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Factual Errors and Flawed Generalizations in Habib Ali Matan’s Recent Article by Abdullahi Garille |
The article written by Habib Ali Matan (January 02, 2010), entitled “Is the Somali regional government's Attempt To Reach Out to Diaspora Community Genuine or Just Public Relation?” aside with its many inscriptional blunders, represents a gross distortion of the shrewdness of Somali Regional Diaspora. I wrote this rebuttal because I was astonished by the level of factual errors and flawed generalization in the article. Again, aside with the many lapses present in what looks should be “groundbreaking article” written by supposedly tough well educated brother with honor directed at the most influential segment of the Somali Regional State population, the Diaspora. Therefore, it is only fair to the Diaspora people that they are aware that the article of Matan was full of errors and flawed generalization. Once you display such erroneous information on the internet for public consumption, you must realize the remark you made is subject to public scrutiny.
In this article, I will focus on Matan’s discussion of “The Importance of Clarity from The Somali Regional State” to demonstrate his misleading generalizations and factual errors. From his remarks on this topic, I became immediately aware that Matan has neither the facts about Somali Regional Diaspora nor the analytical skills to evaluate the separation of powers in Somali Regional Government. In disgraceful style, Matan proudly states “…there are a large number in the Diaspora who are engaged in corruption and systematically loot the tax payers of the host nations through dupious schemes.” Although the meaning of this statement is hard to understand, given its number of misspelled and grammatical slips, the unspoken truth here is that Somali Regional Diaspora is hard-working and tax-paying citizens/residents in their host countries. Therefore, Matan’s statement vociferously carries the fictive comical racist message, and I bet he does not fully understand its underlying implications, intended to smear the good people of Somali Regional Diaspora.
In another distortion, Matan notes “The region has also experimental giving senior positions and cabinet level positions to individuals from the Diaspora who didn’t have the skill level or the advanced degrees desirable with predictable failure. Most of these individuals from the Diaspora were Taxi drivers in their host countries who had nothing to offer.” The grammatical slips ostensible in Matan’s statements along with his subtle and blatant generalization literally indicates his level of academic training. Matan needs to be reminded that those from the Diaspora that the government had requested for their help in its developmental endeavors and then offered posts were not mere average guys on the streets. They, including myself, were educated with advanced degrees. For that, his statement obstreperously carries the message of the anti-government groups, with the aim to discredit whoever worked for the government despite the esteem that society feel for them.
Matan naively suggests “The regional Somali State have set up an investment office but this office should be changed to a full Bureau with the responsibility to clearly define the rules of investment, define and market the sectors for investment, regulate and enforce all investment, investigate investment fraud and account for all government investment incentives and market properly the region’s investment potential to domestic and foreign investment.” The powers and duties given to the investment office are clear. The office has wide variety of function within its jurisdiction, but asking this office to investigate “…all government investment incentives…” shows Matan’s limited understanding on the system of separation of powers in Somali Regional Government.
Finally, Matan irrespectively attacked the Diaspora, blaming them for wrongdoing without providing any corroborating evidence, while discrediting the educated men in the Diaspora who, with the call of the government, stood to help their impoverished people in Somali Regional State. Putting these statements together, one can only wonder about the underlying motive of Matan’s message to the Diaspora. I hope, however, that Matan’s factual errors and flawed generalization about Somali Regional Diaspora were just jejune mistakes.
Abdullahi Garille is columnist and former SRS president’s special adviser; he can be reached at garille@live.com
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