On October 1, 2022, President Hassan Sheikh of Somalia went on an epic rant at a funeral. He was speaking at the burial of General Farhaan Mohamud Adan (Qaroole).
Mohamud addressed funeral attendants. The ultimate targeted audience was all Somalis.
The effort was to capitalize on a nation mourning the loss of a popular general to drum up support for a faltering war due to the wrong strategy. The talk divided the nation more.
Mohamud spoke without prepared notes. He spoke at length about money and buying things. He blasted Al Shabaab by lamenting how the group’s leader is broke and has no money in the bank. Thus, in Mohamud’s view, power and money are interchangeable.
At the heart of Mohamud’s effort was an attempt to discourage Somalis from aiding the insurgency. He alienated more people by the time he finished speaking
Mohamud doled out a new ultimatum to the nation. The ultimatum was parallel to that of America’s 43 President George W Bush delivered to the world after a terror attack.
On September 11, 2022, the World Trade Center and Pentagon were attacked by highjacked civilian airplanes. Some 3,000 people were slaughtered. The attack shook America from its foundation.
A few days later ‘W’ as he was known, addressed joined session of Congress. He delivered a memorable rant as well.
‘W” gave the world an ultimatum. “…Either you’re with us or you’re with the terrorists” he thundered from the podium. Everything that followed changed America for the worst.
When ‘W’ left office eight years later, America was defeated in two wars. More than 7,000 service members lost their lives and tens of thousands more were wounded or permanently disabled. In addition to lives & limbs, America was politically more isolated, and the treasury went from surplus to trillions in the red.
Historians extensively assessed ‘W’ presidency. The consensus is that he was one of the worst presidents in history. “…Either you’re with us or you’re with the terrorists” and the consequences of it are some of the major reasons for this failed presidency.
With this phrase, the world was divided into friends or foes camps. Many countries that did not care too much about the conflicts were forced to take sides. Many had to hedge their bets not between America, the Taliban, and Al Qaida but other geopolitical competitors in their regions.
Some countries that were closer to America at the time of the ultimatum found themselves opposing America because of the implication of the phrase reshuffling the political chess board. Some countries that were listed as a pariah by the State Department we’re now classified as members of the “coalition of the willing” despite having nothing or little to offer to America. Eritrea was one of the most notable in the latter category.
The phrase had the most negative impact on American society. The government turned against its citizens. It spied on citizens and committed all kinds of constitutional violations in the name of fighting terrorism. The polarization was so intense that it fundamentally changed the country’s political culture for the worst.
Mohamud unintentionally made the same mistake and is equally dangerous, if not more, to Somalia. There are many potential negative consequences of this rhetoric.
The deadliest is the possibility of helping the insurgency by driving more people to join them. I’m certain that’s not Mohamud’s intention but binary political rhetoric has that type of natural derivative.
Many people in the public do not care too much about who politically controls Somalia. They want to live in a country with minimum basic amenities of life. Their lives revolve around their family and jobs whether that’s farming, raising livestock, day laborers, and so on.
Most ordinary citizens are neutral and have no interest in making a political alliance with anyone. Political leaders who speak in outrageous hyperbolic terms forced the neutral segment of the population to take sides. It’s often unfavourable for corrupt and divisive politicians like Mohamud.
The other danger is the deterioration of security. It has the potential of inspiring vigilantism extracurricular killings and widespread general chaos.
This is particularly dangerous in a fragmented society that is struggling to weed itself out of civil war. There is no shortage of disputes. This type of irresponsible rhetoric invites citizens to settle scores on the streets and then accuse each other of supporting or sympathizing with the terrorist group.
The atrocities by the security apparatus and other armed groups are covered up with claims labelling victims as members and supporters of the terrorist group. This is often done retrospectively. This is the kind of atmosphere that led to abuses in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons.
Somalia is no America. This is not a country-to-country comparison. It should not be misconstrued as such.
However, the parallel of fighting insurgents at least in the rhetorical context is appropriate. There is a lesson to be learned for Mohamud from the dangerous trains of rhetorical gaffs.
Binary sound bites polarized society. They often have the exact opposite. In this context, Mohamud’s divisive rhetoric is helping the group he is ranting and raving against.
Moments before he went into rant mode, he was offering prayers (Janazah) to a popular general whom he helped catapulted to fame with his unhinged infamous rant of referring to mud and bathroom sewage just a few years ago. He could be offering a similar prayer a few years from now. This time could be over the entire nation unless he changes both strategy and rhetoric.
Author is a Technology Entrepreneur and long-time civic leader. He tweets @fuguni. Follow him for more in-depth analysis.
As someone like me who apposed the war and favorite of negotiations I was often accuse that I’m supporting the terrorists, just because I am against war and believe peace and negotiations could be the only way that Somalia will progress in short time, some people want to silence me.
Somali’s are tired of endless wars so they need immediate peace.
But it seems both sides are bloodthirsty and war morgues.