“To those who have lost hope”

[Thierry.]

A very nice piece Ghanima (you can be my )

 

 

 

Kashafa brave heart is one of my favourite movies, the cocky Irish man is the bomb

[Som@li]

One of the few who went back to make changes, Sultan Hure paid his life!

 

Who killed Sultan Hurre (1957-2002)?

(SHHRF 009/2003, 4 July 2003)

 

Since the death of Sultan Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed, known as Sultan Hurre, on the 17th August 2002 at Kala-bayrka, a village 80 kilometres south of Garowe, the regional state capital of Puntland state of Somalia, there is no official recognition about the killing of the sultan. But what we officially know is that the sultan died in the hands of the personal bodyguards of the unconstitutional president of Puntland, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.

 

Sultan Hurre was one of the traditional leaders who opposed the unconstitutional extension of Col. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed to the presidency of Puntland when his term expired on the 30th of June 2001. Instead of standing for re-election or resigning, Col. Abdullahi Yusuf extended his rule by force for another three-year term. The majority of Puntlanders and their Isimo (traditional leaders) have rejected this move.

 

On 30 June 2001, Col. Abdullahi Yusuf and his henchmen fled Garowe after a popular uprising. However, in disregard of the popular will, he returned in force on 21 November 2001 to Garowe, killing several innocent civilian people and nearly capturing or killing the newly elected president, Jama Ali Jama, and persecuting all those who opposed him.

 

The vile act of killing a traditional leader is an unprecedented occurrence in the modern Somali history. As one of the Puntland Isim, Sultan Hurre stood firm in the defence of the popular will and interests, the nascent grassroots democratic institutions and the prevalence of the rule of law which began in Puntland State of Somalia following the collapse of the Somali state in the early 1991.

 

The political intimidation run by Col. Abdullahi Yusuf 's terror machine is intended to threaten and curb the grassroots development from taking root. Political killing has became the blueprint of the colonel and his henchmen. The killing of Sultan Hurre followed the barbaric murder of Colonel Farah Dheere in Garowe and preceded many others in almost all the cities of Puntland.

 

It is unfortunate that men like Col. Abdullahi Yusuf would get chance to stand for the highest office of the Somali nation at a time to revive and reconstruct the central state. Such possibility would infringe and jeopardise the aims, objectives and principles of the current IGAD sponsored Somali National Reconciliation and would harm the IGAD’s reputation.

 

Human rights issues and humanitarian laws are not integrated in the peace negotiation. Failure to integrate these issues makes national peace conferences to legitimise the very abusers of human rights of their terror actions.

 

Col. Abdullahi Yusuf and others who committed crimes against the Somali people should not be rewarded for their crimes.

Who killed Sultan Hurre?

[NASSIR]

Ghanima, Is there any meaningful difference between a dismemberment and an occupation of one country? I would give you the benefit of the doubt.

[Ibtisam]

Kashafa Good ideas there and not a bad speech, and yes those are all little things you can do to do your part.

 

Lily

I think we shouldn't forget that a huge chunk of the Somali population lives on the kindess and genorosity of their brethen abroad who send them money every month. It was only last year I read that in Minneapolis alone $75 million was sent to Somalia over a 5 year period

And what of the other junk, who is going to help them, it is true that those who have relatives abroad are able to survive and maybe even get away from the immediate conflict, but regardless of how hard people in the west work, we will never be able to sustain the whole population of the country, and their dependence could only continue for so long. Everyone deserves to make it on their own rather waiting on hand-outs. Often hand-out due to their dependency nature create the problem, as people just wait for their monthly bill rather than trying to think of innovative methods of earning a livelihood, or changing their life or becoming self sufficient even with the absence of conflict (Somaliland is a perfect example) with nearly 60% of the national income being remittance.

 

Nomadique-

I could not agree more

 

Cara thanks, but I’m a firm believer that everyone has it them, some just need to dig deeper than others, and lord knows I had to dig deep!.

 

Urban

I don’t know what I will find for you, but I am looking and I’m confident there is something that you can do within your ability, when I find it I will send it your way inshalllah

 

Lool @ Thierry

 

Caamir

Yes there is a significant difference. You have a problem with that? I’m not interested in your benefit of the doubt of anything.

 

Serenity

Ghamina, I think there comes a time when one has to evaluate their life and what they hope to get out of it. Unfortunately for some of us in the west, that path in life doesn't include spending humongous amount of time and energy in a country, where the daily reality doesn't effect us in the least, especially when one has to live their own life and have their own personal/family ambitions to fulfill,

and the people who live there do not wish to be their own vanguards.

when will you get my name right hortaa?

