Public opinion in Somalia politics...does it matter?

[Hibo]

Having swept to power on the back of a destroyed Somalia, TNG President Abdiqasim Hassan has not taken on the warlords, and failed to distance himself from the tribal politics that ripped this country apart. Now the soft spoken, practicing muslim president is seen by many as a devil in desguise. The Kismayo war has exposed him to this first crisis of public confidence. But does public opinion matter in a country like Somalia.

[Hibo]

A year has passed since the world was given the illusion Somalia would once again become a strong nation which perhaps might become strategically prepared to handle any given obstacle considering its ability to exist following numerous adverse and harsh conditions. However biased that perception seems - those few who have assumed the responsibility of riding Somalia from what has kept the country hostage for more than a decade are just coming to grips with roadblocks they have managed to overlook. Stating the obvious, roadblocks have come in the form of differences in the formulation of the transitional government and its acknowledgement by donor countries, distributions of donor funds, the threat of a fragile market economy that shifted unfavorably to one group, and tribal tensions.

 

Any modern governing body founded on principles of checks and balances should understand the relevancy and need for oversight by a parliament. A parliament has the power and authority to oversee that such roadblocks are addressed ahead of time. This system seems lacking in this premature government assembled to tackle the mammoth-size problems facing our nation. One cause, which can be attributed to explaining these deficits, is the belief that indeed all members in the TNG/TNA have the same ideologies and perception of how Somalia is to be governed. Had these members objected to the current misconducts and presented alternatives of how Somalia is to achieve peace and tranquility, those roadblocks would have been addressed with harsh disapproval during the ongoing closed-door meetings. Does this inadequacy suggest that the body having oversight into the conduct of the Prime Minister and the President needs an overseer itself? Has the parliament become an extension of the Transitional government’s cabinet.

 

At a moment in history when the conduct of public figures is judged through the court of public opinion, self-proclaimed leaders whether disguised as persons seeking to rid our nation of its larger-than-life injustices or those convinced they speak on behalf of the vulnerable have shown the public-at-large they are ill-equipped to contain our overflowing societal problems which have managed to duplicate and mutate a hundredfold. These two groups have been given the opportunity to control public opinion through tactics fitting an insecure psychopath who reacts to a threat by means of intimidation and harm to the well being of others.

 

This level of intimidation seems to have dissipated these past months with encouraging news coming from Mogadishu showing warlords have come to an agreement to stop clan clashes. Certainly by no means can this sudden holier-than-though attitude towards the worth of a human life explain they have respect for mankind, but rather this illustrates the intensity of recognition by donor nations towards the TNG and how it has easily shifted the pendulum. In our exceptional state of affairs is it fair to suggest public opinion is controlled by the almighty dollar or is public opinion subdued amidst the heightened intimidation by the few who have and still continue to exhaust Somalia of all of its natural resources (man & environment). Has the need to become militant and raise one’s voice in the face of destructive governance become irrelevant at a time when everyone has taken the initiative to take matters into their own hands by declaring self-rule?

 

Leyla Jamac

jleyla@hotmail.com

 

 

[Hibo]

hiya,

 

something off the topic...Layla what did u study sis? Journalism?

the thing is even thou I don't like to read about Somali Politics, I enjoy reading your articles and yes I follow them @ somalitalk.

so is there by any chance you could say your educational background in here?, I know that some people don't like to talk about something like that, and if u are one of them and u don't want to do so, then please accept my apology.

 

peace out

[Steve]

Public opinion should matter no matter what. I am an American of Irish decent, and I don't care what you say, but dictatorship should have no place in world politics.

[barliin]

steve i think ur right

we as somalis need peace

that is our dream right now

even thou we fight and kill each othere

at the end of the day we still love each

othere the are alot of sick people who only think about there own gols

but the somali youth is growing up

and i think we can do hell of lot better than the older somalis we will one day rule somaliya

and make it better than it ever was

 

[Hibo]

First, i want to thank Sister Amina to her intrest about her own country, secondly I would like to say as long as we are judging person to his tripe(clan), not his efforts and achievements, we will be the poorest, most underdeveloped nation in the world.

I am not defending or attacking anybody at this momment, just i want from the somali people to practice what our religion asking us (to be real muslims), because our Koran and Sunnah ordering us to say the right word (negative or possitve) about the person, nation enz regardless your relation to him/her, his/her poor or richness, his/her

powerfull/lessness etc.

So, if we want to say something about person, regime etc we have to say the both sides as much as we can, not only dark or bright sides. If you see today the somali debates you see either dark or bright sides and that's unacceptable, i think Aminas way is the best way to open debate, because she has neither oppaosed nor asided the TNG, she just asked us our opinion about it, i am ready to say my word later on this debate, but i am asking again the Bros, and Sis, to be realistic and honest.

 

[raula]

I both agree with steve and barliin..

 

Public opinion should matter..to my understanding,somalia has been under dictatorship for a while and due to lack of public opinion,it led to the destruction of this country and the fall of govt, inaddition to destroying hollistic # of innocent lives and displacing many others without food, shelter and clothing..However, I think that this generation( the youth of today) will lead to a better somalia tomorrow..

 

Never give up hope..4 there will be a better somalia someday...when I see the consequences of the civil war in somalia on TV,newspapers etc...tears roll down my eyes, even though I didnt grew up there..we cant let them suffer anymore...sure its saddening, but we have to take action..

 

 

midwesta..

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

I don't know if Abdiqasim has any choice of doing anything. Somalia is just a nation with a zero credability. every tribe has its own agenda. Public opinion is dominated by tribal issues. It all depends what issue and what tribe.

[SomaliaOnline-President]

To tell you the truth people, i think my Qabiil should've ruled over Somalia. Seriously, and i still do believe my QABIIL (with the blessing of its patriotic QAABIILESTE people) should rule all of Somalia.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Almost eight years later, same wax lee ka hadleynaa wali. Shariif is C/qaasin of nowadays..

[Som@li]

8 years and no change! atleast tribalism I reckon is slowly dissappearing, and now more into religious conflict.