Month: April 2022

FOREWARD

FOREWARD

I have known the Author, Ismail Haji Warasme, for many years both in his public and private life. I knew him as honest and hard working professional. I have been following and reading his articles in various international and local media outlets. I had read some of the articles compiled in this book as they appeared first time in the media.The articles gathered in this book are as objective as they are critical and unbiased analysis of latest political developments in Somalia. This is a unique book to appear in the bookshelves. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Somalia’s affairs. Ambassador Mohamed Awil Ahmed, Formerly, Somali Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

 

WDM EDITORIAL: WHY TODAY’S SWEARING-IN OF SOMALI FEDERAL PARLIAMENT IS IMPORTANT

It has been a long time home-coming to reach at this stage – a controversial election produces controversial outcome, however. Despite press reports and multiple eye-witness accounts of election manipulations at constituencies levels, though, the New Parliament composing of two chambers is finally constituted with the election of the temporary speakers today, based on age criteria, until the leadership of the both houses are voted for. The temporary speakers are Senator Mohamed Ali Yusuf (Gaagaab) from Puntland State and MP Abdisalam Haji Ahmed (Dabancad) from Galmudugh State.

Given the long delays, political controversy and in-fightings between different levels of the government and FEIT (Federal Electoral Implementation Team), today’s Swearing-In Ceremony is significant.

Today’s proceedings in Mogadishu is shadowed, however, by incomplete conduct of election in Gedo of Jubaland State, and Beletweyne and Jowhar of Hirshabelle State, a total number of MPs close to 30 still to get elected. At this moment, the New Parliament has more than the Quorum to sit and pass resolutions. Whether they would go ahead to hold sessions without waiting for the remaining unelected MPs is to be seen.

THE WAR IN UKRAINE SERVES NOBODY’S INTERESTS

Let us start with Russia. The war does not meet the minimum security objectives of President Putin – prevention of NATO expansion into the security buffer zone of the Russian Federation, with Europe’s neutral countries of Sweden and Finland now pondering to join NATO. The war in Ukraine may drag on, wiping out Russian economy and resources. Russia is already isolated and decoupled from major world business and financial networks, as a result of this war.

Ukraine War has caused European anxiety and feeling of security threat from Russia since World War II.

The war has shaken up entire economies of many countries beyond Europe – nations in the developing world, who rely on Russian-Ukraine wheat imports would suffer heavily.

The outbreak of this war would encourage proliferation of nukes and development of biological weapons from now on as deterrent among nations, including Ukraine.

In conclusion, the Russian War (“Special Military Operation”) against Ukraine clearly demonstrates its foreign policy failure and diplomatic fiasco. Painfully, the Russian-Ukraine war is a slaughter between closely related slavic nationalities. It would have traumatic effect on children even beyond Ukraine. The hatred so caused here due to destruction of lives and livelihoods on both sides of the war would last for generations to come.

(Photo: courtesy to Aljazeera)

THE ALMIGHTY KNOWS SOMALIS BETTER

https://ismailwarsame.blog/2019/05/12/the-almighty-knows-somalis-better/

WHEN RELIGION AND CULTURE KILL

When Religion and Culture Kill: COVID-19 in the Somali Diaspora Communities in Sweden

[Courtesy]

SBS Language | Is Somalia ready for confederate system?

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/is-somalia-ready-for-confederate-system

HOW I WAS INTRODUCED TO CHINA

My father passed away in De Martini Hospital on the southern seashore of Mogadishu in 1968. He withdrew his last breath, while I was holding his hand at his death bedside. Hovering and standing over me were the late Prime Minister of Somalia 🇸🇴, Abdirizak Haji Hussein and Mr Yassin Nur Hassan Bidde, the late Interior Minister at the time. In attendance was a Chinese physician trying his best to save my father’s life, who was suffering from malaria. At that moment, the ministers were contemplating and discussing on the possibility of evacuating my father to a better medical facilities in the People’s Republic of China 🇨🇳. My father’s medical situation brought together a former prime minister, who was leading a strong political opposition to the government of the day, and the minister of Internal Affairs of the administration then. Tragically, my father died prematurely before he was airlifted to China. Following his death, I was devastated, depressed and sick for a week. At the time, I was in school.

Earlier in my childhood, in 1964 to be exact, I do recall the visit of Zhou En Lai, the first and late Chinese Premier, in Mogadishu. I was a kid with some members of my family among the crowd at airport, welcoming the Premier. I vividly remember Zhou En Lai speaking in Chinese at Airport reception. What I found remarkable was the fact that a Somali interpreter of Mandarin suddenly appeared on the stage. It was hilarious. Somali singers sang a song right there: “Zhou Lai ha jiroo cadowgii ha jabee” ( Let Zhou Lai long live, let his enemies perish.)

Since then, I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the Soviet Union, China and other countries of the left from the late Secretary-General of the Somali Democratic Union (SDU), a leftist political party popularly known in Somali political history as the “Great” (a term standing for greater Somalia), Mr. Yusuf Osman Samater (Bardacad). Bardacad was a good friend of my former Boss, the late President of Puntland and Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic, Abdullahi Yusuf. That was an extra education on the top of myself winning a scholarship to the Soviet Union immediately after leaving high school.

[This article was edited a bit since posting.]

( photo courtesy to Wikipedia)