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Somali militants say they killed French hostage

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MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia’s most dangerous militant group said Thursday that it killed a French hostage that French military forces tried to rescue last weekend during a botched raid.

Al-Shabab said in a Twitter posting that the agent, Denis Allex, was killed Wednesday evening Somalia time.

French officials have said they believe Allex was killed the night of the raid and that claims by al-Shabab of an execution were simply propaganda. Allex, a French intelligence agent, was taken by the militants in July 2009 and had been held ever since.

A French raid Friday night and early Saturday failed to rescue him and resulted in the deaths of two French troops and 17 Somalis, French officials say.

The Islamist extremists said in an Internet posting on Wednesday that they had decided to kill Allex in retaliation for the weekend operation. The group has offered no proof that Allex was alive any time after the raid.

Adm. Edouard Guillaud, France’s military chief of staff, said Wednesday that there had been no indication since the night of the raid that Allex was still alive, and that French official believed he was already dead.

Transported by helicopters, the French commandos attacked the al-Shabab position early Saturday in an attempt to free Allex. France’s defense minister has said the government decided to stage the rescue a month ago, when Allex’s location seemed to have settled down “in a spot accessible by the sea.” U.S. military aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation, President Barack Obama said Sunday, but did not use weapons.

French officials said they killed 17 of the Islamist rebels. Al-Shabab said many villagers were killed.

Al-Shabab once controlled all of south-central Somali, including the capital, Mogadishu. African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of the capital in 2011, but the Islamist rebels still control wide swaths of rural southern Somalia.

 

Source: AP

Somaliland: Sports Minister Receive Donation in form of sporting Gear

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The Minister of Sports,Youth and Tourism Hon AlI Said  Raygal has received sporting gear from a somalilander living abroad.

Hon Ali Said Raygal received in his office the sporting gear to be used in the upcoming youth football tournament from a Mr.Hashi Koosar Mahmoud, the gear which mainly comprised footballs and uniforms.

“This sporting gear will play an important role in the upcoming national youth football tournament and I urge all somalilanders living in the diaspora to follow suit and donate whatever they can for the advancement of youth activates in the country “,Said The Sports minister.

The national youth football tournament is expected to begin next month after been postponed for the third time in a row.

Goth M Goth

Somalilandpress.com

World sea piracy falls to five-year low in 2012

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — World sea piracy fell to its lowest level in five years in 2012, thanks to a huge reduction in Somali piracy, an international maritime watchdog said Wednesday.

The International Maritime Bureau said 297 attacks were recorded worldwide last year, down sharply from 439 in 2011. A total of 28 vessels were hijacked, with 585 crew members taken hostage and six killed during 2012, according to data compiled by the London-based bureau’s piracyreporting center in Malaysia.

The bureau said only 75 attacks were reported off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, down from 237 cases in 2011. Somali pirates hijacked 14 ships, half the total in 2011.

The bureau praised international navies patrolling the African waters, saying their preemptive strikes and robust action against mother ships helped deter piracy. Security measures by ships, such as hiring armed guards, also helped ward off pirates, it said.

“The continued presence of the navies is vital to ensuring that Somali piracy remains low. This progress could be easily reversed if naval vessels were withdrawn from the area,” said the bureau’s director, Capt. Pottengal Mukundan.

The bureau said pirate mother ships and skiffs were reported in the Gulf of Oman, southern Red Sea and the Somali basin. As at end of last year, Somali pirates still held 104 hostages on eight ships and 23 more were detained on land.

The report said waters off east and west Africa remained dangerous. Piracy rose in the Gulf of Guinea with 58 incidents recorded last year, including 10 hijackings and 207 crew members taken hostage. It said pirates in this area were particularly violent, with guns reported in at least 37 of the attacks.

Nigeria accounted for 27 incidents last year, up from 10 in 2011. Togo saw an increase from five reports in 2011 to 15 in 2012, including four hijackings.

