Because of the pursuit of a united country I cannot visit my home in Hargeisa’ Somalia deputy premier Mohamed Omar Bemoans
By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun – Strains in the untenable Dream of a Greater Somalia republic are slowly becoming overt among natives of Somaliland in Mogadishu.
At a function of Unionist Somalilanders serving the Federal Government of Somalia its deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte Qalib revealed his loneliness for home.
“Because of my quest for a unified Somalia encompassing former British and Italian protectorate I cannot visit my home and relatives in Hargeisa” the deputy premier told his handful of listeners who were all from various parts of Somaliland and resident in Mogadishu.
Stressing that pursuit of a greater Somalia republic was a continuation of their fathers and grandfathers quest initiated in 1960.
on the 1st July 1960 and five days after garnering its independence from Great Britain the people of Somaliland entered into a voluntary union with the former Italian Somalia to its south to form the now defunct republic of Somalia.
The demise of the nationalistic and five pronged greater Somalia dream meant to bring together Somalia speakers from Somaliland, Somalia, Kenya’s Northern Frontier Districts, Ogden region in Ethiopia and Djibouti collapsed in 1991 after Somalilanders reclaimed their sovereignty after a prolonged bloody civil war that pitted the ragtag SNM rebels and Somalia national army that ensued with the death, injury and displacement to thousands not to mention massive destruction of property.
The FGS deputy premiere a native of Somaliland is son of Omar Arte Qalib a prominent politician in the forefront of the union dream which he served as foreign minister for the government of Siyad Barre before being imprisoned for decades and prime minister of the first post Barre administration in Mogadishu
in contrast to his father whose career in Somalia is acclaimed by his northern brethren Mohamed Omar is considered a traitor of his motherland Somaliland where the notion of a reunion with Somalia is not only taboo but legal stipulations dictated that upon setting foot anywhere in his native land shall ensue with immediate arrest and arraignment in court for treason charges.
That being so the only avenue open to return home safely for Mohamed Arte and other Somalilanders whose allegiance is to a greater Somalia and actually serving it actively is to recant their unionism and request pardon from the administration in Somalia that has granted others of ilk like Bubaa and prof Samatar to mention a few.
among other prominent Sons and daughters of Somaliland serving in Mogadishu include minister of public works Ali Ahmed Jama ‘Jengeli, minister of Ports and Marine transport Nuur Farah Hirsi, Col Saeed Jama Ali Qorsheel, the alleged president of the mythical Awdal state in the west of the country Abdisamed Nageeye and Mohamed Yusuf Jama Indosheel among others.
Most notorious is Prof Ali Khalif Galayd who is a Member of the parliament and a thorn in the very being of his native Somaliland and its avowed not for negotiation self-rule where he leads a secession movement in the east of the country with the intent of creating a Khatumo state of Somalia presumably to be curved from parts of Sool and east Sanaag regions where his armed tribal militias are credited with denying residents public services and facilitating death, injury and displacement to many through regular skirmishes with the Somaliland army.
In contrast to prof Galayd is fellow MP Fozia Yusuf Haji Aden, a close ally of FGS president Hasan Sheikh who though among most powerful woman in the Horn region during her reign as both Foreign and deputy prime minister in Mogadishu remained faithful to her native home by refusing to engage in activities geared towards derailing or undermining its quest for international recognition as a sovereign nation, thus respect from Landers , though she still needs to request pardon to visit Hargeisa or return home.
in the meantime and despite the revanchist policies of anti-Somaliland under machinations by the weak government propped by the international community and guarded by African troops in Mogadishu which it controls only in daytime with nights belonging to Al-shabaab, Somalilanders are relentless in their quest for international recognition 25 years after withdrawing from the fateful 1960 union with their neighbours to the south.
