign against the Gabiley community, by simply relying on the eyewitness account of unreliable individual, who said that he witness the killings and knew the allege perpetrators of the crime., and then he added that prominent Clan, political and religious leaders from Gabiley community were involved the murders, including: former Somaliland’s Army chief of staff Gen Tani, and President’s political advisor Abeeb Timadde.
Instead of President letting the Attorney General of Somaliland office and criminal investigation unit of the police doing their investigative job– checking the credibility of the eyewitness, and verifying independently his accounts of what actually happened—-the President Silanyo and his rogue and incompetent Interior Minister launched unwarranted and illegal arrest of the prominent Clan, political and religious leaders from Gabiley county, including Sultan Hussein Aw Musa, who needs immediate medical attention.
Sultan Hussein Aw Muse arrest effected me personally because he was instrumental releasing me from the notorious Hargeysa Central Prison in summer 2009, after I was accused of organizing demonstration against a proposed term extension for then president Rayaale.
We believe their arrest is politically motivated and has nothing to do with domestic security or keeping the peace but rather to appease few elements of Borama communities who are unenthusiastic about free, sovereign and democratic Somaliland.
We are calling the Silanyo administration, which is using “Faqash” era tactics either to bring charges against these leaders. While at the same time, not to deny their rights of due process –opportunity to refute and protect themselves from uncorroborated allegations from their accusers in a court of law, as soon as possible or simply release them unconditionally.
As any law enforcement person would tell you that Community involvement is the key to crime solving. Offering financial rewards to any individuals who provide information leading to the arrest the perpetrators of the Seemaal crime, is more effective method of bringing justice to the allege criminal or criminals than arresting prominent community leaders.
For the last two decades, Somaliland government has been putting a bandage for a gaping wound that needs to be cured—-the wound is finding lasting solution for the dispute of land ownership over El-Berdaale farming land, which is past over due.
Somaliland’s Upper House passed unanimously two resolutions dealing the dispute over El-Berdaale land ownership—the Upper House unambiguously after lengthy investigation and deliberation—with live witnesses, who were under oath—concluded that the El-Berdaale farming land is “Jibril Abokar’s” exclusive clan territory and they could use as they wish, while also considering the needs of the neighboring communities.
Then, why two respective Somaliland presidents are reluctant to sign into law the El-Berdaale land ownership resolution? It is purely clan politics. The main reason former Rayaale refused to sign that resolution was simply to appease his fellow Clansmen, and not signing that resolution was one the reason that cost him the presidency.
President Silanyo who has been in office for 18 months, and I was one of those who was very optimistic that our new president would able to tackle the many challenges that our country are facing. I also believed that he would put the interest of Somaliland ahead that of the special interest groups , who are fighting over a whatever chance to make money—including manipulating Somaliland shilling, controlling fuel depots, ports, trade route, communication bandwidth without any public auction, and fishing, energy and mineral concessions, with no legislative oversight . But this is the same corrupt business practices candidate Silanyo used to criticize President Rayaale..
Right now President Silanyo is busy rewarding special interest groups Such as Dahabshiil, who financially backed him for the last decade. The unelected Dahabshiil is almost running the country because almost one third of Silanyo’s cabinet are either former employees of Dahabshiil or people he recommended for the posts.
Majority of the people who voted for President Silanyo feel buyer’s remorse and have serious reservations and concern about President’s ability to govern and manage crisis, and individuals he chose to surround himself— including the former money changer turned Silanyo ‘s chief of Staff— who lacks the experience and credentials to run that post, and the good judgment and the vision to provide the President sound advise to deal with the immediate and emerging problems of our country.
We want Silanyo/Seylie administration to succeed because failure is not an option. However, President Silanyo must lead and do the right thing, and without any reservation sign into law legally binding El-Berdaale land ownership resolution,that clearly states that El-berdaale farming land is the clan exclusive territory of “Jibril Abokar.”
Finally, Somaliland keeping the peace is the most important thing but when one of our own community exhausted all options of getting justice through legal process, peace and stability might become the casualty of our leader’s failure to render justice . I hope we should not take that destructive route.
Allah Bless Somaliland
- Long live Somaliland
Ali Mohamed
(Co-founder Horn of Africa Freedom Foundation. He can be reached at aliadm@aol.com)
Lewis Center, Ohio.
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