Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 – Eyewitnesses say two French journalists have been kidnapped from a hotel in the Somali capital.
Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, who owns a teashop in front of the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu, said about 10 gunmen disarmed the hotel’s guards Tuesday morning and kidnapped the men.
Hotel manager Mohamed Hassan Gafaa said the men are French journalists.
Somalia is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to work.
AP
Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 – A group of 92 people in need of international protection received the red carpet treatment at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Thursday, as they completed the last leg of a long and hazardous journey via Malta from their homes in Africa and Asia.
French Immigration Minister Eric Besson greeted the newcomers after they flew into a cloudy Paris on Thursday afternoon from sunny Malta. The group, including 20 children, was made up of people from various nationalities. More than half (57) were Somalis. There were also 18 Eritreans, nine Sudanese, three Ethiopians, three Sri Lankans and two people from Côte d’Ivoire.
“I wish you all the best in France. I wish you peace and happiness in your new life,” Besson told the new arrivals, whom France had agreed to accept from Malta as a gesture of European responsibility sharing and solidarity. “Your future starts here,” he added.
Every year hundreds of desperate migrants and asylum-seekers arrive in Malta, a tiny island nation of 400,000 inhabitants, after making the perilous boat trip across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa. They have fled poverty, persecution or war.
To help Malta, the French government agreed to receive 96 people whom the Maltese authorities had given either refugee status or subsidiary protection. Of these, 92 arrived in Paris on Thursday, while the rest, an Iraqi family of four, will come at a later date.
“France is proud to be the European country that receives the most asylum-seekers,” Besson told journalists covering the arrival. “This not a case of immigration but of asylum, which is a completely different thing. To those chased out of their country by oppression, France will do everything necessary to integrate them.”
The minister also told the new arrivals about some of France’s core values, including liberty, equality and fraternity as well as religious tolerance and secularism. He said they were expected to do their best to become self-sufficient and integrate, particularly by learning French.
“It’s good to learn French to be able to communicate with people and find a job,” said Abdirisaaq, a 21-year-old man who fled Mogadishu in Somalia and made his way through Kenya, Sudan and Libya, before making the sea voyage to Malta. “Today, I feel as happy as the day that I was saved from the sea and touched land after fours days at sea,” he said.
After receiving refreshments and talking to officials and journalists, the group was taken by bus to collective centres in the towns of Nanterre, Poitiers, Créteil and Oissel, where they will stay until they find employment and accommodation.
Halimu, a Somali woman wearing white flowing robes and with henna patterns on her hands, said in fluent English before heading to an accommodation centre in Oissel: “I’m very happy because I will start my life again, improve my education and eventually reunite with my husband and children.”
Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 (Somalilandpress) – The is no Somalilander, who is not angered over the loose Gov’t handling of the land problem. In th hitory of land Disputes, it had been customery for Governments to act immediately and put in place a lasting peace by ruling fairly on the problem in a way that every party had too be confronted with the truth and Administrative resources statements of Facts.
The Bardaale issue is one of the Gov’t set backs. This is not the first time such a verdict lands on one of the clans but there had been others too, on the same clan. It’s very unfortunate and highly regretable to learn, loss of Somalilanders lives in conflict, which should not have taken place at all if strict non bias on the spot solution would have been exercised by the Government at time.
l think , what Somali-land TV is doing in the public mobilization campeign of condemnations will only aggrevate the situation. like we said before , there will be no winner nor loser in an armed conflict between the two clans, who will only gain casuals weeping at both houses because they are like siamese twins interlocked, sharing blood!! We Somalilanders are all losers if we unjustifiably in law terms, meddle in issues that directly affect our National security Barriers. Though it had been one of our dark moments, Tribal Conflicts used to happen but non of those had made any of those tribes to Install a foreign flag at home, due to anger as has happened at Las-Anod and Borama!!
We have a Constitution rendered inactive and a law enforcement forces sadly unsanctioned rank to file. It is another leadership failure to serve the Country. With the World Human Rights Organization report released, this Government lead by Prsident Riyale, should see itself in that report, which is not published by a somlilander but the United Nations Human Rights Organization. I do advice Somaliland TV to correct itself and realize that they are for Somali-land and to teach the public constructively, not exaggerating mishaps and fishing in dirty waters.
