Kulmiye: Fall Out of Favor

There are things that sow confusions in the minds! The thinking mentality of Kulmiye and its leader is anything but. It is clear and distinct. Our people can argue about its particularities, but what is inarguable is Kulmiye road map for Somaliland future. We all declare for independence; using the same word. We all not mean the same thing. For Mr. Silanyo, Kulmiye leader,  it means federalism, while with Mr.Ray ale and Mr. Faisal the word so often connotes by SL common desire, not individual or group, and the people’s aspiration. Here are two, not only different but incompatible thing that called by the same name – Independence. And it follows that each of the things is, by the perspective political parties, Kulmiye and UDUB/UCID, called by two different and incompatible names – Federalism and Independence, respectively.

We, Somaliland, have miles to go before we reap. But as of now we seem to be walking on a broken glass; we have more devotion to our clan than to the land we’re living on; each and every clan see themselves as a unit rather than see themselves as citizens first; we often don’t look at qualification but look at ancestry; our opposition political leader who fought to liberate this country from the jaws of death and destruction is now devising it’s death for a personal ambition …..  Every measure we take to combat these and other impediments require our empathy and honesty to face up to its challenges and not a conviction of them.

In these challenging times, the ability to focus what could improve our behavior to each other and the acceptance of our government authorities as the ONLY legitimate power to govern and uphold the law of the land is critical to our progress and success.

Since immortal, progressive and retrogressive elements often exit side by side in any society. They compete for political power. The future of any society however hangs in the balance as it weighs its options to tip the scale in favor of one over the other, shaping which direction its destiny would go - progress or regress. In Somaliland there is no where else in-wrought with retrogressive mentality than in one of the political parties’ policy, namely Kulmiye Party.

Though all our political parties suffer from lack of socio-political vision for developing the society they lead or intend to lead, yet Kulmiye Party still remains ingenious and elusive to Somaliland independence.  The tough slog to win the highest chair at any cost should not induce kulmiye to stomp SL aspiration for independence and recognition to smithereens. Silanyo’s derision of an aspiration held dearly by millions of Somaliland people during his meeting with Donald Payne in US visit not only reads an anthology of the obstacles stifling our government as well as people efforts to cajole the world community into accepting SL in their midst as an independent state of Somaliland Republic, but clearly indicates kulmiye road map for Somaliland future and is definitely a set back to our collective yearning that has been beamed so far to the outside world.

Kulmiye leader damaging position on the recognition issue is not in every sense an indication of changing a political view he had prior to SL establishment in Borama and Burco towns, as some may have us believe, but it is his political philosophy that is entrenched in his belief for Somaliland future. Unfortunately this is not his first time to broach publically, before this; it was during his meeting with Dr. Frazer in Hargeisa, as insiders’ revealed (Ref. Sharmarke Ali article on Harowo site– Silanyo Whined to Dr. Frazier…..)

Mr. Silanyo’s meeting with Donald Payne, a dissenting voice against SL recognition and independence, imbued with portent that might have been appropriate for, say, Napoleon’s escape from Elba.  During Napoleon’s stayed on Elba in 1814, he was not content and looking forward to recapture Paris. Likewise, Mr.Silanyo is not content on staying in Somaliland and his thought kept wandering back to his ambitions. Therefore he kept dreaming of taking Somaliland back as a bargaining chip for his ambitions. It is up to Somaliland people whether to give him that tool to realize his dream by electing him to the presidential chair or send another rebuke, as clearly as his intentions are, to him once again.

Lest Mr. Silanyo forgot, Somaliland people welcomed back their heroes, including Mr. Silanyo, after their struggle against Bare regime, but not his dictatorship. If you see things coming in your way, you should know that you are on the wrong lane. Somaliland people have already sent out to Kulmiye one rebuke after another in the form of siding with UDUB in many times of senseless tug-of-wars kulmiye party has instigated.

As is too often Kulmiye case, Federalism is good for Somaliland. My fellow country men and women we need to look at all this with critical eyes. Otherwise we scotch our dream of moving forward to a better, independent, and recognized Somaliland. For this writer and for many conscientious Somalilanders Kulmiye is fallen out of favor.

Sharmarke Ali  -  USA

Email: sharmarkeali@yahoo.com