What happened in Bosasso?

[Sky]

A gunfight of approximately an hour or so had taken place in Bosasso at Xiif Cali Taar's house between his private militia and the Puntland security forces under Gen Yusuf Axmed Kheyr after the latter were busy with their daily rounds through Bosasso. The security forces were chasing street thugs [adolescent gangs organized by subsubclan affilliation] and passed the house of Xiif. Xiif's security guards thought that they were being attacked by the police and started shooting on the police, whereby two policemen wounded. The allready grave situation escalated, when the security forces replied with a massive attack on Xiif's guards. Even the military Daraawiish forces entered the scene. Both sides had to be cooled down by traditional elders.

 

Xiif Cali Taar is a former Somali navy officer with his roots in North Mudug. His father Cali Taar was a telegram operator in Mogadishu, hence the nickname Taar. Capt Xiif entered into a contract with the then-president of Puntland Cabdulahi Yusuf Yeey in 2001 to protect Puntland waters from illegal fishing for a 5 year period in exchange for a percentage of the licenses allocated to foreign fishing companies. The company SOMCAN had build a heavily armored fleet and was allowed to use Cabdulahi Yusuf's tribal militias from Mudug to man this fleet. Cabdulahi Yusuf had a lot of interest in lending out a portion of his numerous tribal militias to be paid by Somcan.

 

Cabdulahi Yusuf and Somcan made millions with issuing licenses to mainly Asian foreign vessels. Somcan/Ilmo Cali Taar spent their newfound wealth on lavish mansions (in Bosasso and Toronto), hotels and the latest landcruisers. Cabdulahi Yusuf spent his dough on his pursuit to rule Somalia as the president-elect in Mbagathi and a beautiful Italian style villa in the Yamayska (agricultural area of Gaalkacyo developed by the Somali government), a greener, uphill neigbourhood where most of North Mudug's rich and famous own a house. This is a controversial topic in Puntland where most Puntlanders regard Ilmo Cali Taar as thieves, while Cabdulahi Yusuf got off the hook because he spent the money on politics. Something more acceptable to the restless Somali souls as they believe they will all gain from it.

 

After last week's ordeal that had taken place in Bosasso. Subsubclan sentiments are rising to an all time high again between politicians of Yeey and Cadde's subsubclans. A certain tension was always present between the two groups after Col Jamac Cali Jamac was ousted and Yeey's subsubclan disproportianetely started to dominate Puntland [80% of the military Daraawiish consists of Yeey's subsubclan whereas the rest consists of another related subsubclan that inhabits the Wardheer province in the Ethiopian Hawd and a smaller group of Reer Sool]. Gen Yusuf Axmed Kheyr is accused by evil tongues of attempting to assasinate Xiif to show a signal to his brethren from Mugdi Mudug that their happy time in Puntland is over and the rightful Boqors are in charge now.

 

On the other side people are asking themselves how its possible that Xiif can get away with maintaining such a large personal force numbering in the hundreds in no other place than Bosasso whose sole function is to guard Xiif's house, his pasta factory and his fleet. His little babybrother Cabdiweli parades through the streets as a president, taking at least 2 bodyguards and a driver with him to go from A to B. Wealthier Puntlanders are seen modestly sitting at a cafe downtown alone wearing a macwiis drinking Caana Boore from a tin cup, but these private guards are ordered to shoot everyone that comes to close with a gun.

 

Its sad to see that, the nepotism of Cabdulahi Yusuf's rule look like they are being repeated under Cadde. Somcan has been replaced by Al Khayr, a company headed by Cadde's close kinsman. The police commander Gen Yusuf Kheyr ditto. Bosasso's municipality and port are his relatives' strongholds now even though the city has become a new home to Somalis from all over. Cadde's closest advisors and aides also not to forget. Is Cadde really heading down the same road or is he as he proclaimed: An old man who needs nothing more than Allah's mercy and the wellbeing of his people. An old man who cares nothing for personal interest nor clannism. An old man who aspires to confirm the age old rumour that the dirtpoor Somalis are sitting on gold, black gold and lots of it.