The TV reports should be analytic, referential and very concrete in truth. Adopt to the Democratic World media principles and keep in mind that the TV is one of the three ways, the Ministry of Information teachs the Public therefor, you are obligated to be a good teaching unit. Let’s all participate in the cessation of that conflict and save any further deaths. Hargeisa TV should stop this filthy Bardaale politicization immediately as it will add fuel into the existing Fume.
Dr. Ali A. Mohamed
Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial
Hargeisa, 14 July 2009 – The Somali Sections of VOA and BBC Radios sometimes hold political debates on Somaliland cause and its quest for diplomatic recognition. Some participants in the debates raise insincere arguments about the legitimacy of Somaliland national borders calling it “Colonial Borders.” These individuals are either ignorant of the historical origin of current borders of African States or purposefully mislead the listeners. The United Nations, African Union, and African States did not draw or make the current borders of African States. All the borders of African independent states had been drawn by the colonial powers of Europe in the 19th century, before or after The Partition of Africa in 1884, and the independence and recognition of each African State today depend upon its own colonial demarcations or borders. Likewise, all the borders of Asian and South American States also emerged from colonial boundaries drawn by Britain, France and Spain.
It is hypocritical that these anti-Somaliland debaters recognize the legitimacy of the border between Somaliland and Djibouti but challenge the legitimacy of the border running between Somalia and Somaliland knowing that both borders were drawn by colonial powers. The borders of Somalia, Somaliland and Djibouti have the same status and legitimacy because they were all drawn by European Colonizers. Most of such debaters are easily overwhelmed by unattainable ambitions for tribal state that does not exist in Africa or elsewhere and their denial of the legitimacy of Somaliland borders is completely in contrary to the historical realities of African borders. Anyone who opposes the legitimacy of Somaliland borders, its independence and its diplomatic recognition is challenging the borders and sovereignty of all African independent states (54 states) whose borders rose from their colonial borders or demarcations.
Some people confuse Somaliland with Puntland for either ignorance or for futile political reasons. Puntland is an integral part of Somalia because it is located within Somalias colonial borders (Italian-drawn borders) with which Somalia achieved independence on July 1st, 1960 and shares people and history with Somalia. Unlike Somaliland Republic, which has the rightful claim of independence and recognition for having its own, unique colonial borders with which it achieved independence and diplomatic recognition on June 26, 1960, Puntland can not be recognized as independent state because it is part of Somalia and because it does not have its own and unique colonial borders that promote independence and recognition in Africa, but it can be federal region within Somalia. If tribal boundaries or tribal states were recognized in Africa, the whole continent would collapse and be plunged into endless, devastating clan wars. That is why the Organization of African Unity solemnly declared in 1964 that all member states pledge themselves to respect the borders existing on their achievement of national independence. Here the borders existing on their achievement of national independence are the colonial borders on which Somaliland achieved independence on June 26, 1960. Another point to make, Somaliland Republic can not let Puntland Administration integrate with it because that would violate Somalias sovereignty and borders.
Somaliland was the first of the five-Somali territories to achieve independence from the British Empire on June 26, 1960 based on its existing borders and, before the merger with Somalia on July 1st, 1960, the first Somali country to be recognized by the UN and 35 member nations immediately after independence like the rest of African States. Independent Somaliland was also the first to pioneer the unification between Somaliland and Somalia in quest for Greater Somalia in the Horn of Africa. The union was doomed after Somalia hijacked the governments for the thirty years of its existence (1960-1990) and then committed atrocities against Somaliland people when they rebelled against injustices perpetrated by Somalia. Injustices and atrocities were the major causes that forced Somaliland people to withdraw from the union with Somalia in 1991. The failure of the union does not alter or change the status of Somaliland for claiming legitimate borders, independence and diplomatic recognition.
The Somaliland Congress held in Burao on May 18, 1991 unanimously proclaimed the withdrawal of the Somaliland from the union with Somalia and reclaimed its independence of June 26, 1960 renaming itself: Somaliland Republic. The referendum held in Somaliland on May 31st, 2001 reaffirmed Somaliland sovereignty from Somalia. Somaliland is not a secessionist or a breakaway region from Somalia as anti-Somaliland groups would like to portray it. It just withdrew from the union it joined as an independent state on July 1st, 1960 after it failed in the hands of Somalia. Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia have the same status and legitimacy for independence and diplomatic recognition.
