WHY SOMALIS SEEM FAR LESS PATRIOTS?!

[fagash_killer]

Why Somalis Seem Far less Patriots?!

Mohamed O. Eyow

On Sunday evening, a friend of mine had called me while am still at dinner court, he noted me that ICU executive chairman is touring UAE and that he is due to address Somali business community in Dubai. Shortly afterwards we reached the venue “Renaissance Hotel in Dubai", where the meeting was to be held. Within few minutes, the auditorium was filled by charming and enthusiastic Somalis.

With coffee and tea refresh, inaugural verses of holy Quran were recited by a cleric expat, then a prominent Somali businessman turned microphone, he uttered a brief introductory comment and then summoned the Chairman –Sheikh Sherif Ahmed- to say his word to the audience. With humbleness and poise, the chairman jumped up to the stage and, began to articulate the substantial transforms of peace and order they enforced in Mogadishu. He remarked that their armed militias are now divided into two major categories, one for domestic security and, the other for defense service. Finally he pointed out that a huge and series challenge of works is pending. Afterwards, Sherif Ahmed, -community chairman, opened comments and questions for the public, with caution of limited timeframe, due to meetings or possibly next appointments. Several people stood and delivered comments and advices most were close in the overall essence.

After that, a prominent elderly and, a veteran politician took the podium to pay what I have seen at that evening as most inspirational advisory comment. His excellence Mr. Osable, a long term celebrated bureaucrat who turned into entrepreneur, uttered the necessity for reconciliation with the government and urged all to seize the opportunity in order to base an effective and, all-inclusive government, otherwise warned possible downfall of Islamists rising esteem that, he said, if happened could undo all triumphant progresses they gained in recent months, He cautioned Islamic courts not to be deluded with the swift power grip they ensured almost across the country, as he pointed that the world today is as far more different as ever before, and that foes are manifold in quantity. He presented an exemplary past events, from Somali’s early Deravish struggle to the late SYL; all those movements, he said, share a common factor with current Islamists revolution “they were entirely backed by the mainstream population”. Though such intelligent and visionary remarks, which I thought befittingly coincided at most appropriate time, sadly there were no applauses, chanting or even a node of reception from the faces of the audience.

Dear readers, In spite of ideological disparity and the sheer political differences between the government and Islamic Courts Union, also despite weakness and blunt foreign involvement particularly in the government side, yet itÂ’s evident if both sides are committed and willing and avoid any negative meddling from foreign elements they can make a consensus toward a unanimous leadership.

The government must understand that its powerless entity and the international recognition in which itÂ’s enjoying now will not exist any longer, particularly, in the shade of growing political storms, also the idea of its federal charter which many of them believe it as fixed and non-negotiable must set aside, All that beliefs, in the view of nation-building politics, are nonsense. They are not irreversible railway line that cannot be modified or aborted; there must be adjustment and flexibility in all sides therefore a solution can be reached at the end of the tunnel which could hopefully terminate countryÂ’s longstanding political quagmire.

The government should also bear in mind that Somalis are Muslim society and that Islam is the only factor they can be united at the time being, whatever pressure imposed on, Islamists seem unwavering in their current political Islam, according to ICU chairmanÂ’s remarks they seem apathy to the swelling foreign weighs, so the national interest and the unity of the country should be first and foremost. We have to look all initiatives at the prism of commonality. There is no fear in Islam. Because we have no diverse popular society, as many Mulsim nations do.

On the other hand victorious Islamists must understand that Islam is a universal religion, which has no border, lingual or racial limits. It has more than 1.5b adherents across the globe and each society lives within its own border and exercises its respective interests in a way complying Islam. Those nation-states live mutually with the rest of the world in peace, respect and cooperation. Somalis cannot pioneer Islamic universalism campaign, as equal as no other nation in the Muslim world today cannot dare such a caliphate movement at this time, ItÂ’s beyond our reach, and of course, a zero sum game, so we must be broad-minded. Our system of Islam should be based solely on our national interests, because as reported by media, some of Islamists warriors who took over Kismayo last month defiled countryÂ’s national flag, which is the only unifier remained nationÂ’s ruined identity.

The flag for which our fathers sacrificed their souls and lost their lives, the one that implanted the essence of Somaliness in the mind of Somali speaking people on the horn of Africa. The one we, as childhood, stood to sing and solute for, in every daybreak morning. I feel only those who studied in childhood national hymn or learned the martyrdom history of Hallane or listened the elderly tales of independence struggle or those who witnessed it in the eve of its birth at old parliament house in Mogadishu can only asses the value and dignity of this flag. ItÂ’s the pride of Somaliness and a guide for others to identify our nation.

So, Islamic courts union should be nationalistic in their political Islam. They must accept reconciliation with the government regardless of bulk of allegations, and mistrusting, because if they failed so, it is undoubted that ethnic division will get a boost again that could inspire another political fragment even within Islamists line. We must transplant a patriotic gene in our DNA as equal as we have implanted Islam, both are compatible and harmonious. According to Islam, it’s a good act, but not, a blasphemous as some put it, because we learned in Schools “Loyalty to a country is an integral part of faith” therefore we must do this as early as possible to avoid more bloodshed and more repeated ethnic divisions.

Mohamed O. Eyow mosman263@hotmail.com

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