Somaliland Under Attack

[Brave]

Editors View

Awdal news Network

 

October 21, 2003 - 15:42

 

Somaliland Under Attack

 

 

It is not easy to be a Somalilander these days. One cannot believe that when we have just begun to recover from the shock of the brutal assassination of Dr. Annalena Tonelli in Borama, that another gruesome killing of humanitarian workers has taken place in the town of Sheikh. It seems that not even a river of tears can wash away our shame.

 

It is true that we have cried, vented away our anger and frustration through demonstrations, poured out our hearts through heartfelt condolences and condemnations and lived on the hope that with time the disgrace will go away and the international community will understand our plight and our misfortune.

 

We have tried to convince the world community and

ourselves that there was no conspiracy involved in Tonelli’s killing and that it was an isolated case of a mentally deranged man that brought us shame. The world community has sympathized with us. The wound was beginning to heal.

 

Now with the killing of Richard Eyeington, 62,

headmaster of the Sheikh Secondary School, and his wife Enid, 61, two British teachers and a married couple who chose to spend the remaining years of their life to educate young generation of Somalilanders, in the town of Sheikh, one feels helpless, devastated and betrayed. It is now obvious, however, that Somaliland is under attack. One may not be able to point the finger at a particular enemy, but no Somalilander

should doubt that there is a huge a conspiracy aimed at destabilizing the only oasis of peace until now in the Somali peninsula. Those who would like to do harm to Somaliland are many, but to identify them one may only ask who would benefit from the collapse of peace and security in Somaliland. It may be easier to answer this question with only more questions such as:

 

1- Why such crimes are committed at this particular time when Somaliland has launched an active diplomatic campaign to sell its case to the world and when the Somali reconciliation conference in Nairobi is on the

verge of collapse?

 

2- Why vulnerable foreigners who extend basic services in the vital sectors of health and education were targeted?

 

3- Why Italian and British citizens, two powerful EU countries and former colonial powers, of Somalia and Somaliland were targeted?

 

4- Why the perpetrators chose to commit their crimes in the home regions of the President and Vice President of Somaliland, namely Awdal and Sahil?

 

5- Why the crimes coincide with Somaliland’s efforts to establish close ties with neighboring Djibouti?

 

6- Do the crimes have anything to do with the current endeavors by some Somalilanders to reconcile between the ****** clans? Someone may assume that if these efforts succeeded and the ****** clans have settled their differences, this would definitely have led to rapprochement between Irir clans of the south and

north, thus leading to the ****** ’s acceptance of

Somaliland’s sovereignty by default. This may in turn lead to a link up of the Irir triangle of Somaliland, Mogadisho, Djibouti. It is obvious whose interest it would be to foil such possibility if at all it existed?

 

7- Who else but religious extremists would also be happy to see foreigners flee from Somaliland?

 

8- Why the government is lax and indifferent to the protection and security of foreign humanitarian workers?

 

These questions and many others may rush to one’s mind to figure out who would really benefit from the collapse of peace and stability in Somaliland.

 

But regardless of who is behind such heinous crimes, it is time for Somalilanders to reiterate their unity and cohesion. It is time to make a resolve to protect the hard won gains of peace, stability and democracy in our country. We should not budge, we should not

waiver and we shouldn’t give in to defeat and despair.

 

 

The Somaliland government has also tough questions to answer. The citizens have every right to ask why the British teachers of Sheikh were left without protection when the killing of Dr. Tonelli was still fresh on our minds? The government should do everything to give proper protection to foreigners who extend much needed humanitarian services to our people. It should not let criminals, extremist firebrands and trigger-happy drug addicts to have the fate of our country in their hands. It should not let

Somaliland to be a safe haven for organized crime and international terrorism.

 

Somalilanders in the diaspora should express their shock, anger and condemnation against such brutal crimes and should offer their condolences at Italian and British Embassies. Somaliland is under attack and it is up to us whether we defend it or turn away from our national duty and let our country fall apart.

