In his recent article “Somaliland: America’s underestimated friend” Bashir Goth has eloquently compared Somalia with Somaliland with respect to peace building and democratic governance. Instead of critiquing the merits of Mr. Goth’s article, Mohamed Ahmed responded with an article full of personal attacks. This is exactly the way medieval kings used to response when they receive unfavorable news: kill the messenger! Mr. Ahmed has every right to criticize and attack Mr. Goth’s ideas and opinions. However, when some people cannot face the facts they simply resort to personal attacks. Hence, Mr. Ahmed entire article focuses not on the subject matter—Somalia vs. Somaliland — but on Mr. Goth’s history.
The change of heart on the part of Mr. Goth truly reflects the genuine reconciliation and peace-full co-existence of yesterday’s foes in Somaliland. In other words, this change shows how far Somalilanders have gone to heal their wounds and seek common future. Take the example of, for instance, the incumbent Somaliland President Dahir R. Kahin and his loyal Foreign Minister Abdullahi M. Duale. These two men were at the opposed ends of political spectrum during the Somaliland’s civil war in the 1980s. Yesterday, Mr. Kahim and Mr. Duale were members of the National Security Service (NSS) and the Somali Nation Movement (SNM), respectively. Today both are members of the Somaliland’s ruling party UDUB. This shows that people of Somaliland have refused to be hostage to their gloomy past. The people of Somaliland have wisely decided to let bygones be bygones in order to have a better future for their children. In the process, even those who had blood on their hands, on both sides of the conflict, were forgiven and forgotten.
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Mr. Goth’s previous writings including those in Awdal Phenomenon represent Somaliland’s painful past history. His previous writings on Somaliland, however pathetic they may look now, were merely a reflection of prevailing political upheaval at that time in Somaliland. And to set the record straight, Mr. Goth’s support of Somaliland is not conditional on President Dahir R. Kahin. In fact, as an editor of Awdal News, Mr. Goth has repeatedly criticized Mr. Kahin’s regime.
Having explained the circumstances surrounding Mr. Goth’s past and present writings, let us now look at the issue at hand: differences between Somalia and Somaliland—-the theme of Mr. Goth’s article. In Somaliland, there is a government that has a monopoly over the ‘use of force’ in the territory it claims to control. In Somalia, the Sharif government is protected by African Union forces. In Somaliland, there are political parties who are readying themselves to take part the upcoming presidential election. In Somalia, there are Al-Shabab and Hisbul-Islam who want to violently overthrow the government of President Sharif. In Somaliland, we have uninterrupted peace for over a decade now. In Somalia, we have a government whose forces routinely shell the biggest market of Mogadishu — the Bakara Market.
These are just a few glimpses of the realities prevailing in Somalia and Somaliland. Mr. Ahmed does not want hear or see the reality. For him attacking the messenger is easier for him since some facts are hard to deny. Therefore, Mr. Ahmed tries to kill the messenger– Mr. Goth– instead of critiquing his theme: differences between Somalia and Somaliland.
By Hassan Farah – 27 March 2010
Comparing Somalia to Somaliland is akin to comparing an ass and its two ears. And does quoting what Bashir Goth said in 1991 equal attacking his character? It's Bashir Goth's own words that are attaching his character. The flip-flopping has made him the hypocrite not someone who quoted him.
It really kills me from inside one someone speaks like he own my voice or think that he has the right or the legitimacy to accuse or forgive on behalf my people, but in more personally on my person. Comparing my country with Somalia is an insult that I can’t accept nor tolerate the picture they want to sell it. My father and grandfathers didn’t die for vain, and I can’t accept such crap comparison between the evil and good. I still live in memories of those dark days that my people went through, and I still remember the story of one of those lucky once who survived during the holocaust crimes against the people of Somaliland, who saw on their way when they were running from the fire a young girl who lost her entire family, and her left shoulder dress was covered with blood and she was singing the Faqassh is gone, the Faqassh is gone. How dare anyone to call those days to come back.
It is all bad and it is all pain and above all it is desperately sad when you feel great about what you have achieved to forget yesterday’s catastrophes and mass murders, and to accept the illusions that your struggle has ended, I only can say for those people that there is no room for nostalgia and reminiscing about good old days.
"This shows that people of Somaliland have refused to be hostage to their gloomy past. The people of Somaliland have wisely decided to let bygones be bygones in order to have a better future for their children."
Who's bygones and Who's children are you talking about?
You are actually keeping our future kids hostage with our (whole Somalia) gloomy past by using the suffering of our people to justify your separatist ideologies….and directly satisfy our enemies!
The people and the government of Somaliland can save the whole nation if they stop seeing the south central and north eastern somalis as their enemies. They are all our brothers and sisters and we need to stop this separatist ideology.
i am extremely sorry abt the illusion dream you guys chasing after. Somali need not divide again. look at jabuti and kilirka 5, kenya part… they all regret abt being apart from somali… and the holocaust that was against the somallanders weren't the intention of all somali ppl and the people who commited the crime were vary less than the other Somali ppl that loves somalilanders…… plzs don't contagious these hatres to the precious children because it will devastate their future…….
hattred hattred hattred nothing else
This is nothing new "SOMALILANDERS" HAVE BEEN SPEWING AND PROPAGATING HATRED FOR OTHER SOMALIS OF COURSE THIS DEPICTION OF SOUTHERN SOMALIS IS USED AS A TOOL TO FURTHER THIER SECESSIONIST NOTHING NEW HERE OR TO BE AMAZED ABOUT ITS THE SAME OLD BUISNESS
I am proud to be a citizen of a country that has done more than any other country in the world. They slaughter our people in cold blood, and in return we provide shelter, and amnesty to their illegal aliens immigrants. We chose PEACE over war, but that word is not in their dictionary. This is who are they and how they were brought up, and no matter what you do they will stay the same. You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.
To ibrahim! You sir are a pig with lipstick! With that being said we all need the greater Somalia united. These idoor people need to stop the bs