Hirsi Bulhan Farah is a
Somali politician, former political prisoner, former minister of
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
, member of parliament in two different terms (the civilian government and the transitional federal government), interim chairman of the Somali parliament, activist, entrepreneur and greatly respected and knowledgeable elder.
History of his parents
Born in the town of
Eyl
Eyl ( it, Eil) is an ancient port town in the northeastern Nugal region of Somalia in the autonomous Puntland region, also serving as the capital of the Eyl District. Eyl, also called Illig, was the capital of the Dervishes from 1905 onwards, unt ...
, an ancient town located in northeastern Somalia (
Puntland
Puntland ( so, Puntland, ar, أرض البنط, it, Terra di Punt or ''Paese di Punt''), officially the Puntland State of Somalia ( so, Dowlad Goboleedka Puntland ee Soomaaliya, ar, ولاية أرض البنط الصومالية), is a F ...
) to two prominent parents Bulhan and Dhuuxay. He was one of many kids. Hirsi's father Bulhan was a wealthy man with hundreds of camels and other livestock to his name. Bulhan was a protrusive
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
and a well-known
sharpshooter
A sharpshooter is one who is highly proficient at firing firearms or other projectile weapons accurately. Military units composed of sharpshooters were important factors in 19th-century combat. Along with "marksman" and "expert", "sharpshooter" i ...
in northern Somalia. He was the main
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
(abaandule) of
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
Mohamoud Ali Shire
Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire, MBE ( so, Maxamuud Cali Shire, ar, محمود علي شري) was a Somali elder of the Warsangali clan. He bore the title Sultan
* (also referred to as Senior Akil) of the Warsangali. He was centered at Las Khorey.
Re ...
and his Warsangeli Sultanate army. After some quarrel and an assassination attempt by members of the
Warsangeli
The Warsangali ( so, Warsangeli, ar, قبيلة ورسنجلي) is a major Somali sub clan, part of the Harti clan which itself belongs to one of the largest Somali clan-families - the Darod. In the Somali language, the name Warsangali means " ...
clan, Bulhan left and became the commanding general of
Boqor
This is a list of Somali aristocratic and court titles that were historically used by the Somali people's various sultanates, kingdoms and empires. Also included are the honorifics reserved for Islamic notables as well as traditional leaders an ...
Osman Mahamuud
Osman Mahamuud ( so, Cismaan Maxamuud, ar, عثمان محمود), also known as `Uthman III ibn Mahmud, was a Somali king. He led the Majeerteen Sultanate during the 19th century.
Majeerteen Sultanate
The Majeerteen Sultanate was established b ...
who was the ruler of the
Majerteen Sultanate
The Majeerteen Sultanate ( so, Suldanadda Majeerteen 𐒈𐒚𐒐𐒆𐒖𐒒𐒖𐒆𐒆𐒖 𐒑𐒖𐒃𐒜𐒇𐒂𐒜𐒒, lit=Boqortooyada Majerteen, ar, سلطنة مجرتين), also known as Majeerteen Kingdom or Majeerteenia and Migiu ...
. During his years as commander of the Warsangeli army, Bulhan married a prominent woman of Sultan
Mohamoud Ali Shire
Sultan Mohamoud Ali Shire, MBE ( so, Maxamuud Cali Shire, ar, محمود علي شري) was a Somali elder of the Warsangali clan. He bore the title Sultan
* (also referred to as Senior Akil) of the Warsangali. He was centered at Las Khorey.
Re ...
