Somalilandsun-Beyond being upset and appalled by current predicaments, Somalilanders as a unified force must strive to find the appropriate, and just solutions to rectify the abhorrent tactics being used by political campaigns which are an affront to our norms and endanger our way of life. All citizens have the moral responsibility to act and should not be solely left to leaders and officials only.
First I applaud the ruling party’s candidate Muse Bihi Abdi’s prompt condemnation of the attack on Abdirahman Irro’s house, and calling it the shameful act that it was, and something could not be tolerated.
The attack on the opposition leader Abdirahman. M. Abdullahi Irro’s residence in the capital city of Hargeisa, should not be dismissed so easily but must be given proper attention in order to mend it and deter similar acts in the future, because this repugnant act did not occur in a vacuum. These dreadful acts were the symptoms of the manifestation from the divisiveness sowed in society by political parties. Acts that best resemble hooliganism have been occurring throughout committed by supporters of the two major parties, cars with party flags and colors have been damaged and supporters have been assaulted in broad daylight. Shameful acts made possible by political parties needing to turn out their bases, who have resorted to using galvanizing language that putts-down, down-degrades and invalidates opponents. The use of such vilifying language becomes dangerous and must be viewed as being double edge sword especially if the party supporters are not politically savvy to differentiate scare tactics of accusing or labeling opponents as sympathizer for Greater-Somali and traitors. Let’s face it, the political campaigns in Somaliland currently have failed to espouse and aspire the electrets with messages of hope, so rather the platforms of hate with destructive criticisms and denigrating one another has prevailed.
Segments of the population are susceptible to being stirred-up by the rhetoric being disseminating from political party platforms and some are unable to differentiate exaggerations and campaign hyperboles, and the shameful acts of hate occur once the destructive criticism of vilifying and scapegoating one another is acted upon.
All the official of Somaliland have a moral responsibility to demonstrate leadership and act accordingly, and as citizens we must all follow suit. We should not be naïve and remain passive to such occurrences but rather be vocal and firm in deterring these acts from our society. The officials that have stepped-up and keep warning the public of the consequences of their ill-informed divisive actions must be lauded for their efforts. The president’s continuous involvement, where more recently he summoned the religious and cultural leaders of Somaliland delineating the moral responsibility expected of them. The Guurti chairman Suleiman M. Adan’s call to the political parties to refrain from personal attacks, as well as the head of Somaliland’s Supreme Court chief justice Adam H. Ali who also reiterated the same message. Youth of Somaliland who through the platforms provided by Sonyo and Inspire-Group have warned all political parties of the using inflammatory language for incitement and called on their peers to shun it. There was also the Religious leaders who went further than addressing the presidential candidates but have formally requested the Election Commission to postpone the elections.
Geleh Ali Gulaid
Geleh@hotmail.com
