ONLF MUST REFORM - From Jigre's Column

[Abtigiis]

ONLF MUST REFORM

 

From JIGRE's Column

 

Too many questions are on my mind these days. For how long will the leadership of the Og.ad.en National Liberation Front (ONLF) continue to rely on the goodwill and resilience of the insuperable Og.ad.en People? For how long will they have to wish for a powerful traction from somewhere, someday, to move the coveted self-determination ideal forward?For how long will success continue to be measured in terms of holding the fort and static survival? Will they be exculpated of any responsibility for the horror of famine and death that has befallen on our people, if they continue to march on with the overbearing sense of waiting that something (most likely an exogenous intervention) will happen and will turn around the fate of the struggle?

 

At a time, the Ethiopian (more accurately the Tigrayan) regime have unleashed a devastating war on our people, mobilised massive resources to break the spirit of longing for freedom; and is employing a debilitating divide-and-rule policy, why is ONLF unable to weigh up the danger and get on devising mitigating strategies? Why is it difficult for the organisation to mutate into a different entity than that the enemy would like it to be? Why not end the disheartening abnegation of the common Somali name?

 

ONLF leadership deserves praise for standing united and for facing up to the ethnic cleansing campaigns of the Meles regime; but they need to accept that the struggle is still very much localised. They need to understand that the struggle needs to be revamped. They must understand that without the people of Shinile, Jigjiga and Liben joining in the fight, victory will be delayed, or when delivered will be too costly. The traditional argument for not changing the name into something more unifying does not wash anymore. No one will mistake the home-grown liberation struggle for an external drive by Somalia to annex territory at this particular time, when such a state is not in the neighbourhood.

 

The writer is not so naive to assume that such a move will necessarily translate into a vibrant unity and common purpose among the Somalis colonised by Ethiopia; and is mindful of the complex clan and political divisions that might deter the ascribed transformation. Yet, as many said before, it would have been a win-win situation if ONLF changes its name. The changing of its name should, however, only serve as a temporary measure to accommodate the concerns of other nationalist Somalis in the region. It is not an end by itself. The organisation will need to vent its genuine goodwill with more transparency and enhanced transference of its objectives, ideals and policies to the wider public. It will have to be an organisation for all, not the old bottle that will merely pour out some of its former contents to bring in few more drops of mixable liquid.

 

ONLF will have to work to end the unobtrusive but existing internal strife within its current leadership, ensure its top echelon are accountable and take the direction the people of the region would like them to take, and most importantly ensure new blood is infused into its body politic.

 

It is not enough to survive. ONLF must understand that embracing pragmatism and dynamism is vital for a successful achievement of the lofty ideals we all cherish. It is also time intellectuals and influential Og.ad.den men and women, who wholeheartedly support the liberation struggle, but who have misgivings about handling of the fight at the strategic and operational levels, speak out. The call is for clarity of purpose on the part of ONLF leadership. Who are we liberating? Which areas? It is no longer tolerable to think about certain geography in manifestos, but in actuality, concentrate in parts of that same geography.

 

ONLF will have to stop the disingenuous claim that all clans in the region are taking part in the struggle and hence the organisation's composition is misunderstood, wilfully, by detractors and agents of the enemy. Individuals who hail from other parts of the region might be members of the organisation, but it is a fact that the backbone of the organisation is from the Og.ad.en clan. This is not the fault of the organisation by itself, as historically, most liberation organisations had been dominated by one or the other sections of people who set out to defeat injustices. The bulk of the task might remain to be the ineluctable fate of the Og.ad.ens well even after an all-inclusive Liberation Front takes shape. But denial of the facts is not the way to go about it.

 

It is time ONLF asks 'where are we?' Not in the vigorous, philosophical sense of existentialism, but to evaluate its policies, its methods, and its judgments. It is time it realises that, as much they are a veritable factor, the key for success is not in the hands of the global superpowers and their take on our struggle. It is in the hands of the people, their leadership, their policies and their ability to outmanoeuvre the enemy.

 

ONLF leaders must not wantonly wander with the apparent profound wistfulness about the evolving realities on the ground - itself suggestive of a deep sense of entrapment and lack of clarity on what the front set out to achieve and what it needs to do to be up for the challenges that are facing our cause. It must critically look into its label, policies, strategies, and operational plans.

 

I think there is a need to call for a meeting of all like-minded Somalis from all clans to deliberate on the ways forward and to listen to their suggestions and recommendations. With a nuance from my side, of course: surrender is not an option. The fetish about dealing with the regime, a sinister call for capitulation, must be rejected from the outset. The only plausible course of action for me is solidifying the armed struggle and broadening its appeal to all oppressed Somalis.

 

The issue of peace and settlement with the current ruling regime, and on what conditions, will come to the fore once the regime sees the need to have a peace. As we stand, Meles has opted for a war. He should get a war.

 

 

jigrecolumn@yahoo.com

http://www.hornnews.net/article.php?did=7

[ilax]

Very good and timely argument, indeed. I will comment later, insha allah.

[xiinfaniin]

ONLF leadership deserves praise for standing united and for facing up to the ethnic cleansing campaigns of the Meles regime; but they need to accept that the struggle is still very much localised. They need to understand that the struggle needs to be revamped. They must understand that without the people of Shinile, Jigjiga and Liben joining in the fight, victory will be delayed, or when delivered will be too costly. The traditional argument for not changing the name into something more unifying does not wash anymore. No one will mistake the home-grown liberation struggle for an external drive by Somalia to annex territory at this particular time, when such a state is not in the neighbourhood.

