(A Recommendation to the gift givers)
Although Somalilanders have been made to believe that democracy has been fully established in our young Republic, internet websites have been bombarded recently with a new notion of a gift giving scheme which contradicts our system of democracy as well as that of the world. There has been much talk recently about the office of the presidency being given to Awdal as a gift. This is also becoming a uniform talk among a lot of Somalilanders. Nowadays, there never passes a day that I don’t hear the Awdal gift in some way or the other. Listen to any political conversation and some time, some how comes out the sentence of Awdal being given the presidency as a gift.
How and where this gift giving body operates is unknown. It seems that our dreams of nation building together are replaced by giving gifts. To me, this new gift giving kind of democracy seems to be “half-baked pie” idea. I here by recommend a full-baked alternative to the gift giving body to consider putting them in action for the coming sixteen years.
Switching Places (Qalabaa gadi):
Switching places is a proposal in which the Somaliland confederacy partners are switched with each other for the coming sixteen years. It is a finely tuned exchange between the confederacy partners in which they switch roles. While this might sound a scary prospect to a partner, the life lessons that would be learned through the experience will give all the partners a greater appreciation for each other.
In the switching, all positions will change places. The office of the Presidency, the Parliament, the Guurti and all government positions will be affected. Cities will change status and some personalities will get in on an act.
First and foremost, the office of the president will change hands. Siilaanyo will be given the gift of becoming the President of Somaliland. Of course, Somalilanders will go to election and vote for him just to satisfy the democratic election due process. Hargeisa and Borama will change status. Borama will become the capital of Somaliland and hence Siilaanyo (the gift getter President) will have his palace in Borama. All government departments, as well as the international agents will relocate to Borama. That will put Borama in full employment status as Hargeisa has been enjoying for the last sixteen years. Siilaanyo will have to adopt the “blame everything for the President” policy as Rayale adopted for so long. Siilaanyo (the gift receiver) will not be allowed to visit his home region and will be stuck in Borama like Rayale has been stuck in Hargeisa during his term.
The government office for the appeasement of SNM will have to close doors as it can not operate in Awdal. Instead a similar office will open doors for Horyaal in Borama city. Siilaanyo will have then to find a way to include “Naftood Hurayaasha Horyaal” in his speeches and will have to surround himself with Horyaal members.
Rayale will move to Qunujeed. As soon as the switching takes effect, he will have to spare no time bashing Siilaanyo by any means necessary and will have to reject what ever comes from Siilaanyo just for the sake of being in opposition and will have to contradict himself more often than not – a position held by Siilaanyo at the present time.
The Parliament and the Guurti will switch places too. In other words, the number of the seats occupied by the Isaaqs will go to the Samaroons and vice versa. I know that this will create headache, but hey, the Samaroons have been living with this nightmare for the last sixteen years. Therefore, Isaaqs will have to figure out a way to adapt to it. In addition, Isaaqs will have to adapt the “quite diplomacy” and will have to accept the “starve with dignity” policies – policies practiced by the Samaroons for a loooong time.
Now, the Samaroons having the majority in both houses will have to make sure that no motion passes through in any way possible. This will in turn make sure to let Somaliland hang in the middle of no where for the coming years and will also make sure to put the public in a chronic state of confusion more than ever.
The tarmac road between Borama and Dilla will be in completion with in no time. Infrastructure of Awdal will be developed and rehabilitated all the time. But those of the other regions will be neglected to a zero point infrastructure.
The port of Zeila will be developed and Awdalites will enjoy almost free tariff import/export. But citizens from the other regions will be taxed heavily as Awdalites are treated in Berbera at the present time.
Customs officers will be trained. Border crossing at Lowyacado will be made easy, but border crossing at the other corner will be restricted and people will be let to experience hell – some kind of a policy that is in effect at Lowyacado at present.
Personalities will be required to act like those playing in the political field of Somaliland. So far, Osman Bahdon volunteered to act like Biixi. He will have to research, praise Horyaal members and revive their fame and good deeds by any means necessary and will have to write speeches for Rayale in Qunujeed.
I (Dugsiye) volunteered to buy a whip (dheengad) and will act like inna Kaahin. I will have to make sure to try to whip Siilaanyo out of the presidential palase in Borama.
Osman Yusuf (Osman Dheere) volunteered to act like Baradhe (Potatoes). He will get all the contracts especially the Adhi contract. He will have to subcontract only to Awdalites and will have to remind the complainants that Siilaanyo has been given the gift of the president and that they are not qualified for any subcontract.
