Open Letter to Our Politicians

Wednesday April 4, 2018
By Suad Raage

Dear Politician,

As times of uncertainty linger in the streets of Mogadishu, I wanted to put pen to paper- more like fingers to a keyboard and remind the different leaders of Somalia that the fate of our country lies in the palm of your hands. Somalia’s prolonged instability has caused much strife but what is harder to watch- many of you have forgotten about the people who’ve elected you, those who put you in office to represent their needs. You have neglected your roles and failed to realize that you should serve and fulfill your duties at the pleasure of the people.

How is this not evident to you? This was supposed to be our time, nearly 6 months ago we lost hundreds of lives, thousands more affected by the aftermath of what could possibly be recognized as Somalia’s most trying moment since the civil war.

Yet here we are, here you are!

advertisements

It just baffles me how you show up to sessions at 6 am for motions, but fail to meet quorum when voting on legislations that can directly benefit the lives of citizens and table legislations for months at a time, that have the potential of moving our country forward. Then when tragedy hits, you sit on the sidelines patting volunteers on the back for what many brave youths see as civic responsibility- as you bicker in the back rooms about how ‘so and so’ is taking your job instead of lending a hand, joining forces or offering resources.

Why are you like this?

Are you blinded by your ‘esteemed’ titles you wear ever so loudly- with your guards, bulletproof cars and gated communities, while your constituents stare down the barrel of an AK to make way for your Excellency? Do you not see our people are in camps, lost at sea, captured as slaves etc? They are DYING to escape. While the few brave enough to stay end up painting the pavements red with their remains because YOU failed to secure their safety. You’ve let them down, you’ve let them die but I guess blood doesn’t stain concrete so we wash away the blood, bury the dead, send our condolences and move on. Is this what we have come to? The normalization of death, destruction and desensitized to all feeling? You have deceived us into believing in this state of 'peace' even though we are barely alive. If only hopes and prayers for change were as convincing as the change spent to sell the idea of a 'changed Somalia', right?

Anyway, if nothing above has resonated with you or even made you second guess your thought process; as you wait in line this morning-

I plea to the leaders of this country to respect your citizen's voices and act on the best interest of this country and its people- after all they are the ones living the consequences of YOUR decisions.

Sincerely,

Suad Raage,
Concerned citizen

Home
Email

Hiiraan Online