Somaliland and Somalia are not the first two countries in this world whose union ceased to exist. The Soviet Union of 15 Socialist Republics and created by the Bolshevik Revolution led by Vladimir Lenin in 1917 broke up after social upheavals with deep political discontent and came to an end peacefully in 1989 with new countries emerging from it such as Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia etc. They are all recognized by the UN and international community on the basis of their original borders existing before the union. The federation of former Yugoslavia that had 8 countries broke up after bloody civil wars (1991-1995) and new countries such as Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Slovenia, Kosovo etc emerged from its ashes. All are recognized diplomatically too for their original borders existing before the federation. This shows that the unity among countries in a union is not sacred if they disagree but the unity within a country like Somaliland, Djibouti, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda etc is sacred because each country is bound together by its own national borders inherited from colonial powers.
Some Somalis believe that Somaliland should not withdraw from the union with Somalia claiming that all Somalis share language, religion, color, and culture. If this claim were true, the Arab World (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Sudan) which has 17 separate independent countries with the same language, religion, color, and culture would have one union today. They do not have any federal union for disagreeing to share one. Over 14 South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador etc) also share religion (Catholic Church), language (Spanish), culture, and color but they are not required to share union. Sharing language, religion, color, and culture is not convincing factors to share or remain in a union. Justice and fair power-sharing are the most important factors for a union to survive and that is what Somalia failed to understand in the years of the union. Islamic religion commends unity for enhancing strength and power but does not support one that brings death and destruction upon its partners like Somalia did to Somaliland in the decade of 1980-1990, particularly in the years 1988, 1989 and 1990. “Greater Somalia” is like “Greater Arab World” or “Greater South America” which no one knows when such dreams will come true. Some other Somalis believe that only Somaliland and Somalia constitute “Greater Somalia” excluding Djibouti and the occupied territories for opportunistic reasons. Somaliland will not be an easy target again as in the years of the old union.
The occupied Somali territories are of different case. For being a devout Christian Kingdom, Ethiopia survived the European colonization and with the European approval and military support, it annexed the far Western Somalia in 1889 that includes Diridhaba, Harar, Hawas etc. The near region of Western Somalia, which is Hawd and Reserved Area, was colonized with Somaliland and then amalgamated to Ethiopia in 1954 by the Britain. The Somali Northeastern Region (N.F.D) was colonized by Britain too then amalgamated to Kenya in 1963 by Britain. Ethiopia and Kenyan governments are black colonizers in the Horn of Africa today. The peoples of these two regions have the right to struggle for their self-determination.
The place is Africa where tribalism and localism are more important than nationalism and patriotism and where democracy, fair elections, and rule of law are not respected. Chronic tribalism, brutal dictatorships and crippling corruptions are common and normal practice of the day. Any federal government can be easily overthrown at any time by military coups, just like General Siad Barre did in 1969, with the immediate dissolution of elected parliament and constitution. No one can guarantee that this will not happen again in restive Africa. Neither Somaliland people nor the people of Somalia can afford to have another risky union that leads them to another military brutal dictatorship or to a government led by a despot turned-elected president that plunges both peoples into other violent, atrocious civil wars. After the departure of colonial powers from Africa (Between 1950-1970), it fell to brutal African dictators and leaders who killed all hopes and aspirations of African masses that liberated it from Europe, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel yet. Because of the past painful experiences, peoples of Somaliland and Somalia need to have separate, safe, prosperous sisterly states with mutual relations like the Arab countries. Both nations must reject blind patriotism for “Greater Somalia” which is not practical today.
Somaliland Republic will only discuss future relations with a government of Somalia (Former Italian Territory) which is democratically elected and which represents and controls the entire people and territory of Somalia. Somaliland will not meet with a government or parliament that includes individuals claiming to represent Somaliland. Any meeting or discussions with Somalia without fulfilling these two conditions would violate the basics of Somaliland`s sovereignty.
Somaliland, as any African state, has the right to be diplomatically recognized by the United Nations and international community for its current borders that rose from colonial borders. If the African countries do not recognize Somaliland Republic for its own colonial borders as soon as possible, they should know that they put their statehood and sovereignty based on their colonial borders in question. For faster diplomatic recognition, Somaliland needs good governance and fair elections held on time. Somaliland people do not bow to external threats or give up their sovereignty for outside pressure.
