Waa kuma wadaad?

Culimada afka sida dhow u deristay iyo taariikhyahanada qaarkood waxaay ereyga wadaad u kala qaadeen wad iyo aad. Wad wuxuu ahaa baa la yidhi Ilaah ay Soomaalidu caabudi jirtay intaan Islaamku soo gaadhin. Waxaay taas u sii daliishadeen in tusaale ahaan marka qofku dhinto aynu nidhaahno waxa dilay wad. Waxa u yimi wadkii. Cidda waxa dishaana waa uun Ilaahay. Ciddaas aynu u astaynay inay leedahay awoodda dilista ama ka qaadista nafta ayay Soomaalidu u tiqiin wad.

Waxa jiray dad u darbanaa Wadka oo aan shaqo kale aqoon. Waxaay ahaayeen dhul mar u heellan diintooda. Waxa loo bixiyay wadaad (Wad Aad). Waa qofkii u socday Ilahaay. Wadaadkaasi markaa wuxuu ahaa qof ka sokow aqoonta diimeeda sida ereyga ka muuqata ku heellanaa fidinteeda ama ku shaqaynteeda.

Markii waayo dheer dabadeed Soomaalida ay soo gaadhay Islaamnimadu ereyadii diimeed qaar badan oo ka mid ah waxaay ku isticmaaleen diintoodii cusbayd (Islaamnimada). Koodii arimaha diinta bartay ama u heelanaa waxaay ugu yeedheen sidii caadada u ahayd wadaad.  

Ka hor sodonkii sanadood ee u danbeeyey waxa dhulka Soomaalida ku xooganayd (welina ku xoogan miyiga) Suufiyada. Suufigu waa ruux neceb dunida iyo dhaqashadeeda. Wuxuuna u go’aa caabudista Ilaahay. Waa dhul mareen aan dhulka iyo dadku u kala soocnayn oo aan kala xigtaysan. Dadku sidaas bay u aqoonsadeen oo ku ixtiraameen. Wadaadka markaa reeruhu ma tirsan jirin, aanona looma dilin jirin.

Sodonkii sanadood ee u danbeeyey waxa hoos u dhacay saamaynta Suufiyada. Wadaadkii markaa wuxuu noqday nin iska caadi ah oo tukaan leh, shaqaysta oo dadka xoogsada ka mid ah. Waa nin lacag leh oo aan aduunka dhaqashadeeda diidanayn. Waa danlay sida dadka kale oo mararka qaarkood dano aduunyo ayaa la isku diidaa. Nin baa wadaad Soomaaliyeed loo ammaanay. Markaas buu yidhi lexjeclo ayaan idin dhex marin.

Inkasta oo is bedel ku yimi ninkii aqoonta diimeed lahaa oo aanu hada ahayn nin diinta qudha u go’an, hadana ereygii loogu yeedhi jiray isma bedelin. Weli waa wadaad, yaanuba noqon mid Ilaahay u socdee. Malaha Tabliiqa ayaa wadaado dhab ah hadii eregya isticmaalkiisii hore la eego.

Hadaba, sidee loo qeexaa wadaadka casriga ah? Ma gadhka iyo qamiiska ayaynu shardi uga dhignaa? Ma inuu aqoon diimeed leeyahay baynu shardi uga dhignaa? Ma inuu afkaar diimeed oo gaar ah leeyahay baynu shardi uga dhignaa? Ma inuu masaajid haysto baynu shardi uga dhignaa?

Qeexitaanka iyo suuradda uu qaadan doono wadaadka casriga ahi waxaay ku jirtaa xaalad aan weli kala cadayn oo aan si sahlan sidii waagii hore loo qeexi karin. Waa se hubaal in ereygu noqday mid cidba sidii ay ula eekoonaato ay u isticmaasho. Waxaase biyo kama dhibcaan ah in sidii ereygu asal ahaan jiray in yari uun ku sifoobayso.

Afeef: waxa mahad leh aanna raali gelin siinayaa aqoon yahaynka aan aragtidodoa soo xigtay balse aanan magac sheegin.

Guleid Ahmed Jama

Hargeisa Somaliland 

Open letter to the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry

Dear Minister,

We, the undersigned citizens of the Republic of Somaliland, are dismayed by defamatory and ill-informed remarks issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published in your official website on 6^th April 2016. The statement was released after Egyptian delegation led by your Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs visited in Somaliland and received warm welcome. In the statement you downgraded Somaliland’s status, ignored realities on the ground and proved your ill-intentions in destabilizing the region of the Horn of Africa for your short-sighted interest based on greedy objectives of solely benefiting the Nile River waters at the expense of the upstream states.  

The Somalis are large ethnic people scattered in the Horn of African countries of Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. The Somali people have long ago sadly learnt Egypt’s trick in using Somali inspirations of unity to protect its self-serving interest in the Nile River not to mention Egyptian obsession in recreating a militaristic, unitary Somali state used as a pressure point to prevent Ethiopia from implementing its Nile dam projects

Somaliland has rightly decided in 1991 to pursue its interest and abandon expansionist theory of Soomaaliwayn (greater Somali Republic).  The Somalilanders are committed in living peacefully with their neighbours. We vehemently support fair share of natural resources and peaceful conflict resolution based on the international law and the right to development of all peoples.