 

So basically what you are saying is that, “I have far too much to cope with as it is, the happenings of Somalia does not affect my daily life at all and I have my own life to live and my own ambitions to reach” That in itself I have not problem with, you can have your life, and aim high for your dreams and ambitions, doing something for them does not mean you have to stop doing your own thing, sometimes it can mean simply succeeding in your life and helping other Somalis to achieve better and bigger things. But I do have a problem with the last bit, please take a look at the current situation and tell me that those people have the opportunity to be their own anything let alone vanguards? Most are on survival mode, and cannot see pass today and tomorrow because of all the daily reality they have to deal with.

 

 

In most of the examples you cited, the people who the status quo effected directly became pioneers for change.

There are people who have been trying to achieve change, make things better, build and rebuild, they have the ideas, I promise you there is not a shortage of ideas. They understand their environment and conditions far better than us, and they know what it takes to survive. What they lack is, the means to fulfil those ideas and possible practicality.On occasions or for the most part, the masses lack the people who will turn those ideas into reality. The people who sustain the status quo are those who are currently benefiting, they may have made a decision to keep things this way, but the masses are always one step behind, living in a condition created to keep them trapped.

 

 

Its less motivating to do something for our people more than the monthly allowance we send back, simply because Somalis in the west have their own reality of life in the west to deal with.

Firstly our realities in the west are not as challenging or as life threatening as the ones they face, nor can we draw such a comparison, furthermore I never said you had to stop doing what you are doing. The change does not necessarily have to be in Somalia. The same failures that are keeping Somalia underdeveloped and backwards are the very same reasons that the Somali communities in the diaspora are under performing and falling apart. Take a look at the condition of our community in Britain, show me how we have influenced or integrated into our new society? I would not even mind if we had a future here or shined as a community and are succeeding. For the most part we are not, we live in ghetto areas and hang off the fringe of society. We are fast to point out the failure of the Somalis back home who are struggling with the worse conditions ever, but what about the communities we live in, what makes us better, more successful (even with all the opportunities available to us) Where is our vanguard to help us cope with our own realities? Perhaps we can most benefit them by helping ourselves.

 

What can one really do externally for people who don't buy humanity or reason? And whose greatest strength is reserved for bringing down all thats progressive? Come on! You know this is an inherent Somali quality.

Really, Now you are just ranting, it is not a Somali “quality" (if it can be called that) and factually flawed, nor can you make such mass generalization about their humanity and reason. It is very unfair of you and unsound.

 

 

Where Somalia is concerned, there is little Somalis in the west can do, unless they are willing to move lock stock and barrel and become part of reality on the ground. I've yet to see many volunteers on that front. But it seems a lot of people sleep better by convincing themselves they are ready to do something.

If Somalis abroad helped themselves and achieved something as a community it is good enough. People in Somalia have coped and will continue to cope with their realities with or without our help. In any case the essence of a vanguard is to fill the current vacuum with practical ideas or help turn those ideas into reality (for Somalia or individual Somali communities around the world), which you can do from the relative safety and comfort of your home and without putting your life on hold or move lock stock and barrel.

 

As for your last sentence, again seems like you are judging a pair of shoes with out trying them on,(you know they always look more comfortable than they actually are) for most, the thought keeps them awake in search for a solution or inspiration.

 

Jimcaale

 

That is a really good example actually. Thanks.

 

All good things said about Somalis; they fall short on Amr bil-macruuf Wa-nah canil Munkar. Regardless the circumstance or place, qabiil takes precedence over the common good & welfare of the society and deen. Allah doesn't change people until they do.

Some problems in Somalia, same divides in our host countries. We just imported all our differences and they are as prevalent as ever.

 

In any case I guess for some of us, we have families, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters etc so it is very much a reality for some of us. :cool:

[Ibtisam]

Can I just add Serenity

 

In recent times Businessmen (in particular) and locals have realised that their interest is in stability and a measure of law and order,( a change in mindset) before the US/Ethiopian invasion these ideas were becoming increasingly powerful and popular, one of the things that allowed the ICU to get support and funding. Moreover large-scale violence and warlordism had proven to be largely unsustainable in the long run and people had started to see the benefits of having in place peace and stability and that was not us helping them out by any means, so again your statement that they do not want to change their conditions is not supported. If nothing else the ICU time showed a relative resurgence in the role and social power of the "people" which as you know was also helpful in promoting reconstruction in Somaliland.