Ibrahim Hassan Gagale
Email: ibrahim_hg@yahoo.com
Date: July 14, 2009
Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial
Hargeisa, 13 July 2009 – The Somaliland government’s disregard for the law and democratic processes threatens the territory’s nascent democracy, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The administration of President Dahir Riyale Kahin has committed human rights violations and generated a dangerous electoral crisis.
The 56-page report, “‘Hostages to Peace’: Threats to Human Rights and Democracy in Somaliland,” says that Somaliland’s government has helped create a measure of stability and democratic governance even as Somalia has remained mired in armed conflict. But Somaliland’s gains are fragile and currently under threat. The administration of President Riyale has regularly flouted Somaliland’s laws and has twice delayed elections that were originally scheduled for April 2008, through processes of questionable legality. A further delay of elections, now slated for September 2009, could prove disastrous for democratic rule in Somaliland.
“Somaliland has spent 18 years trying to build stability and democracy, but all its gains are at risk if the government continues to undermine the rule of law,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The electoral crisis has laid bare the need to create functioning government institutions that will respect human rights.”
The Human Rights Watch report is based primarily on a two week visit to Somaliland in March 2009 in which researchers interviewed government officials, opposition leaders, civil society activists, local analysts, and victims of human rights abuses.
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 after the demise of Somalia’s last functioning government. No country has recognized Somaliland’s claim of statehood. Human Rights Watch takes no position on whether Somaliland should be internationally recognized as an independent country. But international actors should engage more deeply with Somaliland, press Somaliland’s government to respect human rights and the territory’s emerging democratic norms, and provide assistance tailored to bolster key government institutions, the media, and civil society.
In recent years the Riyale administration has regularly treated the opposition-controlled legislature as an irritant, refusing to respect its role in the legislative process or in overseeing opaque government expenditures. Little has been done to build the capacity of the nominally independent judiciary; the lower courts are often incapable of applying the law while the Supreme Court has acted as though it is entirely beholden to the president.
Government actions in violation of domestic and international law have directly infringed upon the rights of Somalilanders, Human Rights Watch said. The Riyale administration has circumvented the courts and trampled on the rights of criminal defendants by relying on “security committees” that are entirely under the control of the executive and that have no legal basis under Somaliland law. The security committees sentence and imprison Somalilanders, including people accused of common crimes and juveniles, without any pretense of due process. They regularly sentence defendants en masse on the basis of little or no evidence after truncated hearings in which the accused are given no right to speak. When Human Rights Watch visited Mandhera prison outside of Hargeisa in March, over half of the prisoners there had been sentenced by the security committees, not the courts.
The government has also engaged in other repressive practices that are common in the region, but relatively rare in Somaliland. A former driver for the president’s family was imprisoned after publicly accusing the first family of corruption, and only released after photos surfaced of the man lying shackled to a hospital bed, gravely ill. The leaders of a dissident political association called Qaran, which challenged the existing three parties’ legal monopoly of electoral politics, were sentenced to prison terms and banned from political activity, though they were released before serving their full terms. And Somaliland’s leading independent human rights group was dismantled during a leadership struggle in which government officials blatantly intervened.
But patterns of low-level harassment targeting journalists, opposition activists, and others are the most common. On numerous occasions government officials have detained, usually for brief periods, individuals who have publicly criticized the government or provided press coverage deemed to be unfavorable.
Somaliland’s precarious situation in the region has deterred Somalilanders from protesting loudly when their rights are abused for fear of damaging their territory’s hard-won stability and its quest for international recognition. Many people told Human Rights Watch that they are effectively “hostages to peace” – unable to confront Somaliland’s deepest problems effectively for fear of upsetting the fragile balance that has kept the territory from going the way of Somalia and other countries in the region.
The repeated delay of Somaliland’s presidential election threatens the foundations of its emerging democratic system. President Riyale has twice been granted lengthy extensions of his term by Somaliland’s unelected House of Elders. The election is currently scheduled for September 29, but there is considerable uncertainty whether it will take place and under what circumstances.
“Somaliland is at a dangerous crossroads,” Gagnon said. “Eighteen years of progress towards democratic governance and general respect for human rights will either be consolidated or endangered, depending on President Riyale’s next moves.”