[Xoogsade]

Thanks saxib for the report and for your courage in sharing such information with the rest of us. It is a lesson we need to emulate and get over the biased line we take in news reports and analysis.

 

Where do the religious people fit into this? They are numerous and actually the majority if numbers matter and they should put pressure on the institutions and demand governance without nepotism or corruption. Muqdisho is what it is because the men with the real ability are the religious men and they just stay on the sidelines watching degradation. Or the situation in Bosaso is as it had been in A/Y's era where the religious are relegated to the mosques and have no influence? Is their mediation acceptable in case of major political upsets? I thought they had a better influence in their communities over there than their counterparts in Muqdisho who mostly prefer the dollar over the sacrifice for national or local interests. Somalis are not receptive anyway to their involvement so may be they have a good reason to just watch the events unmoved.

 

Anyway, keep up the good work.

 

Bosaso has become a hub for all somalis across clans. We want a solid government and stability over there and hopefully this is nothing to worry about.

[General Duke]

Sky, a good and very informative post. I heard about this incident through the media and it does amaze me that, a private millitia can challange the police in Bossaso.

 

No one should be above the law. Ina Taar or a simple layman should be treated the same. One should never tolerate such things. As for the corruption and nepotism these are the greatest danger to the cohesion of the Somali people. Puntland has of late been trying to come to terms with this. Abdullahi and Cade do seem alike.

 

Again thanks for the thread..

[Thankful]

So basically we have a typical Somali discussion, which is so quick to point out the problems but never one single solution.

I personally spent 2 weeks at the Taar City Hotel last Summer and although I have no relation to the Brothers i'll say one thing I noticed. We need more Somalis like them, regardless of how they made their money which will always be up for debate. I saw guys that went back to their country and were actually helping with the economy. I saw Managers, Assistant Managers, electricians and many other workers, the most I saw at any hotel. I even saw a waiter from Tanzania working there. Just think what would happen if everyone living abroad came back and started building things and didn't just continuously complain about everything. The problems you are talking about I mean people getting angry with the Brothers is B.S, sure their will always be those that have negative things to say, but the number one question people asked me is why dont you come back and build something. THEY ARE DESPERATE.

About the incident I heard the police were at fault during the altercation (something that is common all of the world, especially Africa), I heard now that everything has been resolved and things are back to normal.

Second, well if your opinion is that Abdulahi and Cade are the same then fine. But, do you see civil war, do you see military tension with Somaliland? You truely think thing are looking the same? Is the Violence the same?

Bosasso's municipality and port are his relatives' strongholds

Do your research I advise you, before Abdulahi left to be the President of the TFG he was the one that gave the port over and it was not Cade, that is why there is not a big controversy over it. How could someone even think of complaining when it was not even Cade who gave control of the port over. Look it up.

No point in defending everything in this post that is full of negative complaints. But please dont talk about the "people of puntland" like you can speak for them, you obviously know nothing about them. They seen far worse days, THE ONLY ONES THAT COMPLAIN ARE THOSE LIVING ABROAD SITTING AT STARBUCKS. When is the last time you went?

[Yeniceri]

^^

 

I don't understand exactly what you gain from replaying the same tunes over and over again: under Cadde's leadership, there's no civil conflict and no tension with SL, blah blah.

 

Cajiib that you turn the blind eye to what's really going on - corruption. Puntland employees such as civilians and police haven't been paid for a while. Where's the money from Bossaso port going? In Maxamed Dheere's pockets, I presume.

 

Cadde waa maqaar-saar sida Karzai of Afghanistan. Micno uu leeyahay ma jirto. When a private militia defeated his so-called police force, he publicly went on the attack against the police, saying they broke the law.

 

Funny, though: Where's the mention of Ilmo Cali Taar and their heavily-armed private militia (which can defeat the police)? Is it legal to have such an armed presence in Bossaso?

