Saturday, June 18, 2011

Diaspora Somalis will not shed tear for Farmajo

Diaspora Somalis will not shed tear for the departure of Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo with good reason. Like a blip or a brief rain which does not produce vegetation, his help was the wrong help which will not bring closure for Somalia or the suffering of Somalis everywhere.

When Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo arrived at the political scene of Somalia late 2010 I was among those who thought there was cause for optimism and hope. I was convinced he will be better than the ones before him. Indeed he was different and in some ways better. He started to pay the soldiers and he took some steps to regenerate governance.

Farmajo operated in a closely-nit and narrow circle of friends. He handpicked a cabinet mostly of childhood friends and newly-discovered ones some of them found during his exile years in America. He brought with him the old politics of demagoguery based on selective inclusion and exclusion rather than the much awaited and needed spirit of opening arms to all and welcoming anyone who wishes to benefit the country.

newsisideDemagogues are leaders who go for steps which appeal to the public to stamp their authority and seek popularity. A demagogue uses anything for an end to enhance his own popularity. One of the tactics is to use women and children to his cause and demagogues create a society where only those favored by them are elevated and the rest are left to fend off for themselves. This is not what Somalia and Diaspora Somalis were looking for.

Farmajo was no doubt better than those who came before him since the TNG in 2000. Farmajo was divisive and arbitrary. He made for himself many enemies. This does not mean we pin much hope on those who will come after him. I do not think his replacement would be much better.

Rather than go with dignity and some credibility Farmajo will muddy himself in a dogged fight with Sheikh Sharif who appointed him and Sharif Hassan, the Speaker who is the man behind the TFG. In his fight he will injure himself and the little credibility he gained.

What Somalis in Diaspora yearn for is not old politics. Somali communities around the world are facing multi-faceted hardship and suffering on foreign land. Everybody was not as lucky as Farmajo in America where he can come back to his well-paid job. No question, Diaspora Somalis will limp on. They are longing for the day when they can go back home. Farmajo was not that leader Somalia is waiting one day to come along, unity the nation behind one purpose and aim.

Abdi Mohamed Ali
abdimoali2008@yahoo.ca

Source: Mareeg.com

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