 

Our sympathies and warm tears go to the family,

relatives and friends of Richard Eyeington, headmaster of the Sheikh Secondary School, and his wife and fellow teacher Enid.

 

We also cry with the students of Sheikh Secondary

School who have been shocked by the ghastly murder of their beloved teachers.

[A.J. Timacadeh]

brave,

 

if this article is right then the ****** audacity of the somali's hatred towards eachother is brought to the limelight in the most gruesome ways of all: murder. these two british people have devoted their lives to helping innocent poor somali's living in somaliland and are blessed with a generosity and have given hope to innocent somali's who otherise would have been doomed.

 

i hope that the perpetrators of this gruesome act are brough to justice by the somaliland authorities and i hope they get what they deserve.

[Gabbal]

That author is an embarassment to all Somalis in my humble opinion. How can a crime be distinguished on one's nationality, or supposed nationality? Whether a Somali commited it or a "Somalilander" commited, it makes no difference. A crime is a crime and these last two murders of Annalena and these two couples is a particularly tragic and embarassing crime for all Somalis!

 

Allah (SWT) said: “That whoever kills a single soul for other than a soul (killed) or for corruption in the earth, it is as though he had killed all of humanity together, and whoever saves the life of a single soul, it is though he had saved the life of all humanity together.” (al-Ma’Ida 5:32)

[Macalin]

ACWW

Like i said b4,Mz Tonnelis death was such a loss to ALL somalis and not only to borame residents-she started to help folks in the NFD in the early 70s.

 

Having said that, the author(which i presume is the editorial section of the local newspaper) has some valid points, yes the murders could be the work of non somalilanders who wish to see somland go nowhere...but then he said this:

 

1- Why such crimes are committed at this particular time when Somaliland has launched an active diplomatic campaign to sell its case to the world and when the Somali reconciliation conference in Nairobi is on the

verge of collapse?

---now this is absurd,hasnt S/land been aggressive since the collapse of the dicatator?..i mean we all know that the somaliland government has been unable to convince the international community,even with peace. If they were serious about solving and recognising somalilands soverigneity,will they and solely base it on the death of 4 europeans who everyone agrees were helping the locals?..i mean its a point to be considered,In coffee shops,jaad chewing venues but certainly not in the editorial section of a newspaper!-unless this paper is a tabloid and or is/was trying to sell more papers to the locals.

starting with a claim like this on a newspaper is defintly not healthy for an already bruised and batterd notherners...in my opinion this newspaper is trying so hard to gain or make a break through the somalilanders and being seen as a 'real northerner'.

 

The media,*(especially a newspaper)should be inpartial/critical/watch and guide nationals and not Incite the LOCALS vs the NATION.*(nation being the larger somali diaspora)

 

The author has defintly no concious for respect,as he goes and bubbles about how its outside work,which again as i said,could be the work of outsiders but going around and inciting locals is not the way proffesionals go about solving issues...BARBS to him/ whoever the editor s!.

[Che -Guevara]

Maybe someone is trying to destabilize Sland, and what happened to the brits was very tragic indeed. But what this so called editor wrote is rather pathetic. He lost his credibility by using the term "Irir". In his mind, those did this horrofic crime are ethnic groups from Puntland. They are one who want mogadisho to be in flames, Sland destroyed, and encourage Joubite to be anti-Sland. He might as well say lets attack Pland. This article is nothing but incitement. Maybe he he is looking for another Aided and Tuur, two individuals who were dreaming to wipe out Planders and happily meet each other at gates of Garowe.

[Blessed]

This is quite amusing :eek:

 

Lakad,

lol@ professionls and media responsibilities.. your such an idealist babes no such things exist in this world!

 

Besides, the sentiments of this particulare editor aren't shared by other Sland papers (Slandtimes and Jamhuuriya). I guess he can say whatever.. certianly sets off dialogues in a forum like this..