The Ivory Coast had just one incident in 2011 but five in 2012, including the first-ever hijacking of a tanker off its shores.

Four vessels were hijacked in Southeast Asia, including a Malaysian tanker that was recaptured in Vietnam in the last quarter of 2012.

Across the Indonesian archipelago, the bureau said there were 81 reports of petty theft, accounting for more than a quarter of global incidents in 2012.

 

Source: AP

U.S. to recognize Somali government, opening door to new aid

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States will on Thursday officially recognize the Somali government in Mogadishu, ending a hiatus of more than 20 years and opening the door to increased U.S. and international economic help for the violence-plagued African nation, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce the shift during a meeting with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whose election last year marked the first vote of its kind since warlords toppled military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson told reporters.

“When the secretary meets with Hassan Sheikh tomorrow, she will exchange diplomatic notes with him and recognize the Somali government in Mogadishu for the first time in 20 years,” Carson told a news briefing.

The United States never formally severed diplomatic ties with Somalia, whose slide into anarchy was highlighted by the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” incident which saw militia fighters shoot down two U.S. military helicopters over Mogadishu.

In subsequent years, al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents seized control of large areas in the south and central parts of the country before Ethiopian, Kenyan and African peacekeeping (AMISOM) troops began a long, U.S.-supported counter offensive aimed at restoring order.

The formation of the new government led by Mohamud is the culmination of a regionally brokered, U.N.-backed effort to end close to two decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Carson said the U.S. decision to formally recognize the new government underscored the progress toward political stability that Somalia has made over the past year, including “breaking the back” of the al Shabaab insurgency.

“We are a long way from where we were on Oct 3, 1993 when Black Hawk Down occurred in Mogadishu,” Carson said.

“Significant progress has been made in stabilizing the country, in helping to break up and defeat al Shabaab. Much more needs to be done, but we think enormous progress has been made and we have been at the very center of this in our support for AMISOM.”

Continued security concerns in Somalia were highlighted over the weekend when French commandos failed to win the release of a French agent held by militants since 2009 during a helicopter raid in southern Somalia.

STEPS TOWARD MORE AID

Clinton does not intend to announce any specific new aid packages for Somalia, which already receives significant U.S. humanitarian assistance for drought, famine and refugee relief, one senior U.S. official said.

But formal U.S. recognition of the new government paves the way for new flows of assistance both from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. agencies as well as from international actors such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

“The fact that we recognize a government there will allow us to do things through USAID that we have not been able to do before. The fact that we recognize them as a legitimate government will allow the World Bank and the IMF to do things that they would not have been able to do before. This is major and it is significant,” the official said.

Mohamud and his team met with senior USAID officials as well as World Bank President Jim Yong Kim during their trip to Washington, U.S. officials said.

The senior U.S. official said the United States did not have any immediate plan to reopen an embassy in Mogadishu but indicated that this could also eventually follow Thursday’s announcement. U.S. policy on Somalia is currently handled by a special envoy based out of Nairobi.

Source:Reuters

Somaliland and UAE Officials Discuss Trade, Security and the Future Status of Berbera Port

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A high level Somaliland Delegation led by the minister of foreign affairs and international relations Dr. Mohamed Abdillahi Omar has today met separately with the U.A.E minister of State for Foreign affairs Dr. Anwar Mohamed Gargash and Assistant Foreign *Minister* for Security and Military Affairs Faris Al-Mazroui.

The Somaliland delegation which consisted of three cabinet ministers namely Dr. Mohamed Abdillahi Omar minister for foreign affairs, Hon Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan the minister of Presidency, Minister of Water, Energy and Water Hon Hussein Abdi Duale and the director general of Berbera port Eng. Ali Omar Mohamed (Ali Hor Hor) discussed ways to strengthen the existing cordial relations between the two countries.

The representatives of both countries discussed ways of strengthening of trade and military cooperation including the issue of expansion and upgrading of the facilities at the Berbera port by the Dubai Ports Authority a subsidiary of the Dubai world.

Somaliland Official assured their UAE counterparts that Somaliland is open for business and that any UAE national official who wants to invest in the country is welcomed to do so.

The UAE and Somaliland have developed close cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, the fight against piracy and regional affairs.

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vbp7TFYlkFE

Goth m Goth

Somalilandpress.com

Mental Health Hospital Receives $200,000 Boost From Dahabshiil Group

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MOGADISHU, Somalia, January 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ —

Dahabshiil Group has donated $200,000 to help reconstruct the mental health unit of Forlanini Hospital, in Mogadishu.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Dahabshiil Group will finance renovation works in the Mogadishu-based hospital, including provisions for an electric generator, water-reservoir tanks, an annex room for emergencies, two wards and administration and service blocks.

Dahabshiil CEO, Abdirashid Duale said: “We are delighted to make this donation to Forlanini Hospital. We’ve put together a facility that’s going to ensure patients are tended to in a spacious and conducive environment that will contribute to their treatment and well-being.

“The Hospital offers crucial services for its patients, so we are proud to make a contribution to help improve the delivery of its services.”

Forlanini Hospital, formerly known as the Laansareeti Hospital before the civil war, was historically a state-of-the-art facility and home to some of the country’s top medical professionals. As the country descended into war, the health sector and its infrastructure were completely destroyed. The mental health unit that once served patients from all regions of Somalia is currently an empty shell.

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was difficult to get a clear picture of just how widespread mental health issues in Somalia were, describing data collection as “patchy”. The situation is worsened by the cultural belief that mental illness is caused by the ‘jinn’ and the ‘evil eye’, and is treated by traditional healers. People with mental health issues are often stigmatised, discriminated against and socially isolated. As such, Dahabshiil chose the Forlanini mental health clinic due to the important services it offers to mental health patients in Mogadishu and the surrounding areas.

Dr Yussuf Abdi Samow , Deputy Director of Forlanini Hospital, said:

“The newly completed wing of Foralanini Hospital will significantly improve the care and well-being of our patients. Dahabshiil’s contribution will hopefully serve as an example for businesses and the international community.”

Dahabshiil Group is renowned for committing millions of US dollars into its CSR programmes all over the world. The Group is proud to be one of the biggest investors from the private sector supporting hospitals and health centres in the Somali territories and beyond. Dahabshiil helps develop infrastructure while at the same time providing financial support, equipment and drugs. Health institutions that the Group has supported over the years include Las Anod Hospital, Bossasso Hospital, Hargeisa and Burao Hospitals and Mogadishu’s Kaysenay Hospital. All of these institutions are well known for their healthcare provisions.

Dahabshiil has been in business for over 40 years. Today, Dahabshiil is present in 150 countries and is the one of the largest private sector employer in the Horn of Africa. With offices in London and Dubai, Dahabshiil provides services to some of the world’s leading humanitarian and development organisations, including the United Nations, Oxfam, the Department for International Development, Development Alternative Inc. and Save the Children.

 

SOURCE Africa Business

 

Lifting Somali arms embargo ill-advised and dangerous for now

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MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Jubbaland Diaspora Association urges the international community for now to facilitate more political dialogue among different Somali groups rather than to lift the arms embargo, which will be a recipe for disaster in Somalia currently.

The country is reeling with terrorism, piracy and human rights violation across the board, further more; the Somali national army is not unified and thus reflects as it is now clan composition given the reconciliation process in limbo.

The Jubbaland Diaspora Association appeals to the international community and US government to be careful not to ignite another deadly civil war in Somalia by arming a faction under the auspices of Federal government which is still in process. This will only put life back again into terrorist groups, and warlords now on the run and yet still active and deadly in Somalia.

Somalia is still in divisive political deadlock and current government is yet to take steps of reconciliation to narrow the gap in accordance of the federal constitution unanimously adopted by the parliament.

SOURCE The Jubbaland Diaspora Association

 

Divided Somaliland and the way out

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Bashir Goth

The Local Council Elections that were held in Somaliland on 28th November 2012 left behind bitterness, bloodshed and deep divisions between the clans as well as moments of joy and celebration. Although the election started in a festive mood, its aftermath proved the fears of observers about the irreparable fissions that such unfettered democracy and flawed electoral system could bring to a tribal society like Somaliland. And on top of this comes the lack of independent judiciary that could handle disputes with fairness and the government’s rejection to abide by the rules it put in place.

In the following paragraphs therefore I will try to highlight the election’s twists and turns and its good, bad and ugly stories.

The Good:

One of the good things about the election was its beautiful festivals and the joyful mood that prevailed during the campaign. It was beautiful to watch an isolated and internationally unrecognized state holding its 2nd municipal election, the first one was in 2002, and the 4th nationwide election since 2003. Parliamentary elections were held in 2005 and presidential elections in 2003 and 2010. And despite its glaring flaws, the local council election was another undeniable landmark in Somaliland’s quest for democratic transformation.

It was a joy to watch the people exercising their democratic rights like any country in the world in party campaign forums. The youth and women have filled the campaign rallies to unmistakably show that they are the real force and game changers in the country. The youth have temporarily forgotten their unemployment status and used their positive energy in a constructive way despite the tribal undercurrents that denied them to achieve their full potential.

The long queues of the voting day, a symbol of democracy, peace and refinement, were admirable. It is always reassuring and heartening to see African people going to the polls and not to trenches to fight their case, to cast a vote and not carry a gun to settle disputes, to peacefully play by the rules of the game no matter how flawed they are and not resort to my-law-in-my-hand tribal fashion.

One whole month of festivities from 29th October to a long day of civilized voting on 28th November was enough to show the world that Somali people can be good, law-abiding citizens as any people in the world and that they are not always unruly, chaotic and warrior nomads as the world media loves to portray them.

The fact that several women were among the elected councils was also another promising development that showed the society’s changing attitude, albeit timidly, towards the role of women.

The Bad:

In a tribal nomadic society where people are divided on clan loyalties, the opening of the door for multiparty system has shown its devastating effect. In mature democracies, political parties run and campaign on ideological and political platforms. They have strategies to follow and political objectives to achieve. They try to win the support of the voters on their political, economical and cultural merits. Yes, political divisions could be rife and deep but they are based on economic and political interest rather than narrow and primitive ancestral bonds and blood ties. But in Somaliland like elsewhere in Africa, the political parties have no agenda, no strategies and no real and tangible objectives. It was boring to listen to party speakers repeating old platitudes and burnt out ideas. Their vital selling points were their clan identities and it was unfortunate to see all that exercise, mobilization and festival moods swallowed up by the tribal vortex. It was not difficult to see who voted for whom when the results came out. They showed how Somaliland politics rests purely on tribal crutches.

The Ugly

The ugly episode of the election was the government’s high handedness in dealing with the people’s complaints after the results were announced. It is natural for the losing parties or candidates in any election to feel cheated and demand for justice. In advanced countries such complaints go to the election commission which plays a neutral role. If the complainants don’t find the election commission’s decisions convincing, they go to the courts. In Somaliland, there is a general feeling that neither the election commission nor the justice system is free from government control. People therefore revert to the only tested institution they know and that works for them – the clan. Some parties and candidates therefore showed their grievances and complaints through clan protests and rallies.

However, instead of handling the issue with tolerance and understanding, the government resorted to the use of force. Untrained and uncontrolled police force acting like clan militia used live ammunition on peaceful protestors, killing about ten young people and wounding many others in Hargeisa, Borama, Lughya and Zeila.

Even worse than the cold blooded shooting, was the government’s lack of sympathy for the families of the victims and their indifference to the loss of human life. It took Silanyo almost one week to make a statement on the killing of five young protestors in Hargeisa and when he finally did he made it weak and remorseless which only added insult to injury. It was equally ugly and despicable to see the powerful cabinet minister Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan boasting in an interview to one of the websites that the government has paid the blood money to the families of the victims. Just like that, with no emotion, no regret, no remorse, and no promise of investigation and punitive action against the rogue police force. But at least here a statement was made, but the president has failed abysmally by not uttering a word about those killed by his policemen in Borama, Lughaya and Zeila.

In an episode reminiscent of dictatorial regimes, I watched the video of policemen shooting live ammunition indiscriminately at peaceful youth demonstrators in Borama. At one time, a policeman was strolling in the street with the gun in his hand after finishing his shooting business. He was threatening and swearing loudly, calling his victims as Waar laaya, Eeyda, eaydu dhashay which literally means “Kill them…the dogs sired by dogs.” Bywatching this, one couldn’t help but remember the ugly tribal militia brutalities that we saw elsewhere in Africa.

In the historical city of Zeila, the police have disbanded a group of peaceful squatters in the town’s local council building by force; killing at least one person and wounding others.

With all these crimes taking place, President Silanyo did not send a single message of condolence to the families of victims let alone apprehend the police individuals whose faces and criminal acts were watched by thousands on Youtube. But in an apparent act of defiance and a show of support and approval for his police force, Silanyo was quick to express sadness and send deep hearted condolences when several policemen were killed in a car accident. While on the contrary, the President did not think the life of a young girl who was run over by the police when they were departing Borama was worth his sympathy.

The government’s unnecessary interference in the election of municipality mayors in major towns was to reignite bitter clan rivalries. The government tried to arm-twist council members in Erigavo, Buroa, Berbera and Zeila through monetary bribes and otherwise to get their favorite candidates elected as mayors.  This was a provocative tactic aimed at inciting people to take arms and fight in an illusionary war.

The government used Berbera and Zeila as testing grounds for its divide and rule policy. But it was fortunate to see the communities of these two areas act more wisely than the government and abort the government’s plans of pushing them into an internecine civil war. The communities in these two coastal towns who live in the most inhospitable areas in the region do not need to kill each other for the greed of opportunistic politicians but instead they need help to secure the basic subsistence of living such as water for human consumption and for their dwindling herds.

As a foreign friend who frequently visits Somaliand wrote to me recently  “the people seem resigned to be stuck with bad politicians, though they deserve better, and get on with their own lives as best as they can.” Unfortunately the Silnayo government did not stop only at being a bad government but has also become a brutal one true to the Somali saying” Indha la’aantii, dad cunimo ayey ku darsatay”. And the tragedy is that there is no formidable political opposition as Silanyo seems to have succeeded in breaking the will of all potential political opponents by opening government coffers and silencing them with cash. It is only the lonely but courageous voice of Faisal Ali Waraabe and UCID party that still stands between Silnayo and his ambition to create a dynasty in Somaliland.

The way out:

Disappointed with the poor performance of Silanyo, the much touted UK educated leader, former SNM veteran and one of the longest serving ministers of Siyad Barre; the people of Somaliland are desperate for a bail out from their current economic and political wilderness.

Many of them view the much anticipated Somalia-Somaliland talks as a Godsend exit strategy. The way Somalilanders swarm around Fawzia Yusuf Haji Adam, Somalia’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister, wherever she goes indicates how much hope they attach on her as their potential life line. We saw this during Fawzia’s recent visit to the UK and we saw it again when she made a stopover in Berbera airport en route to Mogadishu. Anyone who was anybody in Hargeisa came to visit her. No one even remembered the accusation of national treason that the government leveled against her when she accepted to serve in the cabinet of the new Somali government. Some of them including Somaliland’s Foreign Minister and Speaker of the House of Elders even went further, threatening her that she would be imprisoned if she ever returned to Somaliland. But on the contrary it was Silanyo’s government itself that was beleaguered by Fawzia’s presence at its airport.

