Somalia And The Battle Within

'No matter how comfortable the surroundings, or how agreeable the food, one can never be truly happy in exile.'

Dante Alighieri (c.1265-1321)

There is a particular look in the eyes of those with fear in their hearts. A look that betrays the intense concentration stimulated by paranoid insecurities within the human psyche. It is possible to see this look in the faces of people—when one meets them for the first time—who are under the influence of irrational prejudices, hollow individualism, superficial pursuits, and a futile search for the approval of people or societies that appear to sparkle in the distance for them.

Ask yourself—have you ever felt so needy that you have been tempted to leave all that is dear to your heart in order to improve your lot in this world? As the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. It is easy to forgive those people who are forced, by the hand of earthly misfortune, to leave the love of their family and the embrace of their national heritage in order to improve their personal circumstances. However, the same cannot be said of those who, for whatever reason, choose to betray the love of their family by working for those who seek to destroy the economic well being of the Somali community.

Many of us seem to aware of the fact that the economic bedrock of Somali society has been deliberately destabilised during the past decade. The act of raising livestock—the quintessentially Somali way of life—seems to be getting more difficult with each passing year. We hear that ancient grazing lands are shrinking at an alarming rate. Remarkably, we hear that certain species of Somali flora seem to have disappeared altogether. Water resources are less reliable now in Somalia than they were a generation ago, and we are slowly beginning to realise that all of these things may be linked to the changing global environment.

Few can argue against the true nature of the practical difficulties facing the rural Somali communities of today, but at the same time, only a lack of faith in the Almighty and an absence self-belief can inspire the people of Somalia to turn their backs on an ancient way of life. Each member of the Somali community must, at the very least, be aware of the fact that there are bigger things in life than urban consumerism, and the selfish demands of Godless secularism. Indeed, if all Somali people took a moment to think about the peculiar madness, that inspires some men to systematically kill Somali livestock and to poison Somali water resources, few would fail to realise that the national territory of the Somali people is currently being besieged by an array of humanoid Jackals and Hyenas.

Ask yourself—are you familiar with the psychological condition known as Stockholm syndrome? This is the curious mental condition in which those that are being held captive demonstrate strong signs of loyalty to their captors. At this moment in time, the entire Somali nation is being held captive by the Ethiopian army, IGAD, and the United Nations. Therefore, how can anyone be surprised by the fact that many Somalis—who usually belong to the relatively privileged urban classes inside Somalia and in the Somali Diaspora—demonstrate strong signs of loyalty to their political captors.

The most important battle for the people of Somalia is the battle within. For each and every one of us must face personal challenges as a result of the Somali civil war. Only when most of us can say that we have triumphed in this particular battle shall the gap between the practical reality of Somalia and the human perceptions of Somalia converge in order to become one and the same thing. At the present time, the many psychological frailties of the Somali nation seem to have developed a life of their own. In urban Somali life today, it is quite common to see people segregate themselves for all manner petty reasons. Some examples, of what I like to think of as Somali self-segregation, are based on the style of Somali dress, whilst other examples are based upon childish notions of gang mentality.

It is quite clear to me that the paranoid and insecure psychological state of modern Somali urbanism is a direct result of the horrific civil war that has ruined our beloved homeland. It is also quite clear, in my opinion, that the true remedy for the psychological fallout of war can only be found in the curative powers of the ancient Somali way of life. Quite simply, the rehabilitation of Somali national self-respect shall sweep away the fear that has found a home in the hearts of many of our people today. With national self-respect, no Somali individual can betray his own family for the practical benefit of an historic foreign enemy. With public renewal for the concept of love for all things Somali, no Somali individual shall fear his compatriots without reason. And surely, with self-respect, a Somali individual can confidently condemn and bring to justice those who have committed crimes against the Somali nation, even if such people belong to a single Somali family.

To defend principles of justice for the Somali nation is to name and shame those who betray the Somali people for reasons of shallow personal gain. To defend the concept of justice for the Somali nation is to investigate all acts of wrongdoing in Somali public affairs. And, to enforce the requirements justice is to apprehend, and to punish, those individuals who commit crimes against the Somali people, especially if they are a close blood relation.

As an individual, to respect the needs of the Somali nation is to respect yourself. As an individual in modern Somalia, to be attentive to the needs of the Somali community is to win the battle within. For those who fail to overcome their fears; who fail to overcome their greed; and fail to overcome their loyalty to those who may direct them from beyond the national territory of the Somali people shall eventually ruin all of us if they are not stopped. Ultimately, if we fail to win the battle within—the most strategic of all battles—we shall lend legitimacy to the disrespectful policies of those who seek to fatally damage the Somali nation.

We, the honourable Somali people, cannot afford to be complacent. The members of the Somali Diaspora, no matter how comfortable life is at present, do not believe for a moment that you can ever win genuine self-respect by turning your backs, collectively, on the great challenges that confront us today. It is our collective responsibility to win back the freedom and dignity of the Somali nation. We have been held as captives for long enough now. Let us intensify our efforts, and let us banish the appallingly destructive politics of fear once and for all inside Somalia.