Month: July 2019

WARLORDS AND WHIPPERSNAPPERS

July 31, 2019

Warlords are not convinced that their time in Somalia is up. They are trying, however, to be relevant in the corridors of Somali body politic and power. Some find solace in making into chambers of Parliament like Abdiqaydiid, Saudi Yalaxow and Ahmed Hashi. Others tried their luck hard to get elected as Presidents of Federal Member States like Xaaf of Galmudugh and Ahmed Madoobe of Jubaland. Some were unsuccessful like Morgan and Xidig. That is because warlords had tasted the perqs and privileges of power with no legal constraints to personal abuses. They can’t swallow the reality of the end of their world and diminishing returns for their personal echo.
Those whippersnappers trying to replace the warlords are mostly members of the Somali Diaspora, who naively believe that they are the panecea to all Somali predicaments. They were too young or absent during the mayhem of the civil war, never suffered from the pains of war, hunger and diseases. They have no concept or idea of national peace and reconciliation. They think Somalia is a like corporate entity to run.They barely understand consultations with stakeholders and mechanisms for conflict resolution. They are not well versed with traditional roles of self-government and peace-making among Somali clan systems. They are neither foreigners nor Somali natives. They don’t appreciate and understand the deep mistrust created by years of dictatorship and clan civil wars. They think that Somalia is like any other country back in their respective foreign host nations in Western Europe and North America. They don’t get the dynamics of federalism, cooperation and resources sharing. They are delusional and out of touch with real world and realities on the ground in Somalia. They are suffering from double cultural barriers that require long term rehabilitation. They are mostly new Farmaajos and Khayres.
Hence, I wrote this essay recently in Somali to reflect on this problem. Take a read:
QURBAJAOOG, QORAXJOOG, ISMAANDHAAF KALAMAAN
Garowe, 19, 2019
Dalka Soomaaliya Qoraxjoogtu waxay u arkaa qurbajoogta soo laabatay duulaan shisheeye oo fursadaha dalka, gaar ahaan kuwa siyaasadeed iy dhaqaale ku ciriirinaya, iyadoon qurbajoogtu qorax usoo joogin, qoysas badan usoo masruuffin, qaraabo iyo qabaail lasoo xaajeysan.
Meesha qurbajoogtu isu arkaan kuwo kusoo laabtay dalkoodii ay ka qaxeen iyaga oo yar yar ah oo hooyooyinka iyo aabayaashu gacanta ama dhabarka ku sidaan, dagaalkii sokeeye awgiis. Waxay kaloo qurbajoogtu aaminsanyihiin in ay dalka wax kusoo kordhinayaan dhinac walba aan qoraxjoogtu awood u lahayn sida farsamada, maalgashiga iyo xiriirka aduunka.
Labada aragti waxay keeneen ismaandhaaf iyo kalamaan dab kusii huriyey isqabadyadii Soomaaliya horeyba uga taagnaa dhanka diinta, siyaasadda, dhaqaalaha iwm.
Meelaha xiisadaha iyo xasaraduhu haataan si ba’an uga taaganyihiin waa goleyaasha Dawladda Federaalka iyo kuwa Dawlad Gobolleedyada, oo aad uga muuqdaan madax sare oo qurbajoog ah.
Arrintu armey isu badashaa iskahor-imaadkii ka dhexdhacay Liberia 1900-yadii. Waa dhexdhexaadin iyo ukala dabqaad mudan.
Warsame Digital Media WDM

How To Unlock Your Ability to Focus

https://wp.me/paOtGB-85

MADOOBE vs MOHAMED IN KISMAYO

PUNTLAND & BUREAUCRACY

July 31, 2019
Puntland Government risks collapsing on its own bureaucratic weight. The State is too small to have a large government and too poor to have a cumbersome bureaucracy she can’t afford. Puntland needs small and efficient government and streamlined civil servants and security forces. Too many one-person departments and over-lapping responsibilities in most ministries are recipe for failure and eventual collapse of the state. Do something about it now to prevent the total collapse of a pending catastrophe.
Puntland Federal Member State has much more inefficient bureaucracy than the Federal Government of Somalia. This is going to be unsustainable.

There are many factors affecting this bad state of affairs. Remove these obstacles to a better and competent government in Puntland:

1. Absence of knowledgeable and thoughtful leaders to evaluate and appreciate the problem. It is strange and absurd practice for the president of a state to have a free hand and become the only recruiting emploment officer in the country. BY the way, that is one of the main reasons as to why Puntland is “Madax-Ka-Nool.

2. Unilateral and exclusive discretion of the presidency for civil service appointments without due consideration to budgetary and financial implications of creating such wanton bureaucratic mess, and without any appreciation for quality, competence and merit.

3. Absence of an independent public service commission. Let the Public Service Commission fill in non-political employment vacancies on public competition and merit.

4. Absence of bugetary over-sight by independent Auditor-general and Accountant-General regarding personnel appointments.

5. Rubber-stamp House of Representatives too ignorant to engage in check and balance exercise of power

6. Pressure on the presidency from sub-clans to insert incompetent clan members into the system.

7. High rate of unemployment among the general public, and government seen as the biggest employer.

8. Prevalence of mostly family businesses in private sector too reluctant and suspicious to recruit employees on merit and competency beyond family and clan membership.