 

Cadde is a weak leader. He'll spend the rest of his term giving great speeches such as: If you kill someone, you'll be executed (has not happened); we will invite foreigners to invest (has not happened); we will build Bossaso airport (has not been finished); we will expand the port (has not even started). Hadal, hadal iyo hadal. Meesha ma Tim Hortonska Toronto buu mooday?

 

P.S. If he returns Gaagaab as finance minister and replaces all the other heavyweights (as speculated by most websites), we'll know for sure that he's a proxy leader. Let's wait.

[Thankful]

Wow, I clearly stated the need for solutions and not just complaints and you bring another post full of them. It's unbelievable, I mean seriously.

Well it may mean nothing to you about the peace which Puntland is seeing, because you are safe and sound in your Western nation, but believe me when the two sides actually swapped prisoners it's a huge deal to their families and the families of those soldiers fighting. See Somalia needs more peace like that. When violence like the extent we seen in the past years is not taking place, it's a big deal.

Puntland employees such as civilians and police haven't been paid for a while.

There would be a revolution if they weren't being paid for extended period of time! Has there been times they were missed payment for their duties? Absolutely. There isn't a government in the face of this earth that does not see corruption. The Canadians liberals have lost billions of dollars. Forget about even the U.S and the Republicans. So what's your point?

So Ilmo Cali Taar won? Really is that so, well are they in control of the coast guard anymore? I mean that is where the problem started from, if they won they'd still be in charge.

Gaagaab will definitely come back as finance minister!!!

So next post, SOLUTIONS. And not just, get President Cade out and bring Faroole in.

[miles-militis]

Somalipride – at a loss, you seem to be in engaging in a factual based dialogue with the loony, loopy lot who lack a bona fide grasp of the reality in Puntland, or elsewhere in Somalia. To you credit, you bring in a great deal of reason derived from what you have seen and know of the said state; unfortunately the opposite is true of the loony lot. How you could possibly engage in a productive dialogue is beyond me – gacma daalis iga dheh!

 

Clarify for the sake of it I shall, for I doubt paying much attention the culprits herein will be.

 

What is being classified as a private militia in Puntland is the official, government sanctioned marines (ciidanka badda) in charge of the control, safeguard and monitoring amongst other things, rightly or not, of the seas in Puntland under the command of one Xiif A Taar, the architect; thusly labelling it his private militia only indicates the ignoramus nature of the arguments put forth by the loony lot. Marines alike the Dervishes come under the direct command of the President, and unlike the Police forces that report, not to the President, but to the Ministry of Interior which is the reason that President Cadde was quick to condemn the actions of the Police Chief who it turns out in his miscalculated attempt dived in to apprehend a unit of the marines in Bosaso lacking justifiable cause, muscle and vigour – a politically motivated manoeuvring on the Police Chief’s part as some had hinted earlier. On the whole, in diffusing the matter, I believe Cadde was smart enough to suss out the culprits, condemn the act, and engage concerned parties as result of which a resolution, which I trust benefits all concerned has been hatched. This I trust is spill-over of eclectic, overdue, partly mismanaged internal affairs of the State, and Cadde ought to take on head first if he is to be taken seriously – so far, so good contrary to the nay sayers stranded in foreign lands living off of drops from their counterparts elsewhere. Why bother listening to them, lazy buggers, I ask.

 

As for Cadde, what is expected of him, what his legacy might be, and whether his are only empty rhetorical words, I say only time will tell. He has got 2 more years to mess and mend before a sound judgement and reflective assessment of his administration’s accomplishments could be tempted. Again, so far so good!

 

Resolution, my dear Somalipride could only be searched in between the “boqnaha maamulkaâ€, and to ask solution from the loopy, loony lot from the Diaspora is romantic, if not quixotic.