Given to all foregoing factors and finding itself to be more divided than any time before, Somaliland needs a new direction to regain its vitality and the trust of its people. And the way of change is clear. It is to negotiate with the Somali government from a position of strength with clear strategy and tangible objectives.  But in order to do that Somaliland first has to hold an inter-clan reconciliation dialogue similar to the one held in Borama in 1993. It is only through a united voice from Zeila to Taleh that Somaliland can legitimately sit as an equal with their partners in Mogadishu.

 

Source: http://hanua.blogspot.com/

 

A Somaliland Story

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It’s not often that our grantees feature on national TV, but that’s what happened at the official opening ceremony of RLabs Somaliland in Borama. Last year, we awarded RLabs a grant of £11,100 towards the cost of establishing a tech hub in the de facto independent state of Somaliland. When the grant was awarded, RLabs Somaliland was little more than an idea aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, tackling unemployment and promoting tech skills.

Since then, RLabs Somaliland have made impressive progress. Not only have they sourced the software and hardware necessary for the running of the lab, they have also found a suitable and accessible space in the city of Borama. Most excitingly, however, the lab now has a manager and two trainers to ensure that they can actually deliver the training courses that are so desperately needed by Somaliland’s youth. Although the centre has only been open for a few weeks now, it’s already proving popular and the team hope to be able to offer more services in the coming weeks.

Despite the progress that the Somaliland team have made, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Negotiating ways around astronomical electricity bills, expensive commercial software licences and finding an appropriate site for the lab were just some of the difficulties that the team faced. Fortunately, however, when it comes to talent, Somaliland seems to have it in bucketloads. 100 people with IT or management degrees applied to work at the lab – there’s clearly no shortage of talent in Somaliland and we’re hopeful that RLabs will be able to open up and develop some of the entrpreneurial spirit there.

Source: Indigo Trust

 

Somaliland: The Translated work of Mahamed Ibrahim Warsame ‘Hadraawi’

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We, in Kayd Somali Art and Culture, Redsea –online Culture Foundation and the Poetry Translation Centre take pride and pleasure to announce the publication for the first time of selected poems of the Somali master of wordsmith, Maxamed Ibraahim Warsame HADRAAWI along with their English translations. Hadraawi has been recently awarded the prestigious Prince Claus Award for his immense contribution in creating brilliant meaningful poetry over the past 40 years.

The presentation ceremony of the award by His Excellency Joost Reintjes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be towards the end of February 2013. Our publication of Hadraawi’s work is primarily meant to register our acknowledgement and appreciation of his magnificent role in the promotion of Somali arts and culture. We nonetheless wish to highlight this felicitous occasion.

In this modest publication we have selected only eight of his huge literary treasure trove:

Hal La Qalay .. (The Killing of the She-camel)

Hooyooy La’aantaa.. (Mother’s Love)

Dhigaalka Far Soomaalida.. ( adoption of written script for my language)

Cajabey, Cajabey..( A love beyond compare)

Sirta Nolosha..(Life’s Essence)

Daalacan..(Clarity)

Bulsho.. (My people)

Jacayl Dhiig Ma Lagu Qoray.. (Has Love Been Ever Written in Blood !

In honouring Hadraawi this is what the august Prince Claus Award Committee has said: He is honoured for “creating proud and beautiful poems that enrich and expand the centuries-old oral poetry tradition that is central to contemporary Somali culture and identity, for sustaining shared historical awareness and include discourse in divisive times, for his lifelong commitment to community development and social justice, and for building bridges, providing inspiration and promoting peace.”

Introduction to the book is by Rashid Sheikh Abdillahi (Gadhweyne), the English literal translations are by Mohamed Hassan ‘Alto’, and Said Jama Hussein. The English translations are by Dr. Martin Orwin, and the eminent poet W.N Herbert.