9. Puntland chronic problem regarding delays in salary and wages is due to this out of control man-made bureaucratic conundrum and thoughtless duplication of personnel appointments.
Fix the mess with the appointment of an Independent Public Service Commission and flash out all aging and incompetent personnel in Puntland Government Ministries, agencies and security forces. Streamline and simplify all government opparatus and operations. Eliminate unnecessary ministries and ministers. This requires bold decisions and leadership to confront the pressure and demands from Puntland sub-clans. People will eventually accept reason and fair play.

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General Aided and Federal System for Somalia

Take a listen

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=722176191549261&id=100012706609034

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Kat (aka Qat, Chat, Khat ) is a Grave National Security Threat to Somalia

Re-posted.
If Somaliais to survive as a nation-state and having at least a normal functioning government with even average bureaucratic operations, it must urgently find effectivesolutions to the epidemic of Kat addiction among its population as a nationalpriority. The problem is more than socio-economic issue. It is a grave a national security threat.

Courtsey of Wikipedia

In the summer of 1997, I was a member of a delegation of the now defunct National Salvation Council (the NSC, aka Sodare Group) from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,to Mogadishu, Somalia. The delegation membersincluded NSC Co-chairmen, Ali Mahdi Mohamed and Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as wellas Council members, Mohamud Mohamed Guled (Gacmadheere), Duuliye Sare AbdiOsman Farah among others. We numbered about 13 men and one female. We were onour way to meet with an Italian delegation led by then Deputy Foreign Ministerfor Africa, Senator Serri, who was about to visit Mogadishu for the sole purpose of mediating between disputing Mogadishu warlords despite many other problems of Somalia. The vision of the Italian delegation on Somalia was notbeyond the Banadir Region at that particular time. Abdullahi Yusuf’s intentionin the mission was to disrupt the Italian visit (which he did successfully) while Ali Mahdi’s was to win over the Italian favor against Hussein Aidiid and Osman Ali Atto.
We made a two-day stop-over in Djibouti. The Prime Minister of Djibouti then, Barkat Gourad Hamadou, honored us with a lavish luncheon with tender baby-goat’s meat and other delicacies of Djibouti at his residence. After the lunch, we were taken to a large and well furnished room with an Arabic seating with soft cushions specifically designed for long-time session comfort for Kat indulgence, gossipping experience, news and secrets debriefing under the “high” influence of the stuff. In front of every person a bazooka-like wrapping was placed, a large silver tray full of thet ools of the trade: A big and tall golden tea thermos, crystal glasses, shining and engraved tea-mugs, various branded cold soft drinks in plastic Coca Cola–type bottles and commercially distilled water in gravines with swimming crystal clear ice rocks, all to be consumed in the breezing air-condition of the room- an artificial weather hide-out from the environment of burning heat of the City of Djibouti.
After a few chit-chats, Prime Minister Hamadou noticed thatnone of the members of our delegation was using the stuff as they were allnon-chewers at least at that period of time. The Prime Minister was bit annoyed and asked: “Why are you in civil war then, if there is nothing to fight for?” I guess we spoiled the daily indulgence session for our generous,high-level Djibouti guest. Luckily, the conversation didn’t break up as we a had had a lot todiscuss on Somalia, Somalia-Djibouti past and future relationships and the Horn of Africa, in general.
During those few years, I discovered, in separate sessions, that Ismail Omar Guelleh, the current President of Djibouti, was pondering about his desire to join his tiny country with Ethiopia as he was desperately convinced that Djibouti would not survive on its own. There was rampant corruption in the seaport, the main revenue generating enterprise besides high spending men of the French legionnaires at Djibouti night clubs. The City of Djbouti was on the verge of being taken over by the influx of Ethiopians, who needed no immigration papers to come in. It was only Puntland help in 1999 to commit him to Somalia’s National Reconciliation process, encouraging him to take it over from Ethiopia, an AU and IGAD Mandated Country for Somali National Reconciliation Process, while President Abdullahi Yusuf convinced President Daniel arab Moi of Kenya to support President Ismail Omar Guelleh to play the role.It was undoubtedly a diplomatic success that pushed Ethiopia aside from the Somali issues. One may guess already why Ethiopia was not happy with President Yusuf lately. The second help came to Djibouti from post-9/11 World Order. Besides God’s wish, it was only these two factors that saved Djibouti from voluntary union with Ethiopia.Unfortunately, he betrayed Puntland State during the initial phases of the Arta Conference, a rift that eventually undermined the TNG of Abdulkassim Salad Hassan to pave the way for holding Mbagati (Kenya) all inclusive and broad-based Somali National Conference and finally, the establishment of theTransitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic (TFG) in 2004,transforming it into the Somali Federal Republic in 2012.
Suddenly, the Prime Minister shared with us the socio-economic devastation Kat consumption has been causing on Djibouti at the time. He informed us that Djiboutiwas paying Ethiopiaa hundred thousand US dollars daily, and that was only the portion of thepayments that goes though from bank to bank. Think about residents who buy the stimulant on their own from individual Chat traders on the top of train and air passengers who also bring sacks of the green leaves to their families,relatives and friends in Djibouti cities.
On a number of occasions, I stopped over in Djibouti for a short stay. On multiple times, arriving at Djibouti International Airport,I used to see popular demonstration-like commotion at the gates of the airport-population rushing to the airport when Kat cargo delivery from Ethiopia is delayed for only a few hours. One would see custom and passport control officers whose mouths are asymmetrically filled with Qat and chewing it on the job. Think about the officers’ mental judgement and decision-making capability under the influence of the hyper-leaves at country’s highly sensitive and main border entry point.
The situation is even worse in Somalia with a few millions of US dollars spent every day on the habit. With no credible fiscal statics available, the country may be fast sinking into public and personal bankruptcy. A failed state desperately trying to recover from decades of civil war and total collapse of public services and institutions, has also population wholly consumed by the epidemics of daily Chat use, effectively destroying the socio-economic fabric of its society, abysmally curtailing manpower productive hours and bringing havoc to family livelihoods and relationships while it isalso at same sometime constitutes an instigator and main source of corruption and loose social morals. A country with the geographical size larger several times than Italy or UK with porous long borders with Ethiopia and Kenya requires alert and non-Chat-chewing security personnel and efficient bureaucracy.
The irony is that Somalis nowadays like to talk about safeguarding their sovereignty and territorial integrity, while at sometime allowing their neighbor states to dump poisonous addictive Kat to their citizens, drain their economy, disable their manpower and threaten their vital national security interests. Think about the real double-talk and double standard with a proverbial ostrich attitude!
Somalia has to come up with a solution to the menace of the Qat. While fully it is understandable that it is tough to try to ban the habit outright, at least a committee of experts should be immediately setup to study the problem and submit recommendations to competent bodies for, at minimum, regulating it and eventually outlawing it. Massive public education and media programs relating to its dangerous hazards to personal and public health should be initiated and launched immediately to stop the spread of the habit to young generation. Somalia cannot afford to continue to ignore its greatest, silent killer of its productive members of the society and the gravest national calamity posed by Kat trade.Please wake up!

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PUNTLAND HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO SOMALIA

On the 21st Anniversary Celebrations of Puntland State of Somalia,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Over the past few months, I have been sharing, with you, history documents and interviews on both the foundation of Puntland State of Somalia in August 1998, and the 2nd Somali Republic, the Federal Republic of Somalia in 2004, with the express intention of writing our history and role of Puntland in the revival of Somalia as a sovereign nation. That is because, If we don’t write our own history and claim our historical achievements in that regard, somebody else would write it for us. It would be impossible to re-write or re-claim those missed opportunities later.

I would, therefore, urge you to put into record all that you know about Puntland contributions to history making events in Somalia’s survival, sovereignity and unity.

Thank you,
Ismail H. Warsame
Garowe, Puntland.

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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW PRESIDENT OF SOMALIA – Warsame Digital Media WDM

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2017/02/11/an-open-letter-to-the-new-president-of-somalia/

REFLECTIONS.

HISTORY: The New Somali Passport

Office of the Prime Minister

The Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic
November 28, 2006

MEMORANDUM

I am pleased to have the honor to officially announce the issuance of a new Somali National Passport that meets the highest international standards of digital era.
The passport, in combination with national identity cards, will be a fraud-proof document to contribute to the advancement of national and international safety and security cooperation. The document will be issued from a central processing headquarter with the employment of IT personnel specially trained for the purpose.
I am also gratified to inform the Somali general public of the fact that every Somali citizen has a fundamental right to be issued this national document for the sole benefit of his/her freedom of travel and identification regardless of his/her geographical location.
The New Passport being issued now shall effectively and finally replace the old Somali passport starting June 1st, 2007. The old passport shall be deemed null and void on 31st day of May 2007.
On this historic occasion of the release of the new document, I would like to appeal to the international community, on behalf of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and people of the Somali Republic, to welcome this gigantic step of my administration by assisting the holders of the New Passport in every way possible as we kindly request for the cooperation of all states and organizations in facilitating and accepting our new national travel document.
Hon. Ali Mohamed Gedi
Prime Minister
To:
All member states of AU, LAS, ASEAN, OAS, EU, ACP, OIC, GCC, UN, EC, all international organizations, and immigration departments, regional and international travel agencies.
(Drafted by Ismail Haji Warsame)

HISTORY: Ali Mohamed Gedi’s Appointment as TFG Prime Minister

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF SOMALIA

  1. OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
    RS-TS-OP/0272004 Nairobi, Nov 03, 2004.

    MADAXWEYNAHA Xukuumadda Ku Meel Gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyedda

    Federalka ah ee Soomaaliya

    MARKUU ARKAY Axdiga Ku Meel Gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyedda, gaar ahaan Qodobka 44aad (2) ee Wajibaadka Madaxweynaha,

    MARKUU FULIYEY Wada Tashi balaarran ee Madaxda siyaasadeed iyo dhaqan ee beelaha Soomaaliyeed,aqoon-yahanada iyo waxgaradka Soomaaliyeed ee ku sugan gudaha iyo dibedda dalka,

    MARKUU TIXGELIYEY Duruuffaha siyaasadeed, dhaqan-dhaqaale iyo amni ee Soomaaliya,

    MARKUU ARKAY dhamaan waxqabadkii iyo taariikh nololleedkii musharaxxiintii Jagada Wasiirka Koowaad ee Xukuumadda Ku Meel Gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyedda Federalka ah ee Soomaaliya,

    WUXUU U MAGACAABAY:

    Dr. CALI MAXAMED GEEDI, Wasiirka Koowaad ee Xukuumadda Ku Meel Gaarka ah ee Jamhuuriyedda Federalka ah ee Soomaaliya, si uu u soo jeediyo Xubnihii Golaha Wasiirrada iyo Barnaamijkii Waxqabad ee Xukuumadda si Golaha Shacabku kalsooni u siiyo sida ku qeexan Qodobka 33aad (e) ee Axdiga,

    Cabdullaahi Yusuf Ahmed
    Madaxweynaha

Minister Abdi Farah Juxa

On the 21st Anniversary Celebrations of Puntland State of Somalia.

