Nurrudin Farah's Tirade against the president

[OdaySomali]

I didnt know what to make of this...

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/opinion/somalias-leader-look-past-the-hype.html?_r=0

[ANWAR]

Nurrudin Farah WHO??

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

Why would you title this a tirade? Simple verifiable facts equal tirade

 

Warya nacamle, Nurrudin Farah is the most acclaimed Somali Writer ever in the History of Somalia

[Maqane]

Naxar Nugaaleed;981477 wrote:

Why would you title this a tirade? Simple verifiable facts equal tirade

+1

[Haatu]

He only said the truth. If that is a tirade and leaves you speechless, what does that say about you?

[OdaySomali]

Thread backfire miyaa?

 

[SomaliPhilosopher]

I back you Oday. It does come off as an angry tirade. Gossip and fadhi ku dirir talking points has now become verifiable facts? Anyways a writer, especially a political driven writer, can never be happy with government, or else your out of a career--end up writing about some vampire teenage drama

[OdaySomali]

He started his article off with a tone that is very gloomy and dreary - perhaps he thought he was setting the scene for another one of his novels (after all this is a man that has made writing stories about Somalia his career). If we don't have hope, if we don't ever support any 'government' or leader that we have, then how are we going to come out of this quagmire, this mess? If we in the diaspora (and mr. Farah), who do not directly contribute to the restoration of peace and governance in the country, sit here and belittle, delegitimise and make allegations against every people who are genuinly trying to make a difference, then who do we expect to bring our country out of this situation?

 

He says:

 

One can’t talk about recent news from Somalia — the deadly attack by Shabab militants on a U.N. compound in June, the decision in August by Doctors Without Borders to pull out of the country, the massacre last month at a shopping mall in Kenya, for which Al Shabab took responsibility — without in some way speaking about Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheik Mohamud.

This is such a frustrating comment. This guy revels and hides behind ambiguity. Does he mean to suggest that the president is to blame or is directly responsible for the above things occuring? Is he suggesting that the president had a hand in the massacre in Kenya or the attack on the compound? Why not make clear and state unequivocally what exactly he means. Arghhh.

 

He then says:

 

But when I last visited Somalia, in April,

my friends thought

that Mr. Mohamud didn’t have the determination to lead the country, nor the hardiness to stand up to clan elders who have contributed so much to the two-decade-plus civil war and still dominate the country.

A former prime minister, Ali Mohamed Gedi, has called him

an incompetent novice.

 

....Ali Khalif Gallaydh, a member of Parliament and a former prime minister, has alleged (citing unnamed British and American intelligence sources) that Mr. Mohamud has contacts with Al Shabab, the Islamist affiliate of Al Qaeda in East Africa.

His little references to stories he was told by his "friends"; references to comments from Ali Mohamed Gedi & Ali Khalif Gallaydh (two disgruntled former "PMs"); and also his ambiguous comment that "the president has contacts with Al-shabab" are as JB would say just 'bacaac' or as Norf would say: "stuff and nonsense". Again he hides behind other peoples words. He does not make clear what he means but he insinuates something.

 

I get his message and the points he is putting across (namely those listed below). But I do not think that the NYT is the best platform to reach the SFG (if he genuinly wants the issues he has raised to be resolved) nor can I see why he seeks to dismiss any positive [media] coverage credit that the government has received. His valid substantive points have been drowned out by the negativity, dismisiveness and the hearsay he has included in his article.

 

- The need to bolster the rule of law and reform the justice sector

 

- The need for the FSG to be more shrewd i.e. not hire the companies involved in oil deals and engaged in managing the governments finances and then present their opinion as objective and fair

 

- The need to hold Dahir Caweys to account and to use this opportunity to re-inforce the rule of law and thereby gain international legitimacy

[Mooge]

loool@qoslaye supporters. what is so angry about a distinguished Somali author saying qoslaye is incompetent? you guys are shaken because nuradiin, a guy who doesn't give a shyyt about his own clan, gave a scathing review to your beloved clannish father figure. loool.

 

qoslaye is incompetent. no doubt about that. walahi i have never seen somali president squander so much goodwill for the sake of trying to gain so little. qoslaye could been transformation, a father figure and man who can take the country of the abyss and continue on the progress started by those before him. let us be honest. he has failed not because somalis are difficult, but he started his tenure on the wrong footing. he chose small-minded clannism over being president. he miscalculated and was misled by the few self serving sycophants he surrounded himself.

 

Those sycophants put the poor man in a reality bubble. niyoow how long can one defend utter failure before one says the it is over. i don't expect qoslaye clan supporters to do the right thing anytime soon.

[OdaySomali]

Mooge, what has he done wrong according to you? What are your grievances? Adigoo abroad jooga adiguna ma wax ayaad ka sheegan?

[Mad_Mullah]

You have to understand that people like Oday don''t care about political stances but only about tribe, it so happens that the president belongs to his click so he can't be wrong.

[OdaySomali]

Mad_Mullah;981488 wrote:

You have to understand that people like Oday don''t care about political stances but only about tribe, it so happens that the president belongs to his click so he can't be wrong.

Oh snap, you figured me out.

 

[xiinfaniin]

Nuradin's artistry in employing rather oblique essay to indict President Hassan's year plus performance in office is quite interesting. For an accomplished author like Nuradin, one understands the approach. The suggested take-away from this article are equally slanted: either president Hassan is so incompetent to rise up to the challenges Somalia presents to his leadership, or he is knee deep in small minded politicking (driven by clan or ideology) that he is blinded to the consequences of his actions (or in actions in some cases).

 

I consider myself an avid follower of Somali politics. In my observations of the president's style, it is his utter indecisiveness that pronounces his folly the most.

 

A word of advise to brother OdeySomali: indicting Nuradin's essay on emotional grounds (his lack of sympathy or lack of appreciation of the situation the president is in) does indeed belittle your otherwise rationale objections to this New York piece. Nuradin may not share your assessment of the situation. If one reads his piece, one sees an eloquent disappointment in the president's performance---A disappointment many of us share.

[LANDER]

OdaySomali;981482 wrote:

 

I get his message and the points he is putting across (namely those listed below). But I do not think that the NYT is the best platform to reach the SFG (if he genuinly wants the issues he has raised to be resolved) nor can I see why he seeks to dismiss any positive [media] coverage credit that the government has received. His valid substantive points have been drowned out by the negativity, dismisiveness and the hearsay he has included in his article.

^That paragraph sums up what I saw in this article. Mr.Nurudin Farah being an 'intellectual' doesn't want to be seen as another petty tribal commentator the likes of which he described earlier in the article. Yet, you have to ask yourself why include hear say and unsubstantiated accusations? shouldn't someone of his caliber know better? Being the president of Somalia in my humble opinion is the most difficult job on the face of the planet. Yet, overall the situation in Somalia has steadly improved with the occasional set back. Coming in to office did anyone really expect anymore than what President Mohamud has done thus far? if you did, than I dare say you have little appreciation for the difficulty and unpredictable nature of the job this man was given. So what is the most substantial criticism Nuradiin Farah has been able to throw at a man who constantly faces death from a extremist group and who inherited the worlds only failed state plagued by war and famine? Well, that he didn't overturn the judiciaries decision in one particular murder case of 2 NGO workers by one particular individual. No offense to the victims of that crime or their families nor do I want to diminish these crimes, but is Nurudiin Farah serious? or does he have another agenda by going to a major western publishing like the NYT?

[Tallaabo]

^ If Nuradiin wanted the president to hear his "criticism" and change course I am sure he would have broadcasted his opinion in the BBC Somali and the VOA.