(Waridaad) - In 1960, Ali Garaad Jama – Minister in Somaliland’s first cabinet – stressed the need to solidify the fledgling Somaliland independence before uniting with Somalia. At the time, Jama along with the other Cabinet members and Prime Minister Mohammed Egal, were eager to gain independence but the majority who had no experience in forging unity among people disregarded the outstanding theory of Jama and threw long waited independence into futureless unity with Somalia.Majeerteen’s xenophobic attitude against Somalilanders in Sool region has prompted the patriotic citizens in Sool to reconsider their relations with Puntland and drive them out of their state. Despite the support of the Somaliland National Armed Forces, the people in Sool lost their patience after several failed attempts to convince the invaded militia of Majeerteeniya to go back. Majeerteeniya occupation in Sool and eastern Sanaag led to a social imbalance due to the lack of basic services like water and education. Majeerteeniya accused Somaliland of instigating secessionist acts in Greater Somalia but the real instigators are those who supported the division of other countries like Ethiopia and Kenya. Majeerteeniya supports ONLF members who are fighting for their independence from Ethiopia. The ailing warlord in Mogadishu, Abdullah – yey, established Puntland based on a wrong ideology called “Qabiil”.
The Majeerteeniya theory failed due to its whimsical nature. It was derived from irrational principles, which state that Puntland is an administration that belongs to a tribe. A theory that neglected the minority tribes under the administration such as ARAB SALAH and other minor Darood tribes in the East-West Region of Somalia besides narrowing chances of Dhulbante in the administration. After few weeks of liberating Laasaanood, the government of Somaliland and its people are talking about the establishment of basic social services required in the city like quality education, electricity, infrastructure and clean water supply. This only means that the people of Laasaanood are capable of governing their region with the little support of the Somaliland government.
Before invading Laasaanood in 2003, Abdullah – yey thought that the Somaliland Presidential Election results which brought Dahir Riyale Kahin to power divided the Somalilanders. He failed to understand that the differences in political views had not affected the national unity and territorial integrity in Somaliland as its government and people are strongly united and committed to defend their country and liberate Laasaanood from the dirty tribesmen from Majeerteeniya.
Recently, East Sanaag citizens were killed after the Puntland militia bombed their houses and went as far as murdering the injured confined at a hospital in Bosaso on the basis that they belong to an unrecognized tribe (Warsangali) in Puntland. This incident led to infighting in Bossasso and weakened the Majeerteeniya administration. Maakhiirs – the tribe of the slaughtered men – are ready to fight against the Majeerteeniya administration in their own towns. Somaliland Army – with the support of the people in Sool and eastern Sanaag – warned Majeerteeniya administration that they will target Garoowe and Bossasso even if only a single bullet is fired across the border.
The Majeerteeniya Administration, led by Cade Muuse, seems to have learned their lesson due to this incident. Instead of intensifying their efforts to go against the liberators of Sool, they chose to remain silent amid the chaos due to the internal strife within the administration itself. The Somaliland Forces cordoned off the border between Somaliland and Somalia and vowed to destroy anybody who will violate the international borderline between the Somaliland and Somalia.
The Somaliland Army refrained from entering the city when the Laasaanood citizens liberated their region from the Majeerteeniya militia, who robbed and killed the innocent citizens. Somaliland left the administration of the city to its own people and Laasaanood will soon vote for its local municipality leaders just like the other Somaliland regions. This is product of unique model of democracy in Somaliland unlike many African countries and today Laasaanood citizens preferred this democracy over the dictatorship in Puntland. Recently, Majeerteeniya parliament gave the government thirty days to recapture Laasaanood from its people, but surely that will accelerate the faith of their administration.
Abdullah-yey is currently trying to win the leadership of Somalia for the Majeerteen tribesmen similar to what he did in Puntland. He supported his nephew, C/Nuur Cilmi Qaaje, who stayed as a minister in Puntland all time. This man did not win the support of neither Dhulbahante nor Warsangali but Abdullah-yey pushed him into the post against the will of the people. Xasan Dahir Afqudh, another Abdullah-yey creation, is one of the high ranking officers in Puntland even if he had no proper education and is not qualified for the post. Bossasso’s illegal human trafficking “Majeerteen human trafficking gangs invite Sharks to human flesh as per Bossasso administration policy”
Besides the smuggling of drugs, small weapons and charcoal, the Bossasso Port is also a hub of the fourth most lucrative export item handled by port is human cargo, usually Somalis and Ethiopians trying to catch up better life into Saudi Arabia through Yemen. The human trafficking trade out of Somalia is now one of the busiest, most lucrative in Boosaaso in Puntland, this shameful human trafficking business receive international outcry where displaced poor Somalis – mostly southerners – and Ethiopians been forced into near coast to Yemen by pirates of Majeerteeniya. International reporters showed that current regime in Garoowe earn its revenues from illegal human trafficking to Yemen.
In early nineties, the Majeerteen gangs trading in human smuggling sprang up in Bossasso with support of Cadde Muuse regime. These gangs charge between $50 – 100 per human head, gangsters crammed hundreds of people at a time into small rickety boats intended to carry much lighter cargo. Unfortunately this cruel trading in human suffering and death has been going on with the full knowledge of Puntland’s Abdillahi Yusuf and Cadde Mousa. The Puntland leaders Yusuf and Mousa also wouldn’t mind if, as seen in many instances in the past, sea pirates, usually operating from Bossasso, were to hijack normal cargo vessels from international waters as long as the leaders were guaranteed a lion’s share of the ransom money. At end of the journey, the innocent people who are running madly to get better living are dumped in the middle of the red sea dead or alive to become lunch for sharks.
One of the terrible stories about human trafficking in Bossasso says “In one particularly horrific case the crew of the smuggling boat killed all the passengers, except a 10-year-old Ethiopian boy, Badesa, who was kept to clean the boat. He was eventually dumped back in Boosaaso where, after days on end with little water and no food, he was found sitting on the pavement. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) took him to a hospital and arranged his repatriation to Ethiopia. He is now recovering from starvation but unable to speak, traumatised from his horrific experience.” This is very shame to those want to divide Somaliland based on tribalism, Somali proverb says, the man who organizes his home can help others to organize their homes too. Cadde Mousa and Abdullah Yusuf should understand that curse from these innocent people will soon or later appear in Bossasso. These corrupted leaders should know that free society like that of Somaliland will bring them to International Court against their barbaric inhuman acts in Puntland. They should know that international court is one of the place that waits every criminal.
My final word
The people of Laasaanood chose the nation over tribalism. They have rewritten Laasaanood’s history in Somaliland before and after gaining independence. Majeerteeniya cannot win the hearts of the people in Laasaanood by using the name of the tribe because the Somali speaking people are scattered in different countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti. This has ended the unrealistic theory of uniting Somalis under one government. Brining Somalis under one government was failed theory as many societies that share language, culture and religion live or own different countries just like Arabs.
The Somaliland people should coordinate with the government, parliament and civil societies to rebuild Laasaanood considering the suffering of our citizens in the Sool region under the Majeerteeniya regime that has deprived them of their access to basic social services.
Allah bless Somaliland….We all stand united!
By Abdirahman Ahmed Ali
E-mail: an.ahmed@somaliland.net
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