 

And one last thing, excited of I am to learn of the current discussion in Puntland which seeks to deeply study prevalent political shortcomings of the administrations so as to find a viable, befitting, practical solution that looks at the root ill of the political quandary. On one hand, the administration seems to be listening whilst on the other, the general public seems to exhibited a political maturity demanding methodical system change, and not personality swapping. Am afraid, one could not say the same for the loopy, loony lot in the Diaspora.

 

Tata…

[General Duke]

Am afraid, one could not say the same for the loopy, loony lot in the Diaspora.

 

Thats a nice line brother Samurai, even though I find it a tad simplistic and unfair as a general description to individuals in this thread.

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Sammurai, Cadde was right to denounce the police chief’s action because that was a clear desecration of the rules. Captain Xiif was in charge of Ciidanka Badda for a long time and for the police force to come and pronounce they will get rid of him is unconstitutional. Let Cadde, the president do the firing/sacking. Not the police force. The president didn't even know about this. When Cadde heard about what the police force did, he was really appalled. They embarrassed Cadde and he had no choice but to condemn this illegal act and to request a speedy investigation. The Daraawiish force did a first-class job. They caught the few perpetrators (mostly Cadde’s clansmen) and took them to Cadde. He was really mortified. It was a miscalculated mission ordered by none other than the police chief.

 

Law and order must be upheld in that part of Somalia. No one is above the law.

[Sayyid]

Xiif Cali Taar for all his shortcomings wasn't at the forefront of this whole issue.

 

It was the mistake of the Police department led by the police chief Ahmad Khair personally who illegally tried to assassinate or imprison Xiif Ali Taar for their political motives.

 

Adde Muuse was right in condeming the police and its leader Ahmad Khair for doing so. He also expressed his outrage that it was the same people who deal with the mafia to also undermine the government of Abdullahi Yusuf it is a well known fact.

 

And those who say that Xiif Ali Taar got a private militia or army are totally wrong it seems that they have forgotten that Xiif Ali Taar is still the leader and commander of the Puntland Marines who protect our coast and vessels in fact Puntland has got the longest stretch of coast in the whole of Somalia reaching from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea.

 

Therefore Xiif Ali Taar does not entertain a private militia. He is the commander of Somcan Puntland Marines.

 

Xoogsade Akhi Puntland is fortunately unlike Moqadisho and the religious leaders, isims, civil societys, women organisations, NGO's, Youth and Sports clubs, students are at the forefront of combating anything that could derail the hard won peace in our regions. There was never a single fight in Bosaso with the exceptions of alitihad against the SSDF in 1992. That's why Bosaso is the future of Somalia. Thousands of people all over Somalia live in Bosaso because they have fled the wars, misery and ruins of their places of origin. They don't face any discriminiation or hatred and they quitely go about their business without anyone harrassing or telling them off.

 

Bosaso is the only refuge for all those displaced people. I hope one day when there is peace in every region in Somalia that Bosaso will be remembered for its embracement of all Somalis regardless of their tribes and origins region wise.

 

God Bless Beautiful Bosaso.

[miles-militis]

O’ come on Mr Duke. The likes of Sky are blighted, if not dense as apparent in their humpty-dumpy attempt of crab-feeding the rest of own spinning of the said event. Balderdash is one’s true reaction. Yet, informative you called it for it seemed to have made some sense, thereby to some extent becoming a dimmer –would not you agree? Then, to no suprise waddles in Yeniceri with his “cisal†wet from his last trip to the loo slinging wide open cum a tongue so red it stinks the blue skies– so sore of a sight.

 

Look at the big picture and see things for what they are, and not what one wishes; and do spare the rest the local spinnings and interpretations for care we are not though one must admit there lies the trouble with the lot. Now, do you see why one would want to slum the brakes in mid stream only to bail out on loopy, loony lot?

 

Libaax – very good of you for reading the event rightly, and being privy to the inside goings. Such injections as yours which in my opinion are the true reading of what had transpired are required for the flock to devour “Xareed Muguc ah†from the clean wells of “Dooxa Nugaaleed†unless of course there is a desire to bamboozle the masses with misinformation and hulla-ha hallucinations. True, one should not be above the law, however one must also consider there being quite a bit of miscalculations by senior government officials, political hopefuls with a great deal of political manoeuvring occurring in Puntland at this moment. What is remarkable is how the general public is apolitical paying no attention to the said acts whilst minding the stalls where the real business of the people is conducted.

