Somaliland.Org

Unguided talking head

Wednesday, 16 July 2008 03:24 Mahdi Gabose

Dr. Megalommatis,

I have been reading your writings the past few days with bewilderment, amusement and sometime utter disbelief at some of your claims about Somaliland. It is hard to know where to begin, and it is with some reluctance and trepidation that I finally decided to say something to you fully appreciating that my words will never reach you as you seem to be locked up in a reality bubble of your own creations.

Mr. Mohamed M Awale had a good piece about your most recent articles on Somaliland.org addressing some of your inconsistencies in a very tactful, reasoned and mature manner which is in stark contrast to your rather crude and tasteless blanket attacks on anything and anyone you happen to disagree with. You have every right to have your own opinion about anyone and on anything that tickles your fancy, what you don’t have is the right to demean and insult those whose opinions and positions you happen to disagree.

In this alternate universe where the rest of us live in, Somaliland has many short comings,  the political process is far from being perfect and the current administration has shown flashes of totalitarian tendencies, the economy is stagnant and there is rampant unemployment. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely! But then again, given the region’s condition, these are hardly problems unique to Somaliland. What is remarkable and unique about Somaliland is that it manages to limp along and do as well or as bad depending on your point of view as the rest without ANY foreign aid.

The contrast with the South is quite evident and isn’t worth spending much time highlighting the vast differences, suffice to say that aid workers, and journalist have a longer life span in Hargeisa than in Mogadishu. Taking a trip and evaluating first hand the lay of the land is highly advised before issuing any kind of proclamations about either cities. You might want to visit Hargeisa first though, the mean streets of my beloved Mogadishu may not be as kind or people as friendly as those you will find in Hargeisa.

Out of all the offensive remarks you made, the one that did the most damage is the virulent attacks you leveled at president Rayale’s wife. Unfortunately for you, the damage was self inflicted, because there is a line one does not cross, and that is, one should not defame another man’s wife, of course for one to see this line one should not be divorced from reality.

There are plenty of unreasonable, incoherent, hate filled people in the field spewing their two cents worth at every corner in our region, one more or one less won’t make a bit of difference, so welcome home Dr.

Mahdi Gabose.