Hassan Abshir: Master of Political Treachery

Editorial, Garowe Online

There is a deeper question here: Is Hassan Abshir a political opportunist? Since the disintegration of the Somali Democratic Republic in the early ‘90s, Somali politics have been invaded by a multitude of politicians whose values are based not on solidified ideology but on the doctrine of political opportunism.

HOW does a career politician continue making the same mistakes? This is the question that comes to mind if one reflects upon recent developments in the career of Mr. Hassan Abshir, fisheries minister in the Somali transitional federal government (TFG). After years of political bed-hopping, Mr. Hassan Abshir has returned to the comfort of his home in Garoe, the Puntland capital, as a member of a visiting TFG delegation led by the president and prime minister, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf and Professor Ali Ghedi, respectively. Even though he’s a de facto Cabinet minister in the TFG, Mr. Hassan Abshir has yet to relinquish his primary role of interfering in the internal affairs of Puntland.

Missing the meeting

General ‘Adde Muse, the Puntland president, held an important meeting during his trip to Garoe this December with influential members of the Nugal regional community, including traditional elders (Issims), politicians and civic leaders. The Puntland leader spoke candidly with regional powerbrokers about key issues; the proposed plans for natural resources exploration and designating finances for the Nugal regional government were discussed at length, amongst other matters. Meanwhile, a private gathering was taking place at the residence of none other than Mr. Hassan Abshir, also in Garoe.

What was the purpose of another meeting in Garoe while the Puntland president and the vast majority of local community and political leadership were discussing issues fundamental to the sustenance and development of Nugal region? Why did Mr. Hassan Abshir not show up at the public meeting and participate in the discussion instead of hosting a self-promotion meeting at his home?

There is a deeper question here: Is Mr. Hassan Abshir a political opportunist? Since the disintegration of the Somali Democratic Republic in the early ‘90s, Somali politics have been invaded by a multitude of politicians whose values are not based on solidified ideology but on the doctrine of political opportunism. Some politicians, such as Mr. Hassan Abshir, have been so talented as to turn such doctrine into an art form.

Brief history

Mr. Hassan Abshir went into the Somali military as a young man until he was recruited for a political career by a junior member of the military junta that took control of Somalia in 1969. Hassan’s first political role was working as vice district commissioner of Mogadishu. In the 1970s, Hassan was appointed the Mogadishu mayor, even though he was still a relatively young man. During the years in which he held the dual roles of city mayor and security chief, Hassan took unprecedented and illegal actions against the civilian populace, including the total destruction of Isku-Rarar neighborhood in central  Mogadishu, dominated by northeastern Somalis, which eventually became an inhabitable dumpsite and spearheaded the unlawful detentions of countless “political prisoners” who were sent off to different prisons such as Godka Muqdisho (NSS headquarters), Mogadishu Central Prison, Lanta Bur, Labtanjirow and Burwein.

In 1976, after public discontent with the mayor’s office grew to an unbearable level, Hassan Abshir was reassigned to the frontier town of Huddur, near the Ethiopian border. After the Ogaden War (1977-78), Hassan Abshir continued his political treachery by being loyal to the dictatorship only to promote his own self-interests within government parameters. For example, while the Somali Salvation Democractic Front (SSDF), Somalia’s first anti-dictatorship rebel movement, defended Nugal and Mudug regions from the dictator’s military onslaught, Hassan Abshir not only stood on the side of the oppressors (the dictatorship), but he vehemently campaigned against the SSDF, and against the popular cry for freedom engendered in northeastern Somalia. Hassan, instead of speaking out against the suppression of Somali clans who inhabited northeast Somalia (his blood), supported all efforts to viciously crackdown not only on the SSDF movement, but on all Somalis the socialist dictatorship deemed as collaborators and supporters. Still, others believe that Hassan Abshir was instrumental in the detentions of prominent Somali politicians during the General Barre era, including Ismail Ali Abokor, Omar Arte Ghalib, Dr. Mohamed Adan, Mohamed Yusuf Weyrah, and Warsame Ali Jukuf (who died in Labatanjirow Prison – may Allah have mercy on his soul).

