My father, Yusuf Dirir Abdi, a Somali politician, was killed by Somali government troops. - By Deporah Keeping

[Admin]

My father, Yusuf Dirir Abdi, a Somali politician, has died aged around 80, killed by Somali government troops.

 

He was born into a nomadic family in Erigavo, probably in 1935, though there is no record of his birth. He was the oldest of eight children of Dirir Abdi Issa and Ambaro Sugaal, a strong woman who built up the family goat farm. Yusuf was lucky to have been given a chance of an education, and eventually left for Britain to continue his studies. He was offered a place at Balliol College, Oxford, but the offer was rescinded as he did not have the requisite Latin, so he attended Reading University, reading politics and economics. It was there he met my mother, Margaret.

 

After graduating, he returned to Somalia in 1964 and his political career took off – he worked first in the ministry of health and labour. He then joined the ministry of foreign affairs as a political and economic director – representing Somalia at a number of conferences at the United Nations. In 1967 he was appointed as a diplomat in Ethiopia – an important job given the proximity and difficult relations between the two countries. In 1969 there was a military coup led by Siad Barre. Yusuf served as an economic and financial adviser to Barre (1970-73), but open opposition to Barre’s dictatorship and Yusuf’s belief in democracy meant that he was imprisoned for two years – most of it in solitary confinement.

 

After leaving prison, he left Somalia and spent many years in exile in Kenya and the Middle East. He formed the Somali Salvation Democratic Front and battled against the Barre regime from abroad. He was also successful in business, becoming marketing manager for Toyota in Saudi Arabia.

 

Around 1993 I met my father for the first time – soon afterwards he came to live in London with his third wife, Amina, and their three young children. This was a settled time for him but he could not resist the pull of politics. After the fall of Barre’s regime in 1991 and a period of civil war, he became an MP in the United Nations-backed government. Despite his advanced years, he insisted on putting his life in danger by travelling to Somalia. He told everyone this was to be his last tour. It is a cruel irony that although his family was worried about attacks from the Islamist extremists al-Shabaab, he was killed by government forces in an apparent case of mistaken identity.

 

Politics was a lifelong passion, but his Muslim religion and family were also very important to him. He was a fiercely intelligent man, who spoke Somali, English and Arabic. He was also a very funny and a warm person adored by all his children. He loved spicy food and interesting people – his favourite expression of approval was “he’s quite a character!” He certainly was.

 

Yusuf is survived by Amina and their three daughters, by a son and daughter from his first marriage and three daughters from his second, and by me; and by many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

 

Deporah Keeping

 

 

[Hassan1508736697]

That's what happens when you seek danger. Dude could've politicking in Somaliland, his ancestral homeland, where politicking don't kill you.

 

Now, for the his daughter of his from an incident back in the 60s from the looks of it is gaalad ( disbeliever. Taasina wa qasaaro.

[Tallaabo]

<cite>

@BusDriver

said:</cite>

That's what happens when you seek danger. Dude could've politicking in Somaliland, his ancestral homeland, where politicking don't kill you.

 

Now, for the his daughter of his from an incident back in the 60s from the looks of it is gaalad ( disbeliever. Taasina wa qasaaro.

How do you know she is a disbeliever? Do disbelievers have recognisable features?

[Alpha Blondy]

<cite>

@Tallaabo

said:</cite>

How do you know she is a disbeliever? Do disbelievers have recognisable features?

 

yeah of course they do.

 

her name should've been deeqa Dirir or something. she ought to visit her ancestoral land and get in touch with her father's clan.

 

Tallabo, please don't insult our intelligence. you have to be selective about the causes you pursue.

 

long time sxb. maxaa iga dambeyey?

[Hassan1508736697]

@tallabo..read the article again before attacking me.

 

She said it in the article several indication that she is of another religion..."Politics was a lifelong passion, but his Muslim religion and family were also very important to him"

[Nin-Yaaban]

When your time is up, your time is up. AUN to him and Samir iyo Iiman.

[Mooge]

murdered by qoslaye in cold blood. ask Saalax.

[somalia4somalis]

Alshabaab Siilaanyo killed him for betraying "Qaranka SNMLand".

[Tallaabo]

<cite>

@Alpha Blondy

said:</cite>

yeah of course they do.

 

her name should've been deeqa Dirir or something. she ought to visit her ancestoral land and get in touch with her father's clan.

 

Tallabo, please don't insult our intelligence. you have to be selective about the causes you pursue.

 

long time sxb. maxaa iga dambeyey?

Hello Mr Blondy. Wax muhiim ahi kaamay danbayn sxb.

I hope you understand that neither the name Dirir nor Deeqa have anything to do with Islam. You are speaking like those dishonest Arab cultural imperialists who force new Western Muslim converts to abandon their names and culture and are instead baptised with Arab names they can barely pronounce.

[Tallaabo]

Marxuum Yusuf Dirir's story reveals the ugly side of the hypocritical culture Somalis have. If a Somali woman was to have a child with a non-Muslim man, she would be humiliated, shunned, and made an outcast. But Yusuf Dirir was probably never questioned about the relationships he had in Britain when he was a student here, and certainly his lifestyle choices never prevented him from achieving a high status in the Somali society.