Last night I watched a highly publicized Somalia live televised talk show. The talk show celebrity host was none but Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, the selected President of Somalia. Answering to a question from one of the audience and wearing his usual swindling wide smile, Mr. Mohamoud let drop one of his secrets – hatred towards the Republic of Somaliland.
Mr. Mohamoud’s timing for the live televised talk show was inappropriate both in its content and in its unreasonableness of timing. On the content of his talk, the man was confrontational and demeaning in his speech towards the Republic of Somaliland, he disregarded the historic and new facts on the ground in the Republic of Somaliland. On the timing side, the man disregarded in bad faith the Somaliland and Somalia talks that were concluded just a day earlier in Istanbul, Turkey – where for the first time, Somalia officially acknowledged the atrocities committed against the innocent civilians in Somaliland.
Mr. Mohamoud went on to say that he supports and is working on the breaking up of the Republic of Somaliland into something akin to the mini administrations in Somalia by recognising and bringing back to life a small turncoat group that is now disbanded and does not exist, but once illegally claimed a small area in the territory of the Republic of Somaliland and called itself a member state of Somalia. Mr. Mohamoud fell to the propaganda machine of that small group, which advocated, but failed to break warring hostilities between Somaliland and Somalia.
Not only that, but Mr. Mohamoud went a step further and kept using without any sign of embarrassment the word “Somalia” instead of the former Somali Republic and in reference to the 1960 failed union, which was made up of Somaliland and Somalia.
I would have expected this superficial talk from a Mogadishu street corner teashop entertainer, but not from a self-respecting President of a country that has enormous problems and challenges to surmount. Therefore, I would advise Mr. Mohamoud to desist from his impertinent speeches towards the people and the government of the Republic of Somaliland.
Mr. Mohamoud ignored the fact that he was being watch all over the world and his speeches and actions are monitored both in the region and in the wider world. Such reckless actions by Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud will endanger future talks with the Republic of Somaliland and will put his sincerity in having a bona fide dialogue with Somaliland into question.
If Mr. Mohamoud continues to be behave this way, not only the talks with Somaliland will be endangered, but this will also irreversibly damage Somalia regime’s already dented political and moral image and will lead to Somalia losing the remaing bits of International credibility and support.
Mr. Mohamoud must end insolence against the intelligence of his people and that of the International Community. H e must learn to listen to those who want to pragmatically deal with the dangerous and complex issues facing his country and the wider Horn of Africa region.
It was more than two years ago, when in a London conference for Somalis, the International Community made up of more than fifty countries and tens of International Organisations set the foundation for talks between Somaliland and Somalia on their future relations.
Somaliland joined Somalia in diplomatic dialogue on their future relations in Istanbul, Turkey. The fifth round of talks just ended last Saturday and a day before Mr. Mohamoud’s infamous talk show.
Somaliland participated in that dialogue with Somalia in good faith and in the spirit of creating two neighbouring, independent and cooperating states out of the failed Somaliland and Somalia union – the now annulled Somali Republic.
The Horn of Africa is now tired and sick of hostilities and of territorial expansionism. People expect their governments to work towards economic development, better education and sanitation that will bring tangible improvements to their lives and not what Mr. Mohamoud is advocating.
The UCIDS Presidential aspirant Hon Jamal Ali returned to the country after concluding a working visitand was among passengers traveling aboard the airplane carrying the remains of the late Sheik Ahmed Ali Weerar who passed away in Djibouti one day ago while undergoing medical treatment.
Hon Jamal Ali Hussein speaking to the press shortly after arriving in the country inside the VIP lounge said, “I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Sheik Ahmed Ali Weerar May Allah (SWT) bless his soul, Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time .His untimely death is a great loss to his family and to the Somaliland nation at large. May Allah (SWT) bless his soul in his final abode?
On the other hand the youthful UCID Presidential hopeful termed the recently concluded Istanbul talks as lacking any meaningful outcome and waste of time as long as the real issues of contention are still been avoided at the talks we need them to be made public for all to see lack of close consultation with the official opposition parties and the Non state Actors, in order to seek guidance and advice on these sensitive negotiations with Somalia calls into question the legitimacy and sincerity of the current government in handling the talks alone.
“We in Somaliland have as long tradition of popular public participation, negotiations and consensus building in all important national issues. In line with this tradition, the Somaliland government has failed to establish a mechanism for popular national consultations that would allow the participation of all sectors and by going to great lengths to exclude the two official opposition parties shows the absence of an inclusive and broad-based national committee and also which shows the lack of national consensus,” He said.
UCID’s Presidential aspirant went on to say, “One thing is clear, our sovereignty, independence and liberty are none-negotiable not decided by the current government or an individual but the people of Somaliland. The Republic of Somaliland and its people are chanting never again, meaning they will never again become guests to their destiny, future and self-determination.
Hon Jamal Ali Hussein as my colleague Hon Feisal said, “The SFG continues to downplay the scope and scale of the overwhelming force, and the indiscriminate bombardment of cities and the deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians such as in Hargeisa whereby more than 50,000 lives lost, an action that lay the grounds of a war crime, and crimes against humanity and which amounts to a genocide but this isn’t case as clearly stated in the second Istanbul communiqué.
“The defection of three party members doesn’t mean the end of UCID as a political organization, the reason been, the defecting official have their own interests or have differing views from the party hence their decision to part ways but they should know by now ,the Justice and Welfare party UCID is the only political party to have maintained a clean record since multi-party politics were first introduced in the country and also continues to enjoy the support of a good number of citizens across the country and that it’s a well-known fact justice,” stated Hon Jamal Ali Hussein.
Lastly the bunker cum politician had this to say to the current government, “I urge you to stop the unnecessary imposition of new taxes on the ordinary citizens who already are been over taxed and also should stop the misuse and embezzlement of public funds which they usually use in staging stage shows political misfits joining KULMIYE and should emulate the previous government of the former President Dahir Riyale Kahin which no matter the political differences with its opponents tried the best by swallowing its pride and establish a mechanism for popular national consultations in the interest of the nation.
As the new Istanbul II communique suggests, Somalia and Somaliland accepted a joint solution of almost all the agendas and substance that were raised. However, it should be noted that both sides were eminently incapable in addressing the issue of secession. The delusion that have been sweetening our pots leading up to these talks has once again disappointed the Somaliland citizens. The absence of Somaliland secession agenda again on the table is nothing more than a music to our skeptical ears. The avoidance of this agenda is particularly remarkable because of its relevance to the unity of Somalia and Secession of Somaliland. One might think both sides are not taking the most pressing agenda seriously.
Beyond the pictorially staged and carefully choreographed settings, If you closely looked at the nine precision points agreed upon there was no new game changing development that has really been introduced. Except the acknowledgement of the atrocities committed by the late regime of Siyad Barre, nothing new was introduced on the table. Sure some may say this was not a small feat, but still it is only one issues among many contentions. The other main point that deserves a mention is the issue of air travel control. Both sides agreed to form a four member party (two from each party) that will prepare the term of reference of the air travel control board. I’m pleased that this was added since last time Somalia was not able to live up to its previous agreements of the air control. Of course, hardly is Somalia nor Somaliland able to control their air space. Except in dividing equally the revenues collected I don’t see the big significance.
It is utmost important that Somaliland takes note at the pace of the talks. My caution today concerns the point of timing! We all agree diplomacy takes time, lots of time. But unfortunately the snail pace of these negotiations is unsurprisingly in favor of Federal government of Somalia. The biggest weapon in their arsenal is TIME. And, sad to say, most indication suggests that Somalia has nothing to lose in delaying to address the issue of secession, since they are legitimately recognized as a government.
Hence they have no government business in limbo. One might even suspect they are just buying time to carve out a sphere of influence on Somaliland once they get to sort out their ever spiraling government. A time might come when Somalia would be able to move vigorously diplomatically and gain a more leverage over Somaliland. This said, Somaliland should explicitly demand that the next round of talks address the elephant in the room. No more should Somaliland allow Somalia to treat the issue of secession as unwelcome burden! Ultimately, moreover, if there is no assurance that exists in addressing this issue, Somaliland should not reignite any more talks. Since the agendas have to be set prior to meeting now, Somaliland shouldn’t reflexively assume they are on the same page with their counterparts.
Crucially Somaliland citizens must not be allowed to perceive that the outcome of these talks without secession agenda on the table is an inch closer to achieving their noble goal of secession. Somaliland authority should express concern over the inability to convince Somalia to start real negotiation. In the coming months, instead of recycling politicians in the current administration, the task should be to assemble a different group including Somaliland willing scholars this time.
The current foreign affairs minister of Somaliland Mr.Mohamed Bihi Yonis is a highly regarded diplomat with ability to shape Somaliland foreign policy compared to his predecessor! He seems to be a man of unsurpassed integrity and intelligence. Even though diplomats see the world differently and with different priorities I have faith in Somaliland foreign affairs minister!
In all fairness, diplomacy calls for listening, respecting and understanding. For that we should praise both sides for their temperament. In the realm of diplomatic possibilities there is of course nothing impossible! So let’s hope both sides get the courage to move on forward!
It doesn’t take me to tell you that a successful business never stands still, it’s continually moving forward, searching out new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the competition and identify new opportunities.
The need for constant development, improvement and evolution is never more apt then during a time of prolonged economic downturn. If you simply tuned into the economic news over the past few months, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the world was all doom and gloom, however you’d have allowed one of Britain’s proudest sporting moments pass you by.
For 17 days in the summer of 2012, the UK was the centre of global attention as London 2012 delivered one of the greatest sporting spectacles in history. In amongst the countless golden moments, from the worlds’ most talented athletes, one stands out for me, Mo Farah, double Olympic champion in the 10,000m and 5,000m. For consecutive Saturdays he had a nation on it’s feet, cheering, gasping and celebrating wildly as he became the first British man in history to win a long distance Olympic gold medal, let alone two.
After his remarkable win in the 10,000m he would have been forgiven for sitting out the second race, putting his feet up and unwinding after an energy sapping twenty seven minutes on the track and countless press commitments after his triumph. Instead, with a nation cheering him on he stepped up to the mark and produced a dazzling display in the 5,000m, perhaps an even finer achievement than his victory a week earlier and the result saw him move from national hero to global sporting icon. Put the natural talent and training to one side for now and I’ll let you in on the secret to that 5,000m success; MOmentum.
Momentum is critical to your success, it enables entrepreneurs and managers to move beyond past mistakes quickly, to inspire stakeholders and where one success quickly follows another, it delivers scale and growth.
The key to achieving momentum begins with the trickiest part, creating an initial forward movement. Reflect for a moment of the basic principle of inertia “the vis insita, or innate force of matter, is a power of resisting by which every body, as much as in it lies, endeavours to preserve its present state, whether it be of rest or of moving uniformly forward in a straight line”. Momentum, therefore is what happens when you break the inertia and you create positive forward movements, building towards your own success and here are four key tips from the undisputed champion of distance speed, Mo Farah:
1. Plan for Success
Muhammad Ali, arguably the greatest ever sports star, once said that “the fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
The foundations of that double Olympic glory was built many years earlier, as Farah and his team plotted the route to glory. His intense training regime ultimately saw him and his family relocate to the United States to assist in his preparation. For every golden night inside the Olympic stadium, there were many more spent on running tracks, often at midnight under floodlights with his coach Alberto Salazar and training partners perfecting every aspect of his race from start to sprint finish.
Just as athletes spend months preparing mentally and physically in the build up to competing, so your business needs a clear vision of what it wants to achieve and how you intend to successfully deliver that goal. You must prove to yourself and team the precise steps you plan to take each day to accomplish your objective and the resources and support you intend to commit. Without being able to visualise and ‘sell’ the potential of your business or idea, you will fail to energise those around you and bring together all those individuals who can help make your potential a reality.
2. Momentum Requires Leadership
Leaders are responsible for the success of an entire team. Elite athletes are surrounded by teams; teams which consist of coaches, doctors, physio-therapists, psychologists, managers, sponsors and not forgetting friends, family, supporters and spectators. The livelihoods, success and happiness of all these stakeholders ultimately depends upon the vision, commitment and performance of one individual; it’s never a task to be taken lightly.
In delivering your vision you hold responsibility for the performance of your team and thus you need to be both motivated and confident in yourself in order to succeed. The most successful companies use this vision as the driver behind continual momentum. The desire to continually innovate and evolve for the better means that their job is never complete and that the culture of the company is dynamic and success orientated. Continual constructive or positive feedback and transparent leadership means that all stakeholders understand and share in that vision.
The author John Maxwell describes momentum as “a leader’s best friend. Sometimes it’s the only difference between winning and losing.” You’ll no doubt have heard sports commentators on TV talking about how the momentum of a football match has shifted. It is that act of turning inertia or negativity into a positive forward momentum that sets the successful leader apart from the less so.
Four years ago in Beijing, Mo Farah failed to even qualify past the heats of the 5,000m event, a few weeks ago in London, in front of a jubilant home crowd, the momentum of success swept him home to one of the most remarkable track results in British history.
3. Kick Start Your Success
Anyone who watched the 100m finals at the Olympics understands that the most important part of a sprint race is getting out of the starting blocks. But what athletes like Usain Bolt and Mo Farah have proved to us is that the key is not being the first out but rather putting yourself in a position from which you can kick start your race and win.
With startup businesses, the hardest part is the getting started. We could all sit around working on mountains of business plans and projected financials but until you stop the talking and start the doing you have no business. The key therefore is to gain sufficient positive momentum and develop a position from which you can kick on to greater success.
Even existing businesses from time to time need to convert slow growth into fulfilled potential. If for instance, sales are going slow then dedicate sufficient time and resources that you next batch of calls or campaigns will yield better results. Plan such bursts with the launch of a new promotion or updates to your products or services.
A critical part of creating explosive momentum is making effective use of your resources, including your team. Real teamwork helps to build momentum. Mo Farah’s team of experts prepared him physically and mentally for the challenges on the track at London 2012. But it was the final critical cog in his team that delivered him victory, 80,000 supporters inside the stadium and millions at home helped sweep him past his opponents to victory. Each part of your team has a role to play so delegate wisely so be sure to avoid micromanaging tasks and instead deliver a vision of a successful team.
4. Follow One Success With Another
Momentum is never ending, the second you stop to celebrate a success, so the momentum slows. As I mentioned earlier, momentum begins with the leader and is instilled in team and stakeholders. The best way to build teams who believe in success is thus to deliver success and that means as a business leader you must enable them to see the success in what they are doing. The more successful your team, the easier the success is to replicate, the greater the craving for success and ultimately the greater the momentum.
Success, must be followed by success. Mo Farah didn’t chose to settle for national hero after winning the 10,000 metres. He stood at the start line a week later determined to win the 5,000m gold and ensure himself the status of global sporting icon.
In the same way, the best time to make a sales call is directly after making a major sale. If you’re lining up a major client presentation, have a smaller one lined up for the next day. If the first isn’t successful then you can dive straight into the next without creating a feeling of failure. If it’s successful you have the potential to win two defining new pieces of business.
The same applies to your company vision. If you set yourself an objective or goal, the day you succeed simply means you have the chance to move straight on to the next one. As and when an opportunity presents itself, it is your responsibility as a business leader to be ready to take it. Don’t let opportunity pass you by, simply because you are unprepared or scared to seize the opportunity.
Do the Mo-Bot
Whatever your business may be it is your role as a leader to build the momentum needed to take the company forward and to seize every opportunity that comes your way. Plan meticulously, work hard and develop the team and strategy that enables you to ride the positive momentum that you create.
Reward yourself when the time is right but don’t take your foot off the pedal. Develop a culture that expects success and equates being busy with accomplishing your objectives and dreams. However you choose to develop your business growth, start by creating momentum by doing whatever you believe it takes to deliver your dream. For Mohammed Farah, double Olympic Champion, two Saturday nights in August 2012 cemented his name in the history books and in the hearts of a nation!
The dispute and infighting that is being waged inside the premises of KULMIYE Party is not new to our society, but rampant to the political culture of Somaliland, The fate of UDUB Party is the latest witness to our immaturity as far as good governance, transparency and prevention of potential conflict are concerned. However, after some 20 years of active political life, we were expected to have learned from our mistakes. In particular, Mr. Silanyo and Mr. Bihi are supposed to have learned from their quarter of a century old conflict, since the SNM days – way back in 1983 ? at least the hard way.
The repercussions of the current conflict are not the real causes of the dispute but rather the symptoms of the actual stickiness, which continues to plague the tissues of Kulmiye and all our political parties for that matter. The current situation of Kulmiye signifies the beginning of the roadmap towards what I call ?Udubization?. The first step of this self-destruction and this unconstitutional behavior was initiated by the group who elected the chair of the General Assembly Preparatory Community at the home of one of the party supporters. This development was illegal by any standard and should be repealed as soon as possible. The second illegal and out of context development was the initative of the Vise President of SL who held a formal party meeting in his own home without any regard of the opinion and consent of the leadership of the party. The vise president did not even bolder to call the meeting reconciliatory informal gathering. The third and most disastrous and unforgivable error was the announcement made by the President Silanyo wherein he declared the postponement of the party general assembly – unilaterally and obviously withoutadequate consultation with the concerned party leaders. It would appear, the president forgot or rather ignored the reality that he is the leader of the Nation´s executive wing, but no longer chief of Kulmiye Party. Most unfortunately, Mr. Waabeeyo had struck the last nail on the coffin of the party by openly supporting the president?s unguided breach of the party internal regulations, and without any consultation with his two superiors at the party hierarchy. The scene resembles the operations of a typical fish market and Mr. Wabeeyo has literally delivered the largest shipment of rotten sardine, and thereby added wetness to the mud (زادالطينبالة). Mr. Wabeeyo (the Poisonous) has indeed injected lethal Vernon to the party?s weak and feverish body.
It is interesting notice that all the above provocative moves were being committed by one side of the conflict. The other group which is evidently led by the chairman Muse is until now at the receiving end and obviously appeasing the other group. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that if this course of action is allowed to follow its current trend, all we expect is the defragmentation of the party cadre and its leadership in the same manner that UDUB had come to its demise.
In an attempt to contribute to the diffusion of the time bomb that is clinking at the door of Kulmiye, and to find a third route to safety and co-existence, I would recommend the following reconciliatory points that I believe would constitute middle of the road solution and a win-win scenario for all players.
A) The incumbent President should be given the chance to stand for re-election in the upcoming elections, as a sitting president.
B) However, this should be accompanied by the nomination of the current Chairman as second presidential-nomine of Kulmiye. It should be made clear that Mr. Bihi is the deputy presidential-nominee before and after the upcoming presidential elections.
C) The party?s internal bylaws should be revised to setup more standardized procedures that would govern and regulate party affairs in a more transparent and tightly knitted manner. The new laws should explicitly stated the actions that are not acceptable from the party leadership and also should clearly define the punishment posed on any person who commits such unlawfully actions, no matter who they are.
D) All the actions that were unilaterally taken in controversy of the party regulations should be repealed. The party leadership should open any new page. The situation reminds me of verses of a poem uttered of the Late Tima-caddeh as a warning to the military leadership right after the coup in 1969: ?? Wadadaa aan soo Jiidhay haddii laga ghabayn waayo, Dhutis Xaalku Kama Baaqsadee, Ghuuxa Hadalkayga?.
Finally, as I was writing this note, the Chairman of the party appears on the NationalTV . The statement that he delivered was a blend of reconciliation note directed at the President, though cautious and uncompromising , plus a diplomatic note aimed at none party audience, and at last a camouflaged warning aimed at the culprits and hypocrites within the ranks of the party of an upcoming punishment that will bring them to their knees in accordance with the constitution of the party.Mr. bihi has indeed clearly demonstrated that he is up to the situation andthat the party is in safe hands.
Thank you one and all who came out to the town hall meetings in the U.S. and Europe over the past several weeks and supported Semayawi Party!
In a report last week, Ethiomedia.com described Semayawi Party (SP) as the “newest opposition sensation” which “raises new hopes” for nonviolent change in Ethiopia. Yilikal Getnet, Semayawi Party’s young and dynamic chairman, presented Ethiopians in various U.S. and European cities his party’s vision of the Beloved New Ethiopia founded on hope, peace and unity.
Beginning with the first North American town hall meeting in Arlington, VA on December 15, 2013, Yilikal told his audiences that he did not come to the U.S. to solicit financial support or to beg for money. His primary mission was to introduce his party to Ethiopians living abroad, share with them his Party’s vision, positions and programs, review some of its humble accomplishment in the short time the Party has been in existence and most importantly to answer any and all questions about the Party. He did an outstanding job as the spokesman-in-chief of his Party. He answered all questions put to him without evasion or obfuscation. He addressed policy issues with thoughtfulness and insight. His presentations were complete with anecdotal and statistical facts. He awed his audiences with his razor sharp logic and spellbinding eloquence and wit. I am proud that I was able to stand beside Semayawi Party and Yilikal during this tour and show my unreserved support.
I thank all of those Ethiopians in the Washington, D.C. area, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Jose, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle for their moral support and financial help to Semayawi Party. Thank you all; I am so proud of you!
On behalf of Semayawi Party Support Group North America, I thank all of those Ethiopians who showed up at the town hall meetings, listened attentively, asked challenging questions and gave generously. Most importantly, on behalf of Semayawi Party I thank all party members and active supporters who braved the rain, snow, sleet and gloom of night to attend the meetings and show their unwavering support. Your support has made all the difference.
When I asked Yilikal of his general impressions of his first ever U.S. tour, he was effusive in his gratitude and praise. He was awed by the passionate patriotism of the Ethiopians he met; he was deeply moved by their heartfelt concerns for the future of the country; and he is inspired by their advice and counsel to help Ethiopia’s youth. He is grateful not only for the extraordinary support Semayawi Party received in the U.S. in such a short time but also the respect, love and understanding he was shown by all.
