Mohamed Ali Samatar Case, A Ring of Classic Scapegoating

History is frequently rewritten following changes in a country’s political arena or status, more commonly in third world nations than first. The victors take this opportunity to redraw the attended events, both good and bad, in the matrix of time. Fabricated or exaggerated occurrences that form the umbrella of deformed history become the main purpose to legitimize the new state of affairs and condemn their previous opponents.

History is frequently rewritten following changes in a country’s political arena or status, more commonly in third world nations than first. The victors take this opportunity to redraw the attended events, both good and bad, in the matrix of time. Fabricated or exaggerated occurrences that form the umbrella of deformed history become the main purpose to legitimize the new state of affairs and condemn their previous opponents.

Atrocities are carefully and selectively highlighted whilst the new rulers’ past enormities are swept nicely under the rug or conveniently transferred to their opponents in order to strip themselves clean of all traces that resemble their past war-crimes. At times, they succeed in their concerted effort of pulling the wool over the eyes of the international community, however at most, they fail whilst the canals of time heals the attempted distorted revisionism.

Somalia is a different case, a nation where clan loyalties are preeminent; the method of historical objectivity holds no significant value. To top it all, Somalia has had no written history prior to 1972.

The average Somali assumes solely and commonly at face-value, the tales conveyed to him by his kinsman with no regard to its accuracy. This clan-orientated gullibleness was notoriously exploited by the Somali rebel movements during the 1980’s where they transmitted from their radio stations in Ethiopia fictious reports of targeted Somali communities on the identification of hailing from certain clans. It was a shifty tactic to rekindle support for their groups and rally their clan-members against the then-ruling government.

Now this opportunitistic scapegoatism is hitting the international scene once again, this time, against the former prime-minister and vice-president of the last functioning state, Mohamed Ali Samatar. Mr. Mohamed can rightfully be regarded as the longest surviving Somali ex- politician. An aged man equipped with priceless experienc and insight, he stayed absent from the bewildering Somali civil war conflict.

Born in Kismayo, Somalia, Mr Samatar was a skilled strategist during his tenure as Somali’s Defence minister in the Somali-Ethiopian war, vibrantly nationalist who defended the unity and independence of Somalia.

Born in Kismayo, Somalia to a marginalised minority clan, known as Tumal, he quickly rose to a remarkable position fully attained through his merit and competence and the lack of conforming to the expected social standard of hailing from an outcast clan. Best known as a skilled strategist during his tenure as Somali’s Defence minister in the Somali-Ethiopian war, majority of the Somali populace has a general positive attitude towards him as a vibrantly nationalist who defended the unity and independence of Somalia during countless circumstances.

However, there are others who consider him as the perfect scapegoat to unleash their wave of allegations. Abusing the unfortunate fact that minority clans are rarely, if it at all, protected due their status, what better to test the theory of historical revisionism under the watchful eyes of the international community than a former high-level member of the last stable Somali government who hails from a ostracized group.

Until Somalia finally gains its feet and has the actual ability to scrutinize past actions and allegations, free any clan bias or vested interest, we should fiercely resist this cheap campaign based on baseless allegations that reeks from clannish flavour to tarnish and paint the accused Somali prime-minister in a negative light.

By Mohammed Ibrahim Shire

Somalia | Politics | | slashnews.co.uk