Araweelo News Network.
What I hate Most,
Generally, People in the world have a different ethnicity, tribe, culture, language, beliefs, and values whereby each community keep their trait and transfer from one generation to the next to sustain. Although, Somali people are homogenous with no significant variances. Clan issues divided and negatively impacted them in terms of life and state for ages. Tribalism is the state of existing as a tribe or a very strong feeling of loyalty to your tribe regardless of right or wrong.
Historically, Somali people used to divide themselves into clan and sub-clan and these structures used to deal and solve the inter and external conflicts of the people and worked as a bridge of cultural gaps.
The issue of tribalism set in during the colonial period. Because, the colonial created new chiefs, distributed with monthly incentives, and provided them with power and protection. In return, they were subjected to collect taxes from the clan members and report to colonial office. This resulted that clan leaders divide and trust among them fall. What made the matter worse was that clan structures emerged in politics and the election process.
Despite several attempts to address the concern was factored in during the post-independence era but it kept repeatedly threatened peoples’ unity and statehood. For instance, during the civil war, an event that I witnessed touched my heart. A tall backman was arrested by repels and he was asked about his identity clan. When the word came out of his mouth he was shot. One of the repels said why you killed him because he was not from the intended clan. the other replied rudely saying ‘he lied to us, he was hiding’. Yes, with a clan, we lost our nation and marked us failed state for over 30 years. We are dying every minute for insecurity, conflict, hunger, disease, and floods.
Some people may argue that adopting the tribalism system in the Somali context has some quick benefits such as protection and facilitate the acquisition of the political position. Saying that to be a member of Somali parliamentarian, you just need to come from a strong clan because the elections are done on clan-based systems and clan leaders/chiefs play a vital role in the selection process. However, with good faith, does the exclusion of women and monitory groups representations in the Somali politics fair? Does value people on a tribe-base regardless of their capacity, skill, knowledge, and value logical sound good? I believe it works reverse, marginalizes the development of the country, and kills the people’s will let alone to produce a penny.
Furthermore, all ongoing armed conflict, insecurity, lack of state protection, and recurring humanitarian crises exposed Somali civilians and serious abuse and exportation of women are the fruit of tribalism which one can’t deny the sort taste it has.
In conclusion, I suggest that behavior and attitudes relate to tribalism should be avoided and social justice, unity, equity, and equality must be motivated.
by. Abdifatah Fahiye