Jibril Younis Elders Crying for Non-existent Justice in “Somaliland”

 Like many other clans, there is no doubt that Jibril Younis sub-clan of Makahil clan has harshly been marginalized by Silanyo’s clannish administration because of their lineage association with former president, Dahir Rayaale (who is also a Jibril Younis), but their latest press conference in front of the media glare, including the popular London-based Universal TV, was an utter disappoint. The elders may have valid points to show their disgust, anger and frustration at Ahmed Silanyo government’s handling of the affairs of their clan members, including Ibrahim Amin Gadeed, who is lurking in Hargeisa Jail without even being indicted and convicted by the clannish Kangaroo courts of “Somaliland” administration, but to stoop so low and beg this uncompromising clannish hypocrites for forgiveness or justice was distasteful if not completely absurd. 

It was an insult to them as much as it was to their Gadaboursi brothers in Awdal and Salal as the way they conducted themselves was demeaning to all their constituencies.  They should have held their heads high while at the same time putting across their grievances instead of stooping so low in front of the media and face the wrath and humiliation of their fellow Awdalities in particular and the watching Somalis in general. Silanyo and his company must be saying of them, at least in private:

“what a bunch of no-hoppers, do we care their rants?” 

Not so long ago, the whole Awdal elders representing all clans protested in unison against the removal of Colonel Mohamed Xadhuun to the applause of Awdalites and guess what, nobody gave a toss about it. Not only the said Colonel was replaced unceremoniously, but many more high-ranking officials were booted out of the enclave’s army - an army increasingly becoming one-clan force.  That should have been a lesson for these crying Jibril Younis elders.

I had to cover my eyes in shame and disbelieve as the whole so-called press conference degenerated into complete farce, as one after another the elders of JY repeated the same futile message that will reach no one – certainly not beyond the four walls they convened and held the press conference despite the presence of the media. Everybody knows Ibrahim Amin Gadeed’s jailing is tribally motivated and any cry for justice will fall into the deaf ears of Ahmed Silanyo’s clannish government and those who tie his shoelaces.

The minister of Education has reiterated more than once that her ministry has no evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever against Ibrahim, and that no embezzlement or financial irregularities were reported by the Ministry’s internal investigators in Ibrahim’s case.

It is well known that government departments of “Somaliland” were stripped of all assets to bare bones during Rayaale’s handover of power to the new administration, and it is most certain that this practice will be repeated again once Ahmed Silanyo leaves office in four year’s time (if he passes power peacefully), as this is a normal practice in this part of the world.

Hundreds of government cars were taken off their number plates and replaced with private ones in full view of the in-coming administration in Hargeisa and Burao garages. The enclave’s treasury was left broken and penniless. Nobody was accounted for this ransacking and malpractice. Put it this way: “it was more like take this one and I will take the other”, qaataye qaado.

Despite some claiming “Somaliland” has built solid democratic government institutions, corruption and nepotism are as widespread as they have even been, and the reason why nobody will give a toss about is the fact that this secessionist enclave is clannish to the bone. It is a common practice for officials in this clan-invested enclave to call for the help of their clans once they are in trouble with the law – if there is such law in “Somaliland”. However, if you are from the peripheral clans (beelaha cidhifyada) as they call it in Hargeisa, then you will easily be caught by the long clannish arm of the so-called “Somaliland” law.

A typical example is the case of Ibrahim Amin Gadeed, who is the ONLY man arrested for alleged financial mismanagement, and surprisingly not by the agencies concerned but by some shadowy figures directly linked to the president’s office, including the auditor general, Mohamoud weyne who was, surprise, surprise, the same man who put many current day “Somaliland” officials in Siyad Barre’s Jails in the eighties - not often for embezzlement but for not giving him a big share of the loot.

Jibril Younis elders, I believe, have wasted their valuable time for a government or so-called government that only listens to its clannish constituencies. I am not suggesting here at all that they should not raise their concerns and grievances, but I was dismayed to hear the words uttered in that press conference and statements such as: “we are true Somalilanders, you are our president, we love Somaliland, etc”. 

The reality on the ground is that this is not your “Somaliland”, nor is the president yours. And certainly you don’t love “Somaliland”; it was imposed upon you and you took it simply because you believe you have no alternative. It is disheartening as much as it is disappointing to see such grown-up men (elders in this case) crying for something that does not exist in this clannish enclave: justice and fairness, both words only available in Jibril Younis and their fellow Awdalites’ dictionary.  Will they ever learn?

Mohamed F. Yabarag

Email: Myabarag@yahoo.co.uk