Opinion: Keep Somaliland Armed Forces Away From Politics

Somaliland Armed Forces, whether they are military, police or prison force, are self-less servants for the country and for the people and are solely responsible for the defence, internal security and safety and order of the country and the nation.

Armed forces should not be politicized by politicians, opposition parties or traditional leaders that could affect the effectiveness of their duties and, as a result of that, could undermine the stability and peace of the country. Under any circumstances or conditions, armed forces should not be used for political or for tribal gains.

Joining armed forces is voluntary and not forcible. Once a person (soldier) is enlisted for the armed forces, takes an oath of the service and puts on a uniform for the national duties, they have no allegiance for a particular tribe, party, region or group but for the nation and for the country. They should be given maximum respect for the service. Their sole duties are to defend the country from external aggression or invasion and to keep the internal security and safety to make sure that the nation lives in peace and safety for making progress and development in tranquillity for self-sufficiency and better life.

Politicizing armed forces undermines and weakens their patriotic duties to defend the country from external enemies and to protect it from internal insecurity, anarchy and chaotic situation. The public sleeps safe and works safely with the armed forces. So, people should support and respect their armed forces all the time.

The politicization of the armed forces, especially military, weakens their ability and role to defend the country effectively. Political parties, especially opposition parties, or individuals who politicize armed forces break the laws governing the armed forces expressed in the constitution and should be liable to legal proceedings to protect the duties of the armed forces for the nation and for the country.

The definition of a national military means that the members of the army are from all tribes or ethnic groups of a country balanced well in their enlistment and accepted by the public as national armed forces while militia is defined as an armed group of a particular tribe run by renegade political leader. Any political leader who organizes or forms an armed tribal militia fights the peace, stability and common good of a nation.

According to military doctrine, the success and accomplishment of the armed forces depend on fulfilling military discipline and regulations expressed in military law of a particular nation. Military Discipline is a state of order and obedience existing within a command to promote patriotism and nationalism. For being a national army, the Somaliland military can have strategic bases in any region or place of the country.

Ibrahim Hassan Gagale
2019

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