08/10/2025
βTHE QUANTITY HAS NO QUALITY β SOUTHWESTERNERSβ
By SAMA GROUP
As SAMA Group, we always focus on and emphasize social rights and affairs, in line with the vision and mission of our union.
This article has been written following a series of violations experienced by the Southwestern (Reewin) people β violations against their human dignity, both inside and outside the country.
No central government has stood to advocate for their rights.
No regional state.
No politicians.
No traditional elders.
No scholars.
No agency has ever raised a voice to defend them.
Please find a quiet place to read the next few paragraphs β somewhere you can be alone and uninterrupted.
Clear your mind of everything except what you are about to read and what I invite you to reflect on.
Forget your schedule, your business, your family, your friends β just focus with me, open your mind, and think deeply.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS ARTICLE
The main purpose of this article is to inform and awaken the Reewin people (youth) about the plans and actions that other Somali communities have taken β and continue to take β toward the Reewin people after decades of marginalization.
Many years ago, the Reewin people lived freely across vast lands β from central Somalia to the borders of Ethiopia and Kenya. They moved peacefully in search of pasture and water for their livestock without fear of any other community.
During the colonial era, their land was divided into regional boundaries. This division continued even during the governments of Aden Abdulle Osman and Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.
However, during the dictatorship of Mohamed Siad Barre, six regions were officially recognized as Reewin land. Though that government was authoritarian and demanded submission, the Reewin people remained resilient.
When warlords later emerged to overthrow the dictatorial regime, widespread unrest and protests followed. Eventually, the regime collapsed, and Somalia descended into civil war in 1991.
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THE ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY
Some non-Southwesterners believe that the Rahaweyn (Reewin) community is a mixture of the three other Somali clans β Dir, Darod, and Hawiye.
However, historical narratives and ancestral lineage clearly show that the Reewin are one people descended from a common ancestor.
Unfortunately, there are enemy politicians who intentionally divide the Reewin into multiple political factions to prevent them from becoming a united force β politically, economically, and electorally.
Most Somali politicians, especially those who speak the Mahaa dialect, have united to marginalize the Reewin community both within and outside the country.
Mahaa speakers often claim that Reewin people are not of Somali origin because of their linguistic difference. They believe the Reewin cannot mix or interact freely with others β a prejudice that has isolated Reewin people in government offices, public places, markets, transportation, and all forms of public service.
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SOUTHWEST POLITICIANS
In Somalia today, there are many Reewin politicians both inside and outside the country. Currently, there are 69 Members of Parliament and 7 Senators representing Reewin clans in the Somali Federal Government.
However, most of them merely fill positions in name only.
They have become βyes-menβ β fearful of threats, unwilling to speak up for their peopleβs interests, and unable to represent their community independently.
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THE SOMALI GOVERNMENT
Since independence, Somalia has undergone several governments, each formed through power-sharing agreements among major Somali clans.
The country consists of five main communities: Dir, Darod, Reewin, Hawiye, and Jareer.
Yet we must ask:
π What major role have the Reewin people played in Somali government institutions?
Sadly, the answer is disappointing β most Reewin leaders have become self-serving and submissive.
That is the painful reality.
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CONCLUSION
The Reewin people are among the few Somali communities capable of forming a self-sufficient and independent state, one that could gain recognition quickly.
They possess enough natural and social resources to manage their own administration and social services without relying on others.
So what are they waiting for?
The truth is clear:
β‘οΈ The Reewin people do not need the federal government β it is the federal government that needs the Reewin people.
No Reewin, No Government.
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By: SAMA GROUP Founder
βFor Justice, Dignity, and Equality.β