Laascaanood and Taleex, historical towns that always changed the future of Somalia

[galbeedi]

Folks, it is Ramadan and in this sacred month we all try to avoid inflaming conflicts and sensitive issues. I for one tried to refrain to discuss the Tukaraq war in great details for the last week or so.  Yet , it is our duty to warn and analyze this war in an objective manner.

Taleex and laascanood are ingrained in our modern history.

Both Taleex and Laascaanood have a very important part of the modern history of Somalia. There were historical events that had huge impact to the direction of Somali for the last hundred years.

It was 1920 when the  Darwiish movement was defeated by the British. The  British used modern weapons and airplanes  to decimate the modern Somali independent movement after 21 year of struggle between 1899--1920.

 

That defeat of the Darwiish in Tallex and the one in Laafoole in the hand of the Italians against Sheekh Hassan Barsame and others in  1924 ,opened a new page for the colonial powers of Italy, Britain and Abbesinia in Somalia. That struggle had showed that the fiercely independent Somali nomad can not be be caged or colonized without heavy price from the colonials.

 

These days we see some nostalgic Somalis about the colonial period yet, from 1920-1960, the British never developed or created an economy for the region, nor offered any technical training to lift people out of poverty. Faarah Omar, one of the Somalis who were more educated than most described the colonial administration after the second world war  as " Deaf and Dumb". The British opened the first schools as late as 1948.

 

just as 1920 was a crucial year that changed Somalia forever, another event in Laascaanood also had a different impact on the country. In 1969, almost 49 years after Taleex bombing , the second president of Somalia C/rashiid C. Sharmaarke was assassinated in Laascaanood by one of his bodyguards.That event and the succession quarrel that followed, paved the way for the military to take over the country. That take over had changed both the direction and the character of Somalia for  many years to come.

 

Now, exactly 49 years later in 2018, another war is going brewing in a small town called Tukaraq. This is probably a tribal war, yet it could have a great repercussions for Somalia and its future .The protagonists of this war are probably ignorant of the historical nature of this skirmishes, but the Tukaraq war of 2018 will shape the unchangeable borders of the country. Usually, the biggest changes of the world takes place through war. 

 

A tribal war that might end tribal administrations.

There are two characters that makes this as a tribal war.

First, the nature of the battle and  the confrontation between armies makes this rather a tribal skirmish than a war among states. Tribes usually fight about three to four hours maximum. A gun mounted pickup truck might wage an offensive and over run the defensive positions. The other group would mount a counter attack and push back the other side. While the  technicals retreat or charge, most of the casualties are the foot soldiers walking. JUst like the war between Caydiid and Cali Mahdi in the early nineties, no one takes new ground. As many of you had pointed out, poor soldiers will die , yet things might not change on the ground.

 

In 2006, during the war between the Islamic Courts and the invading Ethiopian forces, a fervent Somali was touting the ability of the forces of the " Maxakamado' to confront their enemies. To his disappointment, I told him that since these people are non state actors they can not sustain a prolonged war so, i expect the Ethiopians to defeat them in two or three weeks. Established states could fight 18 hours or more with constant reinforcements and ready made logistics. For tribes, four our would a huge sacrifice. I added that unlike the Courts, even a weak Somali army with few thousand  of soldiers could have slowed down their advance for months. Watching these tribal skirmishes convinces me more than ever that a genuine Somali leader could unite the country with one single division of mechanized army. 

 

Second, the Sool arrangement with Somaliland had always been a tribal agreement that allowed the locals to control Laascaanood especially for those who had grievances with Puntland. In 2007, when Somaliland allied militia of Xaabsade took over the city, it was purely a tribal militia of Xaabsade moving from Puntland to Somaliland. Rayaale and Siilaanyo both understood the gentlemen's agreement that kept Laascaanood nominally within the Somaliland system without aggravating the tribal connections of the Harti( Beentii lagu wada joogay iyo maamuladii lagu sugayey Soomalia ayuu run mooday)

 

Now The " Gaas Dhagoole" Biixi shows up without understanding the issue.

 

 After 911, the neoconservatives had pushed America to wage so many wars to different parts of the world that the average American  never heard of. The typical American in Kansas or Montana have no clue were Kosovo, Somalia or Yemen is in the globe. The same analogy could  be said about the North Gabiley and west Hargeisa based Muuse Biixi about Taleex or Lasanod. A man who had grown in the Hargeisa ghetto doesn't know culture and history just like Farmaajo and company in Mogadishu.

