Two exonerated Somaliland National Army officers trodden to ground by a an untamed donkey

Two senior national army officers were recently murdered by one of their junior soldiers in the camp of an army brigade at Qorilgud?? . This is a scandalous cold-blooded atrocious crime in the national. If this case is not fully addressed and properly investigated this is not going to be an isolated case per se. It does not attract a police- led investigation. It should a milit ary-related matter. This investigation also needs to collaborate with the rest of tribal militia army unit or the brigade that they belonged to and with the local chiefs and elders to bring back the culprit who is now barging from a safe haven at nearby town of Buhodle. This is a calculated murder plot and a classical national treason case in which the murderer should be caught, court-marshalled and prosecuted by the military court.

The officers murdered were professionally trained posted at an ex-tribal militia army brigade from the local area while the murderer belonged to an ex-militia tribal unit of the tribal linea ge of the local area. What makes things worse is that the murder took place inside the camp of the brigade with the witness of no one which strange in itself.

The officer killed chose to be far away from families, relatives and their local environments only to carry out their official duties to protect their country from the enemy as priority. We are well aware of the role of the frontline Somaliland army often chasing away the enemy the last of which we remember being the uprooting of the Khatumo militias of Cali Khalif Galayr from Saaxdheer. Despite that, however, what we are witnessing today is this foolish murder of our innocent senior army officers by a rug tug tribal militia member. It is not denied that ex-militia are ill-trained and non-disciplined units who can cause mayhem at any time by virtue of their lack of order, rule of the military law and discipline. They can bring chaos to the repute of other army units who consist of properly trained army soldiers. Most often they have no loyalty or respect for their senior officers fro other parts of the country. Their loyalty is usually tribal-oriented based prejudice and differences.

The person who executed the murder seems to have an easy ride and had a well-rehearsed escape route arranged to the nearby Buhodle town. It is clear that he was given a generous assistance. The murder took place in the camp. It is unacceptable to hear that no one witnes sed the incident. The murderer was given support to conduct this heinous national crime. What is laughable is that the murderer is now enjoying full safety in not far away a place from the crime scene.

What is not acceptable also is the government attitude and silence of unfortunate about the incident. The government neither condemned nor paid condolences to the families, relatives and the national army which has lost two honest committed officers. The government is mute about this. Their muteness is now stirring the emotions of the public in the regions of Gabiley and Awdal alike. The people showed their emotions in demonstrations as the end product. Unfortunately, however, the government’s only response was to send the notorious RRU uni ts controlled by the Presidential Palace (Madaxtooyada) to invade the mass of people consis ting of children, women and elderly people demonstrating in the streets. The RRU, as usual, is employing their only inhumane tactics of showering live bullets to the crowds in which, as we are writing, two died and nine others have been injured.

In fact, while this situation is in progress and more seems to unfold, the President of the co untry and his cabinet are fully engaged in one of the President’s daughter’s engagement pa rty at the Presidential Palace. Of course, the government frenetic approach only rubs salt to the wound. The government of the day chose to criticise the opposition parties that they are behind the plot instead of showing remorse.

The so-called national burial made for the officers murdered is not national prayer. The public know s how a national is defined. The officers were not killed in battle front. The burial condu cted is no more than that of soldiers killed in battles. They deserve memorial statutes to be erected for them as heroes of the nation. They were frontline professionals and died for this country.

The public vehemently condemns this barbaric uncivilised way of killing our heroes and officer s of the army as well as soldiers who are ready to defend us while tolerating ill-treatment fr om the government. This calculated assassination of the exonerated army officials is being tr eated by the government if the officers were killed by a donkey as the Somali proverb says, “ Nin dameer dilay wax ka soo qaad ma leh”. Are our national officers there at the frontline to be killed by donkeys or enemies.