By: Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Siilaanyo received the Chairman of SSC (Somaliland’s eastern regions) Dr. Suleiman Essa Xaglatosiye at his hotel room during recent Somaliland-Somalia Talks in Dubai, UAE, on future relations between the two countries.
The President reached mutual understanding with Dr. Suleiman Essa on restoring peace and stability in SSC Region of Somaliland, and to develop the region rather than waging wars. The people in the region welcomed the peace initiative particularly the people in Buhodle Town, who considered the agreement as political gain for Dr. Essa.
However, The warmonger Ali Khalif Galaydh and his gang “Khaatumo” waged attacks on Somaliland National Army to undermine the peace, which created chaos and displaced many people in the region. The gang rejected the peace initiative in order to keep violence and chaos in the region.
President Siilaanyo invited Dr. Essa to Hargiesa, capital of Republic of Somaliland, and the peace deal was finalized. The government welcomed the reverting citizen, Dr. Essa, with red carpet. He met Interior and Defense Ministers in Hargiesa and discussed the manner, in which the initiative will be executed.
In his way back to Buhodle Town from Hargiesa, Thousands of people received Dr. Essa at the outskirts of the town with flower, in order to show their support to the peace. They were holding panels with word ‘PEACE’.
Dr. Essa, the Peacemaker, realized the importance of peace and the need of development in the eastern regions of Somaliland (SSC). Dr. Essa, who has dual American citizenship, lectured the crowd about the peace with Somaliland. The crowd responded with ‘ YES to PEACE’.
The lecture was warmly welcomed, as it opened a window of hope to the people of Buhodle Town.
On the contrary, the lecture angered the warmonger Ali Khalif Galaydh, godfather of the “Khaatumo” Gang and Chief Tribe Garad Jama Garad Ali. Galaydh established himself as new Warlord in Buhodle Town, where he organized violence against Somaliland Army and against the civilians – His gangs waylaid and killed the nomads in SSC and robbed their cattle.
The new warlord Galaydh instructed his gangs to disturb the peace initiative with all possible means.
The tribal elders in Mogadishu nominated the warmonger as MP in the selection process of the new tribal parliament of “Somalia”. He is campaigning to win the post of the Speaker of the Somali Parliament. Such criminal warlord who need to be imprisoned for his crime against humanity in SSC region must be avoided.
Although “Khaatumo” gang cannot fight the strong Somaliland Army face-to-face but they can create instability and loss of innocent lives. They are trying to break the link between the people of eastern and western regions of Somaliland, in order to keep the people of Buhodle Town under poverty, which will enable them to brainwash and recruit youngsters against Somaliland.
Galaydh’s gang, “Khaatumo”, use the people of Buhodle Town as “Human shield” to avoid possible crush by the bold Somaliland Army. Somaliland Army, a very disciplined army with international military regulations, retrieves after such illegal use of the civilian lives by “Khaatumo” gang in more than occasion.
In order to undercut the peace deal, “Khaatumo” gang started shelling Somaliland Army bases immediately after Dr. Essa lectured the people of Buhodle Town about peace with Somaliland, and even the gang kidnapped four citizens. The gang vowed to kill Dr. Essa, if he brings the peace in Buhodle Town. However, such threat did not stop him from beginning long-functioning peace in the region. He is peacefully in Buhodle Town despite minor failed attempts to assassinate him by “Khaatumo” gang.
Galaydh and Chief tribe Garad Jama Garad Ali vowed to abort the peace deal. “Khaatumo” gang demanded release of a terrorist who murdered GTZ (German based group) aid worker of Kenyan origin between Hargiesa and Berbera in 2004, in an exchange of the kidnapped citizens.
The terrorist is a member of Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group fighting AMISOM in southern Somalia.
However, the people of Buhodle Town, who predominantly support Dr. Essa’s peace initiative, instructed the “Khaatumo” gang to leave the town in 24hrs, and released the kidnapped civilians, in order to utilize the peace at maximum.
In a goodwill step to the peace, Somaliland released 70 prisoners (former guerilla fighters) and moved back the army posts from its frontiers in SSC region, and as requested by Dr. Essa.
The international community must support the peace in eastern Somaliland regions (SSC), in order to enforce development in the region. SSC region is very much backward compare to other parts of Somaliland. Particularly, the UN and regional governments must block Ali Khalif Galaydh and Garad Jama Garad Ali because they are involved in violent operations against Somaliland.
The Galaydh-Garad alliance opposed Somaliland-Somalia Talks on their future relations despite the international community including UN welcomed the dialogue. The coalition triggered armed conflict in the region, in order to downgrade the peace and the dialogue. This makes them violent warlords along with their bloodshed human rights record in Somaliland.
Such criminals are in Mogadishu and trying to win leadership posts in the next government in Mogadishu. This endangers the efforts to restore peace and order in Mogadishu and Somaliland-Somalia Talks.
The peace making process in Mogadishu must not bring instability to Somaliland, because appointing people with criminal history in Somaliland could disturb the homegrown democracy of Somaliland.
Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com
