Mr. Egeh’s Empty Analysis

Reading your article dated April 19th, 2009 from Harowo.com and from Awdalnews.com reminds me the affluence of so many educators and Think Tanks among Somalilanders inside and outside Somaliland. Having a political affiliation and analysing the political atmosphere in Somaliland are two different things according to my view. I would like to remind readers the difference between analysis and quotes.

According to Wikipedia, “analysis is the process of braking a complex topic or substance” and political science according to Wikipedia “is a social science concerned with the theory and practice of politics and analysis of political systems and political behaviour.”

Your article “In Depth Analysis of Somaliland and other World News” is far from being an educational analysis but a bunch of statements and quotes from other sources except your intentional attack on President Riyaale. That title is an empty shell. Beneath the shell, you see no analytical work but a collection of memories and political slogans. It is a camouflage of anger and bias. I believe you could write a genuine political analysis of Somaliland politics but you have chosen not to and instead embarrassed yourself by calling quotes as analysis and at the same time attacking a man who proved himself as man of honour, politician, and a caring father for all Somalilanders and also as a man who will have a place in Somaliland history.

Your writing is rich in quotes and historical events. It is even richer in rhetorical and inflammatory attacks on personal level.  Writing for Diaspora consumption is one thing and for personal interest on distorted political activities in Somaliland is another.  You have worked hard to be where you are today and we are honoured to have an educator of high calibre like you.  However, asking elected president to resign with dignity and with good reputation without a thorough analysis and investigation of the political situation in Somaliland is like being an attack dog with an obscure agenda and a personal interest.

I would like to remind you, if you have not already sidelined the truth of the facts on the ground, that  the political skirmishes in Hargeysa have not come from a selfish president as you put it in your writing but from the daunting task of handling the Voter Registration and the so called the sophisticated software. It is very unfortunate that a person of your calibre would reason out such an unfortunate circumstances as an excuse to frame the President and demonise him and put on him all the blame arising from the illegal activities happened in the registration process where as you say that kulmiye is “a tolerant majority of peace” and give legitimacy to its disorderly manifestation of unwarranted propaganda and disturbances and hard headed attitude of being superior to others.

The president was elected respectfully and without prejudice as you have said.  I compliment you with that, nevertheless, I do not agree with you that UDUB is in the wrong track and Kulmiye is taking us to paradise. Whether Kulmiye is a majority or not will be decided by the people and not by a false assumption from North American.  The president will sooner or later will be either the President for the third time or will be defeated in the election and leave respectfully, carrying the honour of being the first elected Somaliland President.  Mr Riyaale will be respected as a statesman without or with your false judgement.

Mr. Egeh, please take a deep breath, and act like a professor as we believe you are. Please do not lie on the facts on the ground and be fair in your analysis on those facts. In the process of analysis, you better act like a professor and analyse things respecting the views of others as well as yours.
 
You can decide which party’s policies you follow but you cannot get away with misrepresentation of the facts in Somaliland and the President as the spoiler of the peace in Somaliland. On the contrary, the President advises on the best practices of getting out of the dilemma created by Kulmiye leaders to grab the leadership by any means possible. Mr. Egeh, a person of high calibre like you should educate people about politics and teach them the difference between analysis and pure political propaganda without any prejudice and false information.

Mr. Riyaale has been trying all along to diffuse any tensions and problems created by those who benefit from the hostility and unwarranted policy of pitting one family against the other. Mr. Rayaale has put the interest and welfare of the people on top of his priorities. Unlike those opposition groups who think without them Somaliland would not exist, he neutralises all odds against him and by doing so convinced the people that without a compromise we fail. Some politicians would like to derail the process to our independence and working hard towards failure through turmoil and chaos and by creating an ideal atmosphere to a civil war.

The comparison between UDUB and Kulmiye is clear. Udub is trying to make peace with every opposition and seeking peaceful negotiation and shared ideas in order to avoid misunderstanding among our peace loving people.  Udub makes sure that it is everyone’s interest to keep the peace and open dialogue without preconditions. We have already seen the difference between the actions of Udub and other opposition parties in the volatile situation in our land. Udub follows the constitutional channels and advice of our law makers and always tries to avoid friction among our people.

Kulmiye on the other hand believes that they were the ones who fought for the peace and freedom.  Each one of us has paid a price for our independence. Some of us have died for it through fighting with oppressed regimes and some of us have died in the hands of the liberators. The sacrifices are everywhere in our society.  Taking the credit for every success is a complete utter madness. Kulmiye leaders need to talk to their egos and leave behind the attitude of being the superior party and the notion that without them Somaliland would not have been born. What a crazy agenda!

It is not the time for fighting with one another. We are still in the healing process and we do not need division and animosity among us. I think our people know we are all stakeholders in getting recognition and independence we are seeking for and also aware of without the smallest subclan in support of that agenda, we will never get nowhere.  I hope some opposition groups will come to their senses and acknowledge that fact and work towards peaceful dialogue and respect the wish of the people. Without peace and compromise we will be doomed to failure and at this particular transitional period we cannot afford to fail.

Mr. Egeh, your writing in this particular article as I believe is not your standard. I believe you can be an original in you writing. You can attack a person but on condition you follow the norms and procedures of analysis. Put the facts, the negatives, and positives of all activities as wells as sincere and fair recommendations and advices. Being mean to some and praising others without solid analysis is in fact contributed to bias and personal interest. Reading the title of your article gives the reader an incentive to continue reading it.  Nevertheless, to the dismay of your readers, it is a trap and a trick leading them to your naked agenda and criticism of our President.

The words; “In DEPT Analysis, World Review, the names of AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bank of American, City Bank, Wells Fargo have no relation whatsoever on the Somaliland Political Analysis and far from the Somaliland political atmosphere. When I saw the IN DEPTH ANALYSIS, I became curious of what is hidden behind the title but unfortunately, I was disappointed to see the beginning of the analysis attacking President Riyaale without introduction. If I were you, Mr. Egeh, I would not have chosen that title and raise the hopes of our good readers. Having the morning coffee and reading as many newspapers as you can and writing headlines of the newspapers as analysis is quite amazing. It is good practice to read more about today’s world but jotting notes and posting them as your original work is piracy and a preach of copyright laws.

In addition, I would recommend to the readers of this article to read Mr. Egeh’s article “In Depth Analysis of Somaliland and Other World Views” before they reach a verdict from my criticism. It is an international norm that an analysis should be a personal view on either one’s creativity or the work of others. Based on those facts, it should be fair and justifiable. Ask yourselves, is the title and the body of the so-called analysis makes sense?  It is your judgement to decide…

By Mohamed Mousa

Ottawa, Canada

Email: markhati@yahoo.com