Awdal correspondents will replace Diridhabe and will have to make sure that they leave no stone unturned to make up stories in the mijilises. They will be required to read every article written against Awdal and will personally respond to the author in secret.
Warsan magazine of Ottawa will open branches in Borama city and will act like Haatuf. The magazine will have the privilege to take pictures of all the properties of Siilaanyo and will spread lies against the will be president accusing him of corruption as it has never happened in the world before. But will not write a word about the first lady as Warsan group are bound to respect “ilaalinta dhaqankeena iyo xushmada dumarkeena”.
Adam Isaaq airport of Borama will be developed and will become the main airport in Somaliland Republic.
A new party will open doors and will be named USTAAD. The new party will act like the Qaran party. The president of Ustaad will be ALXAAJ CAATEEYE and will act like Gaboose.
As soon as the switching takes effect, Goljano computer training school of Borama will be given a lucrative contract to conduct a population count in Berbera and Burco. Goljano will exercise it’s know how and will do the job in flying colors and will come up with a correct estimate unlike Gaavo’s junk.
In conclusion, switching places is like putting one’s shoes into the other. The life lessons that would be learned through the experience will give all the partners a greater appreciation for each other sixteen years at a time. The next partners (Sool and Sanaag) will have their turns respectively after Awdal and the rounding will then begin all over again and again and again ilaa qiyaamaha. In all these years Somaliland will hang up in the air. I hope this proposal will serve better than the gift giving scheme.
P/S There are those who always pretend to have been offended by any thing. I know that I will be receiving tens of hate e-mails in respond to this article. I urge them to get into the comfort zone and hold their blames for the incoming president - the will be getting the gift of the presidency - as I am holding my whipping.
Suleiman Dugsiye
Ottawa, Canada
Saturday, July 14, 2007
GAAVO"S JUNK
(Reader, be aware!!! Awdal, be alert)
Two weeks ago, journalist Mohamed Omer (Hyena) posted a news piece in harowo.com in which he explicitly explained about a collective report by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO.
UN-HABITAT – a United Nations agency who is supposed to help needy people for shelter has been in Borama for the last sixteen years but has never built a room for any one person or family. GAAVO is a privately owned organization in Berbera which offers basic training of carpentry, auto mechanics and computers. Despite the fact that Amoud University is in the back yard of Borama city, a lucrative contract was given to GAAVO by UN-HABITAT to conduct a population count in Borama city. Instead of a proper estimate, GAAVO reported back junk and further proved the globally known principle of “garbage in garbage out”.
The term “garbage in garbage out” is used in any field and in any situation in which it is difficult to create a good result when given bad input. It is also commonly used to describe failures in human decision making due to faulty and imprecise data. The work of GAAVO in this project is a classic example of junk data input which resulted unreliable worthless conclusion. Hence, GAAVO had earned the privilege to be used as an example of the garbage principle. In other words from several days of inaccurate data collection and misrepresentation, GAAVO came up with an unwanted report which was faulty at best and really bad judgment at the worst.
Journalist Mohamed Omer reported:
“Warbixin ku qornayd qoraal ay soo bandhigtay hay'adda UN-Habitat, ayaa waxa ay hay'addu faafaahin ka bixisay tirada guryaha iyo dadka ku nool magaalada Boorama oo ay hay'adda UN-Habitat ku qiyaastay 76,208.”
That is pure junk and undermines the real population of the city of Borama. No wonder it was rejected by every one in Borama including the ten year olds and down. UN-HABITAT and GAAVO peddled arrant nonsense and as was obvious the report was based on unjustified assumptions and undermined by mischievous claims. The report was laughable in comparison to the estimates of the local governments and the public as a whole. Check out the following:
“Qaar ka mid ah aqoonyahankii ka qayb galay aqoon-isweydaarsigan, ayaa sheegay in surveygan oo lagu qaaday qalabka loo yaqaan GPS ka aanu hayn mid sax ah oo ka turjumi kara xaqiiqada runta ah.”
Wariye M. Omer
The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) as sophisticated as it is, with its modern techniques, is not some kind of a process that can easily be claimed in glowing terms. One can not simply waste time sitting in the hotels and restaurants and then again claim to have used the sophisticated technology of GPS. Global Positioning Systems are space-based radio positioning systems that provide 24 hour three dimensional position, velocity and time information to suitably equipped users. GPS systems receive data that is sensitive enough to map blocks of a city. Importantly, all GPS receivers must receive signal transmission from at least 4 satellites to calculate an accurate position.
