Castro Posted January 13, 2007 The Somali leaders: Are they accountable to the people? Instead of calling your citizens “terrorists” and bombing them into oblivion, deal with them according to our laws, put them in front of a judge in a court of law. Now that the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) controls the majority, or approximately 75% of the land mass in Somalia, from Ras Gardafui to Ras Kiamboni (roughly 2,000km); now that the most important members of the TFG are finally in the capital city Mogadishu, the President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed is now residing in his rightful and official presidential abode, the well-known Villa Somalia. Now that the Prime Minister Ali M. Gedi flies from one foreign capital to another, coupled with high powered meetings with very powerful people with spontaneous regularity, meetings with Americans one day, with the Europeans the next, neighborly Africans on another, good-intentioned Arab neighbors the next. President Yusuf and PM Gedi What are the outcomes of all of this? What about the people of Somalia? What’s next, Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister, the people of Somalia are waiting for you! The long suffering Somali people have been waiting for their leaders to deliver for the past 16 years, they have been waiting for you, Sir. What can you do for them, Sir? They have no one else to look up to. Do you work for them, Sir? Who is your employer? Are you accountable to them? If not, then, exactly who are you accountable to? Addis Ababa? Washington, D.C.? The answers to these questions are obvious; the long suffering Somali people need honest leaders, not a new group of “reformed” warlords. Leaders who are for genuine truth and reconciliation of the minor differences between the people of Somalia, who by birth belong to the same tribe, speak the same mother tongue and homogenously belong to the same religion of Islam. The long suffering Somali people are your employers, you are at their service and we all need to know and recognize this important fact. They have an inalienable right to demand you to serve them with honesty, dedication and truth. You are all important because of them, for you represent the Somali people on the world stage. Mr. President, Mr Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen of the highly esteemed Parliament, you have two choices in front of you at this critical juncture. The first is simple, easy and well-known by all of us, and it is the continuation of our usual destructive ways, continuation of the war, and attempting to solve problems with the barrel of the gun. Instead of issuing ultimatums please inform and educate the citizens, it is your responsibility to look after the welfare of the masses, remember you swore to serve them. Instead of calling your citizens “terrorists” and bombing them into oblivion, deal with them according to our laws, put them in front of a judge in a court of law. No leader in this world calls his or her compatriots “terrorists” and allows foreign troops to bomb them! The people of Somalia are expecting you to stop the war and start negotiations and reconciliation with all groups and factions. Mr. President, Mr Prime Minister, and Ladies and Gentlemen of the highly esteemed Parliament, the second choice is to immediately start reconstruction and development efforts. Concentrate your efforts into creating job opportunities for the young, and instead of ordering them to lay down their weapons, offer them better alternatives. Show them they have bright future as a birth right; reverse the desperation that drives them to being used as cannon fodder by warlords and militia chiefs. You can stop them from falling into the filthy hands of the warlords by offering them hope. Remember you are accountable to them only. Remember you represent the Somali people, not those suits in Addis Ababa or Washington, D.C.! Remember you do not represent you interests, or your clannish interests. The false, old-fashioned and outdated precept based on an ancient lineage system from unknown and unsubstantiated origins of the 4.5 divisions is just that – “FALSE”. The Somali people are not and can not be divided into 4.5 parts. The Somali people belong to one nation; they belong to one tribe: the “Somali” tribe. Can the social scientists or anthrolopologists provide definitive answers to the existence or otherwise and the origins of the clans? Let’s leave that for the next generation Somali and foreign anthrolopologists and historians. Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Parliament, individually and collectively you embody the Somali people as a whole. Remember history will judge you on how you take advantage on the current historical conditions presented before you to manage the common good of the Somali people at this point in time. Future generations will either remember you as great leaders who saved Somalia from the present state of anarchy and lawlessness, or your names will forever live in infamy! Garowe Online Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Qandalawi Posted January 13, 2007 ^^Who composed this? Source? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Castro Posted January 13, 2007 ^ Garowe Online Editorial. Trying to decipher their clan motives? LOL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wisdom_Seeker Posted January 13, 2007 The day they have called their own blood and flesh terrorist was the day they have seized to exist as leaders who could have led us out from darkness and into light. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Qandalawi Posted January 13, 2007 ^Rather personal intereset, but as far as the article is concerned, they are showing a great support... Have you finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, or may be there something more to it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wisdom_Seeker Posted January 13, 2007 Tukaale There is a difference between supporting a group and having faith in a group. The article is waiting, hoping and having some faith that the TFG will soon start serving its people and not the men in Addis Ababa or Washington D.C. To some extend i have faith that the TFG may bring some stability of some sort to Somalia, nevertheless i don’t support them for they aren’t men i would generally consider patriotic leaders. Just traitorous, self-centered individuals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites