On Friday, the political battle in Puntland turned violent when demonstrates clashed with Presidential guards in Gardo, the provincial capital of Karkaar region.
The demonstrators gathered in the Town center and the main roads, setting fire to tyres while chanting “No More Farole – No 5 years..”. The riots began just hours before the arrival of Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole.
For weeks, President Farole was delaying his visit to the region, due to heavy opposition on his plans to postpone the presidential elections on 9th of January 2013.
Hundreds of protesters chanting slogans and carrying boards with different messages streamed into the town bringing business to a stand still and Shops remained closed.
The Presidential guards and local police have opened fire on unarmed demonstrators and journalists, when the demonstrators refused to clear the main roads.
According to sources in Gardo, at least one person was killed and four others were wounded in the shooting, but doctors at Gardo General Hospital who spoke to Horseed Media say, four people were shot including one in critical condition.
The delegation led by President Farole, including some cabinet ministers and journalists from Garowe, were hold up on the outskirts of the town for more than two hours, while gunshots were heard in the town center.
The journalists accompanying the president’s delegation were not allowed to cover the riots in the town center. Later the President’s convoy were escorted into the city by heavily armed military equipped with technicals.
This is the second demonstration that takes place during the President’s visit to Gardo, the last time he visited Karkaar region in March 2012, hundreds of Gardo residents gathered in front of his hotel, while chanting slogans against his government.
This is also the second largest demonstration in Puntland for the past two months.
In September, similar demonstration took place, but no one was hurt during those protests, it all began when Puntland Electoral Commission (PEC) visited the region. People have rejected the Electoral commission members who are selected by President Farole.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole took office in January 2009 and his term of four years in office will end on 8th of January 2013.
This month, President Farole has announced his own political party (Horsed), which is now the only official political party in Puntland, the President’s party includes all the cabinet ministers, MP’s, regional governors and Mayors. Many people call this one party rule system. While President Farole says he will postpone the elections for another year.
The clan elders and the intellectuals of Puntland in the regions of; Bari, Sanag, Karkaar, Nugal and Mudug, have called on the government not to postpone the elections in 2013, they also rejected the governments plans to hold the first multi party elections in only just 21 districts instead of the 37 districts of Puntland state of Somalia.
Puntland State of Somalia an autonomous region, has been relatively peaceful but in the recent past, residents have expressed fear of escalating insecurity.
– Horseed Media
go on do us a favour kill each other there will be less vermins in the region no need to call the pest controller
Oh how they love to hate us MJ's and Darods but what they don't realise is with out us there is no Somalia
reer Issaq and reer Hawiye have convinced themselfs they are important.
Yet without us there wouldn't be no Federal Government or a Hawiye President, Galmudug is in sham bulls.
Somaliland only has a Ethiopia and the UK who at the end of the day can't do anything for you, the have so many underling tesions that its bount to bull up in there face SSC peoples will free themselfs of Isaaqland .No S/lander can enter any arab country with out a Somalian passport of course your lesaders don't care they are all dual citizens.
Puntland is making deals on the Global scale and is not burdened with recognition, we have oil on land and in the sea, lets see what else are Jubbaland bothers are getting toghether and forming a state ( that's what got Muqdisho in a fit). Why you make, well lets see they got oil they got farmland and oh they rivers and of course they Darods.
They dont want to hear the truth
Kkkkkk you made my day kkkk
Mr djiboutiisak
Ahahhahahha yes hoodo they will never learn will they let them purify the hood for us
without dirtying our hands lol
This is the beginning of the end of Somalia's many tribal enclaves. Soon Somalis will realise tribal rule is going no where. It will be a repetitive chapter of reer hebel killing reer hebel. The same is true in Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, Jubbaland, Hiiraanland, Awdalland.
The only fix is Somali Republic, a central government. You do not need to waste another two decades to figure this out. Farole is now on the run from Osman Mahamud and soon Omar will join, his minority Isse Mohamud might become victims unless people wise up and put the tribal enclaves away.
Putting Somaliland with others tribal enclaves is simply BS. Kayse ur are worst than a faqash!
This forced federalism was not chosen by the people until it does its nothing more but words. Our old 1979 constitution will be reinstated but with the 1961 version of executive powers instead of the one man 79 rule.
Also the 84 amendments will be scrapped an then a touch up to to bring it up to date with 21 century
That's right. Federalism was pushed down on us by Ethiopia and its many tribal enclave satellites such as the burning pirate region of Farole, the crazy myrrh burning suufis Ahlu Suna wal Sigaar (ASWJ), and many warlords who had Sheikh Bishimo Gudud by the red lips.
