Ileen odaygu wuu iska soomaaliyoobeyOn Wednesday afternoon during the January 2009 trip to Somaliland we met with a man who is likely to have more experience and insight into Somalia than any other foreigner. John Drysdale came to Somaliland in 1943 as a young British officer when the colonial powers were locked in battle, not only on the Continent, but throughout East Africa. Britain controlled present day Somaliland, including the strategic port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden, not far from the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Italy controlled the South and Central part of Somalia, with headquarters in Mogadishu.
Drysdale came at time when troops from the colonial possessions were sent to fight in other theaters, under British officers. Soon after he went to Burma with a Battalion of Somali Scouts, the unit took heavy casualties fighting the Japanese, and was disbanded on return to Somaliland. After the war, Drysdale stayed on in Somaliland as a member of the colonial administration, and was there when Somaliland received its independence from Britain in 1960. At that point the Somaliland government made a fateful mistake, joining the former Italian colony in newly formed Republic of Somalia with the capitol in Mogadishu.
He continued to find postings in Somalia and served as advisor to three Somali prime ministers before Siad Barre took power. After the fall of the dictator, he returned as advisor to three UN Special Representatives, including Admiral Jonathan Howe of UNOSOM II. He was in Mogadishu in July 1993 when the US attacked the compound of Mohamed Farah Aidid, he was highly critical of the actions of the UN and the US, and later included his comments in his book “What Ever Happened to Somalia.” He told us that his most important book was “Stoics Without Pillows” describing the pastoral culture of Somalia, both books are available on Amazon.com.
Drysdale believes that Somaliland is more stable than the South because of the contrast between the colonial administrations of Britain and Italy. The Italians sent the key Somalis off to be educated in Italy, and when they came back they formed the basis of the bureaucratic class. He said the Italians would only deal with people in “suits and ties” and refused to recognize the authority of the elders, believing them to be uneducated. In Somaliland the British involved the elders in government, and today the independent Somaliland legislature includes an upper house of elders with significant power.
During his early years in Somaliland Drysdale made the decision to learn the Somali language, he became distrustful of his interpreters and found it would be the only way to understand the culture and political interaction. Today he lives quietly in Hargeysa, walks slowly with a cane and runs a company called Cadastral Surveys. He obtains government grants to survey farms in Somaliland, employs 35 Somalis, and has provided the first records of ownership and titles to more than 13,000 farmers. This new system has reduced conflict in rural areas and has been welcomed by the locals and the government. I told him that he has probably done more positive things for Somalia than any other foreigner.
That first bold part is interesting what do you guys think about that I mean that's the first time I've heard about it. Discuss
