I usually take my son to a children centre right at the corner of where I live to watch young toddlers puzzled by toys, play with them eagerly.  But the peace is tenuous, chaos could soon follow, when a child decides to invade the space of another and takes over his toys as if that is his god given right.  The place comes to stand still during which adults seek to help the kids to distinguish between personal and public belongings, and their rights and that of others.  The qualm is interrupted by the sudden departure of one of the children, not knowing what is the fuss about he/ she just walks off to the next attractive toy.  With a sigh of relief all the adults go away to continue with their business though always knowing that the peace is fragile.  Looking closely to what is going on, corner to corner, of what has become of our motherland, the situation is no different.  We have child men who constantly threaten the fragile peace by their inability to share and to respect others.  These are traits that require a great deal of self discipline which, it seems, we currently lack.  Sadly also for our grown up children, there is no attraction in other than politics.  A prominent woman and a politician, was reported to have said that our men are going through period of illness that necessitates handing over power until they have fully recovered.  I cannot help thinking about the dangers that such a scenario brought to our nation, and led many of our men to dance with the wolves. 

You have, our own leaders in Puntland, who according to the bad news, are unable to differentiate between their own property and Puntland, interfering with the work of the watchman and that of the cabinet in a similar fashion.  Just like their counterparts in Somaliland, they are also finding it difficult to let go the public office they serve.  Not to forget, our own TFG leaders who managed to transform politics to a circus.  The whole parliament was summoned to attend a centre in Nairobi, to play with the biggest toy at stake, Somalia.  The self appointed childminders, IGAD, not very much different themselves, told the Somalis that everything they do or did is and was wrong.  IGAD even went further in setting an unrealistic goal of 15 days to set up a government and bring peace.  But obviously, they were betting on the children in these men bodies, were they disappointed, no.   Instead of holding crisis meeting to help them assess more realistically the situation, they have become concerned with their own possessions, power of course.   They were then set loose to be on each others’ throat. 

To everyone’s surprise, today we have a sealed deal that, instead of letting go half of already existing unemployed parliamentarians, satisfies additional 270 overgrown egos.  Tell me, how does it work, do the people sacrifice to accept this hideous number, or this number sacrifices for the people, and what is the rush anyway, why do we have to stuff everyone in this parliament?  Somehow though, I was overjoyed when the parties also announced that a truth and reconciliation commission will be set up to investigate the crimes of the past few years.  I was willing to forgive the lack of details, and the cheeky grin some had on their faces, but the extent to which the signatories would go to please each other, was really unforgivable.  Actually one of them has said in their address to the nation that the crimes that were visited upon the Somali people in the past few decades were understandable.   With all due respect, I will have to stop you there; no they are not and will never be.  How could anyone find reason in the absurd wars that have broken any known human rules of engagement and codes of conduct, whether that being traditional, religious, or ideological?  We can learn lessons from them for prevention sake, but understandable is something they are not. 

Some people say of us, the Somalis, that we find comfort in the past.  How could not we feel nostalgic for the good old days? Should not we seek soothing from the memories of the heroes of yesterday, the men and women who put the glory of their nation before their lives?   I would today specify the heroes of Godey, particularly two men, Ahmed Teerso and Mohamed Salaad Cawer.  I have tears in my eyes as I write that Ahmed told his wife, Dr Asha Ali Islaweyn, who also was the military’s Doctor just before he embarked on the mission that oversaw the fall of Godey, this:

“I am going on a mission, and I would not probably survive, I don’t want you to cry over me, I want you to continue nursing the soldiers, this is your mission and ours too, to serve the motherland”
Mohamed on the other hand, was released from prison, just to join his brothers on the front line.  He was reported to have said that the only reward the oppressive military regime has bestowed him with was the honour to die for his country. 

These men’s egos and self interest were overshadowed by that of the collective. Their bravery has also become to define our contemporary Somali history.  I sincerely apologise though, to the soldiers, members of the brigades, the commandos and the intelligencia who achieved the impossible in 1977 and who I have not mentioned in this comment piece.   
These stories and the comparison between yesterday and today, make me wonder if maybe, just maybe, the woman politician was somehow right!

Warsan Cismaan Saalax Cabdikariim

warsan2001@hotmail.com

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