By Abdirahman Mohamed Dirye
Somalilandsun – The talks in Turkey many people thought would be an exit of Somalia’s irreparably cracked cesspool have, instead, further empowered Somalia official delegates: after three days or so of waste of time and money, Somaliland accepted to call the ethnic cleansing and extermination of entire people from the face of earth by the Somalia’s brutal military regime an ” atrocity!” whereby downgrading from utter genocide which implicates its perpetrators to be brought to International Criminal Court to mere killing of insignificant number of people!
Faysal Ali Warabe of UCID has alerted the grave historic mistake taking place in full view of everyone from ordinary to jurist—maybe there is no Jurist in Somaliland at the all—legal terms differ in meaning and have legal consequences and some have not, a forgotten fact.
Black Law Dictionary’s definition of atrocity: Aggravated assault is one committed with the intention of committing some additional crime; or one attended with circumstances of peculiar outrage.
This technical flaw committed by insanity-partisan-politics of the Kulmiye led government disregarding the national consensus and consultation with other national parties in overriding issues has revealed the magnitude of disaster of exclusion of legal advisors from the delegates let alone national parties.
The inclusion of the word atrocity into the communiqué has extra ramifications on Somaliland, in other words, Somalia’s ex-war criminals like Morgan, the few perpetrators of Somaliland Genocide alive so far, can be reinstalled as defense minister according to the recent deal. One cannot criminalize him of any wide-scale massacre he committed unless one is idiot or oblivious of what one has signed or the risks associated with the reckless inconclusive accords one always impulsively sign. So if the cap fits, wear it.
One camp says Somaliland delegates comprised of veteran diplomat of three decades at the UN along with Dahab Shiil ex-staff who dazzled by the Othman empire’s contemplation in caravans in 17 centuries without single international jurist have remarkably outmaneuvered over their counterparts. On the other hand, Somaliland’s yes-men camp says it is more than enough to travel to Istanbul and bring back some gifts to Hargaysa. Somaliland can gain recognition via blueprint bought from lobbyists of Turkish Cyprus, so hold on don’t be pessimist, things will get better, but let us see whether this optimism is wishful thinking or have clue.
No benchmark, however, to measure if talks have moved on or withdrawn an inch from its fixed point. Clichés are oft heard ” Maqaasare ayaa nalagu qaabilay” which very ambiguous but many construed to mean” red carpet being rolled out or high ranking official hugged us.” but this time one thing was added to Somaliland political lexicon: “atrocity being acknowledged”. Was that what brought them to Turkey? Late Mohamed Farah Aided already acknowledged what happened in Somaliland is tantamount to crimes against humanity and continued on and on.
Whatsoever happened has happened and that is thing of the past, but delegates were entrusted to talk about the future, not the past. What they’ve done in regard to the future?
The First-Time Devastating Legacy motto coined by the former foreign minister to boost his diplomatic underachievement has been played out by innocent members of the delegates “the first time the atrocity to be apologized!” Does apology bring lives back? Rather than signing an agreement that clarifies the absolute end of unity, they uttered “to sit with Somalia is big victory, bigger than anything else we could imagine” with triumphant-looking faces though returned empty-handed! If that a sufficient achievement, let it be.
Turkey is neither fond of genocide approval nor the proper venue of such thing because Ankara calls Armenia’s genocide over millions of people a small massacre of some sort rather than what it is: genocide. Similarly, Ankara does not want to co-sign such embarrassing deal as human rights defenders would describe Ankara pot calling kettle black.
During World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Turkish premier b lasted at the Israel president Shimon Peres “…you kill kids playing in Gaza beach….” But Israeli response was swift and accurate “look at the mirror” it means, I think, you kill Kurdish masses with F8 jets like flies. Is Kurdish blood allowed to shed according to the Turkish constitution while paying lip service to Palestinians? But Palestinians are not Somalinders. I like lives being spared.
Somaliland global position is diminishing by the day, of being in state of limbo to nonentity. What made Somaliland delegates believe their compromise of genocide to mere atrocity will make Somaliland acceptable to Mogadishu? Somaliland’s future is in the balance yet.