's family who later was murdered. They had a daughter together named Faduma Bulhan. After leaving
Sanaag
Sanag ( so, Sanaag, ar, سَنَاج) is an administrative region (''Administrative divisions of Somaliland, gobol'') in north eastern Somaliland.[Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
Sayid Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan ( so, Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan; 1856–1920) was a Somali religious and military leader of the Dervish movement, which led a two-decade long confrontation with various colonial empires including the British, ...](_blank)
he bravely fought the
Dervish movement who had killed his father Guune years prior, when he was still a child. Guune (Hirsi's grandfather), was also a commander in his own right. He was fighting the Sayyid and was ultimately killed by the Dervish movement, in the
Sool
Sool ( so, Sool, ar, صول) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in south eastern Somaliland/north western Somalia. It borders Togdheer to the west, Sanaag to the north, Ethiopia to the south and Nugal, Bari to the east. Its capital city ...
region of northwestern Somalia.
Bulhan's objective was to avenge his father's death by killing
Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
Sayid Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan ( so, Sayid Maxamed Cabdulle Xasan; 1856–1920) was a Somali religious and military leader of the Dervish movement, which led a two-decade long confrontation with various colonial empires including the British, ...
himself, he never fulfilled his goal as a result of him having to leave the front-line as a consequence of him being critically wounded during the fighting. Time went by and he healed from his injuries. Being a man of immense faith he decided to fulfill one of the
five pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam (' ; also ' "pillars of the religion") are fundamental practices in Islam, considered to be obligatory acts of worship for all Muslims. They are summarized in the famous hadith of Gabriel. The Sunni and Shia agree on ...
so he subsequently embarked on a journey to perform the yearly
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
to
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
(
Hajj
The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
). Hirsi was four years old when his father embarked upon the Hajj journey, a trip that would be the last time he ever saw his father again. After completing the Hajj pilgrimage Bulhan and his clansmen traveled to
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
. During their stay in Medina on a day after the noon (
Zuhr
The Zuhr prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلظُّهْر ', "noon prayer") is one of the five mandatory
Mandate most often refers to:
* League of Nations mandates, quasi-colonial territories established under Article 22 of the Covenant of the League ...
) prayer, an unknown man dressed in white came to the tent of Bulhan and his clansmen. The unknown man asked the group, that were on their way back home to Somalia, which one of them was going to stay and leave the rest of the group behind. The group was astonished by the question and kept silent except Bulhan who insisted that he was going to stay. None of them had intended to stay because of the many responsibilities and families that awaited them back home. The clansmen thought Bulhan had gone mad and they tried their best to persuade him to change his mind and follow them back home to Somalia. They tried without success, and after a while, the group went to rest in waiting of the afternoon (
Asr
The Asr prayer ( ar, صلاة العصر ', "afternoon prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). As an Islamic day starts at sunset, the Asr prayer is technically the fifth prayer of the day. If counted from midnight, it is ...
) prayer. Bulhan never woke up from his rest and was shortly after buried in Medina.
Early life and political career
Hirsi had a tough but loving upbringing and spent the first years of his life in a nomadic type of lifestyle; he matured at an early age and left home at age eleven. He left
Eyl
Eyl ( it, Eil) is an ancient port town in the northeastern Nugal region of Somalia in the autonomous Puntland region, also serving as the capital of the Eyl District. Eyl, also called Illig, was the capital of the Dervishes from 1905 onwards, unt ...
for the city of
Qardho
Qardho ( so, Qardho, ar, قرضو), also known as Gardo, is a city in the northeastern Bari region of Somalia, a district within the autonomous state of Puntland.
History Until Somalia's Independence
Qardho is one of a series of ancient settleme ...
where he became an entrepreneur. During that time of his preadolescence, he and his friends plotted
coup d'etat attempts against the Italian colonial administration. He became Minister of Livestock in the civilian government of the 1960s. He became Director of the Department of Plant Protection and Locust Control, in the Ministry of Agriculture in
Mogadishu
Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...
. He was also the chief executive officer of the largest banana exporting company in Somalia during the 1970s. During the
Mohamed Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
regime, Bulhan was imprisoned for nine years due to his overt resistance against the regime.
