Somaliland Guardian

SOMALIA: SGBV on rise in Hargeisa IDP camps

2012-02-01T08:48:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: SGBV on rise in Hargeisa IDP camps

HARGEISA, 1 February 2012 (IRIN) - Cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), as well as domestic violence, are increasing in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared independent Republic of Somaliland, with social workers attributing the trend to hard economic times made worse by recent drought in the region.

"Numbers of the displaced have increased in recent months, with many families coming to town to escape drought; lack of a police presence within the camps and inadequate lighting have contributed to the increase in some of these cases," Shukri Osman Said, an SGBV coordinator for an NGO, Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation Somaliland (CCBRS), told IRIN at the Stadium IDP camp in Hargeisa.

The Stadium IDP camp, home to an estimated 5,000 families (30,000 people), is one of several IDP camps in Hargeisa where humanitarian organizations such as CCBRS have ongoing programmes aimed at addressing SGBV among vulnerable communities.

According to Said, CCBRS has been running the SGBV programme in the IDP camps since 2006 with funding from the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

"On average, CCBRS handled between 15 and 20 cases of SGBV per month; however, we have noticed that the cases of domestic violence have increased dramatically; in 2011 alone, we had over 500 cases of domestic violence," Said told IRIN.

"Our SGBV prevention programme has helped somewhat because the SGBV cases have started reducing; our concern is the rise in domestic violence, which is mostly due to men not coping well with economic hardship and ending up venting their frustration on their wives."

The CCBRS programme, she said, had a component targeting those with physical disabilities and provided orthopaedic aids - such as wheelchairs - to some of the affected IDPs. SGBV coordinators from CCBRS also made home visits for physiotherapy sessions, provided counselling and psycho-social support and referred those requiring specialized treatment and/or legal aid to relevant institutions.

"Most of the victims of SGBV are poor and cannot afford treatment in private hospitals; some cannot even afford the transport to public hospitals, so we help by referring them to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in the main hospital in Hargeisa," Said told IRIN.

"We also refer those requiring legal aid to organizations that help women seek justice."

Hawo Yusuf, a member of the management committee at the Stadium IDP camp, said the committee supported SGBV survivors by helping them be accepted by society.

"We help construct shelter for those in need of a place to stay, especially those who become pregnant; we help by tracking and [apprehending] the perpetrators, although our efforts are frustrated when these people are freed without being charged with any offence."

Livelihood projects

According to UNHCR Somaliland, Hargeisa is home to approximately 85,000 displaced people who have fled their homes mostly from south and central regions of Somalia, due to various reasons, including drought, limited livelihood opportunities and increased violence.

"IDPs often live in difficult conditions, more often than not with limited access to basic facilities such as adequate healthcare, good shelter and clean water and sanitation amenities, ample security as well as employment opportunities," the agency said.

"UNHCR engages IDPs in Hargeisa in various projects like solar lighting or animal husbandry that will equip them with the necessary skills to start up their own businesses and provide a better life for their families."

CCBRS is implementing an income-generating project, funded by UNHCR, aimed at empowering woman in the IDP camps. Started in 2008, the project has helped transform the lives of the IDPs by providing them with better livelihoods.

Fouzia Hassan, mother of eight and one of the beneficiaries, told IRIN: "All my children are now in school, thanks to the US$600 grant I received to boost my bread-making business. My business has expanded and I now make between 55 and 65 loaves a day, something I could not have dreamt of doing before the start of this project."

Hassan said she can now take care of her family better: "I can meet their medical bills, I have built a latrine for the family's use and I have installed a water tank, this is now my home. It has changed my life and my family's."

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY DEPLORES MURDER OF RADIO STATION DIRECTOR

2012-02-01T08:47:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY DEPLORES MURDER OF RADIO STATION DIRECTOR

The United Nations envoy for Somalia has strongly condemned the recent murder of radio station director Hassan Osman Abdi and called on the authorities to carry out an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"I am shocked and saddened by the killing of Hassan Abdi, one of the most prominent journalists in Somalia," the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Augustine P. Mahiga, stated in a news release.

Mr. Abdi, 29, a journalist and director of Radio Shabelle, was shot dead on 28 January in Mogadishu, the capital of the Horn of Africa nation. His murder has also drawn the <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_condemns_murder_of_somali_journalist_hassan_osman_abdi_and_urges_somalia_to_improve_media_safety/">condemnation of the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova.

Mr. Mahiga, who is head of the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), welcomed the public condemnation of the killing by Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and called on the Transitional Federal Government to conduct a "full, independent investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice."

UNPOS is working with the Transitional Federal Government and its offices in providing constitutional guarantees necessary to safeguard freedom of expression and the protection of journalists in the country.

"Fostering media independence and pluralism is an essential part of the process of establishing lasting peace and stability in Somalia," stated Mr. Mahiga.

AS POLITICAL TENSIONS RISE IN SENEGAL, BAN URGES ALL SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM VIOLENCE

2012-01-31T16:55:00.000-08:00

AS POLITICAL TENSIONS RISE IN SENEGAL, BAN URGES ALL SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM VIOLENCE

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern today about mounting political tensions in Senegal, where voters go to the polls in less than a month to elect a president.

Media reports indicate that two people were shot dead during protests yesterday over the decision of incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade to seek a third term as leader of the West African nation. Further demonstrations have been planned and the election is slated to take place on 26 February.

In a <"http://www.un.org/sg/statements/index.asp?nid=5832">statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban "urges all political parties and national stakeholders to refrain from violence in the pursuit of their objectives and to pursue peaceful means to resolve all electoral grievances."

The UN chief called on all concerned people and groups to ensure the "enabling conditions for transparent, credible and peaceful elections that reflect the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the people of Senegal."

He also underlined the need for Senegalese authorities to act in a way that preserves and consolidates the country's democratic traditions, which he noted "have laid the foundations for its long history of stability and social cohesion."

KENYA: UN SCALES UP REFUGEE TRAINING TO IMPROVE ASSISTANCE IN CAMPS

2012-01-27T17:34:00.000-08:00

KENYA: UN SCALES UP REFUGEE TRAINING TO IMPROVE ASSISTANCE IN CAMPS

The United Nations refugee agency today announced new strategies to ensure uninterrupted assistance and services in its largest complex in Kenya, including training and mentoring of refugees as well as involving them in the day-to-day running of the Dadaab camps.

"Refugees have always had a role in making camps work. However, at Dadaab that role is being expanded," said Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), during a press briefing in Geneva. "Hospitals, for example, have remained open throughout this difficult period, staffed by refugees, nationals, and a limited number of international staff," he said.

Part of the new strategy includes reaching out to different groups within the refugee population such as elders, the business community and youth so they can contribute in distinct ways. Mr. Mahecic stressed that refugee leaders and refugees working for partner agencies are being trained to identify individuals who require urgent attention so they can get life-saving assistance immediately.

"In situations when international or national staff cannot get to camps the health posts are managed by refugee staff who have been trained over the years to provide basic medical services and refer more serious cases to the camp hospitals," Mr. Mahecic said. "Refugee staff are also getting refresher courses on management of sensitive cases of sexual or gender-based violence," he added.

<"http://www.unhcr.org/4f22a26c6.html">According to UNHCR, since the beginning of this year, over 150 vulnerable people and families have been identified by the agency and its partners, and brought to the agency's offices in Dadaab where they have received medical and psychological help.

Refugees are also helping to improve the camps' conditions by building new latrines on sandy and rocky ground, and by collecting and transporting solid waste by donkey carts to allocated waste disposal sites.

In addition, UNHCR is also engaging with young refugees to enhance their skills and work experience. "More than 30 camp schools remain open and are run by refugee teachers. Despite insecurity, the Kenyan National Exams took place in the camps at the end of last year and the results were an improvement in the average score in comparison to last year. The exams were made possible because the community patrolled the schools and guarded the gates," Mr. Mahecic said.

He stressed that UNHCR will continue to identify specific groups for outreach such as business and religious leaders, and would also strengthen awareness through radio and other means such as free mobile texting.

The Dadaab refugee complex shelters more than 460,000 refugees. A third of this refugee population arrived in 2011 alone, fleeing the conflict, drought, famine and human rights abuses in Somalia. The camps in Dadaab opened two decades ago and were originally designed to host some 90,000 refugees.

YAA KA SHAKISAN QANANNIMADA IYO JIRITAANKA SOOMALILAND..

2012-01-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

YAA KA SHAKISAN QANANNIMADA IYO JIRITAANKA SOOMALILAND..!

Axmed Xasan Carwo

La-taliyaha Madaxweynaha ee Dhaqaalaha

Waxa Soomaliland jirtay 22 sano oo nabad ah iyo 10 sano oo halgan ah iyo 76 Sano oo isticmaar ah. Waxa midnimo niyad sano oo lagu doonaayo mideynta shanta Soomaaliyeed ay ku jirtay 21 Sano ( !960-1981). Taasi waxay marag u tahay in muddada ay Soomaaliya wax wadaageen ahayd muddo aad u yar kolka aad u eegto inta ay goonida u jirtay. Muddadaas dheer ee ay goonida ka ahayd Soomaliya, waxa unkumay beelaha Soomaliland oo is-dhexgalay oo abuuray degaano beelahu isku dhafan yihiin, waxayna yeesheen dabci, dhaqan, iyo hiddo ay wadaagaan ooy Soomalida inta kale kaga duwan yihiin. Waxa abuurmay hab iyo dhawaaq hadalka iyo ereyo u gooni ah, hab-guurka iyo dhismaha qoyska oo mideysan, iyo nidaamka maamulka oo ah mid ku salaysan habka dawladda UK. Intaasi waxay u yeeshay astaan iyo aragti u gooni ah oo reer Soomaliland mideysa. Waxaana ka markhaati ah hadalka laf-jabka ah ee mataaneentii Soomaliya lagala kulmay iyadoo dadka reer Soomaliland min Ceelaayo iyo Lowyacaddu reer Soomaliya ay ugu yeedhaan "Soomali Qaldaan"..yacnii dadka iyaga ka duwan uun dhe.

Soomaliland oo beelaha dega dhammaantood ay si xor ah ugu shireen magaalada Burco, islana qaateen inay midnimadii ay Soomaliya sida xorta ah ula galeen oo dhib, hadardaamo ay weheliso cadaalad darro iyo horumar laáan ay ka baxeen ayna yihiin dal madaxbanaan oo qaran gooni u taagan ah, ikhtiyaarkoodna ay ku gaadheen dhismaha qaran dimuquraadi ah oo dunida ka tirsan. Waxa dhidibka loo aasay Jamhuuriyadda Soomaliland 18 May 1991 iyo kheyriyadda Burco.Waxa xigay dastuur loo codeeyey haa 97%, doorashooyinka degaanka, kan wakiilada iyo ka madaxtooyada. Waxa soo maray laba Madaxweyne oo beelahu doorteen si dadban iyo laba si dimuquraadi ah codka muwaadiniintu ku doorteen.

Waxa ayaamahan la hadal hayaa shirka dawladda UK ay u qabanayso Soomaalida. Waxa xog-waranka dawladda UK ay baahisay ka mid ah dadka lagu casuumay Dawlad KMG, Ahlu sunna, Puntland, Gal Mudug iyo Soomaliland. Haddaba iyadoo xukuumadda Soomaliland cadaysay inay ka-qaybgalka ay kala tashan doonto axsaabta qaranka, wakiilada iyo waxgaradka Soomaliland, ayaa halkii rayi dhiibasho iyo taageero loo fidin lahaa xukuumadda xiligan loo baahan yahay midnimada iyo wadajirka ayaa waxa muuqata in dad danta gaarka ah ka hormariya tan guud oo indhehoodu arkaan waxa ay doonaan dhegahooduna maqlaan waxa ay doonaan, ayaa ula kala baxay fidinta dacaayado aan meesha oolin oo kas gaabka iyo maatada lagu beeraayo shaki iyo cabsi aan meesheed oolin.

Waa ayo cidda qarannimada dalka hooyo burburinaysaa, ma cidda soo halgantay ee labataneeyo sano u samirtay ee manta hoggaanka ku guulaysatay, ee sharaf, magac iyo maamuus maqaamkii ugu sareeyey ku gaadhay ayaa laga dardaar warinayaa..Waa fikir lunsan oo u baahan in qashinka lagu rido. Inta been abuurka lagu jiro miyeyna ka fiicnayn inaynu eegno oon ku taageerno la-tashiga xukuumaddu ku dhawaaqday. Weli ma jirto go'aan shirka laga gaadhay. Waxaana habboon inaynu isla eegno sifaha iyo shuruudaha aynu ku tegi karno, amba ku diidi karno..labaduba wey inoo furan yihiin. Haddaan diidno, iyo haddaan tegno midna ma keeni kato burburka Soomaliland oo waa dal hano qaaday oo dadkiisu yihiin ilaalayaaha jiritaankeeda, ayna diyaar u yihiin badbaadintiisaa cid kasta oo gar darro ula timaada. Taas ninka ka cabsi qaba iyo kan ka shakisani waa nin cidla ka didey, ayna ka tahay fulaynimo amba nin isagu muraad kale leh.

Waxa manta aan helay su'aal lagu weydiiyey guriga guurtida ee UK ( House of Lords) mudane ah Wasiiro Dawlaha arrimaha Debedda ee UK Lord Howell oo ka jawaabaaya su'aal ay weydiisay Lord Luce..waa kan iyagoo aan sideeda idiinku soo naqiley oo af Ingiriis ah deedna aan turjumaada idiinku xigsiiyey:

Lord Luce (Crossbench)

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Howell of Guildford on 21 December 2011 (WA 391-2), who has been invited to the London conference on Somalia on 23 February; and whether they have invited the president of Somaliland.

Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)

As we noted previously, we have invited Governments and multilateral organisations that are active and influential on Somalia, as well as representatives from Somalia.

We are pleased to say that we have secured very senior attendance from representatives from the region (for example Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda) and the international community (for example Turkey, Qatar, Nigeria, Sweden, and the European Union) alongside a host of Somali representatives; as well as theAfrican Union and United Nations Secretary-General.

We have invited Somaliland to attend the London conference on Somalia. We are following up the invitation with discussions with the Somaliland authorities, working to find a basis for their attendance that is acceptable to them and to us. We very much hope that President Silanyo will attend: Somaliland has much useful experience to share of creating relative stability in the region.

Lord Luce waxay weydiisay Wasiirka cidda lagu casuumay shirka iyo in Madaxweynaha Soomaliland lagu casuumay…

Waxuu ku jawaabay Lord Howell: "Sidaan hore u sheegnay waxaanu casuumnay xukuumadaha iyo ururada caalamiga ah ee ay khusayso arrimaha Soomalidu iyo wakiilo ka socda Somaliya. Waxaanu ku faraxnay inaanu helno inay ka soo qayb galayaan dad muhiim ah ee mandaqadda( Matalan Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda) iyo mujtamaca adduunweynaha (sida Turkey, Qatar, Nigeria, Sweden, and the European Union) iyo cid ka socota. oo matasha Soomaalida iyo African Union and United Nations Secretary-General

Waanu casuumnay Somalialnd inay shirka timaado Shirweynaha London ee Somaliya. Waanu dabasoconaa oo waxaa noo socda wadohadal sidii loo heli lahaa hab iyo wax keeni kara inay ka soo qayb galaan oo u cuntama iyaga iyo anaga. Waxaan rajeynayaa inuu Madaxweyne Siilaanyo yimaado: Soomaliland waxay leedahay khibrad faaíido badan oo ay u soo tebin karto lana qaybsan karto deganaansha gobalka."

Haddaba waxa manta loo baahan yahay ma aha in qof waliba sida uu doono uu u arko oo siyaasad madhalays ah iyo aragti gaaban wax lagu eego. Waa in la darsaa oo la helaa wadatashi loo dhan yahay oo qaraar cad laga gaadho deedna bulshada si wada jir ah loo wacyi galiyaa, lagana daayaa shaki abuurka iyo fidnada laga abuuraayo meel ayna ku juirin.

Waxaad ogaataan marxaladda dalku marayo dhinaca gobalada bari iyo ololaha kala qaybinta ee ay wadaan dawlad xafadeedka Xamar. Waxa inala gudboon inaynu is barbar taagno xukuumadda aynu sida dimuquraadiga ah ku dooranay, taas mecnaheedu ma aha indho-la'aan in lagu raaco. Waa in nidaamka la ilaashaa oo la-xisaabtanka dhaleeceyntu ahaadeen qaar xadkooda haysta iyo inaan loo faaídeyn cadowga.

Wakiiladu ha gutaan waajibkooda oo ha ka baxaan xilkas la'anta ka muuqata iyagoo laba maalmood fadhigu u buuxsami waayey.

Warbaahintuna ha noqdaan kuwa muujiya dareenka dhabta ah ee dadweynha ee aan noqon qaar si dadban ugu adeega cadowga.

Tvga qaranka waxa saran xil weyn oo ah inuu kor u qaado midnimada iyo wadajirka ummadda, iyo inuu yeesho birtilmaameed wacyigelin iyo faaqidaad amuuraha khuseeya qaranka iyagoo makarafoonka si xor ah looga soo qaybgeliyo xusbiyada mucaaridka ah, aqoonyahannada iyo qurbajooga dalka. Waa kaalin gaabis ah ee marxaladdan ha laga faa'ideysto.

Qadyadda qarannimdu ma laha mucaarid iyo muxaafid waa mid muwaadin kasta waajib ay ku tahay difaaceeda iyo ilaalinteeda. Qaranka cidina marti kuma aha, cidna marti loogama aha. Soomaliland waxa leh reer Soomaliland oo dhan oo si siman u leh xuquuq iyo waajibaad saran.Min Ceelaayo ilaa Lowyacaddu min Buuhoodle ilaa Berbrera waa dal iyo dad mideysan, una baahan inay helaan qorshe iyo siyaasad lagu hawl galo oo khilaafkooda si nabad ah u suuliya. Waa waajib ina wada saran si gaar ahna u saran mas'uuliinta siyaasadeed mid hoggaanka haya iyo mid sugaayaba.

Waxa iyana habboon in inta xukuumadda ka tirsan ee xilka haysaa ahadaan duul ilaaliya midnimadooda oo doodaha ay ka yeeshaan hawl-qabadka xukuumadda ayna noqon mid ay ku muujiyaan warbaahinta, Ma jirto xukuumad aan dhexdeeda afkarta ku kala qaybsanayni, waxa se sharcigu yahay in afkaarta lagu qaybsamo ee lagu doodo ay gun yeelato, taas oo ah go'aanka leysla gaadho in dhammaan la wado daafaco, oo ninkii fikirkiisa Golaha lagaga xoog bataa ilaaliyo ga'aanka Golaha oo ay waajib ku tahay inuu daafaco. Waa sida keliya ee xukuumad dimuquraadi ahi ku shaqayn karto.Waa in wadajir xukuumaddu u daafacdaa go'aamada ka soo baxa. Waa in sirta Golaha la ilaaliyaa oon suuqyada la gelin.Cidda nidaamkan aasaasiga ah aan dhowreyni waa in wax laga qabtaa oo la joojiya nabarka boogtiisu fideyso.

Aqoonyahanka waxa habboon inay fikir wax ool ah u gudbiyaan xukuumadda ooy noqdaan dar ku soo biiriya afkaar horumar siyaasadeed, bulsho, dhaqaale iyo ganacsigba dhali kara. Waxaan halkan idinku balan qaadayaa inaan gacanta ka geliyo Madaxweynaha waxii talo ah ee waxtar u leh dalkeena, iyo waxii tabasho iyo dhaliil ah ee si asluub ah oo dhammays ah loo soo bandhigo. Mid run iyo marag leh

. Dalkeena waxa yaal dhibaatooyin badan ooy barbar socoto faa'idooyin iyo kheyraad aan la taaban, fursado dhaqaale iyo baahi is huwan. Waxa aynu kaga bixi karnaa inagoo waqtiga ku qaadana inaynu ku fakirno danta guud iyo horumarinta dalka, inaynu ilaalino dakhliga yar ee inoo soo hoyda, si gaar ah waa waajib saran xukuumadda iyo shaqaalaheedu inay noqdaan qaar ilaaliya khrashka, oo kol walba ka fakira baahida dalka taal iyo itaal yarida cidda lacagta laga soo xareeyey.

Maanta waa maalintii Midnimda, waa maalintii Wadajirka, waa ayaantii Gacmaha leys-qabsan jiray, waa dharaartii cududa Mucaaridka iyo Muxaafidku mataanoobi jireen, waa ayaantii waxgarad, waayeel, dhalin iyo dumar danta guud la dhowri jiray. Waa dharaar qarannimada la qadarinaayo ee muwaadin gudo waajibkaaga.

Tan iyo maqaal kale, ammaano Alla.

Mahad oo dhan Alle ayaa leh,

Ahmed Hassan Arwo

La-taliyaha Madaxweynaha ee arrimaha

Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga

samotalis@gmial .com

RETURN OF UN POLITICAL PRESENCE TO MOGADISHU ‘HISTORIC’ STEP, SAYS ENVOY

2012-01-26T10:09:00.001-08:00

RETURN OF UN POLITICAL PRESENCE TO MOGADISHU 'HISTORIC' STEP, SAYS ENVOY

The re-establishment of the United Nations political presence in Mogadishu will allow the world body to work more closely with Somalia during a crucial period in its peace process, the UN envoy to the country said today.

On Tuesday Augustine P. Mahiga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, moved to the capital of the Horn of Africa nation from Nairobi along with a number of his core staff from the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS).

The move comes one and half months after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced during his visit to Mogadishu that the UN office will relocate to the city to provide further assistance at what he called a "critical juncture" for the future of the Somali people.

"This is a historic step," Mr. Mahiga wrote in a letter to the Somali people today. "It is now up to us to make up for lost time."

The last Special Representative of the Secretary-General to be based in Mogadishu was James Victor Gbeho, who worked with the now defunct UN Operations in Somalia II (UNOSOM II), and left in early 1995. UNPOS was established shortly afterwards and has since been based in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

"Being on the ground will allow us to be closer to all the stakeholders – the Transitional Federal Institutions and other administrations, civil society, NGOs [non-governmental organizations], business people, journalists and ordinary Somalis," stated Mr. Mahiga.

"Daily interaction will help us understand each other and to work together in a more imaginative and constructive manner at this crucial period in the peace process."

He cited the need to move ahead with the roadmap that was agreed in September and which spells out priority measures to be implemented before the current transitional governing arrangements end next August, in the areas of security, the drafting of a new constitution and reconciliation.

"We also are faced with a parliamentary crisis and a continuing terrorist threat from insurgents," Mr. Mahiga noted. "There is a lot of ground to be covered in the next seven months."

He stressed that finalizing the draft constitution before the May deadline must be a top priority, and also underlined the need to resolve the ongoing impasse within the Parliament.

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY RE-ESTABLISHES OFFICE IN MOGADISHU AFTER 17-YEAR HIATUS

2012-01-24T16:41:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY RE-ESTABLISHES OFFICE IN MOGADISHU AFTER 17-YEAR HIATUS
New York, Jan 24 2012 2:10PM
The United Nations envoy for Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga, today formally moved his office back to the country's capital, Mogadishu, from neighbouring Kenya, where it has been based for 17 years.

Mr. Mahiga, who was received at the airport in Mogadishu by Somalia's Prime Minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, other officials and diplomats, said he was delighted that the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) will now carry out its work from Mogadishu.

"I sincerely hope that the arrival of the UN Political Office will mark the start of renewed hope for the future of Somalia," <"http://unpos.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=9705&ctl=Details&mid=12667&ItemID=11574&language=en-US">said Mr. Mahiga.

"Being in Mogadishu will allow us to work far more closely with the Transitional Federal Institutions, the UN agencies and NGOs [non-governmental organizations] already based here, civil society and ordinary Somalis. We have much to do and we are eager to get straight to work," he said.

The last Special Representative of the Secretary-General to be based in Mogadishu was James Victor Gbeho, who worked with the now defunct UN Operations in Somalia II (UNOSOM II), and left in early 1995.

UNPOS was established shortly afterwards and has since been based in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. Six UN agencies have permanent staff in Mogadishu.

After a ceremony to raise the UN flag at the UNPOS office, Mr. Mahiga proceeded to Villa Somalia where he was welcomed by President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and presented his credentials.

He then went to the headquarters of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) where he inspected a guard of honour and paid tribute to the remarkable sacrifice of peacekeepers and the Somali security forces in advancing the cause of peace.

"Without the incredible efforts and sacrifice of the troops from Somalia and other African countries, we would not be here today," said Mr. Mahiga.

He gave his pledge to the Somali people that the UNPOS relocation to Mogadishu would herald the beginning of a new era of cooperation and political engagement as the current political transitional period comes to an end later this year.

