Judging issues based on a gender paradigm in a society where tribal politics overrides is essentially an erroneous outlook in my view. Why? Because it simplifies a complex array of issues by using emotive language.
I can easily say, judging a third world war ridden society on the treatment of Madhiban is erroneous since just as much Hawiyes, Daroods and other men from major clans die? In fact I’d wager more men from major clans die since they’re more likely to be in armed conflict? Can you see how we can all use that argument to dismiss the unique issues of minorities since Somalia is a land in which everyone suffers?
For example, a Madhibaan male will have a much more difficult existence in Somalia than a female who hails from the major clans although they will both have their unique challenges and set of circumstances. Also, Somali men are by far the more likely of any category to get killed, burnt, slaughtered, executed, imprisoned and exiled. Making it look as if one gender is thriving at the expense of another is funny.
The issue with your mindset is that you’re not understanding that multiple forms of oppressions can
co-exist. The lower status of Midgaans doesn’t erase the unique plight of women, the issue of women and girls doesn’t erase the the unique issues that Somali Bantus face. The unique issues of the lower classes doesn’t erase the fact that even the well to do in Somalia can get blown up and their loved ones too. The unique issue of men more likely to be in armed conflict and join militia groups doesn’t erase that women and children too are being blown up.
Also, the idea that
civilian Somali men are more likely to die is disputable as Somalis since the 90s have been using Kharxiis as a main form of killing and that doesn’t discriminate via gender. Anyone that’s in close proximity will get blown up. Furthermore, in the 90s women had the added torture of r-word that opposing clans used to do to humiliate enemy qabils. However, more Somali men do engage in armed struggles and clan wars which will obviously spike up the deaths of men compared to women, this is a no brainer but women on average die in wars that they have no involvement in, they’re dying in violent disputes in a land that doesn’t even recognize female leadership. Women in Somalia are mostly silent when it comes to politics since they make a tiny fraction in the cabinet. They're not the ones who call the shots and mobilize armies. Hence that does need to be held into account.
Somalia is a man’s world. It’s a male centered dispute with men being at the helm of power and women and children are unfortunate casualties for the most part. This is well known as Somali men are quick to remind women that women have no qabil, so let’s be honest here. Ask yourself why do they say that?
Because gender identity politics isn't as polarising as it is in the West, a Somali female can identify with her clan more primarily than her gender. And this isn't unique to Somalis. An Israeli woman will identity more with an Israeli man than with a Palestian woman in spite of common challenges that women share. That's how the real world works. For better or for worse. There is no semblance of governance in Somalia which means criminals like this man can get away with murder. That is the symptom of weak state institutions that cannot execute their basic functions. The court already applied the death penalty but cannot enforce it because of tribal politics which is stronger than the state.
As for the last part, gender does play a role since there has been multiple discussions about how a woman who is supposedly half a man should not get the justice of her killer getting the death penalty. That’s something Somalis are indeed discussing and there have been numerous commentary of how a HG woman should be given in exchange. That cannot be ignore at all.
Furthermore, cases like the little 12 yr old girl that was r-worded and chopped up by her clansmen makes it glaryingly obvious that a Somali woman isn’t seen as equal to her clansmen. The elders during that case elected to pay Diya on behalf of the men who gang r-worded her and wanted to set those men free despite the heinous nature of the crime and the danger those boys present to other members of their clan. Internarional Pressure to Somalis abroad talking about women protesting is one of the reasons why a year later the boys were prosecuted.
I don’t deny Somalia is a place that’s currently unsafe for everyone, but there is a hierarchy and multiple forms of oppression can occur. A Landheere Somali woman can have more privilege than a Midgan man, but she can also be in a weaker position than a landheere man for instance? I know that multiple forms of oppression exists and my take is indeed nuanced.
