''Way Ahaataye Maantaa Si Wanaagsan U Ciida”
Background Information
- Different Stages of Somaliland independence movement: 18th of May is a great day for the citizens of the Republic of Somaliland. Wherever they are Somalilanders have celebrated 18th of May. This year the celebration has been held in so many exotic places including China. That showsthe great importance Somalilanders attach to the independence day, May 18th.Somalilanders both in the native land and those in the Diaspora alike have shown their passionate and superfluous support and dedication for the independence of their Republic of Somaliland. Celebration has spring up allover the world. It is the day Somaliland has reacquired its long lost independence. From the eyes of the celebrants was enthusiasm, and great lovefor their country’s independence and sovereignty.The Somaliland independence movement has started in 1930s. The rise of Sh. Bashir and Farah Omar and others were part of the early Somaliland’s independence movement,sweeping throughout the landscape of Somaliland from the dawn to mid-20thcentury.
In late 40s through the 50s of the 20th century, Somalilanders who came back from the European wars the so-called WWII heavily contributed tothe independence movement. In the fifties, British Somaliland hast three well-established political parties, with concrete political platforms and agendas. They were theSNL, the NUF, and the USP. There were also three independence-minded popular New Papers coming out of Hargeisa. Their names were the “Horn of Africa” (Qarnal Al-Afriqiya),and its editors were two preeminent writers Ahmed Jimaale and Ahmed Yususf Duale, the second New Paper was called a “Liwaa” (The banner), it has an editor, the legendary Omar Dheere, and the third one was “War Somali Side.”
These things show the country enjoyed a measure of political maturity and sophistication. What happened next was anybody’s guess? The long awaited 1960s Independence Day came fast, but the unsuspecting Somalilanders so drunk with so-called,fictional Somali nationalism have thrown away, or given away their hard wonfirst independence. From that day on wards, Somalilanders were subjected tohuge suffering, grievances, frustration, and then the contemplation of what to do next has started in full force.
All of a sudden the once peaceful Somaliland independence movement can’t be possible, because Siyad Barre’s fascist regimehas transformed into a heavily armed absolute fascist dictatorship that couldn’t tolerates any form of reform or dissent. The prediction was the second independence movement will be far from being peaceful, and that intuitive feeling came to be true. Somaliland’s war of independence in theory started inthe 1970s, but in practice it started in the theater in 1981. Some may arguem though, the quest for seeking Somaliland’s second independence movement started back in 1961, a when some Somaliland’s young military officers, led by the graduates of the prestigious British Royal Sand Hurst Military Academy educated officer corps was staged. Had those officers became successful, the pain, and the partial genocide our people suffered would have been averted.
The despicable oppression, killing and maiming of our people has led to the prompt hatching ofthe SNM (Somaliland national Movement). The SNM waged a courageous but very ferocious war of independence against a heavily armed Siyad Bare force of occupationand brutality. Somaliland war of independence was bitter, ferocious, andd estructive, but it eventually led to the decisive defeat of the brutal fascist regime. After 10 years of active war, the SNM decisively defeated Siyad Barre forces. Somaliland independence is something so precious to its people. It is sacred, sacrosanct, permanent and irreversible. Somaliland independence is an existential proposition. Our whole existence as people depends on our independence. We could never let anybody else has a say in our future, independence and self-determination. That is to say we could negotiate with anybody about any other topic, but our independence is none negotiable, this means we are ready to give up everything possess to keep and sustain our full independence. Anybody who tries to deny that, or comes inthe way for the fulfillment of our full independence means an all out war. Our enemies often say, “Your independenceopens a called Pandora and other baseless ploys.” These are nothing but tools destined to frustrate and deny our self-determination, the good news theseridiculous lame excuses will not work.
We are peaceful people, but we arewarning the Horn of Africa dictators that nobody will be spared had the peopleSomaliland would not be allowed to have their own self-determination, and their inalienable right to be independent and sovereign. The best option for the Horn dictators is not to be an obstacle to our self-determination. I knowdictators never act rationally, but I am warning them again, had you makeus reach a threshold, or a certain redline, and become convinced you are the real impediment to out hard wonsovereignty, we hold you responsible whatever happens next. I am also warning the weak foreign madefigment called the TFG, to stop pretending to represent us.
We are an independent country for more than 20 years, stop meddling in our internal affairs and try to do something for yourself. Put your house in order, and isgood and saver to forget about us, Republic of Somaliland. Stop the fictional movie you were acting along with some unpopular dictators of the Horn.
I would like to start this great day, a day of superfluous joy, happiness, and mountains of expectations by asking aprovocative question:
What is independence/Freedom?
Free from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.
Freedom is what the people of Somaliland strived, struggles, and still continued to struggle for over fifty years.