 

Tata…

[Xoogsade]

Salahudin, Haddaaba loo aqoonsan yahay Bosaso inay magaalo soomaaliyeed tahay oo qof walbo aadi karo, ka gancasan karo ama joogi karo. That had not been an issue for the last 10 years. We wish progress and prosperity saxib for everyone over there.

[Taleexi]

God Bless Beautiful Bosaso

The port city of Bosaso might not be as beautiful as you put it but it definitely hosts peace and bright people.

 

I believe in the case of Hon. Adde denouncing the police's actions were the right thing to do .Unfortunately, members of two agencies of PL administration have clashed, what triggered this dispute is open to a debate and an investigation but as far as the law of the land is concerned, police forces shouldn’t be conducting their duties as they please.

 

However, Adde's competence of running the state appears doubtful to me since 100 days of his inauguration elapsed, but I will reserve my comments about his leadership’s rating till the president’s tenure lets up in two years as SW indicated. Remember if you are not fair unto others nobody will be fair unto you.

[Yeniceri]

Originally posted by somalipride:

So Ilmo Cali Taar won? Really is that so, well are they in control of the coast guard anymore?

No, but they're in charge of a private militia that's defended against an attempted assassination by Cadde's forces in Bossaso. But, of course, being the weak leader he is, Cadde says in public he didn't know anything about what his clan-cousin (Police commander Kheyr) was planning to do.

 

Gaagaab will definitely come back as finance minister!!! get President Cade out and bring Faroole in.

I wonder why Faroole is such a threat to you and the magical Kingdom? Don't worry, though, the Nugaal folks want to get rid of Faroole anyways. Or are you scared of his tekniko? By the way, how is that "oil exploration" thing going? Any Western oil experts in Puntland yet?

 

And Gaagaab? Let's see if Cadde renames him.

 

Originally posted by Libaax-Sankataabte:

Let Cadde, the president do the firing/sacking. Not the police force.

The president didn't even know

about this. When Cadde heard about what the police force did,

You simply agreed with my previous assessment sxb: a president that doesn't know what's going on in his own administration is a weak president. Today, Cadde came to Garoowe and visited the 54th Military Camp - I wonder, is he assessing his military strength before naming his new Cabinet? Yet, SW agreed with you (and with me in retrospect, despite all the fancy-word denials).

 

Originally posted by Samurai Warrior:

Then, to no suprise waddles in Yeniceri with his “cisal†wet from his last trip to the loo slinging wide open cum a tongue so red it stinks the blue skies– so sore of a sight.

What did you just say? :confused:

[Thankful]

Well, I bring statements that you can easily verify and not just a post full of hate and you give me this in return?

Well the oil exploration hasn't begun, remember it involves minerals as well. There are people in Puntland doing Coal and other mineral exploration right now and Oil will come later(remember it is over a course of years).Have you heard a single person come out in opposition or against it recentely? I mean except Idna in Somaliland, and even her comments should tell there must be something going on if she will make a public threat like that, I mean if it wasn't happening, would she care? Also ask around about a man from one of the Islands close to Australia that is in Bosasso working for one of the companies. He is well known because of this guitar he plays.

Faroole? Are you serious? his power has been proven and he holds no weight, he tried everything to get his people to back him in opposition and they told him dont bring tribes into this. I just mentioned him because I know the people against the administration are all rooting for him(and you proved my point). And believe me, he has no tecknikos, I mean a man with no support is not a threat!!!!

This isn't even a debate where we can talk about pros and cons, because all I ask for is one post with solutions and other alternatives. Is that too much to ask for?

Samurai Warrior....I guess you are right my friend, it's pointless to try and get in a discussion with some people!