Today the region is on the brink of all out war because of the reckless of adventurism of the Somaliland administration in their invasion of Laascaanood. It is quite true that Somaliland enjoys some support among the Dhulbahante and that the armed takeover of Laascaanood was facilitated by Dhulbahante personalities affiliated with the Somaliland administration. But Somaliland authorities also knew that those personalities did not enjoy widespread support and that there was little enthusiasm for the cause of Somaliland among the Dhulbahante at large, and indeed, in the city of Laascaanood. In fact, the opposite is true and there is a widespread loathing for the secessionist stance of the Isaaq among the Dhulbahante. And this narrative was borne out by the facts emerging from post-occupation Laascaanood: tens of thousands of people have fled from the city either out of fear for their lives or out of an unwillingness to shelter under the SNM flag that was hoisted by the Somaliland forces.

The Dhulbahante have mobilized extensively and are poised to attack on many fronts. They are faced by a large and heavily dug-in Somaliland forces supported by recently mobilized tribal levies. This situation has the potential seriously to get out of hand by engulfing more areas of Northern Somalia in the fighting, thus causing more bloodshed and fleeing civilians, from Zeylac to Laascaanood. The blame for this has to be laid at the feet of the Somaliland
authorities who gave the green light to the incautious policy of gradual encroachmen(Ruqaansi) that wasstarted in 2003. They convinced themselves that only by reaching the colonially demarcated borders of the ex-British Somaliland would the international community grant their cherished dreams of state recognition. Dreams that would hardly be realized amid the ruins, carnage and slaughter of the conflict they created.

The previous leadership of Somaliland wisely perceived the potential dangers to their administration if an attempt was made forcibly to yoke the proud Dhulbahante nation into Somaliland. Under the late President Maxamed Ibraahim Cigaal, Somaliland always refrained from any gestures perceived to be hostile to the integrity of the Dhulbahante clan. One one occasion, he went so far as to issue orders to his officials to desist from carrying out any election activities in Dhulbahante regions when Somaliland took to the ballots. He took this wise decision after he received a request from a conclave of Dhulbahante chiefs that any Somaliland election acitivities among the Dhulbahante would be problematic. President Cigaal heeded their counsel because of his immense respect for the Dhulbahante elders and indeed the entire clan, to say nothing of his outstanding political instincts and statesmanship.

Against this we must contrast the reckless performance of Mr. Daahir Riyaale Kaahin, Cigaal's successor. Riyaale is the man who destroyed the peace that was enjoyed by the people of the North. He brought war and conflict to Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions. He committed the crime of breaking the peace by invading the hitherto peaceful city of Laascaanood and provocatively planting the flag of the SNM in Laascaanood. He compounded this injury by adding insult to it. In a BBC interview broadcast on 3 January, 2008, Riyaale stated that the Dhulbahante will benefit from Somaliland occupation because HE WILL BUILD TOILETS for them in Laascaanood!

In other words Riyaale has offended two of the most cherished sensibilities of the Dhulbahante: Gobanimo and Xarrago. He directed a grave insult at the liberty Gobanimo) of the Dhulbahante by planting the alien SNM flag on their soil and, at the same time, lowering the Sacred Blue and White flag of Somalia. He also directed a grave insult at the Pride and Dignity (Xarrago) of the clan by making the demeaning comments he spoke on the BBC.

President Riyaale more than anyone else should know the mindset of the Dhulbahante. He served as the head of the Secret Police office in Laascaanood while serving in National Security Service( NSS) of the Siyaad government. He was widely respected as an honest and diligent government servant. By all accounts the respect was mutual. Riyaale knows the attitude and beliefs of the Dhulbahante clan and their fierce hatred for oppression. And he knows the offense that his careless TOILET remarks would give to the proud Dhulbahante nation. Perhaps the TOILET remarks were in fact deliberate.

Such offenses will neither go unanswered nor unpunished. The right and proper course for Mr Riyaale and the Somaliland administration is to give a fulsome apology for those remarks. And to effect a rapid withdrawal of all Somaliland forces from Sool region.To do any less would inevitably result in laments of
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LUMAYEEY ... LAASCAANO LUGGOOYO WEYNAA


Maxamuud Axmed Jaamac "Jengeli"

Kharbud@yahoo.ca