We finally wish to express our heartfelt congratulations to our great poet Hadraawi and our sincere gratitude to the Prince Claus Committee for its laudable service to our culture. For the fans and lovers of Hadraawi’s art, we conclude ‘ENJOY THE DAY’.

About the poet: Mahamed Ibrahim Warsame ‘Hadraawi’

Hadraawi is one of the most valued Somali poets and philosophers; he is often hailed as the most influential Somali artist of his time. His early work concerned love, and his songs were sung by some of the greatest Somali singers. As the political climate changed, so did his focus; his work began to address more social and political issues. He campaigned for the alleviation of social ills through his work under great pressure. To this day, Hadraawi continues to challenge social injustices.

Hadraawi was born into a nomadic family in Togdheer region of Somaliland and he was sent to Aden, Yemen, to live with his uncle at an early age. Hadraawi moved to Mogadishu in the late 1960s. During this time, most of his work focused, like most other poets at the time, on the theme of love. In these high days of romance, Hadrawi produced poems like’Todobaadan Midhabley’ and songs such as, ‘Baladweyn’, ‘Jacayl Dhiig Malagu Qoray?’, ‘Hooyooy’, ‘Cajabey, Cajiibey’. One could write a whole book about each song and poem as they all have their own story. The songs of this era written by Hadraawi, have been sung by the greatest Somali singers like Hassan Adan Samater, Mahamed Mooge, Haliima Khaliif Magool, Mohamed Saleban and many others.

In the 1970s, Hadraawi’s artistic productions evolved to address more social and political themes. During this time Hadraawi co-wrote the landmark political play ‘Aqoon iyo Afgarad’ with the late Mahamed Hashi Dhama ‘Gaarriye’, Siciid Saalax and late Musse Abdi Elmi.

In 1973, Hadraawi was jailed for five years. Two years after his release, Hadraawi and his friend, late Mahamed Hashi Dhama ‘Gaarriye’ started the Deeley, one of the most significant political chain poems in Somali History, which divided over 50 artists, poets and thinkers in pro and against government camps.

In 1982, Hadraawi left Mogadishu to join the SNM opposition group which was based in Ethiopia. It was there that he wrote or popularized his main political poems such as ‘Dalaley’, ‘Hanbaber’, ‘Hargeysi ma Toostay’, ‘Bulsho’, ‘Sirta Nolosha’ and many others.

1992, Hadraawi produced ‘Gudgude’, which is regarded as a masterpiece by many of his follower. In this hundred lines long poem, he explains his motivations and aspirations.

That year is also the year he moved to London where he lived for five years. In these five years, most of his friends have asked Hadraawi to seek asylum and settle in the UK but Hadraawi declined. While in London, Hadraawi produced ‘Dabo Huwan’ which is based around an ancient word to describe ‘life’. The work he has since produced while in London offers many insights to his beliefs, which are clearly influenced by his Somali nomadic heritage and his faith.

In 2004, Hadraawi went on a peace march throughout different cities of Somalia ravaged by the civil war, to appeal for peace and to show his solidarity with those suffering. What was one-man’s walk became a march of tens of thousands of Somalis who followed Hadraawi from city to city.

The last two poems that Hadraawi published are, ‘Dhul Gariir’ and ‘Awaal Tiris’. In ‘Dhul Gariir’, he raises awareness about the situation of the Gabooye Somalis, condemning the ill treatment, discrimination and human rights abuses committed against the Gabooye people. The more recent poem, ‘Awaal Tiris’ addresses the hopelessness of Somali men who abuse the use of Qaat and the social implications that comes with that.

Hadraawi now lives in his home town Burao with his wife Hodan and teaches at the University of Burao

We are grateful to our partners and sponsors who made this publication possible such as Prince Claus and Dahabshiil Money Transfer Company.

Source:KAYD