TARIIKH LAMA ILAAWAAN DHEH 2

 

SNM COMMEMORATES INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY WITH A MARCH FOR FREEDOM AND RECEPT IONS


On June 25, 1987 more then 300 SNM members and supporters from all over the United Stat s gathered at the Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC. To participate in a march for fr eedom organized by the SNM North American Branch. They came from Massachusetts, Conn ecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland , Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Missouri, and as far as Texas and California.

Although the Somali community in the Washington metropolitan area has been staging demo nstrations in front of Siyad Barre’s Embassy over the years, this march was attended, first time, by many Somalis who were shocked by the revelation of a secret plan of obliteration by the regime against the Northern people. Many of the marchers told this reporter that many in their families were either killed or are languishing in notorious detention centers.

A young marcher from New Britain, Connecticut said “ I heard that a campaign of exterminati on against our people has been in effect in Northern Somalia. I am here to show the world that something need to be done about this apparent genocide”.

The march whose purpose was to protest the flagrant human rights violations of the Somali regime was also intended to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Independence of Som alia. “ I have never dreamed that after 27 years of Independence we will be marching in Was hington dc as refugees”, said a marcher From Northern Virginia Dahir Bixi Abdi. Many other participants seemed to agree. They expressed frustration, anguish and angered over what Siyad Barre and his cronies did to the Somali Nation and they thought that they could make a difference if they demonstrate Siyad Barre’s sadistic violence against the innocent civilians to the international community.

Around 10:00 O’clock in the morning the marchers started their march from the Dupont Circl e. They walked along New Hampshire Avenue toward the Watergate complex where the so-called Somali Embassy is located. They chanted slogans songs and waved flags. They also held neatly printed banners and posters that vividly expressed the spirit of the marchers and the essence of their cause .

DEMOCRACY YES DICTATORSHIP NO, FREEDOM IS OUR CAUSE, HUMAN RIGHTS ARE GROSSLY VIOLATED IN SOMLIA, POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SOMALIA MUST BE FREED, AND DOWN WITH SIYAD BARRE’S DICTATORSHIP. Were only some of the inscriptions that the marchers waved while they were crisscrossing the streets of Washington. American by-standers and by-passers seemed to agree by giving them gestures of approval either by waving , nodding or shouting words of support.

Around 10:30 the marchers reached their first destination. Siyad Barre’s Embassy, where they have spent about two hours distributing printed materials and chanting of slogans. Using microphones and loud speaking devices the marchers electrified Watergate area and secured the attention of everybody around. An elderly American woman who lives across the street from the Watergate complex and who was passing by talked to some of the demonstrators. She said “ I certainly know that you have been doing this for a long time . Is that thing that you are demonstrating against still there?”. She added that she has called a radio station to let them know that there is a demonstration in front of the Watergate complex.

Around 12:30 in the afternoon the marchers headed for the United States Department of State, which is only several blacks from the Embassy. Even though it was a hot summer day in Washington, the marchers did not seem to notice the heat. Along the route to the Department of state they distributed statements indicating the Somali regime’s engagement in a consistent pattern of human rights violations. When the marchers reached the Department of State they stepped up their chanting of the slogans. FREE SOMALIA NOW, NO MILITARY AID TO SOMALIA, SNM STANDS FOR FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY IN SOMALIA, AMERICA WE ARE FOR DEMOCRACY WE NEED YOUR SUPORT. Were among the pressive banners that the marchers displayed in front of the State Department . “ I think we are sending a message here to the American government and public. This is where foreign policy is conducted. All that we need is the U.S. government to look closely to the human rights situation in Somalia and act accordingly”, Said a marcher from New York City. Another marcher recalled how the United States government helped the Haitians and the Philippians to get rid of their hated dictators. “ I hope they will do the same thing in Somalia” Wajaale and Burco said optimistically.

Having conveyed their message to the Department of State the marchers took off to their final destination, the White House. On their way to the White House they passed several international organizations including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund “IMF”.
They spent about 45 minutes in front of the White House where they have finally dispersed. Later in the evening the SNM North American Branch held a reception at the Holiday Inn in Washington dc. The reception was attended by hundreds of people comprising of Somalis and foreign guests. The reception featured speeches, songs, poems and traditional Somali folk dances. When 12 Midnight approached, Ibrahim Megag Samater, the SNM representative to North America, made short but thrilling speech to the crowd. In the speech Mr. Ibrahim Me gag Samater has outlined the history of the Somali liberation struggle that led to the Indepen dence of June 26 1960. He has also expressed how Siyad Barre and his unscrupulous clique who gradually transformed Somalia into one of the most fascist states in modern times bet rayed the spirit of that Independence. He also explained how the Somali National Movement is struggling to rekindle the spirit and the promises of that independence.

At 12 O’clock, midnight, the crowd reenacted symbolically what happened in Hargeisa on the 26 of June 1960 when the first Somali flag was hoisted in Northern Somalia { Somaliland }. They raised the national and SNM flags up and chanted songs and poems recited by the late Abdillahi Suldan “ Timacadde” , Hadraawi, and others on that night in what was once the “ the Garden of Liberty” in Hargeisa. Many in the crowd who were in Hargeisa on June 26 1960, Like Caabi, Ibrahim, Food, Hussein . could not hold their tears back. “ I could not express how thrilling that moment was” Said a middle-aged man from the Washington area “ Ahmed Edag ale “ “ It is hard to believe that the sons and daughters of those who fought for the Indepen dence are in Diaspora around the four corners of the globe. 43 years after Independence we are still searching for freedom”.

Conclusion:

No Man or Woman can serve two Masters….One is Afweyne the other is his Faqash…or else he will hold to the one, and despise the others.
You can love while hating, progress while oppressing, come together in disunity, build while tearing down, join while separating, understand while not listening , give while withholding, create while destroying, overcome while in fear., It is simply impossible! People of color must make a choice: Either we accept what we believe others are doing to us, or reject it and do something else. If we love each other as a foundation for our progress, we do not have to worry about others hating us or our hating them back. If we work with everyone for human good, giving what we can to create what we want, we will not be disturbed by what anyone attempts to keep from us. If we stand on the faith of our ability to survive, it does not matter who is our to destroy us. If we celebrate, support and nurture ourselves, we will not need anyone else to do it for us.

A Singer, musician, and composer of lyrics who was active in the 1970s Said { Ayaan daranaa dhulkaygu, aqoon daranaa dadkiisu, Ilaahay Markuu wax siiyey ILOWSHA DHOWAA SABOOLKU } His name was Ahmed Muhumed Good “ shimbir “
 

ANIIS ABDILLAHI ESSA
WASHINGTON DC
USA.