Complaint About Your Editorial

Dear sir/ madam

I would like to complaint about you editorial, "Somalis see through Majeerteenya’s flimsy claims” which sounds nothing more than utter racism. I think it’s not acceptable in this age to be openly racist like this whilst claiming to be a serious newspaper. Your editorial is obviously promoting the subjugation of specific people because of perceived characteristics. I am really disappointed that you are not able to refrain from such writings that do not add anything to relations in this global village we live in. You have all the right to criticize politics or points of views, and it is admissible to differ in politics, however, taking things to this primitive level is intolerable. I live in the west and I know that we cannot demand equality, respect and justice unless we are willing to give them back.

I am half Majeerteen half Isaaq, and if we go this route it will be equally right to name Isaaq as promoting their own supremacy over the rest of Somalia. I know for a fact that Isaaq see Hawiye as less than beings.

There are no half measures in prejudices and wrong is wrong no matter who says it. Prejudices are a disease that will finish us all. This is the reason that have led Europe to learn from their experiences at the hands of Nazi Germany and led them to set their colonial dreams free at last. Statements like yours, inflames relations between people and sends the message that it is ok to say despicable things about others.

It is not really hard to see beyond your writings and understand that it is really about Somaliland and Puntland. The problem between Somaliland and Puntland is no more than the problems in the rest of the world over borders created by colonial past. The same problem exists in the Northern Sahara between Algiers and Morocco, Pakistan and India, Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan…etc. Which raises a question over their applicability to the reality in the ground. The colonials have created these problems and it is going to be up to us to whether foolishly falling in to the trap of what was expected from us or sort them out in a culturally appropriate manner. We all busy killing each other, whilst no one is addressing the people who created these problems from the first place. As you can see dividing a land that didn’t belong to you amounts to handling stolen goods. Neither the British nor the French had any business doing what they did, and both of them need to be brought to justice for every lost human life over this. The people of the South certainly deserve an apology for these irresponsible acts. We are barking on the wrong tree as you can see.

I am sorry that your limited vision or lack of it has led you to produce such editorial.

Yours

Warsan Fowzi

[warsan2001@hotmail.com]