The Daarood Revisionist History of Siad Barre never mentions the Bimaal Dir Resistance and on of the Great hero's of Somali Nationalism what shame
Sheikh Bashir Yussuf (Somali: Sheekh Bashiir Yuusuf, Arabic: الشيخ يوسف بشير, born c. 1905 in Taleh, northern Somalia) was a Somali religious leader.
In 1945, Yussuf emerged as a leader in the former British Somaliland. Yussuf, who is said to have been related to Sayyid Mohammed Abdullah Hassan on his mother's side, was devoutly religious and of a philosophical nature, a conscientious practitioner of the mystical sect of Salihiyya based in Saudi Arabia. He hails from the Habar Jeclo clan of the Isaaq.
The popular impression at the time among the British colonial officials in Burao was the nationalistic teachings of Farah Omaar. Conversely, Yussuf was collecting arms and men with a view to establish his authority over the northeast portion of the protectorate. It was also freely rumoured that it was his ultimate goal to drive out the British; he was strong enough to lead a religious expedition against British rule. He organized headquarters in the east of the Burao region of the former British Somaliland, and quickly attracted a following because of his genius and religious influence.
During May 1945, Yussuf's force raided the European officials and military areas like the District Commissioner's residence in Burao. Before being counterattacked, Yussuf managed to move his troops during the night and retreated to his domain. His force was greatly outnumbered, possibly by hundreds. These men held a number of hills, which rose steeply from the light bush beside the wide sandy riverbed, which is known as Togdheer. There were only a few men to cover a front of 900 yards, and most of them had never been in action before, but they were determined that no British troops should force their way in unchallenged. The fight they gave was a lesson in determination which the British troops signally failed to emulate. Yussuf himself was in his natural element when fighting in the bush, but here he was given a position to hold and had no opportunity to use his bush tactics.
The British campaign against Yussuf's troops proved abortive after several defeats as his forces kept moving from place to place and avoiding any permanent location. No sooner had the expedition left the area, than the news traveled fast among the Somali nomads across the plain. The war had exposed the British administration to humiliation. The government came to a conclusion that another expedition against him would be useless; that they must build a railway, make roads and effectively occupy the whole of the protectorate, or else abandon the interior completely. The latter course was decided upon, and during the first months of 1945, the advance posts were withdrawn and the British administration confined to the coast town of Berbera.
Yussuf settled many disputes among the tribes in the vicinity, which kept them from raiding each other. He was generally thought to settle disputes through the use of Islamic Sharia. He was attributed with the possession of supernatural powers, and gathered around him a strong following.
Death.
The British administration recruited Indian and South African troops to fight against Yussuf and had intelligence plans to capture him alive. When he was eventually killed, Yussuf became a martyr and was held in great reverence. His family took quick action to remove his body from the place of his death at Geela-E.g. mountain, about 20 miles from Burao.
Shiekh Bashir Yussuf haji yusuf was born in round 1905 in Taleh east of Lasanod.
In 1945, a brave religious leader called, Shiekh Bashir Yussuf,emerged in the former British Somaliland. Shiekh Bashir, was devoutly religious and of philosophical nature, conscientious practice of the mystical sect of Salihiya based in Saudi Arabia. Shiekh Bashir was collecting arms and men with a view to establish his authority over the northeast portion of the protectorate. It was also freely rumoured that it was his ultimate goal; he was strong enough to lead a religious expedition against the British rule. He organized head quarters in the east of Burao region of the former British Somaliland, quickly attracted a following because of his genius and religious influence, and suddenly during May 1945, raided the European Officials and military areas like District Commission’s residence in Burao. In many occasions, hundreds of rounds were fired and before being attacked, he managed to move with his troops during the night and retreated to his domain Bashir’s little force was outnumbered, possibly by 100s. These men held a number of hills, which rose steeply from the light bush beside the wide sandy riverbed, which is known Tog-dheer. There was a few to cover a front of 900 yards, and the most of them had been in action before; but were his determined that no British troops should force their way unchallenged and the fight they put up was a lesson in determination which the British troops signally failed to emulate. Bashir himself was in his natural element when fighting out in the bush, but here he was given a position to hold and, however much stuff the British showered on him. He had no opportunity of using his bush tactics. He just to stay put and take it, and certainly he did this and others well and died in dignity.
The British campaign against him provide abortive after several defeats as his forces kept on moving from one place to another to avoid any permanent location. No sooner had the expedition left for the area, the news traveled fast among the Somali nomads across the plain. The war had exposed the British administration to humiliation especially Mr Jember and his team. The government (the as quite cabinet) came to conclusion one time that another expedition against him would be useless; that they build a railway, make roads and effectively occupy the whole of the protectorate, or else abandon the interior completely. The letter course was decided upon, and during the first months of 1945, the advance posts wren withdrawn and the British administration confined to the coast town i.e. Berbera.
Shiekh Bashir, settled many disputes among the tribes in the vicinity, this kept them from raiding each other, and was generally though to be the side of Islamic Sharia. He accredited with the possession of supper nation of supernatural powers he gathered around him a strong following. Sough after he was eventually killed and became a martyr held in great reverence. The impression then among the British colonial officials in Burao, was the teachings of Farah Omaar of nationalism still remained and were not extinguished. The British administration had managed to recruit and brought Indian and South African troops to fight against him and had intelligence plans to capture him alive. Those who claimed they had participated the war against him felt cheated of victory and wither away out on the volt than to welcome them back to the fold with a promise rewards. The British administration did not offer back compensation to the families who lost their love once (Muqadamin). Nevertheless, this appreciation is not compensation for the family’s disappointment and abhorrence of the policy of the British government towards the death of Shiekh
Literary struggle of poems called for the people to rise against the colonial policies and revenge for the corpse of Sheikh Bashir which was refused for burial and displayed instead as an exhibition in Polyneices’ punishment where his body was kicked and spat upon as a tactic to intimidate and humiliate the people. Haji Adan Afqaloc, a native of Erigavo composed two historic national poems. “Raqdii Bashiir”, “The Corpse of Bashiir” and “Gobonimodoon” while in Burco Jail. (Interestingly enough, Mahatma Gandhi and Kwami Nkurumah had been to Bur’o jail.) Previously, the rise of Sheikh Bashir came after the colonial adminstration punished the Habarjeclo by confiscating one thousand of their camels and charging extortionate money for the release of each camel. His struggle was short-lived after units of police officers attacked his fort and killed him and all of his followers. The poem in English goes:
Sheikh Bashir was hanged in daylight, at a house near you,
His body torn out by bullets,
And still covered with wet blood,
They kicked and insulted him
Then watched him with contempt
When the unwashed body was thrown outside,
And refused burial, you were all a witness.
There were others killed playfully,
About which nothing was done
The body of Qayb-diid is still warm
Though an old man, Farah was sent to jail
And now like a beggar he roams the outside world
They refused him rights over his family and wealth
The unjust man (British) is punishing everybody.
What the English always wanted, the people of India refused
The houses of Punjab and the gold that they hoarded there
have been denied to them
Now they look back at them with nostalgia
The celebration is for Muhammad Ali (Egypt)
And the French are leaving Syria that they conquered
They withdrew from Beirut, and Lebanon.
Many ships will arrive at our ports,
They will bring here (Somaliland) those thrown out by the
stream of shit,
The place where you pasture Daawad (the land), the infidels
will settle,
A man who owns a car and an aeroplane will force you to
work on his farms,
Few would survive such humiliation.
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