Ku-qabso ku qadi meyside (If you claim it, you will gain from it).
By: Bilan A. Aden
Feb 27, 011
I would like to thank everyone who read the article I wrote on January 29 (Congratulations, You Won!!!). Special thanks to those who have commented on forums. It has given me a chance to really understand the perspectives of my brothers and sisters. No doubt, I learned a valuable lesson by reading all of your comments. My background is that I left Somalia when I was a toddler. I was fortunate enough to have been raised by parents that do not have a clannish mentality and taught me that this kind of thinking was one of the main problems that led to our country’s demise. It is important to note that my intention of this article was to raise the awareness and be vigilant about the merciless companies who come to Somalia only to exploit our resources, regardless of the consequences.
It is well known that the companies who were dumping toxic waste materials along the Somali seashore had permission from Somali leaders. We were all tacit when these leaders were paid to accept the poison. Also, we were silent when Somali leaders gave permission to foreign trawlers to over-fish our seas, leading to a great loss of our supplies of fish, lobster, and marine life. Therefore, we should not be tacit any further, but speak loud and clear. Though I am not claiming to be an expert in this field, I have a Business Administration degree and I specialized in marketing. Therefore, I have great knowledge on how to sell a product and the appropriate questions to ask about any business venture. My research has helped to give me insight on this specific oil venture, and its legitimacy.
My points had nothing to do with whether Somalia has oil deposits or not, and I did not doubt that oil is there in Puntland. My concern was the ingenuity of Range Resources and the publicity surrounding the Dharoor site. Furthermore, my thoughts on the Puntland oil would have been exactly the same if oil was discovered in Mogadishu or Somaliland. In my previous article, I raised awareness and asked valid questions about this company's intentions. Maybe some of you know of the companies selling pieces of the moon to the public. One example is when Dennis Hope, who established a Lunar Embassy in the 1980’s, claimed the moon as his property. He has since sold many pieces of lunar land to people everywhere. Therefore, it is very appropriate to question the sincerity of the company and the viability of real-estate on moon, even though it is visible to all of us..
When I pointed out some basic requirements for foreign investment like having a recognized government and financial institutions, some of the critics compared Puntland to the situation that happened to the Kurds in Iraq and the Libyan rebels. We are comparing apples to oranges, it was a politically motivated to cripple Saddam and Gaddafi’s economy. Also, the investment and the infrastructure for these regions existed long before these groups divorced the rulers of Iraq and Libya. Meanwhile, we are in the very beginning stages, with much information to consider before jumping blindly into the arms of Range Resources.
One of the great things about us Somalis is that we have a saying for practically every subject matter and I found out that in this case we say: Ku-qabso ku qadi meyside (If you claim it, you will gain from it). To my understanding, Range Resources have been itching to be involved with Puntland over the years, so that they can claim their stake, and be ready for when the real companies come to the table. That means Range Resources can claim any dollar figures they want (a million to a billion) and that will be added to the cost of our future oil business. The Puntland regional government failed to disclose information about the investments and the deal, so why shouldn’t we question their motives. Now, whether you want to believe it or not, if we don’t critically think about our options and just see dollar signs, it’s inevitable that greed and power will destroy what’s left our country.
In conclusion, let us assume that my assumptions were wrong. Now my questions are:
a) Who will invest in our country at this state?
b) What is the amount of the investment and where is it coming from?
c) What kind of infrastructure is planned for Dharoor (refinery, pipes to the seaports, or any other method)
d) What are the environmental programs that will ensure the safety of human and wild life?
d) What are the agreements and allocations to this project?
e) What is the timeline for these projects: 10 years, 50 years or 100+ years.
f) Who will hold this company accountable?
Until someone can answer my questions, I will assume that Range Resources is only there for Ku-qabso ku qadi meyside.
Bilan A. Aden
Email:bilan_aden@yahoo.com
Source: http://wardheernews.com/Articles%202012/Feb/27_congratulation_bilan.html
