Friday, May 24, 2013

Dr. Omar Raabe: Departure of a Hero without a Nation



'He who sincerely loves his country, leaves the
fragrance of a good name to a hundred ages.'
--PEKIN GAZETTE, NOV. 13, 1814.

“I never waged a war on the Somali people, whether political, religious, and tribal or whatever… On the contrary, I was always searching for the common good of the Somali people; I was calling for the protection of the Somali people’s interest, their land and their sea… Never did I work for self-interest, a name or money…but sometimes I sacrificed my personal affairs for the sake of the general interest. O’ Somalis, never did I lie to you, but on the contrary I always tried to warn you against the dangers that threatened the sovereignty of the Somali nation.”

With these farewell words, Dr. Omar Raabe departed from our world as a firm believer in Greater Somalia (Somali Weyn) and a tireless campaigner for achieving such a patriotic goal.  Raabe stood out from the Somali educated class for being the only one that never let the dream die and never let himself to be dragged to the dark dungeons of tribalism. He lived and died as a proud Somali with an unwavering belief that the day will come when the Somali race in the Horn of Africa will unite under one state and one flag; as a one nation that takes its respected place in the international community. 

From the day he started his struggle for the independence of Djibouti until he died on 17th April 2013, Raabe was in constant search for the unity and dignity of the Somali people. He went through untold suffering for the cause. He was sentenced to death by the French colonial authorities in Djibouti and was arrested and imprisoned several times by both Djiboutian and Somali authorities but he was not a man to be scared by jail or death. He was fighting for a cause that he saw as the highest calling of his life and was ready to fight for it to the end.
Raabe is comparable if not more persevering and more tenacious than recognized African heroes for independence such as Nkrumah, Lumumba, Jomo Kenyatta, Ben Bella and Mandela. 

The only difference is that these African heroes came at a historic time when their nations were prepared to rally behind one leader for a common cause, to free their countries from one foreign occupier. Raabe, however, emerged when two parts of the Somali nation had thrown out the yoke of colonialism and the people had already seen their dream of statehood frittered by the inherent disease of tribalism. 

He lived through tragic years during which he saw his dream devoured by tribalism, fratricide and the Somali people suffering in the hands of inept, corrupt and opportunistic politicians who did not mind to sell the territory for their self enrichment. But nevertheless he never gave up and he kept trying to resuscitate a nation that has stopped to breathe; a nation engrossed to annihilate itself in its own hands and was not ready to hear the voice of reason; a nation that was more ready to listen to scoundrels who sell it to the lowest bidder than to embrace heroes with high ideals. Raabe died indeed as a hero but as one without a nation. But history never forgets and there is no doubt that Raabe will remain as a national legacy that will haunt the Somali race for Centuries. 

The following poem is a tribute to the struggle and patriotism of Dr Raabe. It was firs recited by the poet at ceremony held in Dubai by the Somali Community in the UAE in the memory of Dr. Raabe. 

SOMALI WAY TEBI

Raabiyow Tibaax iyo
Tubtii aad is taagtaba
Tabantaabadaadii
Taladaadii fiicnayd
          *
Soomaali toolmoon
Oon kala takoorrayn
Tamarteedu weyn tahay
Oon cadaw tunkeediyo
Tagoogeeda jabin Karin
          *
Tusmo raadinteediyo
Taahaaga beerkiyo
Markay tiifi gaadhaba
Uur tawaawacaagii
*
Tubtii noloshu waa tane
Waar tolow ka joogsada
Dabka ha isku tuurina
Qayladaadi taarkii
Erayadii taxliishii
Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo
Soomaali way tebi
          ***
Marka tiirka qarankiyo
Taladeenu liicdaba
Tuska soo onkodayiyo
Meel fog tiigsigaagii
Hiyi tiirintaadii

          *
Tabaalaha adduunyada
Taariikh wixii jira
Iyo tabaha loo dego
          *
Sida loo tamcaayee
Loo tu’in lahaa  iyo
Boholaha la teedshee
Looga sii tallaabsaday
Intaanay ku wada tegin
Toosh ku qabashadaadii
          *
Waar tolow ka joogsada
Jarka ha isku tuurina
Digniintaadii taagnayd
Qalbi tuujintaadii
Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo
Soomaali way tebi
***
Markuu xumo taraaree
Qabiil la isku toocsado
Sheekadu tollaayeey
Taran baan ku dheerahay
          *
Awowgeey Tahliil baa
Awowgaa tamcayn jiray
Tiro geel lahaan jiray
Taladoodu qoys iyo
Tarridii hortoodiyo
Tulud dhaafi laada’ay
          *
Iyadoo taftoodiyo
Tafeenada hayiigmiyo
Tun jilaycsigoogani
Shisheeyuhu tusmaystoo
In dalkooga laga tiro
Tooxsi loogu tala galay
          *
Iyagoo is tuhmaayoo
Araggoodu taam yahay
La qaybtamo tubtoodii
Runtaad taabanaysiyo
Tilmaantaadi dheerayd
Waar tolow ka joogsada
Tumaatida  dhexdiinaa
Intaydaan ku talax gabin
Tusbax daatay caynkii
Mid waliba tog dheer xulin
Oon cadaw  tanaadoo
Tuuraha  ku joogaa
Habqankiina  taganada
Tabaaluhu ku qaadiyo
Ciiddaba ku kala tegin
          *
Ka tabaabushayntii
Ummad toosintaadii
Qofkii samuhu taabtiyo
Soomaali wey tebi.
          ***
Raabiyow tollaahiye
Nin sidaada tawstiyo
Gobannimo tisqaadkeed
Taraag dheer u galayoo
Timo soohdinteediyo
Tidiceeda gabadhaa
Ilaa toban jirkiisiyo
Markay geeridu u timi
Toddobaatan uu galay
Ku tawxiidsanaayoo
          *
Jacaylkeedu boqol tiro
Ku tibqayey jidhkiisoon
Wadkoo tuura mooyee
Toobin lagaga nuugayn
Taariikhdu way tebi.
                                       --Bashir  Goth, Friday, 10th May 2013.