By
galbeedi
I made a mistake yesterday by taking about the number of dead on both sides. It is Somalis dying on both side, and it will not heal or help the issues facing this region.
So, in order to find real solutions today , we will focus on the origins of this war .
The rise of the warlord.
Unlike South Central Somalia, Somaliland was always ruled or led by former politicians, public servants and traditional leaders. Ten or fifteen years ago, it was difficult or almost impossible for the types of Muuse Biixi to join the cabinet let alone a presidential candidate. The people had moved on and decided to build a new future without former guarilla members or those who took part the civil war of the nineteen nineties.
Rather than dwell on the past, people had opted for peace and institution building. While tribal problems remain in any Somali society, it's effects on people were diminishing, until Biixi and company showed up. Ahmed Siilaanyo, as former Somali minister and SNM leader, had both the political background and qualifications to seek the leadership of Somaliland. Yet, the former rebels forgot that the past warfare history will not be the guiding principle in a region inhabited by diverse tribes. They forgot that in Somalia , no tribe can defeat or eliminated another tribe despite their military or economic power.
We do not have time or enough ink to explain how a former warlord who participated the civil wars of Somaliland happen to be the candidate. It was through bribe, tribalism, intimidation , abuse of public purse and other hidden crimes that enabled an unrepentant warlord to take center stage. Regardless of how many times they call him Mr.president, Muuse Biixi will never be a leader of anything let alone of Somaliland. Once a warlord with blood in his hands will be a warlord. Just like a gangster will gold chains and luxury cars , honor and prestige can not be bought by the likes of Muuse Biixi.
The False commander.
Anyone who has done basic research knows that Muuse biixi was never been a colonel of any army. He never commanded any contingent of Somali army nor did he participated the Somali-Ethiopia war of 1977. Unlike what the Hargeisa fan club says, he wasn't a pilot . He was trained as a air navigation officer. As soon as he was elected, everyone said that since a former officer and fighter is in charge he will put fear to his enemies. Commanding paramilitary rebels and taking part in communal civil war will not make one a military commander or tough politician. kornayl Mujaahid ah ayaa madaxweyne noo ah". They forgot that it is the peace that nurtured Somaliland not Muuse Biixi.
Now, how did we ended up a war in Sool, insurgency in Sanaag and dysfunction in Hargeisa.
Everyone knows that through bombing and intimidation of the frail and old Siilaanyo, Muuse took over the Kulmiye party. After he stole the election, rather than bring the fragmented communities together, he decided to set up a Jeegaan dominated cabinet. When people complained, he dismissed these complaints and started to oppress those who opposed him. People who should have corrected him encouraged him to rule by decree. Even intellectuals and writers like Boobe Yuusuf Ducaale , said, " Somaliland needs a dictator to fix things".
As Boobe and others encouraged him to be a dictator, Muuse acted like one and arrested those who criticized him in face books and those who wrote unflattering things. Despite the oppression, the people never badged and openly rejected his presidency and the manner he won the election. Since Faysal Waraabe and others called him a tough colonel, he decided to up the ante and create a real war without thinking the consequences.
Fast forward to Tukaraq and the unprovoked war.
Traditionally, the Puntlanders always had a soft spot for the Hargeisa Habro. You would rarely see those from Puntland openly attacking or putting down Somaliland. In fact, their leaders try to emulate and build relationships with them. Since everyone says that Somaliland achieved domestic peace and despite it's electoral dysfunction, it was a model others like Puntlanders wanted to follow .
As I was discussing the Tukaraq issue, one Puntalder told me that they never preoccupied or challenged Somaliand. We were mostly focused Mogadishu, the federal system, the foreign aid that all goes to Mogadishu and HAg ( Waar xamar iyo xagaa ayaanu mashqull ku nahay, oo siyaasada yadu xagan uma soo jeedin, Farmaajo markuu yimid waxooga dhaqaalaha horumarineed ayaanu ka daddasanaynay, markaasu ninkan waalani na soo aaday). Also, Ethiopian policies discourages it's vassel regions to fight one another. Yet, Biixi decided to go against a neighbor that doesn't want war.
Anyway, Michael Keaton went to Garoowe last week and discussed the Tukaraq issue with C/weli Gaas. The Puntland leader might be accused of many things, but politically , he is not naive or amateur. He is educated enough and he knows well the diplomacy games. When the UN envoy Mr. Keating asked to find peaceful solutions for the Tukaraq issue, C/weli said, " I know that as an envoy you want a peaceful Somali both in the South and in this region and we will fulfil our responsibilities to achieve this peace". He continued, "We want total peace in the region, we will not target or claim Laascaanood anymore" he continued, " We want the locals to decide their fate , and will no longer interfere with that region". In return C/weli wanted to keep the status quo of the old and let everyone collect their taxes in their outposts.
