Political Dissonance and Repression in North Western State of Somalia

Hargeisa (AX) — In the dusty echoes of North Western State of Somalia’s political landscape, a storm is brewing. The newly-minted administration of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, perhaps not as squeaky clean as a new pin, has already directed its gaze upon activists and journalists who dare to question or challenge the status quo. This recent crackdown has reignited worries about political oppression, even with new faces steering the ship.

Does President Irro plan to chart a new course, or is this déjà vu all over again? Critical voices, once whispering, now grow louder, questioning if promises of reform are mere pie in the sky, destined to dissolve into whispers of the familiar tunes of the past.

Enter Shafie Sha’iye, a social media maven with a penchant for poking the bear of prior administrations. Imagine this: after years in the bustling chaos of Mogadishu, Shaaciye returns to Hargeisa, heart thrumming with the hope that his support for President Irro might be his shield. Alas, he finds himself in the clutches of the law come Thursday.

And then there’s the saga of Liban Hussein, a digital troubadour known to many as “Samatalis.” Picture him on December 17, 2024, eagerly at London’s Heathrow, ticket in hand, dreaming of a Fly Dubai flight homeward to Hargeisa. Yet, the anticipated reunion is thwarted by a directive from the upper echelons of the president’s office. Why? The whispers claim it’s because of Liban’s knack for stirring the pot with divisive remarks, even while championing President Irro.

As if fate were spinning some ironically tragic tale, activist and poet Naima Abwaan Qorane re-emerges. Round pegs, square holes — Naima’s advocacy for Somali unity lands her yet again behind bars upon her December 31, 2024, return to Hargeisa. Previously jailed under Muse Bihi’s watch, she finds herself expelled post-arrest, her voice carried across the digital wind to X (known once upon a time as Twitter). “Imprisoned for my belief in Somali unity,” she writes, “I’m more resolute than ever.”

Such occurrences underscore the ominous shadow looming over anyone daring to criticize North Western State of Somalia’s claim to independence. Those who had pinned their hopes on a fresher political breeze with President Irro must contend with the chilly reality — laws squashing dissent remain unchanged, like stubborn stains.

Even seasoned journalists, including the likes of Abdirizaq Terra, Mohamed Yusuf Bakayle, and Abdisalan Germany, are sensing the winds of cold reprisals. Their planned journeys to Hargeisa lie crumpled like discarded paper due to looming fears of arrest, making them smell trouble a mile away.

Since 1991, North Western State of Somalia has walked its self-proclaimed path of independence, the rebel without a cause, dancing on the fringes of global acknowledgment. Applauded for maintaining stability amidst Somalia’s chaos, yet increasingly under the magnifying glass for its heavy-handed approach to those paddling against the official current.

For North Western State of Somalia, this is not just a tale of who’s in charge, but a question resonating deeper: Can the dream of independence cling to its ideals of freedom without trampling voices in the pursuit of silence?

In this unfolding saga of ideals, oppression, and the flickering torches of reform, one must ponder what tales the next chapter will tell from this small but fiercely principled corner of the Horn of Africa.

Time, as always, will unspool the answers, patiently or otherwise.

Report by Axadle