Hargeisa, 13 July 2009 – It’s absolutely an orchestrated political flaw, that the Government couldn’t honour the Gurti Jurisdiction ruling on the Disputed Bardaale land issue between the fighting two clans of Gabiley and Borama. With president Riyale refusing to sign the International Donors proposed Election code of conduct to free and fare elections, failure also to use his executive order to execute the judgement issued by the Gurti sub-committee on security over this issue, which has been ruled for the Gabileh
Clan, plus the issue of Ga’an Libax District, Hargeisa, where, a land dispute is about to detonate between a member of parliament and some residents of that District, where some two-hundred of the Police is said to have been dispatched to guard it, while foreced construction is being erected.
All those events, pour into one issue of security distabilation by the highest authority of the state, the end product of which is to rule out election and to set a false endangered National Security , to justify an imaginative extension of Mandate for President, which is not impossible but highly dangerous to by-pass the degree of fatalities at Mogadishio, because of anger and Dismay if it’s attmpted!!
Mr. Riyale though aware of the repercussions seem to be opting for unbelievably, a game he shall never win. Becuse of his Eight years of Distructive Polices and nothing done for the People of Somaliland or the re-construction of the county, it’s impossible for him to be given another apportunity to further Distructions.
When it comes to leadership and delegation of Authority, he proved to be incompetant on the witness of his Vice President at an interview, recently at Hargeisa Cable T/V station, where his excilleny, Sheikh Ahmed yussuf Yassin, confessed to a corruption that marred every Gov’t Institution at it’s highest ranks,which he discribed irreversible and uncontrollable. This alone is a proof of his failure as head of an state to be denied for a second term.
For the last couple of Months , people at home have been watching a mass exodus of UDUB ex-supporters, joining other opposition Parties, Kulmiye in Particular. The president’s last visit at the Eastern Regions , Particularly Burao and it’s Districts and Sahel Region had darkened his hopes for another hat-trick Play to stick to power!! It’s as bright as a sun, in the Middle of the day, this Administration has done alot of damage at every level of governance, be it Education, Developement, Finance, Public Service, Information , Culture, Health and National pride and deserve not only to be booted to be subjected to law and made accountable to several crimes committed in the name of the law!!
In conclusion, Somaliland is two steps away from anarchy, if the fumes generating from Bardaale not distinguished within 24 hrs, expect a hell fire that may engulf the Region, where other external forces will be lured to join!! It’s solely in the Gov’t hands to avert this gloomy picture simply by exercising the rule of law and executing, the 5th ruling on the same President Clan and in-laws. World elites should follow this issue very closely and should witness this aggression there after.
Dr. Ali A. Mohamed
Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial
Hargeisa, 13 July 2009-Evidently, Somaliland faces both internal and external diabolical traps—insidious booby traps. Both powerful and treacherous, terrorism and tribalism will not only derail the upcoming presidential election but will also evaporate the hope of winning recognition after the September 2009 successful election. As terrorism takes its toll on innocent civilians and tribal feuds rage unabated in Gibbilley region, fear and apprehension creep into the minds of many citizens. Fearful and uncertain about the future, many citizens question the authority’s response to simmering conflicts on the verge of erupting like volcanoes but rarely receive answers.
First, always give credit where credit is due. That is, the Somaliland government deserves a pat on the back when it comes to defending the country from invaders. Time and time again, our armed forces cripple the invading Puntland militias. For instance, Somaliland forces round up hundreds of Puntland militias like wild horses.
More important, Somaliland intelligent agencies repeatedly snatch terrorists from their dens and foil sophisticated terrorist attacks. In the end, many of them face justice and go to trials.
Second, the government’s iron-fist rule—far from condoned—resembles an autocratic system. For example, Somaliland police forces do an astounding job to arrest, harass, and disperse opposition party supporters who venomously protest against election scandals.
Similarly, the authority knows what every single journalist in the country is up to, and barely before the public reads his/her provocative article that expose corruptions and mismanagements the author is already having a picnic inside the notorious Mandheera prison near Berbera city, in Somaliland.
Third, the authority has a powerful eavesdropping program that will transmit to its Criminal Investigation Department’s CID headquarters the slightest whispers from phone conversations between local citizens. Additionally, the government knows before Somaliland Diasporas arrive to the country and when they depart.
Sophisticate system, isn’t? So sophisticated that in fact the system fails miserably to stamp out local land disputes in the farming Gibbilley region in which a handful of gangs are now terrorizing the communities in that area at will. Land disputes are part of the norm in Africa. But why the government of Somaliland could not crush these tribal gangs hacking innocent civilians to death right under its nose is the question that every Somaliland citizen is asking.
Somaliland government could round up hundreds of heavily-armed Puntland militias with very little bloodshed, and so could Hargeisa (Somaliland capital) crush these tribal thugs spurring mayhem in the country. Or is there is more to the conflict than we know?
Conspiracy theory 101 indicates that the government of Somaliland may be ignoring the tribal feuds and hoping they will brew up into a full-scale ware. And once the Hutus and Tutsis of Gibbilley region go on wild rampage and slaughter one another, the government will have no choice but postpone the upcoming presidential election for the fifth time.
Equally dangerous: terrorism—a curse as well as a blessing in disguise for brutal regimes in the world—may play its roll in the possible upcoming election fiasco. In the last election delays, as predicted Somaliland used the terrorist attacks in October 2008 as one of the reasons for the delays.
Now, in the recent terrorist attacks against four well-respected business men from Awdal regions bordering Gibbilley, Alshabaab terrorists could be the culprits or at least they may have encouraged some revengeful locals to carry out the shocking murder. The heartless killings rightly infuriated the Somaliland population in general and in particularly those in Awdal region. Again, the government may drag its feet to capture the murderers, and such a lack of quick action could provoke revenges from the victims’ tribes which could lead to a full-scale tribal skirmishing. So, again the government will have a choice to delay the election.
As shown in the following link, outraged Awdal people, some even waving Somali flag, not Somaliland’s, because they lost faith in Somaliland government took to the streets of Boorame city, Awdal provincial capital. Such Somali flag-waving protesters in the heart of Somaliland territory may give Alshabaab the boost that it needs and more terror attacks may be impending. http://hiiraan.com/news/2009/July/wararka_maanta12-6965.htm (Also read about Somali MPs flocking to Somaliland freely: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/109651)
Surely, the government signed a treaty with the local elders to diffuse the conflict, but what about putting a leash on the thugs that have been terrorizing the farming communities of Gibbilley and its environs. The government must crush these murderers from both warring tribes, and those found guilt should face justice immediately.
Whether Somaliland perceives the dangerous mixture of tribalism and terrorism or not, one thing is indisputable: if land disputes are not resolved and murderers aren’t brought to justices before September 2009—in two months time—election will be postponed.
Similarly, the opposition parties will—understandably—scream their lungs out. Their supporters could take to the streets with massive protests. Hence, normally peaceful streets of Somaliland cities could turn into a battle ground.
And even if the election is not delayed, terrorists could exploit the tragedy—the tribal feuds—in Gibbilley and send voters’ limbs flying over rooftops, and of course blame local tribes.
To top it up, the long-waited Somaliland recognition which many people hope that after fair and transparent election, the nation will be on the verge of receiving a full diplomatic recognition faces uncertainty.
Therefore, the government of Somaliland unless its part of the conspiracy—raging tribal feuds—to derail the election, must crush the local machete-wielding thugs mercilessly and maintain law and order through Gibbilley region.
Dalmar Kaahin
dalmar_k@yahoo.com
Hargeisa, 13 July 2009 – “Please, steer straight.” This was the most frequent phrase of my driving teacher, I remember him as I had felt that he has overused and repeated; “why doesn’t he find another phrase to avoid this overuse,” I thought as I had run down the way of a busy highway.
I think that is enough of an excuse for the repetition of this word for president Rayale as I had read very similar words on the news pouring from the pens of Somaliland citizens and intellects–all sharing the unique hope that he might get well along with their messages and perhaps steer the poor nation towards peace, prosperity, education, and to a freer world that they deserve.
Please, Mr. President, I say it for the last time, let the people enjoy their rights, let their voices be heard, let them compete with the rest of the world, let them device their mechanics and administer themselves, let them captivate and appeal to their future, let them enchant and induce for themselves the recognition you failed, let them be in the driver’s seat that you have been so long fruitless.
