Somalilandsun: The monument design put in place by the Somaliland presidential palace to replace the statue in the centre of Hargeisa does not reflect what the plane stands for not why it was put there in the first place.
This was stated by the interim chairman of the opposition party Wadani MP Abdikadir Haji Ismail Jirde in Hargeisa as he urged the administration of president Muse Bihi to review the design before implementation.
This reaction by the opposition politician comes in the heels of removal of the original monument that bore a Mig plane used by Somalia’s late dictator Mohamed Siyad Barre to bombard Hargeisa.
It also displayed images of the suffering undergone by both citizens of Somaliland and SNM liberation fighters during the protracted civil war of the 1980s to early 90s that ended with the collapse of the Somalia democratic Republic and reclamation of self rule by Somaliland.
The removal of the old monument was supervised by presidency director General Mohamed Bile and the Mayor of Hargeisa who explained that it will be replaced with a new one encompassing all facets of the Somaliland struggle for self rule.
But according to MP Jirde the new design which is copied from Western countries does not reflect the initial purpose of the structure now removed thus a rethink.
“While it is good for progress and history the new design of the monument does not reflect the suffering of the people of Somaliland in 1988, so it needs to be revisited” said the MP adding that the best thing for the administration to do in order to come up with the appropriate is to consult and seek out knowledgeable from citizens.
Said he, “ This new design is one I know about for it is copied from Russia where it commemorates what that country went through man who went through during World War II” thence not Somaliland
In conclusion the lawmaker and opposition Wadani Party chief said it was imperative that the administration reverse it’s design and come up with one that reflects on Somaliland rather than a copy of a foreign one.
