Somaliland: Political Turbulence Due to a Constitutional Imperfection

Deep down I believe that Somaliland will come to a sense to defy once again the cynics and deter the vultures awaiting its demise to emerge out of this political deadlock strong and resilient as ever. Bitter rivalry between political parties spurred to create an unbrotherly and unfriendly atmosphere in dealing with current issue.

That condition culminated in a mob-like political gangs from the contending parties to verbally lynch each other, proffer explicitly unwarranted worries to the Somaliland people and use their preferential vetting under our constitutional imperfections, misfits, and opaqueness to the current political turbulence, at a time when we have to match forward to embolden our democracy.

Our constitution has its own imperfections and weaknesses and may not provide us statutory solace for every case. However, it offers us the possibility of a genuine market place of ideas, one in which the jarring of parties should work on behalf of deliberation, consensus, and circumspection; a market place in which, through debate and competition, we can expand our perspective, change our minds, and eventually arrive not merely at agreements but at sound and fair judgments. An honest collective work to reach consensus about issues is a matter of paramount importance to our march forward.
 
But over the long term, doing nothing now about our constitution misfits, imperfections, and weaknesses probably would aggravate political stalemate(s) that we may encounter as we progress forward and will mean a SL very different from the one most of us aspire to. It will mean a nation that wriggled out its promise to maintain our hard earned freedom: one in which its populace is once again mired with civil unrest and vulnerable to dislocation. Worst of all, it will mean a decline in the upward mobility that’s been at the heart of our aspiration to give our Mandeeq its due respect. Without issues being delineated under proper and clear constitutional perspective, the government and the opposition parties have pushed the country to a logical conclusion – stagnation and a political turbulence, of which each disclaimed any misgiving that the other party has caused, each one citing its preferential interpretation of our constitution to its political stand.

That is not the Somaliland we want for our children or ourselves. And I’m confident that we have resilient culture, a way in which we can create a brotherly environment to reconcile and make concessions to resolve our contentious issues. To obliterate any legal or constitutional wrangling in future, we need however to take a look at how we can make our constitution resourceful to decipher legal argues and provide us a clear-cut about the responsibilities constitutionally wedded to each of the three branches of our government.
 
It should come as no surprise, then, that, with opaque standards of our constitution in most cases, such as current political stalemate, that we have a tendency to take a free interpretation of its provisions to court our specific interests. But to balk any prolongation of the fight over which of the two views are legally bound and is the correct assertion of the constitution and put fetters on, it’s not unexpected from our Guurti to act as a windbreak to secure the country from drifting further into the precipice of fall and instability - wrongly or rightly – they have acted to dissuade the worries of Somaliland people and favorably, on the recommendation of their wisdom, sided with the current government to avoid any vacuum.

While Guurti’s decision may not be well received by the opposition and their supporters, Somaliland people would have left only with the worst option; opposition parties as well as our government only arrow that is left in their quiver, a strategy that could accentuate our people’s feeling of despair, the battle cry around which both faithful now rallied – My way or the highway. If two elephants fight, it is the grass that hurt. It is none other than the Somaliland people who will bear the brunt of this political wrangling.

Are Somaliland people then, willing to sacrifice the fruits of their efforts and throw the future of their kids into instability and uncertainty!!! If not, they should demand from opposition supporters to stop their insincere rhetoric and agree to the Guurti decision and live up to their leaders pledge of support to the Guurti before the decision was made. It is the Somaliland people and not Sl politicians who can save this country and out of the doldrums and take it back onto the road that has earned Somaliland a nickname, among many, “The little Country that Could” The way forward:

The Guurti:

•  Though most of us, including this writer, believe that Guurti’s decision was rightful and wise, we hope that Guurti House make a follow-up to the implementation of the decision and its intended purpose.

•  Hold the current government accountable to any overuse of their executive powers.

•  Demand from the government respect for the opposition and their supporters in order to cultivate an atmosphere conducive to a co-operation to maintain peace and security of the country.

Opposition leaders / Supporters:

•  Continuation of your demonstrations would only give a reason to our enemy to infiltrate into our midst, make the situation worse for the country, and jeopardize the peace and the stability (though you have the right to express your feelings in a peaceful demonstrations).

•  You should avoid doing anything to give our government the upper hand to lash at you in a forceful reaction in the name of keeping the peace and security.

•  It is unwise that a leader who aspires to be a president for nation to declare that he and his followers would not recognize their current leaders, our government, after April 6 and so it is also unpatriotic for the followers to condone such declaration. 

You have been so patient and helpful. It is now once again that you demonstrate your good faith in your country. It is no denial that you have been put down many times by the call of necessity to unusual circumstances and you have shown Somaliland peoples your love to them and your country. Believe you me your patience is more appreciative than your political strategies.

To the people of Somaliland:

You may disagree either with the rejection of the opposition to the Guurti decision or the decision to extend another six months for the current government. We may shout at one another and deaf to what others have to say but neither of these actions would be any benefit to our country and us. A healthy nation is a nation blessed with the ability to say NO to what works against their development and progress, douse the brotherhood and kinship spirit they have for one another, cherish the more commons than differences they have, help each other and those among them who are consigned to poverty and physical limitation.

We have enough examples of bad trends (either locally or in the African continent) to draw from a foreseeable situation that we could end up in if we follow that path. It is always useful to remind ourselves that, situations like this, should not shroud our future in uncertainty but to make us more determined to keep our future in clarity and until we reach to the lush accommodation in a better future.
 
In my opinion, I would rather blame the Parliament (the legislative body) than the opposition parties, or Guurti, or the government for this political turbulence.

May Allah bless Somaliland?

Mowliid Magare, Seattle, WA. - USA

Email: mmowliid@hotmail.com