Shir ka dhacay London Oo Waxbarashada Iyo Shaqada Lagaga Hadley

2012-01-24T07:03:00.001-08:00

Shir ka dhacay London Oo Waxbarashada Iyo Shaqada Lagaga Hadley

Waxaa magalada London ka dhacay taarikhdu markey ahayd 22nd Jan 2012, shir ay soo aababushay Hayad Cusub oo la yidhaahdo, Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER). Wax shirkan lagaga hadlayey waxbarashada iyo shaqada Somaliland. Waxaa shirkaas ka soo qeyb galay aqoonyahano badan oo ka shaqeeya arimaha waxbarashada, shaqada iyo arimaha bulshada oo degen magalada London.
Waxaa shirkaas ugu horeyn soo dhaweyey aqoonyahanadan Dr Osman Warsame isagoo dhawaan ka soo noqdey Somaliland. Waxa uu Dr Osman ka waramey arimaha Waxbarashada iyo Shaqaaleynta bulshada Somaliland. Waxaa uu Dr Osman Carabka ku adkeyey in loo bahanyahay aqoonta iyo cilimiga bulsha weynta ku dhaqan Qurbaha. Isagoo faahfaahin dheeraad ah ka bixiyey sidii loo heli lahaa horumarinta bulshada iyadoo loo bahan yahay in la kabo waxbarashada aasaasiga ah loona dejiyo strategy lagu abuurayo waxbarasho dhasha habki loo heli lahaa human resource dalka u adeega sidoo kalena la helo habki ay Somaliland ku gaadhi lahayd wax soosaar sida Industralisation oo u bahan aqoonta cilmiga Science ka iyo technologyga.
Waxaa shirkaas kala qeby galay bulshada reer Somaliland, Agaasimaah tacliinta sare ee wasarada Waxbarashad Mudane Khadar Ahmed Dirir. Mudane Khadar ayaa ka waramay halkey ay waxbarashada Somaliland mareyso iyo sida ay dawlada cusub ee KULMIYE ay rajeyneyso iney wax uga qabato arimaha waxbarasahada. Waxaa uu khaddar intaa ku daray in qorshe 5 sano ah ay wasarada waxbarashada iyo qorshaynta ay dejiyeen iyagoo leh yool 5 sano ah taas oo wax lagaga qabanayo;
Sidii loo kobcin lahaa waxbarasahda aasaasiga ah
Sidii curriculumka dalka dib loogu eegi lahaa
Sidii tayada macalimiinta kor loogu qaadi lahaa
Sidii xaga tayada guud ee waxbarashada loo adkeyn lahaa
Waxaa halkaa lagu weydiyey su'aalo fara badan iyadoo su'alahi ay u badnayeen side bey reer Somaliland ka ku dhaqan qurbaha ay ka qeyb qaadan lahaayeen sidii wasarada wax loola qaban lahaa.
Ugu danbeyn waxaa shirkaa ka Hadley Eng Mustafe Ibrahim sidii dhaqlaha dalka loo kobcinlahaa iyo faa;idada ay leedahay in la helo commercial Banka dadka u usuuro geliya in ay samayaan dhaqaale abuur, horseeda shaqaaleynta dhalinyarada.
Ugu danbeyn waxaa halkaa uu ururku ku doortey gudidii sanadka hoogamin lahayd arimaha hawleed ee CEER.
Chairperson – Warda Dirir
Vice-chair – Abdilahi Abdilahi
General Secretary - Nadra Muse
Treasurer – Fardus Ali
Secretary for membership and recruitment – Salma Hassan
Secretary for Quality Assurance - Fatima Ahmed
Member for Public relations – Mustafa Ibrahim
Iyadoo Dr Osman Warsame uu yahay Agaasimaha (Director) CEER oo dhanka hawl maalmeedka u qaabilsan Somaliland iyo Qurbaha.
Waxa ay gudidu ku dheeraadeen sidii loo horumarin lahaa waxbarasha iyo shaqaleynta dhalinyarada reer Somaliland iyadoo lala kaashanayo dhamaan bulshada Somaliland ee ku dhaqan qurbaha. Waxa uu gudoomiyaha cusubi Marwo Warda Dirir ka codsanaaya soona dhaweynayaan in cidii leh khibrad iyo aqoon arimaha bulshada ay ku soo biraan dhalinyarada isu xilqaantey wax ka qabashada arimaha Somaliland.
La xidhiidh: ihwarsama@gmail.com amawarda.dirir@gmail.com hadii aad doneysid in aad nagala qeybqaadatid horumarinta Somaliland.

TALEEX Conspiracy: Latest Attempt to Derail Peace & Stability in Somaliland

2012-01-24T06:53:00.001-08:00

TALEEX Conspiracy: Latest Attempt to Derail Peace & Stability in Somaliland

The organizers of defraud Taleex Meeting assured to Somaliland authorities that the meeting will address tribal issues of Dhulbahante of eastern Somaliland, and no politics will be discussed. However, the meeting turned into political where the dishonest organizers declared government within Somaliland eastern territory.

Somaliland authorities did not interfere the meeting until its hidden hanky-panky agenda came to light, and they voted for creating new state out the eastern parts of Somaliland. Somaliland ordered its army to move into Buuhoodle Town, where the organizers planned to nominate as the capital of the new administration. The town was brought under the control of the army in hours, and later the army withdrew in order to avoid civilian casualties.
The organizers sponsored gorilla armed group called SSC fighting Somaliland at its eastern parts. The organizers financed the group to fight and destabilize Somaliland and the region but they failed to stop the army. Somaliland government don't interfere the tribal meetings as long as it doesn't discuss politics.
The creation of new state "KHAATUMO" out of Somaliland eastern regions could have undermine the stability and peace of the region in last two decades if the army did not stop. The SSC armed group attacked Somaliland army with artillery shelling, which created panic between the residents of Buuhoodle Town who abandoned their homes to more secure places, in a fear of stronger army retaliation.
The hijacked TALEEX Meeting concluded the creation of new regional authority named "KHAATUMO State of Somalia". All members of G6 group who organized the TALEEX Meeting are America and Europe. They want to gain political power at the expenses of the local people.
The gangsters who organized the meeting planned to disturb the security, stability and democracy in Somaliland. The self-styled gangsters agreed upon creation of regional state and against the will of the people in eastern regions of Somaliland. The gangsters, who are after political interest, claimed ownership of three regions in Somaliland (Sool, Sanaag and Buuhoodle), although, they make about 12% of Somaliland's total population. They misbelieve that one tribe owns the abovementioned three regions.
The gangsters are swindling the reality in Somaliland's eastern regions, in order to be become a regional authority according to the regulations of the federal government of "Somalia" in Mogadishu. They are destabilizing, displacing and killing their own towns for gaining recognition from the shaky transitional government of "Somalia", as a regional authority. They failed to understand that the people of these three regions particularly Buuhoodle Region need development but absolutely not a war.

The organizing gangsters of the hijacked Taleex Meeting have their families in North America and Europe. They come to Somaliland to create instability for illegal political gains, and their children are enjoying western education system, and world-class health at the expenses of the children in Buuhoodle Town who are dying from the political instability created by the gangsters.
The government of Somaliland has development projects for Buuhoodle Town as per Somaliland's National Budget 2012, including new schools, health centers and proper infrastructure. The development started in Laasaanood city, and Buuhoodle will not be much different.

The policy of creating government out of eastern regions of Somaliland will lead further bloodshed between the different tribes in the regions, who mainly support Somaliland. The gangsters believe use of force against others, who disobey their instructions, and Somaliland government will not allow parts of its territory to be used by gangsters and terrorists. The international community is trying to get long-lasting solution for the problem of former "Somalia" while the gangsters of TALEEX Meeting are creating chaos in one of the most peaceful regions in Africa.
The interesting point is: TALEEX gangsters claim Sool, Sanaag and Buuhoodle regions based on ethnicity (tribalism) and wrongly believe that the three regions belong to Dhulbahante tribe. However, if that is the case, why the gangsters don't demand parts of Ethiopia that is inhabited by Dhulbahante tribe! Or do the theory is applicable to Somaliland only?!
It is absolutely clear that majority of the gangsters are former colleagues of dead dictator Siyad Barre according to their bio-data. In 1990's, the gangsters convinced the former UN General Secretary Boutros Ghali to send UN Troops into "Somalia" and troops must capture Somaliland territory – although Somaliland was peaceful. But UN troops could not handle the heat of the brave General Mohamed Farah Aideed.
Moreover, the gangsters influenced transitional governments of "Somalia" in last 21years to stonewall Somaliland cause of independence, and they succeeded because every official in transitional government of "Somalia" rejects Somaliland's right of self-determination, even, without understanding the purpose and reason behind the cause.
Somaliland demography is based on the colonial border that was endorsed by the Organization of African Union (OAU) currently known African Union (AU) in 1964. These three regions are within Somaliland's colonial border that was part of OAU's endorsement.
As part of their hatred, the gangsters joined hands with parts of former "Somalia" to form the illegitimate semi-autonomous region of "Puntland", which hosts the world's modern pirates of today. They claimed aforesaid three regions of Somaliland, in order to undermine Somaliland's cause of sovereignty.
Somaliland development and democracy won international attention, which overshadowed the silly accusations and propagandas of the gangsters against Somaliland. After the gangsters failed to downgrade Somaliland democracy and progress, they formed armed militia to disturb the stability and security in Somaliland. However, Somaliland National Army crushed the militia and brought the evil agendas of the gangsters to the end…
The gangsters formed fake organizations Pen Names mainly in North America and Europe to campaign against Somaliland cause. They write thousands of articles to downgrade Somaliland.
Today the gangsters failed to unite over the outcome of the TALEEX Meeting, and the fugitive head of the SSC armed group Xagle Toosiye(Somali-American) rejected to accept the outcome. Toosiye is wanted across criminal for his involvement in armed attacks and suicide bombing in Somaliland. After TALEEX Meeting concluded against his interest, Toosiye rejected the outcome and called for peace with Somaliland.
Although Toosiye failed to accept the peace initiative by Somaliland President Siilaanyo one year ago, however, Somaliland will not turn down his peace application.

After collapse of former "Somalia", all Somaliland tribes met in Burao City in 1991 and signed the independence of Somaliland from rest of "Somalia". Again the initial agreement in Burao City was endorsed again in Boorame Accord. The boss of G6 Khalif Galaydh was elected as Somaliland Parliament Speaker, as he primarily believed in the independence of Somaliland. After Galaydh failed to achieve his political ambitions through Somaliland multiparty system, he decided to use force by SSC terrorist group. He is using TALEEX Meeting and so-called KHAATUMO as tool that will win him a seat in the upcoming London Somali Reconciliation Meeting.
Galaydh miscalculated Sool. Sanaag and Buuhoodle demography. He must know that more than 9 tribes own these regions and not only Dhulbahante. Galaydh and his henchmen in TALEEX Meeting attacked Somaliland through SSC, which led recent fighting in Buuhoodle Town after military posts were targeted with artillery shelling. The regional governments like Ethiopia must cooperate with Somaliland to flush out SSC terrorist who are destabilizing the region.
The main financial source for SSC group is piracy and drugs smuggling in addition to contributions from its Northern America and Europe. The illegal war of SSC group in the eastern regions of Somaliland disabled the planned development projects by Somaliland.
The existence of SSC in the border between Somaliland and "Somalia" will have negative impact on future cooperation between Somali people.

By\ Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com

Somaliland and the London Conference on Somalia

2012-01-24T06:49:00.000-08:00

Somaliland and the London Conference on Somalia

By Ahmed M. I. Egal

OPINION |

The upcoming London Conference on Somalia, and the UK's urging of the Somaliland Government to attend, has understandably generated a lot of debate and comment within the Somaliland community, both within and outside the country. One of the stated objectives of the conference, according to Matt Baugh, Senior Representative for Somalia, is to "…reinforce the relative stability in areas of Somalia, such as Somaliland and Puntland and in the south…" This statement has, again understandably, aroused the ire of the people of Somaliland since they recovered their sovereignty from the erstwhile Republic of Somalia in 1991, and have steadfastly maintained their distance from the anarchy, state collapse and war that have engulfed Somalia ever since, despite repeated attempts (often involving violence, e.g. Al-Shabaab's attacks in Hargeisa and upon expatriates in Somaliland) to drag them into this unending maelstrom.

Somaliland and its people expected more from their former colonial protector, and it is either a reflection of the insensitivity of the current Foreign & Colonial Office to the aspirations of the people of Somaliland, or simply of their lack of knowledge of the politics of the Horn of Africa, that they refer to Somaliland as a region of Somalia, as Puntland is. The interpretation that many hard line, anti-Somaliland politicians within Somalia have given this British insensitivity or ignorance, is that the British have coerced the Somaliland Government to attend the conference as a regional authority, just like Puntland, Galmudug etc. Whatever the explanation for this impolitic language and it is likely to be a combination of all three outlined herein, the fact is that the British Government has put the Silanyo administration in a very difficult spot indeed. If they attend the conference, as they have stated they will, then they will reap the wrath of the vast majority of their people; if they don't, and they may yet be forced to a volte face, then they will look weak and will reap the wrath of Albion through curtailment of aid and a downgrade of bilateral ties.

Leaving aside the issue of Somaliland's attendance for the moment, it is instructive to consider what this latest conference on Somalia is meant to achieve and the likelihood of it achieving its stated objectives, which have been set out as follows:

• Security: sustainable funding for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and support for Somali security and justice sectors
• Political Process: agreement to what should succeed the transitional institutions in Mogadishu in August 2012 and the establishment of a Joint Financial Management Board
• Local Stability: a coordinated international package of support to Somalia's regions
• Counter-terrorism: renewed commitment to tackle collectively the terrorist threat emanating from Somalia
• Piracy: breaking the piracy business model
• Humanitarian: renewed commitment to tackling Somalia's humanitarian crisis
• International coordination: agreement on improved international handling of Somalia issues

This is quite a challenge and it is clear that no single conference can be expected to achieve these gargantuan goals, so we must question what the British Government actually hopes to achieve at this conference. According to Chris Allen, UK Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia, more than 40 senior government officials and multilateral organizations, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, are expected to attend the conference. Clearly, Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague have invested considerable political capital and much personal credibility in this conference.

The fact is that there have been some 17 or 18 conferences (depending upon one's criteria on what constitutes a conference) held to effect reconciliation and establish a credible, effective government for Somalia since 1991, including the latest one earlier this month in Garowe. All of these conferences can be said to have failed miserably since Somalia remains the very definition of a failed state with no central state authority in control of the country. Yet, the British Government has raised expectations internationally and within East Africa by hosting this conference and prevailing upon heads of state and government, the foreign donor community and the current Somali leadership, such as it is, to attend. On the face of it, given the near debacle of abject failure at the recent Garowe conference, which was only avoided by the UN acceding to the opposing demands of the two camps into which the participants divided regarding the basis upon which a future government of Somalia would be formed, the prospects for success seem rather dim.

So what do the British have up their sleeve, as it were, that leads them to believe that this conference will bear the sweet fruit of success where all the others have failed? Firstly, they have been dangling the enticing carrot of increased international aid for 'peaceful' regions, which has resulted in a sudden proliferation of regional states announced by aspirant Diaspora would-be 'leaders' seeking their fleeting fifteen minutes of fame (or perhaps infamy might be a more apt term) on the world stage, or in this case, the London stage and a briefcase of money – courtesy of the foreign donors. This opportunistic gold rush of regional statehood has even infected the peaceful parts of the erstwhile Somali Republic, i.e. Somaliland and Puntland, with the recent moves to legitimise the dangerous, Diaspora-driven, political mischief-making disguised as Awdal State and Khaatumo 2. Thus, while the direct responsibility for the recent deaths of security personnel and civilians in Buhoodle in Somaliland can be laid at the door of the naked ambition and greed of the Somali Diaspora carpetbaggers seeking a place at the London conference, the British Government must accept its indirect, if unintentional, culpability. To quote a much misused political axiom of our times, actions have consequences.

Secondly, with the support of the US and UN Security Council (UNSC), the British hope to revisit the agreement reached at Garowe wherein all things were promised to all parties. At Garowe, a further interim period of four years was agreed, during which Somalia would be 'governed' by a new interim government formed on the basis of the 4.5 clan model upon which the present TFG was formed. Thereafter, in 2016, a permanent government for Somalia will be formed based upon regional representation and not the 4.5 clan structure. The foreign donor community had intended that the Garowe conference would form the permanent government that has been pushed back four years, although any rational observer with knowledge of Somali history and politics, particularly during the period since the collapse of the Siyad Barre dictatorship, would have seen the chasm between these intentions and the hard reality on the ground. What, in effect, the foreign donors were attempting to effect was to construct the edifice of a permanent government upon quicksand, since the basis upon which a new Somali state was to be formed had not even been addressed.

The London Conference seeks to revisit the political agreement on the formation of a permanent government for Somalia, because the issue was ducked at Garowe, and the prospect of another four years of anarchy and political stasis under yet another interim government is unpalatable to the foreign donors. However, since the core issues underlying the collapse of the Somali state have not been addressed and are not tabled to be addressed at the conference, it is destined to fail. These issues revolve around the rationale for the existence of the state itself, i.e. what is the underlying basis for political consent in Somalia? The rationale for the creation of the erstwhile Republic was the irredentist dream of Greater Somalia, and this dream has been consigned to the dustbin of history for a whole host of reasons, both internal and external, which are beyond the scope of this paper to delve into. However, despite the lingering passion of some Somalis for this mirage of the past, and the false, in-name-only adherence of some regional powers seeking to advance their own self interested, political calculations, this discredited and empty irredentism can no longer further the political aspirations and hopes for a better future of a new generation of Somalis.

Succeeding generations of young Somalis, which have been robbed of any and all opportunity for betterment while observing both their own misery and the changing world around them are no longer inspired by dreams of Greater Somalia. The call to their political loyalty is to their sub-clan and the call to their faith is to a medieval nihilism masquerading as Islam. They demand a life and the chance for betterment now and a faith that connects them to humanity and human progress, not one that not only denies it, but cuts them off from it in the name of piety. The lucky few that can muster the necessary payments, vote with their feet and join the millions of illegal migrants that are preyed upon by human traffickers each year, while the unlucky are forced to choose between death, beggary and fighting for one side or the other in the interminable war that has come to define Somalia. This conference will, as did all of its predecessors, focus upon the symptoms of Somalia's malaise, i.e. the anarchy, lack of governance, corruption of the self-serving and self-appointed leadership, the nihilist menace of Al-Shabaab and maritime piracy, without ever addressing the root cause of the disease.

Addressing the root cause of the disease requires asking the question: In the absence of the irredentist dream, what is the basis for the existence of a Somali state, and on what terms will the people of Somalia, particularly the young, accord to such a state their political consent? This question cannot be sensibly or productively debated and concluded in a couple days at a swank conference hall in London by unelected and unrepresentative Somali 'politicians' in the pay of the UN, senior representatives of the foreign donors (however well intentioned), and senior members of the international aid nomenclature. These questions can only be sensibly and productively debated and concluded by the people of Somalia through their genuine, indigenous socio-political and cultural leadership. Such a genuine, grass-root, Somali-owned process does not lend itself readily to Western notions and perceptions of structured political debate and negotiation. Rather, it harks back to traditional Somali culture of clan meetings, dispute settlement and peacemaking under the galool tree that has endured for hundreds of years. These meetings and discussions are open to all, although respect and deference is afforded to the elders, however to quote a Somali adage pertaining to such meetings, participants are urged to "daa' ha raadininee, dunta raadiya", or seek and follow wisdom, not longevity.

To return to the issue of Somaliland's attendance of the London conference, it is accepted wisdom among most Somalilanders, that attendance should be rebuffed. This is largely an emotional, knee-jerk reaction to the arrogance/ignorance of Britain in referring to the country as a region of Somalia and then exerting strong pressure for attendance upon the Silanyo regime, which it has successfully inveigled into attending previous meetings for Somalia to Silanyo's domestic political cost. The overwhelming majority of Somaliland citizens, and especially the young who have much less attachment to Britain and no fond memories of the relatively benign colonial protectorate administration, would like their government to cock a snoot at Albion's perfidy and shun attendance. However, this would be a mistake since an emotional response to another's slight (intentional or otherwise), while often satisfying, is rarely wise and almost never in one's long term self interest.

Instead, the Silanyo administration should attend the conference with the aim of telling truth to power and challenging the international community to honestly address why the Somali state collapsed in the aftermath of the Siyad Barre dictatorship and in doing so return ownership of the process of reconciliation and establishment of a new, 21st century rationale for the state to the people of Somalia. Somaliland has unique experience of this type of genuine, grass-root, democratic peace making and reconciliation rooted in local culture, traditions and religious faith. The Borama Conference of 1992, which laid the foundations for the re-emergence of Somaliland as a peaceful, democratic and free republic lasted for over four months, was rooted in local culture and history, ensured that all sections and groups within society, including those historically not accorded a voice, were represented and were heard. In addition, this conference called upon the skills, experience and knowledge of those from the Diaspora as equal citizens and not as fortune or position-seeking carpetbaggers. The representatives/participants at this conference included clan elders and leaders, traditional Sultans, intellectuals and poets, business people, professionals, e.g. doctors and lawyers, politicians and civil society leaders.

The conference had no formal agenda, but everyone knew that the central topic of discussion was the terms upon which the people of this country were prepared to live together in peace and fraternity in a post-dictatorship, post-irredentist future. The first item that was agreed, which set the tone and stage for the subsequent reconciliation and agreement to form a representative government, was that all previous political and clan disputes between the peoples and clans of Somaliland, whether rooted in the defunct dictatorship or in the subsequent liberation war, were null and void, were consigned to history and that it was 'xaraam', i.e. a sin, to ever raise them again. The people of Somaliland have a lot to offer in assisting the international community in developing a workable road map for genuine reconciliation in Somalia, and they are prepared put this experience, expertise and their good offices as an honest broker between the warring parties on the table.

However, the international community has to come to the realisation that the continued failures of its efforts towards re-establishing a viable Somali state over the last two decades are neither accidental nor due to any bad luck or lack of effort. Rather, they have been doomed to failure because they have sought to paper over the cracks of a political edifice that cannot be resurrected because its very foundation has disappeared. Somaliland's willingness to play the role of peace broker, impartial adjudicator and host of the reconciliation process for its brothers to the south is genuine and heartfelt. Equally, its commitment to its sovereignty and independence is unconditional and also genuine and is not subject to question or debate by others. Somaliland won back its independence and freedom at the barrel of a gun, after a long war, and with the precious blood and treasure of its people. Somaliland's freedom and recovery of its sovereignty was neither negotiated at a conference table nor granted by fiat, and it will not be surrendered on any terms. International recognition may not come today, or this year, and the powers represented at the conference may choose to ignore the will of the people of Somaliland for as long as they wish, but this will neither deter them from their chosen destiny nor dismay them from their choice.

It does not often come to pass that a leader is presented by history with a chance to represent the wishes of his people and the justice of their cause to the international community by issuing a challenge, so honest, so heartfelt and so rooted in the basic humanity shared by all peoples, that it marks a turning point in international diplomacy and modern history. Such a moment was presented to Emperor Haile Selassie at the League of Nations in 1936 and the challenge he issued to a world community dominated by European colonial powers on behalf of the Ethiopian people suffering under a brutal onslaught by fascist Italy, brought a destitute, backward and impoverished African country into the League as a charter member and changed the course of history. In 1974, Yasser Arafat went to the UN and said "today I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat, do not let the olive branch fall from my hand", and the world never saw the struggle for Palestinian rights and the creation of a Palestinian state through the same prism again.

President Silanyo has such an opportunity at the London conference. He must challenge the world to deny the self evident will of the people of Somaliland and their unique achievement of creating a democratic, post-irredentist Somali state, imperfect as it may be, adjacent to the longest-running failed state in modern history. He must point out that the denial of Somaliland's rights and the continued consignment of the people of Somalia to a never-ending nightmare of anarchy, terrorism and war are two sides of the same coin. The Somali people have the ingenuity and the will to solve their seemingly intractable problems if provided by the international community with the means. The missing ingredient is the imagination and creativity to step back and let the Somalis do it for themselves. Somaliland's message to the London conference is simple: if the definition of madness is repeating the same action again and again yet expecting a different result each time, then we are your sanity pill; ignore us at your peril.

The world may ignore Somaliland's right to recover its sovereignty, but we have the solution to our brothers' troubles, and we stand ready with an open hand to offer it, if you will let us. The prolonged misery of Somalia and Somaliland's continued prodigality are linked and both the result of the lack of imagination and creativity on the part of the international community, which has for too long consigned the 'Somali issue' to the back burner. If the world is now serious about finding a solution for the problems of the Somali people of the Horn of Africa, then it should open not only its heart, but also its mind and its ears, because Somaliland has been shouting the solution for years with to deaf ears. Somaliland's attendance of the London Conference must challenge the status quo not only with respect to its own situation, but also with respect to the situation in Somalia. Somaliland, as the first post-irredentist Somali nation-state, must deliver this message and deliver it emphatically. Who knows, forcing the world to properly address the 'Somali Issue' may just save the conference and save the credibility of Albion.

Ahmed M.I. Egal

Six Elements for Success of Somali Conference in UK

2012-01-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

Six Elements for Success of Somali Conference in UK

By Dr Abdulshakur Jowhar (jowharabdi@gmail.com)

OPINION |
1. Complete abandonment of the failed formula of 4.5. No tribal representation of any kind. If Somalis should have learned one thing from the last 20 years it should be this: You cannot build a nation with tribes. You can only create havoc, rivalry, mutual annihilation.

2. There is a distinct possibility that this conference will be about the ultimate absorption of Somalia by its neighbours. Only a united Somali position can abort the desire on the part of some to make this the conference of final Somali partition.

3. Neighbouring states of Ethiopia and Kenya must accept during this conference to transfer any militia they have created to the full control of the Somalia National Army. Ethiopia and Kenya must forcefully disarm these militias if they refuse complete and unconditional and unquestionable absorption into the Somali army. This will help us believe that Ethiopia and Kenya are not preparing militias that will allow them to slowly absorb different parts of Somalia with full funding for their project of "Somali Afro-Colonization" utilizing funds from the international the projects of war on terror and war piracy (these two issues, one must see, are central to the London conference, the issue of Somalis is an afterthought).

This one step of forcing Ethiopia and Kenya to give up their control of tribal militias will strengthen the Somalia army potentially ensure the appearance of Somali state in South Somalia.

Every child knows by now that the creation of tribal armies that are under the control of Ethiopia or Kenya is not for the purpose of uniting Somalis. It is for the purpose of permanently dividing the Somali people. Tribal minds will not be able to see this fact at all, for the only enemy a tribe knows is the tribe next door.

4. There should be only 2 Somali sides participating in this conference; Somaliland and Somalia. Somaliland will be represented by its elected leadership. Somalia will decide who should represent it with the help of its TFG and its allies using any mechanism of selection ( other than 4.5 or tribal representation, or determination by others eg Ethiopia and Kenya)

5. The only issues discussed in this landmark conference should be: peace, and good governance and collaboration between Somalia and Somaliland. The issue of one country or two countries cannot be central to this conference for it will destroy it completely.

6. Residency requirement. The leading Somali participants in the London conference should have lived in Somalia or Somaliland for at least 8 months in the past one year. The traveling sales men of Diaspora Somalis who are not personally affected by Somali chaos in anyway have caused much more harm than good to Somali society. They together with the bureaucracy of various organization are driven primarily by greed, corruption, search for personal power and aggrandizement. They must stay live with the people or stay out of their affairs.

Dr Abdulshakur Jowhar

Clashes In Somaliland; Kenyan Offensive Continues In South

2012-01-21T18:28:00.001-08:00

Clashes In Somaliland; Kenyan Offensive Continues In South

Eurasia Review

Somaliland's army bombed the city of Buhodle, in the Ayn region, where heavy artillery fighting has been underway for two days.

According to local radios, the government of Puntland defined the offensive against the city, key commercial area along the border between the two self-proclaimed independent regions, a "brutal aggression".

Residents of the city report a toll of at least 7 dead and 15 injured in the fighting between soldiers and a rebel group active in the area.

From southern Somalia, reports instead indicate the killing of seven commanders of the al Shebab insurgent group by Kenyan troops. According to a Kenyan army spokesman, Major Emmanuel Chirchir, the attack occurred in the Tatar area, north of Hayo, in which Nairobi's troops destroyed an operations base and two armoured vehicles of the insurgent group.

Kenyan troops are stepping up pressure on the al Shebab over the past days with repeated air strikes. An air raid yesterday in Afmadow left nine dead.

Clarifications are still however attended on a Kenyan air strike in Jilib, a town in the south, where residents accuse Nairobi's air force of hitting a civilian home killing seven people, including 5 children.

