By Abdi Ali
Wednesday - January 26, 2022
The extraordinary rendition of Qalbi
Dhagax shows us why Somalia is threatened less by others than by its “leaders”
One runs out of superlatives to describe
the dreadful nature of what happened to Qalbi Dhagax. For many, the answer to
what took place might look blindingly obvious: a noxious example of the
horrifying consequences that followed when Farmaajo’s dictatorial ambition buried
any sense of integrity, patriotism or indeed humanity. Many also argue it
demonstrates an obvious weakening of the sanctity of life in Somalia as
people’s lives are transacted in a game of quid pro quo. However, the first
mistake here is to assume what happened was a one-off which would not be repeated,
the other is thinking those that were instrumental in this rendition crime have
learned their lessons and will find the right moral and integrity compass to do
the right thing for the country. The fact is there could well be another Qalbi
Dhagax moment and it could well happen to anyone.
First, the prime minister’s decision this
week to reverse the awful decision, to designate ONLF and Qalbi Dhagax as
terrorists, is a laudable first step and removes an indelible stain on the conscience
of the nation. It was a belated, but
nonetheless, important step in acknowledging what was done to Qalbi Dhagax was unconstitutional
and a crime most heinous indeed. The next step must be to prosecute those that
ordered his rendition as well as those that were complicit in it.
We know Farmaajo of course – a dictatorial
fantasist who sees the country’s progress, rule of law and accountability as
his downfall, thus determined to leave scorched earth. How about the others
that were instrumental in sending Qalbi Dhagax to face certain death or those
in government too pusillanimous to do anything about it afterwards? Not only
were they allies in Farmaajo’s authoritarianism, but the burden on their
conscience never troubled them even years after Qalbi Dhagax’s horrifying
ordeal. They remind us of how the country has reached a point where the sanctity
of a person’s life, and the fundamental convictions of humanity, decency and
doing the right thing have been entirely lost.
A potent example of this is the prime
minster at the time of this crime – Hassan Khaire – who now wants to be
Somalia’s next president. It was he, as the prime minster, that facilitated the
motion to designate millions of Somalis as terrorists in his attempt to justify
this heinous crime. What Khaire did was altogether more pernicious and deeply
damaging to the core values every Somali holds dear, putting a question mark on
the painful struggle of our forefathers for a united Somalia. When parliament
eventually voted against the government’s decision, Khaire was again key in
getting rid of the speaker of parliament, turning the House into a servile institution.
Indeed, not only was he the enabler in this ugly episode in the country’s
history but also culpable for the underlying paralysing chaos the country is
currently facing. He, and many others, are suppurating on the side-lines and oblivious
to the profound damage they did to the country.
The people of Somalia have no choice over
what is done to them or done in their name. However, we have a choice to be
cleareyed about the dangers posed by the many dangerous charlatans and
quislings in Wadani uniforms. In many ways, this is the ever more present
threat facing the country. When crimes like this slide without consequences or
are ignored for Qabiil expediency, the deterring effect of being held
accountable is lost. It means another Qalbi Dhagax moment could well happen.
And there are those in government at the
time who were deeply horrified at what they were seeing, did the right thing
and never lost their moral compass. Dr Maryan Qasim was the sole dissenting
voice at that fateful cabinet meeting in 2017, voting against the rendition and
the designation of ONLF as a terrorist organisation. Five years later, her
actions continue to resonate well beyond Somalia.
I was struck by what Dr Maryan said when
she explained why she felt she had to stand up for what she believed in. Her
response: “I was brought up with a strong sense of fairness and the difference
between right and wrong. I could not, in all conscience, send someone to
certain death, label every Somali who stood for a united Somalia as a
terrorist, or countenance the thought that we were doing this to a human being,
let alone one who fought for his country – the same country we call Somalia”. It
beggars belief others around that cabinet table did not understand this.
Against the background of the enduring
image of a blindfolded Qalbi Dhagax, dragged through the streets of Mogadishu
and airlifted from his own city to face torture and death, it is people like Dr
Maryan that give me, and millions of Somalis, immense pride.
Dr Maryan is an example of the sort of Somali
we thought we never had. It also shows us all is not lost in Somalia.
Aloow wadankeena iyo dadkeena badbaadi
Abdi Ali
[email protected]