Scenes from the tour
The Semayawi Party tour was at once an educational, inspirational, confirmational, exceptional and even emotional experience for all of us. For me, the tour represented memorable “moments of truth”. I had written and talked about Ethiopia’s youth and their historic destiny for so long that it was a dream come true to stand on the side of a political party (and in my view a youth movement) that is formed by youth, for the youth and of the youth. After all, 70 percent of Ethiopia’s population is today under the age of 35.
It was a special honor and privilege for me as a member of Ethiopia’s Hippo Generation (older generation) to work so closely with members of the Ethiopia’s Cheetah Generation (younger generation). These young people were amazing. I marveled at the agility of their minds, dazzled by their insights and foresightedness, overwhelmed by their decisiveness in taking action, fascinated by their proficiency in the deployment of technology, awe-struck by their technical organizational skills and thrilled by their harmonious working relationships. I confess I thoroughly enjoyed my role as a full-fledged honorary Cheetah (though I regard myself to be a “Chee-Hippo”, a member of the intermediate generation whose job is to build bridges to connect the Cheetah and Hippo Generations) giving advice and counsel, consulting, answering questions and showing up wherever I was needed as a witness for Semayawi Party.
The one word that best describes our collective experiences in the Semayawi Party tour is “humbling”. We were overwhelmed by the passionate convictions of fellow Ethiopians who are determined to help birth the Beloved New Ethiopia that treats all of its citizens equally and respects the rights and dignity of each citizen. We were inspired by those who rejected all attempts to divide and dehumanize Ethiopians along ethnic, religious, regional and linguistic lines. We were grateful to those who schooled us on the mistakes of the past and showed us ways of avoiding known pitfalls. We were emboldened by those who assured us that we should never fear failure itself but the fear of failure which is paralyzing and incapacitating. We were comforted by those who promised and pledged to support us for as long as its takes so long as we continue the peaceful struggle for change. We were delighted by the curiosity of those genuinely interested in finding out about Semayawi Party.
We also experienced a few somber notes. We were saddened by the cynicism of some who had given up hope. “All of those who have come before you have failed. You probably will too”, they declared. We understood their disappointments. We were amused by the arrogance of others who thought the young people just did not know what they were doing and tried to lecture us on what should and should not be done. We did not mind. We are always ready to learn. We were engaged by the doubting Thomases. “We have seen them come and go? You don’t sound much different from the others. What makes you so special, so different?”, they would ask pointedly with slight derision. Doubt is the foundation of faith and we did all we could to convince them that the New Beloved Ethiopia will be built by Ethiopia’s young people, with the support of the older generation of course. We listened patiently and respectfully to those who bellyached, grumbled, moaned and groaned. They had legitimate reasons to do so.
We also learned a great deal about ourselves and what we must do. We had to defend and explain our mode of struggle. “How could you expect to win against a powerful regime with a proven history of barbaric brutality, with all the weapons of war and police and security forces?” Our response was the same as Gandhi’s “Strength does not come from physical capacity”, nor does it come from guns, tanks and war planes. “It comes from an indomitable will.” We have the indomitable will to press on with our nonviolent struggle. An indomitable will powered by love is invincible.
We preached that change must first take place in the hearts and minds of individual men and women before it can happen in society at large. We must therefore struggle with the demons of hate and revenge that have taken residence in our hearts before we can struggle with those who seek to demonize us. We are tolerant and respectful of those who disagree with our ideas, methods and means. In matters of principle, we shall always stand our ground. We believe in nonviolent social and political change. On this principle, we can agree to disagree with anyone without being disagreeable. We believe we should be judged on our own merits, and not on the achievements or mistakes of others. We are keenly aware that we must practice what we preach. That means we must maintain the highest standards of accountability, transparency and civility. We know our supporters expect us to be different, show more integrity and forthrightness and be open minded. We shall aim to practice these virtues in our daily lives.
The struggle ahead: Ethiopian David against the TPLF/EPDRF Goliath
The struggle for nonviolent change in Ethiopia will be a difficult one requiring great sacrifices. We are not unmindful that the regime will do everything in its power to weaken and destroy Semayawi Party. We take it for granted that the regime in power in Ethiopia today will arrest, jail, torture, conduct kangaroo trials and kill Semayawi Party members. To predict regime persecution of Semayawi Party persecution is like predicting the sun will rise tomorrow. We know the regime’s standard operating procedure for the last 23 years. Semayawi Party leaders and members are not afraid. They are not afraid of goons with guns. There is a new breed of young Ethiopian leaders on the rise and unafraid of thugs clad in the stolen mantle of state power. Eskinder Nega, Reeyot Alemu, Woubshet Taye, Andualem Aragie, Olbana Lelisa, Bekele Gerba, Abubekar Ahmed and so many others languish in the infamous Meles Zenawi Prison in Kality because they refused to be intimidated and bullied by the regime in power.
Those of us committed to nonviolent change in Ethiopia struggle to win the hearts and minds of all Ethiopians. We measure our victory by the number of people we are able to convince to choose the path of peaceful change. Those in power measure their victories and how powerful they are by the number of Ethiopian corpses they can scatter on the battlefield. I believe the outcome of this struggle was foretold and foreordained long ago. There was once a mighty man called Goliath. Clad in armor of iron and brass, Goliath would strut over the hill day after day and terrorize the people. Feared by all, no one would dare challenge Goliath. Then came a meek young shepherd named David who feared no one but God. David decided to fight Goliath not for the rewards of gold, silver or riches but to restore the pride, dignity and faith of his people. David was offered a sword, spear, armor and an iron helmet. He chose to fight Goliath with a sling and five smooth stones. Goliath huffed and puffed and taunted little David to come out and fight him. David met Goliath and Goliath was no more.
