Self-proclaimed intelectual views on Somaliland

[Qudhac]

READ THE LATTEST LETTER THEY WILL BE SENDING TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT EXPLANING WHY THEY ARE AGAINST SOMALILAND, I HAVE CHANGED A ONE CLAN ASSOSIATED WITH SOMALILAND WITH THE LETTER(X).

 

 

IS I***QLAND(x) (SOMALILAND) COMPATIBLE WITH MODERNITY?

 

According to the Butterfly model of the Chaos theory, when a butterfly flips its wings in Tokyo, it does rain in San Francisco. This is a reflection of physical globalisation, in which the whole earth is treated as a single entity; normative globalisation, in which the principles of modernity become universal as norms – though not as practices – around the world; and economic globalisation, in which abstract principles are united with practical production and distribution processes of goods and services. If the trademarks of physical globalisation are the nation and the state, if the trademarks of normative globalisation are abstract individual rights and self-determination, the trademarks of economic globalisation are both universal greed and, paradoxically, a demand to take action based on compassion for others. Thus, where do (X)lan (Somaliland) fit in terms of both modernity and globalisation. I prefer to use the word (X)land instead of Somaliland as it is among the (X) clan who consist about 40% of the population of the old British Somaliland Protectorate who are vying for secession from proper Somalia. As a matter of fact, it is only 13% of these 40% who spearhead this myth (see the research by the New York – based Somali Institute for peace and development).

 

 

Unlike the five poor British MP’s, who have not done their homework on this topic, I will not rush into premature judgement and conclude with phantom statistics as they did. It was obvious that they were all suffering from colonial hangover. Instead, like the British- Jamaican born poet Benjamin Zephaniah who recently rejected the OBE award (order of the British empire) from the Queen, I am a fierce opponent of the old-British empire, a descendent of the Dervishes (Darawiish) martyrs who believes in the African renaissance. Again, in view of the complex nature of the Somali clan politics and social relationships, I will try to present an educated view and adopt a scholastic approach in my analysis and discussion.

 

Modernity is, as Hegel said, both ‘’the certainty of self- conscious Reason that It is all truth’’ and the establishment of the knowledge based on that subjective conviction that the actual world is rational. In other words, the essence of modernity is the religion of rationality. The religion of reason labels any other form of religious faith as superstition and makes it incumbent on all adherents to this rational religion of the enlightenment to attempt to transform the world into one which mirrors rational thought. Rationality is defined as reflective thought that conforms to the actual operation of the world. The measure of this rational is the utility of objects, and the utility of thought in comprehending and mastering the world. To ensure that the dual sovereignty of reason and evidence reign, critique is applied to prevent irrationality from corrupting the modern global faith on evidential rationality.

 

So, where do (X)land (Somaliland) fit in terms of both modernity and globalisation? In order to address this question, I will begin by asking what are the enemies of the religion of reason, and in the process use them as a yardstick to measure the compatibility. What are the enemies of the religion of reason? There are three. The tissue of superstitions, prejudices and errors shared by the masses is the first. For example, if most people believe, at least deep down, that our skin colour or physical characteristics on the outside reflect inner character differences or intellectual capacities, in spite of the enlightenment attack on such false beliefs for over two hundred years, then such racial convictions must be strenuously attacked by the religion of reason. Racism has no place in the rational enlightenment. Nor do any other set of beliefs which deny that reason ultimately unites us all. The religion of reason recognises that there are divisions among people, but that whatever divides us, we are united in being rational. Now, ask any advocate of the secession of ‘Somaliland’ the difference between northern Somalia and southern Somalia, and the answer you will get is that ‘’we are better than them’ but how my friend, giving him enough ropes to hang himself, he foolishly explains ‘The Italians use to ride on their backs in order to cross rivers’, ahaa, so what about the British ‘No, they were very kind to us, so we are better than them and we also speak English’, but my friend, you are still a Somali and there are no differences between oppressors, in fact, I am from the north and the British massacred more than 300,000 freedom fighters and their families during the dervish uprising led by the Late Mohamed Abdulle Hassan (Mad mullah) from 1899 to 1921. However, when he sensed that he had been cornered he resorts to verbal aggression ‘war naga tag diintaada yaanan caayine’ means ‘get lost before I curse your religion’. It is obviously clear from such discussion how the religion of irrationality, contrary to the evidential rationality, is deeply rooted in present day (X)land (Hargeisa – Berbera – Burao triangle).

