"Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear".
Harry S Truman, August 8, 1950
33rd president of US (1884 - 1972)

The Somali National Regional State's immediate past President, Abdullahi Hassan (Lugbuur) was recently sacked by his cabinet for nepotism and obstructing peace and development in the region. He was also accused of corruption and lacking in leadership. Abdulahi Lugbuur will be remembered as the weakest individual to become president of the region. His legacy as a stooge of the TPLF would best be remembered as a time thousands of Somali civilians are detained in the so called Jail Ogaden without any legal process. It also marked an era when the federal government systematically created man-made famines and used the famine to suppress the people for what the government called "their support to anti-government movements". A period where the international community voiced their grave concern repeatedly in the way the government is treating civilians in the Somali Region.

The firing of Lugbuur came after three lengthy years in the bogus position. The corruption that Lugbuur is accused of is an open secret in the Somali Region. The federal agents who have now dismissed Lugbuur from his post were the ones who benefited the most from the kickbacks they got as a result of supporting weak individuals like Lugbuur for influential positions. The ultimate decision of nominating or dismissing individuals in the Somali Region is held by the Tigray political advisors, Abay Sahai and Tewelde along with military commanders. Hence, Lugbuur's nomination did not come through due election process, but by the approval of these Tigray advisers, who chose him for his zealot character and lack of confidence. Surprisingly they are the same ones that are now blaming him for all system failure in the region.

Though Lugbuur's qualification to be President was merely his personal character, what emerged soon after his appointment and which troubled The EPRDF cadres was his obsession with media. Mr. Abdualhi enjoys giving interviews to media to impress his masters. Unfortunately, in so many occasions, due to his incoherence in speech Abdullahi unknowingly vilified his masters rather than defend them. Abdullahi Lugbuur has given several interviews during his term to Somali media in his own Somali language and could not convey his message in a persuasive manner. All we heard from his talking points were the frequent references to ONLF, enemies, Islamic extremist, Eretria etc. His last interview with Channel 4 in English language was a disaster; through the interview, the international community once again got a glimpse of the brutality of the EPRDF Government. From the documentary, which reflected the real situation on the ground, the agony and the suffering of the Somalis is beyond imagination. Brave journalists such as Jonathan Rugman have risked their lives and traveled to restricted areas of the region to uncover the inhumane treatment of the Somali people and the lapdogs of the region that are exploited to commit this horrendous crimes.

Interestingly, the EPRDF leaders in Addis Ababa could not watch Jonathan Rugman's horrifying pictures, including that of a mother pleading for food for her children. A lunatic whose job was to minimize the damage and defend the government simply countered these reports, only throwing his hands in the air, saying "our enemies' propaganda", served as a major embarrassment to EPRDF. In the end, Abdullahi's blind loyalty to the EPRDF, which he hoped would sustain and extend his term as president of the Somali Region became his demise. He is now in Addis Ababa desperately lobbying to be spared from imprisonment, using the money he embezzled during the past three years! Farewell Mr. Lugbuur!!

Well, once again, as usual, the EPRDF cadres are engaged in a search of another Tigray-made Somali National Regional State president. After a week of closed door meetings with federal agents, it became public that Daud Mohamed is their new selected lapdog. Congratulation Daud! After all, I personally do not see any one who is more qualified than you to be the decoy criminal of the Somali region. Since 1999, you have been an influential figure in the Somali Region politics. The majority of Somali people consider you as the main brain behind the current political turmoil. If your past record is anything to go by, then in the guise of bringing peace and development, you will continue to execute mass punishment on your own people. You will be awarded with blank checks to starve them to death and incarcerate the reaming ones in your jails. If the postulation is wrong, we will see at least some change in your judicial system. The courts would resume their work and grant not guilty verdict to innocent people who are forgotten in your prisons for years. We will see accountability in your offices and a fundamental change in what has been a common practice of corruption and nepotism in the entire Somali Region system.

Peace and prosperity can only be expected in the Somali Region if and when the condition of basic living standards change for the masses. If and when, you the so-called president will dismiss part or entire cabinet and office heads for incompetence without labeling them anti-peace elements, and when your staffs are evaluated on their job performance but not on Gemgama system, then you may earn some of our confidence. Keep in mind and learn from history, those who where there before you in the presidency were applauded at the beginning of their terms but later invariably dishonored and thrown away.

Abdirazaq Garane
abdirazaqgarane@yahoo.co.uk

We welcome the submission of all articles for possible publication on MaanHadal.com .
please email your article to Webmaster@Maanhadal.com
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of MaanHdadal.com