Puntland eggs

[Yeniceri]

Originally posted by xiinfaniin:

Samaria Warrion,

...you declared your school of thought. Clinging to what time had deemed inadequate tool (

tribal system of governance

), and to that which even defeats its bogus end, signifies the political immaturity of that region...

Well said.

[miles-militis]

Xiinfaniin - good of you to trot off to grill the bacon, as it were; we would not want you starving the kiddies, would we now? Ms Xiinfaniin, if there is such a lucky lady might not be too chuffed by it.

 

Now, if I were to prick your attention for a moment and I were to use your comparative instance against you, why do you reckon where all else failed, tribal system worked wonders for Somaliland and Puntland thus far. Case in point and previous strikes aside, just a few days ago when the much-hyped democratic mechanism almost brought brawling parties to a gridlock, the Gurte and their tribal system was the gene that saved the day one last time. More to the point, in Puntland where Council selections are being undertaken at the moment, when the modalities along the democratic formulae come to a stand still, the vilified tribal system comes to save the day (dare I remind you the tribal system I speak of is the traditional one that is being observed in the countryside and not the diluted marax that is being served in the Diaspora cafeteria.) Do you not reckon it deserves more credit than genX is willing to give. Here, one is cognisant of the feeble nature and attributes of both systems as neither is perfect, whilst in the same stride one must be wary of simply blindfolding oneself to the realities in Somalia and the application of halon to put out particles of liquid composites. I know I am going against the popular tide and the trendy bites of the moment as habit would have it, but if the other side is only too willing to go with the flow with little, if any, ostensible analysis of the situation, what is one to do.

 

Again, for the comparisons to be fair, one must be comparing entities of the similar genre. Somaliland was founded in1991 whereas Puntland’s was of the year of 1998 with a 7-year leap advantage. And perhaps one must reserve the judgment and wait until the year of 2013, and then we will have secured better substantive abstractions of the two entities. Better yet, the year is 1997, and for good measure, let us for a moment reflect upon Somaliland of then as opposed to Puntland of 2005 – now, be a good chap and read me a few verses from the late Egal’s unpublished red book for the situation in the region then. See my predicament with hasty theorems and less seasoned stawaways!

 

This snippet, I shall ignore for the time being.

"...signifies the political immaturity of that region.

 

Let us halt there for the moment, and let us hope you will be good enough as to be more critical of the tribal system in your after thoughts than you have shown thus far. And one last thought – I am hoping before you jot down what perhaps shall serve your best comeback you will re-read my last two posts for better positioning and comprehension of where one is coming from. And remember, I deal not, as you might have sussed out, in the X factor rather revel in the present and raw actualities.

 

Catch you later,

[Suldaanka]

Comparing Somaliland and Puntland are like comparing Oranges to Apples. One is a multi clan democracy, the other is a single-clan hegemony. Perhaps Puntland can be compared to Mohamed Dheere's Jowhar administration, among other similarities, both are the brainchild of two powerhungary men that share a lot in common.

 

 

just a few days ago when the much-hyped democratic mechanism almost brought brawling parties to a gridlock, the Gurte and their tribal system was the gene that saved the day one last time

You are mixing Golaha Salaadiinta with Golaha Guurtida - the two are very different and have two different functions. One is a constitutional institution (Golaha Guurtida) while the other is an informal traditional instititution. In the long run, the Golaha Guurtida will be elected into the office as Golaha Wakiilada is today.

 

Since Somaliland moved away from "Shirbeeled" and into "Democratic" process, the House of Suldans was put on the backburner and is not as important at national level as it was previously. Currently, their main function is to mediate between clan differences over land ownership, camels, revenge killings between different clans and all the little localised problems etc.

 

Had the Golaha Guurtida failed (god forbid) its recent mediation efforts, then Somaliland would have become under the mercy of the old "shirbeeled" where the old the "Golaha Salaadiinta" would have come under the limelight. That would have become a huge set back in Somaliland's democractisation process.

 

Somaliland's current system of mixing traditional style of rulership with modern democratic ideals, has proved to be working the way expected and designed to work, since Golaha Guurtida is part and partcel of this great democratisation framework.

[xiinfaniin]

^^Suldaanow ma tookhii baad nagu bilowday . Adeer yeynaan caqliga weylaha raacsan !

 

Summaria Warrior, Puntland is indeed behind, saaxiib. And unless we take Afyare’s minimalist approach, it could have done much better than this. No wonder your line of reasoning (minimalist) echoes his infamous verses;

 

Maantana ma liito ee adaa, mooye kuu ciyaye

Maldah iyo ibliis waalan baa, maanka kaa rogaye

Makaabkiyo dhistii igama dumin, maxashtu ii tiille

Maradaydii way saarantahay, muunadda lahayde

 

Now keep in mind, good Sumaria Warrior, that whether tribal system is a political reality is a question immaterial to answer, and an obvious we should not labor. If it occasionally produces wonders, as you seem to suggest, let those be honors that I would not envy and triumph that I wouldn’t desire to share. For us to debate about the validity of clannish politics defeats the purpose of our Puntland discourse. I though these are the times, as Painne once wrote, that try men’s souls, and not the days when one seeks a reposing ground, or clings to his familiar habits.

