Revenge and clan based anger cannot build a nation

Revenge and clan based anger cannot build a nation  

by Hashim Goth
Monday, November 22, 2010

President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud "siilaanyo"

When Kulmiye political party was in the election campaign, we have seen President Silanyo playing the tribal card a number of times by evoking the memories of the Somali National Movement (SNM) and his role as the leader of the movement.

Despite his divisive political line, many of us gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought that he was using these issues to win the election but will not use them in government. Many of us entertained the hope that he would form a national government that would maintain the harmony and the unity of the people of Somaliland.

We had faith in him due to his long service as minister with Siad Barre government and also due to his political experience as head of the SNM.

However, his true color became more apparent when he formed his first cabinet. The new government was a mixed bag consisting of clan chauvinists, Islamists, In-laws of his sub-clan and a few individuals from Diaspora with high degrees who campaigned for him and who were away from the country over twenty years and have no experience or connection with the realty of the country.

What is worse than that is the key ministers in Silanyo’s cabinet such us: - The Ministers of Interior, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Planning, Public –works, Mining and Mineral Resource, Education and Health are all from one clan. In addition to that important positions such as : President of the supreme court country, The Governor of the central Bank, Commander of the Army  force and the Spy Chief, were all given to SNM supporting clans and none of them came from Awdal, Sool and Sanag regions .

This is in violation of The Borama accord of 1993. The new government of Silanyo is in a nutshell a clan based administration and has left out the none middle regions of the country. This action has triggered a fierce feeling of anger in a number of regions such as Awdal-. The minor positions allocated to Awdalites would not persuade us to believe that we have a share of the pie because the information and the advice Mr. Silanyo is getting from little men in the Awdal region is misleading and to depend on the opinion of these people will not be helpful to maintain the peace and the Unity of the country.

Secondly, let me add to this, Awdal region is Somaliland historically, politically, and Socially and the Awdalite people are not divided on that issue. Mr. Silanyo may also be reminded that his dagger wielding advisor in the Presidency is unwelcome to that the vast majority of Somaliland people and particularly those of the Awdal region.  The people are obviously watching how your lopsided Government is running the affairs of their country.

The ball is in your court and the situation needs to be rectified.

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Hashim Goth.
hashimgoth@hotmail.comEditorial AwdalpressSomaliland