With these words above, I am not reproaching or denouncing of Rayale’s achievements and all his well beings, but as a Somaliland citizen I here by address that our beloved president had made some degrading mistakes that will be very difficult to recover during his long term of presidency. From the issue of not securing the nations’s territories, to the larger and current ever-growing government spending habits and corrupted policies that resulted less or no social works and essentials that his administration introduced, to an extreme indulgence, injustice, unethicalness of land dispute, to an increeasing effects of deforestation and environmental erosion, and less water implementations with chunks of the public already dying for thirsty; the list is endless with an adversity of ailing economy, widespread famine and starvation. And now, he is here agian seeking re-election! shameful and embarrasing it is for him and for the larger honorable family he is from, and most importantly for the so called democratic party of UDUB, it is beyond contempt for a leader with a record of that failings to stand again for re-election.
Indeed, he has some bright pages in history, he is the first democratically elected president of Somaliliand and to this he is one of the founding fathers of this nation, he had organized and bestowed several elections in a politically unsettled region, showed a policy of patience and much more. But, honestly it is his failings that exceed his success, and better to quit this time. I solemnly support him to move, move to elitism, just out of politics and watch, just let the realm select who they think is best for them, who they can entrust their lives and their children’s lives.
In the other hand, I do believe rough political environment of Somaliland doesn’t utterly fall into Rayale’s responsibilities, but to the contrary there are some deep rooted, fundamental origins planted deep by the mass groups of politicians and the upper administrational personnel that firstly introduced the existence of free Somaliland from the war torn southern Somalia. It is obvious that they owe us for distinguishing and saving our people from the intense animosity and man slaughter of the south of Somalia. It is the unschooled, uneducated administrational bodies that dominate our two-house parliament, ministry cabinet, and the entire political atomsphere.
It is due to the clan-based shares of positions that resulted to appoint ignorant, illiterate laymen to positions such as planning, commerce, finance, education, health and labor that would otherwise being in the hands of the freshest, highly educated brains that are wide awake and keenly vigilant of the world affairs and international community: those indeed deserve to pertain such fields. There should have been strict rules in the constitution measuring a candidate’s educational qualifications, experience, and personality. With this type of qualified political atomsphere we might have achieved for what we had failed for so many years, sure by this time we might have enjoyed the sweet sense of success and achievement.
And to those governing bodies who do not understand even the slightest meaning of administration, I say, governance is not to coin large sums of cash but to work for the well being of the societies, for the triumphing of communities that are well below your rule.
Today, the population is not in need of your help in terms of governmental administration, you are not in need in these fields that you fill in crowds such as the parliament, ministries, and agencies of the state. Dear fathers, and fellows you are not in the right path, perhaps your are lost. You are supposed to help in the times of disputes, and reconciliation…….you dare not hold postions you don’t have the slightest ideas or expertise of how to manage and run. You are already failures in more than a dozen times. No reason you be there anymore.
Somaliland needs some new faces, someone that has never been in the somali politics for the last forty years, someone capable of preserving and recreating their integrity, someone who is able attaining goals, and winning hearts of the public so that they can entrust him/her the burden of their leadership. We need a president that can designate the beams of democracy into the holes of the region, a president that is himself/herself an indication of democracy.
Hassan Deri,
xasan008@hotmail.com
Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial
Hargeisa, 12 July 2009 – Dissatisfied with donors’ unwillingness to promote disabled people’s rights in their dealings with Kenyan organisations, Phitalis Were Masakhwe calls on international funders to show greater scrutiny when it comes giving financial assistance. From women’s rights to promoting multi-party democracy, carrot-and-stick policies have been central in forcing Kenya to reform, Were Masakhwe notes, arguing that they should occupy an equally central role in cementing equality for disabled people.
In the early 1990s it took the intervention of the international community to break Kenya’s one-party authoritarianism and open the door for plural politics and enhanced respect for human rights in the country. The powerful networks of Kenya’s development partners forced the regime of former President Daniel arap Moi to reform and expand the democratic space. It was reform or no development assistance, period! That is the power and leverage development partners can bring to struggling economies like ours.
A couple of years back, phrases like ‘gender mainstreaming’ didn’t mean anything to the government and even NGOs’ leadership in Kenya – not until the donors flexed their muscles. Child rights, human rights, democracy and the environment are just some of the globally accepted themes and values that were ‘forced’ on our government and civil society. Today neither government nor civil society organisations can submit a bid to say the US’ USAID (United States Agency for International Development), the UK’s DfID (Department for International Development), Sweden’s SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) or Canada’s CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) without evidently reflecting gender concerns. Certainly no donor that I know of will disburse money to either a government or NGO programme if that support will promote or perpetuate child abuse.
