By Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh

In times of national uncertainty, when political tempers flare and every disagreement is painted as treason, nations desperately need voices that rise above the noise. Voices that call for calm when others demand confrontation; that preach dialogue when others fan the flames of division. In Somaliland today, that voice is Jaamac Shabeel — a statesman whose courage has been met not with respect, but with handcuffs.

His recent arrest has sparked concern across the Somali territories and the diaspora, not because he is the first political figure to be detained, but because he is one of the few who chose the path of peace at a moment when war was the easier choice.

A Statesman in an Age of Finger-Pointing

Jaamac Shabeel has long stood apart from the political culture of fear and suspicion that increasingly dominates Somaliland. While others resort to inflammatory speeches, tribe-baiting, and the language of confrontation, Shabeel has consistently advocated for dialogue — especially in the sensitive and conflict-scarred areas of Sool, Sanaag, and Buuhoodle.

He has done something few politicians dare to do:
He crossed into communities hurt by war, listened to their grievances, spoke to their elders, and called for a political settlement rather than further bloodshed.

Instead of applauding this courage, some in power perceived it as a threat.

A Visit for Peace, Not for Politics

When Jaamac Shabeel traveled to Laascaanood recently, he was received not as a provocateur but as a reconciler. Images and reports from the region showed residents welcoming him warmly, hopeful that his presence might open a new door for peace. He urged dialogue where others encouraged force. He advocated prisoner releases where others sought punitive measures. He tried to mend national wounds in a region where too many have died for too little.

For this, he was targeted.
For this, he was labeled an enemy.
For this, he was arrested.

Somaliland authorities accused him of undermining “national sovereignty.” But the truth is simpler: Shabeel touched wounds that leaders wanted to ignore. He spoke to communities whose suffering had been politically inconvenient. He refused to reduce citizens to enemies simply because they live in contested towns.

There is nothing subversive about speaking with one’s own people.
There is nothing criminal about seeking peace.

Criminalizing Dialogue Is a Road to Ruin

Somaliland has always prided itself on being different — a self-governing, stable, democratic entity in a region where politics is too often conducted by the gun. But a democracy cannot arrest its way into unity. A government cannot jail its way into legitimacy. Peace is not enforced by silencing those who promote it.

The detention of Jaamac Shabeel does more than harm one man. It sends a signal to every elder, every youth activist, every civil society member:
Choose peace, and you may be punished. Choose war, and you may be praised.

That is the opposite of leadership.

That is the opposite of nation-building.

The Courage to Speak Truth in a Time of Fear

Shabeel’s supporters describe him as a principled man — someone who refuses to weaponize clan identity, refuses to demonize his opponents, and refuses to see the people of Laascaanood as anything other than fellow citizens deserving of dignity.

He is a rare type of politician:

1) Respected across regions
2) Trusted by ordinary people
3) Willing to walk into conflict zones unarmed and leave with hope
4) Independent enough to tell the truth even when it costs him personally

In any functioning democracy, such a man would be celebrated.

In Somaliland today, he is in jail.

What Somaliland Risks by Silencing Him

If Somaliland silences its peacemakers, it risks becoming a state ruled not by consensus but by coercion. A government that treats dialogue as treason shrinks the political space until nothing remains but fear. And a nation that cannot talk to itself cannot govern itself.

Somaliland has always claimed to be a model for reconciliation in the Horn of Africa. But models lead by example, not by intimidation. The example being set today is one of fragility, not confidence.

By targeting Jaamac Shabeel, Somaliland risks sending a dangerous message:

“Our unity is too weak to survive a conversation.”

If unity is so fragile, the problem is not the peacemaker.

A Call for Wise Leadership

The release of Jaamac Shabeel is more than a legal matter. It is a moral necessity and a political recalibration. His arrest should alarm all who believe that Somaliland’s future depends on inclusive politics, not exclusive power.

This is a moment for the leadership in Hargeisa to show maturity.
To show that political disagreement is not a crime.
To show that peace must never be punished.

Releasing Jaamac Shabeel would not weaken the state — it would strengthen it.
Listening to him would not divide the nation — it would save it.

History Remembers Peacemakers, Not Prison Wardens

Every region in Somalia has seen brilliant leaders imprisoned only to be remembered as catalysts for positive change. And every government that used repression instead of reconciliation found itself on the wrong side of history.

Jaamac Shabeel stands today where many African peacemakers once stood:
Accused by governments, loved by people, and needed by the future.

Somaliland should not wait for history to vindicate him.
It should embrace him now — while his voice can still heal.

In Defense of Jaamac Shabeel

We support Jaamac Shabeel not because he belongs to a particular clan or region, but because he belongs to the future — a future where Somalia’s political problems are solved through dialogue, dignity, and diplomacy.

He is not a threat to Somaliland.
He is a threat only to those who benefit from fear and division.

And that is precisely why the country needs him.

Abdikarim H Abdi Buh
Email: abdikarimbuh@yahoo.com