A mission statement for SOL political forum.

[Liqaye]

The Burden of Acting Good Somali

Perhaps we should not overlook the newly created names of former Somali regions. I.e. Somaliland, Puntland, Jubba Land, ******ia Land (the Ethiopian occupied Somali Province) etc. After almost a decade and half of disorientation, it is disappointing that the Somali thinking has not yet substantiated a moral sense that is fundamentally important to re-building of a country or a nation. Instead, the thinking has mutated from being quasi Somali to self-centered clan egotism. The manifestations are evident in everywhere from north to south. It has become a burden to stay good Somali as the term descended beneath this spiteful clan egotism. Watch carefully what most Somalis chat about in and around restaurants and coffee shops. They adore bragging about the position of their clans or regions as if it is the only issue that matters to the people. Although self-reliance in respective regions is a good one, the sense of belongings to a much bigger and wider country become trivialized. In its extreme forms, clan egotism blinds its adorers to the extent that figment of their imagination becomes a touchable reality.

 

If you believe in addiction, then clan egotism has become an addictive substance in Somali thinking. Issues that pertain to the common good cause of all Somalis choke the discussion and put one in the unwanted minority. It might also invite social penalties from peers in your own clan for not aligning with the egotistic thinking of the clan. You become the downer in the group and therefore you will be barraged with derogatory words such as “***** , waxmatare, dhiiglaawe, etc”. Where is common sense? Where is sanity? This implies that our morality has declined to its lowest point. It has become a burden to speak about altruistic actions that cannot be said to engage the self-interest of the clan. The erosion in social trust is attributable to the recent bloody history which inherited a decline of confidence in nationhood. What is the alternative? Is the “Clanland” syndrome a solution? Most of us don’t think so.

 

Most of us were under the impression that language, religion, complexion, and sameness were the uniting bonds that made Somalis unique in black Africa. The word “Somali” includes everyone who assents to the beliefs and values of Somalis regardless of their clan or region. There is no clan that is superior to one of any of the other clans. Likewise, there is no clan that is deficient or inferior. We are all Somalis who adhere to the same values and destiny. We must promote intolerance of clan egotism, false superiority, and emptiness. We not only have suffered tragic humiliation, but also carried it for much longer than necessary.

 

We must tackle the temptations of divisiveness by ensuring respect and justice in the community. Individuals who exploit the glamour of clan egotism to achieve their self –interest should be rejected. Acting as a good Somali should not be a burden.

[Thinkerman]

Interesting thoughts

 

Perhaps my somewhat naive outlook has always been coloured by my ignorance of traditional somali-life born out of my background, which is further re-enforced by the confussed state of somali's after the major civil conflicts of 1990 and the resulting dispersal of our people worldwide.

 

Acting good, as u have expressdly discribed, doesnt sound or should i say never used to sound like a difficult thing to me in practise, let alone in theory. I would hazard it in fact in real life, it is infact a pretty common sense thing that most SOL nomads infact do adhere to.

 

However it seems that when we do get into discussions on issues that dont have a finite value that we can conclude against with a degree of finality, then we (perhaps unsupprisingly against the backdrop of how somali society is/was structured backhome/disapora, and agains the backdrop of the many conflicts gone, and still on-going) end up deviating into many different avenues.

 

The word “Somali” includes everyone who assents to the beliefs and values of Somalis regardless of their clan or region. There is no clan that is superior to one of any of the other clans. Likewise, there is no clan that is deficient or inferior

 

quite.

 

lakiin i would say that is an extremely pragmatic view sadly and not one that you would readly find the majority of somali's regardless of where the hail from readily agreeing with, at least thats my opnion. Although the degree to which some may argue they superiorty might range from being trivial on such things such entertains or personalites to the obvious serious distinctions.