15 February 2013
With one week to go until Djibouti’s parliamentary elections, Djibouti’s government is under intense pressure from political opposition and its own people after 37 years of one party rule.
Ahead of the elections on 22 February, the Mayor of Djibouti has publicly denounced the Government. Djibouti’s Energy Minister and Minister of Islamic Affairs have both resigned. Opposition rallies are attracting up to 150,000 people.
In a sign of increasing panic, the Government has released opposition leader Daher Ahmed Farah, (arrested earlier this month) following an upsurge of popular protest, resulting in the destruction of a warehouse in Djibouti city.
Leading figures in the opposition movement have expressed their desire for democratic elections to proceed and reflect the will of the people. They are adamant that the country needs a smooth and peaceful transition of power without external intervention, but urge international organisations to continue their pressure on the current government for democratic elections. Forty election observers from the African Union arrived in Djibouti today (15th) to monitor the electoral process. Election observers from the EU have also confirmed their intention to visit Djibouti to oversee the elections.
Aicha Dabale, spokesperson on behalf of the Friends of Djibouti, said
“We are witnessing a growing sense of frustration in Djibouti and its political system. We call on governments and NGOs to ensure that free and fair elections take place in Djibouti next week to ensure that the voice of the people of Djibouti is heard and reflected in electoral results.”
Abdourahman Boreh, an international businessman from Djibouti, said:
“Djibouti has many friends in the West and around the world. We appreciate their continued support in our struggle against an oppressive and undemocratic ruling elite. I fully support the efforts of the opposition who have united under the USN to call for peaceful change. Pressure must continue, but we are determined that the changes required in Djiboutian society are achieved from within the country. We want a peaceful and stable transition of power and a better future for Djibouti.”
Somaliland Minister of Energy, Water and Mineral Resources Hon Hussein Abdi Duale accompanied by elders from Sahil region earlier this week received a delegation from Turkey.
Speaking to reporter at the V.I.P lounge the minister of Energy H on Hussein Abdi Duale the members visiting Turkish delegation are from the Turkish water and mineral resources ministry are in the country to access and facilitate the implementation of several water projects.
The Turkish team will be working in cooperation with the water authority of coastal municipalities to solve and limit these existing problems,” Hon Duale stated.
The Turkish team is expected to start work in the coming few days as they have brought with them all the necessary equipment for the work,” Hon Duale added
The minister of Energy told reporters” The Turkish team will help set up a sustainable water delivery system and also dig more dams for drinking water in remote parts of Sahil region,.
The diversity of TIKA’s projects has allowed the agency to not only serve as an effective manager of Turkey’s development aid but to also become an important tool of Turkish public diplomacy, added Hon Duale.
Turkey believes that the water projects once finished will create a new momentum for an “accelerated”, “sustained”, “and inclusive” and “equitable” economic development in Somaliland, said the head of the Turkish team.
The Head Of the Turkish team stated In this regard, Turkey is committed, ready and willing to do its part in assisting the development process in Somaliland.
Goth M Goth
Somalilandpress.com
Somaliland enjoys a certain amount of strategic advantage. It has a long coastline and deep sea ports, and could eventually serve as a major energy hub for East Africa. Foreign oil companies are already on to this and exploration is beginning in earnest.
Chevron was drilling in Somaliland in the late 1980s, and Conoco was laying airstrips, but these licenses were granted by the Somali government, which was taken over by militias in 1991 – a development that saw Somaliland declare independence that same year. So now we’re starting from scratch.
There is the little matter that Somaliland is not an internationally recognized country, but foreign investors do not seem to be bothered by this technical inconvenience.
So far, three independent oil companies have signed up for exploration. The most notable is Turkey’s Genel Energy, which has taken the sector by storm in Northern Iraq.
Genel will begin surveying in March and expects to drill its first well in early 2014. Somaliland officials are hoping Genel will have the same success it has had in Iraqi Kurdistan. UK-listed Ophir Energy and Australia-listed Jacka Resources are also in the first exploration.
Together, the three companies have seven blocks. Genel owns 75% of two blocks, Ophir also owns 75% of two blocks. There are a total of 24 blocks up for grabs and they cover one-third of the country’s territory.
Somalia’s al-Shabab fighters claim to have executed a captured Kenyan soldier and have repeated threats to kill five other hostages.
The claim of the al-Qaeda-linked group, made on Friday, could not be independently verified.
“While the mujahedeen have executed the serving KDF [Kenya Defence Force] soldier, there is still a chance of securing the release of the remaining five prisoners,” al-Shabab said in a statement.
Last month al-Shabab issued a February 14 deadline ordering Kenya – whose troops are fighting the anti-government group seeking to impose Islamic law inside Somalia – to release “all Muslim prisoners held on so-called terrorism charges in Kenya”.
Al-Shababn fighters, who have previously released videos of Kenyan civil servants they have kidnapped, have said they would execute five hostages within three days unless the Kenyan government gave in to their demands.
News of the alleged execution came as AU troops and government forces seized on Thursday the towns of Janalle, Aw Dhigle and Barire, about 80km southwest of the capital Mogadishu, the latest al-Shabab bases to fall.
Kenya blowback
Kenya has been hit by a spate of attacks including hand grenade and bombs since it invaded southern Somalia in late 2011 to attack Shebab bases, following a string of kidnappings inside Kenya blamed on the armed group.
Many of the attacks in Kenya – including hand grenade blasts in the capital Nairobi – are blamed on al-Shabab supporters or Kenyan sympathisers, although al-Shabab has not claimed the attacks themselves.
But the once powerful al-Shabab are on the back foot inside Somalia, having fled a string of key towns in the face of a 17,000-strong African Union force – which includes Kenyan troops – which is fighting alongside Somali soldiers.
Ethiopian troops are also battling al-Shabab in the southwest of Somalia.
Even so, al-Shabab remains a potent threat, still controlling rural areas as well as carrying out guerrilla attacks in areas apparently under government control.
Source: Al Jazeera
Somalia’s al-Shabab fighters claim to have executed a captured Kenyan soldier and have repeated threats to kill five other hostages.
The claim of the al-Qaeda-linked group, made on Friday, could not be independently verified.
“While the mujahedeen have executed the serving KDF [Kenya Defence Force] soldier, there is still a chance of securing the release of the remaining five prisoners,” al-Shabab said in a statement.
Last month al-Shabab issued a February 14 deadline ordering Kenya – whose troops are fighting the anti-government group seeking to impose Islamic law inside Somalia – to release “all Muslim prisoners held on so-called terrorism charges in Kenya”.
Al-Shababn fighters, who have previously released videos of Kenyan civil servants they have kidnapped, have said they would execute five hostages within three days unless the Kenyan government gave in to their demands.
News of the alleged execution came as AU troops and government forces seized on Thursday the towns of Janalle, Aw Dhigle and Barire, about 80km southwest of the capital Mogadishu, the latest al-Shabab bases to fall.
Kenya blowback
Kenya has been hit by a spate of attacks including hand grenade and bombs since it invaded southern Somalia in late 2011 to attack Shebab bases, following a string of kidnappings inside Kenya blamed on the armed group.
Many of the attacks in Kenya – including hand grenade blasts in the capital Nairobi – are blamed on al-Shabab supporters or Kenyan sympathisers, although al-Shabab has not claimed the attacks themselves.
But the once powerful al-Shabab are on the back foot inside Somalia, having fled a string of key towns in the face of a 17,000-strong African Union force – which includes Kenyan troops – which is fighting alongside Somali soldiers.
Ethiopian troops are also battling al-Shabab in the southwest of Somalia.
Even so, al-Shabab remains a potent threat, still controlling rural areas as well as carrying out guerrilla attacks in areas apparently under government control.
Source: Al Jazeera
As a human and as a country we face many challenges and hardship in life but it depends how we/you challenge it. And after all everything happens for a reason. Unjust destroys families and states. Injustice was the only cause of the destruction of previous nations and kingdoms: { So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allah, lord of the worlds}[Quran 6:45]. In another ayat: Verily Allah will never change the condition of a people until they change themselves(13:11)
There is a great scale of injustice that took place in somaliland recently and still taking place.