 

In 1912, a British colonel by the name of Richard Corfield was put in charge of the Somaliland Camel Constabulary. He was instructed to maintain order but was clearly told not to confront Sayid Mohamed C. Hassan's Darwiish army. He disobeyed the order and launched an attack which resulted the death of his army and the capture and decapitation of Corfield.

Those of us who went to highschool memorize those famous poems by the Sayid:

 

Adaa koofilow jiitayoon dunida Joogayne

Jahanamo la geeyoow Haddaad Aakhiro u Jihaado.

 

You have died , Corfield and no longer in this world

A Merciless journey was your portion.

When hell destined, you set out for the other world.

 

It is very strange that a hundred year after the struggle of the Darawiish,  young and poor Somalis from Hargeisa, Borama and Burco have been forced to following the footsteps of the former colonial officers or  to recreate the old colonial order where thousands paid the ultimate price.

 

Muuse knew very well that it was tribal animosity and pride that destroyed Somalia, and when he attacks his opponents, he never misses a chance to  belittle others , yet he walked to the tribal minefield of Tukaraq like a blind man. Mercenaries and paid ministers from Sool region , sipping tea in Maansuur Hotel,  gave him the wrong information. The people of Sool always considered those who worked in Hargeisa like people taking care of their family through that system while Somalia is in upheaval ( Waxa la dhihi jiray waa niman caruurtooda ka Biilanaya nidaamka Hargeisa). They were probably sidelined or blindsided by the octogenerain Cali. Kh. Galaydh who wanted to take their place without doing any heavy lifting.

 

The Biixi adventure of going to the colonial border had unleashed a great deal of trauma among the Sool people which became the catalyst for their temporary unity. Elders had openly rejected when their Hargeisa based ministers came to town, and in return the ministers called the RRU to shoot , arrest ans intimidate those who opposed the presence of Somaliland. As we speak, the Sool community Garads and elders had spoken unanimously against the presence of Somaliland soldiers.

 

The internal problems of Sool community is not over.

 

At the moment the tide is against Somaliland, yet pushing out Somaliland from Sool without any plans might not resolve the problem. The only sustainable strategy to end the recurring conflict and disable both Somaliland and Puntland is to help the Sool people to form their own administration. Somalis are tribes and we must understand that without unifying common state no tribe would refer the other for their affaires. The Garaad community might share lineage with Puntland, yet  the only way to unite them is to be independent.

 

The federal government can not ignore these problems for ever. They must understand that what is at stake here is not about Puntland or Somaliland but unity and the independence of Somalia through the people of Sool region. We know that Farmaajo and company are working overtime to get another term in office without accomplishing their duties toward the unity file.

 

If these drastic actions are not taken, another deadly civil war might start between the locals. Do not expect any solutions from the likes of Cali Khaliif. If his Khaatumo project failed he supposed to come back and retire or offer an opportunity for others to find solutions.

 

Finally, Mr. Biixi has one option. He must withdraw to his original position or lose everything including Somaliland. Forget about going to the border or capturing Garoowe. Everyone knows that if you lose Laascaanod, Somalialnd itself might implode, and the least of it is losing power. Digging your heels in the mounting pressure from the Sool community will be futile. 

Mr. Biixi seek peace and withdraw .

 

[Suldaanka]

1 hour ago, galbeedi said:

Finally, Mr. Biixi has one option. He must withdraw to his original position or lose everything including Somaliland. Forget about going to the border or capturing Garoowe. Everyone knows that if you lose Laascaanod, Somalialnd itself might implode, and the least of it is losing power. Digging your heels in the mounting pressure from the Sool community will be futile. 

Mr. Biixi seek peace and withdraw .

All that hullabalou and that was it?

One of Hadraawi's poems he said, talking to Afwayne: Dalka waan aqaana, bahal iga da'wayno, dad cun ahi ma joogo!

Awoowe, I know you are from peaceful community of Borama. We know high risk, high reward is not part of your lexicon,  kolka sxb nin dabcow dhan uga durug.  

Btw, just be a good spectator and watch with awe how the boys do it. 

 

[Mooge]

well said Galbeedi. Your analysis is always on point niyoow.

the end is near for the secessionist project if they don't change course real soon niyoow. Biixi only knows how to make women cry. he has no strategy whatsoever for Somaliland. his policy is qariskaxoor.

