By Ibrahim Jibah Ismail, USA

Over the centuries, the media outlet of any society is the cornerstone of its democracy and influences what their government should or should not do. The Press has a responsibility to investigate the facts and figures of any particular government according to the Constitution of that country. In doing so, they encourage a style of politics and kind of politician to facilitate the lawful affairs of the State. It has been reported that the editors of Haatuf have been jailed after they uncovered and reported on widespread corruption by the Executive branch of the Somaliland government. The Somaliland Constitution dictates that a free press is a legal right of Somalilanders. However, as we have observed over the years, while this present administration has been in power, the press has become increasingly harassed and suppressed by the Executive branch of the Somaliland government. That shows us that the seeds of dictatorship have been planted and the masses of Somaliland are in danger of sowing this toxic crop.  

As I have previously stated, we must remain vigilant about the insidious creeping by the current administration upon the freedoms for which Somalilanders have sacrificed so much. One of the pillars of democracy is freedom of the press. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press and that cannot be limited without being lost.” Over the past few years, while the current administration has been in power, our democratic rights, outlined in the Somaliland constitution, are being marginalized and in danger of being lost. If continued suppression of the freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of political thinking and the right to peacefully protest takes root, the foundation of our democracy is doomed to fail. If we choose to allow ourselves to be silenced, our future generations will pay a terrible price. It is our civic duty to guarantee that democracy flows into the future by accountability of the government in the present. The government must accept accountability by allowing the Press to report on both its successes and failures. After all, if they are following the Constitution and the Law, what do they have to fear from open investigation and discourse?  

There must also be accountability on the part of the Somaliland Parliamentarians. They must strongly address issues of erosion upon the Constitutional rights of their constituents. If they are unable or unwilling to do so, they must relinquish the responsibility that has been given to them by those who elected them to safeguard their rights and protect their interests. Failure by them to do so makes them party to the corruption and Constitutional violations taking place. Since the beginning of Rayale’s administration and their successful election, the Parliamentarians have allowed themselves to be silenced by accepting the status quo. They have accepted the Executive Branch’s disregard for the issues they have raised. This is leading to a Constitutional crisis growing in Somaliland. The Somaliland Parliamentarians must put personal differences aside and work in cooperation for the good of the whole country.

There is a growing suspicion that Somaliland is becoming mired in internal corruption and fight for personal, rather than national, gain. This is not the image to present to the international world as we continue to seek recognition and aid for economic and infrastructure growth. If we are to successfully achieve recognition from the world, we must show that we are serious about defending our rights as outlined in the Somaliland Constitution. The current situation in Somaliland seriously undermines these efforts. Instead of raiding the treasury for personal gain, suppressing freedom of the press, ignoring the plight of the people and disregarding the recommendations of the lawfully elected Parliament, the Rayale administration must be held accountable for the actions it has taken that has brought the country to this state of affairs.  

The Somaliland Parliament as an institution performs several different functions in the Somaliland political system. Each of these major functions of representation, law making and legislative oversight carries with it implications for the way in which Parliamentarians relate to the President. Each affects the way the Parliament and the Presidency interact to make public policy. In addition, since many Somalilanders fail to understand that the Parliament must perform all three functions simultaneously, they may be overcritical of the way the Parliament tends to perform any single function. Each function should be examined in turn, indicating the ways in which it affects the system and our image of it. The Parliament can not simply accept the attempts to sow the seeds of dictatorship by this President and his Executive Branch as they attempt to destroy the pillars of democracy by shutting off the free press and media.

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