Take a listen:

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EXPLAIN SHARIA. WHAT IS IT?

THE RESEARCH WORK OF SAID SHIDAAD AND KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION

Garowe, July 29, 2019

Said Shidaad H. Hussein, a historian and social sciences professional had presented anthropological studies to a gathering of invited guests at PDRC Conference Hall last night. It was a serious and polite attempt on the part of Said Shidaad to engage in knowledge production, and to shed light on some of the historical misconceptions and misinformation by European scholars on Somali studies. Shidaad had produced the highlights of his 16-year research work into the ancient history of Somalia many centuries before Islam and traces of ancient cities all over Somalia to back it up.

Shidaad’s work is the first attempt I have seen to refute the findings of European sociologists that Somalis were always a bunch of grazing nomadic tribes moving from places to places in search of water-holes and grazing land for their herds. He had produced pictures showing traces of ancient settlements and towns that had disappeared and artifacts never produced by European explorers and anthropologists like Richard Burton, Captain Speke, I.M. Lewis, Enrico Cerulli, among others.

Reading, passionate studies of social sciences and scholarship on knowledge production is rare among Somali academics. That is why I found Shidaad’s work unique and quite impressive, to say the least.

Said Shidaad Hussein, however, seemed unappreciative of the extent of historical distortions, misconceptions and misreading by European scholars in regards to Somali studies, and how to handle centuries of fallacies and biased approach to Somali anthropological studies. These misconceptions and misreading of Somali studies helped colonial powers, including Abyssian Empire, to create their own biased narrative of Somalia, its history and culture, dismissing Somalis as wandering tribes in semi-deserts, incapable of forming a nation-state. Nevertheless, his work was commendable and a good beginning. He is also a role model for those interested in knowledge production on Somalia’s social studies.

The Presentation

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HISTORY

BREAKING NEWS

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/07/28/breaking-news-14/

BREAKING NEWS

Garowe, July 28, 2019

By Staff Reporter

Historians and experts of current Somali political Affairs like Nuredin Deriye, Ismail Haji Warsame and others in the know, have assessed and strongly believe that the federal arrangement is the only mechanism that currently binds Somali regions together. Remove or unravel the Federal Constitution, and Somalia would split into Somaliland, Puntland, Jubaland, Southwest, Central Somali Regions and Banadir.

Speaking up and making interviews on Puntland State TV on the 21st Anniversary Celebrations of Puntland foundation, these experts shared their experiences with Somalis and world about the historical significance of the creation of Puntland in August 1998 for the revival and re-instatement of the failed state of Somalia. A 2nd Somali Republic had been founded in October 2004 as a result of Puntland leadership. These historical achievements are now in danger of being rolled back.

This is not fiction, but a potential and likely scenario, if the current leaders of the Federal Government do not do their due diligence in respecting the Federal Arrangements. At moment, the Federal Constitution is the only legal instrument remaining to keep Somalia loosely together.

By not understanding this fundamental fact and the gravity of tampering the only document holding Somalia now together as one country in the hope of building a united and functioning country, the leaders of FGS are opening Pandora Box and playing with fire that nobody would be able to extinguish.

Once, the Provisional Federal Constitution of Somalia is challenged or removed, the clock would start ticking for total disentegration of Somalia. The most likely scenario is that Somaliland, Puntland, Central Regions, Bay and Bakool would come under Ethiopian hegemony and eventual occupation. There would be war between Ethiopia and Kenya for Jubaland. Ethiopia would probably win the war for Jubaland. Banadir would be willingly incorporated into Ethiopia. Ethiopia wouldn’t be a land-locked country any more. The Ethiopian Navy is already prepared and being readied to take over the Somali ports along the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Somalia would cease to exist per the Map recently published by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry.

Don’t tamper with the Federal Constitution!

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Postscript: Some exchanges of comments on the Breaking News in the social media inserted here below.

Abdullahi Gassim to Ismail Warsame:

Yes, we are talking the same subject, and what I am not agreeing is your analysis based on a negative scenario and the outcome is very disturbing to the readers who believe in nationalism and don’t belong to a political fractions or so called states and nobody is opening the pandora jar rather we can say hopefully it’s a Golden Fleece.

Ismail Warsame to Abdullahi Gassim:

I like your comments. And, I also agree that it could be interpreted as negative, especially by those who don’t want to hear bad news, even if it is true. I honestly believe that the establishment of these “so called States” is what is saving Somalia as we know it from disappearance. I had lived and experienced through this, and I can assure you that I know what I am talking about. In Somalia, the 1st Republic had failed and disappeared. The 2nd Republic had to be constructed anew. The only way that could be done was through “so called States”. The only instruments linking them now as one level of a federal government is the Provisional Federal Constitution. Get rid of it, and you don’t have Somalia any more.