Kenya talks glibly about al-Shabaab's spine being broken, but the geographic reach of the war is spreading

2012-01-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Kenya talks glibly about al-Shabaab's spine being broken, but the geographic reach of the war is spreading

The Guardian
EDITORIAL

On Friday Kenyan jets inflicted what its military spokesman confidently described as one of the biggest losses to al-Shabaab, a Salafi jihadi group which controls much of southern and central Somalia. Kenya said it had killed 50 fighters of the group – a claim that was denied yesterday. But no one is in any doubt about the response. On Saturday, the Foreign Office said it believed al-Shabaab was making its final preparations for a terrorist attack on Nairobi. A police spokesman in the capital described al-Shabaab as a wounded buffalo – very dangerous.

Kenya's involvement in a war that has been raging in Somalia for the best part of 20 years is relatively recent. It sent troops in last Octoberafter a string of kidnappings and attacks which it blamed on the militants. They join troops from Ethiopia, a separate 10,000-strong African Union contingent made up of troops from Burundi, Uganda and Djibouti, and the forces of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in Mogadishu itself. And that is not to speak of the drones and the other special forces visitors scouring the land.

Kenya talks glibly about al-Shabaab's spine being broken, but the geographic reach of the war is spreading. Since its forces moved in, at least 30 people have been killed in attacks in north-eastern Kenya. This is all looking horribly familiar. In June 2006 the warlords were defeated by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), a coalition that briefly began to bring pockets of Mogadishu to order, by popular consent. The UIC included some radicals with links to al-Qaida, but had moderates, too. Ethiopia and the US viewed it as a terrorist threat and Ethiopian troops swept in six months later. In Somalia, you get what you wish for. The invasion galvanised the radicals in al-Shabaab, who portrayed themselves as a resistance movement fighting a foreign power. They are doing the same again today, urging Somalis to rise up against the "Christian" invaders from Kenya. All restraint has disappeared. Far from fearful of triggering a larger Kenyan response – from what started as hot pursuit after the kidnappings in Kenya's coastal regions – al-Shabaab has nothing to lose. It killed more than 70 people in bombings in Kampala, Uganda last year, and it is likely to attempt the same in Kenya.

The efforts by Somalia's neighbours to rid the country of extremists would look more convincing if the TFG were remotely capable of protecting citizens against the worst famine in two decades, and of unifying the clans which are loyal to it. The current tumult in the TFG stems from a power struggle between the president, Sharif Sheik Ahmed, a man who rubber-stamps the decisions of his executive, and an increasingly powerful and ambitious former ally, Sharif Hassan. He was the speaker of the parliament until he was ousted in a vote by MPs last month. The prime minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, was forced to resign as part of a deal between the two rivals, but MPs have been unwilling to accept the result. When they voted for a replacement speaker, fighting broke out and the president dismissed the vote as illegal. The executive now recognises one speaker, while the majority of MPs support another. This is the latest saga of a government that lacks legitimacy. With just eight months to go before the country holds its first elections in two decades, the infighting is sure to get worse and more violent.

Even if al-Shabaab is defeated by the posse of armies hunting it, the TFG is in no position to unite a country shattered by war and famine. It is riven with clan rivalries. Far from supporting reconciliation, President Sharif and Sharif Hassan have undermined it. An estimated $2bn, one-third of the country's GDP, comes in through hawala or small money transfers, and yet $100m in remittances from the US are imperilledbecause of government rules blocking the funding of terrorist groups. Around 250,000 Somalis are still affected by the famine, but the money cannot get through. This is the quintessential failed state, whose failure foreign armies, militant fighters and venal politicians appear hellbent on continuing.

Source: The Guardian

Somali Nationalism: Not Dead, Just Different

2012-01-21T18:25:00.001-08:00

Somali Nationalism: Not Dead, Just Different

by Ahmed M.I. Egal

I write with reference to Peter Lockwood's piece entitled "Somali Nationalism: A Dead Concept?" published on 9th January. I don't usually respond to articles, however this one demanded a response for several reasons:
• Firstly, Mr. Lockwood is a Junior Consultant at UNESCO in Nairobi and has written other pieces on Somali politics that have been published. Thus, he is part of the international bureaucracy that is responsible for administering Somalia and, notwithstanding his current, if somewhat bizarre, designation of "Junior Consultant", is likely to become a member of the international nomenclature recognised as 'Somalia experts'. Thus, his views and perspectives on Somali politics are likely to have an impact upon international policy on Somalia and need to be addressed as such.
• Secondly, while the title of the piece raises the question of Somali Nationalism, the piece is actually concerned with the disintegration of the Somali Republic and argues that Puntland (the autonomous and relatively peaceful part of the erstwhile Republic) and Somaliland should help in ensuring that south and central Somalia do not become "…pawn(s) of other regional and international powers.". This argument echoes those put forward at the roundtable meeting held by Chatham House in July last year, and the policies of the current Silanyo administration in Hargeisa, that Somaliland should get involved in the search for the establishment of a viable state in Somalia.
• Thirdly, the piece seems to argue for the re-establishment of the erstwhile Republic of Somalia, while not explicitly coming out for this position. In the concluding paragraph, Mr. Lockwood seems to posit the idea that Islam can provide the basis of a new Somali Nationalism that supersedes the divisive clan identity that he believes continues to bedevil the search for peace and viable governance in Somalia.

From the outset, let me extend my appreciation to Mr. Lockwood for championing Somali self determination and independent statehood. This critique of his piece is not meant to impugn his motives, nor question the morality of his intentions. However, his perspectives, and therefore his prescriptions, suffer from a limited knowledge of Somali history and nationalism. Firstly, he does not seem to understand fully that the clan identity of the Somali people has both a fusion as well as a fission tendency. Indeed it is the sense of Somali-ness (evidencing their common language, religion and culture) which distinguishes the Somali people of the Horn of Africa from their neighbours, be these neighbours Oromos, Amharas, Danakil (Afars), Masai or Kikuyu. It is this fusion tendency which gave rise to modern Somali nationalism during the 20th century and underpinned the dream of Greater Somalia and the creation of the erstwhile Republic. Thus, automatically equating clan identity with divisiveness, i.e. the fission tendency, is a major flaw in Mr. Lockwood's understanding of Somali nationalism and, therefore, of the analysis presented.

Another glaring weakness in the analysis is equating Puntland and Somaliland in the context of their respective positions regarding the efforts to establish a functioning government and state structure in Somalia during the last two decades. Puntland has not declared independence from Somalia and has been intimately involved from the beginning in the establishment of successive so-called governments in Mogadishu. Indeed, the late Abdillahi Yusuf, the first President of Puntland, mounted a successful campaign to accede to the Presidency of Somalia in 2004. Further, Puntland has been very vociferous in demanding and securing its share of, and from, every government that has been established for Somalia since the collapse of the Siyad Barre dictatorship, whether such 'share' be cabinet positions or allocations of aid. The latest conference (which concluded earlier this month) to determine the government of Somalia after the term of the current TFG ends in August 2012, was held in Garowe, the capital of Puntland. Thus, it is only Somaliland which has remained aloof from the search for a government for Somalia and this is because the successive 'governments' established for Somalia have myopically insisted upon their dominion over what is in effect a separate country.

Yet another weakness in the analysis is the misreading of the brief period of relative peace and unity under the rule of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) during 2006/7. Mr. Lockwood suffers under the impression that it was the Islamist doctrine of the ICU that won over the support of the people, when it was their perceived personal honesty, civic morality, patriotism and judicial impartiality compared with the venality, brutality and foreign loyalties of the warlords they sought to transplant that generated widespread public support and loyalty. The irony is that it was precisely the alien and medieval nature of the ICU's brand of Islamism, with its banning of innocent pursuits such as watching sports on TV (indeed watching TV at all), wearing of bras by women and the shaving of beards by men, that brought them into conflict with the general public. Indeed, one could argue that the ICU was able to secure widespread public support by espousing and practising many of the virtues of Somali nationalism, i.e. clean, accountable government, the rule of law and equality before it that characterised the independence era.

The statement by Hassan Aweys that Mr. Lockwood quotes approvingly in his penultimate paragraph laying claim to Ethiopia's Fifth (Somali) Province and the Northern Frontier District (NFD) of Kenya actually represents the very worst of the ICU, and marks the takeover of the group by the extremist wing that would lead to its downfall. This extremist wing, of course, came out of the closet as Al-Shabaab after the success of its plan to takeover the ICU and engineer a confrontation with Ethiopia and its Western backers. The simple fact is that the political calculus underlying the collapse of the state in Somalia cannot be reduced to the seductive simplicity of clan identity = divisive anarchy; Islamic identity = inclusive peace. Indeed, the reality of Somali political culture demands that this much sought, and seemingly elusive, inclusive peace must be charted through the very clan identity that facile analysis posits as the problem. The primacy of clan identity within Somali culture and politics is a given that can be neither wished away nor ignored, nor relegated to the periphery of political discussion and organisation, and any prescription or proposed solution that does not recognise this primacy is but a pipedream.

Somaliland's recovery of its independence in 1991 and its establishment of a functioning state with a representative, indigenous system of government across clan lines is a clear demonstration that the fusion tendency of Somali nationalism is alive and well. The fact that this unrecognised country of limited means is host to hundreds of thousands of refugees from the anarchy south of the border is testament to the potency of the fraternity that underpins this pan-Somali identity or nationalism. The pan-Somali nature of much Somali business, much of which has its base in Somaliland where it can thrive in peace and under the protection of law, also attests to this fraternal and unifying trend in Somali social organisation.

In conclusion, Mr. Lockwood, Somali nationalism is far from dead. Indeed, I would posit the opposite, that it getting its second wind (much like a long distance runner) and we are witnessing its re-emergence in a different and stronger, if less emotive, form. However, recognising its new formulation and articulation by a generation of Somalis that have different imperatives and that are characterised as much by their experiences of war and exile as by the new era of technology and the primacy of information acquisition and exchange in which they have grown up, will require a more in-depth and nuanced analysis. As for Somaliland getting involved in the search for peace and governance in Somalia, this is not a new idea. Indeed, since 1995 Somaliland has repeatedly offered its services in this endeavour with the clear understanding that this will not impact the legitimacy of its independence.

It has been the myopic and misplaced intransigence of southern politicians and the unquestioning, passive support of this inflexibility by the donor powers that have conspired to ensure Somaliland's distance. Far from ignoring the plight of their brothers to the south, Somaliland has sought to broker peace among them in the only credible way open to it, i.e. by protecting the hard-won peace and stability its own people have achieved. These efforts have been consistently sabotaged by the very same self-seeking politicians that squabble over apportionment of cabinet positions and aid monies, even as foreign terrorists and their local franchisees fight over their people and territory with invading armies and US drone attacks. The irony is that among the ordinary people of Somalia, the independence of Somaliland is widely supported and admired.

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN CONDEMNS VIOLENCE DURING MEETING OF FORMER RULING PARTY

2012-01-21T18:15:00.001-08:00

CÔTE D'IVOIRE: UN CONDEMNS VIOLENCE DURING MEETING OF FORMER RULING PARTY

The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) strongly condemned today the incidents that left many people injured during a meeting of the former ruling party, the Ivorian Popular Front, which took place in the city of Abidjan.

UNOCI launched an appeal for calm and urged the parties involved to avoid any action that may increase the tension and cause the situation to deteriorate.

In a news release issued by the Mission, UNOCI reiterated its "attachment to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, which are indispensable to democratic life," and encouraged the Government to take appropriate measures to determine the circumstances surrounding the incidents, as well as identify and arrest those responsible.

The Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNOCI Bert Koenders, also reaffirmed the Mission's readiness to assist the Government in the conduct of t
he investigation to avoid similar incidents from occurring.

Kenya’s Military Says Somalia Incursion Reaches Halfway Point

2012-01-21T18:08:00.001-08:00

Kenya's Military Says Somalia Incursion Reaches Halfway Point

By Sarah McGregor

Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Kenya's military said its battle to crush an al Qaeda-linked insurgency in southern Somalia has reached the halfway mark and said its forces struck several command centers and logistic facilities operated by the al- Shabaab group.

"The war is almost half lost; al-Shabaab is now facing serious challenges as far as command and control is concerned and logistical support," Colonel Cyrus Oguna, an army spokesman, told reporters in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, today. "It will not take a very long time before al-Shabaab is completely buried."

In October, Kenyan troops entered Somalia saying they were pursuing al-Shabaab and securing the country's borders and have since intensified attacks against the group's bases. The incursion came after several foreign tourists and aid workers were murdered and abducted on Kenyan territory. Kenya blames al- Shabaab for the attacks, a charge the militants have denied.

Oguna said that in the past week, Kenyan forces have destroyed four of al-Shabaab's organizational camps, some in the areas of Jilib and Bibi. Information about the fighting cannot be independently verified and the two sides' version of events generally conflict.

Kenya may know by mid-February whether the United Nations will permit its soldiers to "re-hat" under the African Union Mission in Somalia, which is mandated by the UN, Lindsay Kiptiness, a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman, said today.

Al-Shabaab has been battling Somalia's western-backed government for five years and controls most of the southern and central regions. Somalia has had no effective central government since the downfall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre two decades ago.

Respect the fundamental rights of self determination of Somaliland

2012-01-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

Respect the fundamental rights of self determination of Somaliland
Written by Ibrahim M Mead

open letter

To: the sponsors and organizers of the London conference for Somalia
cc: the Leadership of Somaliland
cc: the two houses of congress
cc: the traditional leadership of Somaliland
cc: the civic society of Somaliland
cc: to whom it may concern

From: Community Advancement through Conflict Resolution International
January 21, 2012

Respect the fundamental rights of self determination of Somaliland

Author's note

This organization (CATCRI) participated the first Municipal, presidential and parliamentary elections in Somaliland as an international observer. I saw democracy in process. I saw how the people and their governments believed the rule of law, decency, stability and peace in their corner of the world. I was there.

My son who is approaching his 30th birth day used to ask me when he first spoke this question, "Why were they doing this to us?" that was when the ethnic cleanings was happening in Somaliland against the majority of the Somalilanders in the 80s! In respond to my son's question I used to say to him, "they were wrong but the end belongs to us, to the righteous" when he grow up and saw the difference of Somaliland and Somalia is between the sky and the earth. When he saw that Somaliland did all the right things and Somalia did all the wrong things he asked me this question, "why their wrongs paid (such that the international community recognized them) and all the right things we did, did not pay?" my answer was the same. "They are wrong, we are right and the end belongs to the righteous, to us if we persevere and be patient"

The generation who were born after Somaliland withdrew from the failed union with failed Somalia is now 20 years old. They don't understand and it doesn't make a sense to them when Somalia claims that they own us and the international community entertains that nonsense! They only know the currency, the flag and the governmental institutions of Somaliland. The only thing they know of Somalia is misery and mayhem!

Self-determination in general

essentially, the right to self-determination is the right of a people to determine its own destiny. Why do they not want this virtue for the people of Somaliland who worked hard for it?! The international community that is!
The principle allows a people to choose its own political status and to determine its own form of government, its own economic, cultural and social development.
Exercise of this right can result in a variety of different outcomes ranging from political independence through to full integration within a state. The importance lies in the right of choice, so that the outcome of a people's choice should not affect the existence of the right to make a choice.. Nevertheless, the right to self-determination is recognized in international law as a right of process (not of outcome) belonging to peoples and not to states or governments.

Self-determination in International Law

"The principle of self-determination is prominently embodied in Article I of the Charter of the United Nations? Its inclusion in the UN Charter marks the universal recognition of the principle as fundamental to the maintenance of friendly relations and peace among states. It is recognized as a right of all peoples in the first article common to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which both entered into force in 1976."
All peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

"The concept of self-determination is a very powerful one. As Wolfgang Danspeckgruber put it: "No other concept is as powerful, visceral, emotional, unruly, as steep in creating aspirations and hopes as self-determination. It evokes emotions, expectations and fears which often lead to conflict and bloodshed.
Ultimately, the best approach is to view the right to self-determination in its broad sense, as a process providing a wide range of possible outcomes dependent on the situations, needs, interests and conditions of concerned parties. The principle and fundamental right to self-determination of all peoples is firmly established in international law."

Essentially, the right to self-determination is the right of a people to determine its own destiny.
"The principle allows a people to choose its own political status and to determine its own form of government, its own economic, cultural and social development.
Exercise of this right can result in a variety of different outcomes ranging from political independence through to full integration within a state, willingly and not by force or coercion. The importance lies in the right of choice, so that the outcome of a people's choice should not affect the existence of the right to make a choice. Nevertheless, the right to self-determination is recognized in international law as a right of process belonging to peoples and not to states or governments."
Cited, UNPO, July 19- 2006) UNPO stands for Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) initiated in 1990 in Tartu, Estonia, and formed in 11 February 1991

We applaud and commend the British government and who ever else involved for the up-coming London conference for Somalia to help Somalia which failed to help her self! They had many, many of this kind of conferences out side their soil before and all failed!

The inclusion and injection of Somaliland in to this Somalia conference as part of Somalia is a fragrant violation of the fundamental rights of Somaliland's self determination. Somaliland never expected this from Britain!
Somaliland experienced this kind of move from the astronomical conferences for Somalia. Somaliland can not entertain this as they can not stampede the verdict of her people

If the British Government does not want to help Somaliland which was under British Administration in more than 80 years why don't they leave her alone?
The British government must do either one of the above! No third way in this.
Why don't they respect the fundamental rights of the people of Somaliland?
Somaliland worked for that end, and did so in the hard way. Why don't the British respect the self determination of the people of Somaliland who strived for that relentlessly, patiently?

They say the British is pressuring Mr. Siilanyo, the President of Somaliland to attend to an up coming London conference for Somalia when he will be recognized as a representative of a region which is one of the regions of Somalia! Somalia now stands for name only?! No one except his people have the right to urge president Siilanyo to go or not to go to the upcoming London conference! Only his people can, and his people don't see any thing good for Somaliland in the upcoming London conference which is for the troubled Somalia.

Somaliland is not Somalia any more and the conference is for Somalia. The 15th round, if I am not mistaken! Of all the 14 rounds preceded this, Somaliland did not participate because she did not see any thing good for her, and of all these rounds sponsors and Somalia were openly and subtly undermining Somaliland! "Why were they undermining peace and stability in a corner where peace and stability were not known? Why are they repeating the same thing now, of all places in Britain?" Somaliland is wondering!

Trying to put a healthy apple in to a barrel of rotten apples doesn't help any apple! It doesn't make sense! It is undesirable and unacceptable for Somaliland which has chosen it's destiny in 1991 and ever since, she not only survived from all odds, from all destabilizing entities around her, but thrived in comparison to many African countries! Somaliland kept the peace and lived-and- let-others -live in peace.

All peoples have the right to self determination, Somaliland is not the exception in this human rights. By virtue of that right they freely determined their political status and

Freely pursued their economic, social and cultural development

Somaliland recalled and restored its independence and they declared that in Borao convention in 1991 where reconciliation and forgiveness of Somaliland communities took effect after the SNM movement defeated the dictatorial regime of (Siyad Bare) Somalia, and declared the independence of Somaliland there.

.Borama's convention followed this in1993. There a government of national unity was established where by the SNM movement handed over the government to a civilian government headed by president Egale.This was a unique move on the part of SNM. This kind of transferee of government from a front to a civilian in a peaceful and democratic process never happened in any where in the third world or rarely happened! A popular referendum where people voted 97% yes for Somaliland's withdrawal from the union with Somalia followed that in 2001?

The first transfer of power from triumphant movement to a civilian was born there and that took place in a democratic process. That tradition is still going on. Very recently a defeated government conceded and an elected one took over power of government in Somaliland peacefully as expected. Nothing of this magnitude and nothing of this sort ever happened not only in our region but in Africa in general, forget Somalia in this respect!

The UN and its agencies seems as though they say: "why don't you become like your brothers in Somalia! We don't like what you did even though we say we like it! Your wonderful achievement is incongruent to our project which is a troubled Somalia!! Come on board if you need help!"

Somaliland has reached what has been expected from her and beyond! They realized what survivals of ethnic cleansing might not be expected to achieve!
Somaliland gathered what ever was left and built her country from the ashes, abandoned revenge and restitution and moved for ward. They built their country.
In fact they have established a peaceful, democratic and forward moving country
it is time to reward for that. It is not time to undermine this achievement and demolish it!

Where would Somaliland fit in London conference for Somalia?

I think Somaliland would fit in Somalia's conference there where a country helping Somalia would fit. Somaliland is not Somalia as Somalia is not Somaliland whether some deny it or not! If they say it is about peace and the sea pirates they have Somalia which not only accommodates and tolerates this phenomena but is the benefactor of this business. Somaliland has nothing to do and every body knows that. Somaliland is peaceful and they know it! What else? Somaliland must be rewarded and not punished for what she has achieved!!

Somaliland called off that union with Somalia after Somalia executed an ethnic cleansing system in Somaliland. Eventually Somaliland (SNM) defeated Somalia's genocidal regime of Siyad Barre, thus declared her independence by withdrawing the union from them!?They did not chased them for revenge and restitution, they forgot and for give and moved ahead!

Somaliland gave her people peace, stability and all kinds of development; socially, economically and politically which associates with the above virtues of peace and stability according to her ability. Some people don't appreciate this. In fact some people hate that achievement reached by Somaliland people with little help from out side world!

Somaliland succeeded to establish a never-before seen relationship with her neighbours-Ethiopia and Djibouti. They established a people to people movement, and a government to government cooperation and understanding.
Somalia on the other hand de-stabilized the tranquility and peace of the whole region! And not only that, they destabilized the world- wide shipping in both the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean by investing young sea bandits there Somalia is the benefactor of that!
Somaliland curbed all that evil activity from her shores with little or no help from the international community, all by her self

As Somaliland is not a region, as it is not?a part of Somalia but an independent Republic recognized by her people, under what conditions and terms the UN representative and now the British are insisting or appealing Somaliland to participate the Somalia conference in London! And what terms and conditions Somaliland is offered in this London conference? "What is the deal here?" one my wonder! The people must see what is in and what is not in for Somaliland in Technicolor first?

?It is the aspirations and the self determination of the people that is sacrosanct [ Muqadas] and that is the point. No one else has the right to deny or evade or stampede or twist this inherently human rights for a people strived and spoken loud and clear that they recalled their Republic of Somaliland and got it, be it local or foreign elements or groups!?

Somaliland people have spoken, in no ambiguous terms, in their referendum of 2001. They chose to be independent despite all the odds entailed by this decision. They lived and they live in this situation fine! That is a forgone conclusion. Again, thesacrosanctness of this matter is a non-negotiable bond as far as the people is concerned, thus there is no space for politics for any one while we are not departing flexibility and compromises where possible, like compensation of the thousands of people massacred and the unaccounted material (stolen) owed for Somaliland by Somalia during the ethnic cleansing years. Open borders and trade with Somalia will come when and if they show interest in this venture..

Honesty and steadfastness is the prerequisites for Somaliland leadership to embrace, and those who lead must heed. It also depends on how the Somaliland players push, persist, relentlessly pursue and persevere, the interest of Somaliland as long as it takes. Only those who have the emotional connection to Somaliland can endure this!
Enforcing Somaliland to this London conference, or similar conferences amounts to creating new wars and destabilizing the peace exiting in Somaliland, deliberately. I trust that no one is intending to do just that.

"Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants and who strictly guard their payers: - these will be the heirs" the righteous will inherit heaven (Al muminoon ch.18-v, 7&8)
Trust may be express or implied. Express trusts are those where property is entrusts or duties are assigned by some one to some other one whom he trusts to carry out on his behalf.
Implied trusts arise out of power or position or opportunity.
Covenants create obligations. To sum up all, express and implied trusts and covenants taken together cover the whole field of obligation owed for the people and the country of Somaliland.

However peace and prayers
Ibrahim Mead
Executive Director
CATCRI
kingmead1@yahoo.ca

U.S. Department of State Daily Digest Bulletin : Winners In East Africa Contest

2012-01-20T19:05:00.001-08:00

Apps4Africa: Winners In East Africa Contest

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

January 19, 2012

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce the East Africa winners of the Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge, a regional competition to address local climate change challenges through the development of web-based and mobile applications. All three East Africa winners support "climate-smart" agriculture in the region. Appfrica International, a private sector partner, announced the winners on January 14 at the Villages in Action Conference in Kikuube Village, Masindi District, Uganda.

First place was awarded to The Grainy Bunch, an application developed in Tanzania. The Grainy Bunch features a national grain supply chain management system that monitors the purchase, storage, distribution, and consumption of grain across the entire nation, designed to ensure both food and economic security. Second place was awarded to Mkulima Calculator, a Kenyan application that will help farmers decide when to plant crops and how to select the best crops for a given location using climate and weather data. Third place was awarded to Agro Universe, a mobile and web-based app from Uganda that creates a regional marketplace, helping communities prepare for pest- and drought-induced food shortages by linking these communities to farmers with available produce.

This competition demonstrates that the United States is working with partners to bring together practitioners, policy-makers, and African technology innovators through programs such as the global Adaptation Partnership and Apps4Africa in order to highlight country-driven solutions to climate change adaptation in East Africa.

Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge consists of three African regional competitions. Winners from the West and Central Africa contest were announced in December, and winners from the Southern Africa competition will be announced in April. These contests build on the outcomes of regional climate change adaptation workshops organized by the Adaptation Partnership, which includes the United States and more than 20 other countries.

Winners will receive cash prizes. Private partners, including TED and Indigo Trust, are contributing follow-on support.

For more information please visit http://apps4africa.org or contact Marissa Rollens, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, at 202-663-0531 or RollensMK@state.gov.

A Response to the London Conference on Somalia: Building Momentum

2012-01-20T07:17:00.001-08:00

A Response to the London Conference on Somalia: Building Momentum

Somaliland Societies in Europe

360 Great Western Street

Manchester

M14 4BY

Mob: 00447930655099

Website: sseuro.com

Email: info@sseuro.com

Date: 20^th January 2012

Ref:SSE 20919012011

A Response to the London Conference on Somalia: Building Momentum

Dear Sir and or Madam,

Somaliland Society in Europe (SSE) is a network of organizations representing about 45 Somaliland Diaspora community organizations from 11 European countries.

We are writing to you to share with you our position on the upcoming London Conference.

We welcome that the British government by hosting this International Conference has bravely decided to actively engage in restoring peace and stability in Somalia. It is a noble act and a goodwill gesture on the part of the British government to help Somalia stand on its feet again. As SSE we welcome every genuine effort to end the anarchy and lawlessness in our neighboring country, Somalia, and help her emerge from the abyss of total failure.

