Somaliland Global Diaspora forum calls President and Political parties to respect the will of the people that they represent, and to work together to hold the elections.
The following statement was issued by the Somaliland Global Diaspora forum
we are calling THE PRESIDENT AND the political parties OF SOMALILAND to respect the will of THE people that they represent, and to work together to hold the elections.
The Somaliland Global Diaspora Forum (SOGDIF) unites different sectors of Somaliland Expats including scholars, students and social activists from the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia. SOGDIF representatives from seven countries including USA, Canada, Germany, France, Lebanon and Qatar, discussed the current situation of Somaliland Communities around the world and how the political division in Somaliland affected the diaspora communities.
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Since the Diaspora Communities, are the largest source of income to the Somaliland families in back home, and that the diaspora contributes a large amount of money to the three political parties of Somaliland during their election campaigns.
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Since the post-conflict election divisions that exists in Somaliland, is affected, most of the diaspora communities. Till that division exists in Somaliland, it is very difficult to have a united diaspora community.
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Since the biggest aim of establishing this forum is to support both the political and social development of Somaliland and to have sustainable and accountable governance system, that can get recognition from the world. To achieve that goal, forum members underlined the importance of working together how to unite both Somaliland communities in the country and the ones who live outside Somaliland.
So, the Forum members believes, that the local councils and house of representatives elections are the most important task in Somaliland at this time, to give citizens an opportunity to elect members and leaders who can represent them, since the mandate of the current local councils and parliament members expired, and they don’t have at all the legitimacy of the voters, so the Forum:
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Believes that it is important to hold the upcoming local councils and House of Representatives elections as soon as possible.
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Is concerned the recent disagreements of the selection process of the new National Electoral Commission, between the President and the Waddani Opposition Party. Already it was wrong that the Political Leaders who are running or in the office to nominate the members of the Electoral Commission.
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Is deeply disappointed that the president nominated in the new National Electoral Commission, a member from his political party since the law prohibited of nominating members from political parties to the Electoral Commission.
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Also deeply disappointed the reaction letter of Waddani Party of suspending, the member he nominated to the National Election Commission to approve. That step is not supporting to hold the elections in the near future. There are other ways that Waddani Party can express their concern against the members that the head of state nominated to be members of the NEC from his side.
So, the Forum member is calling:
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Both the President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi and the chairman of the Opposition Party of Waddani Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, to respect the will and the voices of their supporters and in general the Somaliland citizens, who trusted them to lead, in a better life. But it seems that political leaders are just only caring their own personal interest not the public interest; it is a very dangerous path, that can lead the citizens to distrust at all electoral process since their leaders are not going to make compromises.
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Is concerned that the House of Elders, is preparing a new political extension to the House of Representatives, House of Elders (themselves) and Local Extensions. We are cautioning any political extensions, only the upcoming National Electoral Commission will prepare a new road map of the Elections.
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The President, who is the only legitimate elected official in the office, while the mandates of other constitutional houses are expired but stay in the office with extensions, including House of Elders, House of Representatives and Local Councils. The worst thing is, that the mandate of Local Councils was expired at 28/04/2019, and they are still in the office even without an extension. So, “… Dear President, for the last 19 months there was a deadlock and disagreements about the current sitting National Electoral Commissions, between your office and the opposition parties particularly Waddani Party, no one has ever made a compromise. For reminder, it was your position, that the current NEC stays in the office till their term ends and now they are leaving the office when their term ended, so Dear President, please make a compromise at this time and take the lead to solve the current disagreements about the Selection process of the new NEC…”
