Somaliland Recognition & Western Gay Activists

[Padishah]

Somaliland Recognition & Western Gay Activists
Abdikarim Ali Xandule



For the past 16 years the wily and dedicated proponents of “Somaliland” recognition as a State recruited a wide array of people to help them achieve their illusory goal. They recruited academics from the US and South Africa, Washington-based Lobbyists, renegade African Parliamentarians, and foreign spouses of “Somaliland” women.

All these efforts came to a dead end when, on March 22, 2007, the British Government categorically rejected a mass appeal and a Petition that “Somaliland” be recognized as a separate State. The British were their last hope after a series of setbacks and humiliations in the African Union, the UN, the Arab League, and elsewhere in the international diplomatic arena.

But driven by blind pursuit for dismemberment of the country, Somalia’s secessionists will stop at nothing. It recently came to light that they recruited key leaders in the Gay community in the UK and Canada to wage a campaign in support of their project. This is in spite of the fact that homosexuality, the life style modus operandi of the international Gay movement, is against the basic tenet of Islam and equally against fundamental teachings of Somali culture.

A Somaliland advocate from the Toronto Gay Community


As the first salvo of this unholy joint campaign, a Mr. Tyler Stiem, writes a flattering warm article[1] about the “Toronto Somalilander Community”. In his profiling “the Toronto Somalilander community”, which he treats as distinct from the “Toronto Somali Community” he interviews and quotes among others a local “Somalilander” psychiatrist: a Dr Abdishakur Jowhar, whom I was told by friends in Toronto is a Born-again Somalilander from a respectable religious Awdalite family, who since the election of Dahir Riyale, a fellow Gadabuursi, to the “Somaliland’ presidency, became a loud and sometimes embarrassing[2] advocate of Somaliland recognition as a separate State.

As reported by Mr. Stiem, in the company of a young Somalilander he goes on a leisurely stroll in a Somali Mall, Suuqa Ceel-Gaab, and refers in the article to seeing “a mix of Somali and Somalilander-run shops”. I wonder how one can distinguish between a “Somali” and a “Somalilander” businessman/woman who owns a unit in that Mall.

Through further cyber sifting it came to light that Mr. Stiem’s advocacy for Somaliland recognition is not confined to this article. Mr. Stiems was an honoured guest of SOPRI’s [3], a US-based Somaliland Think Thank, annual international conference held in Washington in September 2006.

On checking the background of Mr. Tyler Stiem [4] I was astonished that he currently lives in Hargeisa [5]. What a Canadian Gay Activists is doing in a relatively desolate Somali city? According to sources close to the secessionist movement he was recruited by Faisal Warrabe, a well-known Opposition Leader, while on a visit to Toronto in 2005. Upon further enquiry

on what he does in Hargeisa, I was told he is a guest of Mr. Warrabe, who frequently alternates between Somaliland and Finland where his wife and children reside. Mr. Stiem, according to sources in Hargeisa, also advises Mr. Warrabe’s party, the Justice and Welfare Party (UCID), on the burning issue of Somaliland recognition as an independent State.
Another Gay Somaliland Recruit from the UK

Upon first coming across the above-mentioned subtle advocacy of Somaliland recognition by Mr. Tyler Stiem, my friends and I shrug it off as a one time anomaly that a Western journalist, who happen to be Gay, will lobby for the recognition of Somaliland. However, another jolt was in the wait for us. It seems there is a troubling pattern.

Few days later we read a blunt bipartisan Guardian article with the loaded title Africa’s Success Story [6], written by a Peter Tatchell [7], repeating verbatim, the usual secessionists’ trade-mark propaganda that Somaliland, unlike their neighbors in the South, is stable with thriving parliamentary democracy, Freedom of the Press, and an exemplary human rights record, and that the world should not ignore this unique African ‘success story’. Curious of the identity and background of this British Knight coming so strongly for Somaliland recognition, we checked the Internet for clues.

Mr. Peter Tatchell is a leading activist and lobbyists for Gay Rights worldwide. Check out his website and you will come across the variety of Gay and Lesbian causes he fervently defends: from the UK to Algeria.

Conclusion

From the main stream Somali Muslim perspective homosexuality is seen as immoral and a blunt contravention of Islam and traditional Somali culture. Having said that, an individual breach of moral teachings is between that individual and his Creator. However, when extremist groups within a Muslim Community recruits non-Muslims, who champion non-Islamic life styles, to promote a Somali constituency project (Somaliland Recognition) whose national symbols include a flag with Quranic verses, it is appropriate to raise the red flag on this affront and insult to the Somali people.

