By Nuradin Jilani
I recently came across an article – or rather a jumble of meaningless words – written by one Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi on Somalilandpress.comen titled ‘“Somalia’s” Terrorists are InvadingSomaliland’.
For a start, the article containsso many inaccuracies, falsehoods, and deliberate lies that do not deserve arebuttal as it would give undeserved honor. But lest Al-Mutairi’s lies beguilethe uninformed, truth and fairness demand that we respond to them and nip hisfalsehoods in the bud.
But perhaps more ominous than thecontents of the said article is the decision by Somalilandpress.com to publishsuch a drivel: it shows the warmongering attitude and aggressive clan warfare posturingwhich is currently predominant in the elite circles of the northern Somaliaenclave which calls itself ‘Somaliland’.
Al-Mutairi’s incoherent verbiage, whichlumps together groups that are antithetical in political thought and practiceas enemies of ‘Somaliland’ who are out to destroy it, is not something new.This paranoia has been around for quite sometime. The secessionists in theso-called ‘Somaliland’ – which Al-Mutairi typifies - live in isolation;rejected by the outside world and distancing themselves fellow Somalis in theirsearch for elusive recognition, they have adopted a siege mentality. It seemseveryone is their enemy except one country: Ethiopia. And for obvious reasons,they cannot anger the regime in Addis Ababa no matter what it does to them.
Although Al-Mutairi is amateurclannish writer who conveys the aggressive mood in Hargeysa’s Khat saloons withOwellian duckspeak, however hisrecent noise which has reached a fever pitch comes after the secessionists’ wererouted out in the battle for Buuhoodle by the forces of Khaatumo State of Somalia.
Unable to digest that bitter defeatat the hands of Khaatumo forces, the secessionists must blame someone else forthe bloody nose they have received. ONLF, Alshabaab, Abdi Iley and the longdefunct Al-itihad Al-Islami plus the militias of ‘warlord’ Ali Khalif Galeydhcome ready in handy to fill the void and soothe the damaged ego. If you ask,‘What do they have in common’? Al-Mutairi will tell you ‘terrorism’ and clan lineage. The first is anappeal made to the terrorism weary international community while the latter isto rally the ‘Somaliland’ clans behind the war.
In case you wonder what ONLF (theso-called peaceful wing) has got to do in Al-Mutairi’s anti ‘Somaliland’ terroristalliance, he will supply you with this explanation: they’re destabilizing theregion from ‘inside’ while their violent twin brothers (the ‘freedom fighters’)are ‘killing Ethiopian soldiers’ on the outside. This is a lame argumentintended to solicit the sympathy of the Ethiopian regime. There is no peacefulONLF wing currently in control of the Somali Regional State through the backdoor as Al-Mutairi continuously says.
Regarding the allegation that Alshabaaband Al-itihad Al-Islami provide the militia in Buuhoodle with training andweaponry, anyone with a passing knowledge of the regional politics will tellyou, “this is pure balderdash!” As the Somali adage has it, Hadaad been sheegayso, been run u eg sheeg(if you’re about to tell a lie, tell one which looks like a truth).
If that was not enough, Al-Mutairifurther claims: “Recently, WarlordGalaydh’s militia in Buhoodle town received ONLF, Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya andAl-Shabaab fighters on the grounds of tribal affiliation bases”. The jury is still out to establish ‘the tribalaffiliation’ between these groups. However I hope Al-Mutairi is right on Alshabaabbelonging to a particular Somali clan as their menace will be solved once andfor all and there will be no need to seek peace from their illusive mentors inthe hills Afghanistan. Hurrah to Al-Mutairi! He is not that bad after all.
Al-Mutairi makes one more ludicrousassertion by claiming “ONLF and the President of Somali State of Ethiopia (5thRegion) Abdi Mohamoud Omar (Abdi Iley), known for his tribal agenda, areproviding moral and logistical support to the militia” of Ali Khalif Galaydh. This is the crux of the matter and thecentral argument of the article. Apparently Abdi Iley, who must get theblessing of Meles Zenawi in whatever action he takes, has turned the back onthe secessionist enclave after many years of loyal service. How did thishappen? Al-Mutairi says the relations between ‘Somaliland’ and the Somaliregion of Ethiopia have worsened after the last presidential election in theenclave. We are not told why. But we know. After coming to power the presidentof the enclave Ahmed Siilaanyo has tried to conduct business with Ethiopia onstate-to-state basis and dismantled the remnants of the subservient previousregime of Riyaale Kaahin. Ethiopia was incensed. For a while things were onstandstill until Siilaanyo capitulated and we saw the signing of Ethiopianbrokered oil contract between Chinese Oil Company, PetroTrans Company Ltd, and ‘Somaliland’ authorities in August lastyear.
Then, at around the same time, alittle clan war erupted between the border of Somali Region and ‘Somaliland’.After a fierce fighting, Abdi Iley’s militias, the so-called Liyuu police, haverounded up clan militias from ‘Somaliland’ who were about to attack local clansin the Somali Region (Ogaden). These heavily armed ‘Somaliland’ clan militiaswere taken to the capital city Jigjiga and given heavy sentences. ‘Somaliland’sent a delegation to Jigjiga to request for their release. They were turnedback empty handed. Then they went to Addis Abbaba. They were told to go back Jigjiga. This isthe background which Al-Mutairi scantily mentions when he says relations haveworsened ever-since Ahmed Siilaanyo was elected. It will remain to be so untilSiilaanyo swallows his little pride and accepts to abide by the rules of thegame and allow Abdi Iley unhindered access to ‘Somaliland’ to do what he likes.Abdi Iley is simply a fierce dog whose leash is held by Meles Zenawi. Sendingministerial delegation to Addis Ababa and begging Meles Zenawi for mercy will nothelp nor lead to the removal of his Liyuu Police from the border area.
Untill Al-Mutairi and his elk understandthe treacherous plan of the Ethiopian regime – which is to make Somalis bleedeach other to death – they can keep blaming uninvolved Somali entities who arethemselves not in good terms and at war, such as the ONLF and Alshabaab, not tomention Al-itihad, the Liyuu Police, and the rest, for the disappointment andrepulsion they get from the clan warfare they have unleashed on the peacefulresidents of Khaatumo regional State. However if they were to listen tobrotherly counsel, the secessionists are advised to stop the senseless violenceon the people of Khaatumo State before it gets out of hand and the whole regiontransforms into another southern Somalia. One thing is clear: if Somalia isdivisible so is ‘Somaliland’. The secessionist must take home and internalizethat elementary fact.
Whichever way they choose, ONLF isnot part of this conflict and has never been involved in the Somali civil war. TheEthiopian regime had tried in the past to drag them into it but failed. Al-Mutairicannot change that fact with his damned lies.
The Author Nuradin Jilani can be reached Nuradin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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