We have closely studied the key objectives of the Conference and are startled to note that one of the key objectives of the Conference is to offer:

"The opportunity to reinforce the relative stability in areas of Somalia, such as Somaliland and Puntland and in the south"

This statement clearly indicates that the organization of the Conference is not carefully considered. It indicates a fundamental confusion and misrecognition on the part of the organizers of whose problem they want to address and whose interest they want to serve. The organizers intend to clumsily drag the peaceful and stable Republic of Somaliland into the lawless and chaotic Somalia. This is an ill-advised objective which at best will certainly fail to deliver any positive outcome, and at worst jeopardize the very peace and stability it very much seeks to establish. The organizers have failed to appreciate that the central themes of the Conference (peace and stability) are not relevant to the Republic of Somaliland anymore than they are to the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya and Yemen across the waters.

We want to draw your attention to your gross negligence of acknowledging the de jure status of the Republic of Somaliland and mentioning it in the same breath as Somalia's regional state of Puntland casts doubt upon the genuineness of the Conference. The aspiring Republic of Somaliland may not have secured an international recognition, but one cannot deny what it has achieved over the past twenty years and what it wants to achieve: an international recognition for its sovereignty. It is certainly clear that the organizers of this Conference have on both of these two accounts committed serious miscalculation and misread the political dynamics and developments on the ground.

We fully acknowledge and trust you will agree that the Republic of Somaliland can play an instrumental role in restoring peace and stability to the Horn of Africa, in the fight against piracy and terrorism, and it can be a strategic partner in curbing the unpredictable and uncertain political situation unfolding in the Gulf of Aden. It can play a constructive role in the wider region because it has established effective and working institutions despite being unrecognized by the International Community and despite being surrounded by extremely violence, terrorism and piracy. However, the Republic of Somaliland will fulfill its role if, and only if, its aspiration to join the list of free nations is fully endorsed. SSE strongly believes that a recognition of the aspiring Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state is in the interest of the International Community.

For this London Conference to have any chances of success one should consider the previous 16 failed internationally endorsed Somalia Conferences. They all had one thing in common: piecing the fractured former Somali Republic together. For this Conference not to join its predecessors in the dustbin of history its organizers should seriously consider the dynamics on the ground. Any attempt to revive the failed Somali nation state either federalized or centralized will be disastrous and dangerous; and any attempt to persuade the government of the Republic of Somaliland to participate in this ill-advised Conference will surely be counterproductive. We, therefore, call on the London Conference organizers, the UK government and the International Community to seriously consider a Two-State Solution to the Somali conundrum.

SSE fully endorses for representatives of the Republic of Somaliland to participate where there is a national interest for that emerging nation. We consider that this Conference is not serving the interest of Somaliland. On the contrary it undermines its aspiration to secure a de jure status. We, therefore, call on the government of the Republic of Somaliland to abstain from attending the Conference and strongly discourage our member organizations or individuals affiliated with us to participate.

We fully support and welcome the decision of the government of the Republic of Somaliland that it will not be taking part in the Conference. Any change to this position due to pressure from the International Community will be considered as a dangerous move and a historical mistake.

We sincerely hope that the organizers of the Conference will consider the concerns raised in the foregoing and correct it accordingly in order for the Conference to deliver positive outcome for all concerned.

SSE Executive Committee,

CC:

- The Presidency, the Republic of Somaliland

- The House of Representatives of the Republic of Somaliland

- The House of Elders of the Republic of Somaliland

- National Political Parties of the Republic of Somaliland

- Dr Augustine Mahiga, UN Special Representative for Somalia

- UK All Parliamentary Group for Republic of Somaliland

Somaliland Independence and Sovereignty is Sacred and Non-negotiable

2012-01-19T18:01:00.001-08:00

Somaliland Independence and Sovereignty is Sacred and Non-negotiable

http://www.saylicipress.net

On behalf of the "Mahad Ase" Committee of North America we are hereby to express tabout our utmost outrage of the so-called Taleh conference. We condemn the empty , hostile utterances and mirage wishes coming from that so-called meeting which is clearly an anti-Somaliland forum.

We also very regretful about how the Somaliland government has allowed such a meeting where so many criminals, anti-Somaliland charlatans, failed warlords and other shady personalities participated. Such a meeting or any one like It cannot and will not affect Somaliland right for self-determination and sovereignty. We are also here to declare our readiness to defend our country and independence against anyone who dare to interfere our internal affairs.

Few Days picnic or get together can do nothing to our hard won independence. We will also like to inform the vagabond so-called " Awdal State" and the life hotel dwellers "Ismail Buubaa" you do not have the moral fortitude, integrity or following to say anything about the Republic of Somaliland. So-called IGAD dictators, or the declining lackluster organization, the UN, or tribalist, the Fascist Siyad Barre remnant called "Osman Hassan" do not have the power to reverse Somaliland's self-determination. So-called Mirage Awdal State that never existed have already Vanished From the Scene. The whole thing was the work of few welfare recipients in North America. That false dream was dead on arrival as we already predicted. If you know the "SNM" war of independence and its ferocity, can you image the intensity of a defensive war Somaliland and it s people will launch had we attacked by the sworn enemies who hate our freedom and independence. Let us learn from DPRK, Vietnam, Cuba, Nicaragua, and others who were the victims of imperialist forces and their allies and supporters.

http://www.saylicipress.net/opinion101/2012/01/18/somaliland-independence-and-sovereignty-is-sacred-and-non-negotiable/

Long Life the Peoples' Republic of Somaliland

Skilled Somalilanders Who Return Home Deserve Respect

2012-01-19T17:58:00.000-08:00

Skilled Somalilanders Who Return Home Deserve Respect By Adan Iman

The Somaliland constitution confers on all Somalilanders, whether in the Diaspora or living inside the country, equal rights to hold elective and appointive offices as well as to engage in private business. This official welcome does encourage some of the Diaspora people to end their long self-exiles and return to their country of origin. But unfortunately on some occasions,some prominent members of the Diaspora are subjected to negative rumors, innuendos and open criticisms in order to smear their reputations

People who return home have different reasons for doing so. There are those who are of old age and would like to spend their last years at home. There are alsothose who haveaccumulated wealth and would like to invest their funds there; and there are those ambitious individuals who after earning degrees and working as professionals overseasdecide to utilize their knowledge and skills to make a difference for their people.

However, some local elites apparently believe that they alone are straight (way toosanyihii) and that Diaspora people are crooked (way qaloocanyihiin). They try to find faults with them, question the source of money they bring into the country and do not even spare women from those attacks.

This is not an easy statement to make but it is one validated by our recent experience.

Skilled Diaspora Somalilanders who assimilated the liberal traditions and the institutional basis of the industrialized world are needed to transfer the skills they possess to move the country forward. We need eminent engineers, scientists, doctors, agriculturalists, economists, businesspeople, writers, lawyers etc. We cannot afford to fish for faults and attack those skilled Diaspora Somalilanders. We need a culture that receive those people with open arms and accord them the respect they deserve. Diaspora people are needed not only to remit the money that sustains the lives of our people but also to transfer the skills they possess.

When I heard the recent attacks against the Somaliland Minister of Minerals, Energy & Water Resources, Hussein Abdi Duale, I told myself: alas it is déjà vu all over again. Why this reaction? Because Hussein Abdi Duale is not the first, nor will he be the last former Diaspora Somalilander, who is subjected to a smear campaign. Multiple people before him, men and women, were subjected to similar attacks. It is needless to identify here individuals who were unfairly subjected to such treatment before. Everybody who happens to read this piece knows a man or a woman from the Diaspora who was subjected to similar attacks.

Hussein A. Duale came to Los Angeles around 1984 from Oklahoma and stayed here till 2010 when he was appointed a cabinet minister in Somaliland. During his long stay here in Los Angeles with us he established a solid reputation among our community as charismatic and articulate. He is very skilled petroleum engineer. He also became a competent manager through his long experience in the private and public sectors.

Hussein worked closely with the late Saeed Maygag Samatar in promoting the interest of Somaliland. In the early 1990's, for example, they collected and shipped relief supplies to the people displaced by the war. Hussein also was one of the founding members of SOPRI. If Saeed Meygag Samatar spent countless hours of his precious time and his own financial resources for Somaliland cause, Hussein Duale, driven by the same spirit of patriotism as that of Saeed, walked away from a high paying government job in Los Angeles in order to serve his people. The fact is some people are not satisfied with the affluence they achieve in the rich countries and aspire to help their fellow Somalilanders at home to improve their lives. Such was Saeed Meygag and such is Hussein Duale.

Speaking at a farewell luncheon held in his honor a year and half ago shortly after being appointed as cabinet minister, Hussein told the Somaliland community in southern California that he would be a workaholic in Hargeisa. He joked that the folks over there may think that he had no other life than work. True to his promise, he has worked very hard for the people since assuming his new responsibilities. He brought in new companies to explore oil and gas. He was also involved in reaching an agreement with Ethiopia to ship oil and gas from Ethiopia through the port of Berbera. His ministry is busy drilling water wells and building reservoirs. If the goals he is pursuing are achieved, he may end up having a potentially transformative and consequential impact in the country. Because of his engineering and managerial skills as wells as his ethics of hard work, Hussein is the right person to lead the effort to explore what lies underneath the soil in Somaliland.

One wonders why the media is not reporting the positive things this hard working minister is doing for the country. Good news is newsworthy too.

Recently, Hussein told the press of his dream should oil and gas befound and exploited in Somaliland. He stated the country would follow the example of Norway. Norway, you may recall, is famous for transparently putting the proceeds from its oil for the benefit of the people. This vision can only be articulated by someone who is patriotic and honest.

Finally many of the Diaspora people who return home bring jobs and skills and expertise to the country. They are not a threat to anybody; rather they are amajor asset to the country. There is no justification for any tension or animus by one group against another. The country demands that they all respect each other, and work together to move the country forward and create better future for our children.

Email: ahiman2@aol.com

Adan H Iman is Diaspora Somalilander from Awdal Region who lives in California

Xaglo-Toosiye oo qaadacay go'aankii shirkii Taleex soo dhaweeyay gogoshii nabadeed ee Madaxwaynaha

2012-01-19T16:44:00.001-08:00

Hargeysa (HWN) Guddoomiyaha kooxda Nabad Diidka Ah ee SSC Saleebaan Xaglo Toosiye ayaa si weyn u qaadacay Shirkii dhawaan ka dhacay Degmada Taleex iyo maamulkii lagaga dhawaaqayba, sheegayna inuusan Ogoleyn Magaca loobixiyay ee Khaatuma oo ay dad badan oo deegaankaa u dhashay ku qanacsanayn.

Xaglo toosiye waxa uu sheegay in shirkaasi uu ahaa mid baalmarsan shuruucda isla markaana ay wateen kooxo mabaadii fogfog wata.

Ilo xog ogaal ah oo ka ag dhaw Saleebaan Xagla toosiye ayaa Shabakaddan Caalamiga ah ee Hadhwanaagnews u sheegaya in uu soo dhaweeyay gogogashii nabadeed ee uu Madaxweynaha Somaliland Md. Axmed Maxamed Maxamuud Siilaanyo u fidiyay kooxaha nabad diidka, waxaanu sheegay in uu soo dhaweynayo gogashaas.

Dhawaaqan ka soo yeedhay Saleebaan Xagla Toosiye, ayaa dhabar jab weyn ku noqonaysa shirkii dhawaan ka dhacay Degmadda Taleex.

Dhinaca kale ogolaanshaha gogosha nabadda ee uu hore ugu baaqay Madaxweyne Axmed Siilaanyo ayaa waxa ay tahay mid ay si aad ah ugu soo dhaweynayaan shacabka iyo xukuumadda Somaliland.

Hadhwanaagnews Ayaa isku dayay inay la xidhiidhaan Saleebaan Xagla Toosiye hase ahaatee khadka telefonka oo aad u xumaa daraadeed ayay isku maqli waayeen.

Wixii war ah ee ka soo kordha kala soco Shabakad wararka ee Hadhwanaagnews.

Hadhwanaagnews/Office

Hargeysa/Somaliland

Contact@hadhwanaagnews/Office

TACSI KA TIMID LA-TALIAYAHA MADAXWEYNAHA EE DHAQAALAHA IYO GANACSIGA

2012-01-19T08:00:00.001-08:00

MARXUUM XAAJI CABDILAAHI IBRAAHIN (XAAJI DOOL)

Anigoo ku hadlaaya magaca Xafiiska La-taliyaha Madaxweynha ee Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga, ka reer Cabdi Carwo iyo kan xaaskayga Amaal Cumar Carte waxaan
dhambaal tacsi ah u dirayaa ehelka, tafiirta, qaraabada, xigto iyo xigaal, culumada, shacbiweynaha Somaliland Geerida Naxdinta leh ee ku timid Guddoomiyihii Guddida Wanaag farista iyo Xumaan-ka reebida MARXUUM XAAJI CABDILAAHI IBRAAHIN (XAAJI DOOL) oo ku geeriyooday Magaalada Hargeysa 18/01/2012

.
Marxuumku waxa uu ka mid ahaa Culimada waa weyn ee Dalka, bulshada dhexdeedana xurmo iyo tixgelin badan ku lahaa. Isagoo horeyna ahaa ganacsade caan ah iyo oday dhaqan min Muqdisho ilaa Hargeysa.

Waxaan ILLAAHAY uga baryayaa Marxuumka inuu naxariistii Janno ka waraabiyo, Culimada, Qoyskii, Eheladii, Qaraabadii, Asxaabtii iyo Dhamaan Shacbiga Reer Somalilandna uu waafajiyo Samir iyo Imaan

Axmed Xasan Carwo

La-taliayaha Madaxweynaha ee

Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga

eci.advisor@ymail.com

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN WEST BANK AND GAZA REMAINS A CONCERN – UN OFFICIAL

2012-01-18T19:50:00.001-08:00

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN WEST BANK AND GAZA REMAINS A CONCERN – UN OFFICIAL

The United Nations humanitarian chief today reiterated her concern over the impact of Israel's continued settlement activity in the West Bank and its adverse effects on economic development and Palestinians' access to basic services.

"I also spoke about zoning and planning regulations on Area C," Valerie Amos, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters after briefing the Council, referring to the over 60 per cent of the West Bank where Israel retains control over security, planning and building.

A report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in August last year estimated that 150,000 Palestinians live in the West Bank's Area C, which has the most significant land reserves available for Palestinian development, as well as the bulk of Palestinian agricultural and grazing land.

Some 300,000 Israeli settlers live in approximately 135 Israeli settlements and 100 settlement outposts in Area C, with the settler population growing at a significantly faster pace than in Israel, according to the report entitled 'Displacement and Insecurity in Area C of the West Bank.'

Ms. Amos also voiced her concern over the ongoing blockade of Gaza and the impact the closure has had on economic development in the area. Israel imposed the blockade for what it called security reasons after Hamas, which does not recognize Israel's right to exist, ousted the Fatah movement in Gaza in 2007.

Also of concern is the dismantling of the Karni crossing into and from Gaza, which she said will have the effect of reducing commercial activity, particularly exports from Gaza into the West Bank and Israel.

The closure of the Karni crossing "will have the impact of de-developing Gaza rather than re-developing Gaza," said Ms. Amos, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.

RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT: BAN URGES ACTION TO MAKE UN-BACKED TOOL ‘A LIVING REALITY’

2012-01-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT: BAN URGES ACTION TO MAKE UN-BACKED TOOL 'A LIVING REALITY'

The principle of 'responsibility to protect' was tested as never before in 2011, resulting in tens of thousands of lives saved and vital lessons learned, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for action to ensure that this tool is a "living reality" for the world's people.

"In 2011, history took a turn for the better. The Responsibility to Protect came of age; the principle was tested as never before," Mr. Ban said in an address to the Stanley Foundation Conference on the Responsibility to Protect.

"The results were uneven but, at the end of the day, tens of thousands of lives were saved," he stated.

"We gave hope to people long oppressed. In Libya, Côte d'Ivoire, South Sudan, Yemen and Syria, by our words and actions, we demonstrated that human protection is a defining purpose of the United Nations in the twenty-first century.

"We also learned important lessons," he added. "For one, we have learned that this Organization cannot stand on the sidelines when challenged to take preventive action. Where there is a 'clear and present danger,' we may need to define the field – cautiously but proactively."

Agreed at a summit of world leaders in 2005 and sometimes known as 'R2P', the principle of the responsibility to protect holds States responsible for shielding their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and related crimes against humanity and requires the international community to step in if this obligation is not met.

The Secretary-General said that lessons were also learned about the UN's own limitations, as in the case of the recent violence in South Sudan.

"We saw it coming weeks before," he stated. "Yet we were not able to stop it. Nor was the government, which like others has primary responsibility for protecting its citizens.

"The reason was painfully simple: we were denied the use of necessary resources – in particular helicopters that would have given us mobility and reach in a vast region without roads. At the critical moment, I was reduced to begging for replacements from neighbouring countries and missions.

"So, a key challenge in putting the Responsibility to Protect into practice is this: how do we do our job... how do we deliver on Security Council mandates... when the very members of the Council do not give us the support we need?"

Mr. Ban also stressed the importance of prevention – proactive, decisive and early action to stop violence before it begins – and called for making 2012 the Year of Prevention.

He pledged that during his second term as Secretary-General, which began earlier this month, that the UN will redouble its efforts at training, education and capacity-building on human rights, humanitarian law and democratic values and practices. It will also undertake development and peacebuilding in ways that reduce tensions among groups and strengthen institutional barriers to sectarian violence.

Mr. Ban noted that the "next test of our common humanity" is Syria, where more than 5,000 people have lost their lives since a popular uprising began in March last year. The Secretary-General has repeatedly called on President Bashar Al-Assad to stop killing his own people.

"Even as I make these calls, however, I am mindful of the complexities," said Mr. Ban. "At a time when unity is required, the Security Council is divided. Efforts by regional friends and organizations such as the Arab League are very welcome, but so far they have not borne fruit.

"I am also acutely aware of the need to preserve my own diplomatic space for the crucial moment when the UN's good offices may be needed.

"Such is the nature of the Responsibility to Protect. It can be a minefield of nuance, political calculation and competing national interests. The result too often is hesitation or inaction. This we can not afford."

He said that, in a short period of time, the world has embraced the Responsibility to Protect – not because it is easy, but because it is right.

"We therefore have a moral responsibility to push ahead," he stated. "Together, let us work... with optimism and determination... to make the Responsibility to Protect a living reality for the peoples of the world."

Is South Sudan another Somalia in the making?

2012-01-18T19:36:00.001-08:00

Is South Sudan another Somalia in the making?

By MACHEL AMOS

For many in South Sudan's troubled Jonglei state, independence has brought only political freedom but is yet to deliver any real peace.

The cumulative effects of internal rebellions, ethnic rivalry, border clashes with Sudan and aerial raids have claimed thousands of lives of innocent civilians in Africa' newest country since independence last July.

Although the army has managed to eliminate leaders of some active rebel groups and forced others to ink deals with the government, the instability still persists.

The Lou-Nuer and Murle, both tribes in Jonglei state, are engaged in a vicious circle of killing, child abduction and cattle raiding. The Dinka Bor are equally at the receiving end of the hostilities.

And while there are no signs of cessation of hostilities in the near future, the escalating revenge attacks have taken the angles of mass destruction.

The Jonglei state government appears overwhelmed, and the central government has not done enough or fast enough.

Individual communities believe that by taking very little action on such brutal ethnic wars, the government may have given a go-ahead.

Some feel the government itself is polarised along the same troublesome ethnic lines.

http://www.africareview.com/Blogs/Is+South+Sudan+another+Somalia+in+the+making/-/979192/1309546/-/view/asBlogPost/-/597xq6/-/

In Somaliland, crackdown on the press continues

2012-01-18T17:34:00.001-08:00

In Somaliland, crackdown on the press continues

New York, January 17, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the deteriorating press conditions in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland after this weekend's detention of 21 journalists protesting a police raid on a private broadcaster.

On Saturday, armed police raided Horn Cable TV headquarters after President Ahmed Mahmoud Silyano accused the broadcaster of spreading propaganda against his administration, according to news reports. Officers told the entire staff to leave and sealed the premises without a warrant, local journalists said. Horn Cable had recently reported on a meeting in the disputed Sool region in which the Dhulbante clan announced its intention to form an autonomous state under Somalia--and not Somaliland--according to local journalists.

On Sunday morning, Somaliland presidential guards dispersed a demonstration by two dozen journalists protesting the shutdown of Horn Cable TV, according to local journalists and news reports. Officers beat journalists with the butt of their guns and detained 21 journalists at the Hargeisa Central Police Station overnight, local journalists told CPJ. Somaliland Police Chief Mohamed Saqadhi released the 21 journalists at around 2 p.m. local time the next day, news reports said.

"The Somaliland government's claims of upholding press freedom are belied by the mass arrests of journalists and the arbitrary shuttering of broadcasters," said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. "These acts of intimidation seem to be part of a pattern to punish the Somaliland press for its independent reporting of political news."

Local journalists told CPJ that Horn Cable TV returned to the air briefly Monday evening and was expected to be fully functioning soon.

Seven other journalists were arrested in the past week, CPJ researchshows. Only one, journalist Ali Ismail Aare, still remains behind bars. Aare took photographs of a petrol station in the northwest town of Borama that was allegedly owned by Vice President Abdirahman Abdullahi, news reports said.

Tol Leadership Council Press Release

2012-01-18T17:14:00.001-08:00

Tol Leadership Council Press Release

CLARIFICATION BULLETIN

Minneapolis, MN. January, 12, 2012

aving received concerns from various sources, both in and outside the Gadabursi TOL, the Tol Leadership Council (TLC) is issuing this clarification bulletin.

Over the past few months, members of the general TOL and others have expressed confusion about the distinction between the TLC as an organization and other entities such as Hiilqaran political party or any declarations for an Awdal State.

The TLC has NO affiliation whatsoever with either Hiilqaran or claims for an Awdal State.

The TLC is strictly a civic organization; it is not a political party or an opposition group. It draws voluntary membership from the Tol Diaspora community around the world; it applies no litmus test to its members other than to share in its vision and mission, and as such, respects the individual opinions and political affiliations of its members outside of the organization. As such, TLC members could be constituent elements of other organizations, political or civic, through the exercise of their rightful individual choices and decisions outside of the TLC.

We feel it is important to dispel any doubts or misinformation about the TLC and its objectives. The TLC does not aim to work against any community or government; it recognizes and respects the authority and prerogatives of the current traditional and political leadership of the Gadabursi TOL; it acknowledges and respects the authority and prerogatives of the governments of the region, namely Somaliland, Djibouti and Ethiopia, of which the TOL is a major part and parcel; it aims to work collaboratively with current traditional and political leadership of the TOL without regard to party or any other affiliation.

One of our primary goals is to build on the strengths of existing traditional leadership; to build on achievements already made; to enhance, not undermine, the need for close cooperation, peaceful coexistence, and collective safeguarding of communal rights and responsibilities with intimate and neighboring communities and the authorities of Somaliland, Ethiopia, and the Republic of Djibouti of which the TOL is an integral part.

More than anything, the TLC fully supports the precious peace, stability, and measurable progress the Somaliland communities have collectively established and nurtured over the past two decades. It is that enabling concord, democratic and constitutional order that have allowed its citizens to rebuild communal institutions and sustainable livelihoods in their various locales.

For more information about the TLC mission, vision, and values, please visit this link at our official website: http://tolleadershipcouncil.org/?page_id=329

ETHIOPIA: Drought, floods hit education

2012-01-18T05:53:00.000-08:00

ETHIOPIA: Drought, floods hit education

ADDIS ABABA, 18 January 2012 (IRIN) - Parts of Ethiopia are still reeling from the effects of recent drought, flooding, conflict or a combination of the three, resulting in increased numbers of children dropping out of school, say officials.

At least 385,000 school-children need "emergency education assistance this school year", Alexandra Westerbeek, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) communication manager in Ethiopia, told IRIN.

"In addition, 70,000 children among [the] refugee population also need emergency education assistance."

Parts of the affected regions of Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Diredawa, Gambella, Harar, Oromia, Somali Region, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR) and Tigray are under-developed and suffer chronic emergencies.

According to Mohamed Abubeker, head of the special support and inclusive education office at the Ministry of Education, the Afar and Somali regions were the most affected.

"Between June and July 2011, the drop-out rate had reached 50 percent in some of these areas, although it is now showing a stabilizing trend," Abubeker said.

A number of formal and alternative basic education schools have also been damaged by wind storms.

The alternative schools are non-formal programmes for children aged seven to 14, enabling pupils in pastoral areas to cover the equivalent of the first four grades of primary school in three years before transitioning into formal schools.

"Food for education"

The school-feeding programme is helping to draw pupils back to school, according to Abubeker. In an e-mail to IRIN, Melese Awoke, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) spokesperson, said WFP and partners were trying to secure additional funding to expand the "food for education" intervention.

At present, WFP is assisting at least 625,000 children in 1,186 schools in six of the regions. But the WFP intervention is under-funded, according to Melese.

Funding for emergency education was also a major gap in the humanitarian response from mid-2011, according to UNICEF, which noted that "the challenge for 2012 is to design more flexible programmes which are able to respond to the changing educational needs, whatever they are".

Newer approaches are needed to tackle the problem. "The severity of the drought has caused different [types] of migration," said Arlo Kitchingman, the education cluster coordinator of the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies.

"The longer students are out of school, research and experience suggests, the more likely they are not to return..."

Kitchingman recommended "making the school calendar more flexible to accommodate pastoralists and nomadic movement with the intention that the school year doesn't fall when the drought is most severe".

If the school year followed such a pattern, he said, "It wouldn't matter if children are migrating or moving to different areas, it won't affect their academic calendar."

EUROPEAN DEBT CRISIS, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT THREATEN TO SLOW DOWN GLOBAL ECONOMY – UN

2012-01-17T17:07:00.000-08:00

EUROPEAN DEBT CRISIS, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT THREATEN TO SLOW DOWN GLOBAL ECONOMY – UN

Countries throughout the world will experience an economic slowdown this year as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe continues to unfold, according to a United Nations report launched today that also warns that governments must urgently address high unemployment rates, particularly among youth.

The <"http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wesp/index.shtml">World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012 (WESP) report gives a detailed picture on seven geographical regions and forecasts that growth rates for the next two years will slow down in most of them, with the exception of the African continent, which will continue to enjoy growth due to stable commodity prices and foreign investment.

The report, released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), points to the European sovereign debt crisis that erupted in Greece last May as a major shock to the global economy, whose multiple negative effects will continue to reverberate around the world.

"Failure of policymakers, especially those in Europe and the United States, to address the jobs crisis and prevent sovereign debt distress and financial sector fragility from escalating poses the most acute risk for the global economy in the outlook for 2012-2013," the report states.

The report estimates that growth in the European Union (EU) is expected to be only 0.7 per cent in 2012, substantially lower than the 1.6 per cent growth registered last year. In addition, unemployment throughout the continent will remain near 10 per cent in the euro area, having changed very little since September 2009.

