The Qatar factor in Somalia and Somaliland dialogue

Ibrahim Mead
Political analyst
Ottawa, Canada
Qatar is a great country and the
people are nice I was a high school teacher in Doha (Ra a an Alateeq)
in the70s and early 80s. That was the old Qatar! The Qatari people
are generlly generous and reasonable, however it all depends on how
honesty and resilient the govern ment of Somaliland is for their
CAUSE. It also depends whether they have the emotional bo nd with
the Mother-Somaliland which they don’t as widely believed!
Before w discuss the effect the introduction of Qatar to the talks
of somalia and Somaliland which is already politically unbalanced
and biased in favour of the former perpetrators of the ethnic
cleansing of 80s which happened in then Northern regions now
Somaliland may have, let us look back the prevailing status of
Somaliland under Siilanyo’s administration
1- There is disconnection and distance between the people and the
government!
2- There is an endemic corruption or profiteering by the ruling
elites.
3- There is resistance to transparency and accountability.
4- There is political immaturity and lack of emotional bond to the
Mother!
5- This includes widespread loss of popular confidence in state
institutions i.e. houses of congress, presidency and judiciary.
6- The two houses of congress and the judiciary have been swallowed
by the executive branch! One man and four aids are running the
country upside-down. They are secretive in what they did and what
they do where there is no secret in to day’s world of open media! [Dhuumasho
dhabarku muuqdo]
What they did and do so far is seen as deceptive and diminishing to
the dignity and to the hopes and the aspirations of Somaliland! That
is the status of Somaliland to day!
“Allah knows the man who means mischief from the man who means good.
The strict probity is demanded of man but if he falls short of it,
man is told that he can not escape Allah’s punishment even though he
may evade human punishment.”
Do the trios the president, the chairman of the Guurti and the chair
man of the house of representatives of Somaliland understands that!
I think they better do, and their deficiencies aside they better
tell the people whom their livelihood depends on the peoples tax
dollars, what they are hiding from them for they never tell the
people what they are cooking in darkness particularly the secret
talks with Somalia .
Allah bestowed Somaliland his favour. He helped them regain and
retain their lost first Republic by the martyrdom of their children.
He gave them peace and stability. He gave them means of developing
their country relatively with in their means.
Now the present government of Mr. Siilanyo is in a journey to change
all that! To see the signs of their intent, look at the fire fueling
from the east and from the west of the country as well as the
absolute distrust, distance, disconnection and suspicion the whole
people have against the secretive administration run by undependable
crew! How can such a government enter a dialog with intransigent,
provocative Somalia which enjoys the support of the international
community? Logic says, “Before you encounter with these kinds of
guys, UNITE YOUR PEOPLE instead of dividing them and disseminating
them.” I think this is not a bad advice.
“Those who want to change the favour Allah bestowed on them they
will not only (encounter the wrath and the revolt of the people who
believe that they were betrayed) they will receive the strict
punishment of Allah whose punishment is severe (Albaqra) But again
do they understand that!? Do they care about it!? Whether they do or
not it is sure that they are not doing the right thing for
Somaliland!
When (new) Qatar is in the mix in this Somalia /Somaliland dialogue
which is already politically tilted to words Somalia, there is a lot
more to worry about specially when there is an administration which
pursues ‘belly politics’. When Qatar means money, and the sound of
money is audible, and the government is corrupt, there is a lot more
to worry about!
Qatar is politically and financially the long-arm of US and Britain
these days.
Remember before the ‘due’ entered Iraq they send Qatari emissary to
Bagdad. The rest of that undertaking is in the pages of history.
Before the west entered Libya, Qatar was the forefront. Now we know
the result of the end of that intervention.
When Syria’s spring started Qatar was the forefront again and in a
big way. She sided with one of the many factions fighting against
Syria’s government, and now we know the sad story evolving there.
Now Qatar has imposed her self in the so-called Somalia / Somaliland
dialogue. Probably they were asked to play a role in this, being the
long hand of the west. Now they are involved in this already
unbalanced and biased affair between a former (Somalia) aggressor
and mass murderer and a former victim (Somaliland)! The balance
tilts on the former offender and ethnic cleanser, Somalia that is!
Where will the dwarves from Siilanyo’s administration will be in
this game is worrisome indeed?
Because of all these reasons mentioned here and the situations in
all the countries Qatar was involved in reshaping them, Somaliland
has every reason to be suspicious and even worry particularly when
the people of Somaliland and their government are in distance apart
and when the government’s honesty and steadfastness in safeguarding
the sanctity of the CAUSE of Somaliland is questionable and
suspicious!
Somaliland has survived from the ethnic cleansing of Mogadish regime
of Dictator Siad Barre and not only that, they defeated them but
they did not chase them for revenge, instead they withdrew from the
ill-fated, voluntary union with Somalia and established peace and
their own democratic government. Whether that is a sin or not that
was all Somaliland did. The question every Somalilander is asking
about the intention of the US and Britain is: ‘Do they want to
put-off a fire from (Somalia) one place and start another fire
(Somaliland) in another place!?
I don’t believe that they intentionally want to do that but their
policy towards Somaliland seems just that! What is more worrisome is
that Mr. Siilanyo seems responsive to their policy and not the
wishes and aspirations of his people!
If Somaliland government unwisely argues that they are pressured to
do undesirable things which are against the constitution of the
nation and disregards the wishes, hopes and aspirations of the
resilient and patient people of Somaliland, and if the unpopular
government of Mr. Siilanyo capitulates and goes to London for
Somalia conference with no apparent interest as far as the CAUSE of
Somaliland is concerned and not for ‘the money’ then that is a
prelude and a recipe for a fresh war in Somaliland which was
peaceful through out the 21 years Somalia was engaged in all kinds
of wars!
In respond to all these issues facing Somaliland from many fronts,
and for the sake of peace in Somaliland and in the region at large,
it is therefore more urgent than ever to unite the people and call
for a popular nation wide convention to rescue th country before the
(suspicious) Qatar and London conferences start.
However peace and prayers
Ibrahim Mead
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