Semayawi Party is Ethiopia’s David standing up to a fearsome and loathsome Goliath known as the TPLF/EPDRF. Semayawi Party stands up against the mighty TPLF/EPDRF Goliath armed to the teeth with guns, bombs, tanks, artillery and warplanes. Semayawi Party stands against a Goliath with a legion of repressive police and security cadres unrivalled in Africa today. Semayawi Party stands against a Goliath backed by billions of dollars of international aid money, loans and stolen cash from the people. Semayawi Party stands against a Goliath in whose blood courses the poison of hate and division, in whose mind circulates falsehoods and deceit, in whose spirit dwells despair and misery and in whose heart darkness itself lives and breathes.
Semayawi Party is poised to fight the TPLF/EPDRF Goliath armed only with a sling and five smooth pebbles called Love, Truth, Hope, Peace and Unity. In the end Semayawi Party will win against the TPLF/EPDRF Goliath; and Goliath will be saved, saved indeed, because Semayawi Party’s pebbles do not kill; they only heal. It is an honor for me to be the water carrier for Ethiopia’s David standing up to the TPLF/EPDRF Goliath.
Let’s give Semayawi Party a chance, a fighting chance
It was a distinct honor and privilege for me to be the “keynote speaker” at the various Semayawi Party town hall events. I did not consider myself a “keynote speaker”. I showed up as a volunteer “witness”. I became a witness to ask, and hopefully to convince, Ethiopians in the U.S. to give Semayawi Party a chance, a fighting chance, a sporting chance as it struggles to stand up to the TPLF/EPDRF Goliath.
I wholeheartedly support Semayawi Party because I believe Ethiopia’s young people are the only ones with the vision, energy, intelligence and passion to change the destiny of their country and build the New Beloved Ethiopia. Today, 70 percent of Ethiopia’s estimated 94 million people consists of young people under the age of 35. The vast majority of the victims of human rights violations in Ethiopia today are young people. The targets of political persecution and harassment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, abuse and maltreatment in the prisons are largely young people. Young Ethiopians are disproportionately impacted by pandemic unemployment and lack of educational and economic opportunities. The yearning of Ethiopia’s youth for freedom and change is self-evident. Change, peaceful change, will come to Ethiopia but it will be like the arrival of train that is late. The only question is whether the country’s youth will seek change through increased militancy or by other peaceful means.”
For the past eight years, I have tried to make a small contribution to the human rights struggle in Ethiopia. It is a responsibility I took much later in life. I have no greater honor than to hear Ethiopian Cheetahs and Hippos telling me that they have learned something from my weekly commentaries or speeches. What more can a teacher ask?
In the past I have asked, urged and pleaded with my readers to support the cause of human rights and the dignity of the individual. Now, I ask, actually I plead, with my readers to support Ethiopia’s young people and Semayawi Party which I believe represents the interests of the young people more than any other party in existence today.
I do not want my readers to support Semayawi Party not because I support them, but because they deserve support on their own merits. When I decided to support Semayawi Party, I asked a few questions: 1) Do I truly believe in nonviolent social and political change? 2) If I truly believe in nonviolent change, who do I believe is best positioned in Ethiopia today to effect such a change? 3) If the young people can effect such a change, what can I do to help them?
We can all help Semayawi Party in the Ethiopian Diaspora in a variety of ways. Those with means can help financially to the extent of their abilities. Semayawi Party needs a lot of financial help to do its organizational work and to sustain its outreach efforts. There are other equally important ways we can provide support to Semayawi Party. Learning about Semayawi Party and educating others is valuable support. Providing Semayawi technical support in all areas including policy analysis and development is vital, and Ethiopian scholars and academics could play a critical role in this regard. Spreading Semayawi’s message of hope, unity and peace is more important support than any other form of support. Defending Semayawi against false accusations and fear and smear campaigns is invaluable support. Giving moral support and inspiring Semayawi Party leaders and members to greater heights is priceless. Cheerleading for Semayawi is support that every patriotic Ethiopian could perform every day.
On a personal note…
It was an amazing experience for me to work with the young people in the Semayawi Party support groups. For so many years I have sought to teach, preach and reach out to Ethiopia’s young people in my weekly commentaries and occasional speeches. I am delighted to serve in the capacity of advisor to the young professionals, business entrepreneurs and university students doing the heavy lifting for Semayawi Party stateside. The proliferation of support groups for Semayawi Party throughout the world rekindles my belief that Ethiopian Cheetahs united can never be defeated.
I want to share a few personal observations about Semayawi Party chairman Yilikal Getnet. Over the past eight years, I have met many Ethiopian political, business and community leaders in one context or another. Many of these leaders have impressive qualities. I consider character the most important quality in any political leader.
Yilikal is a young engineer who has given up on his professional ambitions and subordinated his family’s interest to work for nonviolent change in Ethiopia. It takes great character and personal integrity to make such a choice. I observed different aspects of Yilikal’s character during the tour. He proved himself to be a man of principle. He was challenged that his nonviolent way idealistic and doomed to fail. He argued convincingly that violence is the weapon of the weak. No one can change hearts and minds by force and violence. He was challenged to tow the politically correct line that Ethiopia must remain a collection of klililistans (kilils) and the only rights that matter are the rights of “nations and nationalities”. He convincingly defended the principle that when individual rights are respected and preserved, group rights are necessarily protected and preserved. He was challenged that the brutal regime could persecute him, jail, torture and kill him and others in the party leadership . He was unafraid because he and other Semayawi Party leaders formed their party ready to do the right thing and make any sacrifices for their country and fellow Ethiopians.
