By Dalmar Kahin

The current chaotic democracy (or orderly autocracy) in Somaliland attracts familiar vultures. Among them, the blood-soaked Alshabaab terrorists, the besieged Somali regime, and the tribal-oriented Garoweonline news blog all take turns to lash out at Somaliland leaders, instigate violence in the country, and shed crocodile tears for its people’s unrewarded efforts to pacify and democratize their country.

Surely, after the religious cult Alshabaab mastered how to detonate gigantic explosives against innocent Somali civilians in Mogadishu under the false pretences of defending Islam—paradoxically Islam is under attack by the same lunatics who pretend to “defend” it—it [Alshabaab] horns its skills: how to create another deathtrap in Somaliland, an oases of serenity. For instance, Alshabaab’s top murderer Sheikh Mukhtar Abdurahman Abu Zubayr, a wanted criminal who hails from Somaliland, cajoles Somaliland people to revolt against their government—an insidious trap. That is, he demands Somaliland people to start hacking one another to death, instead of challenging their government through legal avenues. http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1066/652376/-/136yhwqz/-/

But due to his sever case of selective amnesia what he conveniently avoids mentioning is: he was the brainchild behind the massive suicide bombings in Hargeisa, Somaliland capital, last year October 2008. Over twenty two innocent Somaliland citizens lost their life. See this article: Alshabaab: “The” Number One Enemy of Islam and Somali People http://www.awdalnews.com/wmview.php?ArtID=12037

Now, one wonders wasn’t Alshabaab’s deadly attack against peaceful Somaliland in October 2008 satisfactory for its bloodthirsty mission? Also, what is the main reason behind Mr. Abu Zubayr’s rants?

Generally, because Somalis are far more loyal to their tribes than Islam or Somalia, Somali officials openly state: while Mr. Abu Zubayr’s Somaliland remains peaceful he wrecks havoc in Somalia. Alshabaab’s top ranks also instructed him to keep a low profile since their struggle against Ethiopia’s occupation ended. So in essence, he may desperately need attention because his terrorist career hangs by a thread. The irony is: Somali tribalism may put the biggest terrorist in Somalia out of commission.

Responding to Alshabaab’s rants towards Somaliland, the current Somali regime led by President Sheikh Sharif or the besieged Mayor of Mogadishu issues a stern warning to Alshabaab. How about getting Alshabaab off your back, never mind helping someone else? The Somali police chief, Abdullahi Hassan Bariis warns Alshabaab criminals not to tamper with “the northern provinces [Somaliland]” of Somalia's affairs. http://hiiraan.com/news/2009/Sept/wararka_maanta3-7404.htm

But beneath the vacuous warnings from the teeth-less Somali regime which is at the mercy of Alshabaab and controls only few blocks of Mogadishu, much less exercise authority over Somaliland, a different picture emerges. Throughout the earlier fourteen doomed Somali regimes, whenever the former Somali warlords (or the current peace-lords) hit roadblocks stressing peaceful Somaliland as part of Somalia not only soothed their nerves but also helped them cling to their bullet-riddled offices.

Similarly, to obfuscate the reality on the ground and portray Somaliland as nothing more than “northern provinces” of Somalia, Mr. Bariis just like his failed predecessors entertains himself with a hypothetical authority that his besieged regime has over Somaliland. (Whatever rocks his boat!) The truth is: such an imaginary authority may allow him to keep his sanity helmet on temporarily, but what he is not confused about is: if he trespasses into Somaliland soil he will be camping for the rest of his life in the notorious prison Mandheera near port city of Berbera in Somaliland. Hence, for the Somali “officials”, claiming a jurisdiction over Somaliland is quit entertaining; stepping into its soil is a whole new ball game.

Meanwhile, just like Alshabaab and Al-Somali regime, Al-Garoweonline website—a mouthpiece for Puntland authority—is now obsessed with spreading disinformation about Somaliland.

