By M. Hashi, Saudi Arabia

A quick check at Puntland's Minister of Finance tells a different story as opposed to what some of my fellow Puntlanders like to hear. Gaagaab is not doctor as claimed. Neither his writing nor his actions indicate any sign of academic performance. Am not aware of any school that could have given a Gaagaab this title. Ahaa, may be he is one of the comrades sent to the Former Soviet Union (FSU) for orientation. Well, if he went to the FSU or attended the shoddy socialist schools of Somalia, then may be  I stand for correction,  a doctor a la Mogadishu.

Why focus on this hapless Minister of Puntland and his like? Because he stood out as a loose canon. He has stolen the poor region to bankruptcy, he interferes any agency's work  in the land. Instead of managing the disintegrating economy, he tends to go after Somali people who had run away from the Ogaden crisis and surrenders to their enemies. As others have voiced their anger at the uncivilized actions of this former Guulwade, for the people of Puntland, it is the time to challenge this thug who had stolen your petty cash and now getting contracts from Ethiopia at the expense of your fellow Somalis.

But the question that I have no answer is why we Somalis complain from the evil acts of Siyad Barre, and some of us supported Aided or even the current Abdallah Yusuf, who all share common tendencies – get the power (totally) at any cost and never let it slip until you die. The former two died while claiming presidency, and the circle is likely to close, perhaps soon. More relevantly, why we complain from Siyad Barre and Somaliland elected Riyaale, a brutal NSS man, and Gaagaab is the de facto ruler of Puntland. Gaagaab was a senior member of Siyad's victory pioneers ( a Guulwade). If we have known it, why we complain from a NSS man and a Guulwade.

I may argue that the problem is the people and their leaders not these thugs who believe in survival only. Gaagaab was launched and protected by Abdullah who unfortunately had killed thousands of Somalis to fight against Guulwadism, and now favours Siyad's lackeys of all people. Riyaale, is obviously Egal product. Egal was the victim of the NSS persecution. Is the word hypocrisy is in order here or these gentlemen (Egal/Abdallah) were/are suffering from the so called Stockholm Syndrome (imitate those who imprisoned you). Am not surprised why Somalia is in perpetual mess. Nobody cares who did what. Everybody cares what is his clan, which is in short what brought us here.

M. Hashi, Saudi Arabia
Hashis@vtmail.com