By M.A. Egge
Dr Mohamed Abdi Gaboose has passionately appealed to the traditional leaders of Gebilay and North Hargeisa communities to be peace emissaries and help in efforts to stop further bloodshed in clashes going on in some parts of the country.
He at the same time appealed to the Minister of Education and Higher Education Hon. Ahmed Torno to waive school fees to orphaned students and pupils and/or those whose parents have either been maimed or injured in the cause of national duties.
Dr. Gabboose made the sentimental pleas on Monday while addressing the graduation ceremony of the students of Timada Adde University in Gebilay, lamenting about the renewed inter clan clashes in El-Afweyn and Ali Sahiid areas in Sanaag and Togdeer regions respectively.
He emotionally and passionately said, “I see the traditional leaders Sa’ad Musa sitting here before me. I say unto them, please get up, swiftly move and go and address the El-Afweyn and Ali Sahid issues; and leave today. There are conflicts going on in our country and our citizens are dying”.
Reminiscent to a similar plea to Togdeer traditional leaders recently that was heeded and was fruitful, he said, “While speaking at the University of Gar-dag, I appealed to the Habar-je’lo traditional leaders with a similar plea which was positively heeded”.
He continued, “Today, I appeal to the traditional leaders of the Sa’ad Musa to stand up like Habar-je’lo and help in containing the clashes and stop further bloodshed in Ali Sahid and El-Afweyn subsequently.”
Dr. Gaboose, speaking to the Minister of Education and Science of Somaliland, suggested that the children of the security personnel who have either succumbed or fallen while in national duties, maimed or seriously injured or those taken as prisoners of war should be given respite and have their school fees waived.
“I am asking the Minister of Education that the children of the armed forces personnel whose fathers have sacrifices themselves in national duties hence have either died, been maimed, seriously injured or taken prisoners of war should not be chased from schools for lack of fees hence be exempted from paying”, he said.