TRUMP & TYRANNY

The Foundation of Puntland State and its Two Main Objectives

Talk about Puntland from 1998 leading to the establishment of the 2nd Somali Republic in October 2004 and the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/07/27/the-foundation-of-puntland-state-and-its-two-main-objectives/

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GET THE NAME RIGHT

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/07/26/get-the-name-right/

GET THE NAME RIGHT

July 26, 2019

“Xukuumadda Puntland ee Somalia” (Puntland Government of Somalia) is not the same as “Xukuumadda Dawladda Puntland ee Somalia” (Government of Puntland State of Somalia).

One simply cannot use own translations. There is a Puntland Constitution.

The name of Dawlad-Gobolleedka (Regional State) had even crept into the Puntland Constitution and letter-heads of some Puntland departments by mistake due to the mind-set of officials and people rigidly fixated on the name “Dawlad-Gobolleed”. Puntland is not a regional State, but a state of many regions or a considerable portion of Somalia.

The letter-head of Puntland Presidency (Madaxtooyada) carries the correct name of the State from Day One of Puntland foundation. But, the Puntland Executive Branch and the House of Representatives never bother enforcing the correct use of State name by various departments.

This is true to other Federal Member States of Somalia as well. They fell into same misnomer as Puntland.

Such name-calling has its concept rooted in the mind-set of opponents of Federalism to minimize the status and powers of a Federal Member State. It is centralist idea people unknowingly accepted as normal.

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The US may be funding Iran-backed extremism in Africa

| Washington Examiner

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East

It’s no secret that the State Department always puts a positive spin on its partners and seldom admits failure. How else could diplomats in Armenia describe it as the Silicon Valley of the Soviet Union? Or describe the impoverished, AIDS-ravaged African nation of Lesotho as “a good fit with US policy goals in Africa such as promoting democratic values, free market economies, and health”?

United States Capitol Building via Reuters

United States Capitol Building via Reuters

Such hyperbole can be deadly, however, when it is used to cover up grave and growing threats to regional stability and US security.

Consider Somalia: For most American policymakers, Somalia is old news. It descended into state failure in 1991 after a rebellion drove out dictator Siad Barre. Photographs of starving children motivated the George H.W. Bush administration to launch Operation Restore Hope, but US resolve largely ended after the downing of a Blackhawk helicopter in September 1993 and the so-called Battle of Mogadishu a week later in which 18 Americans lost their lives.

After the Clinton administration withdrew US forces, the United States largely forgot Somalia. Various militias and extremist groups rose and fell, with neighboring states like Ethiopia periodically intervening to prevent extremists from consolidating control.

In recent years, however, with substantial African Union security investment and directed Western aid, Somalia has made a bit of a comeback. In 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry became the first US Secretary of State in decades to visit Mogadishu. While many US diplomats handling Somalia remain based in Kenya, in December 2018, the US State Department opened a permanent diplomatic mission and appointed career diplomat Donald Yamamoto to be ambassador.

Yamamoto has presided over a huge increase in US assistance to the government in Mogadishu. Too often, the State Department utilizes money spent or funds allocated as its metric for success.

Generosity of assistance is not an accurate gauge of effectiveness, however. Transparency International has, for the past 14 years, ranked Somalia as the world’s most corrupt country.

U.S. assistance provided to the Somali government seldom achieves promised aims. The Somali National Army — those who are not simply ghost employees whose salaries are siphoned off — are little more effective than a gang of Hollywood extras wearing uniforms. The Somali government’s control itself is measured in square blocks rather than square miles or provinces. In short, Somali effectiveness is an illusion, albeit one which Yamamoto and the Somali desk at the State Department appear desperate to preserve.

The situation would be bad enough if it were simply a matter of the State Department squandering nearly a billion dollars in aid on Somalia with little to show for it; it is even worse given that the very Somali officials whom the U.S. promote increasingly appear to be promoting US adversaries.

Back in December 2018, for example, the Somali government leased most of Somalia’s waters to China. More recently, the Somali government has partnered with Turkey to conduct military training at a new Turkish base in Mogadishu. That in itself might not be a problem if SADAT, a Turkish paramilitary which has previously laundered arms and money to Hamas, was not involved. Now, according to the Somali news website Muqdisho.online, a Qatari military team landed in Dusmareb, Somalia, approximately 300 miles from Mogadishu. The plane contained a load of Iranian armaments including 620 AK-47s, 8,200 hand grenades, 210 RPG-7s, 110 pistols, and 150 PK machine guns. Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, who visited the White House three months ago, was on hand to meet the aircraft.

While the Somali government might say it needs weapons to use against militants who infest most of the country, accepting arms from Iran should raise questions at both the US State Department and in Congress, especially if the fungibility of cash and Somalia’s pervasive corruption might mean that US taxpayer money has in someway enabled Khaire to purchase such weaponry.

Regardless, given the Somali government’s outreach to China, Iran, and Turkey, its provocations against US ally Kenya, and Mogadishu’s failure to show any progress for the nearly billion dollars the United States is providing Somalia, it is long past time for the State Department Inspector General and the US Congress respectively to audit and provide oversight on the State Department’s increasingly expensive and counterproductive strategy in Somalia.

