Eng. Mohamoud Aden

In the last two weeks, the News headline of Somali media has said a lot about Somaliland and forth coming presidential elections procedural disagreements. I believe that there is fundamental need to make the ends meet.

I am not a politician but as Somaliland scholar my instincts urged me to intervene the situation from reconciliatory perspective. I opted to express my personal views on the basis of democracy and political maturity, which seems to me inseparable in democratic systems and functions.

In short democracy is a symbol of freedom of speech, free trade and good governance. Components of good governance include accountability, transparency, and justice, equality of resources (distribution, management) and respect of differences, respect of rule of law as well as fair and free elections based on multiparty system.

Political maturity is an organic evolution, which is compatible with the norms, values and the behavior of a particular society and the specific circumstances existing in that society. These circumstances might be economic conditions, educational advancement, security, technology, institutional development, justice and the full respect of the choice of the majority – not by ethnicity majority. The list is not exclusive and not unique in any societal settings and environments.

In operational level, political maturity is about the wisdom to know your limitations, lead by example, accept divergent opinions, reconcile differences, responsibility of own actions. It is about ceasing the opportunities to respond insightfully for the benefit of the public. It is the engagement of social reforming in order to gain public support in the context of existing and predicted situations elevated on platform of merely personal reactions. At present the political landscape of S/land is unfortunately envisioned the trivial mind templates of personal reactions instead of responding more responsible ways for common interest of the nation.

I am fully aware that Somaliland democracy is its infancy. The current fiasco of the presidential elections in 27^th September 2009 is the collective responsibility of the government, opposition parties and electoral commission. In my opinion the core of the problem is intuitional weakness of both poor strategic planning and human resources, which stems of lack of capacity building.

In a sound consciousness, I take this current election procedural disagreement as opportunity for learning experience. We need to resolve this challenge through constructive dialogue and thoughtful thinking in order to shape the future whist taking into account constraints and challenges lay ahead. Please let us use the slogan of “now let us act together for the good of all”

Again in a sound consciousness, differences of all sorts including political ones are Allah given opportunities in terms of personal development and political maturity. Differences nurture common understanding, confidence building, urge open/honest communication and above all sense of responsibility, refinement and mature adult status. Let me share with you a wisdom which says that democracy is like a book, therefore a book does no good for me if I can’t read it, nor if I can read it but not understand it, nor if I can understand it but not assimilate it to my life – personal and public life.

In theory democracy is a downhill but its implementation in practice is like an uphill of no definitive end. Somaliland in my judgment is in the middle of the downhill which is irreversible. At this middle of nowhere, I don’t think it is wise to go with the effortless slope. Here we need to brake, look back and review how we arrived or got where we are. We as Somalilanders, there we have the choice to choose from different equations. And I sure with the grace of Allah we can choose the equation that fits best at the current situation. And hopefully with constant reviews we can maneuver to the end of the downhill and start to climb the uphill with our collective vision and efforts within the framework democracy and political maturity.

Finally I do not think the current attitude of “my way only nothing else” employed by the government and opposition political parties is not rational solution nor workable. And there is no room of possibility to resolve the prevailing differences by any sort of violence or public disorder. I strongly urge all Somaliland scholars and intellectuals to intervene situation positively sooner than later.

Thank you

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