Ibrahim Mead
Ottawa, Canada
Good governance is the key for the quest of our recognition, not
lies!
Pre-requests for achieving our Recognition
First thing first, believe in your cause and case. Trust you’re
self. Trust your people. Unite your people behind you, Secure your
territorial borders, create real democratic government, establish
good governance, Stand on your ground, know the doors that when you
knock venomous snakes comes out from it from the save and
persuadable ones, then you have a product ready to be sold to the
international market. And not only that, the right people equipped
with experience and the right knowledge must be the marketers of the
finished product which is our recognition. And not only that, when
you have all the above you must create the right environment for
this to grow, that is minimizing corruption as well as the
corruptors. All these means, a) honesty, b) knowledge c) good
leadership d) knowledgeable crew to market and sell our product-our
quest for recognition.
Somaliland government can sell the recognition case only and only
when they have the above elements and when there is just and working
democracy in side the country. That means when there is good
governance and a united people heading into one direction. It is all
local. Before it goes out of the house of Somaliland the house must
fulfill at least some of the United Nations Principles of Good
Governance in which the author expressed some of them above and some
below in this paper.
We see and hear that Siilanyo’s government appoints individuals they
say they are seeking international recognition for Somaliland!
‘Recognition seekers, they call them!’ Those recognition seekers are
not appointed from the office of the Minister for foreign affairs.
They are not qualified and they are not experience The question is
what are they selling and what is the Minister selling as well!?
Both of them are selling the same product-recognition, they say!
When a vendor is selling a beef sandwich there must be a beef in
that sandwich otherwise he does not have a real beef sandwich, like
wise when we are selling our cause and our quest for recognition we
must have what it takes to undertake that task.
Suppose they are out there selling a beef sandwich and when the
buyer opens the sandwich did not find beef in the sandwich, then
that product was not sold! The-would-be buyer walks away wondering,
where was the beef!?
The beef is not talk or saying” we were under British and they were
under Italy” even though that historical event was true but that is
not enough for this task in question. What they call Recognition
seekers is a nonsense exercise. There are Somaliland community
associations all over the world. The ministry of foreign affairs
could coordinate with them if need be. I think the best thing is to
leave the newly appointed guy to establish his office and staff, and
do it his way with out interference. I believe he is a capable guy
to do the job even though he unfortunately repeated the government
silly line of “knocking every door!” even when they are knocking the
wrong door! On the other side the new guy of the foreign office can
not cook beef for the sandwich we say we are selling to the world by
him-self. The beef comes or does not come from the government and
there is no functioning government let alone good governance in our
home land for now!
Our national policy, foreign or otherwise must be an established
policies where by every administration takes it from there.
Recognition comes from inside. It is all local first, and then the
finished product can be taken to out side market. To realize this,
the government must first believe in the CAUSE and put the right
people in charge of this task. This will bear fruit when the people
are UNITED and are CONNECTED to their government, when the
government is of the people and for the people and not an oligarchy
entity as Siilanyo’s government is accused it is. When the people
running the government are qualified and capable, and lastly when
the government attributes to the below mentioned principles of good
governance then such government has a beef in the sandwich they are
selling. The (recognition) product is then sellable, ready for
marketing.
Another important thing to mention is-“don’t knock every door” like
Siilanyo’s failed approach of knocking and focusing their effort to
the enemy’s door. They are knocking the perpetrators of the ethnic
cleansing’s door and that is Somalia! Venomous snakes came out from
that preferred door. They showed us that they are as committed and
sworn enemy of Somaliland as they were and more. Siilanyo’s crew
doesn’t see what we see, they say they see money and we say we see
our cause! Our cause and case is not money!
The role of a democratic government in governing
a democratic government hast the initiations and executions of
policies relevant to her program however there are other actors in
governance. Government is one of the actors in governance. Other
actors involved in governance vary depending on the level of
government that is under discussion. Other actors may include
associations of peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research
institutes, religious leaders, political parties, etc. All actors
other than government and the military are grouped together as part
of the "civil society. The Centre for Consultation and Development
“Madasha wadatashiga” is a part of the civil society which has a
stake and a role to play in a democratic government according to the
United Nation’s principles of good Governance I hope Mr. Siilanyo
and crew understand that. If they are honest of their ignorance in
this regard then they can be helped, but if not it is a whole
different ball game and it is ugly.
The beef is in the “good governance.”
Good governance has the following attributes: can Mr. Siilanyo claim
to these attributes or at least some of them or even argue that he
does not have any of these attributes but that he is working towards
this ideal with the aim of making it a reality? If he does then the
man can be given a second chance but on watch status, however if he
honestly can not claim at least some of the below mentioned
attributes and not even saying “I screwed-up, help me,” then the
country must be saved from him and his crew!
According to the United Nations Principles of good Governance the
following attributes must be there in good governance:
1-Consensus oriented government.
2-Accountability
3-Transparence
4-Responsive
5-Effective and efficient
6-Equitable and inclusive
7-Follows the rule of law
8-Assures that corruption is minimized.
9-The views of the opposition are taken into account.
10-The voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in
decision-making.
11-Unites the people and never divides them as to benefit their
divisions
12-Respects human rights
13-have check and balance where by the houses of parliament are not
sold by the executive
14-Independent and working Judiciary
15-up holds freedom of speech and freedom of the press
16-Responsive to the present and future needs of the society.
When you have some of the above attributes then you have a beef
sandwich to sell. When that product is shown to the world, it is by
no means sellable because there is a real beef in the sandwich. Mr.
Siilanyo must show the beef-(good governance) to his people before
he can take it to the international market! Can he do that!? The
answer to this is that they did not do that thus far!
Conclusion
From the above discussion it should be clear that it is difficult to
achieve all the virtues and principles mentioned above in its
totality. Very few countries and societies have come close to
achieving good governance in its totality. However, to ensure
sustainable working government for the development of her Cause and
Case and the welfare of her people, actions must be taken to work
towards this ideal with the aim of making it a reality. Are we in
this path? Is Siilanyo’s administration even attempting to go to
words this path? Do they have the honesty and courage to say: “we
screwed up help, help?
Bad governance is being increasingly regarded as one of the root
causes of all evil within our societies in the Somali peninsula and
else where.
Peace and prayers
Ibrahim Mead
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