So strange that a country that has been credibly functioning for 26 years is challenged by a handful of young, semi-literate, impressionable, so-called media practitioners so openly in the capital city, Hargeisa, and other major towns.
The video below, believe or not, was shot and posted in June 2016 in Hargeisa by two young faces in the Somaliland media. It openly discusses and promotes the chances of the newly-elected president of Somaliland, Mohamed Abdullahi ‘Farmajo’, in Hargeisa. It is intended to imply that Hargeisa and Somalilanders, in general, are part of the Somalia election process. It gives one the impression that the Republic of Somaliland is nothing more than the Somalia federal states of Puntland, Galmudug, Puntland, Hirshabelle, Southwest and Jubbaland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgoP9yCrRPY
The video below was, also, shot and posted in Hargeisa on 12 February 2017. The young man conducting the fox pops leads subjects to support the government ‘elected’ to power in Somalia.
He uses the name ‘Maandeeq’ – a personification of independence in the form of a she-camel that gives plenty of satisfying, nourishing milk to its owners. It is a euphemistic expression used by Somalis in the height of their nationalist fervor in the old days when they still harbored hopes of the five Somali states (Somaliland, Somalia, NFD, Haud & Reserve Area & Djibouti) coming together to build a Greater Somalia nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbEYWDgvPAA&feature=youtu.be
This third video, below, was shot and posted by another so-called journalist who, in a despicable departure from the ethics of journalism, openly celebrates the victory Farmajo reached in Mogadishu to emerge as the 9th president of the failed state.
Oldon, here, was born and raised in the towns of Ainaba and Burao. He worked for a number of the Somali-speaking TV stations. He became notorious as a journalist who solicited money from well-wishers wishing to help people in difficult economic or health situations he shot pictures of. His appeal for assistance to these people was never wholly altruistic as his close friends reveal.
This young men left Hargeisa and Burao on several occasions before not successfully hiding his soft spot for another union with Somalia going against his home country’s 26-year old statehood. He always came back but was never apprehended or charged for his nefarious activities.
This time round, he so foolishly bought a ticket back to Hargeisa right after he shot and appeared in the video below jubilantly waving a Farmajo poster-picture, singing the Somalia national anthem and addressing the the President-elect’s young supporters on the streets of Mogadishu.
This time round he was nabbed at the airport and was put behind bars to await arraignment in court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_HNcP93Mp8
Many reacted to the arrest on both sides of the fence.
What has taken a great many Somalilanders by surprise that a young man, who poses as an ‘intellectual’ cleric, a man who works as an advisor to a reputable business establishment, openly defends Oldon’s actions. The man, who uses the name of Dr. Abdulqani Beder on Facebook argues (below) that Musa Behi Abdi, Kulmiye leader, participated in the Ethiopian army anniversary and Oldon in Farmajo’s celebrations in Mogadishu. He says where Musa took part in a show of force on the part of Ethiopia to send a picture of its prowess to Somalia, Oldon took part only in celebrating Farmajo.
Consequently, the man puts aspersion on the logic of criminalizing one and not doing so on the other – showing his hand as a supporter of Waddani opposition party whose officers have, of late, been softly spouting the same anti-sovereignty, pro-union sentiments.
The pictures below all show sample of images of these young, Somaliland-born, so-called journalists promoting Somalia flag and re-union in Mogadishu where they flit to and fro between there and Hargeisa and Burao all the time – unpunished. 
By Madar Jimale
madar.jimale@gmail.com