 

I just hope they catch the people who killed those people and get this dealt with!

[Paragon]

Nomads, the editor, as i see it, is only trying to capitalize on the distraught state many Somalis are in due to the death of those who were murdered. The foreign helpers were an asset to all Somalis in general, and whoever attempts to make a point by ending the lives of these two teachers and other foreigners, have serious mental sickness, curable only by a firing squad.

 

Some wicked minded people may see this tragedy as an opportunity or a vehacle to drive more hatred into our wounded hearts.

[N.O.R.F]

dont read too much into it, which is what he wants us to do! I would rather believe what my fam and freinds tell is goin on! Interesting tho

[Macalin]

Lakad,

lol@ professionls and media responsibilities.. your such an idealist babes no such things exist in this world!

---------

 

Its About time we became responsible.

[wind talker]

Boring AND useless. Everything's a conspiracy. Just sympathize with the poor Gaalos who were sacrificing their lives in order to help others. That's indeed honorable. But don't go too deep into the conspiracy to take down the Republic of Somaliland. A couple of senseless murders don't do that.

 

Che-Guevara -

 

Don't worry man. Garoowe is untouchable. An article isn't gonna make it any easier for haters to attack Garoowe anytime soon. Or ever!

[Thunder]

Asalaamu 3alaykum

 

It is indeed a sad story to read, but no one really knows what western are doing in Somalia.

They may've been there to help Somalis, they may've been there to spread their ideologies who knows. I would like to ask those who have killed them what was the motive?

[LANDER]

The author of this article raises some pertinent points about the deaths of these two teachers. It seems though, he goes too far at times with his speculation at least in my humble opinion. However I like the format of his article, in that he ends every speculation with a question mark, meaning its open for interpretation. Media is always full of bias and prejudice and will always remain so. What this article definintely exposes however, is that we must strenghten our security in Sland. We definetely have to come up with an intelligence service at some point, specially to deal with some of the possibilities raised by this article. It would be more appropriate for an intelligence service to worry about these scenarios rather than a local paper. In a country that is comprised of unstable provinces that are not even under the direct control of the central government, and provinces that are stable but also offer refuge to other ethnic somali refugees from the war in the south; we must have a way to find those who seek to harm our state and deal with them accordingly. Tribal non-sense aside, we must be aware of the enemies who want to destroy us from within as our peace prosperity and the survival of our state is dependent on it.

[Macalin]

Lander first time i have actually agreed with you on something.

 

You are definetly being SMART and giving possible solutions...good job bro.

 

How does the position of a internal security admin sound?..it comes with full PERKS...Jaad N all..just kidding...Baquets to U son

[Che -Guevara]

Wind-Talker....lol.... Iam not worried. Only Allah knows if Garowe is untouchable, or for that matter hargeysa, mogadisho or badio. That wasn't my point anyway. I guess i was trying to say this guy is just giving more ammunitations to the likes of Faisal Waraabe ( former Barre lackey trying to reinvent himself as SNM patriot), Ina Yusuf ( a mad man obsessed with power), and Yalaxow ( another nut case who kills in medina da very ppl he is claiming to be representing).

These individuals are oppurtinustic, and care less to what happens to their own tribes or for that matter to other somalis.

 

Lander. Are yu sure that yu wanna have an internal service in a land led by former NSS officer.

[LANDER]

hmm...I knew someone would bring up the NSS. This time around things are very different, for one Somaliland is not the dictatorship of Siad Barre where the NSS lackies felt free to act as they pleased. Hopefully if theirs ever an intelligence service established, it will have to answer to parliment among other measures of internal control. Everybody is quick to vilafy Riyaale. Even if the rumours about his shady past where to be true, some ppl just don't realize that this man does not have absolute power in Sland. I know the man himself is very well aware of that and he is cautious not to try anything that would seem too authoritarian or seem discriminate against any part of the population.