By Dr Omar Ibrahim Hussein

The Anniversary is a cherished annually observed event in Toronto. The anniversary was conducted meticulously and lavishly in a big Armenian Centre in East Toronto. I was one of the invitees and I was extremely excited about the occasion. This was my first participation in any national celebration since 26 June 1960 at the Independence Garden in Hargeysa. According to the invitation card, the party starts at 7 o’clock Sharp. Since the place was one hour drive away, I asked my wife to get ready at five o’clock for I know she gets ready in around one hour. My wife asked me what the time was for she thought I may have a different time. I told her it was five o’clock. She laughed and said we will leave home about nine o’clock. But the Party starts at seven o’clock sharp according to this card. She calmly and coolly replied don’t you worry about the time; this is Toronto and the Party will not start before ten or eleven o’clock at the earliest. I was terribly confused and said why didn’t they say so on the card. She replied if they say so, they will come to the Party the following day not today. I insisted we go there on time whether somebody gets late or not is not our concern. Our concern is to be there on time. We agreed to meet halfway and be there at nine o’clock. In fact we arrived there at the celebration centre at ten minutes after nine o’clock.

The celebration hall was huge and meticulously decorated with Somaliland flag and colorful flowers. We were warmly welcomed at the door. As I entered the big hall they gave me the Somaliland flag and sold me a batch in an envelop and we proceeded inside to the highly decorated hall extremely excited. My first question to those who were organizing the Party was why conduct our celebration in an Armenian community centre. Why not in a Somaliland community centre? The obvious answer was there is no Somaliland community centre. To have one we must be united and we are not. This is one of the rare occasions we meet to celebrate Somaliland’s independence, even in this celebration we are not united. A similar celebration was conducted the previous night by an antagonistic group I was told. Then, why not in a Somali community centre? They don’t have one either and even if they have one, we won’t use it.

Although we came late, to my surprise only the early birds were there. My wife jokingly told me we are a little bit early. I sat with some friends and my wife joined her friends in another table. The atmosphere was friendly, cordial and joyous. As I look towards the door, I see people coming in tickle. I look around I saw women clad with the colorful traditional cloth--- the Diric. Within in two hours the hall was completely inundated with swamps of the young and the restless.

The real Party started after eleven with the traditional speech about the history of Somaliland. The man who read the speech was extremely articulate. Very few people have such oratory talent. I was extremely impressed. The friend who was sitting next to me told me in a whisper, “He is excellent for he read the same speech word by word for the last 6 years”. The speech was all about the struggle for Somaliland independence. It started with the union and how Somaliland was not given its rightful share in Mogadishu in 1960, the ethnic cleansing that followed and the Somali Nation Movement’s struggle and sacrifice to liberate Somaliland. The heroes of that struggled whether dead or alive were amply and repeated eulogized in the speech. Ina Kahin and Ina Koodbur were showered with praises and were ‘the heroes’ of the night. Although the speech was marvelous, I expected it to touch some aspects if not all of the period after May 18, 1991; there must be some heroes. My friend whispered to me ‘the history of Somaliland is the history of the Somali National Movement. They are the ones who had sawn the seeds of independence and paid with their blood. This occasion is reserved for the real heroes of Somaliland not those who jumped on the bandwagon to reap the fruits of SNM sacrifices’. The speeches, the music and the environment were exuberant, and I enjoyed it very much.

Article 32 of the Constitution; the Manifesto:

While we were sitting and chatting, I opened the envelop I bought at the entrance to get the badge. I found article 32 of the constitution of Somaliland inscribed on the badge. I also found a manifesto with the badge. The manifesto says without freedom of speech there is no democracy. Help your country by supporting article 32 of the constitution. The manifesto goes further and says a Fund is hereby formed to protect freedom of speech in Somaliland. The manifesto did not say or even hint article 32 is violated or ignored in Somaliland. I unknowingly contributed to that Fund at the entrance. The founders of the manifesto advocate strict adherence to article 32 of the constitution. I support this article to the end without reservation and I am willing to support the Fund. The manifesto group realized that selective use or turning a blind eye to article 32 of the constitution will ultimately destroy our hard won democracy. The government whether it is the present or the future one could engage in selective use of the constitution. But if we are concerned and have the Fund in our hands, we can help democracy flourish in Somaliland by defending article 32 of the constitution. The manifesto group is truly ahead of their time.

As we all know Somaliland is facing a difficult time ahead at a time Somalia might finally come to its feet. Many of our people could use article 32 to express their views in supporting unionist ideology or even participate in the reconciliation conference in Mogadishu. Both are fundamental rights guaranteed by article 32 of the constitution. The House of Elders recently criminalized participating in the reconciliation conference in Mogadishu which is in direct violation of article 32 of the constitution (Xeerkani ay mudanayaasha golaha guurtidu dib u ansixiyeen ayaa wuxuu dhigaya in lagu qaado Danbi khiyaamo qarran cid kasta oo ka qayb gasha ama taageerta sifo kasta (Qawl, Ficil ama abaabul, qoraal) cid kasta oo ka qayb gasha shirar doceedyada u gaarka ah Soomaaliya, waxaa lagu qaadaya Danbi khiyaamo qarran).This bill totally repeals article 32 of the constitution. Accordingly the government is up to denying that inalienable right to its citizens. Although we are totally opposed to any participation in the reconciliation conference, we can’t legally criminalize those who exercise their rights under article 32. People who participate in that meeting do not represent the people of Somaliland and the outcome of the conference does not bind us. We can say that loud and clear but we can’t freeze article 32 at politically convenient occasions. The constitution must reign high at all times and with respect to every citizen. The group saw this contradiction in the offing and decided to meet it headlong. Nothing short of the complete adherence to the terms of article 32 will satisfy them. This fund will go a long way in defending article 32 without reservation and without discrimination. As Somaliland has its own heroes, article 32 of our constitution has its own heroes … the manifesto group. Defending article 32 is defending the sovereignty and independence of Somaliland according to the manifesto. Suldaan Maxamed Suldaan C/qaadir has already raised the red flag and insists that participating in the reconciliation conference can not be banned under any authority. Article 32 and the manifesto group will have none of it. Although I and the group see eye to eye on article 32, we have some differences albeit minor. Where I consider my self a moderate, the group is on the extreme side of things. I like to go on the middle of the road, where they like to go on their side of the road. I like to meet my adversaries halfway; they like to meets their adversaries on their side. I don’t like to stretch the law very thin, they like to stretch the law to its limit. I could conceivable turn a blind eye to article 32 in some instances of national emergency. For them no interest or emergency can justify or supersede upholding article 32 of the constitution. I whole-heartily support the current government of Somaliland; they oppose it chapter and verse. I will support all future governments irrespective who heads that government; their support is conditional on who heads that government as they don’t want to be bitten from the same hole twice. I see Somaliland fast moving forwards; they see Somaliland fast moving backward. I believe supporting our government will strengthen our position vis-à-vis the world community; they believe opposing our government will strengthen our standing in the world community. They see the press gagged: I see the government gagged. I see recognition of Somaliland as a collective responsibility; they see it as a government responsibility. I like a strong decisive government: they like a weak and debilitating government. They condemn Ethiopia for invading and occupying Somalia; I believe we can’t alienate the only strategic friend of our country at this time of our history. Notwithstanding these minor differences, what binds us is more than what separates us for we have a common destiny. Both of us long for a strong independent and prosperous Somaliland. The million dollar question however is; what will the human right advocates do in the light of the recent decree by the House of Elders to criminalize the rightful exercise of article 32 of the constitution? We are all agog and we like to know their stand on the issue.

Omarh1980@hotmail.com