The people of Somaliland deserves to know the unIslamic UnSomali manner in which their name is used or misused by some diasporas-based fringe elements who are encouraged and coached by extremist clan chauvinist politicians, such as Faisal Warrabe of the UCID party. It seems this misguided group will do everything to promote a divisive pipedream project that sure, if realized, will bring conflict and mayhem for the long suffering people of the Somali Republic and in the process de-stabilize the relatively peaceful northern regions of the country.

By Abdikarim Ali Xandule
Canberra, Australia


Links:

[1] http://www.hiiraan.com/news2/2007/may/s ... could.aspx
[2] http://www.somaliland.org/opinions.asp?ID=07020905
[3] http://www.acheron.com/tyler/blog/?cat=26
[4] http://www.msm-aids2006.org/contact/contact.html
[5] http://www.lightstalkers.org/tyler_stiem
[6] http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/pet ... story.html
[7] http://www.petertatchell.net/gay%20comm ... 0index.htm

[Mrs Musika man]

Faysal Waraabe invites Somaliland gays from Canada to his house while his wife is in Finland. I wonder that they do after chewing Qaad.


Whether they recruit gay men is not my concern but my concern is that the gay men came there for the Somaliland politician's pleasure. Perhaps they want to create gay Hotels in Hargeisa to improve relations and further please their sick needs.

Gay boys and QAAD

[kkk47]

waraabe's party is a gay party

[adanboy]

very good article indeed. Its alarming and looming sisaster for our northern bros&sis..,,.Wait a mininute ; whats Qaad and Gay thing Mrs???

[Garaad_LQ]

S!!l-Waraabe-riyaale now will legalize homo marriage ,
they got The Fags of the new world order behind them .....Holy God

atleast ,now I can kill a fogg for Allah and not go to prison ..........i'm heading to S!!l-Waraabe_riyooleland

[Garaad_LQ]

..

[Garaad_LQ]

.

[Cilmiile]

I knew Faisal was crazy but I am shocked and disgusted that the man is also a Sodomite.

War nimankaan Isaaq Soomaalina waa ceebeeyeen iyagiina waa is ceebeeyeen.

Allow sahal amuuraha adigaa sareeyee

Aamiin

[Ina Baxar]

, Padishah waa xariif walle , si fiicaan buu inoogu riday maanta .
The answer is right there , as far as I am concerned , he said it himself--->
" Having said that, an individual breach of moral teachings is between that individual and his Creator"
Why is he concerned about the Somaliland flag now all of a sudden when Hartis have been burning it down in Puntland for ages?

I was told this , I was told that , sidii habalaha yaryar miyaynu u " gossip"-gareynaa? yaa?

[Cilmiile]

Ina Baxar

I was distraught that you were using the Granddaughter of the Great Reer Axmed holy man Sheekh Madar to use her feminine wiles to secure independence. it was a bit seedy but not really that disgusting. But to use Gay fockers to argue your case brings shame on your lot walaahay. If this continues walaahay you will become pariahs. Somalis would give you independence to get you away from the rest of us

[Ina Baxar]

, unlike you , runtaan ku hadlayoo hawada kama baxo sidaada maalinta Puntland war xun laga soo sheego.
Hadday waxani dhab tahay , dee in laynagu qoslo inaga isugu wacan .

[Phd in naago kudis]

he somaliland is just using these people politicaly

hey dont get involed in their gay activites

somaliand wants get to so badly away form somalia they even have to tell homosexuals to speak for somaliland

but once recognized they will tell the homosexuals

who the hell are u again


so somaliland just uses people

unlike somalia who are used and abused by xabashis and zenawi

thanks to caasho yusuf

[Advocatar]

WTF!!!!!!!....................



This is a new blow, I knew Faysal Hyena was funny but not this funny.

[Ugaas Diini]

[quote]foreign spouses of “Somaliland” women.[/quote]

That shit is hilarious.

[Navy9]

[quote="Padishah"]

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/pet ... story.html [/quote]

Nice Link, thanks



Africa's success story
Peter Tatchell
April 12, 2007 11:30 AM

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/pet ... story.html

Too much of the news we hear about Africa is negative: famine, civil war, HIV, corruption and dictatorship. The latest horror stories from Darfur, Zimbabwe and the Congo grab the headlines, but quiet success stories like Somaliland rarely make the news.

