Somaliland's Presidential Election
Open Letter to the Distinguished Commission Members: Declare a Specific Election Date Now
Somaliland recognition and the whole aspirations of all Somalilanders depend on the presidential elections
"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" Patrick Henry
"Mudanayaasha Iyo Marwooyinka Gudida Doorasha Somaliland Waxa La Soo Gaadhay Wakhtigii Aad Ku Dhawaaqi Lahay Dayn Wakhtiga Doorashadu Madax Waynaha La Qaban Lahaa."
Distinguished commission members, we urge you to give us a specific election date for the presidential elections. Somalilanders would like you to set a date for the presidential elections. The faith of the nation and its aspirations are in your hands. This is a tremendous responsibility which has not to be taken lightly. Somalilanders would like to hear the day the presidential elections will take place. Declaring a specific date for holding the presidential elections is extremely important. The news they are so thirsty for is hearing a fixed presidential date. They will no longer stay in the dark. So much time has passed since the day you took the mantle of this huge responsibility. The time to deliver and pay back the public trust on you is now or never. In a very a short period of time you could either be heroes or infamous traitors. You would either go down history as saviors or dishonest and corrupt villains.
When you took over the election management from the old corrupt group, Somalilanders have welcomed you with open arms and bestowed you with trust. We know there is a lot of work to be done but you have to be diplomatic and understand the feeling of Somlailanders. Many people already do not belief the current government will ever holds free and fair elections. They lost trust with the current Rayaale government. We know they have postponed the elections twice. We know they attempted to have more indefinite election date extensions but failed. All these said factors explain the current Rayale government intentions, which clearly points out to a determined coterie who are not ready for fair and free elections. They would like to stay in power as much as they can through tricks, intimidation and fraud.
Commission members need to understand one more day for the current government to stay in power means one more day of corruption, public lands and property sale.
One more day the Rayaale government stays in power, also means another island or Somaliland territory sold to hostile foreign dictators who are bent on the destruction of our country. You need to understand many peace-loving Somaliland's got frustrated with the Rayaale government, and are in the stage where they would like to see this government removed from power by any means necessary.
They would be frustrated with you also had you not move quickly to set a date for the presidential election. Again you need to declare the election day now. Commission members the people of this country are freedom, democracy and justice-loving people. That doesn't mean they won't stand for their rights. Kulmiye party and their leaders and especially both the presidential candidate chairman Siirnayo and his vice-presidential candidate Mr. Abdulrahman Zeili must come out as they always do, and strongly urge the election commission to declare an election date. Rapid declaration of a specific election date is paramount. The theme is now or never.
We will end this open letter with excerpts from Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience philosophy called the "CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE". This was the powerful tool Gandhi has successfully used to eject the British imperial power from India. It has been copied by Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and many others around the world. Today it is a world wide philosophy which stands out as the best way to effect change through peaceful means. Using the same tactics Somalilanders need to force the Rayaale administration conduct free and fair elections. They will also need to demand the government to stop interfering with the oppositions parties' lawful activities.
Gandhi's civil disobedience excerpts are as follows:
Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the State becomes lawless corrupt.
Civil disobedience means capacity for unlimited suffering without the intoxicating excitement of killing.
Disobedience to be civil has to be open and nonviolent.
Disobedience to be civil implies discipline, thought, care, attention.
Disobedience that is wholly civil should never provoke retaliation.
Non-cooperation and civil disobedience are different but branches of the same tree call Satyagraha (truth-force).
Saylicipress editorial
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