In honor of Mujahid Hassan Adan Keerow

For four long days, the people of SWSS in Baidoa took to the streets in their thousands protesting against the evil forces led by Sharif Hassan. Forces that wanted to undermine their right to self-determination and rob them of their future. Among them was a little known young boy, Hassan Adan Keerow.

For three consecutive mornings, young Hassanow joined on the frontlines of the protests clad in the beautiful flag of the SWSS. Full of energy and unwavering patriotic spirit he marched to defend what he believed in passionately as the right of his people to live in dignity and freedom from oppression.

On the third day, as the mass demonstrations reached their zenith and as stubbornly the leader of the evil group with the devil agenda refused to leave Baidoa in complete lack of intelligent judgment regarding the reality on the ground, a callous and ignorant bodyguard of Sharif Hassan shot Hassanow, not once but four times, on the abdomen. Hassanow was a 15 year old boy who was unarmed and who pose no threat to anyone. Hassanow was rushed to Baidoa Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following morning.

Consequently, the young Hassanow becomes the first Martyr to have paid the ultimate price for his country. As much as his departure is unimaginably painful and heartbreaking for all of us, his mother was full of tremendous patience (sabr) and said that she was proud of her son who laid down his life for his people and country. Mujahid Hassanow was accorded a state funeral befitting a hero and attended by thousands of people, elders and leaders of SWSS. A day of mourning will be held in his memory and a statue and a school will be built in his honor.

Mujahid Hassanow Eden Keerow is a hero worth commemoration and honor in numerous ways. At such a tender age of 15, he has demonstrated what courage, sacrifice, selflessness, patriotism and leadership means. He set a good example to both the young and the not so young about the need to stand up for dignity and to resist further oppression and injustices of his people. At such young age, he fathomed that some point in our lives we are confronted with challenges that test our own people’s future existence and be challenged to make a choice. Many at times, our flight instinct overpowers our fight instinct and we choose to recoil, not to stand up and not to sacrifice anything. Many do not have in them to act selflessly. Nevertheless, Mujahid Hassanow was tremendously courageous and did understand what Sharif Hassan, who can be his grandfather, did not understand. While Mujahid Hassan epitomizes the millions of the people of SWSS who are motivated by patriotism, nationalism and the vision to end the decades of oppression, Sharif Hassan represents the very few motivated by purely blind, irrational quest to usurp power for self-serving purposes. That is why history will remember Mujahid Hassan as a young individual who has touched our conscience and hearts deeply and whose image has become emblematic of the struggle of dignity and freedom from injustice. Mujahid Hassan will definitely assume heroic status and be immortalized in SWSS history books.

We cannot bring our martyr back to life but we have to unite all of us in ensuring that his vision is realized and sacrifice is not in vain. We all owe him to continue marching foreword and appreciate the honor he has brought for his people. Mujahid hassanow may not with us but he has earned his place in history and will forever live in our collective memories as the first HERO of SWSS.

By Noor Mohamed Nunow

nunow jr@hotmail.com