Africa is expected to continue to grow, defying the global trend. The continent is forecast to see an increase in its overall growth from 2.7 per cent in 2011 to 5 per cent in 2012 and 5.1 per cent in 2013. This growth will mainly be driven by relatively strong commodity prices, solid external capital inflows and continued demand and investment from Asia.

However, growth will vary greatly among countries in the continent due to military conflicts, corruption, lack of infrastructure and severe drought in certain areas. The report also warns that unemployment and poverty remain major problems and sources of instability, which have already led to political unrest in North Africa.

South Africa is expected to have the strongest economic growth in 2012, supported by growing demand from Asia, continued fiscal stimulus measures and an increase in consumption driven by rising wages.

The economic picture in the Arab World will continue to be subject of high uncertainty due to the political transition and civil protests brought by the Arab Spring. Regional growth is forecast to decline from 6.6 per cent to 3.7 per cent as violent clashes hampered economic activity in several Arab countries. Social unrest also affected trade and tourism revenues, particularly in Lebanon.
However, the report states that generous social spending measures implemented in 2011 by Arab governments such as Saudi Arabia as a way to alleviate popular protests helped boost economic growth and the impact of these measures will continue to be felt throughout 2012.

As with Europe and Africa, unemployment remains a key problem in the region. Despite extremely low female participation rates, unemployment rates in the region are among the highest in the world, especially among the educated youth, and the report warns that leaving unemployment unaddressed represents a major risk to stability in the region.

In East Asia growth is projected to decline to 6.9 per cent in both 2012 and 2013. China, the biggest economy in the region, is also expected to slow down from 9.3 per cent to 8.7 per cent growth in 2012. A major deceleration from China, however, would represent a more pronounced slowdown for the rest of the region.

The South Asian and Latin American and Caribbean regions remain particularly susceptible to the future of developed economies as both the EU and the US are key export markets as well as sources of tourism revenue.

For Latin America, a slowdown in China would also adversely affect the region as it is a major buyer of its commodities and a key investor in South America.

"Clouds over the region are darkening. The risks of further worsening of the situation in Europe and the United States have increased," UN economist Rob Vos said in his presentation of the report in Mexico City. "Latin American and Caribbean economies would be hard hit and growth could drop below 1 per cent in the region, with Brazil stagnating and Mexico falling into recession along with the United States economy."

Last month, DESA had warned that premature fiscal austerity measures by developed countries risked prompting a new global recession, and recommended additional stimulus measures to stimulate job creation and investment.

Innovation Democracy visits Somaliland

2012-01-16T15:51:00.001-08:00

Innovation Democracy visits Somaliland

HARGEISA — A delegation from California-based Innovation Democracy arrived in Somaliland Yesterday to attend a locally organized leadership conference in the capital. The team from the not-for-profit organization consisted of Liisa Välikangas, President of Innovation Democracy Inc. and an attorney by the name of Jaak Treiman, General Counsel of Innovation Democracy.

The delegates were greeted at Berbera airport by head of Institute of Strategic and Initiatives (ISI) Mr. Abdikariim Osman Jama and who is also the chairman of ICT commission in Somaliland. Mr. Abdikariim briefed the press in the VIP room of Berbera airport about the delegate's visit to Somaliland as he said "Today we are receiving at Berbera airport and we extended an invitation to Prof. Liisa Valikanges who is the head of International Institute of Innovation Democracy and teaches at AAITO University which are located in Helsinki, Finland capital and is accompanied by Mr. Jaak Treiman who is general counsel at Innovation Democracy.

He added that they departed from California where they have got their main office and came to Somaliland in order to attend huge conference that is scheduled to be held on 17th Jan and the venue is at Ambassador hotel in Hargeisa, Somaliland capital.
He commented that the two Institutes have close working relations and that is Institute of Strategic Innovative and International Institute of Innovation Democracy.

Prof. Liisa made short speech to the press and told that it is the second time she visited the country. She added that they came to Somaliland in order to attend the conference where book written about leadership is about to be exhibited and the slogan for the book is "Lead Like Lions". She further disclosed that there will be discussions on modern strategic leadership. Finally, Mr. Jaak Treiman said that he is excited in visiting Somaliland and he is due to attend many events regarding strategic leadership.

Somalilandpress
Number one English-Somali website

ON ARAB SPRING ANNIVERSARY, BAN COMMENDS TUNISIANS FOR PROGRESS ACHIEVED

2012-01-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

ON ARAB SPRING ANNIVERSARY, BAN COMMENDS TUNISIANS FOR PROGRESS ACHIEVED
New York, Jan 14 2012 12:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has commended the people of Tunisia for the progress achieved since the start of their revolution one year ago, and pledged the continuing support of the United Nations for their efforts.

"One year ago, the world was inspired by the determination of the people of Tunisia to demand democracy, freedom and dignity," said a <http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5803>statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

"Their courage echoed throughout the region, where other peoples, encouraged by the actions of their Tunisian brothers and sisters, found the courage to also make their rightful aspirations heard," it added.

The Tunisian transition has made great progress in the past year, the statement noted, culminating in the holding of peaceful and orderly elections in October 2011 that led to the establishment of a Constituent Assembly.

"The Secretary-
General commends the people of Tunisia for progress achieved, which he trusts will continue to inspire the region and the world.

"While the road to democracy is long and may not always be smooth, the United Nations remains committed to working with Tunisia and with all the nations undergoing democratic transitions to help consolidate these efforts towards meeting the legitimate aspirations of their people," the statement said.

It was the people of Tunisia that inspired the region last year when they stood up to demand democracy and freedom, leading to the removal of the long-standing regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Their actions sparked a wave of popular uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East, known as the Arab Spring, which also led to the toppling of regimes in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

Halkan Ka Akhriso Khudbadii Madaxweynaha Oo Dhameystiran

2012-01-14T18:33:00.001-08:00

Halkan Ka Akhriso Khudbadii Madaxweynaha Oo Dhameystiran

"Waxa Milgo iyo Maamuus ii ah in aan hor imaado aqalka Baarlamaanka Somaliland ee Guurtida iyo Wakiiladda, taas oo aan ka hor jeedinayo khudbad sanadeedka uu Dastuurkeenu igu waajibiyay,"

Bismilaahi raxmaani raxiim

Al-xamdu-lilaah, Ilaahaybaa mahad leh,

Shirgudoonka Baarlamaanka, mudanayaasha labada Gole,
Wasiirada, Xisbiyada Qaranka, marti sharafta, dadweynaha iyo saxaafadda. Waxan idinku salaamaya salaanta islaamka "Assalaamu calaykum waraxmatullaahi wa barakaatu".

Ugu horeyn, waxan salaan iyo mahadnaq u dirayaa dhamman shacbiga Somaliland gudo iyo dibedba meelkasta oo ay joogaan. Aniga oo og mar kalena uga mahad celinaya taageerada buuxda ee ay xukuumadda la garab taagan yihiin, waxaanan idinka rajaynayaa inaad halkaa ka sii waddaan annaguna waxaanu ballanqaadaynaa in aanu dhinacayaga dedaalka halkaa ka sii wadi doono oo aanu sii kordhin doono.

Mudanayaal iyo Marwooyin,

Waxa Milgo iyo Maamuus ii ah in aan hor imaado aqalka Baarlamaanka Somaliland ee Guurtida iyo Wakiiladda, taas oo aan ka hor jeedinayo khudbad sanadeedka uu Dastuurkeenu igu waajibiyay, Waxaanan khudbadayda kaga hadlidoonaa Warbixintii sanadkii ina dhaafay 2011, xaaladan cusub ee inagu soo korodhay oo aan si gaar ah wax uga tilmaami doono iyo Qorshaha Xukuumada sanadkan 2012.

Somaliland waa qaran labaatan jirsaday oo qaangaadh ah, waa qaran ay dadkiisa iyo dawladdiisuba mar kasta iyo goorkastaba u soo jeedaan, Labaatankaa sannadood ee ay somliland jirtayna shacbi iyo dawladba, Somaliland, waxay u halgan ugu jirtay, dadaal ay ku xaqiijinayso qaranannimadeeda, adkaynta nabadgalyada, kor u qaadidda adeegyada aasaasiga ah ee waxbarashada, caafimaadka, biyaha iyo horumarinta kaabayaasha dhaqaalaha.

Somaliland, waxa ay la timid siyaasad cad oo ku salaysan nabad ku wada noolashaha dadyawga caalamka iyo dawladaha jaarka ah, maantana Somaliland waxay maraysaa meel aan indhaha laga qarsan karin, iyadoo buuxisay shuruudihii looga baahnaa waxaa hubaal ah in cadawga Somaliland tan iyo maalintaa ku foognaa hagardaamooyin uu ku waxyeelaynayo himilada umadu ay gaadhay.

Warbixinta Xukuumada ee Sanadkii 2011

Mudanayaal iyo marwooyin; muddo sanad iyo badh ku dhaw oo aanu talada haynay, waxqabadkii xukuumadda iyo halkii ay ka soo bilowdayba inta badan waxa uu ku xusan yahay buugga idin horyaalla ee saaka la idiin qaybiyay.

Kal hore haddaaya, waxaaan halkan ka jeediyay khudbad sanadeedkii taasoo xambaarsanayd xog-waran buuxa oo la xidhiidha duruufihii markaa yaallay ee ay xukuumadda cusubi la kawsatay, sidii ay uga soo dabbaalatay, iyo ballanqaadyo tiro badan oo aanu hortiinna ka sheegnay inay xukuumaddu qobandoonto sannadkan dhammaaday.

Ballanqaadyadaa fulintooda waxaanu u soo kala horreeysiinay sidii ay u kala muhiimsanaayeen ee ay baahida dalku ahayd, isla-markaa ay awooddu dhaqaale inoo saamaxaysay, waxaanan idiin sheegayaa in balanqadayadaa 85% ka mid ahi qabsoomeen, oo ay sidii loogu talo galay u fuleen, halka 10% gacanta lagu hayo oo aanu ku rajo weynnahay inay maalmaha soo socda dhammaadaan, 5% keliya ayaan filaynaa waxa aan noo qabsoomin ku talogalkayagii.

1. Nabadgelyada:

Nabadgelyadu waa halbawle, waana waxa ugu qiimaha badan ee aynu haysano sanadkana waxa ina soo maray dhawr shaqaaqo oo ka kala dhacay meelo kala duwan, waxaanay kala ahaayeen Kalshaale, Ceelbardaale, Ceerigaabo Yagoori iyo Seemaal, Waana ogtihiin oo dhamaantood waxa ay xukuumadu uga hawl-gashay sidii ugu wanaagsanayd ee lagu xakamayn lahaa, laguna baajin lahaa dhiig sii daata, Waxaan u mahadnaqayaa Masuuliyiintii, odayadii, waxgaradkii iyo culimadii ka hawl galay, waxaana hawlgal nabadeed laga sameeyay Widhwidh, Laascaanood, Ceerigaabo, Gebilay iyo Dilla, dhamaantood waxay ku dhamaadeen is-afgarad iyo jawi nabdoon. Waxaanu kor u qaadanay hawlaha adeega nabadgelyada.

2. Dhaqaalaha:

Dhaqaaluhu waa laf dhabarta horumarka waxaan sanadkii hore aanu miisaaniyadiisa kordhinay 70% marka loo eego miisaaniyadii ka horaysay, waanay soo xerootay odoroskii la qorsheeyay qadar aad u yar mooyaane.

A. Waxaanu sanadkan soo daabacnay lacagta Somaliland ee 1000 iyo 5000 iyadoo ay timi baahi lacageed lana hor keenay golahan oo uu ansixiyay.

B. Bedelaada Lacagtii Giinbaarta ahayd ee laga isticmaali jiray Gobolada qaar. Waa ogtihiin culayska dhaqaale ee ay lahayd, maantana waxa dhulkaa laga isticmaalaa lacagta Somaliland.

3. Waxbarashada:

Ballanqaadku waxa uu ahaa in dugsiyada dawladda loo shaqaaleeyo 1500 oo macalimiin oo cusub, waxaanu shaqaaleeynay 1700 oo macallin, waxaanu billaash ka dhignay waxbarashada dugsiyada aassaasiga ah, arintani waxa ay culays weyn ka qaaday danyarta iyo inta bulshada ugu nuglayd, waxaanay fursad siisay arday badan oo ay ku adkayd inay helaan xaqa ay u leeyihiin waxbarashada. Waxa kale oo aanu ballanqaadnay inay xukuumaddu kafaaloqaadanayso oo lacagta Fiiga jaamacada laga bixin doono 20ka arday ee imtixaanka ugu sareeya dugsiyada sare ee dawlada, iyo waliba 6-da hablood ee ugu sareeya imtixaanka dugsiyada sare oo iyagana laga bixiyo Jaamacada, ballantaasina way fushay oo 150 arday ayaabay gaadhaysaa tirada ardayda sanadkan fiiga laga kafaaloqaaday.

4. Caafimaadka:

Waxaanu ka qabanay in ka badan intii aanu balanqaadnay, Dhammaan gobolada waaweyn waxaa lagu sameeyay dib u habayn, dayactir iyo qaar wax lagu kordhiyayba, weynu ognahay baahida dalkeenu way ka mug weyn tahay mid aynu kaligeen wada dabooli karayno sidaa awgeed waxa gacan muuqata ka siiya dawlada oo ka caawiya haya'do caalamiya, inkastoo aanay gaadhsiisnayn heerkii loo baahnaa laakiin haba iska yaareetee waynu ugu abaal haynaa, waxaanan ku rajo weynahay in ay kordhin doonaan kaalmadaa caafimaad. Waxaan odhan karaa sanadkan dhammaaday waxa caafimaadka laga qabtay waxyaabo muuqda, haddii ay noqon lahayd dhinaca dhismayaasha xarumaha caafimaadka, hadday tahay qalabka caafimaadka iyo kor u qaadidda aqoonta hawlwadeenada caafimaadka iyo hadday tahay ololeyaasha lagu cidhibtirayo cudurada dilaaga ah iyo kuwa faafa, waxaa Ambalance-yo cusub loo qaybiyey Boorame, Gabiley iyo Ceerigaabo.

Waxaa Hargeysa laga Billaabay dhismaha Cusbitaal weyn oo caalimi ah iyadoo kii horena lagu qalabeeyay 235 sariirood oo cusub, sidoo kale Gabiley waxa laga furay cusbitaal cusub, Waxaa ballan-qaadkayagii ka mid ahaa inaanu shaqaalayno 443 isugu jira dhakhaatiir iyo kalkaaliyaal caafimaad oo ka soo qalinjabiyay jaamacadaha dalka iyo dugsiyada caafimaadka, waana la fuliyay oo way hawlgaleen.

5. Xoolaha:

Xooluhu waa laf-dhabarta dhaqaalaha dalka, sidaa darteed waxa lagama maarmaan ah in lagu dadaalo caafimaadkood iyo daryeelka iyo deegaanka ay ku nool yihiin. Ballanqaadkayagii horena waxa uu ahaa in la Hawl-galiyo 6 kooxood oo ku wareega Gobolada dalka oo ah Dhakhaatiirta Xoolaha, nasiib wanaag waxa hawshaa ka qayb qaatay 30 kooxood oo dhakhaatiira.

Waxaa sanadkan ka dhoofay Dekeda Berbera xoolihii ugu badnaa, taasi oo muujinaysa in dhoofka xooluhu uu sare u kacay. Waxaana xoolaha dhoofay kala yihiin:

· Adhi = 2,386,705 neef
· Lo'o = 529,195
· Geeluna = 470,540
Deegaaanka si loo xoojiyo ilaalinta dhirta iyo badbaadinta Deegaanka, waxa la shaqaaleeyay in ka badan boqol qof oo aqoon iyo khibrad u leh ilaalinta dhirta, deegaanka iyo duurjoogta kuwaasoo ka hawl galay goboalada iyo degmooyinka dalka.

6. Cadaalada iyo Garsoorka:

Si kor loogu qaado waxa la qabtay kulan ballaadhan oo lagaga dooday isla markaana daraasad ka sameeyay xaaladda caddaalada iyo garsoorka, kulankaas oo ay u dhammaayeen, Gudida Caddaalada, Garsoorayaasha, Sharciyaqaanada, Xeerilaalinta, Culimada, madaxdhaqamedka iyo guud ahaanba intii lagu tuhunsanaa inay hawshaa wax ka tari karaan. Kulankan oo ay ujeedadiisu ahayd inuu soo saaro talo cilmi ku dhisan oo lagu saxo caddaalada iyo garsoorka dalka waxa ka soo baxay oo laga soo saaray Buug indha-fur u noqonaya dadaalka aynu ku doonayno inaynu dhisanno nidaam cadaaladeed iyo garsoor lagu bogsado.

Anagoo ka duulayna talooyinkii kasoo baxay daraasadaas iyo ka midho dhalinta sidii ay bulshadu u heli lahayd cadaaladad sugan, waxaanu isbedel ballaadhan ku samaynay masuuliyiinta Gudiga Cadaalada, Maxakamada Sare, iyo dhammaan maxakamadaha Racfaanka, Gobolada iyo degmooyinka.

7. Biyaha:

Biyuhu waa noloshii, waxaana xanuun wayn inagu haya abaarta soo noqnoqta iyo culayska ay biyo yaraantu ku hayso horumarkeena iyo dhaqaalaheena. Sanadkan dhamaaday waxa la dhamaystiray 22 Ceel-biyood oo dhaadheer, halka gacanta lagu hayo 19 Ceel-biyood oo dhaadheer kuwaasoo ku baahsan inta badan gobolada dalka iyadoo loo eegayo baahiyaha iyo helitaanka biyaha.

Waxa dhamaaday 23 Barkadood oo laga qoday guud ahaan gobollada dalka. Waxaana socota biyo-galin lagu samaynayo 18 Tuulo, kuwaasoo ku kala yaaala gobolada Awdal, Salel, Maroodijeex, Togdheer, Saaxil iyo Sool.
Iyadoo Xukuumaddu dedaal dheer ugu jirta sidii loo daboolilahaa baahida biyaha, waxay maal-galin dhan 27 ½
Milyan oo dollar, ka rajaynaysaa Midawga Yurub (EU), taasi oo kor loogu qaadayo habka biyo-galinta magaalooyinnka Hargeysa, Ceerigaabo, Wajaale iyo Burco. Wakaaladaha Biyaha Hargeisa iyo Burco waxay ku tallaabsadeen horumar fiican.

8. Beeraha:

Waxa la sameeyay sahan lagu qiimaynayo cuntada dalka ka soo go'day, taas oo lagu qiyaasay in ay dalka ka soo go'een isugayn 66,451 ton oo hadhuudh ah iyo arabikhi dhan 60,997 tons. Wasaarada Beeruhu waxay ogaatay celcelis ahaan roobka wadanka ka da'ay. Iyada oo kaashanaysa qalab roobbeedyada lagu rakibay gobolada, Waxa dalka laga beeray Bariis, waxaanan, Mudanayaal, idiin cadaynayaa inuu ahaa mid damcadiisa dhadhan ay aad u macaan tahay oo aan aniga laftaydu cunay aadna ugu farxay, waxaa beeralayda loo qaybiyay qalab beereedyo kala gadisan oo dhan. 10 Cagaf cagaf oo cusub oo qiimo jaban lagu tartansiiyay beeralayda dalka iyo qalab kale oo badan.

9. Waddooyinka:

Waxaa dayactir lagu sameeyay wadada laamiga ee u dhexeeya Laascaanood illa Kalabaydh, Waxaa Dawlada iyo Bulshada reer Boorame iska kaashadeen Dilla illaa Borame oo ay dhamaadeen illaa 10KM, waxaanan bogaadinayaa dhamaan intii ka qaybqaadatay. Waxaanu gacan ka gaysanay wadada cusub ee gacanta lagu hayo ee Burco – Oodweyne.

10. Siyaasadda:

Go'aan-ka-gaadhidii furashada ururada siyaasadeed iyo abuuridda gudida diiwaangalinta, iyo ansixinta axsaabta iyadana waa la fuliyay.

11. Gudoomiye, waxaanu idiin soo gudbinay Qorshaha Shanta Sanno ee dalka (5 Years Plan) oo idin horyaalla si aad ula socotaan ku talo-galka xukuumada. Qorshan oo tusmayn-doona tacabgalkeenna iyo waxqabadkeena, waxa kale oo aan ku rajo weynahay inuu cid kasta oo danaynaysa, inay Somaliland wax la qabato amaba wax la qabsato, u fududayn doono fahamka ay uga baahan yihiin baahideena horumarineed, ta dhaqaale, ta caafimaad, ta waxbarasho iyo guud ahaanba yoolkeena waqtiga dhaw.

12. Kuliyada Tababarka Saraakiisha Ciidanka oo uu dalku baahi weyn u qabay ayaa la dhisay oo dhamaatay. Waxaa la diyaariyay derajada iyo qaab-dhismeedka ciidamada kala duwan ee qaran, Waxaa lasoo gebgebeeyay inta badan tirakoobka ciidamada ee aagaga dalka anigoo rajaynaya in uu dhamaandoono bilaha fooda inagu soo haya, intaa ka dibna waxaa la dhaqangelindoonaa derajada ciidama.

Waxaa kor loo qaaday tirada iyo tayadii ciidanka illaalada xeebaha sidoo kale waxa la dardargeliyay kaluumaysiga oo dakhli intii hore ka badani uga hoyday qaranka.

13. Dhalinyarada iyo Ciyaaraha:

Shaqo abuurka, hurumarinta dhalinyarada iyo dhiirigelinta cayaaruhu waxay ka mid tahay meelaha dawladaydu ay mudnaanta siisay iyadoo aanu shaqaalaynay dhalinyaro gaadhaysa 2759 cusub. Waxaanu dhaqangelinay siyaasada dhalinyarada ee heer qaran, waxaanu suuragelinay in xayiraada laga qaado dhalinyarada oo ay u tartami karaan 25jirku golayaasha Deegaanka. Hasayeeshee shaqo la'aantu way ka badan tahay mid sanad iyo labotoona lagula tacaali-karo waxaase noo qorshaysan in la yareeyo shaqo la'aanta. Sidoo kale waxaanu qabanay tartankii cayaaraha gobolada iyadoo dibu dhis lagu sameeyey garoomada Hargeisa iyo Burco, kii Berberana gacantaa lagu hayaa.

14. Waxaanu gudi heer qaran ah u saaray inay daraasad ku sameeyaan kana soo talo bixiyaan Dumarka iyo Beelaha laga tirada badan yahay oo dhibaato ku qabo Doorashooyinka, waxaanan golayaasha usoo gudbindoonaa wixii kasoo baxa. Anigoo fulinaya balan-qaadkaygii, tixgelina siinayna xuquuqda dadka laga tirada badanyahay waxaanu shaqaalaynay 27 xubnood oo kasoo jeeda beelahaa. Waxaa dheer dhawr iyo sodon arday oo ka soo jeeda beelahaa laga tirada badanyahay oo ay xukuumadu ka bixisay kharashka waxbarashada heer jaamacadeed.

Waxaan hambalyo iyo bogaadin u soo jeedinaya Maayirka Gabiley Marwo, Khadra Xaaji Gaydh oo ka dhex muuqday sanadkan wax-qabadkeedu rag iyo dumarba.

15. Siyaasadda Dibedda:

Mudanayaal iyo marwooyin, annagoo maanka ku hayna muhimadda uu mandaqadda u leeyahay, xidhiidhka sokeeye ee waddamada jaarku, bilowgiiba waxaanu safar shaqo ku tagnay jamhuuriyada aynu walaalaha nahay ee Djibouti iyo dalka itopiya ee aynu saaxiibka nahay halkaas oo si weyn naloogu soo dhaweeyay. Waxaanu kulamo la yeelanay madaxda dawladahaa.

Booqashooyinkaa oo aan ku kalsoonahay inay sii adkaysay xidhiidhka iyo waxwada qabsiga aynu la leenahay labadaa dawladood ee aynu walaalaha nahay, waxaanu kaga wada hadalnay iskaashiga dhinacyada nabadgalyada, dhaqaalaha, iyo gancsiga, kulankaa ka dibna waxa Djibouti dib looga furay xafiiskii ay Somaliland ku lahayd oo muddo xidhnaa.

Xidhiidhka aynu la leenahay wadamada carabntu aad buu u jilicsanaa, sidaas awgeed ayaanu ku ibo furnay booqasho rasmiya oo aanu ku tagnay wadamada Imaaraadka carabta, Kuwait iyo Masar oo aanu martiqaadyo ka helay, sida runta ahna waxa naloogu soo dhaweeyay oo ay madaxda iyo Amiirada wadamadaasi nagu qaabileen maqaam sare. Iyadoo aynu garankaro muhimada uu safarkaasi u lahaa qaddiyaddeena, haddana ujeedadii ugu muhiimsanayd ee aanu halkaa u tagnay, isla markaana aanu madaxdaa carbeed kala soo hadalnay, baahida soo noqnoqota ee dalkeenna ka haysata abaaraha iyo biyo la'aanta iyo sidii aynu maalqabeennada carbeed indhahooda ugu soo jeedin lahayn, khayraadka dihin ee dalkeena oo ay u baahan yihiin. Sida runta ahna inkasta oo aannaan ka soo wada helin wixii aynu wayddiisanay iyo baahiddii aanu hor dhignay, haddana waxa hubaal ah inaynu wax la taaban karo kala soo noqonay.

Waxaanu safar kaa la mid ah ku tagnay wadanka shiinaha oo aanu ka wada hadalay maalgashiga dhulkeena isfaham fiicana waanu isla gaadhnay wakhtigan xaadirka ahna waxaa ku muqan wefti waxaana aanu ku rajaweynahay in uu xidhiidhkaasi midho dhal noqondoono.

16. Warfaafinta:

Waa markii ugu horaysay ee Tv-ga qaranku uu gaadho daafaha dunida iyadoo Raadiyihiina qandaraaskiisii la bixiyay gacantana lagu hayo dhismaha iyo dhamaystirka idaacad gaadha wadanka gudihiisa iyo debadiisaba.

