ABUSE OF POWER IN SOMALIA: VERBAL ASSAULT BY PRESIDENT HASSAN SHEIKH AGAINST DIGIL & MIRIFLE MPS

BaidoaNews Editorial

Over 23+ years of ethnic violence, President Hassan Sheikh again threatens the country’s young democracy and peace. Instead of promoting and leading a government that is inclusive and cohesive, he is now creating deep-seated differences between various ethnic groups Somalia. Shouldn’t Somalia’s fragile peace and democracy be more inclined to politically include marginalized ethnic tribes, given that their vote and MPs’ vote counts in electoral competition? 

President Hassan met yesterday with 61 Digil Mirifle MPs complaining about President Hassan’s recent move of replacing all Digil Mirifle Generals, ambassadors, and excluding them all of the current government positions previously held by Digil Mirifle.  The president insulted and verbally assaulted these MPs by telling them that there is nothing that he could do for them and that they should take the results of his personal nomination and appointment.  This made many in the Digil Mirilfe Community very upset.  Digil Mirifle MPs are now working so hard to bring vote of no confidence against the president.

This is clearly a political exclusion that this president promotes.  All governmental positions are held by Hawiye (president’s tribe).  You name it any government agencies, while Digil Mirilfe make large number of IDPs, kept in man-made camps.  Since the international community has recognized this President and endorsed his government, he and his tribe feel untouchable and less responsive to the needs of all Somalis.  His recent move to consolidate all powers to his tribe and allies threatens all of the achievements of the last ten years. This is particularly so given that Somalia has long been suffering from the harmful consequences of tensions and conflicts between its main ethnic groups.

“To effectively deal with the challenge of instability in Somalia, it is important to seek a practical guarantee for all major ethnic groups to have a share of power in the political administration of the country.” Said Digil Mirifle MP in Mogadishu.  The practical guarantee would build the consensus necessary for achieving lasting peace by providing for all major ethnic groups to equally participate in the political, social, economic and legal processes. This goal would be achievable within a democratic power-sharing political system in which any decision-making efforts occur by consensus between all ethnic groups. In such a political system, all major ethnic groups in the country would be included (not excluded) in government in a way in which they would have the potential to influence both national and local policy-making and decision-making processes.  Another 10 years old young girl asks "where is the peace, development and justice that he promises?"  His administration promotes and sees IDPs as a bushiness and income generating mission to help his clan and build their nationwide dominance.

This is political ethnic power cleansing that president Hassan Sheikh is doing and he should be warned.  If he continues this way, there will renewed ethnic civil war.  Digil and Mirifle people and leadership have now lost all confidence in this president and therefore call for his resignation.  They are also appealing the international community to immediately intervene on their behalf.  There are consecutive meetings occurring daily in Mogadishu all organized by Digil Mirifle MPs who are all under pressure from their constituencies around the world.