Understanding and defining the accuracy needs of the project is crucial to ensure successful use of the GPS. Sophisticated computers and post processing software are crucial also along with a high considerable amount of time. Very well trained, qualified personnel who have the expertise of how the technology works, how the GPS data is collected and how it is interpreted and used in the context of measure surveys is also important. All are dependant to one another and are important yet complicated. In respect to all the needs, I don’t think a basic training organization of carpentry and auto mechanics like GAAVO is capable of using the Global Positioning System.
Despite GPS technology, there are many opportunities for errors to be introduced in the process. User mistakes can cause major errors. Receiver errors from software as well as noise and bias errors can sabotage the process. Improper interpretation of the data can risk the whole process to be considered as junk. If the personnel have not the necessary expertise to take the steps to minimize their impact, undercount can be particularly high. A case in point is what happened in Nigeria when proper process was not followed –
“Lalasz (2006) reported that the 1991 Census is thought to have undercounted Nigeria’s population (officially put at 89 million) by perhaps 20 million people.”
That is what happens when non-qualified personnel are let to do the job of using the GPS. I think it is now clear that GAAVO muddled up with the project and that the organization involved itself with some thing out of its know how zone and expertise. Its methods have very much undercounted the population estimate of Borama city. To make some analysis, it is agreed upon that 62,000-67,000 voted in Borama in the last election. If we take the GAAVO estimate as is 76,208, and subtract it from the least number of the voters 62,000, we get 14,208. This number comprises of all those under the age of legal voting age plus all those who never voted for any reason plus all those who were away in the election time but came back home, plus the spoiled votes that were not counted etc. etc. But that makes no sense. The number should be way more than the 14,208. Hence, the UN-HABITAT GAAVO estimate is dead wrong.
There are a lot of other methods that are reliable to use, less expensive and in some cases need no spending money or time. To try one that is widely accepted, considered satisfactory and needs no effort let alone a fortune or time, check the following term and follow the calculations:
“3 times the registered voters give a good population estimate.”
Now, if the agreed number of those who voted is 62,000 and that is taking the least number of the range, and multiplying by the 3 the result is 186,000. Now check the local government’s number:
“Aqoonyahankii iyo maamulka dawladda Hoose ayaa iyagu ku qiyaasay dadka ku noo magaalada boorama in ka badan 150, 000 oo qof.”
The numbers make sense now. And that is in respect to the time of voting. Other sophisticated methods can be used here but I think that there is no need to further complicate the matter as this gives us a clear estimate. This shows us that the GAAVO UN-HABITAT project was a complete fiasco. UN-HABITAT could have exercised some logic and at least built few houses for the needy that have been waiting for an action for the last sixteen years instead of this extravagancy. As far as the population count is concerned, I think it is fair to say that we keep our estimation number for Borama city and garbage the junk by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO.
Another way to have done the job well was that UN-HABITAT hires fifty of the locals and let them count the population. I am sure the locals would have counted every one and come up with accurate number with ease. Serious doubts that can be raised is the fact that, one might ask why the lucrative contract was given to GAAVO while the number one university of Somaliland (Amoud) is just next door. How come UN-HABITAT had done nothing for the needy people but all of a sudden had the ability to fund such an expensive contract. Well, I guess the answer is that some people are spoon fed at the expense of others. That policy has been in the works for years and years. But what is mind-boggling is why the United Nations agencies are allowed to be used as cold war weapons against Awdal.
Another logical question is why only Borama is subjected to population count while other cities like Hargeisa, Berbera, Burco and Gabiley are not. Simply put, the answer to me is that there are intentions behind the whole drama. Population figures are used to help calculate federal funding for regional and local governments and determine representation as well as international aid. In simple terms, the less the population, the less of every thing a city or region receives. In this matter where Borama population is undercounted, it faces to lose significantly in every side of the equation.
Some may argue that this was an isolated incident, but the fact that this kind of things have been going on for quite a while now, proves the intentions behind. United Nations agencies are always fed nonsense and unfortunately that garbage fed becomes the norm. Check out the following garbage that was fed to a United Nations agency which might have become the reality in its records:
“The MRG described the Somali clans of Darood, Hawiye and Isaaq as minorities who were under threat...”
This kind of garbage is always the input in the global arenas and the intention is quite clear. That kind of flip flopping plays well in the global games of politics and is a sure thing that it benefits the multi-colored faces of the junk feeders.
