I am dismayed, annoyed and frustrated by the power abuse of the interior minister and other government officials. Recently elders from Darasaalam district were detained for more than thirteen hours just because the interior minister ordered their arrest. Isn't that a misuse of authority? My question is, can any government official just call the police force to round up citizens without court warrant? If that is true, then we are in big trouble, since this guy is out of control and needs a short leash. In the first place, no one should be given the authority to arrest citizens without an arrest warrant from court, unless there is an immediate danger to safety of others. In Somaliland, it is common that government officials intimidate anyone who disagrees with them by calling for their arrest or threatening with legal action (Sharci baa lalatiigsan). This is nothing but pure threat of the use of force to make the opponent back down. This kind of misuse of both the police force and court system has to stop. It is this same abuse of power we fought against and lost thousands of our loved ones to bring it to an end. Secondly, isn't the job of the House of the Elders to handle any clan related issues?
In my opinion, as soon as clan issues sprout out and trouble is sensed the House of Elders should dispatch immediately a commission to settle the issue. The central government's duty is to keep the peace and prevent any bloodshed. Only when every citizen of that disputed district or town is heard and all interested and all possible efforts are made to satisfy parties involved should the Elders make their final decision without cutting any corners or taking an easy way out, and all parties must abide by it.
The arrest of the thirteen elders and community leaders was because of disagreement on redistricting issues. It is a very delicate issue that needs to be handled through the traditional Somali culture; otherwise unnecessary clan war could be imminent. It is an issue that must be handled by the elders, not by governmental ministers. As we all know there is no territorial dispute among the clans. However there are certain times when an issue arises because certain towns populated by certain clan or subclan are included in a regional administration dominated by other clans/subclans. This could be because of economical, cultural or geographical location. However, the cost of developing the town/towns due to such constraint of economical feasibility, and cost effectiveness is unattainable without enduring hard financial drain to the nation and the region of which the town shares clan lineage. If that town remains within the administration jurisdiction of such a region rather than the one geographically closest to it, then it would be wise to include it within the regional administration that benefits it the most in both economical development and retention of cultural values. After correct and adequate information are provided to them, it is the residents of the town who should determine, by majority vote, which regional administration to join. It should never be the government's position to force citizens. It is a non-negotiable right of all Somaliland citizens.
The residents of such towns as: Ceel-Sheekh, Hulka, Ceel-la-Helay, Damasha, Bildhaalay, Cabdi Geeddi and others should not be forced to be administered by Awdal, Saaxil or Hargeisa. It should be the residents of these towns who determine who should be their regional administrator. In such dispute of redistricting towns without consulting all parties involved and the inhabitants of these towns would incite civil unrest and animosity among clans and (God forbid) if that becomes reality, the full responsibility would rest on the shoulders of the government authority. For the best interest of the whole nation, all districts should go back to pre-independence of 1960 as indicated in our current constitution. The voting rights and where to place ballot boxes are irrelevant and do not supercede the constitution. If there is a disputed district or town for vote casting purposes, and time is not permitting for accurate and detailed analysis of determining the jurisdiction of the area, common sense has to be followed, where, I may say, the residences of these area have to register their choices at the closest voting polls (district) for the current election until the issues are resolved. To redistrict an area for any reason, the full consent and participation of that particular town's residents is a must.
It is unacceptable to arrest any Somalilander without the proper authorization let alone elders who are representing their constituency just because they spoke out and expressed their unwillingness to be included by force within a region or district they don't want to be part of, and never were part of it, even before 1960.
The Darasaalam district is inhabited by people who do not want to be part of Awdal region, and they have the right not to be part of that region. Why should they? It is their lives, it is their towns and grazing area.
Hassan Mogeh Hirsi
Los Angeles, California, USA
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