BREAKING NEWS

July 24, 2019

Community awareness on QATAR-FGS destabilization projects and hostile campaigns against Puntland is slowly taking roots in the State. This lunch gathering at Juba Hotel today in Garowe is one of the first community’s efforts to counter this unconstitutional joint sabotage of Puntland.

Khalif Isse Mudan, a veteran Puntland politician, former Presidential Candidate and former fighter-pilot of the Air-force of Somalia’s National Army, hosted this well organized luncheon.

Insightful speeches by cross section of politicians, intellectuals, community elders, women, youth and even poets were delivered at the podium.

Speakers talked about the abuse of FGS and its violations against the Federal Constitution and Solemn Civil Contract ( the Charter) agreed upon by all Somalis, following the vicious Civil War that ever broke out in Somalia, resulting in cruel clan cleansing in Mogadishu and other urban towns of Somalia.

Now, in Puntland, there is a rising community feeling to defend and take our country back.

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QATAR HAS BEEN ALWAYS A HOST OF TERRORISTS

July 24, 2019

The writing on the wall for Qatar involvement in acts of terrorism and political blackmail has been always there for all to read. Many Western countries were either complicit in Qatar’s unholy activities or looked the other way. All knew Qatar was not only supporting extremist organizations, but also hosting them openly in its own country.

Somali extremists were no different. A number of top former leaders of Somali extremist organisations currently live in Qatar. What is making its historical role now different is that the tiny Gulf State of Qatar is in charge of both the Federal Government of Somalia and extremist organizations – a delicate balancing act that only Qatar knew how to do.

In fact, the recent New York Times article on Qatar and UAE Arab family feuds presently playing out in Somalia is just more of a statement of the fact than making in-depth analysis of Qatar’s new menacing activities in the Horn of Africa with regards to oil exploration, using her influence in major Western oil firms like ENi she holds big shares. ENI is deeply involved in Kenya-Somalia Maritime dispute, which, in turn, indicates Qatar’s role in Kenya’s claim.

Policy positions of Saudia Arabia and UAE towards Qatar’s terrorist activities in the region and beyond are consistent with realities, despite their reactionary governments’ policies too.

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HOW COME YOU DON’T SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOU THROUGH THAT MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT?

MINISTER MAREEYEE, WHOM DOES HE SPEAK FOR?

July 24,2019

Isn’t his speech treasonable, breach of public trust and outright violation of the Federal Constitution? Whom is he accountable to? Doesn’t he speak for the entire Federal leadership? With that gross violation of the Constitution, how come is he still a Federal Cabinet Member of Farmaajo-Khayre Government? Isn’t that a clear proof of the FGS engaged in unraveling the fundamental law of the land? What other proof does someone need to convict the Somalia’s Federal leadership of treason and national betrayal?

Have your say.

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1920s SOMALI FASHION

HISTORICAL RECORDS DON’T MATCH UP WITH FALSE DENIALS

PUNTLAND: BREAKING NEWS

July 23, 2019

President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland has quoted the recent New Times article on Gulf States’ meddling in Somalia’s internal affairs, alleging Qatar, in particular, for carrying out acts of terrorism and murder in Bosaso:

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of 5th Garowe International Book Fair 2019, the President had requested for investigation to be made into the New York Times daming report on the destabilization of Puntland by a Gulf State, its proxies and saboteurs in coordination with extremists in Somalia.

According to NY Times report, gunmen dressed as fishermen killed the Manager of P&O Ports, Paul Anthony Formosa, in Bosaso a few months ago, while mysterious bomb-blasts were perpetrated in the Port City of Bosaso.

President Deni also spoke about current Puntland issues involving law and order as well as PUNTLAND-FGS relationships and need to mutually respect the federal arrangements, normal inter-government cooperation and norms of accepted channels of communication. He said that Puntland State was ready to do her part in the national bargain in a fair, equitable and respectful manner

The President had declared that his administration was committed to multiparty democratizatioin in Puntland, starting soon with municipal elections.

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NEW YORK TIMES TAKE ON GULF STATE’S MEDDLING IN SOMALIA’S AFFAIRS

With Guns, Cash and Terrorism, Gulf States Vie for Power in Somalia

Image

CreditCreditFeisal Omar/Reuters

When a small car bomb exploded outside a courthouse in the bustling port city of Bosaso in northern Somalia, local news reports chalked it up to Islamist militants retaliating for American airstrikes. At least eight people were wounded, and a local affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

The attack, however, may have also been part of a very different conflict: one among wealthy Persian Gulf monarchies competing for power and profits across the Horn of Africa.

Over the last two years, war-torn Somalia has emerged as a central battleground, with the United Arab Emirates and Qatar each providing weapons or military training to favored factions, exchanging allegations about bribing local officials, and competing for contracts to manage ports or exploit natural resources.

In an audio recording obtained by The New York Times of a cellphone call with the Qatari ambassador to Somalia, a businessman close to the emir of Qatar said that the militants had carried out the bombing in Bosaso to advance Qatar’s interests by driving out its rival, the United Arab Emirates.

“The bombings and killings, we know who are behind them,” the businessman, Khalifa Kayed al-Muhanadi, said in the call on May 18, about a week after the bombing.

The violence was “intended to make Dubai people run away from there,” he said, referring to the Emirates’ financial capital. “Let them kick out the Emiratis, so they don’t renew the contracts with them and I will bring the contract here to Doha,” the capital of Qatar.

