Mogadishu, April 28, 2010
PRESS STATEMENT
Since his nomination, the UN envoy for Somalia Ahmadou Ould Abdalla has been pursuing a course of action devoid of average wisdom, substantively empty and based on narrow deceptive sentimentalist rhetoric to torment the lives of defenseless souls and with the objective of locking up the naked eye in total obscurity, in broad daylight. He neither blindfolds anyone nor uses brutality as such, but is well versed with non-delivering promises and pledges used as bait to only fatten the coffers of UN offices, while the needy are distracted and kept in waiting, in a manner not dissimilar to the proverbial ‘hammering of empty kitchen wares’, “Qawda maqashii waxna how qaban”.
It is time to unveil the mystery surrounding Ould Abdalla’s magic that kept Somalis in total darkness, for a long period of time. The real character burying itself behind a seemingly tender, soft-spoken, friendly personality, at times posturing as a pious man, should be unmasked through objective assessment of and by fathomizing not on superficial outlooks of his persona but examining what did he do for the Somali people during the term he was in office?
Apart from meticulously prearranged recitations of few Qur’anic verses seasoned with Hadith sayings and medieval stories to stir a bit of emotions and capture audiences’ feelings and ears, would he really share the pain and suffering Somalis are going through and what did he do about it, despite false pretentions? Surely, Ould Abdalla is not a messiah sent to rescue Somalia –a country drowning into the depths of high seas sinking beneath the shadow of waves of atrocities resulting from a chronic civil war and introverted hostilities. Does the Envoy really interested in whispering the word of peace into the ears of a brother at the throat of another, or is he simply taking advantage of a government confronted with a multitude of challenges having little or no ability to call a spade a spade?
Despite his periodic dispatches of nicely worded letters to the Diaspora community, which simply is intended to distract the world and media’s attention from appalling disastrous conditions at home and his perennial call for the repatriation of UN offices to Mogadishu, are all an orchestrated piece of melody to appease the unguarded ear, but in fact, it is a melancholic announcement for majority expecting his office to deliver what is was initially constituted for. Such pretentious routine proclamations of the Somali Envoy are nothing but to downplay certain agitated nerves, often having the intention to diffuse some other raised issues and events unrelated to his pronouncements. In other words, the creation of green zones is his own fantasy and a tool tailored to bargain with his own colleagues in Nairobi and for exchange with other merchandise.
In other occasions, he flatters the State and government shamelessly by inventing non-existing fictive rosy scenarios promoting the government from a failed state to a fragile height in opposition to all rational minds, this is sarcastic misinformation because he is even at the point of marketing untainted fabrications, not only within Somalis but also to a world aware of current realities in Somalia. When and where such marvelous transition from a failed to a fragile state did take place and what evidence the Envoy could present that convincingly supports his hypothetical achievement and assertions. In fact, he is trying to promote the performances of his office with baseless information.
Lately, the Envoy seen from the manner he is relating himself to TFG government, an air loaded with arrogance and caprice is oozing from his office. The SRSG is almost acting like a Colonial Governor charged to dictate everything TFG is doing. More recently, he is interposing his fingers in all governmental affairs, not to mention how singlehandedly he has been managing funds allocated to Somalia and channeled through his offices, in the absence of stringent counter controls, while most of these funds are apparently spent on white elephant projects that never reached their destinations nor utilized by the targeted beneficiaries.
In reflection to recent contentions that arose within the Parliament, the Envoy began acting as a Repressive Governor, as he passes his personal verdict on the Parliament’s legitimate affairs and on contested issues, while unashamedly siding with one corner of the spectrum. In contrast to his unceremonious misconduct and interferences, MPs from both sides, despite their differences, believe that there are enough mechanisms and sources for references that can be exploited for the resolution of the impasse. For example, the Charter, the Djibouti accord and other laws of the country and structures provide enough legal grounds to end the deadlock.
The persisting interferences and manipulative approaches of Ahamdou Walad Abdalla are seen as despicable intrusions, which is a direct insult to TFG and its leadership. The mounting pressure in which the Envoy as exerting on some Ministers is an illicit move, if not unwise and it is a matter of great concern begging to critical questioning of the ‘the exact job description of the SRSG and the juridical implications of his defiance and crossings he is making beyond the contours of his office’s power limitations.
In short, the UN envoy for Somalia Mr. Ahmadou Ould Abdalla is urged strongly to desist from and stop bullying government Ministers and officials and stop interfering with the internal affairs of TFG. The government will regain the requisite capacity one day to defend its dignity and those of the people. And it is now prepared to address its concerns among many issues, including financial accountability of the envoy’s office and to re-examine the non-delivering policies that he has been entertaining with, since he took office. The depiction offered by the former Secretary General of the UN Boutros Boutros Ghali on the real personality behind the mask as an eel fits here, in the Somali context, more than any other place and all what Dr. Ghali has been trying to configure.