A couple of days before
Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke ( so, Cabdirashiid Cali Sharmaarke, ar, عبد الرشيد علي شارماركي) (8 June 1919 – 15 October 1969), also known as Abdirashid Shermarke, was Prime Minister of Somali Republic from 12 July 1960, to 14 J ...
's assassination in the city of
Las Anod
Las Anod ( so, Laascaanood; ar, لاسعانود) is the administrative capital of the Sool region of Somaliland.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kinship ties between ...
, he had requested multiple times that Bulhan accompany him on the trip to the northwestern town. Unfortunately, due to different circumstances, Bulhan could not make the trip to
Las Anod
Las Anod ( so, Laascaanood; ar, لاسعانود) is the administrative capital of the Sool region of Somaliland.
Territorial dispute
The city is disputed by Puntland and Somaliland. The former bases its claim due to the kinship ties between ...
where president Sharmarke was assassinated by his own bodyguard. Directly after the assassination of Sharmarke, Somalia's second president, on October 15, 1969, Bulhan and the other Ministers of the civilian government were rounded up and imprisoned. Sharmarke's assassination was quickly followed by a military
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
on October 21, 1969 (the day after his funeral). In which the Somali Army seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover. The putsch was spearheaded by
Major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Mohamed Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
, who at the time commanded the army.
Somali Salvation Democratic Front
These events led Bulhan to join the
Somali Salvation Democratic Front
Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) ( so, Jabhadda Diimuqraadiga Badbaadinta Soomaaliyeed), initially known as the Democratic Front for Salvation of Somalia, was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization in Somalia. Founded in 1978 ...
(SSDF), the first resistance group against the authoritarian regime of
Mohamed Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre ( so, Maxamed Siyaad Barre, Osmanya script: ; ar, محمد سياد بري; c. 1910 – 2 January 1995) was a Somali head of state and general who served as the 3rd president of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 199 ...
. Bulhan joined (and financially supported) the organization after his release from imprisonment. The Somali Salvation Democratic Front was founded by several army officers. It was a political and paramilitary umbrella organization, with its power base mainly in the
Majeerteen
The Majeerteen ( so, Majeerteen, ar, ماجرتين; also spelled Majerteen, Macherten, Majertain, or Mijurtin) is a sub-clan. It is one of the major Somali groups, with a vast traditional territory spanning 3 major regions of Somalia: Bari, ...
clan. Bulhan immediately got a high ranking position due to his previous experience as a politician and his reputation, being a man of great respect.
Some of the group's prominent founders were
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Somalia's former military attaché to
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, and
Abdullahi Ahmed Irro, a prominent
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
and founder of the National Academy for Strategy.
Abdullahi Yusuf
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed ( so, Cabdulaahi Yuusuf Axmed, ar, عبدالله يوسف أحمد; 15 December 1934 – 23 March 2012) was a Somali politician and former colonel in the Somali National Army. He was one of the founders of the Somali ...
eventually became President of Somalia in 2004 and was the first elected president of Puntland, an autonomous state of northern Somalia, in July 1998. Irro later served as a Professor of Strategy at various Somali military institutes in the 1980s. He had a hand in formulating strategic training syllabi for senior military personnel, the presidential advisory councils, and legislators. He also played a leading role in forging working partnerships with several schools in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Both men were cherished colleagues of Hirsi Bulhan Farah.
Post-civil war
After the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament was inaugurated in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
, in 2004 the former minister was elected as interim chairman.
Bulhan produced 10 children with his wife,
Asli Osman Haji Djibril. One died at a young age and they currently have nine children together. He has one child with his second wife,
Hali Haji Ahmed Farajar.
Bulhan currently lives in
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropoli ...
and in Somalia. He participates in efforts to further stabilize and create a peaceful society in Somalia. He occasionally interviews with various Somali media outlets.
See also
*
Somali Youth League
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farah, Hirsi Bulhan
Government ministers of Somalia
Year of birth missing (living people)
Prisoners and detainees of Somalia
Somalian expatriates in Sweden
Living people