By Abdillahi M. Ali, London-UK

On Tuesday’s January 16th 2007, the people in Somaliland have answered the call for a one day rally by the three political parties in Somaliland, and that call was to exhibit how Somalilanders cannot tolerate the blatant claims made by the TNG, the so-called Somalia government that yet to establish itself in Mogadishu city after the Ethiopian troops brought in by force, and that has no jurisdiction over Somaliland and its people whatsoever.

As most of us have expected, the people in Somaliland came out in their thousands and thronged the streets in almost every city, town and village, and in that ‘big rally day’ they have once again, with their unwavering nationalistic style, demonstrated exactly what the people of Somaliland stand for and defending for the last sixteen years; their independent nation from the failed union that Somaliland has instantaneously entered days after it emerged as the first Somali territory that put up a flag as a free nation, nearly five decades ago.

The call for a big demonstration initiated by the two opposition parties and later acceded by the ruling party-UDUB was not taken lightly and all ages, whatever sector of the society they might came from, people have indeed, poured onto streets and in their prospective town squares. Leaders of all levels of the nation were at present and most of them took the podiums across the country in a show of solidarity with the masses, and according to my source, for the demonstrators, it was a day Somaliland’s independence was reinforced with the voices that reign the existence of this blessed republic.

That day the rally was undoubtedly one of the rare opportunities that any Somaliland politician could not afford to miss, but to my bewilderment, Somaliland’s president who was supposed to be leading that kind of rally was nowhere in sight! It must have being something that anyone taking part in the Hargeisa rally could not believe that their leader simply not showed up, by presumable convincing himself that the public will not notice his absence on such day. What excuse does Mr. Rayale has for the public, when everybody knows the his palace is not so far from where the Hargeisa rally was taking place and every Somalilander was summoned to be there on a day every citizen’s presence was counted, let alone the nation’s top leader.

On that big demonstration day, president Rayale has proven how shattered is the relationship he has with the public, when his vice was there in lieu of the leadership they needed on that day. What the president has based on his decision for not being there on that important day is anyone’s guess, but it is obvious that the president was avoiding to face the nation for reasons anyone could speculate. But it is already clear that the president’s absence from that historic event have added to the speculations and even caused more damage to his already dented reputation, and the people of Somaliland are awaiting his clarifications on what exactly deterred the president for joining the nation on one of the spectacular moments in Somaliland’s quest for recognition.

President Rayale remains the one who could influence many people on many issues that he could enlighten on occasions like this when thousands were at hand. Nevertheless, president Rayale is, at least for now, a leader that injudiciously missed that big day and gone missing when every true Somalilander in the country showed up at the near square in his or her town in support of Somaliland’s irreversible independence. President Rayale, that day he missed was also a moment he could muster support for his government at a time it so badly needs to improve the bad image people perceive these days in almost every event associated with his government.

To sum up, the president’s his absence was improper and slam in the face to the demonstrators re-affirming Somaliland’s unequivocal position on its sovereignty. President Rayale really needs to understand that the way he deals with the public is no way forward and he should be scrutinizing his policies that people are concern as a result of his bad policy on issues the public feel let down and outraged by the lack of proper response when questions are raised. Maybe this time it is when the president’s closest allies or cronies to have the guts to tell their leader that he got it wrong when he confined himself in his palace when everyone else in the country was out there in a big demonstration with the rest of the nation.

OdaygaReerka@aol.com