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| Advocate Ba'alul. |
When the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek, there is no option, but to do what UFO club, and students of Farah Omar school did 38 years ago. The dark cave was General Geelle's court and its show trials. Cognizant of his repressive decisions against UFO youth, massive protests led by students had broken the silence of fear. That event shook bells and awakened public attention, wiped the silent tears from the desperate faces and shone the gloomy hearts with the beams of hope. It was the day that public had witnessed the brutalities of the police state. Waves of protesters— arming with stones, and screaming anti-government slogans had streamed into the streets and daringly confronted the deadly bullets of the regime.
Following Muj, Hassan Keyd's attempted coup in 1961, two decades later UfO Pioneers had sparked social engagements as a response to the neglected public services. In a politically strained atmosphere, where SRSP was the only association that could make a public speech or had the license to assemble, UFO's defiance was a landmark victory for the Liberties (Freedoms of Speech/assembly and association) of Somaliland People. UFO members as they are labeled, was not a protest movement, but a civil and non-politically association founded in Hargeisa, under the name of RUDM (Ragga U dhashay Magaalada).
What made UFO to be UFO, did not come by the virtue of the advocacy of those guys, but the tyranny of regime’s policies. Instead of attempting to assure social grievances, the government had added fuel to the fire, when it had launched arbitrary arrests and persecutions. It had damned the patients rather than healing the disease. Public grievances and their dissatisfaction with the worn-out services, ended up with waves of arbitrary engagements that brought intrinsic enmities to light.
Following Muj, Hassan Keyd's attempted coup in 1961, two decades later UfO Pioneers had sparked social engagements as a response to the neglected public services. In a politically strained atmosphere, where SRSP was the only association that could make a public speech or had the license to assemble, UFO's defiance was a landmark victory for the Liberties (Freedoms of Speech/assembly and association) of Somaliland People. UFO members as they are labeled, was not a protest movement, but a civil and non-politically association founded in Hargeisa, under the name of RUDM (Ragga U dhashay Magaalada).
What made UFO to be UFO, did not come by the virtue of the advocacy of those guys, but the tyranny of regime’s policies. Instead of attempting to assure social grievances, the government had added fuel to the fire, when it had launched arbitrary arrests and persecutions. It had damned the patients rather than healing the disease. Public grievances and their dissatisfaction with the worn-out services, ended up with waves of arbitrary engagements that brought intrinsic enmities to light.
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| President Mose Behi invited UFO members to the Presidential Palace |
Restrictions to the freedom of Association or assembly do not confine to the past or the military junta that once ruled, but it is a dynamic question that lies behind repressive regime and the 28 veterans of UFO club. Every political elite, whether it comes to power through military means or popular support, it is presumed to be susceptible to the social liberties.
What made things worst was the intolerance and the systematic brutalities of Siyad Barre's policies. The consequences would have been different if less harsh and manipulative techniques were put in place.
Even today, arbitrary measures restraining freedom of assembly are found often in the political practice. We have seen Dahir Rayale's sensitivity to the political engagements led by QARAN or UDHIS members. Another example, is the Warran-cadde's order against the National Meeting which was jointly proposed by the opposition and Madasha Panel. Also, Amid to the call of the open-forum, intensive media campaign against the Madasha Veterans, is the implication of the political reaction of the ruling elite.
Other restraints, are the recurring attempts of Somaliland governments which are intended to keep outspoken critics from public avenues. Owners of private hotels, particularly beneficiaries of state contracts are caught in the middle of political battles. It was May 2009, when all heats were turned on Kulmiye party, and the planned event of their front-runner had ended up to an outdoor rally in the vicinity of Crown Hotel. Also owing to the authorities, Jamal Ali Hossein's Ucid wing were locked out from Assembly Halls, whereas Faysal Ali Warabe's Conference took place in Hadhwanaag Hotel.
Here is the irony, when we choose to live with the pathology of dictatorship diseases. In this self-contradictory political context, One should contend that what we have nowadays, is not the alternative government we had preferred. Without being quick to blame, i have to say that we have a hollow democracy instead of a fake democracy, as our constitutional polity proves to be less responsive and less representative. On almost every single concern, whether you know them as People's Houses or Parliament, they are going against what most of Somalilanders want.
All public sacrifices did not stem from an expressed disbelief at Pan-somalist Utopia, nor social defiance against Barre's autocracy only, but collective determination towards liberty and the dignity of humanity. Thus, for the commemorations to serve the common ideals and principles we share as a society. The daring initiative of UFO activists and similar landmark sacrifices, should not be presented as legendary tales that confine to specific settings, and characters.
What is more significant, is the cause and ideals, to whom sake, all efforts were made. When are land-marking, the deadly protest of Dhagaxtur event, we should evaluate the position of the incumbent administration to the freedom of association, and how the preservation of this liberty is getting along. If we abandon the subjective discourse; or pinning all devils to those who ran public affairs in 1980s, we can prepare the society to understand the tendencies that might take it to the "slippery road" of the past. To sum up, we should look back yesterday through analytical lens that represents the intrinsic social ideals of freedom and liberties, rather than narrative discourse that unfolds events as they were at that time.
Other restraints, are the recurring attempts of Somaliland governments which are intended to keep outspoken critics from public avenues. Owners of private hotels, particularly beneficiaries of state contracts are caught in the middle of political battles. It was May 2009, when all heats were turned on Kulmiye party, and the planned event of their front-runner had ended up to an outdoor rally in the vicinity of Crown Hotel. Also owing to the authorities, Jamal Ali Hossein's Ucid wing were locked out from Assembly Halls, whereas Faysal Ali Warabe's Conference took place in Hadhwanaag Hotel.
Here is the irony, when we choose to live with the pathology of dictatorship diseases. In this self-contradictory political context, One should contend that what we have nowadays, is not the alternative government we had preferred. Without being quick to blame, i have to say that we have a hollow democracy instead of a fake democracy, as our constitutional polity proves to be less responsive and less representative. On almost every single concern, whether you know them as People's Houses or Parliament, they are going against what most of Somalilanders want.
All public sacrifices did not stem from an expressed disbelief at Pan-somalist Utopia, nor social defiance against Barre's autocracy only, but collective determination towards liberty and the dignity of humanity. Thus, for the commemorations to serve the common ideals and principles we share as a society. The daring initiative of UFO activists and similar landmark sacrifices, should not be presented as legendary tales that confine to specific settings, and characters.
What is more significant, is the cause and ideals, to whom sake, all efforts were made. When are land-marking, the deadly protest of Dhagaxtur event, we should evaluate the position of the incumbent administration to the freedom of association, and how the preservation of this liberty is getting along. If we abandon the subjective discourse; or pinning all devils to those who ran public affairs in 1980s, we can prepare the society to understand the tendencies that might take it to the "slippery road" of the past. To sum up, we should look back yesterday through analytical lens that represents the intrinsic social ideals of freedom and liberties, rather than narrative discourse that unfolds events as they were at that time.
Mohamed Ahmed Abdi Ba'alul (LLB); An independent legal researcher and analyzer.
(waddi12@gmail.com)