We faced many problems in the past and will face challenges and problems in the future.The problems that we have faced in the past were far worse than any challenges that we may have now. We have been through problems such as Siyad Bare’s atrocities, tribal bloody wars, economy problems, recognition problems as well as every other problems under the sun, but out of all the problems we faced as a country, this security threat claimed by the British and the likes seems to be the one that annoys us the most, it is the most terrible issue that we have ever faced in the entire twenty two years that we have existed. It is not that other issues or problems are not important to us or are somehow less annoying; it is indeed, but this threat issue raised by the British is just a complex issue which needs an immediate remedy or attention. After all, this is a national crisis or should I say national disaster. When I heard this threat news I started shaking and trembling with shock, it was like if the whole skies has fell on me. In the end u said to myself, this is a wakeup call for us all
However, when there are problems, there is also always a solution. When there is a problem, no matter how big, small or complex it may be, you always assess, evaluate and investigate the problem with an expert to that particular issue or the problem, then in the end you simply try solving the problem.
Some issues or problems are required been solved by, may be one department, ministry or may be the government as a whole but this problem is national issue, therefore requires a unity, whether we are young or old, educated or uneducated, government or a nation. We all need to stand shoulder to shoulder and hold hands …. United we stand divides we fall.
We must forget all our differences for this issue and every issue that may arise as this has directly affected the whole country.
Few days back I was sitting with some friends, they were all from Somaliland, representatives from kulmiye, Wadani and new ucid discussing this so called security threat issue, I was pleasantly surprised that our political parties are beginning to show signs of maturity and started talking this issues openly and with honesty shadowed by true patriotism.. All six of us agreed that is this is a national issue, therefore it requires national unity and working together as one body.. Together we can. So if all six of believed and realised that this is a nationwide crisis, then how come that I see people with a different view and to some extent blaming individuals or the government, my point here is that it’s not a time for blaming, it’s a time to be united and act as one body.
I don’t see this unity taking place in Somaliland as a whole, especially in the government as well as the nation, in fact the government has divided in to groups in the past two or three days for one problem or the other.
I see a government who are busy with some irrelevant matters when the nation is in crisis.
I see a blame culture that is taking place. I see people blaming other people for this security threat issue. Let me tell you something here, the British and USA don’t and will not take information or listen to or from individuals. Even if they do, they will assess, evaluate and investigate thoroughly by an expert and then take action. The British take this issue very seriously and believed the joint amisom and Somali government claim that alshabab has run away in to puntland and Somaliland. But the question that I would like to ask you is, did you see anyone from the government denying this claim soon after this claim was made by amisom and Somalia?. I think the silence on this has led the world to believe that these people who run away from Mogadishu are now in puntland and Somaliland. If someone accuses you for anything or any matter, especially your national security publicly, then you tend to reply it publicly, but if you don’t reply, then I am afraid that is a sign of acceptance. Don’t you think so? We, as well as the whole world know that Somaliland have had relatively enjoyed peace and stability in the past 22 years. As the unexpected happened from the British then perhaps, we need to show the world that we have peace in Somaliland by inviting all the media including BBC and VOA in our country. It’s our responsibility to show the world that the peace we have enjoyed for the past 22 years is still here with us and that as government and as nation will do anything to maintain it.
The other questions that come to my mind or ask myself are as follows
We, all aware that we Somaliland are in a crisis situation but I don’t see the following steps taking place
A. I don’t see a crisis meeting took place at all. The government should have instantly called for an emergency crisis meeting to analyze, asses, investigate and action.
B. I don’t see the two houses, the house of Guurti and the parliament debating on it, all I see is division and punch ups and blame culture amongst us
C. I don’t see the government inviting the international media bodies in to our country to show the world that the peace and stability that we have enjoyed is still here with us.
