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Let the Roadmap caravan reach
its destination. – By Deeq S Yusuf
(London, April 22, 2012
Ceegaag Online)
‘’Daily and hourly, the politician inwardly has to overcome
a quite trivial and all-too-human enemy a quite vulgar
vanity.’’
Max Weber
Following his recent miraculous escape from the despicable
act of terrorism and attempt assassination on his life, and
that of some important members of his inner circle of
cabinet Ministers and the audience at the bombed out
National Theatre by the anti-peace elements, the Prime
Minister of the TFG Dr. Abdweli Mohamed Ali Gaas issued a
passionate and inspirational call on all peace –loving
Somalis across the globe to redouble their concerted effort
in rebuilding their nation and defend freedom in an
unprecedented local and international broadcast describing
on one hand, the continuing fight against the evils of
International terrorism and on the other, the genuinely
forceful determination of his Government to ensure the
successful implementation of the National roadmap, which is
his brainchild, that will hopefully end the current
transitional nature of government to a Federal status by
August 2012.
In his interviews, the PM speaks movingly of the price his
government have paid while travelling what he calls the
‘’hard road to salvation of the Somali Nation’’- and of his
heartfelt belief and conviction in the justice of their
cause, which sustained him during this extremely difficult
period. He speaks of the cause that he is so passionately
dedicated as to forgo the comforts of a conventional
existence. He describes his basic job as a total dedication
to the defence of the right of Somalis to free and truthful
life. In a nutshell, his passion is total liberty for all
Somali citizens. He reminded me of President Obama who also
recognized the need for passionate idealism. In
The Audacity
of Hope he wrote “that it has not always been
the pragmatist, the voice of reason, or the force of
compromise, that has created the conditions for liberty,”
but that passionate, and sometimes uncompromising, idealists
like William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and
Harriet Tubman also advanced freedom.
Dr Abdiweli intellectually describes the formidable
challenges that face the government in the run-up to the end
of the transition government in August 2012, and the hard
price paid by those who choose the path of salvation and
hard-work in Somalia, citing the recent suicide attack at
the National Theatre as a classic case of point which he
firmly reiterated only serve as a catalyst for our renewed
sense of solidarity and commitment to our cause, which is
the cause of all men and women of Somalia who value human
dignity and freedom. ‘’You see, at present saving and
serving Somalia is quite a dangerous mission for those like
me who decide to go into, and to persevere in, the risky
business of nation-rebuilding have to be prepared to live
in. It implies suffering by choice. As a matter of fact,
living in constant danger is a huge part and parcel of the
existence of a nationalist. It is because of the high value
we put on the object of our passion that we are able,
sometimes in spite of ourselves, to choose suffering. ‘’ I
ask myself, what kind of people deliberately choose to walk
the path of deprivation? For me as a Social Scientist, his
discussion confirms the commonplace that in theory as in
politics, insight and fecundity count for more than
consistency.
He also praises the extraordinary bravery of the Somali
people as they go about their daily lives and duties as they
defy the artificial fear created by Alshabaab to subjugate
them. He commends them for this courage and their selfless
act of defiance, and further elaborates on how it has to be
renewed consciously from day to day and moment to moment,
adding that this is how the battle for liberty has to be
fought until such a time as we Somalis have the right to be
free from the fear imposed by International terrorism.
Perhaps, at this juncture, the wisdom of the Ukrainian poet
Anna Akhmatova paints a true genre when she says: "No, this
is not me. This is somebody else that suffers. I could never
face that and all that happened."
In his now century old book, ‘’Politics as a Vocation’’
(1919), Max Weber identifies three qualities of decisive
importance for politicians as passion, a sense of
responsibility, and a sense of proportion. The first -
passion - he interprets as the passionate dedication to a
cause. Such a passion is of crucial importance for those who
engage in one of the most dangerous kind of politics: the
politics of rebuilding a war-ravaged nation torn apart by
decades of the worst form of political violence compounded
and fuelled with the impact of international terrorism. Such
a passion has to be at the core of each and every person who
makes the decision, to live and work in a world apart from
the rest of the modern civilization; a precarious world of
Somalia with its own unwritten rules and regulations, a
world where if Adam, the father of humanity if he ever
chooses to return could easily adopt despite the rapid
progress of our post-modernist world, the world of being the
Prime Minister of Somalia, the most difficult job in the
world!
Dr. Abdiweli, the PM of the Somali TFG, further discussed
the notable success achieved by his government, namely the
reaching out to a number of regional administrations, the
Garoowe constitutional conferences, the consensus reached on
federalism, the system of government and electoral system;
the Constituent Assembly which will provisionally adopt the
new constitution and the election of the new federal
parliament.
Speaking of the vital importance of building legitimacy and
an inclusive representation of the Somali populace, he
stated ‘’the lead role in deciding Somalia’s future
constitution will be played by the 825 member Constituent
Assembly, a body chosen to represent the diverse segments
and communities of our country based on the 4.5 formula,
that will come together in the last two weeks of May 2012.’’
He also briefed his audience on the military success
achieved jointly by the Somali National Security Forces
(NSF) and Amisom together with the Ethiopian forces in
flushing out Alshabaab out of Mogadishu and other areas of
south central Somalia, including Gedo, lower and middle
Juba, Bay, Bakool, Hiiraan and Galgaduud. He added that in
those newly recovered areas, his administration is working
with the local communities through a modality of grass-root
engagement approach to establish civil administration, peace
committees, and promoting social reconciliation. He insists
that ‘’we must show them – and quickly – the benefits of
stable and inclusive government or risk spoilers moving in
to exploit the absence of authority.’’
The Prime Minister while recognizing the current building of
tensions as the end of the period of the transitional
government nears discusses the inherent dangers and
concludes with a message of wisdom coupled with a stern
warning for those trying to disrupt the achievements of the
National Roadmap to build national stability and a new
federal Somalia:
“In the past, Somali politicians have been guilty of
fracturing – just at the moment where citizens expect and
hope for the greatest leadership. Inevitably, some known
political factions will sow disunity. They must not
prevail.’’
Luckily, all Somalis and the International community know
who the spoilers are and their modus operandi. For the sake
of Somalia, let the current caravan of change and salvation
move under its present architect Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali,
the incumbent Prime Minister of the TFG otherwise history
will never forgive us. I will pen off with the famous Somali
nomadic lyrics:
Gediga wadaay waday wadaay oo gediga wadaay
Let the camel caravan move on, let it move on!
Deeq S. Yusuf is a Social Scientist based in London and can
be reached at
deeqyusuf03@gmail.com
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