 

 

[Suldaanka]

2 hours ago, Mooge said:

well said Galbeedi. Your analysis is always on point niyoow.

the end is near for the secessionist project if they don't change course real soon niyoow. Biixi only knows how to make women cry. he has no strategy whatsoever for Somaliland. his policy is qariskaxoor.

 

 

 

Galbeedi nin maskaxdiisu dagaal iyo xasarad taqaan maha. His analysis is that akin of a girl's view of the world - nervana of peaceful utopia. 

The real world is a dog-eat-dog world. And the strongest survives.

Coming back to Tukaraq, my take on this is that either way, peace or no peace, Garoowe loses. Garoowe cannot stop the Somaliland army. In fact, this will be a chance for Somaliland to go after those who committed serious crimes in 1988-91 in Hargeisa+Burco. Garoowe and Bosaso will pay for Somalia' destruction of Hargeisa and Burco. This will be an opportunity to settle those old scores. 

On the other hand, if Garoowe takes peace, those clans that has been fed with falsehood will revolt and politically will be very damaging. Again, it plays right to Somaliland's playbook. It will be back to square one. 

If the local clans try to take it on their own, they will end up exactly as it all ended up so far. In futility. Somaliland army will flush out these clan melitia from every village they seek and if they try to launch attacks from Puntland, we will punish Puntland for it.

It seems to me that Puntland will become the sacrificial animal for Somaliland's independence.

Ciidankii aan Somalia oo dhan oo midaysan u diyaarinay, if Garoowe wants to take on,  Bring it on my friends. 

 

 

 

[cadnaan1]

Naga daa bootada suldaanka  those khat addicted junkies ciidan ma ahan 

[Holac]

I like Suldaanka's confidence. I didn't know Somaliland readied an army to dismantle the union.

 

[galbeedi]

Muuse is already sending appeals to the international community and the regional governments. The problem is "Beesha Lixaad" never resolves any thing. He is even talking to Farmaajo, but Farmaajo can not help him.

I did said while ago that C/weli want to keep the war in order to win re-election, but at the moment the Tukaraq issue is even bigger than C/weli Gaas himself. This war has transformed as the people's war. Both the people of Sool and  Puntland want to keep this war until  Sool is recovered. 

The conditions to stop the war from  Puntland is getting hard, and they already communicated through third party that Somaliland must vacate Laascaanood in order to stop the war.

For the last ten years there was perception among the Garaad community that Puntland and their leaders were not interested recovering Laascaanood, and there were a suspicion of collusion between Somaliland and Puntalnd. When C/weli Gaas was given the power to nominate the Khaatumo members of the federal parliament things got worse and Galaydh used that to send a message to his supporters.

Puntlad dagaal ma galayse waxay rabtaa in ay magaca iyo xildhibaanada Sool awood kaga raadsato federalka ayaa dadka reer sool ka dhaadhacday. 

When Puntland shed blood and came fighting that was enough to convince Reer Sool. 

Furthermore, the Tigray policy of pressuring her client regions to keep the status quo has probably collapsed. Muuse was probably given the go ahead by Ethiopia in early Januray,  but that Wayaane order has collapsed in Ethiopia in March of 2018.

In Africa , usually the power goes to the man at the top and in Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed is consiladiting power already. The wife of Meles Zanawi was kicked out of the party and her assets were stripped. Last week at the Djibouti Ethiopian border $130 million dollars loaded in a van was captured at the border. Most of the looted money used to go through Jijiga and Wajaale and then transferred by Dahabshill to Nairobi and Dubai. It was one of the major reasons Illey was kept at  the money route to Wajaale.

There is huge crackdown in Ethiopia of the looting and money laundering of the former rulers. There is huge network of money laundering from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Hargeisa and Mogadishu. Every Somali leader in Mogadishu somehow is involved directly or indirectly. It is one of the reasons Hassan Sheikh has allowed the Hargeisa elite to keep the status quo. Preliminary reports already indicate that Farmaaj is on board and his men are well connected to Hargeisa.

Muuse had already rejected the UN envoy before the conflict started and could not face him again with a appeal for cease fire. So, he is talking to the American embassy in Nairobi. Abiy Ahmed led Ethiopia has no time about these issues. .His best hope is to negotiate directly with Puntland, but since hubris and boating is the order of the day in Hargeisa, he will lose Laacaanood through war of attrition that will drain both resources and life. 