17. Waxaa horumar fiican laga sameeyay Dekeda Berbera, Madaarada Hargeisa iyo Berbera.

18. Goloyaasha:

Waxaa hubaal ah in mudadii golahani shaqaynayey uu kala kulmay xukuumadii iga horaysay jawi cakiran oo dabartay shaqadiisii, balse sidii aan kalhore halkan idinkaga codsaday wada shaqayn iyo iskaashi, waxaan qirayaa inaan ka helay gacan buuxda iyo wada shaqayn fiican, waxaana sanadkan aan usoo gudbiyey golayaasha 24 Xeer oo ay ansaxday lana dhaqangeliyay 12 xeer oo ka mid ah, waxaanan goloyaasha uga mahad-celinayaa wada-shaqaynta fiican ee ay ii muujiyeen, waxaan leeyahay, aad-baad ugu mahadsantihiin.
Shirka Taleex

Shirka Taleex wuxuu ku billaabmay jawi nabadgelyo oo beel ka mid ah beelaha Somaliland ay kaga arinsanaysay arimaheeda dhaqan iyo horumarineed inta aanu ognahay, waxaase shirkaa majara habaabiyay koox fidna-walayaal ah oo qaarkood hore ugu caan baxeen Somaliland nacaybka kuwaas oo ujeedadoodu tahay inay colaad ka huriyaan deegaan nabdoon. Beesha Sool iyo dhamaan beelaha reer Somaliland waxay u baahan yihiin nabadgelyo iyo horumar kamana muuqato inay xiligan ka soo baxayaan shirkaa wax lagu tanaado ama ay dani ugu jirto beelahaa.

Dawlada Somaliland marnaba ma ogolaandoonto in qarankan lakala qaybiyo iyo in lagu qadhaabto magacayo aan jirin, waxaanu difaacaynaa midnimada iyo wadajirka Somaliland, intii mas'uulka ka ahayd shir-qoolkaasna waxaanu u aragnaa in ay yihiin dembiilayaal qaran.

Wax-garadka, Samo-taliska iyo duqayda reer Sool waxaan ugu baaqayaa inay ka feejig-naadaan iskana jiraan fidnadaa ay la wareegayaan kooxdaa kusoo duushay wadajirka umada.
Qorshe Sannadeedka 2012

1. Ammaanka iyo Difaaca Qaranka :
Gudoomiye, sanadkan waxaanu muhiimada kowaad siindoonaa kobcinta amaanka, kor u qaadida difaaca dalka si taa loo helona waxaanu tayayn-doonaa ciidamada kala duwan ee qaranka. Somaliland waxay xaq u leedahay difaaca xuduudaheeda sugan, kuwaas oo lama taabtaan ah. Waxaanay diyaar u tahay in ay iska difaacdo cid kasta oo ku soo xad gudubta qaranimadeeda. Golayaashana waxaanu ka rajaynayaa xaalad kasta oo timaada in aad nagu garab gashaan.

2. Miisaaniyadda sanadkan 2012:
Waxaanu diyaarinay Miisaniyad Sanadeedkii 2012, taas oo dakhliga odoriskeedu noqondoono lacag aan ku qiyaasnay Shan Boqol iyo Afartan Bilyan oo Somaliland Shillings (Sh.Sl. 540,000,000,000), taasoo marka la bar bar dhigo miisaaniyaddii kal hore ka badan 10%.

3. Doorashooyinka iyo Ururada Siyaasada: Sanadkan waxaa inoo qorshaysnaa in la qabto doorashadii golayaasha deegaanka ee dalka , Hadaba anigoo tix-raacaya go'aankii uu Golaha Guurtidu ku muddeeyay doorashada golayaasha deegaanada, waxaanu qabanaynaa doorashada dawladaha hoose sannadkan gudihiisa, taasoo suurta gelinaysa kobcinta iyo geedi socodka dimuqraadiyadda aynu dhabadeeda hayno. Maalinta doorashada, waxaa cayimi doona Komishanka Doorashooyinka Qaranka. Waxaanan ururada cusub usoo jeedinayaa inay si saaxiibtino leh u tartamaan, illaaliyaan midnimada isuna haneeyaan cidii ku guulaysata.

4. Siyaasada Arimaha Debeda iyo Ictiraaf Raadinta:
Waxaanu tegaynaa madal kasta oo danta Somaliland ku jirto, Waxaanu hor fadhiisanaynaa cid kasta oo aanu u aragno inay dani ugu jirto qadiyada madax-banaanida Somaliland. Waxaanu ka codsanaynaa shacbiga Somaliland gude iyo dibadba in ay ka qayb qaataan ololaha aqoonsi raadinta Somaliland.

5. Shaqo Abuurka: waxaynu ka war haynaa dhibaatada ay shaqo la'aantu dadkeena ku hayso, iyadoo si gaara ay ii damqayso dhalinyarada ka soo baxaysa jaamacadaha iyo iskuulada ee billaa camalka suuqa kula soo noqonaysa, hadana waxaad ogtihiin awoodeena dhaqaale iyo itaalkeena dawladnimo, mana haysano aqoonsi inoo suurtageliya inaynu hay'adaha dunida ee dhaqaalaha iyo maalgashiga laga martiyo sida World Bank, IMF.

Dadkii aqoonta lahaa wuxuu u yaacayaa qurbaha si uu shaqo uga helo, shaqo abuurkana waxaa aasaas u ah dhaqaalaha iyo aqoonta. Waxaa loo baahan yahay inaynu isku tashano oo eegno sidii aynu isugu habaysan lahayn waxa aynu haysano, hadaba anagoo arintan maanka ku hayna, waxaanu daraasad ku samaynay guryaha dawlada oo ka mida hantida ma guurtada ah ee qarankani leeyahay, waxaa noo cadaatay marka laga reebo inta xafiisyada dawlada in aanay guryaha dawladu qarankan waxba ugu jilayn sida ay hada yihiin, iyadoo intooda badani dad shicib ah iyo dad masuuliin ahaan jiray ay gacanta ugu jiraan, waxaana yar wax kiro bixiya, ama guryaha ay ku jiraan dayac tira, waxay ku kala yaalaan dhamaan gobolada wadanka, waana sidan:
Hargeisa
501 Guri
Burco
119 Guri
Borama
63 Guri
Berbera
264 Guri
Ceerigaabo
23 Guri
Sheekh
24 Guri
Saylac
21 Guri
Oodweyne
3 Guri
Total
1030 Guri

Bal hadaba, 1030-kaa guri markii la qiimeeyay waxaa lagu qiyaasay lacag gaadhaysa illaa $170,000,000. Waxaanan aaminsanahay inay aritani gundhig u noqon karto dhaqaale suurageliya warshado ka badan 10 warshadood iyo wax soo saar ummada u keena shaqo abuur ay ka shaqayn karaan muwaadiniin badani.

6. Samafalka iyo Mucaawinooyinka: iyadoo ay hay'adaha caalamiga qaar ka mida iyo wadamada islaamka qaarkood inaga soo gaadhaan mucaawinooyin kooban oo danyarta iyo foqorada lasiiyo, ayaa waxa muuqata in aanay isla jaan qaadin hayadaha kaalmada bixiyey iyo kuwa dawlada ee qaabilsan sida: Hay'ada AfooyinkaNERAD, Ururinta Zekada, Xafiiska mucaawinooyinka ee madaxtooyada iyo xafiiska dawlada la shaqeeya WFP. Sidaa darteed waxaanu abuuridoonaa komishin guud oo kulmiya Hay'adahaas.

7. Sanaag Bari, anagoo maanka ku hayna muhiimada ay qarankan u leedahay, baahida loo qabo maamul fidinta iyo horumarinta bariga sanaag waxaanu qorshaynay mashaariic gaadhaysa illaa 3 Bilyan SL shillin taasoo u dhiganta ½ million US Dollar. (Nus millyan)

8. Barnaamijka Iskaa wax u qabso oo aan sanadkii hore inoo suurto gelin, duruufihii dhaqaale darteed Waxaanu dib u bilaabaynaa barnaamijkii "iskaa wax u qabso" oo aanu jecelahay in musuuliyiinta iyo dhamaanba bulshadu ka qayb qaadato. Marka cududa ummada la isu-geeyana wax weyn ayay qaban karaan.

9. Waxaanu dedaal gelinaynaa tayayta tacliinta sare, si jaamacaduhu ugu hellaan fursad waxbarasho waxaanu abuuri doonaa nidaam suurageliya in ardayda dugsiyada sare ka qalinjebisaa ay soo maraan hal sano oo shaqo qaran ah (National sevice) iyadoo arintan suurtagalnimadeeda ay ku xidhnaan doonto haynteena, inkasta oo culayskeedu badanyahay waxaase hubaal ah inay dhalinyarada u tahay barbaarin, qarankana u tahay xoog, shaqo iyo difaac, Jaamacadanaha fursad siin-doonto.

10. Barnaamijka xaqsiinta Ciidamada qaranka, Ciidamada qalabka sida ee JSL oo ka kooban Ciidanka Millitariga, Booliiska iyo Asluubta waxay la xuquuq yihiin shaqaalaha dawlada oo iyagu hella xuquuqda ay qaranka ku leeyihiin balse xubnaha ciidamada kala duwan ee inoo haya shaqada ugu muhiimsan ee aynu halkan ku fadhino ma hellaan xuquuqdooda shaqaalanimo, sidaa darteed waxaanu abuuridoonaa Hay'adda Xaqsiinta ciidamada qaranka

Gebogebo

1) Saxaafadda

Xukuumadaydu waxay ku timi hanaan dimuqraadi ah iyo doorasho xor iyo xalaal ah, waxaanay mar walba ixtiraamaysaa xuquuqda iyo xorriyaadka asaasiga ah ee xorriyatul-qawlka. Xorriyadda saxaafadda iyo madax banaanida fikirka muwaadinka waa arin aan ixtiraamayno. Waxaanu dul qaad u leenahay dhaliilaha, toosinta ah ee naloo soo jeediyo. Hase yeeshee, waxaa soo baxay qaar ka gudbay xuduudii uu sharcigu ogolaaa sida TV-ga gaarka loo leeyahay ee Hon Cable TV oo caadaystay faafinta borobagaadada lidiga ku qaranimada Somaliland.

2) Culimada

Maadaama aynu 100% dad muslima nahay, waxa culimada door weyn iyo masuuliyadi ka saarantahay ilaalinta diinta Islaamka, dhaqanka suuban iyo ammaanka. Waxaa lagama maarmaan ah in aynu ka midowno iskana kaashano duruufaha jira si aan da'yarteena loogu marin habaabin fikrado xag jir ah oo aan diinteena waafaqsanayn.

3) Beesha Caalamka

Waxaanu diyaar u nahay in aanu kala shaqayno beesha caalamka danaha guud ee la wadaago, sida ammaanka, la dagaalanka budhcad-badeeda iyo deegaan dhawrista. Waxaanu u soo jeedinaynaa dawladaha caalamka in ay garwaaqsadaan rabintaanka iyo xaqqa ay u leeyihiin shacbiga Somaliland aaya ka tashiga madax-banaanidooda. Sidoo kale waxaanu ka codsanaynaa Qaramada Midoowbey, dalalka deeq bixiye-yaasha iyo hay'adaha samafalka in ay si mug leh noogala qaybqaataan dib udhiska qarankan.

Umada reer Somaliland waxay kasoo gudubtay maalmo badan oo qadhaadh illaa iyo marka laga soo bilaabo isticmaarkii gumaystaha, halgankii dibu xoraynta dalka iyo dhismihii qaranimada oo tacab badani ku soo baxay. Maantana waxaan ku kalsoonahay inay ka gudbi doonaan dibindaabyo kasta oo loo soo maleego,

waxaanan idinkula dardaarmayaa inaad isku duubnaataan, illaalisaan qaranimada si looga midha gaadho himilada umadani mudada dheer ku naaloonaysay.

Somaliland’s Place in the World

2012-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

Somaliland's Place in the World

Chatham House Document

In July 2011, Chatham House held a small roundtable meeting with Somaliland politicians, civil society, diaspora and thinkers along with experts and observers from key international partners. The roundtable aimed to discuss Somaliland's place in the world twenty years after it's self-declared, and still unrecognised, independence.

The meeting sought to encourage new thinking about Somaliland in a neutral and private environment, and was held under the Chatham House Rule. This short meeting note presents some of the issues raised in the discussion.

It is not intended to comprehensively cover the debates held, but simply aims to raise some important questions for Somaliland and its partners.

What is Somaliland's status?

A core element of the problem for Somaliland and its partners is the question of status. While the Somaliland government is able to exercise control over much of the territory it claims, can collect taxes, provide some services, and has held a number of successful democratic elections, Somaliland does not benefit from formal international status. Somaliland claims recognition but has no constitutionally or internationally recognised route to achieve it.

New initiatives seek to find practical ways for Somaliland to function in the international sphere despite its lack of recognition. Ideas include enabling international donors to contribute to a fund which could be administered jointly by donors and the Somaliland government – which as an unrecognised entity is not eligible for direct budgetary support. Innovative relational mechanisms, be they financial or diplomatic, give an impression of progress yet their innovation can be seen as recognition of Somaliland's unique status rather than implying de facto or future political recognition in any formal sense.

Somaliland's primary foreign policy aim is to seek international recognition as a sovereign state. Its partners are happy to encourage stability but are concerned about the potential negative impact formal recognition might have on the wider Somalia issue. African partners in particular are sensitive to the creation of new countries on the continent, as respect for borders inherited from colonial rule is a key principle underpinning the African Union (AU).

Internationally, there is a hierarchy of status.

Recognised state: the recognised state is at the pinnacle, and enjoys uncontested recognition of its status as a legal entity.

Partially-recognised state: the state is recognised by some, but because its legality and/or independence is contested, it does not have access to all international bodies. Kosovo is an example.

Unrecognised entities: such an entity may have the objective characteristics of a state, but is unable to actualise this statehood. Somaliland falls into this category.

Somaliland argues for its right to recognition on the basis that it voluntarily entered a federation with Somalia in 1960, and so independence would be the result of Somaliland's secession, and would not equate to the creation of a new state. This argument has strength but without political support from other nations it is not sufficient.

Somaliland has a choice in picking the focus of its lobbying. It could aim to obtain recognition from an influential external state, such as the US or Ethiopia, which may help it achieve a status similar to Kosovo's.

Alternatively, it could try to get consent from Mogadishu for its independence, which would lead to wide international acceptance. Neither route is simple or, at present, likely.

Existing links across Somalia and Somaliland

Somaliland is not insulated from the course of events within Somalia. 2008′s terrorist attacks in Hargeisa and the border dispute with Puntland are but two examples of Somaliland's continuing, albeit unwilling, entanglement in wider Somalia politics. The separatist movement Sool, Sanag and Cayn (SSC) demonstrates that the trend for micro-entities in the rest of Somalia also impacts on Somaliland.

However, there are also positive links. Civil society groups across Somalia make use of Somaliland as a safe haven, and people displaced by fighting in the South are able to live in Somaliland. Businesses operate across the Horn of Africa's Somali-inhabited lands from Somaliland. There are strong cross- border links between elites and ordinary people.

Can Somaliland help the South?

At present Somaliland is able to operate independently with relatively little obstruction as there is little in the way of effective government at a national level in Somalia. However, if Somaliland fails to resolve its relations with the rest of Somalia problems are likely to be stored up for the future. Possible challenges include the potential for a spillover of violence from the South, or a future political or military contestation of Somaliland's right to exist by a functioning central government of Somalia. Though the issue of relations with Somalia is highly contentious, it cannot be ignored.

It was apparent through the course of the meeting that there is a disconnect between what Somaliland considers to be its position in the world and what its international partners feel are important issues to focus on. International concern remains centred on the problem of Somalia's weak governance and instability. Somaliland's success is seen as offering some hope for resolving problems in south-central Somalia. International partners are keen to find a way to involve Somaliland in the search for peace in the South, believing that as an entity which has emerged from a successful Somali-led peace process and has undergone democratic transformation, Somaliland could contribute important insights to the wider peace process.

On the other hand, Somalilanders are far from enthusiastic about any kind of engagement in the problems of Somalia. They see little to be gained and much to be lost in becoming entangled in seemingly intractable negotiations and war that could spread destabilisation to the north-west. Many also argue that Somalia's issues are not their responsibility. Since Somaliland declared independence Somalia's instability is seen as a concern only because they are neighbours.

However, Somaliland may also lose out if it is excluded (or excludes itself) from discussions about Somalia's future. Such discussions could lead to an internationally recognised and enshrined constitutional settlement which runs against the interests of Somaliland. From this perspective there are important risk-avoidance reasons for Somaliland's engagement in wider Somali peace processes.

The Importance of a Process

One key idea emerging from this meeting highlighted the pragmatic advantages for Somaliland in entering an internationally recognised process, rather than trying to forge a path based on solitary lobbying and appeals to justice or historical rights.

his argument was not accepted by all meeting participants, and it is understandably hard for many Somalilanders to accept that they have more to do. Many feel that after fighting the Barre regime and struggling to build peace they deserve recognition. Likewise for Somaliland's politicians there is very real political risk in being seen to accept that Somaliland must do more before recognition is achieved, or that it should engage more widely in discussions on Somalia's future. However, many participants saw some benefit in trying to build a process which puts Somaliland on a legally recognised course towards defining its status.

The experience of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) was given as an example where an organisation entered an internationally- recognised process that delivered recognition. In the case of Sudan, this process was agreed between partners who were suspicious of each other.

Despite this, a constitutional arrangement was reached which may have been seen as less than perfect by some, but which crucially guaranteed certain rights for both sides and a path to recognised independence. The Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) became the constitutional guarantee of recognition and put South Sudan in a secure legal position.

For South Sudan, the CPA provided that route. Despite the nervousness of some about South Sudan's viability as an independent state, its right to recognition in July 2011 could not be disputed because the CPA was formally accepted by both parties and had already been internationally recognised.

Many external partners will not recognise Somaliland until a Mogadishu- based government does so. However, if Somaliland were to enter a process similar to the CPA, a situation could be created where Somaliland has its current status guaranteed and international partners are able to engage more fully with Hargeisa, despite the lack of immediate recognition. Entering talks or beginning a process does not require any party to initially accept the positions of others. In theory, all sides could agree that they disagree on certain issues, such as Somaliland's status, but still engage in useful discussions.

Conclusion

There remains tension between international hopes that Somaliland can become involved in the wider Somalia peace process and the insistence of Somaliland on remaining separate. However, Somaliland could benefit from being part of a formal process that would offer a path to regularising its position in the eyes of Somalia, the AU and the wider international community.

This does not mean abandoning the advances that Somaliland has made.

Indeed those advances mean Somaliland is in a position of strength when it comes to designing a path forward. But such a process offers the chance to attain a fully recognised status in a way that relying on a strong emotive case or appealing to history does not. It is not easy for many people in Somaliland to accept that there is more they need to do; indeed it may seem highly unfair to ask them to do so. Yet if it is the only realistic path to the recognition Somaliland deserves, then perhaps a pragmatic re-engagement with the wider Somali search for peace may be a price ultimately worth paying.

Friday, 13 January, 2012

AFRICA: AU wants peace, security and bigger global role in 2012

2012-01-12T21:06:00.001-08:00

AFRICA: AU wants peace, security and bigger global role in 2012

WASHINGTON, 12 January 2012 (IRIN) - The African Union (AU) has unveiled an ambitious wish-list of priorities for Africa that would give the continent a stronger global voice, boost democracy and encourage peace and security.

AU Ambassador to the United States, Amina Ali of Tanzania, presented the list of top priorities at a conference on 11 January held at Washington think-tank, the Brookings Institution.

Among them were the regulars - peace and security, enhanced democracy and good governance - as well as improved regional trade and greater involvement of the continent's large diaspora in African affairs.

The first priority for Africa was the AU's resolve to review its international partnerships to ensure they bring greater benefits to Africa.

"We are working to be able to build closer partnerships with our international partners so that Africa can really attain a sustainable economy," Ali told the conference.

The AU wants Africa to manufacture and export finished products to its trading partners rather than just selling them the raw materials as it does now. She cited China, India, the EU and US and other rising stars in trade with the continent, including Turkey and Latin America, and said the AU had held talks on the new breed of partnerships with some of them.

The AU also wants Africa to have a veto-wielding seat on the UN Security Council, and a place at the G20 negotiating table, Ali said.

The peace and security that have eluded Africa for decades continue to be high on the list of problems that the continent needs to resolve, but she spoke only of conflict in Sudan. "The AU will continue to look into issues for Sudan," Ali said.

A report released at the conference, Foresight Africa, highlighted other tinderboxes and called for "urgent instability and warfare policy reviews" to meet the challenges the continent faces in not only Sudan but also in Somalia and Nigeria. [ http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2012/01_priorities_foresight_africa.aspx ]

The report compares the instability in Africa to the decade-old US-led war in Afghanistan, and warned that if "the current trend continues", a swathe of Africa, stretching from the Horn to Nigeria, "is likely to experience increasing instability and warfare, while narratives of jihadist revolt and terrorist technologies circulate among its citizens".

The unrest could affect Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia, the report says. Clearly, the AU has to do more than just supervise goings-on in Sudan and its new neighbour, South Sudan.

The AU also pledged to "review the mechanism for democratic process in Africa" after the wake-up call from the uprisings in the Arab world, including North Africa, a year ago, Ali said.

The AU will press member states to sign a charter ratified by the AU assembly in 2007, which aims to strengthen democracy and good governance in Africa, she said.

The charter was inspired in part by concern that "unconstitutional changes of governments" are a key cause of insecurity and "violent conflict" in Africa, and by a determination to "strengthen good governance through the institutionalization of transparency, accountability and participatory democracy".

As of November last year, 38 of the AU's 54 member states had signed the charter, but only 10 had ratified it. It is notable that nearly all the countries in the areas of Africa that are "likely to experience increasing instability and warfare" have signed the charter, with the exception of Somalia and Eritrea in the east and Cameroon in the west.

Food security

The AU will take steps to establish "food reserves" that give areas that face drought a "cushion" against famine, said Ali. She also voiced fears that parts of west Africa could be hit by drought this year, highlighting the need to rapidly establish food reserves - a tough challenge in a time of high food prices and an economic crisis in Europe, which has hit Africa.

Africa also has to "secure access to markets and competitive prices for farmers" or "risk inciting unrest" and food riots, the Foresight Africa report says.

AU officials will push in 2012 to establish a free trade zone that spans the length and breadth of the continent, Ali said. It would boost commerce between countries, a key step towards development.

At present, less than 15 percent of African trade stays on the continent - the rest is sold abroad.

The last item on the AU wish-list is greater involvement of the African diaspora, said to outnumber Africans at home, in the continent's affairs.

The AU is due to host an African diaspora summit in May, Ali said.

Ali stressed the importance of the diaspora to the continent: remittances represent a larger revenue source for Africa than overseas development aid.

SOMALIA: ICRC suspends aid deliveries

2012-01-12T18:51:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: ICRC suspends aid deliveries

NAIROBI, 12 January 2012 (IRIN) - One of the few aid agencies excluded from a ban imposed by Al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia has suspended food and seed distributions to 1.1m people in the south and centre of the country after local authorities repeatedly blocked its deliveries.

"The suspension will continue until we receive assurances from the authorities controlling those areas that distributions can take place unimpeded and reach all those in need, as previously agreed," said Patrick Vial, the head of the ICRC delegation for Somalia, in a statement released on 12 January. [ http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/news-release/2012/somalia-news-2011-01-12.htm ]

Without specifically mentioning Al Shabaab, which controls most of the region, the ICRC said deliveries intended for 240,000 people in the Middle Shabelle and Galgaduud had been blocked since mid-December 2011.

"We are actively seeking the cooperation of the local authorities to restore conditions that will allow the resumption of the suspended activities as soon as possible," Vial said.

Some three million people in southern and central Somalia are need of humanitarian assistance because of the combined effects of drought and conflict. Of these up to 250,000 still live in famine conditions, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF), which launched operations against Al-Shabaab in Somalia in October, appealed for more humanitarian assistance to be provided to areas it had captured.

"We are calling on international organizations with the ability to provide humanitarian aid in areas under KDF/TFG [Transitional Federal Government of Somalia] control to do so," Maj Emmanuel Chirchir told IRIN.

Currently, Chirchir said, KDF/TFG and Ethiopian forces control parts of Gedo region and several supply routes in the south.

"The environment exists for aid work in areas and supply routes controlled by KDF/TFG because KDF/TFG can provide escort to aid workers; the aid agencies have to iron out with KDF/TFG ways and means of guaranteeing the security of aid workers," he said.

According to OCHA Somalia spokesman Russell Geekie, "Decisions about where humanitarians operate are based on need and the prevailing security situation so organizations are monitoring the situation closely."

Another senior humanitarian official told IRIN: ""Aid agencies are continually reassessing security in Somalia and do operate wherever it is safe enough. But they generally avoid being associated with any armed group, to demonstrate their neutrality."

"We cannot eat security"

Haji Hiifow, a resident of the town of Buurgabo, 90km from the Kenyan border and which is under the control of combined Kenyan and TFG forces, said the area was still reeling from the effects of a prolonged drought and has not recovered yet, despite the recent rains.

Hiifow said area residents and internally displaced people (IDPs) who fled to Buurgabo from other towns were facing food shortages. He said that there was no aid agency operating in the area.

Although the town was relatively secure now, Hiifow said, "we cannot eat security; we need something to eat and medical help".

Js/am

Fatwa: He gets a contract to do some work then hires people to do it for less pay

2012-01-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

I work for a company that offers media services to other companies. The work is done by programmers whom I hire to do this work, and I send them to the companies that have asked us for help.
The profits are represented in the difference between what we charge to the company, which is somewhat high, and what we pay the workers, which is less.
If this income is not halaal, how should I purify my wealth that I have earned until now? Do I have to do leave my work immediately or wait until I find another job? I have a family and four young children. I fear my Lord and I do not want to feed them anything but that which is halaal.
Please help me, may Allah reward you with good and bless your work.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is permissible for the one who is hired or given a contract to do some work, to hire other people to do this work for less pay and to benefit from the difference in payment, unless the agreement was that the first worker should do the work himself or he was chosen specifically for the task, as in the case where someone hires a well known calligrapher or designer.

It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (3/566):

If one is hired to do some work for pay, such as sewing and the like, there is nothing wrong with him hiring someone to do it for a lesser fee. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

If a person is hired to do some work on the basis of a contract, if it is said to him: We want you to clean this house every day and you will have one hundred riyals per month, then he hires someone else to clean the house every day, in the way described in the original contract, but for fifty riyals, this is permissible, because it is similar to when we say that it is permissible to sublet a property for the remainder of the rental period for a higher rate than one is paying. And this is how people do things today. You will find the state – for example – giving a contract to a company to clean mosques, and for each mosque they pay such and such per month. Then this company brings workers to do the work agreed upon for less than a quarter of what was agreed with the government. But if there is a particular reason for hiring that specific person, then giving the job to someone else is not permissible. For example, if you hired someone to copy out Zaad al-Mustaqni' (a book of Hanbali fiqh) for you, and you know that this man has good handwriting or makes few mistakes, then he hired someone who has beautiful handwriting to copy it for a lower price, the scholars say that this is not permissible because what matters is copying properly, not just beautiful handwriting. Rather what matters is beautiful handwriting, proper punctuation and minimum errors. How many people have the most beautiful handwriting but they make too many mistakes. Many students have good handwriting but they do not follow the rules of writing; many people have poor handwriting that no one can read except one who is used to it, but there are no errors in his writing. Whatever the case, the point is that whoever is hired for a skill he has, it is not permissible for him to get someone else to do it for him.