Mr. Keating could not believe that the a difficult issue of Tukaraq could be resolved quickly. Then few days ago Mr. Keating reached Hargeisa and met Ina Biixi. He told him the good news from Garoowe that Puntland is no longer interested in Sool or Laascaanood and the armies must return to their original posts for total peace. To the surprise of Mr. Keating, Muuse Biixi said, " withdrawing from Tukaraq is like withdrawing from Hargeisa". Mr. Keating was shocked that despite the good will, muuse is an out of touch man who doesn't even understand basic diplomatic games. All he supposed to say was that he will consider this good will gesture from Puntland and will reciprocate in the future. He could have went with flow and wait the real changes from Puntland.
C/weli Gaas 2 Biixi 0.
Well, after Mr. Keating left Hargeisa , the war broke out. When Djibouti was fighting a do or die battle against UAE, Biixi counted the Arabs to weaken Cumar Ghelle. Three weeks ago a delegation from Dubai came to Hargeisa and no one in the media saw him. You remember about the ghost delegation that no one saw except Biixi's spokesman? Well, C/raxman Boreh was one of them and for fear of Djibouti they hidden from the public eye. The diplomatic disaster of Biixi continues. Ghelle 2 Biixi o. Who is advising this man.
Yet, the biggest problem of Somaliland today is that there is no daylight between the man selling the Qat in downtown Hargeisa and the leadership including the president. They are all talking the same language. A tribally motivated man in the internet or a man in market might say , " We will capture Garoowe " Garoowe ayaanu soo qaban oo xuduudaanu Soo Xidhi" and the leader, Muuse, might repeat that boasting talk of the market to the media.
Our resident in SOL OOdweyne might say we expelled "Afweyne iyo Faqash" , and Biixi will repeat that same sentence. I was shocked when I listened his speech about " Adeerkood Afweyne Sidaanu u eryeney" by indirectly talking about the tribal issues of the D block. Mind you that these Puntlanders also fought Siyaad Barre just like SNM. That same leader is also the tribal uncle of the Sool community that is fighting alongside Somaliland, yet Ina Biixi spews tribal polemic just like street guy.
Since his election, it became the norm. A loser named Guri barwaaqo , who used to live here in Calgary, Alberta wrote books just like those in the Hargeisa market and sold them as academic literacy. By the way, due to that book and the arrest and humiliation of Nimco Qorane might bring down the biixi government than anyone else. The " Ciidagale" community is the moral compass of the Habro. Despite the wars they fought against Cigaal, they supported him later and helped build institutions with likes of Xaaji Cabdi Waraabe. When Rayaale took over, they supported despite the tribal campaign against him, and when Siilaanyo came , they stood by him and spoke loudly in their efforts to keep the Somaliland system.
The South Hargeisa community never complains about not getting ministers or government posts. When Biixi stole the election, they were the first to break ranks at the opposition and to call for calm and peaceful transition. After Biixi ignored their plea to fire the minister who insulted their women in his books, they decided to get rid of Biixi. Now, they fully joined the anti Biixi campaign, and with their credibility and elequency, Biixi will be finished. The West Burco might got the muscle of the Habro, but the Salaxley community is the brain.
Some of us already knew him as former warlord and warmonger, but today , the international community has discovered that Somaliland , the land of peace in the region, had been taken over by a war monger who may destroy everything with less than a year.
Everyone knows that Somaliland will never be the same after Ina Biixi. We know that every region will eventually join the federal project sooner or later, yet some us were expecting a peaceful transition from the Jeegaan Government to federal system. Popular anger and anti Jeegan riots had started from Ceerigaabo, Burco and will reach Awdal and other regions soon.
Rather than throw the Somaliland baby with Biixi bath water, Somaliland could be saved from total collapse. He could resign and call new elections within next six months . The centralised system of ruling over other regions must be dismantled. Every region must elect its own governor , and people must be given the freedom to speak against the project. The genie of Somaliland is out of the box. You can't recycle the failed policy of Somalia of 1989 with steroids.
The crime that will bring down Somaliland did not happen today. It happened the day tens of thousands honored a man who had blood in his hands. We forgave your crimes in order to gain communal harmony and create a government institution to prosper in peace, yet you decided to bring back the old warlord for tribal reasons.
Now, you still have a chance to rectify the mistakes and remove the warlord before we all sink in the political ocean . We also know that Biixi doesn't have a tribal muscle or land to control.
Here is the map.
We are calling for peace and the resignation of Ina Biixi.
