Rayale’s Foreign Trips And The ‎Chaos That Ensues On The Road To ‎The Airport

By Yussuf Abdillahi Mohamed, Hargeysa, Somaliland,

It has now become a commonplace that whenever president Rayale is going to or returning from a foreign trip, the road from the airport all the way to his residence turns into an occupation zone. Uniformed Policemen, trigger happy soldiers, and plain cloths line every five or so meters along the road to the airport. Add this to the numerous battle wagons, including anti-aircraft mounted ones that accompany the president, his vice president and some of his ministers and you will be forgiven to think that you are living in a country ruled by a military junta, rather than a democratically elected government.

These heavy security arrangements put in place at the times when the President is leaving for or returning from a foreign trip interfere with the free movement of citizens and terrorize women and children, while reminding the people of the days of the military dictatorship in the country.

It is important to ensure the maximum security of the president and his entourage. It is equally important not turn the whole route the president travels on into a war zone. The president may as well ‘purchase’ a helicopter to take him to and from the airport to save citizens from the inconveniences attendant on his foreign trips and spare his security men from the painful travails they undergo during his movements. Far fetched? Perhaps not, given the huge budget allocated annually to his presidential office, which approaches two million dollars.

In fact, these exaggerated security arrangements are deliberately concocted by the ministers responsible for the security of the country (i.e. the interior and the defense ministers) for a number of reasons. First, these ministers try to impress the president and make themselves indispensable in his eyes. Second, the ministers show off the forces at their command so that the opposition groups may not make mischievous calculation during the absence of the president abroad and, possibly, during his presence in the country. Lastly, these security arrangements are intended to awe citizens into total submission.

The conduct of these ministers reflects negatively on the administration of Mr. Rayale, under whose guise these arrangements are made. Mr. Rayale should review these security arrangements and see what is adequate for his protection on his route to and from the airport and what is the exaggerated ego of his ministers. Hargeysa in not like Baghdad and the road to the airport is not like the road to Baghdad airport.

Mr. Rayale should be reminded of the fact that he did not assume power by the barrel of the gun, but by a democratically conducted free and fair election in the country. In fact, the exaggerated security arrangements decrease the security environment of the president due to the presence of multiple gun totting armed forces in close proximity with the president. In addition, these security arrangements create an impression that the president has the enemy in his own citizens. This is not to suggest that the president should disavow his security entourage. Rather, he should moderate them to a level that is commensurate with his needs.

Clearly, a government that sends armored military carriers into civilian hospitals trusts the power of the gun more than the power of persuasion.

Bulaale@gmail.com.

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