Nur Kafi's Column on the Eye of the Horn of African Affairs

HAN Note: IGAD Breaking News (HAN) August 25th, 2007.

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Remarks by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mogadishu University, in the memorial Service for: Ali Iman Sharmarke and Mahad Ahmed Ilmi Horn Afrik Media Inc. Parliament Building, Ottawa, August 24, 2007   The Horn of African Journalist Association (HAJA):  han@geeskaafrika.com

In 1999, brother Ali Iman Sharmarke, brother Ahmed Abdisalam and brother Mohamed Ilmi (Dulcad) came to Mogadishu to establish Radio Horn Afrik. Myself, as a Somali Canadian from Ottawa who went back home earlier during UNISOM in 1993; and, whenever, I come back from Mogadishu to Ottawa, I was always advocating for and encouraging the educated Somali Canadians to go back to Somalia in order to make a difference in the war-torn country. It is the right moment, to say that the Horn Afrik team was of the first group to respond to my call, and I remember when brother Ahmed Abdisalam came to me at Mogadishu University old building of Sinai in 1999 to consult me how to start programming of the new radio station and how I can contribute and participate. You can not imagine how much I was delighted for the presence of Horn Afrik; it was the only voice of emerging civil society institutions in Mogadishu. I also remember, the first independent voice of civil society broadcasted by Horn Afrik and the first open discussions criticizing the warlords of Mogadishu. As participant in that first discussion of the Horn Afrik, I was threatened that night by my close relatives of politicians. The issue was how unarmed civilian like me can dare to criticize the armed warlords. Since 1999, the Horn Afrik Media and its owners actively participated in bringing changes to Somalia and particularly in Mogadishu, the epicenter of Somali tragedy. Whatever, critics of the Horn Afrik may say; Horn Afrik Media remains and stands high as the pioneer of free Media in Somalia.

With respect to our two assassinated brothers, when we heard the sad news of the assassination of Brothers Mahad Ahmed and Ali Iman Sharmarke, my colleagues and I were sitting in one of the restaurants in Nairobi and it was a shock followed by a moment of silence that put us to tears. I remembered when I and Brother Ali were traveling together about a week before his assassination from Mogadishu to Nairobi, traveling a whole day from Mogadishu to Hargeysa, Djibouti, then from Djibouti to Nairobi. We have been traveling more than 10 hours between Mogadishu and Nairobi that normally takes 1:20 minutes. During the whole trip we were discussing the tragedy befallen on the people of Somalia and in particularly the innocent civilian population of Mogadishu; and besides deep agony, we did not miss to joke and laugh at times. Brother Ali Iman was a happy man, always laughing even in the worst situations. His brave comments, argumentations and suggestions remain alive in my memory. We, as members of civil society, have lost many brave men, committed for the cause of peace and freedom during the civil war. In particular, we have to remember in such occasions the late Brother Abdulqadir Yahye, a man of high caliber, a voice of peace and a symbol of perseverance, assassinated almost two years ago as our brothers Ali Iman Sharmarke and Mahad Ahmed Ilmi.

In the name of Mogadishu University and the civil society groups in Mogadishu, let me send our condolences to the immediate family, wives, children, fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters. Our deep condolence goes to the family of Horn Afrik Media, friends, civil society institutions in the Diaspora. And finally, our condolence goes to the people of Somalia taken hostage and denied the right to live free and secure, in more than two decades. Condolence to all widowed mothers, orphaned children and “looma ooyaanka” (those who have no body to care for) suffering from the protracted senseless conflict in the last two decades. Let us all of us reiterate and renew our sincere commitment and pledge to do our best to restore peace and prosperity to Somalia. Moreover, let all cowards and criminals be aware that assassinating prominent leaders of civil society will only strengthen our dedication more and more and the blood of the assassinated brothers will nurture and cherish more young and more active generations of civil society committed to the values of Islam, peace and democracy for the people of Somalia. Let all of us repent to the Almighty Allah. And, Let us forgive each other and forgive our brothers and Ask Allah to forgive them. Finally, let us all remember that memorable verse from the glorious Qur’an (3:184). Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, will have attained the object (of life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattel of deception.”(3:184)

Abdurahman M. Abdullahi (Baadiyow), Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mogadishu University

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