You asserted in your announcement that your delegation met leaders of Somaliland “region” and that you “support Somali people’s choices and the Federal Government of Somalia”.

The Republic of Somaliland gained independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on 26^th June 1960 and was known as the Somaliland Protectorate. Somaliland voluntarily joined Somalia on 1^st July 1960 so as to form the Somali Republic. The union failed party due to proxy wars fought on your behalf which led Somali Republic into the collapse and chaos. Somaliland then regained its independence by the Declaration of the Conference of the Somaliland communities held in Burao between 27^th April 1991 and 15^th May 1991.

Somaliland is a sovereign country with democratically elected president and Parliament. We have a constitution approved by the people of Somaliland on 97% in a referendum observed and praised by the international community. Our constitution upholds fundamental human rights and freedoms and we always have sympathy for victims of human rights violations wherever it happens to be including Egypt.

Somalia citizens have never made a choice to form a Federal Government of Somalia. The current government based in Mogadishu was formed under the auspice and protection of foreign troops. It does not have a mandate from Somali people, and it cannot have.

We urge you to respect the wish of the People of Somaliland and instead embark peaceful engagement with the Horn of African countries by halting destabilization and divisive policies. You shall realize that in 21^st century Somalis will not die for your cause.

Signatories:

Mohamed Abdilahi Duale

Guleid Ahmed Jama

Somaliland: 2nd anniversary of closure of Haatuf independent newspaper

In 18^th May 1991, cheers of hopeful crowds took the streets of the main cities of Somaliland to happily welcome declaration of independence. Mass killings and bloody war was fresh; bodies were scattered in streets, homes were destroyed into rubbles and government services were totally nonexistent. Penniless, but optimistic citizens, started lives from scratch. There were no jobs. Those who used to have money and businesses were impoverished by communist regime and catastrophic war.

Despite existence of challenges that seemed unsolvable, Somaliland’s state building and peacebuilding initiatives proved success. With very little outside help, Somaliland transited from anarchy to functioning governance. Local conflict resolution mechanism was employed.

In the 21 years of military rule, independent media was outlawed. Only state owned media was permitted to operate in Somalia. Freedom of expression was suppressed. To avoid repeating history, a constitution protecting human rights was approved in 2001 by the people of Somaliland.

Media freedom is clearly protected in the constitution, and all acts that may subjugate are prohibited. 

Somalis as oral society highly respect speaking freely, and one’s expression of opinion is regarded essential. The 2001 constitution reflects such culture and history.   

Immediately after Siad Barre regime was ousted and Somaliland people jubilantly announced separation, newspapers commenced to work. Journalists started their job in an environment dominated by anarchy and total chaos. Civil war followed suit the collapse of the Somalia government. Inter-clan wars and uncontrolled militias used the barrels of guns.

However, steadfastly Somaliland managed to move from lawlessness to peaceful state.

Media has been there all along and was committed and dedicated to operate in such hard environment.     

Yusuf Gabobe, SNM veteran and well-known journalists, has been in Somaliland media in all of these days. He remembers every bit of it. He worked under all governments.

He was arrested and prosecuted by different governments. But in 7^th April 2014, he faced unpredicted and extraordinary incident. In Monday afternoon, about 16:00 local time, Police forces raided and took over the control of the office of Haatuf newspaper.

In 25^th June 2014, court convicted Yusuf Gabobe, chairman of Haatuf Media Group, and Ahmed Ali Ege, Editor-in-chief of Haatuf newspaper. Gabobe was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and payment of fifty millions shillings whereas Ege was sentenced to four years of imprisonment and fifty millions shillings. The journalists were released on presidential pardon, although they have never seen a document of such.

The court heard only the prosecution. There was no defence at all. The charges were based on stories related to alleged corruption and power abuse.

Haatuf was banned indefinitely. 

Gabobe is one of the founders of independent media in Somaliland. His contributions are enormous. He took part 1980s struggle against Siad Barre tyranny. No one ever imagined that his paper will be closed down.

Self-censorship

In one of Somali stories, clever fox was assigned to distribute camel meet to animal kingdom. She gave all to the lion, the king. When asked why she has done such injustice she responded to what later become well-rehearsed saying “one who witnesses what happened to Ali (hyena) has enough warning”. She refers hyena whom the story says tried to divide the meat justly, but was punished by the lion.  

Editors and owners of media houses in Somaliland are cautious of upsetting the authorities in order to avoid ending up closed as Haatuf.

 Haatuf as symbol of freedom of media

Haatuf is symbolic paper for the level of freedom of expression and freedom of media in Somaliland. Its banning represents dark side of Somaliland’s human rights record. It scary and worrying development.

2^nd anniversary of Haatuf closure

The second anniversary is to be commemorated differently on 7^th April 2016. It will remind the human rights defenders and journalists the work ahead. 

Guleid Ahmed Jama

Guleid is a human rights lawyer who is the head of Human Rights Centre. 

This view is my own and I do not express in representing any entity.