As history has shown  in Somalilland , the later leader is always worse  than his predecessor( midba midka uu ka dambeeyo wuu ka sii liita oo uu ka xun yahay).

The Hargeisa mayor is already collecting powder, rise and other stable foods from the neighborhoods for the war effort. With sky rocketing infliation , war is the worst thing to start at this stage. Well, what do we know?

6 hours ago, Suldaanka said:

if local clans try to take it on their own, they will end up exactly as it all ended up so far. In futility. Somaliland army will flush out these clan militia from every village

Good luck if you can flashout the uprising of the whole population that is united for the first time since 2004.

 

[Suldaanka]

4 hours ago, Holac said:

I like Suldaanka's confidence. I didn't know Somaliland readied an army to dismantle the union.

 

Fardo la isu hayo maxaa la isaga faanin. Somaliland made the move, lets see if our competition can keep their word! 

 

26 minutes ago, galbeedi said:

Good luck if you can flashout the uprising of the whole population that is united for the first time since 2004.

Galbeedi, camoo, your sources have failed you, yet again. 

Just watch and learn, and probably appreciate a little sxb.  

Whoever stirs this hornets nest will wished they didn't. 

[Abdul]

BAGHDAD BOB aka known as comical Ali was Saddam Hussein's information minister during the second gulf war.In the final hours of that war,he summoned the press and told them that they have defeated the Americans and pushed them back all the way to Kuwait.He said there is no single American soldier in Iraqi soil.Meanwhile,as he was speaking,you could hear the roaring sound of American tanks just behind him.kkkkkk.next day he was seen in Dubai.Suldanka reminds me of that guy.

[Dahireeto]

Suldaanka, I heard Biixi's clan elders had a meeting last night and they advised him to leave Tukaraq in order to save Somaliland project. Is that true?

[Suldaanka]

3 hours ago, Dahireeto said:

Suldaanka, I heard Biixi's clan elders had a meeting last night and they advised him to leave Tukaraq in order to save Somaliland project. Is that true?

If you were from the camp that thinks Somaliland is an administration within the context of Somalia's Federal system, then yes, you can think that MBC's clan elders will have clout and can change decisions. 

But if you are from the camp that thinks Somaliland as being complete seperate country that - whether it is recognised by outside world or not - should control all its territorial land, by any means necessary. Then, you can think of the Tukaraq situation as a faith accompli. 

The situation is very simple, a small clan fiefdom cannot possibly stop Somaliland's quest to secure its borders. Every last drop of blood will be shed to make sure it doesn't happen. 

[Che -Guevara]

6 hours ago, Suldaanka said:

 

The situation is very simple, a small clan fiefdom cannot possibly stop Somaliland's quest to secure its borders. Every last drop of blood will be shed to make sure it doesn't happen. 

If things were that simply, you wouldn't bombard us with the ever increasing booto. In fact, Garowe will have been occupied as envisioned by you and Mr. Daaco in one of your many of your posts

This war will have no winners but Muse Menace seem have bought into his BS. It has been six months since he stole the election, since then, he has taken the characteristics of a mad man.

[Old_Observer]

15 hours ago, galbeedi said:

In Africa , usually the power goes to the man at the top and in Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed is consiladiting power already. The wife of Meles Zanawi was kicked out of the party and her assets were stripped. Last week at the Djibouti Ethiopian border $130 million dollars loaded in a van was captured at the border. Most of the looted money used to go through Jijiga and Wajaale and then transferred by Dahabshill to Nairobi and Dubai. It was one of the major reasons Illey was kept at  the money route to Wajaale.

I hate to do this to you during the holy month.

Wife of Meles was kicked out in Tigray 3 months before Abiy was even in top leadership of Oromo let alone prime minister. Now Abiy has appointed her to be in board of directors of METEC (The corporation that makes and exports Unmaned planes, armored vehicles, helicopters, maintains aircrafts for Uganda, Sudan and even west african countries, builds trains, buses, ) few days ago.

That $130 million dollars on a pick up truck/SUV  lol was not worthy of you to even scribble it I don't even know why you would strain your eyes to read it.

Don't try give Jigjiga a bad name for no reason and with completely untrue stories. Don't you know that Addis baba is connected to the world. Had you said contraband and qat route which the Oromo are fighting to control and when your side loses blame Kililka and Liyu, we would have thought you are being reasonable.

The trade route Ethiopia Djibouti is the reason of all this campaign and I know which side you are ON.

 

Wish you all well through the month..