In the early years after the fall of the Barre dictatorship, Hassan Abshir returned to northeastern Somalia (present-day Puntland) to pursue his political career. The SSDF, the heavily-armed rebel movement, took control of northeastern Somalia in the absence of a central government. Internal friction within the movement divided it into two wings: one wing was led by Somalia’s first national police commander, General Mohamed Abshir, while the other wing was led by Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf, today’s TFG president. During those years, Hassan Abshir gave unwavering loyalty to Colonel Abdullahi and his SSDF wing, hoping to secure himself a prominent seat in any future administration. He saw General Mohamed Abshir as a clan-cousin who, if he rose to lead northeastern Somalia, would not name a fellow member of the sub-clan to a position of prominence. Therefore, Hassan cleverly placed his support squarely on the shoulders of Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf. Such behavior fits well with the character of Hassan Abshir, who’s never spent a single day working for the interests of the common man. As it turned out, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf was elected the first president of Puntland in the summer of 1998. Hassan Abshir, for his loyalty to the Colonel’s cause, was rewarded with the interior ministry portfolio.

A few years later, Somali peace talks began in the town of Arta, Djibouti. Due to conflict of interest, then-Puntland president Abdullahi Yusuf withdrew his government from the peace talks. However, Hassan Abshir, seeing opportunity in his sights, hopped onto the Arta boat and switched sides in an instant, earning himself a Cabinet portfolio in President Abdiqasim Salat’s government. Later, Hassan would be promoted to the rank of Somal prime minister for his loyalty to Abdiqasim’s cause, replacing Professor Ali Khalif Galeyr. When the Somali reconcilliation conference began in 2002 in the Kenyan town of Eldoret, Hassan Abshir quickly shed his Abdiqasim Salat alliance and adopted a new face, eventually falling back into Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf’s camp. After the Colonel was elected Somali president in October 2004, Hassan Abshir was once again rewarded with another Cabinet portfolio: federal minister of fisheries.

Pursuing self-interest

Yet, even as a federal minister, Hassan Abshir seems adamant to interfere in Puntland’s regional affairs. As a Nugal native, Hassan should’ve found the wisdom within himself to welcome and participate in the momentous meeting between Puntland president ‘Adde Muse and the Nugal community leadership. However, Hassan Abshir has shown over the course of time that he is not a politician who works for the interests of his constituents. Indeed, if time has shown anything, its that Hassan is a master of political treachery, jumping onto whatever boat is floating at that particular moment. Hassan’s political record indicates a man who lacks solid political ideology, whose actions are mostly motivated by personal greed and the pursuit of power and wealth, and who always places self-interest above that of the greater good.

Of course, Hassan Abshir isn’t the only politician whose behavior is despicable. He is, however, the archtypical public figure whose conduct has contributed to the further socio-political destruction and disintegration of Somalia. What is the purpose behind rewarding greedy men with positions of prominence? What does the law say about a federal minister who can’t keep his hands from interfering in regional affairs?

Hassan Abshir is not the only politician the Nugal regional community can offer the Somali nation. There are tons of educated and capable people who can easily replace him. It seems Hassan Abshir has not learned anything yet from years of mishaps and shifting alliances. He has been kept afloat by his fantastic survivalist and shameless self-promotion skills. His record indicates a man who continually works against the interests of his constituents. Most recently, in the conflict of interest between the Puntland administration and the Nugal community leadership over resource exploration, Hassan Abshir sold his identity as Nugal native to promote the administration’s policy, thereby going against the community’s wishes.

So why not dispose of a corrupt politician bent on self-gratification at the expense of the community-at-large? It seems the Somali people have not learned anything from the past yet.

Garowe Online Editorial Board