In today’s age of information technology, Internet has become the most important media. Thanks to it, a sentence of garbage gets read by millions in seconds and who knows how many of the millions right away put in record and believes the junk.
We know that UN-HABITAT and GAAVO report is garbage and surely I believe that there were hidden agendas. To avoid such, I urge the local governments of Awdal and the elites to always be alert and not to allow any group or organizations to muddle through Awdal affairs without first checking their qualifications and expertise. I also urge to discuss in details the future implication of such matters. I encourage the local governments also to demand to do their own matters instead of being done by others. I am sure Awdal out smarts any region. All in all, as was figured out by the residents of Borama city, the report by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO was garbage, we therefore are better off by keeping ours and consider the UN-HABITAT estimate (76,208) as that of Magaalo Qalooc.
P/S In any shape or form, Saaxil baa tirrin Awdal kaa aqbali maayo.
Suleiman Abdi Dugsiye
Ottawa, Canada
Two weeks ago, journalist Mohamed Omer (Hyena) posted a news piece in harowo.com in which he explicitly explained about a collective report by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO.
UN-HABITAT – a United Nations agency who is supposed to help needy people for shelter has been in Borama for the last sixteen years but has never built a room for any one person or family. GAAVO is a privately owned organization in Berbera which offers basic training of carpentry, auto mechanics and computers. Despite the fact that Amoud University is in the back yard of Borama city, a lucrative contract was given to GAAVO by UN-HABITAT to conduct a population count in Borama city. Instead of a proper estimate, GAAVO reported back junk and further proved the globally known principle of “garbage in garbage out”.
The term “garbage in garbage out” is used in any field and in any situation in which it is difficult to create a good result when given bad input. It is also commonly used to describe failures in human decision making due to faulty and imprecise data. The work of GAAVO in this project is a classic example of junk data input which resulted unreliable worthless conclusion. Hence, GAAVO had earned the privilege to be used as an example of the garbage principle. In other words from several days of inaccurate data collection and misrepresentation, GAAVO came up with an unwanted report which was faulty at best and really bad judgment at the worst.
Journalist Mohamed Omer reported:
“Warbixin ku qornayd qoraal ay soo bandhigtay hay'adda UN-Habitat, ayaa waxa ay hay'addu faafaahin ka bixisay tirada guryaha iyo dadka ku nool magaalada Boorama oo ay hay'adda UN-Habitat ku qiyaastay 76,208.”
That is pure junk and undermines the real population of the city of Borama. No wonder it was rejected by every one in Borama including the ten year olds and down. UN-HABITAT and GAAVO peddled arrant nonsense and as was obvious the report was based on unjustified assumptions and undermined by mischievous claims. The report was laughable in comparison to the estimates of the local governments and the public as a whole. Check out the following:
“Qaar ka mid ah aqoonyahankii ka qayb galay aqoon-isweydaarsigan, ayaa sheegay in surveygan oo lagu qaaday qalabka loo yaqaan GPS ka aanu hayn mid sax ah oo ka turjumi kara xaqiiqada runta ah.”
Wariye M. Omer
The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) as sophisticated as it is, with its modern techniques, is not some kind of a process that can easily be claimed in glowing terms. One can not simply waste time sitting in the hotels and restaurants and then again claim to have used the sophisticated technology of GPS. Global Positioning Systems are space-based radio positioning systems that provide 24 hour three dimensional position, velocity and time information to suitably equipped users. GPS systems receive data that is sensitive enough to map blocks of a city. Importantly, all GPS receivers must receive signal transmission from at least 4 satellites to calculate an accurate position.
Understanding and defining the accuracy needs of the project is crucial to ensure successful use of the GPS. Sophisticated computers and post processing software are crucial also along with a high considerable amount of time. Very well trained, qualified personnel who have the expertise of how the technology works, how the GPS data is collected and how it is interpreted and used in the context of measure surveys is also important. All are dependant to one another and are important yet complicated. In respect to all the needs, I don’t think a basic training organization of carpentry and auto mechanics like GAAVO is capable of using the Global Positioning System.
Despite GPS technology, there are many opportunities for errors to be introduced in the process. User mistakes can cause major errors. Receiver errors from software as well as noise and bias errors can sabotage the process. Improper interpretation of the data can risk the whole process to be considered as junk. If the personnel have not the necessary expertise to take the steps to minimize their impact, undercount can be particularly high. A case in point is what happened in Nigeria when proper process was not followed –
“Lalasz (2006) reported that the 1991 Census is thought to have undercounted Nigeria’s population (officially put at 89 million) by perhaps 20 million people.”
