By M.A. Egge
Somalilandsun-Local clergy Sh. Aden Haji MohamudHireypopularly known as Adan-siro has said that the availing of a military base to the United Arab Emirate (U.A.E) is precarious to the security of the region given that there are governments which do not accept the idea at all.
In a Friday sermon that the vocal cleric gave at the pulpit recently, he said, “The Shariya (Islamic) has its basic fundamental prescription has living in harmony being the essential of livelihood, hence the people should be reconciled and the peaceful setting should never be ruffled”. The Sheikh said that the military base that the U.A.E wants to establish at Berbera is being fronted by a separate group within the administration.
He said, “This sermon is based on an un-clear agreement that a group within the administration wants the establishment of a sensitive military base in Berbera city which the whole north region and intellectuals and even officials within the government have decried”.
He charged that it was an issue fronted by a small clique with a limited interest contrary to the negative impact that it has to the population.
The Imam gave a contrast between how our ancestors entered agreements with foreign powers in the past and how the subsequent Somaliland administrations did.
“When the British came to Berbera two centuries ago and wanted the port leased to them, our fair ancestors who adornedtwo white sheets (of cloth) converged and contemplated the idea in a major meeting”, said Sh. Aden Siro.
He continued, “With one voice and a united front, they told the British that Berbera was bigger than an item wrapped in a piece of cloth”.
The Sheikh said that the rebuff to the British emanated from the respect of public property.
He said that with all the PHDs and simplified technical means readily available today, such hasty agreements cannot be feasible hence shouldn’t be allowed to go through.
“To all people who are concerned with our country and have intellect do I call upon (them) to decry the matter”, urged the clergy while appealing to the congregation.
The Imam decried the lost value of a camel which has dwindled by diving from 1250 USD to a mere 250USD because of the drought.
He lamented on the plight of the people, their dire needs and the pauper state of living the populace was experiencing.
He said that the country had citizens in the country that had the same amount of money as that leased to DP World for the port, just as it had ample expertize.
The clergy’s vehemence was quite clear as it disagreed with the notion of the foreign military base.