And where those seeking donor funding ignore those universally agreed agendas, donors reject these proposals or they are sent back for review to reflect these concerns. The inclusion of doctrines like gender parity is not therefore a matter of choice for anybody; it is a matter of life and death! Amazingly, I have not come across a donor that has rejected a request for funding on the grounds that it has not included disability concerns or not shown the extend to which the proposed project will impact on children, women and men with disabilities. Why? The majority of these same donors have fancy statements on disability equality on their websites and foreign policy pronouncements! It is high time donors walked the walk on the principle of disability equality in their interaction with governments, UN agencies and civil society in general.
The British, Swedish, German, Italian, Japanese or US governments for instance cannot allow inaccessible public transport on their highways. They can’t allow discrimination in education and employment opportunities with regard to the disabled! How then can they give their cooperation, funding and technical assistance to countries like Kenya to be used exclusively or to perpetuate inequality and marginalisation? Shouldn’t their friendship with countries like Kenya include spreading the gospel of disability inclusion and equality as it is done in their own countries? Shouldn’t it include broadening human rights and governance to include all the disabled?
Through acts of omission and commission, Kenya has not yet created nor maintained decent conditions for those with disabilities.
Reflect on free primary education, healthcare, HIV/AIDS, social protection and related poverty eradication schemes, human rights, judicial, institutional and constitutional reforms including infrastructure developments which are heavily subsidised by donors. How accessible and inclusive are these programmes?
Do the donors bother to make sure that they are inclusive and accessible to all, including the disabled? If not, why not place conditionalities that will force the disability agenda onto and within those programmes? Why apply conditionalities thinly and exclusively?
Article 32 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities clearly deals with this issue:
‘States Parties recognize the importance of international cooperation and its promotion, in support of national efforts for the realization of the purpose and objectives of the present convention, and will undertake appropriate and effective measures in this regard, between and among States and, as appropriate, in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations and civil society, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities.’
This should be applied through ensuring that international cooperation, including international development programmes, is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities. This can be done by supporting capacity-building, including through the exchange and sharing of information, experiences, training programmes and best practices. Others approaches should include facilitating cooperation in research and access to scientific and technical knowledge and providing, as appropriate, technical and economic assistance, including by facilitating access to and sharing of accessible and assistive technologies, and through the transfer of technologies.
A quick walk into the offices of any of the major development partners in Kenya will find desks and advisors on virtually everything under the sun, except disability! How can that be tolerated in this era and age when disability affects more than 3 million Kenyans?
The carrot-and-stick policy by donors has helped reform Kenya. It has helped lift women out of obscurity to cabinet boardrooms. It can surely and firmly apply to give the disabled greater visibility and consideration in the country’s socio-economic and political landscape.
Development partners in Kenya must be part of the solution to the problems bedevilling the disabled population and not part of the problem as their current silence and lack of tangible actions seems to suggest.
The time to practice disability equality in international cooperation with Kenya is now.
Source: Pambazuka
Hargeisa, 12 July 2009 – Hundreds of Borama residents demonstrated today in the city center condemning the killing of four businessmen yesterday.
Unknown armed militia ambushed the road between Gebiley and Borama yesterday night killing four people including a well-known businessman on his way to Borama. The deceased were all hailing from Borama. The militia also kidnapped Seven other persons in the area to unknown areas of the region.
Prominent figures from Borama called the government to take strong action against those criminals who do not belong to any clan. Sh. Abdillahi Sh. Ali Jowhar, a religious leader in Borama said those criminals should face the justice and should not be forgiven for their barbaric action against civilians. He called Borama residents not to carry out any revenge against those who are living in the city from the other regions. He said this action has nothing to do with the land dispute between the two sub-clans in Elbardale, in Gebiley district.
The police shot several bullets in the air to disperse the demonstrators after they stormed government offices with stones damaging some properties in the city. No casualties have been reported so far.
On the other hand, Somaliland forces arrested at least 8 persons after skirmishes took place in Elbardale this morning. The police is now stationed in the middle of the conflicted area between the two sub-clans who reside in the area.
Somalilandpress.com