When Yilikal was lectured and hectored that Semayawi Party was creating divisiveness by separating the young and old, he categorically denied such allegations. As a matter of principle, he made it clear that there has to be a generational division of labor. The older generation of Ethiopians could play a decisive role as advisors and supporters while the younger generation did the heavy lifting and suffered the street beating and jailing. However, only the Cheetahs have the will power, stamina, fortitude, energy and creativity to bring about lasting change. I said, “Amen!” Yilikal was chastised for not “uniting” his party with others to oppose the ruling regime. He said his party works and coordinates with other parties but there are fundamental differences in policies, strategies and tactics that make “unity” challenging. He wondered why the rest of us in the Diaspora who urge opposition unity inside the country are unable to teach by example by uniting and working together against the regime on the outside.
There is one quality that I appreciated most in Yilikal, his humility. Yilikal is a young man of small physical stature. He has on more than one occasion commented on the fact that he is somewhat vertically challenged. In reality he is truly a humble giant. He showed genuine respect and appreciation to all those he met. He listened attentively and patiently to them. He showed restraint and good judgment even when asked deliberately provocative questions. He never lost his cool and told it like it is when it comes to the truth. He never presented himself as a “party leader” or someone special. He was easily approachable and showed candor in his public and private dealings.
I appreciated Yilikal’s sense of humor. As we toured the various sites, I tried to convince him that there were indeed Cheetahs and Hippos populating the town hall meetings. Looking from the stage into the audience he could only see younger Cheetahs sitting next to older Cheetahs. He wanted me to point which ones were the Cheetahs and Hippos. I could not. There were only older Cheetahs sitting next to younger Cheetahs. I learned an important lesson. Being a Cheetah or a Hippo is as much a state of mind as a state of being. Thank you younger and older Cheetahs for coming out and supporting Semayawi Party Cheetahs!
Give Semayawi Party a chance!
Semayawi Support-North America
P.O. Box 75860
Washington DC, 20013
There is a new real estate program being introduced at Somestate (www.somestate.com), where properties in Somaliland are being bought for cash.
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Document for the process of political dialogue between the Government of Somaliland and the Federal Government of the Somalia on future relations
In accordance with framework agreement reached in Chevening, Dubai, Ankara, and Istanbul I, delegations from the Federal Government of Somalia and the Government of Somaliland met in Istanbul between 16-19 January, 2014 with the assistance of Turkish Government.
I. DIALOGUE PROCESS DESIGN
Overall Framework
i.This is a dialogue process between the Government of Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to reach agreement on future relations
ii.The parties are committed to continuing their dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect.
iii.The dialogue will focus on resolving future relations between the two entities.
iv.The parties commit to resolving all problems and disputes in an exclusively peaceful manner.
v.The parties agree to abide by commitments made in the Code of Conduct and Declaration of Principles.
vi.The parties agree to work diligently and in good faith and to ensure full implementation of the agreements reached.
vii.The parties recognise the crucial role that the government of Turkey is playing in promoting the dialogue.
II.Agenda and Substance
i.The focus of the agenda will bethe nature of future relations of the two parties.
ii.The parties will agree to dialogue on other issues of mutual importance and necessity as the need arises.
iii.The parties agree to set agendas in advance of each dialogue session.
iv.The parties will review implementation status of issues that have previously been discussed or agreed upon..
v.The parties agree to update each other on implementation progress with regards to past agreements at the start of each dialogue session.
III.Decision Making
I.The parties will reach decisions by consensus between the negotiation teams.
II.The negotiation teams of the parties will be guided by the inputs and decisions of their principals.
III.Whereas further input and technical assistance is required,the parties jointly communicate their decisions to theirhosting partner.
IV.As necessary meeting of the principals may be called by the two negotiation teams or their agreed partner to resolve deadlock.
V.A joint secretariat will be established in Turkey and it’s functions shall be following:
a.Ensure proper dialogue coordination;
b.Provide logistical, administrative and record keeping to support the process;
c.Support implementation of decisions reached by the negotiating parties.
IV.Sequencing considerations:
i.The parties agree on the framework for the process of dialogue, declaration of principles and code of conduct and commonly agreed international facilitation, establishment of a secretariatin Turkey and select areas of cooperation based on need.
ii.The frameworkfor the process will establish a regular schedule of meetings of 90 days for the negotiation teams.
iii.The heads of the two negotiation teams shall either communicate with each other or hold meeting in six weeksperiod for follow up purposes and in orderto determine the agenda.
iv.In between talks, the parties will agree on initial terms of reference, roles and composition of international facilitation to the process.
v.In advance to any round of dialogue, the parties will develop a preliminary draft declaration on expected outcomes.
V. Participation
A.The partners in the dialogue are the Government of Somaliland and the Federal Government of the Somalia, represented by their delegated negotiation teams.
B.Appreciating the central role that Turkey has played in facilitating previous rounds of dialogue, and recognizing the support received from other international partners, the Parties will decide the scope of the desired continued support they might be in need to advance the process..
C.The parties may seek jointly technical support from neutral and impartial expert organizations for legal advisory purpose.
VI. Implementation
a.The parties agree that the negotiating entities are the immediate implementing authorities of whatever agreements maybe reached.
b.Participation in this implementation process will be confined to the parties in dialogue.
c.The parties will adopt decisions to insure timely and effective implementations of anyagreed outcomes
d.In order to ensure full implementation of agreements, the parties will develop implementation plans, including milestones and agreed oversight, for agreements reached. Progress on these plans will be monitored by the Turkey government
Code of Conduct:
The Parties agree to:
1.Open meetings by the reciting the holy Quran
2.Refrain from inflammatory statements and behavior that will impinge on the objectives and progress of the dialogueand avoid making public statements compromising or undermining the spirit of the negotiation..