D. I don’t see our intellectuals, elders, government, and parliamentarian, house of elders debating on the issue. We need to find and agree what steps we should take as nation for this matter
E. We should have Bullet points to identify the key facts and guidelines after the debate.
Without fulfilling the above objectives and steps, then I am afraid that we will become ready meal for anyone who doesn’t like us; especially our neighbours in Somalia who are now attacking us left right and centre with a political game
Message to President Ahmed Siilaanyo, as president of our country you should take every step and role necessary to show your leadership in this regard. As a government you should convince and show the world that peace and stability is our food and drink. You must shine and put the country on its feet again. That history of peace and stability is now under threat. .. We need to have a framework for this issue, we need to think forward and convince the world that peace is still with us.
Message to our nation; United we stand, Divided we fall. Be strong. End tribalism. Don’t worry too much about changing and swapping of the officials as there is a good indication in that. We should be happy for the army ranks; there will be 5000 more official to be announced. It’s good for the country
Message to our neighbours in Somalia. You declared a political war with us and still have the mentality of 1960. Your recent VOA interview, you claimed Somaliland as one of the provinces of your Somalia, Greater Somalia became abortive at the end by your own hands. Your ignorance and arrogance is what makes you believe that Somaliland will be dismantled by calling of Mo Farrah, Fosia and the likes. You are trying to take advantage of Somaliland current problems, the problems that you yourself and your amisom created. You told the world that alshabaabs are in somaliland, you cannot see alshababs in mogadisho who are destroying your state house, vila Somalia where you live yourself, how on earth you can see the shababs who are in Somaliland. Maybe you know because you have sent them to us. Tell us where they are and show the whole world where they are in Somaliland. Let me tell you something, if anything happen in Somaliland, then you are responsible. We will not let you take the advantage; we survived for the past 22 years with little help from outside world. We are stronger now than we were when we kicked the mighty Somali army, so keep singing my friend… It is a question of self-determination of a nation that shoulders its destiny. Somalia and the whole world understand that we mean business. We understand your appointments of fosia and the likes is your self-desperation attempt to make the world believe that Somaliland is part of Somalia.
Somaliland suffered enough aggression and cruelty by you own hands. We will never forget the oppression, the displacement, destruction of our cities, the genocide over 60,000 bodies in mass graves:. We cannot forget the innocent civilians that were taken out of their homes late at night and executed in the years 1984,1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 because of whom they were.
by AhmedYasin Sheikh Mohamed Jama
New York, February 15, 2013-An unprecedented rise in the number of journalists killed and imprisoned in the past year coupled with restrictive legislation and state censorship is jeopardizing independent reporting in many countries, according to Attacks on the Press, a yearly assessment of global press freedom released today by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“When journalists are silenced, whether through violence or laws, we all stand to lose because perpetrators are able to obscure misdeeds, silence dissent, and disempower citizens,” said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. “The battle to control information is an assault on public accountability that cannot go unchallenged. Governments must prosecute perpetrators and stop those seeking to incapacitate public oversight by blunting critical and probing reporting.”
Leading indicators featured in Attacks reveal a deteriorating environment for press freedom. In 2012, the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide reached a record high, a trend driven primarily by terrorism and other anti-state charges levied against critical reporters and editors. CPJ identified 232 journalists behind bars because of their work in 2012, an increase of 53 from 2011 and the highest since the organization began the survey in 1990. CPJ research shows that over the past two decades, a journalist is killed in the line of duty once every eight days. Seventy journalists lost their lives in the line of duty in 2012, a 43 percent increase from 2011. More than 35 journalists have gone missing.
To determine growing threats, the 2013 edition of Attacks also features CPJ’s new Risk List, which identifies the 10 places where the organization documented the most significant downward trends during 2012. Those trends included:
• High murder rates and entrenched impunity in Pakistan, Somalia, and Brazil.
• The use of restrictive laws to silence dissent in Ecuador, Turkey, and Russia.
• The imprisonment of large numbers of journalists, typically on anti-state charges, to thwart critical reporting in Ethiopia, Turkey, Vietnam, Iran, and Syria.