Now sensing the current political crossroad in Somaliland may erupt soon into a massive fireball, an editorial “writer” wannabe for Garoweonlie just like Alshabaab reminds Somaliland people about their horrific ordeals during Gen. Mohammed Siad Barre’s regime, the former Somali dictator of the 90s. (Ooh how nice!) The editorial writer also reminds them the current Somaliland leader Dahir Riyale Kahin worked for the notorious National Security Service (NSS) of Gen. Barre.

But what the author doesn’t tell them is: President Dahir Riyale Kahin despite his current unholy political maneuvers, he is an elected leader. Nor is there a credible proof that links Mr. Kahin to any crimes he may have committed against the Somaliland people during Gen. Barre’s era.

Also, what Garoweonline doesn’t remind them is: Gen. Mohammed Hersi Morgan who hails from Puntland was in fact the criminal who brought Somaliland to its knees in the 80s. He was indeed nicknamed: the butcher of Hargeysa. He once wrote the infamous letter: “The Letter of Death” to the former Somali dictator Gen. Mohammed Siad Barre and purposed a campaign of obliteration against Northern Somalis.

The editorial writer’s crusade against Somaliland respects no bounds; reading between the lines, you will notice the author instead of encouraging Somaliland people to resolve their differences peacefully, just like Alshabaab, he goads them to rid of their current leaders violently. (How about uprooting the well-known corrupted leaders of Puntland, the human traffickers, pirate kings and tribal gangs—the Red Sea Mafia?) See Garoweonline's tribal rants masqueraded as an “editorial”: http://tinyurl.com/l7njqr

But Garoweonline’s crocodile tears for Somaliland hardly amuse the average grade-five kid in Somaliland, much less persuade the grownups. This tabloid website’s fabricated stories never evade the watchful eyes of staunch Somaliland defenders such Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi either. In one of his articles entitled, “Reliability and Credibility of AllAfrica.com News Coverage in Somaliland and Somalia”, Mr. Al-Mutairi details how Groweonline spreads disinformation about Somaliland. See the article: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/112244

Too often, Garoweonline quotes “credible” yet unnamed sources in its articles (hello). Sorry to burst Garoweonline’s bubble but its sources are as credible as my ninety-years-old grandmother’s superstitious stories. (Give me a break!)

Some readers may mistake Garoweonline’s deceptive editorial for constructive criticism. But its villain attacks against Somaliland has very little to do with Somaliland people’s well-being and has more to do with Puntland’s unwavering efforts to annex parts of Somaliland territory, namely Las Anod, the provincial capital of Sool region in Somaliland.

Pathetically, Puntland argues: the people in Sool region have tribal lineages with those of Puntland. Isn’t tribalism what has destroyed Somalia, in the first place? Similarly, Garoweonline’s editorial could not even hide its true motives as it states, “They [Somalilanders] even supported a war of aggression against Somalis in Sool region – in 2007, when Somaliland troops violently took control of the key town of Las Anod in a military development…”

Garoweonline also defended the notorious war criminal Col. Abdullahi Yussuf—the butcher of Mogadishu—during his campaign of terror against Southern Somalis in 2006-2008 because he hails from Puntland.

To sum up, Alshabaab, Somali regime, and Puntland resolutely disagree on how to quell violence in Somalia but doubtlessly agree on one and ONLY one thing: Somaliland must not break away at any cost, whether that may result its people to disappear from the face of the earth or not.

Also, both Alshabaab and Al-Somali regime’s tug of war over Somaliland boils down to one thing: they both want to recruit young Somalilanders. Al-Somali regime wants to revive Somali unity that its warlords butchered to death. Also, Alshabaab needs recruits for a Somali nationalism that is missing both its arms and legs because Alshabaab amputated them in the name of enforcing its version of “Islam”.

Similarly, Garoweonline’s villain attacks towards Somaliland stem from Puntland’s failure to keep a tribal hegemony over Somaliland regions.

As for Somaliland, its leaders must settle their differences immediately because too many vicious vultures await its demise. Our leaders must prevent ringing the death knell for Somaliland’s demise.

dalmar_k@yahoo.com

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