The Plight of the Gabooye People in Hargeisa
It breaks my heart to read the testimonial writing that was documented by Nasir Mohamed Esse on behalf of the Gabooye Community in Hargeisa posted on the Jhidbaale Website.
It is our duty as Somalis to stand firmly and fight against discrimination and the oppression of venerable groups and minorities within our society. This horrible myth that differentiates between our tribes and clans has no basis in fact; there is not a shred of truth to it, and yet, it tears apart the very fabric of our society. We must act to dispel this myth.
The atrocity that has been committed against the Gabooye Community in Hargeisa and the agony that they are still enduring is a deliberate act of Ethnic Cleansing. It is based on hatred motivated by ignorance. By not acting we, the rest of the Somalis, are equally guilty of this crime because
“When good people are silent evil flourishes.” Being idle we are enabling an act of evil.
I am a fellow Northern Somali and you and I all know that the Hargeiesa Air Strike at the time of Said Barre was not only aimed against Isaqs. The attack was indiscriminately against all the inhabitants of Hargeisa. As Nasir points out, the Isaqs were not singled out by the bullets and bombs. Definitely, there was no special guiding device to hit only the Isaqs. We all have lost our loved ones in Hargeisa. But the Isaqs do not seem able to understand this. They act as if blinded by hatred and rage at others. I do not minimize the suffering of the Isaqs, but I remind them and everyone else that we all share the pain and devastation.
However, unable to acknowledge the pain of anyone else, the Isaqs seem to have a selective memory of the attack. They seem to forget that it was the SNM’s choice to fight inside Hargeisa that prompted the air strike.
They need to be reminded that they massacred thousands of non-Iasaq Northerners when they took over Hargeisa. They will not acknowledge that they have blood on their hands that they continue to regularly hunt, capture, and kill innocent people in Northern Somalia.
Moreover, with all the lives that have been lost in every corner of our Nation, the madcap Isaqs are still obsessed with the Hargeisa Air Strike which took place two decades ago.
As I see it, this is a classic case of bullying behavior. Bullies choose their victims very carefully and they always choose the weakest in order to secure self-indulging victory. It seems that the Gabooye’s biggest disadvantage is in residing in Hargeisa. If my memory serves me correctly, in the early 1980’s SNM’s tactic was to hit and run. They constantly attacked the Howd region, especially Buuhoodle area. The cowards were constantly hitting on a small community that happens to Gabooy’es sibling, named Sa’eed-Kulul and who live in the Buuhoodle area. The SNM thought they had a “sitting duck,” a community of defenseless people to take advantage of, but to their shock they found that the community was well-organized, determined and fearless. They quickly formed a defense group named “Cirsan Ka Yeedh”. They allied themselves with other Howd defense groups. And the rest is history.
Enjoying mutual respect and coexistence with their neighbors, “Cir san Ka Yeedh” has dominated the fight in the Howd region and taught the SNM humiliating lessons that they will never forget. Indeed, it is unfortunate that the Cirsan Ka Yeedh do not share borders with Hargeisa.
Northern Somalia has been hijacked by common criminals and thieves. The people who are running the show, calling themselves “government officials” are lunatics and psychopaths. Let them call themselves whatever they want, but not you, my dear brother, do not recognize them as “government officials.” That flatters their ego-vested empty heads. They are nothing more than looters and gangsters who have no interest other than filling their own pockets. Their special expertise is in hustling, cheating, robbing, terrorizing, and killing innocent civilians.
As immoral and spiritually bankrupt as they are, the common Isaq give their support to Whatever Silaanyo, Waraabe and other sadistic individuals dictate to them without hesitation. Their hearts are filled with hatred for the rest of Somalis.
But the Deputy Justice Minister’s time is yet to come. Talaabo is nothing but a Kad-addicted perpetrator and a hustler. He will yet be brought to justice.
Yes, justice will prevail and Northern Somalia will become part of a great nation once again. As for the “Ignominious Administration” in the north, their days are numbered. Their dream of dismantling our beloved Nation of Somalia with their secession is nothing more than a hallucination.
Finally, we Northern Somalis must advocate for our people and bring to light the aggression against our people. We must report the violence and inhumane treatment that our civilians have been subjected to by the “Ignominious Administration,” of the North. We will not be intimidated by their mercenaries. We must arouse the international community and commit ourselves to ease the suffering of our people.
The future unity of our Nation and the very essence of our existence, rest upon the strong shoulders of the non-Isaq Northern Somalis.
My dear brothers and sisters of the North, this is a struggle for all of us, for our people and the future of our homeland. Somali unity will be realized and peace and justice will prevail.
We Stand United!
Toolmoon H. H. Qodas
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