• An exceedingly high fatality rate in Syria, where journalists faced multiple risks from all sides in the conflict.
“Attacks on the Press exposes the aggressive efforts of state and non-state actors to silence journalists, particularly those covering crime, corruption, politics, and conflict,” said Mahoney. “The right to receive and impart information transcends borders, and international and regional bodies have a key role to play in upholding these principles, which are under attack.”
A U.N. plan to strengthen international efforts to fight impunity and increase journalist security around the world-which is being implemented with CPJ support-aims to create safer conditions for journalists around the world. The plan and a five-year-old U.N. resolution that calls for the protection of journalists in conflict zones require full implementation in order to guarantee a free and safe press. U.N. member states must honor their commitment beyond training programs, special appointments, and rhetoric, while U.N. agencies should adopt practices to bring coordinated rapid responses on the ground to the crises facing the press.
“Today, even as technology fuels a global communications revolution, a range of governments are challenging the very concept of press freedom, arguing that it is not a universal right at all but must be adapted to national circumstances,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon wrote in Attacks. “The basic consensus supporting freedom of expression in international law is strong enough to push back firmly against autocratic leaders who seek legal and political cover for their restrictive policies.”
First published in 1986, Attacks on the Press is the definitive annual assessment of the state of press freedom worldwide. The 2013 edition features up-to-the-minute analyses by CPJ and global experts on media conditions, press freedom violations, and emerging threats in every corner of the world, along with regional data and a snapshot of conditions in close to 60 countries. Thematic essays in the book focus on the anti-press offensive by non-state actors in Africa; the weakening of the inter-American human rights and press freedom system; the looming media vacuum in Afghanistan; China’s relationship with the foreign press; mobile security; self-censorship in Mexico; citizen journalists in Syria; censorship by extremists on stories of religion; coverage of oil in Africa; and the prospects of a global press freedom charter in times of increasing challenges. An expanded print edition with exclusive essays by leading journalists is published by Bloomberg Press, an imprint of Wiley, and is available for purchase.
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CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide
Note to Editors: Regional sections of Attacks on the Press are available online in Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese. In determining the Risk List, CPJ staff examined six press freedom indicators: fatalities, imprisonments, restrictive legislation, state censorship, impunity in anti-press attacks, and journalists driven into exile.
Media contacts:
Gypsy Guillén Kaiser
Advocacy and Communications Director
Tel. +1.212.300.9029
E-mail: ggkaiser@cpj.org
Magnus Ag
Advocacy and Communications Associate
Tel. +1.212.300.9007
E-mail: mag@cpj.org
The move by IGAD mercenaries to airlift bogus delegates to Kismayo last
week in order to attend illegal meeting aimed to approve the invasion of
certain clans including refugees from Kenya and Ethiopia, was enough to be
considered as a declaration of war against the people living in Jubba
regions.
Despite knowing the fact on the ground, instructions of some western
countries have made IGAD mercenaries to approve blindly illegal clan
communiqué issued under the name of IGAD last year.
The communiqué issued by clan warmonger Mahbub Mohamed, the current
Secretary General of IGAD, indicated that the Ogadeni refugees from
Ethiopia and a new bunch of Ogadenis from Kenya are the genuine owners of
Jubbaland regions in southern Somalia, while labeling the majority groups
in the region as minorities. The unhidden truth in the region and among
all Somalis is that there is only one district all over Somalia, which is
inhabited by the local Ogadenis, who are lawfully Somali citizens.
Kismayo conference
The conspiracy of conducting the Kismayo conference was announced by
Sheikh Mohamud Aw Libah, self styled Ahlu Sunna leader, who himself comes
from central Somalia regions. With instructions from Ogadeni officials in
Kenyan government, officials from the so called Puntland region (there is
no official region called Puntland in Somalia’s constitution and history
as well), and officials from Zone Five region in Ethiopia, Aw Libah
denied that the conference was being sponsored by the IGAD puppets.
