Are the ************* people better off in Somaliland or in Somalia?

[Jacaylbaro]

In the summer of 2006 during my trip to Somaliland, I was surprised to find thousands of ********* people from Southern Somalia in the streets of Bur’ao—a city that was once exclusive to the hardcore supporters of Somaliland.

 

One beautiful sunny day in Bur’ao, while I strolled through the city’s busiest and bustling market, for up to 15 minutes, I heard only the ********* dialect, and at one point I wondered whether I was in Bur’ao or in Baydhabo. As I strode through the dusty, but lively city of Bur’ao, I came across a ********* gentleman named Mr. Macow who also used to live in another city, located deep in the heart of Southern Somalia, that I spent in my childhood years—Marka Adey in Shabele province.

 

Mr. Macow was delighted to see me in Bur’ao, and after a brief discussion about the good old days in Marka Adey, the city’s crystal clear sandy beaches, the spectacular views of the India Ocean, and the rich farmland of the Shabele province; Mr. Macow asked me, “What brings you here?” And I told him that I hailed from Bur’ao.

 

As we continued our conversation, I could not resist asking Mr. Macow how the people of Bur’ao or Somaliland in general treated him. “In here, at least they treat you with respect”, he said. “And if you fight one of them, no problem; you would both go to the nearest police station” he added. “They may be loud and obnoxious sometimes, but when push comes to shove, they know their limitations” he concluded. Then I asked him how he was treated in Southern Somalia before he left it. Mr. Macow first shook his head with disgust, and said, “In Southern Somalia, they [militias] would take your money, beat you and even kill you if they have to…to them, you are not even a human being.”

 

Throughout the streets of major Somaliland cities such as Hargaisa, Bur’ao and Borame, thousands of displaced ******** found low-paying jobs. Many more depend on donations that they receive from the local people, mainly from the business sector.

 

Despite the hospitality of the Northern Somalis, there is little doubt that ******** face some verbal abuses that maybe sometimes result physical injuries. And if two ******** lost their lives in 2004, according to Mr. Aden Mohamed Tani’s article entitled, ”Obituary of the brutal hunting of ********* refugees in the streets of Hargeisa”, he may be interested to know that dozens of Somalilanders also lost their lives in the same year for different reasons. And if ******** experienced some verbal abuses in Hargaisa and Borame, surely that is deplorable, but they have experienced far worse treatments in Somalia. Mr. Tani’s accusations also included: that a group of Hargaisa's ex-cons (maybe 10 to 20 gangs) attacked 250 ******** and chased them through the streets of Hargaisa. As a result two innocent ********* trampled to death. How was that possible? Of course, these people were not all cramped into one room. According to Mr. Tani, the “local gangs” chased the innocent ******** in an open space. Mr. Tani, your article lacks merit. Worse yet, why 250 people couldn't defend themselves against a group of gangs sounds baffling; but even if we give you the benefit of the doubt, still, how the events unfolded defies any known commonsense and logic.

 

Meanwhile, I was not really sure whether Mr. Tani’s article was about the rights of ********* people or the “secessionists’” agenda as he put it. Mr. Tani sprinkled his article with the usual regurgitated propaganda: “Somaliland this, Somaliland that…the secessionists and so on.” Mr. Tani, imagine if I were a guest in your house, and called you all sorts of names; how would you have felt? Now you know how the people of Somaliland feel about your article.

 

It is perfectly fine to advocate for the rights of ********* people, but I founded it ****** and embarrassing to call by names the host [somalilanders] that welcomed your ******* to their cities when your own ******** chased their fellow ********* hundreds of kilometers, and almost pushed them into the Red Sea.

 

Hundreds of ******* roam through the streets of the port city of Berbera, as well. And they would tell you that their own ******** in Bay and Bakool (in Southern Somalia) would not spare them from their merciless machetes, but they [refugees] have at least peace in Somaliland.

 

Undoubtedly, human rights should be upheld at any cost, be a Somalilander or a Somali person—you should be treated with respect. I’m not defending, or painting a rosy picture about Somaliland’s human rights record either. Nor am I condoning any mistreatments that the ********* experienced in Somaliland.

 

With that in mind, Mr. Tani with all due respect, I just don’t get what you are whining about. Are you advocating for *********’s human rights? Or is it the “secessionists” that you have beef with?

 

If it is the latter, the “secessionists’” agenda is none of your business. Period! What happens in Bay and Bakool, politically, is none of our concerns; by the same token Somaliland’s internal politics is none of your business. Also ask yourself: if you take all the ******* in Somaliland back to Bay and Bakool, how long would they survive before they get hacked to death? However, if it is the former (*********’s human rights), then stick to your gun, and you have our support. But give credit where credit is due: currently, ********* people are better off in Somaliland.

 

 

Dalmar Kaahin

Ottawa, Canada

 

 

here

 

[ July 21, 2007, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar ]

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

The author of this piece is confused, misinformed and, quite yet, comes across as an angry man with no apparent reason.

 

First of all, Soomaali waa Soomaali, and can live wherever they want in Soomaaliya at whenever, including in Waqooyi Galbeed. Same as the folks up there moved to Koonfurta en masse during the late '80s, including thousands displaced that moved to Arlaadi lands, such as Baay, Shabeellaha, Bakool and Gedo. No one was making hoopla and ballyhoo about that. Conflict misplaces people, rendering them internally displaced people, not "refugees," as the author apparently seems a one who does not distinguish between the two terms. [Even if he is trying hard to paint Waqooyi Galbeed as another country, which it is not. The United Nations officially recognizes them as internally displaced people.]

 

Again, for his information, Reer Arlaadi do not live in Marka Caddeey. Perhaps every Southern interior dialect spoken seems to the author is Afmaay, and thus the speakers must be the said clan name on the thread's title.