That is what happens when non-qualified personnel are let to do the job of using the GPS. I think it is now clear that GAAVO muddled up with the project and that the organization involved itself with some thing out of its know how zone and expertise. Its methods have very much undercounted the population estimate of Borama city. To make some analysis, it is agreed upon that 62,000-67,000 voted in Borama in the last election. If we take the GAAVO estimate as is 76,208, and subtract it from the least number of the voters 62,000, we get 14,208. This number comprises of all those under the age of legal voting age plus all those who never voted for any reason plus all those who were away in the election time but came back home, plus the spoiled votes that were not counted etc. etc. But that makes no sense. The number should be way more than the 14,208. Hence, the UN-HABITAT GAAVO estimate is dead wrong.
There are a lot of other methods that are reliable to use, less expensive and in some cases need no spending money or time. To try one that is widely accepted, considered satisfactory and needs no effort let alone a fortune or time, check the following term and follow the calculations:
“3 times the registered voters give a good population estimate.”
Now, if the agreed number of those who voted is 62,000 and that is taking the least number of the range, and multiplying by the 3 the result is 186,000. Now check the local government’s number:
“Aqoonyahankii iyo maamulka dawladda Hoose ayaa iyagu ku qiyaasay dadka ku noo magaalada boorama in ka badan 150, 000 oo qof.”
The numbers make sense now. And that is in respect to the time of voting. Other sophisticated methods can be used here but I think that there is no need to further complicate the matter as this gives us a clear estimate. This shows us that the GAAVO UN-HABITAT project was a complete fiasco. UN-HABITAT could have exercised some logic and at least built few houses for the needy that have been waiting for an action for the last sixteen years instead of this extravagancy. As far as the population count is concerned, I think it is fair to say that we keep our estimation number for Borama city and garbage the junk by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO.
Another way to have done the job well was that UN-HABITAT hires fifty of the locals and let them count the population. I am sure the locals would have counted every one and come up with accurate number with ease. Serious doubts that can be raised is the fact that, one might ask why the lucrative contract was given to GAAVO while the number one university of Somaliland (Amoud) is just next door. How come UN-HABITAT had done nothing for the needy people but all of a sudden had the ability to fund such an expensive contract. Well, I guess the answer is that some people are spoon fed at the expense of others. That policy has been in the works for years and years. But what is mind-boggling is why the United Nations agencies are allowed to be used as cold war weapons against Awdal.
Another logical question is why only Borama is subjected to population count while other cities like Hargeisa, Berbera, Burco and Gabiley are not. Simply put, the answer to me is that there are intentions behind the whole drama. Population figures are used to help calculate federal funding for regional and local governments and determine representation as well as international aid. In simple terms, the less the population, the less of every thing a city or region receives. In this matter where Borama population is undercounted, it faces to lose significantly in every side of the equation.
Some may argue that this was an isolated incident, but the fact that this kind of things have been going on for quite a while now, proves the intentions behind. United Nations agencies are always fed nonsense and unfortunately that garbage fed becomes the norm. Check out the following garbage that was fed to a United Nations agency which might have become the reality in its records:
“The MRG described the Somali clans of Darood, Hawiye and Isaaq as minorities who were under threat...”
This kind of garbage is always the input in the global arenas and the intention is quite clear. That kind of flip flopping plays well in the global games of politics and is a sure thing that it benefits the multi-colored faces of the junk feeders.
In today’s age of information technology, Internet has become the most important media. Thanks to it, a sentence of garbage gets read by millions in seconds and who knows how many of the millions right away put in record and believes the junk.
We know that UN-HABITAT and GAAVO report is garbage and surely I believe that there were hidden agendas. To avoid such, I urge the local governments of Awdal and the elites to always be alert and not to allow any group or organizations to muddle through Awdal affairs without first checking their qualifications and expertise. I also urge to discuss in details the future implication of such matters. I encourage the local governments also to demand to do their own matters instead of being done by others. I am sure Awdal out smarts any region. All in all, as was figured out by the residents of Borama city, the report by UN-HABITAT and GAAVO was garbage, we therefore are better off by keeping ours and consider the UN-HABITAT estimate (76,208) as that of Magaalo Qalooc.
P/S In any shape or form, Saaxil baa tirrin Awdal kaa aqbali maayo.
Suleiman Abdi Dugsiye
Ottawa, Canada
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