While enjoying the support of few western countries that have resources
interests in Jubbaland, the refugees, who call themselves the future
leaders of Jubbaland, tend to forget that the word has come out long ago
to make sure their conspiracy fails.
In 1960 there was a shooting at Sharpeville, in South Africa, which
resulted in proclamation of a state of emergency and the declaration of
the ANC as an unlawful organization. This is what the great hero Nelson
Mandela said after the event: “My colleagues and I, after careful
consideration, decided that we would not obey this decree. The African
people were not part of the government and did not make the laws by which
they were governed”.
By quoting this piece of Mandela’s speech, the people of Jubbaland have
one responsibility which is to respond to the declaration of war made by
IGAD. Their first and last responsibility is to fight by any means.
History tells us that no community in this world has acquired its rights
and liberations with mere talks. Many people in the world preferred to
fight as a result of unrest and frustration because the perceived foreign
rule or invaders’ rule to be a form of exploitation and mistreatment,
which served only to further economic interests for the enemy . Like the
case of Wagosha community, they have to bear in mind that in order to
disrupt the plans of the enemies, they do not need to have military tanks
or modern sophisticated weapons. Your role will simply be a role of
destroying which is always cheaper than any other thing.
The Wagosha community was always ready to engage in talks, when deciding
the future of their land, but when all these calls were ignored, the
alternative, which is armed struggle, has to work.
Kenya, Ethiopia conspiracy
The shaky government of Ethiopia and Kenya, who are struggling with
political and ethnic divisions in their countries, do always come up with
plans which risk the stability of the region.
An official in the Ogadeni armed groups in Ethiopia, told western media
that their group was offered a settlement in Jubbaland if they stopped the
fighting against Addis Ababa, when peace talks between Ethiopia and ONLF
held in Kenyan capital, Nairobi last year.
Another international diplomat said it’s the western countries that are
pushing for Jubbaland bias plans, that favour the Ogadeni armed refugee
clans.
Despite waiting for many years, finally, in 1991, the people of Hiiraan
region in central Somalia and Somaliland succeeded to kick out the Ogadeni
armed refugees from their lands. This has not come through dialogue but
armed struggle with genuine cause, like the cause of Wagosha community.So
its always possible when there is a will.
You were born free to decide for your future, and not to wait others
decide for your fate. Kenyans and Ethiopians will not be here in Somalia
forever, because even the dictator Siyad Barre had to go by force after
many years of settling Ogadeni armed refugees in the country.
Using guerrilla war the armed liberation struggle
Bearing in mind that the enemy has more weapons than the indigenous people
is not a genuine reason not to fight for your rights. During the
Vietnamese war the local people operated within their own districts. When
necessary, small regional units would unite for large scale attacks. If
enemy pressure became too great, they would break down into smaller units
and scatter.
For the most part, recruits were young teenagers, who were motivated by
idealism, confidence and their ability to fight heavily armed and
well-trained American soldiers.
In this holy war, you have even a strong reason to fight, because the
Islamic religion allows you to defend your sovereignty and rights, even if
it amounts in killing enemy soldiers and their supporters.
Wagosha people have also another genuine reason to turn their weapons to
the enemies. When the unreported genocide of thousands of people took
place against Wagosha in 1990ties, yet the international agencies allowed
humanitarian aid to be diverted and used to fund warlord General Mohamed
Said Morgan, who led the massacre of the innocent people.
The armed struggle has to be in gradual steps like in the Vietnamese war,
where local guerrillas were given only a basic minimum of infantry
training, but if they were recruited to a main force unit, they could
receive up to a month of advanced instruction. Additionally, there were
dozens of hidden centers all over South Vietnam for squad and platoon
leader, weapons and radio training. To ensure that the guerrillas
understood why they were fighting, all training courses included political
instruction.
Many weapons, including booby traps and mines, were homemade in villages.
The materials ranged from scavenged tin can to discarded wire, but the
most important ingredients were provided by the enemy. In a year, dud
American bombs could leave more than 20,000 tons of explosives scattered
around the Vietnamese countryside. After air-raids, volunteers retrieved
the duds and the dangerous business of creating new weapons began.
