By Adam Bulle,
Since the independence to the fall of Mohamed Said Barre in 1991, the Southwest regions and its people remain losing their historical identity facing different challenges under the name of nationalism and homogeneity their culture ribbed; their dialects were marginalized because when the regime took over the power through military coup d'état it formed a national commission to write Somali language which of course AF-MAAY and AF-MAHA were the main dialects. The commission dispossessed with no justification to include the MAAY, which is the richest one of Somali language dialects in to the plan because of clan marginalization.
In March, 1995, in the midst of the Civil War,
Digil- Mirifle intellectuals agreed toestablish their own autonomous state and
it is the second state after the self-declared state of Somaliland in 1991,
this state was locallynamed (MAAY NIING DAN EH State) which means what is our
interest, with two houses; an elected executive house let by president Dr.
Hassan Sheikh Ibrahim "Lawyer Hassey,” and the House of elders chaired by Malak
Mukhtar Malak Hassan.
However, in
September 17, 1995, seven months later after the formation of the inter-Riverine
State, namely May Niing Dang eh, the later hardliner General Mohamed Farah
Aideed and his clan militias attacked the regions, took over and committed all
sorts of crimes against the people and the motive was just to destroy the
administration.
But, the intellectuals and military personnel from
Digil-Mirifle community committed to establish Rahawien Resistance Army (RRA)
which the main aim was to fight and defeat the so-called Salbalaar
administration, let by Aideed the senior.
The Aideed militia had enjoyed all brutality to
kill, rape, rob, displace the people of the regions of Lower Shabelle, Bay and
Bakol in the 5 years they dominated the regions, but in 1999 RRA liberated Bay and Bakol from the
while Lower Shabelle remains in the occupation since then.
Throughout the hardly strategic efforts which led
by the Rahawien Resistance Army (RRA) done in years resulted the achievement of
different victory which of course lead different recognition internationally
and locally in political power sharing as well as the acceptance of other
Somalia communities.
In 1997,
the Somali Peace and Reconciliation Conference, held at Sodere, Ethiopia
recognized that, Digil-Mirifle will have the same political claims as the
Hawiye, Darood and Dir in Somali governance.
At Mbeghati, Kenya, in 2004, one of greatest
Somali dialect AF-MAAY was acknowledged as another official Somali language in
the constitution.
Definitely, these continuous victory and changes
which comes gradually was not really easy task to gain, but the toughest operation
that RRA done in a durable time throughout years resulted tangible and
perspective dream that each and every one was waiting to reach this trance at
the end of a day.
On 17 November 2014, a total delegate of396 in
Baidoa representing the Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions elected former
Parliament Speaker and Ministry of Finance of Somalia Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adanas the President of the three regions Southwestern State of Somalia.
President Sharif
Hassan received great welcoming and recognition from the federal government of
Somalia, other regional states, USA, UK, IGAD, AU, EU, Ethiopia government and
other international community membersafter his inauguration ceremony and acceptance
speech in Baidoa that has never seen in the new recently formed states in
Somalia which clearly shows the strong personality and his transparent policy
that will lead the administration to be very accountable and quickly developed the
major tasks ahead.
In conclusion, most
of the Southwest regions intellectuals, elders, politicians, youth group, women
group, business and the rest of the community strongly believe that President Sharif
Hassan is the right person who can hold this position because of, he is one of
the greatest politician and the most influential leaders in the Somali politics
and also he had a close relation and good contact with the international
community, therefore, the most successful strategic policy of the President
Sharif Hassan will give more hope to the Southwest State regions and its people
which of course they predict initially that SWS will be more potentially
leading state regardless of security, infrastructure, education, social basic
needs and economic development as well in respect with other regional states in
the country for the coming years.
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Adam Bulle Abdikarim - Political Science student
at Savannah University in Mogadishu
2
Creation of Southwest State of Somalia and history of marginalization in Somalia
By Adam Bulle, Since the independence to the fall of Mohamed Said Barre in 1991, the Southwest regions and its people remain losing their historical identity