If accurate, his claims are striking new evidence of the potential for the competition among Persian Gulf states to inflame strife across the Horn of Africa.

Read further from here

LOL

*Joke of the century*

What is the difference between ‘Wife’ and ‘Girlfriend?’

Great thought in *Modified* version.

*Wife* is like a *TV* and *Girlfriend* is like a *MOBILE.*

At home you *watch* TV,
but when you go out you *take* your MOBILE.

Sometimes you *enjoy* TV, but most of the time, you *play* with your MOBILE.

TV is (as good as) *free* for life, but for the MOBILE, if you don’t *pay,* the services will be *terminated.*

TV is *big, bulky* and most of the time *old,*
But the MOBILE is *cute, slim, curvy, replaceable* and *portable.*

Operational costs for TV is often *acceptable*
but for the MOBILE, it is often *high* and *demanding.*

TV has a *remote*
but MOBILE *doesn’t.*

Most importantly, MOBILE is a *two-way communication* (you talk and listen), but with the TV, you *MUST only listen* (whether you want to or not)!😝

Last but not least!
Yet TVs are superior because TVs don’t have *viruses,* but MOBILES often *do*😂

And mobiles can be easily *hacked* or *stolen.*

*Take Care*
Stick to TV only.
Issued in Public interest!
😃😂😄

FORMER PRESIDENT HASSAN SHEIKH MOHAMUD ELECTION CAMPAIGN TEAM IN 2016.

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/07/22/former-president-hassan-sheikh-mohamud-election-campaign-team-in-2016/

FORMER PRESIDENT HASSAN SHEIKH MOHAMUD ELECTION CAMPAIGN TEAM IN 2016.

Whom do you recognize among them here?

MODERN WARFARE

July 22, 2019

The conventional theory of warfare in today’s world is rarely desirable. Shooting war between nations is being phased out. Instead, nations use more effective war tactics and strategies to win battles and wars.

Military Generals of the Old Schools of War have been replaced or finally are all being decommissioned by tech-savvy young college graduates of cyber-wars.

Young Russian college students and tech gigs with state help and encouragement put American democracy into disarray with the unexposed and undisclosed secrets that US election of 2016 was tilted towards President Trump winning. Crippling of Iranian nuclear program a few years ago by American cyber-attack is another example of new kind of warfare. Facebook and Twitter helped tople or elect leaders in many parts of the world.

Today’s warfare involves in creating civil conflicts and divisions within societies. Wars are won today without firing a single bullet. Cultivating civil disobedience, sectarian conflicts, planting seeds of doubt and weakening morale and confidence within societies are the most robust and effective tools of modern warfare in this age of high tech capabilities.

Social media geared towards warfare to disseminate misleading and misinformation about the target could be devasting.

Nations without strong popular policies and ideologies quickly fall victims under the radar of these tools of cyber-wars.

In Puntland conditions, the State is extremely vulnerable with its 70% of its residents, the youth, under the constant daily bombardment of social media wars. Everyday Puntland society experiences divisions within, while ideological, tribal and sectarian conflicts are being nurtured and developed to the extremes. Twenty years of ideological neglect has its toil on the people of Puntland, becoming cynics and suspicious of their leaders and fearful of their future in Puntland State. It is a very challenging situation. It is still never, however, too late to turn things around. Let us do just that all together.

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HOW PUNTLAND DESTABILIZATION STARTED IN 2000-2001

July 22, 2019

It started with the creation of network of key traditional leaders, influential religious personalities and pro-TNG political activists in PUNTLAND. TNG President Abdulqassim Salad Hassan and his political supporters of PUNTLAND origin in his Cabinet had established and maintained communication with this network of political and armed saboteurs. These Cabinet members provided the link between AbdulQassim and TNG Operation Network in Puntland.

Transfer of funds to this Network of TNG agents followed. What happened next is history.

It looks as if the current FGS is re-testing and re-playing the same operational formula without knowing that those tactics and political strategy had been applied on Puntland before, and badly failed. The damage, however, was done.

Puntland had recovered not only the damage, but also came out much more stronger to be able to lead the Somali National Reconciliation and Peace Talks and establish the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic in October 2004 – Puntland President, Abdullahi Yusuf, becoming the President of Somalia.

At that time, there was a good portion of Puntland population blindly supporting Arta Conference and TNG. Puntland leadership then knew better about Abdulqassim Salad Hassan, Ismail Omar Ghuelleh and their political objectives.

It looks like history repeating itself.

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IS PUNTLAND TOO EASY TO GET DESTABILIZED WITH QADARI RIYALS?

July 21, 2019

Many people thought that PUNTLAND is too hard a nut to crack against the use of the left-overs of Qadari Riyals from Mogadishu. Successful transfer of money laundered through N&N activists under the cover of various development projects in several Puntland cities is slowly taking hold.

The quick pace of this FGS money laundering is too fast for President Deni Administration to catch up. It is just reacting to the events, while badly failing to warn Xawilaadaha (Money Transfer Bureaus) about the crime and penalties of FGS money laundering operations in Puntland.

Money could be a tool of war, and in the FGS case, it is a destabilizing campaign. At moment, Galkayo and Bosaso, the most heavily populated towns of Puntland are FGS targets in an attempt to shake up the foundations of Puntland. Will that work out?

