Not less than 30 years ago, Ahmed Mohamoud Siilanyo, the incumbent president of Somaliland, and the founder of Dahab Shiil, Mohamed Saed were watching each other’s back and have been shoulder to shoulder with each other. They met in early 80s while the president was in exile and Saed was in kiosk called Dhiig Shiil (which approximately translates blood-smith or exploiter) in Diri dawa, Ethiopia.
Been the chairman of Somali National Movement, Siilanyo had received funds from Issaaq sympathizers in the Gulf region and deposited the savings in Dahab Shiil kiosk which sells cigars and foodstuffs. And the chairman’s embezzlements was said to be injected to the kiosk as start-up capital to go global giant, and it did, though ill-gotten gains is said to never prosper. The embezzlements went on. At the later years, it was so hard to distinguish SNM Funds from that of the Dahab Shiil. Similarly, Berbera port’s revenues and the company’s are one. Nonetheless, the clandestine activities began ever since and continuing to this day.
Siilaanyo not only enriched himself but generously gave other Issaaqs’ money to his partner not to only re-invest and pay back but to possess it! Thus; company dramatically expanded with embezzlements, kickbacks, and war-profiteering techniques. On the other hand, Dahab Shiil bombarded Kulmiye’s electioneering with millions of dollars three times as much as of Riyaales’ government which borrowed the huge taxes from major businessmen including Al Jaberi, Saudi investor, in advance to keep the campaign alive. Without tireless, unlimited financing of the company, it was certain that Siilanyo would meet utter failure worse than his first fiasco in the previous election.
But he ethnically lobbied and convinced his tribe to hold grand convention comprising the three major elements of Habusha, half of Issaaqs in terms of lineage. He succeeded to tell his kinsmen at the convention that any defeat would no longer his alone but theirs which shocked the enlightened participants. “If I fail, the whole clan has collectively failed!” he uttered.
Such as demagogue gave the clannish blind supporters a great momentum to push his hidden agenda through, apart from the Gar-adag Convention which played a part as well, the ultimate reward of his embezzlement and re-financing the company put him to power. He scratched his back to scratch his. That is all. That was an open secret; that was the story of the “insiders” that was the story of the people, and that was my story too.
The firm’s paradoxical, fatal role in the government.
Dahab Shiil’s impact on the country’s wider policies goes far beyond the logic. It openly nominates ministers, Hirsi Gaab, Saed Shire for instances, and fires ministers that refuse to implement its vested interests like Engineer Hashi, a law-abiding citizen, who refused to make tax exempt and “ leniency” that is the fate of everyone who ignore the company’s demands. Both these ministers, Hirsi and Shire, were un-heard of, never mind seen in political stage, they were ordinary clerks in the company doing Canab sent that or Faduma received x amount of bucks!
In the Wikileaki, Abdirashiid, the managing director said Ambassador Awil and the former Central Bank governor thought Dahab Shiil Company as threat to their authority, in other words, he realized they found out his business malpractices including violating of the country’s core values: dream to recognition and the well-being of the people.
The behavior of the company is both contradictory and detrimental to Somaliland’s existence as independent state. The company had accelerated set of measures to dismantle the whole project: the building of blood bank for Puntland enemy forces during warfare in Sool’s liberation, the donation of half million dollars to Abdilahi Yusuf Yay’s weak government was perfectly anti-Somaliland and inexcusable. However; the company’s participation in national days such as 18 May Day or Maalinta Sheekh Isahaaq is largely symbolic! How hypocrisy it is! But people have opened their eyes on it.
Many ministers and officials in the government are very much owed to the company, despite the planted guys in the system, Erro, the Speaker of Parliament, have became instrumental in Siilaanyo’s doomed conspiracies , his party Wadani or National is exactly the opposite, the party is more yes-party than the ruling party of Kulmiye. There is no effective opposition party in the entire country today! The donors see that, the people see that. There is no independent judiciary, no lively parliament, and no active opposition parties as well, Dahab Shiil Co. bought off the faith of all. The noisiest of all, Faysal Ali Warabe has kept silent as he swims in oceans of bribery as well as empty promises. He became the mouthpiece of the regime ( kacaanka). Even Riyaale finally fell to the trap. How pity! The conman has begun manhunt for all decent voices to silence all.
Political Maneuvering and the rhetoric
The recent talk-shows between the presidents of Somaliland and Somalia revealed a lot. The agenda of the conference war absolutely irrelevant. The two sides discussed shallow matters regarding Somaliland’s future. None mentioned Somaliland political fate in the future neither Somaliland president explained what demands he made, what progress the talks had achieved, and what concessions he made, instead, he focused on piracy, and terror nor Sheikh Sharif, the outgoing president of Somalia. That was insult to Somalilanders. Nevertheless; Dahab Shiil once again succeeded his ambassador, Hirsi Gaab to be physically present in the dialogue in Dubai to safeguard the company’s strategic interest: the company wants huge market; the secession is not the interest of the firm. After all, Hirsi succeeded to lead the delegation in different way.
