Abdirahman Aw Ali Farrah, nicknamed Tolwaa ( so, Cabdiraxmaan Aw Cali Faarax, ar, عبدالرحمن أو علي فارح) is a

Somali Somali may refer to: Horn of Africa * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Proto-Somali, the ancestors of modern Somalis ** Somali culture ** Somali cuisine ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Soma ...

politician who was the third

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is o ...

of Somaliland from May 1995 to February 1997.

History

Abdirahman was a high-ranking

SNM SNM may refer to: *Sacred Name Movement *San Marino, UNDP country code *Sant Nirankari Mission *Scottish National Movement * Slovak National Museum *Somali National Movement *Special nuclear material Special nuclear material (SNM) is a term used by ...

colonel and one of few non-Isaaq members of the organization, belonging to the Jibril Yonis sub-division of the

Gadabuursi The Gadabuursi ( Somali: ''Gadabuursi'', Arabic: جادابورسي), also known as ''Samaroon'' ( Arabic: ''قبيلة سَمَرُون)'', is a northern Somali clan, a sub-division of the Dir clan family. The Gadabuursi are geographically ...

Dir clan. Abdirahman contributed to the

Somaliland peace process The Somaliland Peace Process refers to the series of grassroot initiatives that brought peace to Somaliland after the collapse of central government of Somalia. In conjunction with the Somali National Movement, communities in Somaliland (former ...

in the aftermath of the

Somaliland War of Independence The Somaliland War of Independence ( so, Dagaalkii Xoraynta Soomaaliland, lit=Somaliland Liberation War) was a rebellion waged by the Somali National Movement against the ruling military junta in Somalia led by General Siad Barre lasting from it ...

. In January 1991, in one of the final acts of the war, the 99th division of the SNM led by Colonel Ibrahim Koodbuur had pursued government forces that fled from Hargeisa to the town of

Dilla Dilla is a town located in the western Awdal region of Somaliland. It lies between the city of Borama and Kalabaydh town. The town is presently part of Baki district. Demographics There is no census on the town population, but the district o ...

. After a ferocious battle, the SNM captured the town and then continued into the main Gadabursi town of

Borama Borama ( so, Boorama, ar, بورما) is the Second capital city of Somaliland and the largest city of the northwestern Awdal region of Somaliland The commercial seat of the province, it is situated near the border with Ethiopia. During the M ...

. However, because the SNM leadership believed that the Gadabursi wished to seek peace, they withdrew their units after a mere 24 hours to allow discussions to take place without the shadow of occupation. This was eased by the fact that Abdirahman was present. The difficult situation in Borama was exacerbated by hunger and food shortages. When Abdirahman Aw Ali entered his hometown of Borama, the people saw the SNM forces as the best solution to the unbearable situation in the town. As part of alleviating the food shortage in Borama, Abdirahman Aw Ali, in collaboration with clan elders, ordered that the shopkeepers reopen their stores and sell their commodities at an affordable price. Before, they had closed in the hope of raising the prices of the dry rations. Most locals in Borama were armed and ready to fight, including members of the pro-Barre Gadabursi militant group, the ''Somali Democratic Alliance'' (or SDA for short), armed

Oromos The Oromo (pron. Oromo: ''Oromoo'') are a Cushitic ethnic group native to the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of Northern Kenya, who speak the Oromo language (also called ''Afaan Oromoo'' or ''Oromiffa''), which is part of the Cushitic b ...

, and several Gadabursi subclans. The confidence of the SNM however was rewarded when a brief initial meeting in mid-February in Tulli, just outside Borama, agreed that Gadabursi delegates would attend a larger peace conference in

Berbera Berbera (; so, Barbara, ar, بربرة) is the capital of the Sahil region of Somaliland and is the main sea port of the country. Berbera is a coastal city and was the former capital of the British Somaliland protectorate before Hargeisa. It ...

and then resume bilateral talks immediately after that meeting had finished, this time in Borama itself. Abdirahman subsequently served as the vice president of Somaliland from May 1995 to February 1997, when he was succeeded by

Dahir Riyale Kahin Dahir Riyale Kahin ( so, Daahir Riyaale Kaahin, ar, ظاهر ريالي كاهن) (born 12 March 1952) is a Somaliland politician who was President of Somaliland from 2002 to 2010. He previously served as a senior officer in the National Securi ...

, a fellow Gadabuursi, who went on to become the third president of Somaliland.

References

Living people Gadabuursi People from Awdal Somalian politicians Somaliland politicians Vice presidents of Somaliland Year of birth missing (living people) {{somaliland-politician-stub