Lasanod, SSC-Khaatumo: Ever since the people of Somaliland found themselves to have elected [under dubious conditions] an angry soldier as president, rational folks in Somaliland could not figure out Muse Bihi’s leadership style; more like a one man show, he has been mired in manipulative and controlling behaviour, traingulating clans against each other, grandiosity, gaslighting, self centeredness, lack of accountability and diminished levels of empathy, all point to a personality disorder known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD).
People who harbor such personality traits [overt or covert type] have elevated levels of internal conflict, and deep sense of “shame” that they hide from the world; inside that adult body is a weak true-self that has been abandoned in their childhood. So to protect exposure of the disorder, narcissists create a defense mechanism known as “false-self”; a fantasized image of power and tough persona that they use as part of their reputation. Athough they don’t show you, they are highly emotinal beings who chose to supress their true identity. Through calculated “love-bombing” behaviours followed by “devaluations”, narcissists create in their victims a concept known as “trauma-bond”, where they display a Love and Hate relationship at the same time, For example, in one of his TV addresses, Bihi seems to concede that ” the people of SSC cannot be defeated with a rifle, while at the same time stating that “The Somaliland army will not leave SSC”, thus, purposefully confusing their victims into a state of mental fog or [congnitive dissonnance].
Fast forward to Bihi’s Malignant Narcissim _ a more severe form of NPD_ toward his victims in Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC), rational folks wonder why whenever, there are overtures of peacemaking, is exactly when Bihi will do the opposite and attack civilian populations in Lasanod. Similarly, the Somaliland Ministry of Information would publish a manipulative communique, alleging SSC folks have broken the ceacefire, right before a major Somaliland millitary offensive against the people of lasanod; this is consistent with the predictable behaviour of covert nacrissists.
Additionally, NPD folks dread to see their victims in a happy state; they are highly envious and can’t appear to have lost control of their victims. They are so entitled that everyone around them should capitulate or else face the Narcissistic rage. they are always in a state of anger and hatred, for they, genetically, have a hard time producing positive emotions on their own, that is why they rely on the external emotions of others to regulate their often secretly fearful true identity; This may seem a sad way to live one’s life but it is estimated that 2-3 % of the world’s population suffer from such mental health issues.
So, what are the causes of NPD, phychologist beleive that narcisissm is a mixture of genes, early childhood experiences and psychological factors. Early childhood risk factors include excessive praise or judgement by parents, trauma or abuse. So, NPD is essentially a coping mechanism to cover these childhood abuses by projecting a false grandiose self. It was quite fitting to hear former Somaliland Minister, Hagla-tosiye’s recent interview, in which he refered to Bihi as having had a “difficult childhood” Anigu waxaan is idhi, Muse, isagoo yar baa la soo ciilay” . Haglo also pleaded with Bihi, “to take a loss for once in your life and please leave Lasanod“. However, i will explain NPD’s predosposition to concepts of “winning” or “losing” later in the article.
To survive in this world, Narcissistic folks need a steady “supply” of positive or negative emotions; both feelings are treated as daily “supply” of food sources in the drama-filled world of toxic personalities. Because narcissists lack the ability to introspect, they feed-off of the misery and sadness of their victims who must either praise them or exibit elements of fear; they are highly codependent on external people to reflect to them what and how to regulate their internal emotions. This is how they were socialized throughout their life. So, they do expect that their family members, or coworkers, or regional friends will one day abandon them. Their codependency and fear of abandoment is a vicious circle through which the life of the narcissist revolves. The internal void that Lasanod’s abandoment creates for Bihi is unbearable, this despite the fact that Somaliland just got there through illegal occupation in 2007.
A healthy leader would let it go, given the current socio-political and military realignment in the SSC region. but for Bihi, staying put at Goja-cadde, creates for his victims the daily dose of “fear” necessary for his personal wellbeing. For example, [ notice Bihi’s video images of him struggling to milk a camel, when cajoling the animal to produce milk seemed to “fail”, he resorted to cause “pain” by biting the camel with his teeth] ; that is the narcissims in him requiring a “reaction” to feed off the pain of the poor camel. Sad to see the glee in his face for having avoided a “loss” to a camel. You may wonder, how come a human being can be so devoid of attributes like morality, kindness, love, empathy and integrity, unfortunately, that is the world of NPD. in fact, some experts equate NPD to the work of the “devil” in human form. No wonder why some of Bihi’s nick names include ” Muse Juudaan” [of evil tendencies].
Due to their requirement for control and domination, nacricissists don’t know how to deal with someone who does not fear them. The people of Lasanod need to be careful this Eid holiday; because ssc-khaatumo’s expulsion of Bihi’s Militia from lasanod, caused him what is known as “Narcissistic injury”; a depilitating emotional scar that never goes away. See, he is likely planning to spoil the “Holidays”. He may tone down the rhetoric of war for the last few days of the Ramadan month. Howevere, it is highly predicable that he will do the opposite_getting ready to shell innocent civilians when they least expect this Eid holiday.
Muse Bihi knows that the odds are stacked against him, with mounting criticisms from the International and national condemnations of his genocidal project. Even a good number of Somailanders seem confused about this war. rightly so, because they are led by a personality that is predictibly un-predictable; a personality that puts the protection of personal shame above that of Somaliland’s, Socio-political, economic and military viability. By any means necessary, young fresh Somaliland militia recruits are rushed to deadly Goja-cadde war zones, for they are merely seen as objects to heal the narcissistic wound of their master. Similarly, military moms are paid off to keep private, social media posts of loss of loved ones, all in the interest of covering up Bihi’s personal “shame”, but dubbed as Somaliland’s reputation; a reputation better served by peaceful withdrawal of troops from Lasanod and resumption of elections.
Lack of accountability and blame-shifting are also the foundational halmarks of NPD. Bihi, would never own up to any wrong doing in the Lasanod genocide or failure to hold elections. A rational mind, would acknowledge the miscalculations of the war in Lasanod and accept reality. Instead, he would turn to “blame-shifting” because it is always someone else’s fault. Even, after Muse Bihi was the first to have struck lasanod on the monrning of the Lasanod Declaration, He would blame the Traditional elders for having started the war, repeating Garaad Jama’s histroical phrase of “Dagaalka Gala” [Enter the War, as in defend your city] as a blame-shifter statement. However, despite one’s constituional right to bear arms, the fact remains that Graad Jama’s pronouncements were a clear manifestation of what is known as “reactive abuse”; an NPD manipulative concept of first “provoking” your victim and deliberately crying foul later when the victim “reacts” to your provocations.
Some Narcissists are not aware of their self destructive view of the world, therefore, NPD is difficult to un-do. So they keep engaging in hurtful behaviours. For example, through a concept known as “Projection”, narcissists have the misfortune of telling you exactly who they are or what they will do. They will project onto to you, all that is wrong or painful for them to deal with internally. Case in point, Bihi will refer to SSC folks as “terrorists”; another way of projecting onto to you ” who he truly is” [using the power of the Somaliland state to “terrorise” and commit war crimes against civilians in Lasanod].
Additionally, NPD folks do not subscribe to the frame of mind that things are either “good” or “bad”, instead, life is seen through the lens of a “win” or “lose” situation. Thus, Bihi will not hold the long overdue SL elections, not becaause they are good or bad for what is left of Somaliland’s past democratic appearances, but becuse of the deep personal shame a presidential “loss” would bring about. It is even more difficult for an aging authoritarian narcissist to accept not “winning” the Lasanod war. So he will linger on till the final nacicissistic stage of “mortification”.