These days went with Sheikh Sharif and his TFG.
There is only one central government in Mogadishu and the rest will be crashed after al Shabab.
Insha'Allah
Irirsamaale
Keep up the dream kkkk.
Faroole mustn’t violate the Puntland constitution, otherwise he’ll be legally held accountable whatever happens. We Puntlanders don’t blindly support if one of us is wrong for tribal and regional biases, unlike the South xamar and the North Hargeisa. I urge the supreme court to get involve, instead of entertaining us with minor cases.
good news, lets hope a lot of these scum die
Kayse the “Federal system” is the only way that Somalis can get along. Nobody should be dictated how to run his/her house, we can only accept your brotherly advice and help.
Puntland is burning, I always knew this was gona happen. Their entire system is the left over of Siad Bare and the Sayed systems :ONE MAN RULE, Kill all opposition and maintain power to enrich your reer Maxamuud…..hahah funy jackasses. But they are luck they live next to a home grown multiparty democratic system and their pessants are learning one or two things from Somaliland., and they can't take it anymore.
If your house is engolfed by a scorching blaze….come running to Muqodishu, we will provide you protection.
Puntland is burning, I always knew this was gona happen. Their entire system is the left over of Siad Bare and the Sayed systems :ONE MAN RULE, Kill all opposition and maintain power to enrich your reer Maxamuud…..hahah funy jackasses. But they are luck they live next to a home grown multiparty democratic system and their pessants are learning one or two things from Somaliland., and they can't take it anymore.
If your house is engolfed by a scorching blaze….come running to Muqodishu, we will provide you protection.
09th Jan 2013 let us get our popcorn ready!!!
🙂
demonstrations are a sign of democracy. being able to demonstrate in front of presidents motorcade is something new in Somalia. all this people talking about Puntland burning is wishful thinking. it is a process of democratization. Somaliland benefited greatly from puntland's stability. imagine if somaliland's neighbor was alshabaab controlled? imagine if they had 'GALMUDUG" as a neighbor? be carefull what you wish for it may just come true.
Qardho
This are the results of the seeds of hate and fitna you fagash bukhlanders have been planting for the rest of somalis getting back to you. Always remember what goes around comes around therefore enjoy it and test it fagash waxiid.
What's happening in Puntland mj'tenia districts of galmudug regions of Mudug province
under the federal roadmap new Govt, may resort to any tactics aimed to disrupt and monopolize
or influence/control the policies and politics of Mogadiscio and Hargeisa Govts?
Puntland mj'tenia should not claim autonomy when its part and parcel and represented by the roadmap Signatories Govt. No double standard bs policies are acceptable?
he new roadmap Govt of President HSM should appoint temporary governors and mayors and local municipal councils to run the shows of all the Somalia regional roadmap Signatories until such time the Govt puts in place other more sophisticated govts for all inclusive Somalia? Meanwhile, the talks between Somaliland and Somalia remain focused for both sides to hammer out peacefully satisfactory outcome good enough for both Hargeisa and Mogadiscio future relationships?
Cheers.
Well said CHEERS
This what greediness for power does to a man.
Faroole the taxi driver is looking to bring Puntland to its knees because he knows very well there's noway he'll be reelected so will be forced to go back to serving his old customers in his yellow or white car in Australia because that means losing the protection of the state against his many enemy's
I don't see the point of trying to run a mediocre elections in the most arid region of Somalia. Puntland isn't a country nor ready to exercise free and fair elections, it's a backward tribal territory and it should remain that way till Somalia gets it's feed on the ground..
Abdi
Mr fagash what civilization? Or you mean how to eat malai which we somalilanders don’t consider as food. Or you how with stand the malai stinch? As I consider that to be the only civilization which bukhlanders can claim. Kkkk
Meant or how to withstand the malai stinch
Long Live Puntland, Long Live Jubbland, Long Live NFD, Long Live Ogadenia, Long Live Khaatumo State… Ka Naax oo Nafta waa, The Unification of the Great Darood Nation is underway…
Og4
Kkkk cast weyne kkk
Yeah we know faroole is one crazy power hungry dude who needs to be back to his taxi job and that we got "issues" with this pirateland. But there is no need to wish fire and misfortune at them. They are our Somali neighbour after all.
xaram to be happy at others misfortune