We Should Discourage Politics of Animosity, MP Hashi

Somali lawmaker, Abdi Hashi has urged Somalis to discourage politics of animosity.

Hashi said politics should not be used to create enmity among Somalis but be viewed as uniting factor of all Somali people.

“Even as we do politics, we should respect one another. We should discourage politics of enmity if we are to attain a united country free from tribalism and negative attitudes,” said Hashi.

The country is trying to emerge from more than two decades of conflict and chaos triggered by the fall of military ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Somalia on Friday marked its 56th Independence Day when the northern and southern regions merged to form the first government in 1960.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud led the nation during the celebrations where he called for unity among Somalis and also vowed to stabilise the Horn of Africa nation.

“It is a great historic day today, it is our freedom day, it is when the southern and northern regions of Somalia united and built a State after decades of colonisation and under UN administration rule,” Mohamud said.

He called on Somalis to work with security institutions in order to ensure peace and stability in the region while praising the role of the Army and AU forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

“We will never rest until we eliminate the enemy who rejects life for the Somali community. Government’s first priority is the safety of our people. Those who are against us are our enemies,” he added.

The president warned Al-Shabaab against terrorising innocent civilians, children and making them orphans, and called on the militants to work with the government which he said will offer them amnesty to ensure peace prevails in the Horn of Africa nation.

“Al-Shabaab took a war campaign against Somali people, but success will be with Somali people,” he said.