The minority tribes have played a vital role in politics, as well as in the entertainment industry since the independence of Somalia. Post-conflict, their role was expected to improve in democratic Somaliland where two-thirds of the minorities dwell.
That may have been the case in the Riyaale’s government, the previous president, who included a first minister with a minority background in his cabinet.
According to Kamal Dahir Ashur who is the minority rights activist, active member in Somaliland politics and currently living in Addis Ababa, the minority status quo is alarming. The sitting president campaigned that once elected he would help them get their share of national resources, but in fact, when he obtained the seat, unfortunately, he only paid lip-service to the poor and vulnerable. Instead, he pleased the major clans by showering additional positions which might go to the less competitive clans.
As far as Kamal knows, little has been done with regard to minority rights, instead, he says, “their political role had shrunk without apparent reason” despite the continuous rhetoric about raising the minority’s role in public life. For instance, the minorities were intending to take to the street in Hargaysa to display their dissatisfaction with the newly elected government led by Ahmed Mohamed Siilaanyo, but the demonstration was cancelled when the president summoned a meeting with the minority tribal leaders to address their grievances. Midhibaan, one of the “outcasts” said directly to the president that none of their tribe-men have been employed by his government whereas during Riyaale’s reign they had a vice-minister together with other senior dignitaries.
Therefore, the current government of Somaliland seems to feed a war of words to poor, marginalized tribes while giving the powerful ones unnecessary, excessive positions. This cruel game is stabbing the divided minorities in the back. Kulmiye, the ruling party in Somaliland, is acting more like the Republican Party of the US by providing major posts to dominant clans.
The minorities have done whatever they can to bring their plight to the attention of the government but to no avail. Kulmiye’s led government only turns deaf ears to them. According to the knowledge of Kamal, the minority rights promoter, the situation is only getting worse. It seems to him that the government is dealing with the minority with hostility and alienation.
To him, Somaliland is his country and, as a result, he has sent many appeals to the local media to urge the government to address his people’s concerns; nonetheless, there has been no response so far.
So, Mr. Kamal, a minority’s hero and the only face known to the dominant tribes, appeals the UN, AU, IGAD and donor countries to pressure Somaliland into giving the minorities their basic rights by giving equal consideration to the marginalized people in Somaliland like any other tribe.
When the democratization process began in Somaliland the minority were hopeful that their marginalization would come to an end, in fact, the gap between the dominant Aji and the minority Gabooye was gradually closing, but when the president came over, the minorities have met unbearable setbacks.
The minorities in Somalia have become an object of loathing and are hunted down in homes and Mosques much worse than in Somaliland or any other place.
May God help the poor minorities who have been victimized for centuries, Amen.
by Kamal Dahir Ashur, minority right activities.
July 19, 2012