End quote from al-Sharh al-Mumti', 10/39.

Based on that, there is nothing wrong with accepting work and hiring out people to do it for less pay, on condition that the advertisements in question are for halaal things. For more information please see the answers to questions no. 93376 and7834.

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

SOMALIA REQUIRES CONTINUED ASSISTANCE DESPITE GAINS AGAINST FAMINE – UN OFFICIAL

2012-01-12T18:15:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA REQUIRES CONTINUED ASSISTANCE DESPITE GAINS AGAINST FAMINE – UN OFFICIAL

The top United Nations relief official in Somalia said today that international humanitarian support last year in the face of drought and famine in the country succeeded in saving numerous lives, but the situation remains fragile, with millions of people in need of continued assistance.

Last July famine was declared in three zones of Somalia and the UN and its partners appealed for $1.5 billion to tackle the crisis.

"The call for assistance in July received a tremendous response and we know that over the last year $1.3 billion was actually raised for Somalia… the majority of which has been spent," said Mark Bowden, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, at a news conference in New York.

"That enabled us to have a tremendous impact on the both the nutritional status and mortality figures facing children and adults across Somalia," he said.

The $1.5 billion appeal, the highest ever for humanitarian work in Somalia, was to support ongoing relief work in the country last year and to fund programmes to enable those who lost their livelihoods and were displaced from their land to go back and restart their lives afresh.

The "gains are very fragile and require the sustained support and engagement of the international community," Mr. Bowden said.

He pointed out that last year's assistance enabled relief organizations to reduce the number of people at risk of outright famine from 750,000 to 150,000 and prevented the spread of diarrhoeal illness and other infectious diseases through large-scale chlorination of water and increased health services.

"So, part of Somalia's story is a success, but as ever in a place like Somalia success is limited," said Mr. Bowden. "The fact [that] we managed to reduce the number of people actually classified in famine did not mean that there was no crisis. A lot of people remain in a very precarious situation… where the potential to turn back into famine continues to exist."

Four million Somalis remain in need of assistance on a regular basis, including food aid, health care and water and sanitation services, according to Mr. Bowden.

"This year in particular we have the responsibility… to make sure that the displaced population… are able to return to their homes, able to return to their lands and able to regain their livelihoods.

"If we don't we will end up with an increasingly large destitute population in Somalia," he said, noting that the country already has 1.5 million long-tern internally displaced persons.

Where is the Somaliland government in the Taleex gathering? Ibrahim M Mead political analyst Ottawa, Canada

2012-01-12T07:58:00.001-08:00

Where is the Somaliland government in the Taleex gathering? Ibrahim M Mead political analyst Ottawa, Canada

Is a deception in play or is it just indecisiveness from the Somaliland government regarding the "Taleex" tribal gathering?
Is it lack of courage and conviction from the government side?
Is the government playing the excuses of legendary Egaal Sheelaad?
Is the government has a hidden agenda which will take effect in the wee hours of the gathering in Taleex , which will surprise every body in the end and Which will save Somaliland from the war lords, political predators and Somaliland haters!

Where is the government in this Taleex exercise which could by all means harm the unity, integrity and the sovereignty of Somaliland?
Is the government's approach to confront the hard issues a detour or a destiny!
Where is the fire wall protecting the nation from those causing her harm and mayhem!

I am not second-guessing the good intentions and honesty of the governmentto wards this Taleex issues but I am wondering like all concerned citizens are! Who put the people to sleep by redirecting them to Seemal incident? Who facilitated and who protected the Taleex gathering? I think the people have a right to know what is going there and where the government stand is?!
If and when a political predator and a Somaliland hater from one side or the other out maneuvers and out plays the Somaliland government, it is indeed a cause for concern!

The least the Taleex group will prove is that Siilanyo's trip to the borders of Somaliland was just an exercise in futility and had no legs!
They may disprove that we control all the borders of Somaliland!
They may win the argument that their region is not under the control of the government of Somaliland.
It may become a copy cat for others and the rest of it and so on and so forth!

Indecisiveness

In this question, the story of Egaal sheelaad must be told!
[Egal sheelad is a legendary figure in the Somali legends]

Egale Sheelad,s sheep were in the barn- "xero" A predator-a hyena approaches the barn. His wife waked him up and told him that the beast is about to attack the sheep.
"Did the hyena actually do it" inquired Egal Sheelad. "But it is approaching the herd" his wife answered. "Let us see how the process (of approaching) plays out" responded Egal Sheelad. His wife interrupted him and said, "The hyena jumped over the fence" "But did the hyena catch any of the sheep?" said Egal Sheelad. "Not yet" she replied. His wife shouted and said, "Now it has seized a sheep" Egale said, "but did it take the sheep over the fence?" "No" his wife responded "Let us see what happens next" advised Egale. "Now it did" his wife told him.
"OK now, give me the spear, give me the shield, give me the dagger, give me the club and come before me.
By the time his wife collected all these weaponry the sheep was gone and the predator had his feast and went away laughed all the way to the jungle!

Peace and prayers

Ibrahim Mead

DEVELOPMENTS IN NIGERIA TOP DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN UN CHIEF AND FOREIGN MINISTER

2012-01-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

DEVELOPMENTS IN NIGERIA TOP DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN UN CHIEF AND FOREIGN MINISTER
New York, Jan 10 2012 7:10PM
Recent developments in Nigeria, including progress in the investigation of last year's bomb attack against the United Nations offices in the capital, Abuja, topped discussions today between Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ayodeji Ashiru.

Twenty-five people, including 13 UN staff, died in the attack on 26 August last year.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Ashiru also exchanged views on how best to enhance the fight against piracy off West Africa's Gulf of Guinea, with the Secretary-General commending Nigeria for its crucial support of neighbouring Benin through the joint patrols the two countries are conducting along their shared coastline in an effort to stem the scourge.

The Secretary-General also thanked Mr. Ashiru for the support Nigeria provided to the recent UN-African Union mission to Africa's Sahel region to assess the impact of the Libyan crisis on countries in the area, according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=2142">readout of the meeting provided by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

Discussions between the two leaders also touched on the situation in Somalia, including the need to continue to support the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and the timely implementation of the road map designed to restore peace and stability in the Horn of Africa country. They also discussed the situation in the Sudan's Darfur region.

IRAQ: UN OFFICIAL STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF DIALOGUE IN RESOLVING TENSIONS

2012-01-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

IRAQ: UN OFFICIAL STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF DIALOGUE IN RESOLVING TENSIONS
New York, Jan 8 2012 10:10PM
The top United Nations official in Iraq met today with the parliamentary speaker of the country to discuss the recent upsurge in political and sectarian tensions.

Martin Kobler, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and the head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), held talks in Baghdad with Usama al-Nujaifi, Speaker of Iraq''s Council of Representatives.

Mr. Kobler emphasized the need for Iraqi political leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue, according to a press statement issued by UNAMI.

He also voiced support for the proposal to hold a national conference, saying it offered a way to "find common ground in the spirit of partnership" based on Iraq''s constitution. which recognizes both the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary.

The Special Representative also stressed the important role that the Council of Re
presentatives plays in encouraging democracy to take root in Iraq.

Political tensions have risen in recent weeks in Iraq and the country has also been hit by a series of deadly bomb blasts.
/

Danish Warship Frees 14 Hostages in Somalia Action

2012-01-08T18:11:00.001-08:00

Danish Warship Frees 14 Hostages in Somalia Action

A Danish warship freed 14 Iranian and Pakistani hostages following a seaborne action against alleged pirates off Somalia's coast, the Danish Navy said late Saturday.

"The operation took place as planned and without harm to the ship's crew, the hostages or the pirates," said Carsten Fjord Larsen, Captain of the warship Absalon, which conducted the action, in a press statement.

The Danish Navy is now considering what further action to take with the 25 alleged pirates who were found on board, and how to send home the hostages.

On Saturday morning, the Absalon, which is part of a NATO-led anti-piracy operation, pursued a fishing boat it had suspected of being a pirate mother ship for some time, off Somalia's coast in the Indian Ocean.

"After three hours, the 25 pirates gave themselves up. Some began to throw their weapons overboard, and others followed," Larsen told DR News, Denmark's public broadcaster.

The Absalon fired warning shots and gave verbal instructions to the pirates to surrender, he added.

On inspection, the fishing vessel, which was previously hijacked by pirates, was found to contain small motor boats and fuel, allegedly used by the pirates.

Both alleged pirates and hostages are now being registered and questioned, while the fishing vessel is held alongside the Absalon with a view to returning it to its rightful owner.

There is no information on how long the hostages have been held captive, but Larsen said they have now made contact with their families.

Without a functional government since 1991, Somalia has become a home for pirates who have launched numerous attacks on commercial shipping off its coast. They are believed to make millions of dollars by capturing and ransoming both commercial and private ships and crews.

Musharraf to Return to Pakistan, Contest Parliamentary Election

2012-01-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

Musharraf to Return to Pakistan, Contest Parliamentary Election

By Khurrum Anis and Haris Anwar

Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who stepped down in 2008 after almost a decade in power as he faced possible impeachment charges, promised to return to the country this month and contest a parliamentary election scheduled for 2013.

Addressing a rally of supporters yesterday in Karachi, the country's biggest city, via a live video link from Dubai, Musharraf said he will return to the city between Jan. 27 and Jan. 30 and stand for the elections from the city of Chitral in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ex-army chief said court cases linking him to two political assassinations were "baseless" and he will fight them in the courts.

"The people should decide if they want the same leaders and political parties, and they should execute this decision in the next general elections," said Musharraf, who added that he wanted to restore "prosperity, progress and peace" to the country.

While Musharraf's plan to re-enter Pakistani politics after a more than three-year self-imposed exile comes amid a confrontation between the civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari and the military, his ability to shape events will be limited, said Talat Masood, a retired army general and political analyst.

Musharraf, 68, has "very marginal political support" in Pakistan, Masood said in a phone interview Jan. 6 in Islamabad. "I don't see any possibility of him genuinely commanding widespread influence in any constituency."

Supreme Court Probe

Pakistan's Supreme Court is probing allegations by a U.S.- Pakistani businessman that Zardari offered through his envoy to Washington to remove senior military chiefs in return for U.S. pressure to avert a coup in the wake of Osama bin Laden's killing in May. The inquiry by a judicial commission was prompted by the main opposition party and is supported by top generals. Zardari and the now dismissed ambassador, Husain Haqqani, deny the coup fear claims and the government has opposed the court investigation.

Musharraf ousted the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a 1999 bloodless coup after a dispute over support for Pakistan-backed militants occupying Indian-controlled territory in the Kargil region of Kashmir. He became a U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Washington and New York.

The former military commando quit the president's office after Pakistan's parliament threatened to bring impeachment charges against him, alleging the illegal seizure of power as he suspended the constitution for a second time in 2007 and economic mismanagement. He left Pakistan and has lived mainly in London and Dubai since August 2008.

High Court Order

A Pakistani high court in November ordered the government to bring Musharraf and his former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz back home on charges that they were behind the killing of Akbar Bugti, a tribal politician from Baluchistan, the Dawn newspaper reported on Nov. 25. Aziz denied involvement, the paper said in December.

In February last year, a trial court issued an arrest warrant for Musharraf over allegations he played a role in the 2007 assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf, who survived at least four assassination attempts by Islamic extremists while in power, started his All Pakistan Muslim League party in 2010. Pakistani police the same year issued charges against him for unlawfully keeping top judges under house arrest in 2007 when he imposed emergency rule in the country.

--Editor: Mark Williams, John Deane

To contact the reporters on this story: Khurrum Anis in Karachi at kkhan14@bloomberg.net; Haris Anwar in Islamabad at hanwar2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Tighe at ptighe@bloomberg.net

Taleh conference.leopard in sheeps clothes. An obvious threat to somaliland soveriegnty

2012-01-05T07:52:00.001-08:00

Taleh conference.leopard in sheeps clothes. An obvious threat to somaliland soveriegnty….

Taleh conference.leopard in sheeps clothes.

An obvious threat to somaliland soveriegnty….

i don´t want to go any deeper into the issue of taleh conference and its surrounded anti-somaliland mysterious policies. i just want to send a kind of warning message to somaliland's various security agencies who appear to be either unaware of the danger or rather indifferent for the whole matter and it's possible unpleasant final results.

As we almost all know,there are already some anti-somaliland radical delegates there attending the meeting, including high-ranking SSC terrorist leaders,whose main intention is to weaken our bare-handed built peace and stability or atleast try to bring about a considerable damage on our delicate and most reputed democracy.they also deliberately want to terrorize our decent way of society, through addresing and exagerating the factual situation,in order to create bloody hostility and form a kind of barrier between our brotherly citizens.As far as some attendants are concerned, member delegates are, to my great surprise, already seriously discussing the possibilty of even declaring their own state which they want to separate from the rest of somalind republic.

However, our minister of interior has lately held a press conference in which he illustrated us on the danger involves in the meeting if it is misled from it´s pre-stated natural course.he also told that he would be very alert and constantly keep his eyes on,and he will take swift action if final results in taleh hosted so-called khaatumo 2 does not meet the needs and interests of somaliland. On behalf of my fellow peace loving somalilanders, i congratulate minister (duur) for his awareness and courage.

I also hereby wish to remind the minister that our late administrations have so long been reluctant from deploying our forces into the remothest ,most disputed eastern border areas and that it is high time now, that we finally secured all four corners of our country so that we will not allow such unacceptable, anti-somaliland challenges to occur elsewhere and anywhere in the bounderies of the republic in the future.

Finally,let me send one similar clear message in "capital letters"to all khaatumo2 member delegates.

GENTLEMEN, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT ONE THING IS A SIMPLE FACTV THAT CAN NO LONGER BE OVERLOOKED..

Dhulmahante and their belonged territories are both part of somaliland. those of you who denny us freedom or oppose our blessed sovereignty are better advised before it is too late, to shift from here in groups as well as individuals and find a place to settle elsewhere in that great somalia for which they are so damn thirsty. Go and share your sick attitude with that corrupted and disintegrated so-called transitional government in the south.cause there is no place for hatred,tribalism,discrimination among our healthy society.

suleiman kooreeye.

chairman of somaliland diaspora in the netherlands…

UDUB: Let Us Not Be Hasty...

2012-01-03T17:55:00.001-08:00

UDUB: Let Us Not Be Hasty...

The UDUB party has a long and honourable history in Somaliland. It is has a record unlike any political party in Somaliland, including the current ruling party KULMIYE. It is unfortunate to see the sad spectacle of the party tearing itself from within.

Granted that there are leadership issues. The vacuum created by the absence of the party chairman and former Somaliland president Dahir Rayale Kahin, for family reason, has led to the appearance of fractures within the structure of the party.

Undoubtedly, the emergence of new political parties and the departure of several leading lights from UDUB has contributed to current impasse. But, the party is bigger than any personality or a clique.

Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, the former vice-president of Somaliland and currently deputy partly leader of UDUB, is a fine and patriotic Somalilander. To accuse him, as some have of "selling the party is ludicrous". Having said that, the way the new leadership or "presidential candidate" has been conducted, even though the election is at least four years away, is both incorrect and premature.

Surely, in order to select a leader, the party must hold a general conference. Secondly, the current chairman, former president Dahir Riyale Kahin has not resigned or vacated the position. Should not all party members have a say as to who the next leader should be?

Both Ali Waran'adde and Jamal Ali Hussien are worthy candidates, but, it is obvious, that we must go through the normal process and normal channels, before, we conclude the contest.

Time is on the side of the party, and with each passing day, it is clear that current ruling party, KULMIIYE and its administration is not up the task of steering the ship that is Somaliland.

Let us not be hasty and let us not throw away the image and reputation of a serious political party like UDUB, over money or individual interest.

Cali Maxamed

Ethiopia denies escorting a Somali leader to tribal conference

2012-01-03T17:51:00.001-08:00

Ethiopia denies escorting a Somali leader to tribal conference

HARGEISA — Ethiopia's representative to Somaliland, Berhai Tesfie, strongly denied having relations with Somalia's former Prime Minister Ali Khalif Galeyr on Monday in Hargeisa.

Speaking from his office with Geeska Afrikanewspaper, Ambassador Tesfie, denied rumors that security members of Somali Regional State of Ethiopia escorted the former Somali leader to Taleeh in Somaliland's disputed Sool province. "My government does not have any working relationship with him. We don't even know him," he said while answering a question raised by a reporter.
Mr. Galeyr, a controversial politician, is said to be one of the officials taking part in the Dhulbahante clan conference known as Khatuumo Two. Somaliland expressed its concern about Mr. Galayr who they suspect of being a supporter of the weak transitional federal government in Mogadishu. Yesterday the government held a press conference in which they warned politicians from Somalia and "opportunists" groups from abroad not to hijack the tribal gathering. Somaliland Interior minister, Mohamed Nuur Arale, made it clear that Hargeisa was ready to protect its judicial sovereignty and there was no compromising on that. "Regarding security disturbances in Sool, the government will be strict in guaranteeing public order and the sovereignty of the Republic of Somaliland," he said.

The Ethiopian ambassador, who called on the conference to announce his country's plans to boost its usage of Berbera port facility took more questions from local reporters.

When asked if Ethiopia was still willing to mediate between Somaliland and Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland over heir long-standing border dispute he said: "Any mediation effort would have to come from the disputing parties. Ethiopia has moral duty to provide the venue for dialogue but its up to Somaliland and Puntland region to take the initiatives."

Finally the ambassador was asked for his reaction to the unexpected move by President Silanyo to appoint the former general director of Berbera port, Ali Omar Mohamed, to head the port again.

This was his response: "The Ethiopian government is only interested in someone that is professional with proven records. Someone that is a positive force for our relationship and upholds the contractual agreement between the two nations." Ambassador Tesfie went on to say its irrelevant if "Ali or Omar" is running the port as long as "bilateral agreements" are respected.
He was referring to a recent dispute between Ethiopian merchants using the port and the Minister of Finance. Ethiopia complained the minister was collecting port charges on import as well as transportation charges. The Ethiopian merchants argue they should only pay for transshipment charges. The Ambassador noted he forwarded a letter to the Ministry of Finance expressing their concern and the Ministry is yet to respond.

Berbera port mainly handles relief grain imports from the European Union and the WFP.

Somalilandpress/Geeska Afrika

Education knocking the doors: a time to unlock the potential of many brothers and sisters of Somali region in Ethiopia

2012-01-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

Education knocking the doors: a time to unlock the potential of many brothers and sisters of Somali region in Ethiopia

Education is not a charity rather a fundamental human right for all people irrespective of their sex, race, economic status which is the key to sustainable development, peace and stability among countries. In any society, the provision of education is a fundamental and basic for human resource development.

Educating a nation remains the most vital strategy for the development of the society throughout the developing world. However what I want to share the readers is how nowadays the people of Somali region in Ethiopia are waking up year after year, are ready to keep up this education opportunity that is standing in front of their doors every Saturdays and Sundays, because, the region were long behind the rest of the country when it comes the number of educated people graduated from the different colleges and universities of the country or even joining for many reasons, like socio-economic problem, distance of the universities to the region, criteria to join different colleges and universities and others who visited the environment of universities and comeback.

There were not universities in the region which award the students with degree level like never before. Thanks to Distance and Extension degree programs that Jigjiga and Haramaya Universities are giving a lot of brothers and sisters who didn't get them like this opportunities which I can say is waykusoo martee waxkaqabso, to unlock their potential and take the advantage this time, if the education came after them and saying please I did not come anyother thing rather to unlock your minds and hopes that you once locked and tell them if there is other people who were once what is called in local language ' Matric Quslanyaa' which means victims of secondary leaving certificate examination in recent memories.

Therefore, what ups and downs the human capital of the region faced when it comes to this tertiary education , are now striving to see they liberated from backward living, being educated, reached in good living standard, ensured democracy, can efficiently participate in the affairs of the country such like realizing the Growth and Transformational Plan (GTP) in the country as a whole and in the region particularly.

Let me tell you one story about me, the day get the result of Ethiopian higher education certificate examination and fulfilled the criteria needed to join Universities, one of my uncle said to me 'Adeer maad idlaysay waxbarashadii' before giving him a response I laughed more due to the word idlaysay, and said to yes I have, and I addes to him I will go university next month and he said to me, 'Ma waxbarasho kalaad sii wadi waar orod warqada qaadoo shaqa raadso' I don't know whether he thought the destination was there. By the way if I would have accepted my uncle's offer today Education would have knocked my door.

Abdiaziz Ali Hussein

MA Candidate, Haramaya University, Ethiopia

Email: abdiaziz-ali@hotmail.com

Somalia: Fist Fighting Once Again In Somali Parliament

2012-01-02T17:09:00.001-08:00

Somalia: Fist Fighting Once Again In Somali Parliament

Mogadishu — Fist fighting and tit for tat dispute among MPs hugely undermined on Monday, the opening of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament at the public house in the capital, Mogadishu, reports said.

The meeting, which held today by certain of lawmakers opposing speaker Sharif Hassan was expected to hear addresses from the candidates of the leadership of the parliament, after a vote was taken earlier last month to oust Sharif Hassan as speaker.

According to reports at the meeting hall, MPs supporting to Sharif Hassan clashed with opposers and have continued their fight over the removal of the Speaker for hours

Some of Shabelle Media reporters and cameramen, who attended the session of the MPs as to cover reports on the ground said, many legislators supporting Sharif Hassan reached at the Hall, when the meeting was going to end and began fistfights and tore all documents written by MPs during the assembly despite AMISOM

Egypt Raids Offices of Nonprofits, 3 Backed by U.S.

2011-12-29T19:44:00.000-08:00

Egypt Raids Offices of Nonprofits, 3 Backed by U.S.

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and STEVEN LEE MYERS

CAIRO — Security forces shut down three American-financed democracy-building groups and as many as six other nonprofit organizations on Thursday, in a crackdown that signaled a new low in relations between Washington and Egypt's military rulers.

Two of the organizations, the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute, had been formally authorized by the Egyptian government to monitor the parliamentary elections set to resume next week. Critics said the surprise raids contradicted the military's pledge to hold a fair and transparent vote.

The other American-financed pro-democracy group whose offices were closed, the advocacy group Freedom House, had completed its application for official recognition just three days ago. An American group that helps train Egyptian journalists was among the other nonprofit groups raided.

Human rights activists said security forces barging into the offices of respected international organizations was unprecedented, even under the police state of President Hosni Mubarak, who was ousted this year.

The raids are the latest and most forceful effort yet by the country's ruling generals to crack down on perceived sources of criticism amid rising calls from Egyptian politicians and protesters and some Western leaders for the military to hand over power to a civilian government. Those calls were punctuated by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's expression of outrage last week over the military's beating and stripping of female demonstrators in Tahrir Square.

On Thursday, a State Department spokeswoman announced that it was "deeply concerned" by the raids.

"Suffice it to say we don't think that this action is justified," the spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, said. "We want to see the harassment end," she added, calling the raids "inconsistent with the bilateral cooperation we've had over many years."

Another senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that in private channels, the United States had sent an even stronger message: "This crosses a line."

"It's triggered by ongoing concerns about control," the official added, as the ruling military council confronted the mounting pressure to hand over power.

Others called the raids a major challenge to Washington's policy toward Egypt, which receives $1.3 billion a year in American military aid.

"It is a major escalation in the Egyptian government's crackdown on civil society organizations, and it is unprecedented in its attack on international organizations like Freedom House, which is funded in large part by the United States government," said Charles Dunne, director of Middle East and North Africa Programs at the organization, which advocates democratic reforms. "The military council is saying we are happy to take your $1.3 billion a year, but we are not happy when you do things like defending human rights and supporting democracy."

The state news media said that the raids were part of an investigation into what it described as illegal foreign financing.

Contingents of soldiers and security officers armed with automatic weapons and wearing bulletproof vests burst into the offices of the nonprofit organizations at roughly the same time Thursday, around 1 p.m.

The officers provided no warrants or explanations, according to officials at several of the groups. They detained the groups' employees inside for more than five hours in some places. The security forces collected stacks of binders and files, confiscated computers, and sealed the doors as they left.

At the National Democratic Institute's office in Cairo, armed men in uniforms and plain clothes could be seen through a locked gate slicing open boxes of files stacked in a garage.

"Nobody understands what's going on," said Belal Mostafa Gooda, an Egyptian employee of the National Democratic Institute, in a furtive phone call from inside its locked gate during the raid. "We can't move inside or go outside," he said, adding, "They're searching all the papers and files and all laptops, and we don't know what will happen."

The National Democratic Institute receives United States government financing, promotes democracy abroad and says it is loosely affiliated with the Democratic Party. The International Republican Institute also receives government money, and is affiliated with some prominent Republicans.

The raids hit at least one German democracy-building group. The security forces also struck the Egyptian Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory, which studies the military and its spending. The officers also shut down an organization that argues for judicial independence.

Egyptian human rights groups are almost completely dependent on foreign financing because the hostility of the Mubarak government scared away Egyptian donors, and many received considerable support from the European Union as well as the United States.

But Egypt's military rulers began railing against the dangers of foreign financing to Egyptian sovereignty around the time last spring that the United States said it would allocate $65 million to help foster electoral democracy here. Although the United States is Egypt's most important benefactor, its policies in the region are also very unpopular here, making it an easy target.

Egyptian state news media have made it clear since the military-led government began investigating allegations of improper financing months ago that its principal target was money from the United States; in the most notable instance, a state-owned magazine greeted the new American ambassador, Anne W. Patterson, a few months ago with a cartoon cover depicting her holding wads of burning cash in the middle of Tahrir Square. "Ambassador from Hell," read the caption.

As new clashes have broken out between the military police and protesters challenging military rule — more than 80 have died since October — the generals have often warned that there are "hidden hands" trying to stir up trouble or "bring down the state." They have increasingly suggested that those hidden hands could be foreign-financed.

In a television interview last month, Maj. Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen suggested several times that the investigation into foreign financing of nongovernment organizations would shed light on the unnamed instigators who he said were behind the protests and clashes in the streets.

"There are hidden hands playing in the country," he said. "We tell the Egyptian people, and the Egyptian people are smart, that there are people who are trying to demolish the country."

Most human rights and democracy groups in Egypt already operate in a legal twilight because of Mubarak-era laws allowing only nongovernment organizations licensed by the government. Before and after his ouster, the Egyptian government has seldom granted such licenses to genuinely independent organizations.

"We are in the same gray zone everybody else is," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch here, a group that was not raided. "We are not licensed and we can be shut down and jailed and all of that, but we keep the authorities informed." After the revolution, she said, most such groups expected their lot to improve: "I don't think anybody expected there would be a new crackdown."

