Moving Forward

  By: Ayanle Dad

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It seems like yesterday our proud nation was standing up for the rights of the Somali people in the Ogaden. Today leaders in the autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland are competing over how many Somali nationals they can hand over to Ethiopia. Where we once stood side by side to help free oppressed Africans, we now watch hopelessly as our country is occupied. Where we once said “A qoon laan waa iftiin la aan”, we now hear the words “Qabiil la aan wa magac la aan”.

            My fellow country men pride is the mask tribalism wears to conceal its true face, anarchy. Only a prideful and hard headed people who have achieved a minimal amount of education would dare pursue a divisive and backward system like tribalism. And only a divided people with no sense of nationalism would continue on this course after witnessing its setbacks for the past two decades.

To this day the only person who has taken control of our nation’s destiny is Meles Zenawi. In a wicked turn of events, our dream of uniting all Somalis under one flag has become a reality. That flag is the Ethiopian flag. Today Mr. Zenawi can take sober satisfaction that he has managed, through deception and brute force, what his forefathers could never accomplish. Today every region of Greater Somalia is under his control. He may control through political means as is the case in Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland or straight out military conquest as in southern Somali and the Ogaden. This should truly bring shame to anyone who calls themselves Somali, for this has happened under our watch.

Every generation is defined by what it doest to affect the lives of the next. Two generations ago, a privileged few saw the tears, sweat and dreams that were hundreds of years in the making. The Creation of Somalia as a nation. The generation that came after decided to sleep on the wheel. Actually they ran half way around the world to live off food stamp and hold miniscule jobs that required little to no education. Those who couldn’t run from their problems opted to stay and kill each other, because god forbid if they don’t share the same grandpa. This generation faces the hurdles of many challenges and obstacles. From unseating bitter old men from the halls of power to rebuilding a war tattered nation that has little infrastructure. This generation does not intend to let their nation and people flounder in the backwash of this new century like the last. This is a challenge we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to overcome inshallah.