Local forces also designed primitive weapons, some designed to frighten
intruders, but others were extremely dangerous. “Punji traps” — sharp
spikes hidden in pits — could easily disable an enemy soldier. Punjis were
often deliberately contaminated to increase the risk of infection. This
kind of a weapon is not different from the traditional weapons the Wagosha
people used in the 17th century to prevent the invasion of Somali pastoral
clans from capturing the Goshaland.
Having all these tactics empowered with modern techniques, it’s obvious
that the struggle will reach another level until the final liberation
comes.
Death to the invaders,
Victory to Wagosha liberation
Fight for your rights, failure to it you are breaking Islamic values
Goshaland will be liberated at last
Wagosha News Desk
Kismayo, Somalia
http://www.wagoshanews.com/?p=707
A lot of water has followed under the bridge since the highly disputed municipal elections held in the country on 28 November 2012.
The United States had recognized for the first time in more than twenty years the new Somali government under the stewardship of Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud even though Somalia still remains the breeding ground for extremism and piracy, drug and human trafficking, safe haven for criminals, and despite the fact that Al-shabab still retain the capability to shake the ground under the feet of the highest government officials including the president and the prime minister.
Britain had warned its citizens against traveling to Somaliland, and against staying anywhere in the country- a country that was once dubbed as “the oasis of peace and tranquility in Horn of Africa”. This sudden and unforeseen announcement hit Somaliland government officials like a lightening bolt, sending them scurrying to find out what went wrong. Instead of facing the brutal truth and putting their house in order, politicians and government officials especially the bumbling and gaffe prone minister of internal affairs, Mohamed Nur Arrale, found it easier to pin the blame on Britain by staging counterproductive nation-wide demonstrations against Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s travel warnings. Others had drawn up a lousy appeal letter to the FCO, foolishly pleading with the British government to withdraw its travel warnings against Somaliland or in other words to forego the security and personal safety of its own citizens.
The United States heaped more bad news on Silanyo’s government after it has thrown its weight behind Britain warning its citizens and other foreigners against travelling to Somaliland. The government is on the verge of buckling under the weight of the internal turmoil coupled with this unforgiving diplomatic strain. Needless to say, the Somaliland foreign ministry has lost compass, drifting aimlessly in a sea of diplomatic confusion. We failed to make our case to the world. And now we are paying the price for our failure.
An incipient rebellion was blown into the open when senior officials of the ruling KULMIYE party, disclosed that president Silanyo will be the party’s presidential candidate for 2015. Based on the Burao Accord, Silanyo handed over the baton of leadership to Musa Bihi some three years ago seemingly paving the way for Bihi’s presidential candidacy. But this apparent reneging of the agreement dealt a mortal blow to Bihi’s presidential hope. For his part, Bihi muddied the waters by saying anyone who is a member of the central committee has the right to become the party’s presidential candidate, meaning there will be more spoilers than genuine presidential candidates. The in-fighting and backstabbing among party members is unlikely to subside in the run up to April Convention 2013.
The scandal of a vulnerable woman who had been arrested over text messages allegedly insulting the minister of presidency, Hersi Haji Ali, and the president’s family has rocked the nation, prompting headlines and blistering condemnations from around the world. In a rare show of decency, the not-so-independent judiciary acted against Hersi who is widely rumoured to govern the country. On the order of the judge presiding over the trial, Hersi was ordered to appear before the court. The hustle and bustle of downtown Hargeisa came to a virtual standstill as Hersi arrived at court under heavy police escort amid fears of attacks. In the end, Hersi found out that he was only scared of his own shadow as there was no single security problem.
While the government is determined to prosecute this vulnerable woman to the fullest extent of the law it has shamelessly denied justice to the relatives of the children massacred at Ahmed Dhagah by the British funded police. Yet, president Silanyo parrots “Somaliland is a place where human rights and international laws are observed.”