Many analysts say the “illicit” affair of Siilanyo and the firm is “Survival Bridge” and it is strategically “indispensable” it is hard to imagine Siilaanyo as president without crucial support of the company and vice versa. That is a raw fact. Among the clannish fans of the party whom I met here and there confirmed me “nothing would happen without the vital funding of the company” and I agreed with them
Business-cum-politics firms
As soon as the president was sworn in, Dahab Shiil affiliates: Somtel,
Hawala, foodstuffs import and export, internet provider, and many others were aggressively launched its inauguration to coincide the president’s, the partner? , taking-oath ceremony, all of these conglomerates are entitled to tax exempt and have the license to bulldoze anything they want from wildlife to subcontracting airports and seaports. However, they are flourishing now as he expertly wielded by the president. These groups of companies have at its disposal the highest authorities: government power, huge finances without certified sources and can remove any multi-national company that comes its way, repress poor masses, and bribe major decent voices calling check and balance in the power.
More liability than asset
The Presidency has been mostly occupied by either veteran statesmen and women or highly educated men and women or both, but now that is not the case. Former livestock middlemen with knives and clubs and men with vested interests are packed here, “ I could not imagine being a minister as I never met one in my life” “ but when I joined the system, I was told I can easily fake it…,” he affirmed. “Nothing can happen here without my endorsement and signature!” Two-thirds of the ministers are amateurs and never been a public servants in their lives. Remembering no achievements whatsoever in their lives, and pleased to be mere ministers, they are indifferent of the country’s fate, they are indifferent of the country if for sale or not! Shoeshine boys are certainly thinking to be a minister without going to school one day. Anyone can be a president provided that you have the expertise and the qualification for the top job in the nation.
Humiliation of the people’s intellect
The vice president VP Saylici answered when asked if he knew the subject of the ongoing talks “I am unaware of the contents of the talks, be they for unity or not!” Somalilanders are in agreement how silly it was to hear the VP stating in such funny way in televised interview in his return from Europe. Such as disarray is an aftermath of lengthy calculation, it is perfect scenario which was developed to embrace the new era as the talks are for unification. Will any of us want to meet Morgan, the brutal culprit in Las Anod roads or Las Qoray? Will any of us want to return a cancer he recovered earlier? That is the case now.
Shiekh Sharif of Somalia apologized to Somaliland for the tragedy happened to them during the dark days in crowd of elders in Mogadishu hinting possible return to the unity. In any event, cocktail of issues are intermingled, but Somaliland overriding issue: full independence has gone missing in the heart of the communiqué of all conferences from London to Istanbul to Dubai, why? It is quite mystery.
The company’s interests taking over the nation’s are ruining the country’s dreams of independence and nationhood, which is not easy to get, over the past two years, the president entwined business with power politics to please his former right hand, Dahab Shiil. However, if the president and his cohorts including the green foreign minister whose main duty seems to become a Private Assistant to the President in every conference where he appears in local TVs arranging paper works for the president, continue to take part in the future Somali conference, the international advocacy for our independence will automatically decline.
Furthermore, the president’s meeting with Xagletoosiye, a ring leader of militia, casted a doubt over the fate of the nation. Why this time? Why not meet before? And what have changed Xagal toosiye’s mind? But the president Siilanyo has reformed himself over the years; his strong faith in Somaliland has been diluted by certain forces or faded away. Siilanyo is no longer the man we knew. But those radical changes in his rigid principles took no notice of us. Silent creeping reforms are underway. Although the combination of power politics and businesses are threat to any country in the world, particularly to ours, the demoting the parliament to yoke of Dahab Shiil still continues.
Both the president and Dahab Shiil-installed ministers are in one direction, that is, to unify Somalia, to gain better position and larger market respectively. Dr. Sifir , yesterday deputy prime minister is leading low profile and working behind the scene to accelerate the process. Thanks to Dahab Shiil privileged club. But the question is: will the people take to the streets in Hargaysa, Buroa, Erigavo, and Borame to foil the conspiracy or will they be pleased with mere Somaliland flag paintings on few public places by Dahab Shiil Co. paying lip-service to them? Changes do not come on their own they want vehicle to happen. Are you ready to be that vehicle?
By Ahmed Dirye
Dirye is Somaliland Activist and Volunteer. He can be reached at: mrdirye@gmail.com
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/
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