That depends on how the Deni Government would be able to win the hearts and minds of the youth of Puntland, the 70% of the population. It would require Puntland President to often come out of the fence of Villa Puntland and talk to the people, for if he doesn’t do that, someone else would do it for him, and it will not be humorous in the end.

In the light of the recent FGS flagrant meddling in the internal affairs of State’s jurisdictions under the Federal Constitution, the entire political, cultural and security machineries of Puntland should get into high gear to confront any destabilizing factors, including the chronic absence of youth guidance and orientation.

Let us be clear of what Puntland State stands for, where it came from, at what costs and why?

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(Photo credit: HIRNEWS)

HEY! THAT IS POWERFUL!

Hey! That is powerful! Take a watch.

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Ukrainian Analyst: “Even Somalia Is Better Than Ukraine”

Drago Bosnic

Fort Russ News
Sat, 20 Jul 2019 17:26 UTC
“Since it gained independence 28 years ago, Ukraine only managed to squander all the achievements that it inherited from the Soviet Union, and even the country’s population itself was set on the path of extinction,” said Alexander Semchenko, a political analyst and blogger from Kiev.

“We didn’t and still don’t create anything new, let alone something great. Just 16 years after the Great Patriotic War, USSR flew a man into space – a global event. Ukraine has been independent for 28 years, and what have we achieved? We destroyed the country. There was a great industrial base, the best human resources, (we were) one of the top industrial powers in the world. Ukraine was among the top ten. And what did we do with it?

Even Somalia is better than Ukraine. Last year, the Somali delegation was allowed to vote at the World Health Organization, but the Ukrainian delegation wasn’t, because the Somali delegation paid off debts to WHO, and the Ukrainian delegation did not. Why does the WHO need Ukraine, with its record-breaking death rates, while Somalia now has mortality rates lower than in Ukraine? ‘Excellent’ achievements,” Semchenko noted bitterly.

At the same time, all they do in Kiev is constantly babble about banning the Russian language, fighting the communist past, “regaining” Donbass and so on. And as soon as Ukraine achieves total Ukrainization, then “prosperity” will begin, Semchenko added sarcastically.

And just how much of a good point Mr. Semchenko makes when it comes to the decline Ukraine has experienced is best seen in the fact that Ukraine, once one of the most developed parts of the USSR, became worse than some of the African countries, former colonies of the Western imperialist powers. And with Ukraine becoming a Western neocolony and Africa finally liberating itself, this dichotomy is becoming even more pronounced.

In 1991, Ukraine was the world’s 10th economy, with 52 million inhabitants, and inheriting 31% of USSR’s industrial base, 28% of its military might, and a plethora of high-tech companies, especially in the sector of the defense industry:

  • “Motor Sich” helicopter and airplane-engine plant;
  • “Yuzhnoe Design Bureau”, which produced satellites, as well as rocket and missile engines (with SS-18 “Satan” ICBM being the most prominent example);
  • shipbuilding companies all across Ukraine’s Black Sea coast produced state-of-the-art military equipment for the Soviet Navy (including ships equipped with Soviet laser technology, which was sold to the Americans in 1991);
  • premier aircraft manufacturers such as “Antonov”, etc.

And these are just some of the most prominent examples. In stark contrast, in 2018, Ukraine has:

And to top it all, it’s trying to build a 2000km wall on its border with Russia.

Despite all this, the US and its “allies” are full of praise for “just how much Ukraine has progressed”. And indeed, “freedom and democracy” have been very successful in Ukraine. Just like in Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lybia, and elsewhere in Africa and Latin America. The list is very long.

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KENYAN DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE THROUGH THABO MBEKI

July 20, 2019

Lately, the Kenyan Government has been engaged in robust diplomatic offensive aimed at compelling Somalia to enter into negotiations in regards to its maritime dispute with Somalia in order to extort out of court settlement deal. Kenya has left no stone unturned in its aggressive diplomatic outreach to apply pressure on Somalia’s authorities. The stakes are high for both Somalia and Kenya. The issue is about the ownership of Somali Indian Ocean oil and gas rich water triangle off the coast of Kismayo.

Kenya has no solid legal grounds for her claims to enable her win this case at ICJ. Kenyan leaders and diplomats are hell-bent to device multifaceted diplomatic strategy that is evolving on daily basis to gain more friends in order to corner Somalia and isolate this country within the African Union.

Kenyan diplomatic strategy may be working, but it has little effect on the ICJ forthcoming ruling. Thus, Kenya puts her bet on targeting Somalia in four ways:

1. To curtail Somalia’s access to Nairobi business and diplomatic hub

2. To persuade enough African countries to put pressure on Somalia

3. To act from a position of strength as Kenyan Defence Forces KDF are in Somalia as part of AMISOM.

4. To disseminate false, misleading and misinformation about Somalia

All Kenyan efforts would come to a nought, if Somalia’s leaders don’t blink first.

This delegation led by former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, himself a former South African refugee-rebel in Somalia during his country’s struggle against Apartheid Regime, is just another example of Kenya’s aggressive diplomatic posturing. It wouldn’t work, if Somalia stays strong and steadfast.

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(Photo credit: Googjoog)

ILHAN OMAR ON THE MIKE

BOLD MOVE BY ANGELA MERKELE

In defence of US Congresswomen. Take a read here.

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(Photo credit: CNN, Washingtonpost and other media outlets)

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Critical analysis, news and commentaries

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