President Silanyo and his Vice-President Abdirahman Zeili are embroiled in a toxic dispute, which could leave the country paralyzed if not resolved sooner. On his departure from Hargeisa on Tuesday 5th February, Silanyo was seen alone at the airport after his Vice-President flatly rejected to see him off. In an effort to resolve the dispute hastily, the president postponed his flight but unfortunately there was no meeting of minds. Earlier, the Vice-President has threatened to spill the beans about what is going on in the presidential palace that sent him packing.
A media horde descended upon his residence gleefully waiting for the Vice-President to wash their dirty linen in public but, in the end, they did not have the field day they hoped for. Constitutionally speaking, the Vice-President is meant to deputise for the President in his absence but Hersi will be watching him like a hawk during the president’s absence. As they say, the Vice-President is literally a heartbeat’s away from the presidency but now president Silanyo wants to amend the constitution so as to appoint another Vice-President that will not only render Zeili’s post irrelevant but will also prevent him from becoming the sole heir-apparent to the presidency.
To complicate matters further, Zeili openly began cajoling government critics by receiving them in his office except HAKSOOR members who are considered by far the largest and most fierce opposition to this government. The Vice President seemingly believes that his political enemies are lurking around every corner of the presidential palace, hatching joint plot against him. Zeili took no chances and orders the bomb disposal unit to sweep his office for any possible IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). If the Vice-President cannot feel safe in the most heavily guarded place in Somaliland how can we possibly convince the British and American officials that Somaliland’s security is up to scratch?
Surely, Silanyo will have a tough time convincing Zeili that, after all, there is no bogeyman hiding in the presidential palace.
More seriously, the dispute between HAKSOOR supporters and the embattled government of Ahmed Silanyo over the disputed municipal election results grew steadily worse as both sides firmly entrenched in their respective positions.
HAKSOOR supporters firmly believe that they have the moral high ground and will literally not give an inch of ground to what they perceive as purveyors of deceit and injustices- the unholy alliance of the National Electoral Commission and the government.
This intractable internal turmoil is tearing apart the fabric of the nation as Silanyo opted to slam the doors of justice in the face of HAKSOOR, alienating an entire people at the country’s peril.
Silanyo’s only solution to this vexed political problem is, until now, to stick his index fingers in his ears, and engage in a perpetual state of denial to avoid the painful reality on the ground. For their part, the dogged HAKSOOR supporters keep piling on the agony for Silanyo, leaving the government on the ropes.
This abbreviated list of afflictions is formidable enough to render the government paralysed but it remains to be seen whether Silanyo has the tenacity, political skill and energy to tackle these intricate problems or whether he will bury his head in the sand, as usual, hoping that the problems will simply go away.
President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud (Silanyo) and members of his entourage came under intense grilling during a press conference held yesterday in London ,this after members of Somaliland Diaspora in the UK demanded to know what we’re the polices and agenda set by Somaliland government for the upcoming London talks between Somaliland and Somalia which are due to be begin on the 3rd of May this year.
The Somaliland Leader speaking at the press conference first thanked members of Somaliland Diaspora living in the UK for their unrelenting support in which he said “my deepest gratitude goes to the courageous people of Somaliland living in the UK for their undying devotion and patriotism to protect and advance the interest and the causes of this nation.
President Silanyo took the opportunity to once again reiterate his Government position on the upcoming talks which are to be held in London in May 2013 by saying, “ My Government position is clear on matters pertaining the upcoming talks which by the way is to find ways to Foster close collaboration on issues of mutual interest with our neighbor as two distinct and different nations ‘which I believe is in our best interest, and does not diminish or damage our self-determination or sovereignty in anyway whatsoever.
“We shall not accept any conditions which undermines, diminishes or goes against our much cherished will of self-determination and sovereignty’ anything short of this shall force us to cease all engagements in the upcoming talks, said President Silanyo.
President Silanyo urged fellow Somaliland Politicians to abstain from activities that will hinder or damage the ongoing talks with Somalia and the principal agreements reached at the London meeting.
Lastly President Silanyo touched briefly on the accomplishments made by government since coming to power 2 years ago mainly in the fields of education ,health ,Infrastructure and commerce among many others.