 

If I read you right, your argument is for acknowledgement, and not a one of endorsement. You seem to admire the originality and the effectiveness of the authority of traditional elders. But I don’t think that you’re ready to defend its anomalies. And so it is pointless for me to indict tribal system and its inadequacy as a framework for governance. That is not an impeachment, however, of the role of clan elders in bringing their clansmen in to the fold of a legitimate and negotiated political contract. I am for having a house of elders (gurti or gadhcas), which will be solely reserved for the traditional elders and will not based on a mere numerical representation.

 

P.S: Sumariayow waqti xumaa i haysa. After these hectic holidays are behind me, I shall comeback and say more about this subject. Where is Baashi? Chip in adeer .

[miles-militis]

A worthy response my dear xiinfaniin, yet a bit to the corner, hence allow me to woo you to a realm further to the other corner. In agreement, I think we are that no system of governance is a panacea nor ill-deserved for incongruities, as you quite rightly pointed out, do exist in all including the much discussed, albeit less understood democratic system. One must query as to the origins of democracy, its precedence, and its triumphant adaptation in parts of the world whilst not quite so in others along with its translations in cultures variant in nature. One must recall oligarchic, theocratic, monolithism, monarchism, elitism, and multitudes of systems that through the test of time measured not so well for inherent incongruities of the said systems forced nations to look elsewhere [operative]. Paritans, Greeks and Caesars of Rome experimented with the said systems of governance. No nation in the history of states had been frog-marched into a system that produced favourable results thus far. Conversely, nations go through periods of experimentation with various systems some which might work or not as they explore through own venues and means to reaching the much promised plateau – an indigenous form of democracy that is culturally conducive and socially befitting of their own. In his estimation, Long Shanks made numerous attempts to bring civility and the fruits of institutionalisation to the Scots for years, yet hardly made headways. Rationale? As stubborn as they are, Scots like other assemblies simply wanted to ride to the mountain on their own backs, and by own means. Russia and China more presently, Finland amongst many socialist nations in the near past, and arguably Cuba are notable instances of nations to have or will have made to the mountain via various routes in implementing one form or another of the same system of governance.

 

Are developing countries any different? No quite, and perhaps in lesser strides and with smaller steps they shall ride to the mountain on their backs. The combination of less valued traditional systems, tribal in the case of Puntland with the much hyped democratic system of governance shall do just in the institutionalisation process of the state. One must note neither by itself could serve as winning formulae, thusly gradual incrementing of the two is prerequisite: adopting components of the latter i.e. election and reliance of institutions rather than persons, elders or otherwise for the success and survival of the state whilst leaving components of the former behind i.e. selection rather than election on the basis of merit of persons of authority as the state resuscitates itself. Here, one values the need not to abandon the former until one has acquired the social capital and political framework so as to fully disseminate and implement the latter. Taking measurable strides towards the latter in accordance with one’s means and not falling prey to complacence lest underestimate one’s ability is a must. Indeed that is what we witness in the selection of Local Councils in Puntland today as an instance of the initial stages of breaking away from custom and have seen successfully done in Somaliland. Both, you will be in agreement I trust have utilised the traditional methods in instituting administrative authorities, however imperfect and for different reasons one might add, in creating indigenous form of democracy that can only be judged through the trials of time. Hitherto it had worked, and is being tested in other parts of Somalia [TFG] and other troubled spots in the world [Afghanistan being a good instance].

 

And perhaps there lies our difference of opinion. Whilst we both seem to be on the same trek, you seem to think Puntland could march right into the said system of governance without much experimentation with its own and before coming to the realisation that it lacks certain modalities that modern nations could not do without. I conversely am of the belief of the concept of “gradual incrementing†where Puntland shall eventually suss out traditional system’s inadequacies and realising their shortcomings, thereby commencing a quest for that which perhaps might resolve scores of the anomalies in the traditional political framework. Minimalist perhaps, but committing sound dribble whilst instilling constant trickle produces annuity along with measurable results for one to leap over a lion’s lair, one ought to ritualise in preparation for the strides in between lest one comes short in midstream at dDay.

 

I shall leave it there for today lest dissuade you from following through,

 

Suldaanka: What you dream of (blossoming multiclan democracy called Somaliland) as opposed to what is (purely single clan entity with aspirations) are two different things. How does one reconcile the two? I shall let you ponder that over a cuppa?

 

Catch you later,