 

The writer is not so naive to assume that such a move will necessarily translate into a vibrant unity and common purpose among the Somalis colonised by Ethiopia; and is mindful of the complex clan and political divisions that might deter the ascribed transformation. Yet, as many said before, it would have been a win-win situation if ONLF changes its name. The changing of its name should, however, only serve as a temporary measure to accommodate the concerns of other nationalist Somalis in the region. It is not an end by itself. The organisation will need to vent its genuine goodwill with more transparency and enhanced transference of its objectives, ideals and policies to the wider public. It will have to be an organisation for all, not the old bottle that will merely pour out some of its former contents to bring in few more drops of mixable liquid.

This is a brilliant write up. The author seems to possess a visionary quality and a keen understanding of the intricacy of that regions clannish-matrix. I like it.

 

I too will comment on it inshaa Allah!

[Gheelle.T]

Wadhyaa waraabe, odayga Admiral ah ee M Omar OSman, goormuu doorasha qabanayaa oo uu ka dagayaa helm ONLF? Inaa isa soo sharaxaan rabaaye.

 

On a serious note, I pretty much against name change. Let the region be known as it is, I don't know why people cant see the big picture of liberation and only see the "name" which may have clan connotation. Anyway, it is nice read.

[ilax]

Originally posted by Faysal Cali Waraabe:

ONLF MUST REFORM

 

From JIGRE's Column

ONLF will have to work to end the unobtrusive but existing internal strife within its current leadership, ensure its top echelon are accountable and take the direction the people of the region would like them to take, and most importantly ensure new blood is infused into its body politic.

ONLF will have to stop the disingenuous claim that all clans in the region are taking part in the struggle and hence the organisation's composition is misunderstood, wilfully, by detractors and agents of the enemy.

It is time ONLF asks 'where are we?' Not in the vigorous, philosophical sense of existentialism, but to evaluate its policies, its methods, and its judgments.

 

I think there is a need to call for a meeting of all like-minded Somalis from all clans to deliberate on the ways forward and to listen to their suggestions and recommendations. With a nuance from my side, of course: surrender is not an option. The fetish about dealing with the regime, a sinister call for capitulation, must be rejected from the outset. The only plausible course of action for me is solidifying the armed struggle and broadening its appeal to all oppressed Somalis.

 

The issue of peace and settlement with the current ruling regime, and on what conditions, will come to the fore once the regime sees the need to have a peace. As we stand, Meles has opted for a war. He should get a war.

 

 

jigrecolumn@yahoo.com

http://www.hornnews.net/article.php?did=7

There are some valid and important points in this writing. The writer seems for me an informant about the political situation in the Region and more in-sider as he commends in his writing informative insightment. Nevethesless, the author put alot of political prospect of the Region on the political reform of ONLF. I agree Onlf can champion a transformative political process, but does ONLF , with out a political stake listen such a political quest? OnLF , aprt from being criticised on its political doctrine, for me right now they have supermercy syndrome over other indigenous political organisation on the basis of their assumption that they are politicaly matured and can survive with this ideology and old-mined leadership style, of which is un-realistic and naive in this un-healthful political enviroment. For me, action should speak first, before you ask ONLF to reform , ask somali intellectuals to unite and reform their intellectual stance. This will enable you to create a situation where you can have a bragaining power. Then, ONLF can be influenced to joint the clup and get enough space for its ideological vission. What matter in this common political ideology shared by this highly dispursed population but close-set in social identity and blood relation, is to develope a common leadership style with one political slogan free from clan and other divisive ideology.

 

However, this is un-easy task and claims inclusive political process involved all actors and concerned bodies in the region , irrespective of its social category. This takes a rough and un-waved road of which posing life threating challenges. Geting on the right path is easies part of this tranformative process than keeping foot on it. This demands a transformative political leadership of which at this point in time is a missing link in all political echelon operating in the region. This is due to lack of leadership nurturing political space in the region. Politics in the region is the business of non-decent people or single-minded and authoratiative type of personality. This does not mean blamig to those who are in the jungle to defend their dignity and soveriegnity but is a tip of their type of leaders who has no thing to do in jungles but in a luxirous life-style and their political blindness on the political misery a head of the Region, even if this type of movement coincides a political tumble at the national politics that will lead a change and bring a new political land-scape in the country and in the Region in particular. The right leadership are either excluded fom the process of the existing political organs or a victim of a lust for power and power greedness type of leadership on the driving seat of these organisations.To put in a net shel, the political system of the region is more contentious and crowded out by non-politicain leadership who has neither political passion nor vission to break this vicouse circle of gross in-effeceicy of political leadership in the region. Therefore, the solution is in the hands of the people in the Region, irrespective of their clan identity. The leadership of these politically ill-thought organisations needs to be injected a new blood of leadership . The new and vibran leadership should organise the intellectuals, schollars and all sensible people to contrabute in the process of transformation of the political structures in the Region. To have that initiative, we need a leadership role from political organisatons currently engaging liberating strugle.And Intelectuals from the Region should break their silence and feed this process, then that will lead a gradual exit of this political turmoil and leadership crises in the region.Hope is our prestige asset and success is our political slogan, therefore, as our religion teaches we never loss hope even at the time of defeat. Adding to that, We wish success, our hope never collapses,.Therefore, these atrocious and plights will serve lessons learned for future political order in the Region.