Vindictive policy is counterproductive

 Ibrahim Mead,political analyst
Ottawa, Canada
 

“Oh Allah, surely we have wronged our selves, and if You not forgive us, and bestow not you r mercy on us, surely we are the losers”
“Rabanaa inaa thalamnaa anfusanaa wa inlum taqfirlanaa wa tarxamnaa lanakuunana minalkhaasireen” Amen.

Vindictiveness is never conductive to building a better society and better governance.
Vindictiveness is never constructive. It destroys communities and governments
Vengeance is never a good public policy. Vengeance is what Somaliland rejected when first she defeated the vindictive Siyad Barre’s regime. Vengeance is demonic. .

Somaliland will not escape the consequences of settling of scores exercised by this government and hastily executed by the attack dogs and the government’s ‘act-first-then-think later’ loose cannon, the Minister of interior and the rest of the “Quattro.”

What happened to Muj. Abdirahman Abdilkader and others in prison with out a proof of what they are accused of, are some examples. Rejecting and or sabotaging some political parties based in certain communities with funny excuses are other examples, and so on, and so forth!
A malicious, vindictive attitude on the part of the Siilanyo administration cavaliered by his close aids is poisoning our national debate and our national purpose and direction.
This is threatening to make viciousness and unkindness the characteristic of our society, rather than humanity and fair-mindedness. The process has been under way since Siilanyo’s administration took office. It has been haphazardly executed by the ‘Quattro’- (the closest ‘four’ ministers!) Every sphere of life in the administration is touched by these consequences
Siilanyo’s administration has transparently and self evidently took off both hands the steering of the nation’s car they were driving and when it hits trees and walls they either play the victim card or worse find an escape goat. Instead of finding what works and what does not work for Somaliland they are busy finding clan chiefs and “guulwadayaal” whom they drag them to the nations TV and tell them to attack the differing opinions the caring and the concerning citizens of Somaliland. They rarely ask what works and what doesn’t for Somaliland! They ask what is in for them from this or from that and who is agitating them according to their thinking!

The instinct for generosity, the presumption of innocence and a willingness to see all points of view used to feature in our culture and the democracy we adhered to is not there any more, however imperfectly. Now it is vanishing!
In its place is a new meanness, a presumption of guilt and the quest to find scapegoat for every fault and shortcomings the “Quattro” did /do for they have a quick pen to sign for their inconsiderate actions and reactions.

a) The officials in prison with no proof thus far of the corruption accused of are one example among many others!

b) How they singled out certain and particular (new) parties because they are afraid of them and of their massive population in their ridings is another example.

c) How they allowed buses full of people from Hargeisa to show up in Borama and again in Berbera and in else where, is yet another example of malfeasance and small mindedness!

d) How the president’s appointees the party registration Commission accepted the unacceptable in a democratic process the “Madax taabasho “phenomenon! (estimation of a crowed of people in one spot in one hour and in another spot in another hour with the same people moving around and declare the Beneficial’s of this fraud, the winners) is another example

e) How can they sell this nonsense to the international community when they will request funds for this mess, we don’t know! However they thought they can sell this thing to the people of Somaliland by threat and by shooting them, and by telling them you better take the injustice or else! I don’t think that will work
f) If this government insists to disenfranchise the most populous ridings in the country which they are actually doing just that, the people there will not recognize such government doing such injustice!

In this atmosphere we are collectively treated as idiots. In every area of public policy complexity, humanity, fairness and knowledge are under assault. The quest is on to find someone or some clans on whom they can vent their venom, which they think will give them a reprieve of their problems emanated from their incompetency and dishonesty! Democracy’s great benefit is the faculty for conscious, deliberative debate, dissent, and the recognition and respect of these virtues Governments are held to account and so hopefully make fewer mistakes. But the less know government is both the forum and mouthpiece for public argument like Siilanyo’s government!

If legislative body and the executive cannot argue or present their case and check each other, if the full range of facts, locally and internationally is never disclosed and instead put under the rug, and kept in darkness, Somaliland is the biggest looser in this exercise.
Recommendations:

1- Don’t “Kalshalaaize” the issue of the new parties
(“kalshaali” morphed to “Bahoodli”and Bahoodli morphed to Taleex and Taleex morphed to Khaatumo and Khatumu produced undesirable consequences.)
all these happened because of mismanagement of a small problem started in a small place called “Kalshaali” in eastern sector of Somaliland!
The so called “Madaxtaabasho” is not voting and voting is not Madaxtaabasho”
It is not a means and a method to classify and categorize which party passed and which did not pass! It is the vote that can classify the political party which won and which did not. This “Madaxtaabasho”thing is a laughing-stock; it is a butt of all the jocks!

a) This will create a conflict that will like “Kalshaali” transforms to another undesirable consequence!
b) The international communities which help us the process and development of democracy will definitely dismiss this unseen process of “Madaxtaabasho”as fraudulent and wrong method to employ for this purpose. .

2- The right way to resolve this government created (national) problem is to let all the registered parties participate the up coming Municipal elections. Let us see who wins and who loses. This is a solution congruent to the fundamentals of democracy and fairness

It is safe to bet that the parties the government dismissed with out a ballot and with out a vote, will win when voting is allowed, and the phony ones they embraced will loose!
3- Honesty and open mindedness must be there
4- higher and better regulated standards must be there.
5- Clearer definition of the responsibilities of departments must be there
6- knowledge of duties and clear policy set for the bureaucrats must be there.
7- All political parties must participate, the municipal elections. After all, the first three winners shall be the three national parties according to the constitution.
8- There is nothing called “Madaxtaabashoo” in counting the votes! Political parties win or lose by the ballot and not by “Madaxtaabashoo”
9- The government must not be shay to correct her mistakes. To do that is virtuous.
10- To confess your mistakes and correct them is courageous and that is what leadership is all about
11- Be kind to your legacy and be kind to the hopes, aspirations and the existence of Somaliland, Mr. President.

The prospects of change, in Siilanyo’s government are minimal, but keep hope alive.
Ultimately it is the public that are registering this dismay and disaffection.
Perhaps it is just beginning to become evident and that will trigger reform or revolt.

We collectively, including the government want the success of our government but our
views and visions regarding this noble purpose are diametrically different and the history is the impartial referee.
Pray for the Martyrs who found and founded this second Republic of Somaliland and work hard for the living instead of creating problems deliberately or most likely inadvertently, I hope some one will heed this advice.