 

Second, the reason for any false consciousness among the masses (the elevation of any other factor above reason) is attributed to an elite, an evil elite, a priesthood which has led the masses astray in order to gain power and control for itself. For the Somali National Movement (SNM), the traditional religion was the opiate of the masses. But the heirs of the SNM religion (Egal and Riyaale), became a priesthood of a collectivist tribalist religion in the name of the avant-garde of Somaliland, which labelled enemies by a different externality: their opposition of the myth rather than the colour of their skin. Again, unlike most armed opposition groups in Africa, the SNM admired the terror unleashed by Colonel Mengistu (the former military dictator of Ethiopia, who was also their mentor) against the Ethiopian opposition groups like the TPLF, EPLF, OLF, ONLF, WSLF and believed such terror reinvigorated a country. After, the collapse of the Somali State in January 1991,They (SNM) constructed a mental ideological order that bore little resemblance to the rational order of the world and produced the most dysfunctional system in the worship of functionality. A good example is the collective punishment of the non-(X) people in the SNM controlled localities, Mass deportation of southern Somalis, the arrest, torture and handing of innocent somalis and Oromos, radio propaganda programmes to heighten irrational fears and divide people and become the ideal instrument for Riyaale and co to stoke hatred and enmity. It is very unfortunate that five members of the British parliament were so brained washed by such a gang, even to the extent of lobbying on their behalf in the house of common, although this will not impact on the official position of the British government on the territorial integrity and unity of the Somali state. History, on the other hand, had shown, such a house of cards as it is presently constructed in (X)land collapsed in on itself. In fact, there are many strong features and indicators out there pointing to the beginning of the end of this irrational religion.

 

The third enemy of the rational enlightment is despotism. When a ruler constitute himself as an authority over all others, he was guilty not only of usurping the rights of those who were ruled, but of offending against the enlightment itself. A good example was the fabricated referendum and election, the current friction with Puntland i.e the closing of colonial borders without collective consultation of all the individual concerned. For the premise of the enlightenment is that each individual, and only the individual, has within him – or herself the power to think and to make rules governing the collectivity and, therefore, to delegate the power for making such rules to a representive. NO one has the right to usurp that power. Look at the arrest of Sultan M Abdulkadir, Garaad Abshir, King Buurmadow and many other intellectuals behind bar simply for their views. Unfortunately, those (X) intellectuals who do not imbibe the religion of the gang in power are labelled as self-hating (X's). All these injustices are justified on grounds of imposed mass superstition. It is a documented fact that, the gang in power (600 people in total) are sustained through an annual budget of £10 million, which had been forcefully milked from the coffers of the poor masses, and thus the gang are in no mood for a change and will fight teeth and nail to preserve the status quo.

 

Thus, individual rights and critical rationality form the bedrock of modernity to resist the enemy of mass gullibility. For mass superstition is not an inherent feature of individual human beings, but is attributed to an elite of ‘con artist’ who become the ideologues of an intellectual ‘pyramid scam’ to rob people of their ability to think for themselves. When this happens, as it does in (X)land (somaliland), the political realm is left open for tyrants like Riyaale and co to exploit the people and grind them down physically as well as intellectually.

 

Deeq Yusuf (Ina-cabdisatar)

 

BA (hons) MA

 

 

www.radiolaascanood.com

[LANDER]

qudhac

saxiib why do you preoccupy yourself with the blind hatred coming from these people, it `is their day job to be preoccupying with the dealings of Somaliland. We are known for action and focus on our own, we don't care what the others do that is at the heart of modern day Somaliland. You can't waste your time going tit for tat with these detractors, because if you do it plays right into their hands as your focus is no longer on bettering your nation but rather countering the detractors at every turn. Let them talk all they want, we shall act instead since actions speak louder than words.

[Suldaanka]

Qudhac,

It is free speech brother. let everyone say what he or she wants. At the end of the day, the righteous will prevail.