 

Teeda kalena, as many other non-clan members of the identified clan in this thread speak Afmaay as others speak Afmaxaatiri. Afmaay is not a clan dialect, though it is mostly identified with one major clan. It is same as Afmaxaatiri dialect. Xasan Aaden Samatar can be an example, so is Shimaali Axmed Shimaali and Sahro Dawo. There are also abwaano, who are not the members of the named clan, who write in Afmaay, such as Sahal Macalin Ciise and the actor/jilaa Cali Nuur Abgaa'loow.

 

He is confused about Afmaay, the language and the particular major clan whose main dialect is Afmaay.

 

Many folks found up Waqooyi Galbeed and Bari are not originally from Baay, Gedo, Bakool or Shabeellaha Hoose and not the clan members identified in this thread, but in Jubbooyinka and Shabeellaha Dhexe. Many of them are hard working Jareerweyne people who were farmers and forcefully taken their farms by some merciless bililiqo iyo xaaraan ku nool ah; they speak Afmaay because the deegaans they lived, such as interior Jubbooyinka, were spoken Afmaay and naturally hence adopted the language, same as those who were airlifted to Mareykanka, now called 'Soomaali Bantu' whose main language is Afmaay.

[rudy-Diiriye]

i gotta simple solution for this! move them to laascaanood... i called my Grandma over there last week and she was telling about 5 houses are vacant... since all the ogs there moved to Mog these days for a pie in the sky.

 

take them ppl there..let my grandma make some money!!

[Jacaylbaro]

And again some ppl will say you are insulting laascaanood

[me]

MMA has become a xabad kaliyaale, to the point and deadly. Too bad that Jacaylbaro has adopted Dukes tactics of posting articles by others and that he is not posting his own opinions.

[Jacaylbaro]

and why do you care about my own opinions since you never respect a one ??

[Qudhac]

miskiin

 

its good to see you are showing yout true moderator nuetrality instead you go on direa of old propaganda nonesense about somaliland of which is worn out like an old cloth.

 

our country and people have shown your people welcoming hand when they have been refused to be taken in the rest of the world who are fed up with somalia now its obvious since your beloved country of somalia isnt even capable of looking after its people and prefers to rape kill and enslave them i dont think you have morality or face to make such ungratefull and irrelavant coment somaliland.

 

because even those living in refugees camps of our cities have better living standards than those living in what you call your country.

 

JUST BE GRATEFULL or atleast keep quite, ceebtaadaa, la asturee.

[Kool_Kat]

Originally posted by Qudhac:

JUST BE GRATEFULL or atleast keep quite, ceebtaadaa, la asturee.

What about anaga intii sano aan ceebtiina astureenay!!!Please...

 

I really don't get it, where is this country "SOMALILAND"...Could one show it to me on the Atlas...Isn't it SOMALIA not somaliland...

 

Somalia is Somalia is Somalia...

 

There is only one Somalia...How are the displace Somalis from then South refugees in Northern Somalia? Beats me...

 

Here is the definition of a REFUGEE person: owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail him/herself of the protection of that country.

 

Somaliland, Puntland, hebelkaaland, hebelkeedland are all part of SOMALIA...

 

ps. soon there will be KOOL_KATLAND...

 

peace...one...

[Jacaylbaro]

Sort your problems first before you jump to another country sxb .........

[Biixi]

Someone should tell the writer that all Somalis are somehow related since inter-tribal-marriage is very common in our culture. A paerson may have a father from this tribe, a mother from different tribe, grandparents, uncles...etc. So this Southern vs Northern Eastern VsWestern is a new and ****** concept and people should stop writing and posting BS that only divide us.

[Jabhad]

people should stop writing and posting BS that only divide us.

Now you are telling us an article is a bigger of a threat to divide our nation than the Tigre terror in our cities and towns.

Tigre terror in Bakara market.

[Jabhad]

Its day 17 and there is no business activities in Bakara market, the biggest in Somalia.

[Dhubad.]

Originally posted by Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar:

 

He is confused about Afmaay, the language and the particular major clan whose main dialect is Afmaay.

 

You are right MM, Afmaay is just another Somali dialect spoken by many people in the south who hail from different clans and therefore, is not a specific to a particular clan. The Author is confused and I have came across people specially from North who have the same believe as the author and I can understand because majority of them never been to that part of Somalia. :confused:

[me]

Originally posted by Jacaylbaro:

and why do you care about my own opinions since you never respect a one ??

I respect your opinions Jacaylbaro, this place is in business because of our opinions. Yaan laysku gafin saaxiib. Having a different opinion doesn't mean that I don't respect your opinion.

 

Again MMA isha ayuu ka soo riday, Kool_Kat'na daankeeda ayuu dumiyay.

 

Jabhad Tigrega maxaa meesha keenay saaxiib? kala furfurida Soomaaliyeed ayaa keentay, qoraalan'na waxaa loo qoray un in Soomaali lagu sii kala fogeeyo. Midnimada Soomaaliyeed ka shaqee hadii aad rabtid in aad Tigreega wadankeena ka saartid. Midnimo un ayaan guul ku gaadhaynaa.

[Jabhad]

My intention was not to respond a misleading and racist article such as this one or the one written by Mr. Tani, which although has some valid points but nonthless equally abusive and divisive. It was simply to point out the bigger and the much older threat to the existance of a separate Soomaal indentity and nationhood[Abyssinian occupation] than the unfortunate drama of clan cyberwars thats becoming a popular trend these days. Attacking "an enemy clan" in every oppurtunity using unfortunate situations will not bring unity but further division. A division you rightly pointed out brought Tigre tanks into our cities and ********** miiran, an ugly and the sad reality in Somalia today.