Name: Hassan Moalim
Career: Politician
Academic rank: MA
Administrative Position: The head of foreign
department and head of Addis Ababa’s
ONLF Office.
Office Address: Legehar, Addis Ababa
Hassan Moalim is among the experienced politicians. The Ethiopian Herald had a time of togetherness with Hassan. Excerpts
The Ethiopian Herald: What coerced you to join the political movement?
Hassan Maulim: The previous regime was not treating people in our area as Ethiopians. Murdering, ill-treating, subjugating, torching and harassing innocent people were always there. I grew up in such poisoned atmosphere.
In 1960, when Somalia got its independence, the local people on this side of the boarder too raised a similar question. My elder brother was among one of the people who got killed. I grew up harboring ill feelings.
Due to that, four parties emerged. Some of them were religious ones, while our problem was not a religious one. Basic human rights, justice, and equality to our people were atop our question list. I joined the movement to ensure freedom and justice to my people.
But after the change took place in the country, we realized that if solely Somali people got freedom and justice it doesn’t work. From the global trend we learnt the direct correlation among societies. We reflected if our Oromo, Amhara, Harari siblings, among others, do not get freedom ours is nothing. So, we shifted our agenda from local to national issues.
We are working on the issues of all Nation Nationalities and People in the country. Obviously if one’s body part becomes subject to an ailment, all body parts become sick. Likewise, if Nations, Nationalities and People have lost their freedom and justice, our freedom could not be complete enough without the freedom of all Nation and Nationalities and People.
One has to think holistic and solve different problems in logical and pragmatic manners.
Herald: After a long stay abroad how did you find the state?
Hassan: Dishing out fictitious things about the country’s becoming prosperous Abdi Iley and his fellows were feeding the diaspora wrong information. They were claiming the entire infrastructure is doable, people have become educated and life is good. They had been preaching so and so on. But the reverse was true. Especially when we come to Somali state, things were completely bad.
Infrastructural facilities—like water, electricity, schools, and hospitals and among others— were lacking. The Somali people were the most affected ones by the previous regimes. The people were endangered. They were being displaced from place to place.
Currently, thanks to the reform things are taking a turn for the better.
Herald: What is your take on the ongoing change in the country?
Hassan: As we all know, the change is an unprecedented one in Ethiopian history. The premier, who is at the helm of power, declared that everybody has a right to live freely and exercise freedom of speech within the framework of responsibility. This enunciation is the first of its kind in the country’s history. He is working hard to ensure democratic culture is getting off the ground.
With the unreformed government, we sat down for discussion seven times but in vain. Though we were committed to peace, they could not stomach an even development and enduring peace in the country. But after the change took shape, it takes only twenty minutes to reach on an agreement. Dr. Abiy’s catch phrase was “We have to forgive each other!”
Power mongers were the ones who were responsible for the problems; freedom fighters were only fighting for their rights. Then, we litmus tested the change and proved it a real one.
Things got changed dramatically in twenty minutes. We accept negotiation and reach an agreement because the way things are happening now is completely different from the way it was before. In the Somali case, we started our fight for freedoms sixty years ago.
Now, we ask for our freedom, justice, and equality as per the ideals of the constitution. We want to have a federalism which is a kind of democratic system which many countries who have different background like Ethiopia are using. I think federalism is the best for Ethiopia but its implementation has created a problem in the previous regimes.
A lot of good things have precipitated to our communalities on the wake of the change. But true to the saying “Politics is a nasty game” it is proving a bad game in the country. Some people are looking at things only from their benefits’ side.
Now, we no longer cut the image of a local party. We have shifted our agenda to the national level. We have opened offices in Adama, Bar Dar, Addis Ababa, Afar, and many others. We want to play a key role in shaping the country well and handing it down to the coming generation. We are located in a very strategic place; we interconnect Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, and Ogaden with Ethiopia.
Herald: What measure did you take in promoting peace in the state?
Hassan: Previously, we were the ones who resorted to fighting picking arms,. Now, we transferred our fighters to the Somali state administration totally. We don’t have any armed group right now. We have metamorphosed from armed group to a political party that works for the betterment of the whole nation.
Currently, there is no single armed man of ours in the state. We believe that Somali state is the most tranquil and secured place in the country. It is not because of any other thing. It is because of us. It is because of what we have done.
We were fighting to get freedom, justice, and equality through armed struggle. Now, we have resorted to struggle for our rights through democratic ideals—using the pen. That is why we have changed our emblem from Kalashnikov to a pen.
During the Abdi Iley time, the tragic episode that happened was orchestrated by the phony politicians. Somali people have no such culture. We believe in equality. We treat all like our siblings. What happened was genocide by the then government. It was government fighting its own people not people grappling for the neck of people.
Nowadays, we are working with the current Somali State Administration to strengthen the co-existences of our people with Oromo siblings and other neighbors. We are working to get focused more on our communalities than our differences.
Herald: What do you think are the main challenges in the country?
Hassan: Naturally, when something new comes we find it hard to embrace it. Especially when it comes to your position, you run here and there to destruct things. The vestiges of the previous corrupt and brutal government still exist on the different administrative machinery of the government. They are working to create mess here and there in the different parts of the country.
The other challenge could be traced back to the behavior of people of Ethiopia. The previous government was not representing the people. The then officials were subjugating the people. Now, though the current is not represented, they are working for the people’s benefits. They allow freedom of speech and freedom of expression including all packages of rights. But people are not using the given rights accordingly. Since these rights are foreign for them, they seem amiss how to exercise the rights.
People should know there are limitation, obligation and right. They are only running after their rights not their obligations. In addition, they are being used by others who have planned to destruct the country.
We need to come together to assist this change. We must keep a keen eye least it could be hijacked. Everyone should contribute a brick to build the country not to destruct it.
Herald: Is federalism is a must for Ethiopia?
Hassan: This is not an easy thing. The emergence of federalism in the country has got its own history. Since the establishment of the country, different Nations and Nationalities were asking for their rights. Federalism is a must for such country demonstrating diversity. Ethiopia is not the first country to apply federalism. Many other countries that have applied federalism have become successful. US, Canada, and Switzerland are but to mention a few.
There are two types of federalisms— asymmetric and symmetric federalism. We can’t carbon copy things from them. But we can draw lessons from them. The problem in Ethiopia is related to implementation not federalism. We have to admit the problem and work on how to build a nation for the coming generation.
Some people have made the federalism the butt of their sever criticism. Rather, they should criticize the implementation. Some are creating a problem that has not been there. We need to come to table and discuss brotherly and sisterly what is good for this country and find a solution.
Herald: What must be done to ensure enduring co-existence among ethnic groups in the country?
Hassan: If the people enjoy full rights and if justice, equality, and rule of law are respected everything is going to be alright. If there is no rule of law, justice and civil rights, we cannot ensure co-existence among citizens. There must be a strong democratic institution in the country. Dr. Abiy is doing his best in this regard and we should support him. We have to stand by the prime minister’s side to sustain the ongoing change in the country.
Currently, there are lots of confusions in the country especially, on social media. We need to educate our people not be dupes to fake news and hate speeches. Dinning the two in to the ears of credulous citizens could court a crisis. Some are living abroad leading a fanciful life and spreading fake news and hate speeches to destruct the country.
Some are threatening the country will collapse if they do not grab the rein of power. This is totally unacceptable. We believe God created all equally. So, we better focus on the future not to lapse into the harrowing and black days we spent.
Finally, we should capitalize on our commonalities. Some are only emphasizing the differences than the commonalities. We better promote what we have in common and what will make us remain united.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 11 August 2019
BY AMBO MEKASA