According to the American proclamation made by the second American Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, which asserted the freedom and independence of the 13 Colonies from Great Britain, Freedom islife, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The legendary Walaalaha Hargeisa have composed multiple songs of the 1960th independence celebration. Hereare Mohamed Somaliland’s lyrics: Waa Mahad Ilee Madaxeen Banaan. Waa Mahad Alee Maadaxeen Banaan, Waa Mahad Alee Maleetigii Miisha Daran Kayimid MaantabaaHaday Ina Magan Sadeen. Waa Mahad Allee Madaxen Banaan. “Translation than thanks the almighty If the unjust rulers who camefrom foreign exotic lands are no longer in charge and under our jurisdiction.)
The following is Mohamed Ahmed’s lyrics: “Aan Maalo Hasheena Maandeeq” independence and freedom can be reflected in his famousAnmaalo Hasheen Maandeeqay.
“Wamaalin Muranyo Makeeke lahyn, Waan Meelin Ilahay Maasheeyee,an Maalo Hasheen Maandeeqay. Dhaxaan MurigiyaHaraad Mudane, An Meel Hasheene Mandeeqay. Magoda Candadii Gulaha Marisoo An Meelo Hasheeena Maandeeqay.” According to the here is Mohamed Yusuf’s hit song: “Dharaartan Waxyeeladii Dhaqdhaqoo, Caalankan Dhidbay Sow Maa Soo Dhicin.
Dhaartii Asaag Dhanic Maray Kudharar Saday Soo Masoodicinay.Dharaartan Waxyeeladii Dhaqdhaqoo, Caalankan Dhidbay Sow Maa Soo Dhicinay. “In the name freedom legendary Barkhad Cassaid the following: Dhalintii Wadankiyo Dhulkaano Naho Inaan Udhaliniyo Inaan Udhimanoy Maan Taan Waxba Nooga Dhaxaynay nee. Translation: We are the youth ofthis land. Today there are two choices in front of us, to live in dignity ordie honorably, and there is nothing between these two choices.
Analysis of freedom: Freedom what were struggling forsince the Ahmed Gurrey days. It is what we struggle for since the dawn of the20th century until today. Freedom is what we naively thrown away in1960. Freedom is what the Somaliland amasses and the SNM took up the arms against a fascist regime armed to the teeth. Freedom is what has given monumental number of lives and treasure, and property.
Freedom is what the Vietnamese fought for thirty years and eventually defeated three pre-imminent powers: Japan, the French and the United States. It was what the people of Singapore fought for and wants to be independent of the British engineeredMalaysian federation. Freedom is the reason the legendary Rosa Parks refused togive up her seat to give her seat to a white in the city of Montgomery in 1953.Freedom is the reason Dr. Martin Luther King conducted his historical rally infront of the Jefferson memorial in 1963. Freedom is what Malcolm, MarquesGarvey, W.B.Debois, Abernathy, Booker T. Washington, Josef Lowery, Julian Bond,Stokley Carmichael and many others struggled for over a century.
Freedom is what Simon Bolivar strived for in South America against the Spanish inquisition andhegemony? Freedom is what the thirty million Kurds are striving for hundreds ofyears. Freedom is what Palestinians, what people of the thirteen colonies of the old colonial America fought, what Castro fought for 1959. It is what Mohamed Ali Jinnah fought for when struggling for a homeland for the major Muslim states of British India. It is what Mahatma Gandhi strived and struggled for. Freedom is what Nelson Mandela was jailed for in 1961, and was locked upfor 27 years. Freedom is what the current Arab spring is fighting. It is freedom why Kaddafi, Mubarak, Ali Saleh,and Zhine Al-Abidiin Bin Ali f Tunisia were all toppled and chased away from power.
Conclusion: You are free when your life and death matters including your family, bread and butter issues, your land, and everything you care about are in the hands of someone which is not accountable you,someone you have no control of. Freedom when you have the choice to vote forthe people who you trust your life with. Freedom is a priceless commodity which is larger, bigger, and more precious than any other thing in this world. That is why the Republic of Somaliland has the keep its freedom and sovereignty.
This freedom has to be preserved and sustained by any means necessary. That we celebrate every year to acknowledge our freedom, that is why struggling and striving tin are the quest to acquire our full independence and sovereignty. Freedom is a priceless, colorless,odorless commodity that no amount of money can buy. It is a precious entity nobody can give you out sacrifice and struggle.
“NIN AAN DHIDIDINI WAX MEEL MA DHIGTOO HADAANU DHIRTA FUULIN DAAYEER MA DHARGII. DHALINTII WADANKIYO DHULKAANU NAHOO INAAN DHALANIYO INAAN DHIMANOY MAANTAAN WAXBA NOOGA DHAXAYNAYNEE.
By Suleiman Egeh:
(Suleiman Egeh: Freelance writer and a senior scienceinstructor)
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