I am talking about Somaliland, not Somalia. The contrast between the two states could not be greater. In the chaos and brutality of war-torn Somalia, more than 1,000 people have been killed or wounded in the last two weeks. Since February, nearly 100,000 refugees have fled the fighting in Mogadishu, bringing the total of displaced persons to more than 400,000.

Contrast this chaos and violence in Somalia with the tranquillity and stability of the north-west breakaway region of the republic of Somaliland. Imperfect, but moving in the right direction, next month the country will celebrate its 16th anniversary of independence. Against all odds, and with little international aid, the three million people of Somaliland have, by their own efforts, begun to establish a secure, functioning democratic state and a reasonable degree of economic stability and growth. This is a truly remarkable achievement in a region of Africa that has long been a byword for chaos, repression and war.

Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from the defunct republic of Somalia on 18 May 1991. The new state is based on the colonial borders that were recognised in 1960, when Somaliland briefly gained independence from Britain and became the first independent Somali nation to join the United Nations.

Over the last decade-and-a-half, the predominantly Muslim country has made the transition from an autocratic clan-run region, notorious for war and human rights abuses. It has emerged from the ruins of decades of misgovernance and conflict as a peaceful multi-party democracy. A referendum in 2001 led to the adoption of a new democratic constitution. Since then, Somalilanders have held successful elections for president, parliament and local government. While Somalia has not had a free election since the 1960s, each of these three votes in Somaliland has been largely peaceful and declared free and fair by international election observers.

In contrast to the clan conflicts that bedevil Somalia and many other African nations, Somaliland has found a way to negotiate and resolve them peacefully. It has bought previously often hostile clans together in a democratic system that minimises rivalries by incorporating the clan elders into the advisory upper house.

Somalilanders have achieved an enviable peace; progressively disarming and demobilising thousands of gunmen; whereas in Somalia to the south soldiers still run amok, looting, extorting and terrorising local populations. Many of Somaliland's former clan fighters have been successfully incorporated into the mostly well disciplined national army. Unlike many other African states, the armed forces stay out of politics.

Moreover, Somaliland is committed to the rule of law, which is upheld by a largely independent judiciary. Discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, gender or opinion is prohibited. Human rights abuses, such as torture, are criminal offences. The right to protest is protected by law.

The country's transition to democracy and the full observance of human rights still has a way to go. It has a multi-party system but only three political parties are allowed under the constitution. Islam is the state religion. While non-Islamic faiths are allowed, their promotion is prohibited. Muslims are not permitted to renounce Islam.

The legal system is based on Sharia law. Although rarely enforced with harshness, this does place inherent restrictions of the rights of women. The female sex is poorly represented in public life and state institutions. The constitution does, however, give women the right to employment training and property ownership. Although government corruption and inefficiency are not as bad as in many other African nations, they remain a problem according to critics of the regime.

Somaliland's significantly improved record on human rights suffered a setback earlier this year with the arrest of four journalists from the independent newspaper, Haatuf. They were only released at the end of March, after being detained for 86 days on charges of allegedly spreading false information and offending the president. This worrying abuse of press freedom was, however, an exceptional curtailment of what is nowadays a fairly open and free media.

Despite a few flaws, Somaliland is mostly a success story - especially compared to the violence and chaos of Somalia. The Somalilanders have shown, without any pressure from the west, that a Muslim country can build a peaceful, democratic state that, for the most part, upholds human rights. It is a model for Africa and the Middle East.

Yet Somaliland remains unrecognised as a sovereign nation. While the United Nations and the international community focus on the civil war in Somalia, Somaliland's achievement in building a stable, harmonious democracy is unrecognised and unrewarded. Betrayed by the Arab League and the African Union, it stands alone.

Instead of one-sidedly condemning Africa's failures, isn't it time the west did more to acknowledge and support its successes? For a start, Britain, the Commonwealth and the European Union should recognise Somaliland as an independent, sovereign state; and lobby the African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations to do likewise. A modest increase in British and EU aid and trade would go a long way to strengthen Somaliland's economic base. Tackling poverty and unemployment, and improving health, education and housing, will help underpin and enhance Somaliland's transition to a war-free, democratic future.