3.Agree in advance on joint public statements relating to the dialogue.
4.Develop in advance the agenda for each session and adopt the agenda at the commencement of discussions.
5.Conduct the discussions in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.
6.Respect and uphold the confidentiality of the process and correspondence between the two parties and discussions must be treated as strictly confidential by all involved parties and hosting partner.
7.Commit to peaceful relations and mutual respect and avoidance of all kinds of hostilities.
.
Declaration of Principles:
Both parties agree to the following principles:
1.The Parties will pursue dialogue towards agreed outcomes and approved the contents of previous agreements which are in the best interests of both parties.
2.The parties enter into the dialogue firmly committed to resolving issues and finding mutually acceptable outcomes.
3.The parties agree to act in accordance with the Code of Conduct and other agreements.
4.The parties will fully facilitate and jointly define areas of cooperation which can meet practical needs ofboth parties.
5.The parties make a firm commitment to the resolution of differences through exclusively peaceful means and dialogue.
6.The parties agree with Turkish Government to provide regular briefing to the international communities.
7.Referring to the Communiqué of the two parties Dialogue in Istanbul, Turkey on 7-9/July 2013. The parties agreed to nominate Air Traffic Control Board to establish within 45 days.
8.The parties agreed to appointan ad-hoc technical committee composed of 4 members, ( two from each party) to prepare the terms of reference of the Air Traffic Control Board. The Technical Committee work will be supervised by the respective two Ministers.
9.We share the pain inflicted upon the Somali people by the military regime in Somalia before the year 1991. We condemn all the atrocities committed by that regime throughout all Somali people particularly the people in Somaliland.
The fifth round of the ongoing talks between Somaliland and Somalia have been concluded after three days of intense consultations and deliberations both sides agree on 9 points communique.
Somaliland Minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Hon Mohamed Bihi Yonis speaking to the BBC Somali Services said, “The federal government has for the first time ever apologized and agreed to bear full responsibility for the unspeakable crimes against humanity which were committed in Somaliland starting from the year 1984 -1988 thosecrimes were committed under Barre’s 21-year regime, by whichgovernment forces tortured, summarily executed, raped, and even launched aerial bombing raids on civilian populations all across Somaliland.
Hon Bihi went on to say, “Both sides have reached a consensus for the need to form a committee composed of representatives of Somaliland, Somalia and Turkey which will be tasked with the facilitations and carving out of the agendas of all future talk,
Lastly the SL foreign Minister who heads a 7 man negotiation team added that both sides are expected to resume talks in 90 days times.
Minister from autonomous region looking at free zone idea as well as tax reduction measures
By Alexander Cornwell
Dubai: Somaliland, an autonomous region in the Horn of Africa, wants to replicate the “Dubai model” in a bid to attract foreign investment, develop infrastructure and generate employment opportunities.
“We are looking at … building free zones like Jebel Ali. We have already created a tax regime that reduce tax on foreign investment … In many ways we are looking up to the Dubai model of business promotion, ” Mohammad A. Omar, Minister of Commerce & Foreign Investment, told Gulf News.
Omar was on a visit to the UAE last week where he met with representatives from both the local private and public sector in effort to boost Somaliland’s credentials on international development.
Located in East Africa, along the Gulf of Aden, Somaliland shares its borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia but is not a country in its own right. In 1991 Somaliland declared independence from Somalia but has struggled to gain international recognition. The majority-Muslim African country has its own government, military, policy, currency and even passport; though the latter two are recognised by very few countries, if any.
Assessment tests
Rich in natural resources Somaliland has already handed concessions to British-based Oil Company Genel Energy, who are currently undertaking assessment tests in the African region, and RAK Gas from the UAE, among others. Omar said the Somaliland government will be approaching other oil and gas companies, including from the UAE, to apply for further concessions.
Omar said he had met with officials from Sharjah Aviation Authority, Sharjah Aviation Services and Air Arabia to discuss the development and operation of Egal International Airport, located in Somaliland’s capital Hargeisa, and Berbera Airport. Sharjah Aviation Authority and Sharjah Aviation Services did not return requests for comment while Air Arabia have denied their involvement any such discussions.
“Air Arabia wishes to make it clear that it has not gone into any partnership with authorities in Somaliland and has no current plans to do so. However, the airline is aware that there are ongoing talks between Sharjah Aviation Services and Somaliland authorities about potential collaboration,” an Air Arabia spokesperson said.
Contentious issue
Egal International and Berbera Airpor recently underwent a major facelift following a $10 million (Dh36.7 million) grant from the Kuwaiti government. Omar said there is huge potential for aviation services in Somaliland with its population of around 3.5 million. He added that the region also has a large international diaspora and is near countries such as Ethiopia which has a population of 90 million. He said he would like to see a carrier from the Middle East operating an East Africa hub out of Egal International.
But foreign investor confidence remains a contentious issue for Somaliland, which has operated as a country for the past 20 years despite not being internationally recognised. This week government ministers from Somaliland and Somalia will meet in Turkey for another round of talks on Somaliland’s bid for independence.
Omar said Somaliland’s participation in the global economy and its ability to provide security and stability to the region “must be rewarded by the international community with political recognition”.
Pressed about the Arab Spring, the presence of Al Qaida in North Africa and Al Shabab in Somalia, and general instability in Africa, Omar said Somaliland is immune to all that, “despite being part of a tough neighbourhood”. He pointed to Somaliland’s growing economy and democratic government.
