Mucjiso iyo Mu'aamarad, Cawil c. Ducaale the new (old) face of Somalilnd.

[galbeedi]

According to his own biography , Mr. Cawil was born miraculously. He said his Father Cali Ducaale married nine different women during his life time but, was unable to have any children. As they say here in the west "his little soldiers could not swim". In those days, since there are no doctors, he sought the help of a psychic (faaliso) . She told him that he must marry a woman from Ahmed Dhagax district of Hargeisa, only then and from those women alone he could have an offspring.

 

 

believe it or not, the miracle from the "Faaliso" did happen and the always mischievous Cawil was born. We do not have enough ink to indulge in to his early life which may have more intrigue than most people, but it is important to note that he was one of the Northern military officers who plotted unsuccessful coup in Somalia in 1961. He has been talking about that event for the last twenty years as his badge of honor. Since the civilian Somali government of 1961 was confident and democratic, it did not consider the issue as threat to the existence of the nation. After brief court proceeding they were found guilty of treason and other charges. as I fore mentioned, the democratic state thought these young officers as disgruntled men who acted out of anger, as such , they were freed and discharged from the military dishonorably.

 

 

Cawil, as he collected his belonging and leaving the military headquarters of the Somali National force, he passed the office of then General Mohamed Siyaad Barre, who was the vice chief of staff of the army. In his own account Cawil said " Anigoo cadhaysan Ayaan Xafiiskiisa maray, markaas ayuu Siaad barre igu yidhi , " Waar ninka raga ahi ma cadhoodee wuu aargoostaa, ninka xafiiskaas fadhiya sow arki maysid -- Isagoo Markaa Ujeeda janraal Daa'uud Cabdule Osman , Abaanduulihii ciidanka Qaranka--- waa ninkaasc ninka darajadaydii qaatay", Maalintaa wixii ka dambeeyey aniga iyo Siyaad Barre saaxiib baanu noqonay . Roughly means :" Siyaad Barre told me to be tough and seek revenge from my dismissal of the army."

 

 

As soon as Siyaad Barre took over as the military leader of Somali republic after the coup of 1969, Cawil was on of the first beneficiaries of his former friend. In the early seventies, he became the Somali ambassador to Uganda and later in Kenya. In 1977, the war to liberate western Somalia from Ethiopia started in earnest. The nation was mobilized, Somalis every where took part on the national campaign . Since Ambassador Cawil was former military officer who graduated from Sandhurst -- one of the prestigious British military colleges--- he was called to Mogadishu and asked to lead some of the intelligence needs of the army in the south west section bordering Kenya and Ethiopia. Cawil accepted the assignment and proceeded with his intelligence division. Rather than enter the liberated area in the dolow region of Gedo, Cawil went straight to Nairobi with all the secret documents of the army with him. Not only he betrayed his country, but denounced Siyaad Barre and the war effort.

 

 

Of course , there were always people and officers who might disagree the reasons behind the war or have ulterior motives which could be expected in Somalia of 1977. Well, no one could have expected or predicted the biggest intrigue of Cawil's life time when, after few months in Nairobi, he returned in Mogadishu. To everyone's surprise , Siyaad Barre, did not arrest or even detain him. When colleagues asked SIyaad " why not you arrest Cawil after he took all the army secrets and crossed to Kenya"?, he responded that ( ii daaya, inta aanan xidhin waxaan rabaa in aan ka soo matajiyo sirta uu dhiibaye) " leave him alone , first I want him to cough up and disclose the secrets that he released to the enemy". Well, another surprise to Siilaanyo and other who were working full time on the war effort. Cawil ( the miracle), went back to Nairobi as the nation's ambassador to Kenya once again without any problems. He was there until the collapse of the Somali state in 1991.

 

 

A lot has been said about the motives behind Siyaad Barre and the way he handled Cawil's affair. Some said the idea of Cawil crossing to Kenya and abandoning his duty was a plot between him and Siyad Barre to confuse the exiled opposition. others claim that he did a lot of clandestine work including kidnapping of opposition members after the nineteen eighty rebel movements.

 

 

Just before the war started in 1977, Cawil mentioned a conversation he had with Siilanyo who was the minister of commerce of the Somali Republic . He said " “Siilaanyo oo xumbaynaya baa igu yidhi dalka waa in la xoreeyaa, maanta fursad baynu leenahay, lix bilood raashinkii ciidamada waan hayaa, Afweyne waa fulay, waan ku tukhaantukhinayaa dagaalka.” Markii uu dhammaystay hadalkiisii waxaan ku idhi; “Maxamed Siyaad Barre waddani ma aha oo waad taqaanaa, dhawr iyo toban sannadood Wasiir baad u ahayd, beel buu rabaa in uu gudaha soo gashado oo Askar ka dhigto, bal adiga yaa kaa maqan?” Bishii August 1990kii, ayaa iigu xigtay in aan isaragno Siilanyo, markaasaan ku idhi keenee saxsanaa".

 

 

In 2007, while Cawil was the minister of Finance in the Rayaale government, he and Siilaanyo exchanged few insults and accusations. Siilaanyo himself mentioned the 1977 war and the role of Cawil. He said " , noloshu marba meel ayay joogtay, marbaa Soomaalinimo iyo Qaranimo loo degaalamayay, Maalintii Dagaalku kula soo gudboonaaday waa adigii inta aad Sirtii Ciidamadii Qaranka oo dhan aad urursatay Buulo Xaawo ka booday oo Nayroobi tagay ee sirtii ummadda bixiyay waa la ogsoon yahay, kaana waan galay kii SNM na waan galay". Cawil himself Accused Siilaanyo of killing some of his prominent colleagues inside Ethiopia in nineteen eighties, he said he fled to London before the 1990 war and also accused him negotiating with Siyaad Barre until the end. In the nineties, then President Mohamed, I. cigaal asked Cawil to leave Somalilnd within 48 hours. he said " Hadii uu Sii Joogo wuu Ina wada Iibin".

 

 

Personally, I do not give any political weight the stone throwing of politicians and accusations, because it is all done to gain some personal political capital. The reason we are discussing Cawl Cali Ducaale today is Siilaanyo the old guard, appointed Cawil as the head of negotiations with Somalia. Is this the Old political enemies suddenly sharing same goals or having converging interest?, or is it senile Siilaanyo --who doesn't have any energy left --contracting out plotting to the master plotter who works under water?. Another matter that Siilaanyo totally missed or couldn't stop is the rapprochement the Turkish ambassador and consulate made with Somaliland elders, especially the HY elders who seem to be contracted out on the issue of Somali union negotiations in the north. Last month , all the elders who privately met the Turks were Cawil's sub clan.

 

 

Now since Siilaanyo has abandoned his men who managed his affaires for the last five years, he is now calling the old guard to create some meaningful legacy for him before he leaves office. Other few huge government buildings in Hargeisa, he could not build any institutions of government that can last after his departure. He could not do one single successful election within his party or in Somaliland. He is leaving office no institutional achievements. I do not believe, Cawil, the master manipulator could not save Siilaanyo this time.

 

 

Mucjiso iyo Mu'aamarad aynu eegno Cawil iyo talaabooyinka uu qaadi doono.