David D. Kirkpatrick reported from Cairo, and Steven Lee Myers from Washington. Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo.

Somalia: NUSOJ - Four Killed, Seven Wounded, 19 Arrested in 2011

2011-12-29T16:47:00.001-08:00

Somalia: NUSOJ - Four Killed, Seven Wounded, 19 Arrested in 2011

Nairobi — The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today declares that the year 2011 was characterized by the worst possible perilous conditions in which journalists operate in Somalia, as journalists were deliberately singled out for cruel and unjust treatment.

The year, worse than the previous year 2010 in all respects of press freedom violations and abuse and crushing of fundamental rights of journalists, has been a period smeared with the blood of journalists. Media professionals have been victims of the totally unrestrained and autocratic use of the gun by security and public authorities.

"The conditions in which journalists work have reached new level of crisis in 2011. Journalists have increasingly become victims of threats, deliberate violence, unfounded criminal proceedings, wounding and even heartless murders," said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

NUSOJ systematically and thoroughly recorded in the past 12 months horrifying cases of killings, wounding, arrests, beatings, intimidation, harassment, judicial and persecutions of journalists. These frequent instances mostly took place in Mogadishu, Bossasso, Galkayo, Hargeisa and Berbera towns. Media houses were not spared from organized attacks.

In 2011, 4 journalists were murdered in Mogadishu alone, making it the only place where the utmost repulsive crimes against journalists were committed. A further 7 journalists were wounded, 5 in Mogadishu, while the remaining 2 were wounded in Bossasso and Galkayo.

19 journalists were arrested at whim, 96% without arrest warrant, detained without official charges. Media workers victimized in this period have had different careers in the media, be it reporter, newscaster, cameraman, editor or director. 7 media houses have been targeted with aggressive, repressive and violent actions.

Mogadishu was the city where most of the violations and other attacks against journalists and media houses were carried out, Hargeisa became second in terms of where cases of violations took place. Bossasso and Galkayo fell back to third equal in terms of the occurrence of violations, though journalists in Galkayo have felt more unsafe than any other journalist in Puntland regions.

While freedom of expression has been grossly violated, the corollary right of freedom of association has been under real threat. The leadership of NUSOJ has been intimidated from freely organizing and publicly promoting their positions on issues of violations, including mistreatment by authorities within the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) against the legitimate leadership and actions of the union. The leadership of the Somaliland Journalists Association (SOLJA) has been under intense pressure from the authorities in Hargeisa, culminating in the arbitrary arrest of its chairman.

Security forces under the command of political figures within the TFG are those most frequently responsible for violating these rights. Somaliland ministers and prosecutor have been responsible for pursuing criminal proceedings against journalists and the private print press, aided by arbitrary police arrests of journalists. Puntland authorities came third in terms of violations of fundamental rights of journalists and press freedom. Surprisingly, the Al-Shabaab group reduced its grip on journalists and committed fewer attacks than TFG forces, the Somaliland administration and Puntland authorities, due to changes in its political base, armed force and territorial space.

"Impunity is the silent enemy, fuelling increasing danger and number of perpetrations of violations of fundamental rights of journalists and press freedom. No matter if they commit murder or threaten a journalist, the perpetrator knows that they will walk away free", added Osman.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201112290307.html

Gomaa Welcomes Cooperation With Somaliland

2011-12-29T07:09:00.000-08:00

Gomaa Welcomes Cooperation With Somaliland

Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa has welcomed cooperation with Somaliland to boost Sharia and justice research.

In a meeting with visiting Somaliland Presidential Affairs Minister Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan on Wednesday 28/12/2011, Gomaa said the Egyptian Ifta House is willing to contribute to promoting the moderate teachings of Islam in Somaliland.

He made it clear the Ifta House is ready to offer support in training and guidance to correct wrong ideas about Islam

Somaliland not falling from grace

2011-12-28T17:03:00.001-08:00

Somaliland not falling from grace

Last week the Kulmiye administration faced its worst political nightmare since the inauguration of President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud. Internal disputes and squabbling between the cabinet members became public and were irresponsibly leaked to the media.

It was stated in the leaks that the Minister of water and natural resources was caught red-handed in a corruption scandal. This was established to be a false allegation according to the auditor general's televised statement. That is not all; the minister responsible for the leaks to the press is still there and not fired. The cabinet meetings are expected to be strictly confidential and leak proof.

Most people saw this as dark page In Kulmiye administration, but in my humble opinion, this was a blessing in disguise for Somaliland. We all had the longest and most heated debate regarding government corruption and transparency. This debate was some times unpleasant to me and full of colorful and biased statements from all sides. No matter how disagreeable the debate was, it made us all to reflect on ways of sorting out what is wrong with our government and ways of getting it better. This is really very optimistic and heartening to all those who want to build a better and transparent Somaliland. We will not be able to drain the marshes of corruption unless we point our fingers on all those who we think are involved in corruption.

If you read back the various comments made in Somalilandpress on this subject you will clearly see how passionate Somalilanders are about their country. At times we loose the control of our tongues, but in point of fact it is the tongue that looses its allegiance, the heart and mind stay focused on one objective – a better Somaliland. In that debate, we revealed corruption loop-holes and people who are allegedly involved in this despicable act.

It will be cordial if the president looks at all those allegations and takes action where it is appropriate. The cabinet needs discipline and coherence. All ministers that are not ready to work hard for the people, but instead are there to serve their self interests must be expelled. The president himself needs to reassure Somalilanders that he is in command and stop being nice to all.

Despite our political difference we do not fall from grace, but find concrete solutions to our problems. That is why we proudly call ourselves Somalilanders.

Yusuf Dirir Ali

The SL President must Fire the Head of the Audit for Incompetency

2011-12-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

The SL President must Fire the Head of the Audit for Incompetency

Recently Somaliland media reported a controversy on how the Minister of Energy, Water and Mining managed the revenue his ministry received for two contracts relating to the work this ministry is responsible for. According to these media reports there were two levels of irregularity on how the Minister handled the funds, which are as follows:

The minister did not follow the established government procedures after he collected the funds but managed the funds outside the government's revenue account

The minister misused the funds by treating the money as his own personal budget

These are serious allegations and the President correctly instructed the Head of the audit to investigate and sort out facts from fiction and accusations. I have listened to the audio press release by the Head of the audit and from that I have concluded the Head of the audit must be fired for INCOMPITENCY for the following reasons:

The Head of the audit confirmed that the funds were deposited in an account that is managed by the ministry outside the established centralized government revenue process. In effect the money did not go to the central government revenue account as required by all types of government revenue. This statement supports one of the accusations against the minister. In spite of this the auditor said in his statement that they funds were properly handled

He did not provide explanation on how $125,000 dollars were spent by the minister in the so called Capacity Building in order to clear the accusation that the minister misused the funds. The auditor simply made a statement saying the money was spent as per agreement. This is not good enough in view of the accusations. This is equally important because the ministry must have some budget in the first place for the so called Capacity Building expenses

From the above one can conclude that the auditor's statement is meaningless in view of these serious accusations and he must be fired for incompetency.

Ahmed Mohamed
Toronto (Brampton), Canada, Dec 28, 2011
e-mail: ahmohamed@rogers.com

As Usual The Contents Of This Article Are the Opinions Of The Author

In Somaliland Even A Suspected Criminal Can be Rewarded for a Cabinet Post

2011-12-27T08:18:00.001-08:00

In Somaliland Even A Suspected Criminal Can be Rewarded for a Cabinet Post

The demonstration against Siilanyo Government that took place in Gabiley on Friday came after the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Gabiley. The press release he made on those arrested for the criminal case of Seemaal triggered this demonstration.

In his press release he openly said that there is no case against Abiib of the white hair. Is it not amazing that the foreign minister has taken the role of the Minster of interior, prosecutor general and judiciary which are mandated institutions that could proof the innocence of suspects…?

Another astonishing revelation made by the minister is that so far none of the criminals of both incidents in Seemaal and Dilla -Kalabaydh road is arrested. It is also shocking to know that the foreign minister was lobbying to secure a cabinet post for Abiib.

The Minister of foreign affairs is not alone in taking this position to defend the perpetrators to be brought to justice. He was preceded by a member of parliament Mr. Bashir Tukale who even accused the president. Mr. Tukale said that What Abib (White of hair) knows the president also knows.

This was a very serious allegation against the President. That means if Abib knows the people behind this crime then also president knows those people who slaughtered the innocent people Kalabayd-Borama road. If what Mr. Tukale claims is true then the president was in dilemma to choose between two bitter options

1. To fire Tani and arrest Abiib.
2. Silence Abiib and give him a cabinet post

But unfortunately it seems that the president is about to take the second option. I hope that the president and his government will take option two and continue to bring the criminals to the justice. It is also a high time for the for the house of Elders( Gurti ) to intervene and question the government why it took so long to bring the criminals in front of justice.

I also appeal to my kinsmen, all Samaroons to be alert and prepare for the worst because it seems that the rule of law is no more respected in the Banana Republic and finally close my writing few lines from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:

I am sure hearing Abib rewarded for the crime will make you mad.

Warfa Abdi - Jabuuti

Email: warfawacays@gmail.com

The Partition of Somalia & the Politics of Destruction

2011-12-25T17:40:00.001-08:00

The Partition of Somalia & the Politics of Destruction

There have been some thought-provoking pieces recently on the balkanization or partitioning of Somalia. The best of these pieces, in my opinion, have been Professor Michael Weinstein's "Kenya's Premature Invasions of Southern Somalia Stalls Balkanization" published in Garowe Online (http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Kenya_s_

Premature_Invasions_of_Southern_Somalia_Stalls_Balkanization.shtml) and Abdishakur Jowhar's "The End of Somalia: Scenario of Partition" published in Somalilandpress

(http://somalilandpress.com/the-end-of-somalia-scenario-of-partition-25321). Professor Weinstein's piece is a methodical analysis of therealpolitik motivations underlying the efforts of Ethiopia and Kenya to establish statelets beholden to, and dependant upon, them within Somalia and the political trends within, and outside, Somalia supporting or opposed to such efforts. Mr. Jowhar's piece, on the other hand, is the anguished and visceral cry of opposition to these efforts, and the Somali political actors that are, wittingly or unwittingly, supporting them, that can only come from a Somali patriot who feels the dismemberment of his country as deeply as wounds on his body.

This is an important topic that needs to be addressed seriously and both Professor Weinstein and Mr. Jowhar are to be commended for raising it in their inimitable ways. However, it is necessary to define our terms in order to bring clarity and transparency to the discussion or debate. In this context, we have to ask which "Somalia" is in imminent danger of being partitioned or balkanized? Professor Weinstein's article is specifically concerned with the potential partition of south and central Somalia into fiefdoms and spheres of influence controlled by Kenya and Ethiopia respectively, thereby excluding Somaliland and Puntland from the central thrust of its discourse (in the interest of full disclosure, I should add that Professor Weinstein and I have exchanged correspondence on his piece). Mr. Jowhar's piece also seems to have south and central Somalia as its principal focus, in view of its exposition of what it terms "state-lets" in that territory and its concentration upon Kenya, Ethiopia, IGAD and UNPOS as the external actors militating and scheming to effect partition.

The second term that needs to be examined and defined is "partition". We all know that, in this context, partition means political division, however the fact is that the Somali people have been partitioned since the 1884/85 Berlin Conference at which the European Powers divided Africa between themselves. In the modern era, the Allied victory in World War II set the parameters of this division which has resulted in the partition of the Somali people between independent Djibouti, a resurgent Somaliland, the Somali state in Ethiopia (5th Province), the Northern Frontier District (NFD) of Kenya, and south/central Somalia, within which the autonomous region of Puntland has managed to avoid the anarchy and state collapse prevalent in the rest of the erstwhile UN Trust Territory administered by Italy. Thus, partition is not new to the Somali people; indeed it has been a feature of their political existence and reality since their first contact with European imperialism at the end of the 19th century. It's not even new that it is Ethiopia and Kenya that are scheming to partition Somali people since both of these countries insisted upon sovereignty over some of their Somali neighbours in 1959 and 1962 respectively. In both instances, Britain acceded to the wishes of the Ethiopian and Kenyan governments, and granted Haile Selassie's Ethiopia what is now termed the 5th Province in the first and Kenyatta's Kenya the NFD in 1962, in both cases against the express wishes of the people of those regions and contrary to the promises made by Britain to them.

Since the "Somalia" which is the focus of this discussion is but one part of the territories occupied by the Somali people and which forms the residual rump of the erstwhile Somali Republic established in 1960 by the un-ratified union between ex-British Somaliland and the ex-UN Trust Territory, and since partition has formed the political reality of the Somali people since the late 19th century, we are forced to ask, why is the present prospect of the partition of south/central Somalia so noteworthy and different? Both Professor Weinstein and Mr. Shakur come to the same answer but through different routes. The danger, as Professor Weinstein sees it, is that "The Somali people would be deprived of a political community and their political self-determination.", while Mr. Shakur sees Somalia reduced from nation to "a group of desperate wild tribes each entirely focused in a life and death struggle against the neighbouring tribe." Thus, both writers see the dangers of the current potential partition of south/central Somalia in terms of the eradication of Somali nationalism and political self-determination.

Now we have reached the crux of the matter. As with all analysis of Somali politics, we have to address the issue of Somali nationalism and the fission-fusion paradox that defines its very nature and essence. It is not necessary to go into a lengthy analysis of Somali nationalism (which I have undertaken under separate cover), but suffice it to say that since their first experience of European colonialism, the Somali people have responded with nationalist, religious and cultural resistance. Modern Somali nationalism dating back to the end of World War II was characterised by its pan-Somali and irredentist focus with the goal of uniting all the Somali people in one state – the Greater Somalia vision that was endorsed and championed unsuccessfully by Aneurin Bevan (Deputy Leader of the British Labour Party) prior to his death in 1960. This dream of Greater Somalia developed in the heady days of anti-colonial nationalism and the agitation it spawned, marks the zenith of the fusion strand of Somali nationalist ethos. Indeed, the creation of the Somali Republic in 1960 through the ill-fated union of British Somaliland and Italian-administered Somalia was but the first step in the realisation of this dream.

Unfortunately, there was a nightmare lurking within the pregnant promises of the dream of Somali unity, and this evil first surfaced in the unequal and oppressive terms of union exacted by the leaders of Italian-administered Somalia from their less experienced and more naïve brethren of British Somaliland. When the union constitution was put to them for ratification in 1961 in a national referendum, more than two thirds of the voting public in the ex-British Protectorate rejected it, while a similar majority in the ex-UN Trust Territory ratified it. Thus, did Somali nationalism and politics begin to swing from the fusion pole at one end of the spectrum towards the fission pole at the other. This manifestation of fission in Somali politics and nationalism reached its zenith during the final decade of the Siyad Barre dictatorship when political power became concentrated in the hands of only one sub-clan, with the inevitable result that the country fractured along clan lines and descended into the anarchic madness that continues to persist in south/central Somalia to this day.

The only part of the erstwhile Somali Republic that has managed to fashion a new model of politics, peaceful co-existence and underlying rationale for allegiance to a state across clan divisions is Somaliland, which has developed a functioning, democratic system of government rooted in local culture and traditions with a free and robust press. This system can be used as a useful and effective model by the people of south/central Somalia to establish a state, but it cannot be imposed upon them by any external actors, whether their intentions are benign or malign. The simple and inescapable fact is that the persistence of the fission tendency of Somali politics in south/central Somalia, and the attendant atomisation of society into vicious inter- and intra-clan rivalries, is a legacy of the Siyad Barre dictatorship that has been co-opted and exacerbated by warlords, self-appointed 'civil society leaders', Islamist militias and Diaspora carpet-baggers in search of easy money and self aggrandisement. It is the ugly and venal tribalism of this politics, and its manipulations by external actors, that Mr. Jowhar decries so emphatically and eloquently, and which Professor Weinstein de-constructs so methodically.

The fact that the people of south/central Somalia have reached the end of their patience with the anarchy that has blighted their lives for so long, and the self serving straw men masquerading as leaders that are maintaining it, is evidenced by the repeated, but unpublicised missions of tribal leaders from this territory to Somaliland requesting its assistance in facilitating genuine, Somali-sponsored and Somali-driven, national reconciliation. Supporting and facilitating genuine, grass-root efforts at national reconciliation among its brothers to the south is a moral, religious, humanitarian and fraternal duty that Somaliland must and will discharge. It has always been the conviction of many, including this author, that national reconciliation in south/central Somalia can be best achieved with the active support, sponsorship and mediation of Somaliland. The proposals of successive governments in Somaliland to play such role have been repeatedly rebuffed by both the international community and the self-appointed and self-serving leaders of south/central Somalia, the very architects of its misery! Quelle surprise, as the French would say!

The fact remains, however, that the evil which grips south/central Somalia is not partition, nor is it the designs of Kenya and Ethiopia to carve out spheres of influence within this territory. Rather, it is the inability and unwillingness of the social, religious and political leadership of the people of this territory to voice a vision of politics beyond narrow clan allegiance and partisanship, i.e. to transcend the fission principle of Somali politics. Neither Kenya nor Ethiopia is evil in pursuing its national interest vis-à-vis the anarchy and violence across its borders – this is called diplomacy and foreign policy. It is up to the people of south/central Somalia to pursue their own enlightened self interest and develop a modus operandi for peaceful co-existence, representative government rooted in their own culture and effective institutions. Unfortunately, the long suffering people of this territory are afflicted by the twin, linked plagues of a venal and self-serving leadership and a disinterested international community which has delegated responsibility for them to the best harbinger of inertia known to man – a bloated and equally self-serving bureaucracy.

In conclusion, I cannot but agree with Professor Weinstein and Mr. Jowhar that partition of south/central Somalia into 'spheres of influence' between Ethiopia and Kenya, and that this process has not only commenced, but is already quite advanced. However, I believe that this fact is not the disease, but rather one symptom of an underlying malaise which is destroying this territory politically, economically and socially. The disease is a corrupted polity characterised by venal politics and the introverted, fissile nationalism that breeds and sustains it. The root causes of the threat and reality of partition lies within. I can only conclude with a co-opting a line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar "the fault dear Messrs Weinstein and Jowhar lies not in Kenya and Ethiopia but in ourselves". Until the politics of destruction is eradicated from Somalia, its continued misery is assured as is the potential and danger of partition.

Ahmed M.I. Egal

egality@gmail.com

26 December 2011

Somalia has been a chaotic and violent Hell for more than 20 years

2011-12-24T08:03:00.001-08:00

Somalia has been a chaotic and violent Hell for more than 20 years, especially Mogadishu, the capital. Although there are many camps of hungry people, the city is showing signs of a return to normal life, thanks to the withdrawal of the Islamic extremist rebels of Al Shabaab and the presence of African Union peacekeeping forces.
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Civilians are searched thoroughly before entering the AMISOM-run local hospital. Security remains tight throughout the city. (Nichole Sobecki/GlobalPost)

Can Somalia survive as a nation?

Transitional government challenged to assert control over the country.

Tristan McConnellDecember 22, 2011 15:48

MOGADISHU, Somalia — In the latest bout of political feuding Somalia's Speaker of Parliament was ousted Dec. 13.

Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, a wily politician and wealthy businessman who has himself engineered the downfall of numerous political challengers in the past, lost a vote of confidence conducted while he was abroad.

Political paralysis and ingrained corruption have left the backers of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) frustrated even as they continue to fund the administration and its parliamentarians into a critical eight-month period due to end with a new constitution and elections in August 2012.

"One of the biggest challenges that we have faced is the frequent change of leadership. One transition after another, the leadership changing every other time," said Wafula Wamunyinyi, a senior Mogadishu-based official with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), summing up the feeling of many in the international community. "By the time [a leader] knows something and has a plan to execute, he is gone!"

The current prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, is the third to be appointed under President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed since the start of 2009. Ali took office in June. His predecessor lasted eight months. The one before him managed a year-and-a-half.

The Islamist insurgents of Al Shabaab are fighting on three fronts — against AMISOM in the capital, Kenya in the south and Ethiopia in the west — but doubts about whether the TFG would be capable of governing even a peaceful country remain.

This month Ban Ki-moon became the first UN Secretary General to visit Mogadishu since 1993. It followed previous high-profile, and until now rare, visits from Turkey's prime minister, Britain's development minister and the UN's top humanitarian official.

Ban's presence was seen as a vote of confidence in the TFG and an encouragement for it to try harder and do more for Somalia's beleaguered people who receive next to nothing in the way of services from the government.

More from GlobalPost: Al Shabaab bans aid groups from areas it controls in Somalia

"I believe we are now at a critical juncture — a moment of fresh opportunities for the future of Somali people," said Ban. "On the political front, to bring a new measure of stability and possibilities to people's lives. On the military front, to consolidate gains. These gains should be sustainable. On the recovery front, to help break the cycle of famine, poverty once and for all."

Ban's optimistic tone was tempered with the warning, "We have a very limited window of opportunity." His visit and words went down well with government officials.

"Ban Ki-moon's visit was a true testament to the improvements we have made in the area of security," said Prime Minister Ali.

Ban announced that the UN Political Office for Somalia would be relocating to Mogadishu in January, a move that Ali welcomed. "It is high time. No more sitting in Nairobi. Every year billions of dollars are spent in the name of Somalis and we don't see it, it doesn't [leave] Nairobi," he said. "The presence of the international community is needed here in Somalia."

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron is convening an international conference on Somalia in February that will address piracy, terrorism and the rebuilding of a country he described as "a failed state that directly threatens British interests" through kidnappings, hijackings and the radicalization of young Britons.

"Over the last 20 years Somalia became a danger to itself, to its neighbors, to the region and to the entire world. Now we are getting out of that," Ali insisted. "Somalia has the attention of the world but for the wrong reasons, so we have to seize the moment, now is an opportunity."

That opportunity is theirs to squander.

"Incompetent, corrupt and hobbled by weak leadership" is how the International Crisis Group described the TFG earlier this year (before Prime Minister Ali took charge) and analysts say little has changed.

Related: Ethiopian troops enter Somalia

Much criticism is leveled at the repeated, and failed, internationally-sponsored attempts to install centralized rule in a country where clan is king and politics are local. But Ali says his government has learned from past mistakes and welcomes local administrations, as long as they don't push for independence.

"Regional administrations are part of the devolution of power from the center to the periphery. [In 1991] Somalia was a centralized state, controlled from Mogadishu and once Mogadishu collapsed everywhere else collapsed also," he said.

Ali disagreed with some who describe the plethora of regional administrations, from the established states of Somaliland and Puntland, to prospective ones such as Jubaland in the south as proof that Somalia is balkanizing.

"Somalia is not disintegrating, we are coming back together," he said.

The government still has a long way to go and time is short before August when a new constitution should be in place and some form of elections held to pick a new government. Any extension beyond the August deadline was "untenable," Ban said.

Security has improved in Mogadishu, but nowhere else. The government's rule barely covers the capital, let alone the Shabaab-controlled hinterland.

There is, for now, a tentative peace in the city but clean water, basic education and health care all remain elusive and when these are provided it is thanks to the private sector or aid agencies, not the government.

"The institutions are not fully functional, we are struggling to rebuild them so they can support the communities, the people, provide basic services," said Wamunyinyi, the AMISOM official. "It is difficult and I cannot foresee in the near future having a fully functional government in place."

More from GlobalPost: Inside Somalia

Somalia: Government Soldier Murders a Civilian in Mogadishu

2011-12-24T07:39:00.001-08:00

Somalia: Government Soldier Murders a Civilian in Mogadishu

Mogadishu — One of Somali government soldiers on Friday shot and killed an innocent civilian man in Mogadishu's Karan district, especially Jabuti village, witnesses said.

The solider was said to have opened fire on the man while he was at the village of Jabuti of Karan district, where TFG police forces have been conducting a security operation. Witnesses added that the soldier was among government forces during the crackdown on criminal elements among residents at the village, according to officials.

Residents confirmed to Shabelle media that the TFG soldier suspected the young boy to be Al-shabab sympathizers.

Soldiers were accused by locals of targeting local teenagers in the village of Jabuti in Mogadishu's Karan district during their crackdown.

No statement about the killing of the civilian was immediately available from the the officials of Transitional Federal Government TFG of somalia so far.

In Somalia, Fears Over U.S. Wire Transfer Block

2011-12-24T07:37:00.001-08:00

In Somalia, Fears Over U.S. Wire Transfer Block

Associated Press

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Somali officials said Friday they are pleading with U.S. authorities to persuade banks to reconsider a decision to block money transfers from Minnesota's Somali community to relatives in this Horn of Africa nation, where anarchy has given safe haven to an Al Qaeda linked terror group.

A bank that handles the majority of money transfers from Minnesota to Somalia -- Sunrise Community Banks -- has said it will discontinue the service at the end of December over fears it could be at risk of violating government rules intended to clamp down on the financing of terror groups. Minnesota political leaders Rep. Keith Ellison and Sen.Al Franken, both Democrats, are seeking solutions.

Omar Jamal, first secretary of the Somali Mission to the United Nations, said in an email on Friday that he is working with U.S. politicians on the issue and is "close" to finding a resolution.

"To cut off the lifeline to millions of Somali refugees will lead to a colossal humanitarian crisis in Somalia," Jamal wrote.

An untold number of Somalis depend on small remittances -- perhaps $50 to $200 a month -- sent from family members in the U.S. Even that small amount of money goes a long way in Somalia, and can make the difference between a dignified life and homeless poverty.

"Adopting that decision will be catastrophe to the lives of millions of who depends on remittances," Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Somalia's prime minister, said earlier this week.

Halima Osman, a mother of five in Somalia's impoverished capital, is among many worried about an even bleaker economic future. The 50-year-old Osman typically receives $150 a month from her son in Minneapolis, who is the family's only breadwinner.

"Without remittances we shall lead a new life of poverty and famine because there is no other alternative to get money from abroad," said Osman, who lives in a dilapidated five-room villa in Mogadishu.

Jamal said he is urging money transfer companies -- known as hawalas -- to make sure "money doesn't fall into the wrong hands."
The decision to end Somali remittances came weeks after two Minnesota women were convicted in October of conspiracy to provide support to al-Shabab, the most dangerous insurgent group in East Africa.

Evidence showed the women, who claimed they were sending money to charity, used the hawalas to send more than $8,600 to the terror group, which has ties to Al Qaeda. In another case, a Somali refugee in San Diego admitted this month that she sent money to the group.
Joe Witt, president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota Bankers Association, said banks are required to monitor their customers and report on certain types of activity. If they make a mistake or report something wrong, they face huge penalties.

"It's an incredible framework of rules and regulations, and if you do it wrong, it's absolutely a nightmare for the banks," Witt said.

Meanwhile, he said, money service businesses that wire funds internationally -- especially to places that might be unstable -- have been tagged as businesses that involve heightened security and compliance measures. While that doesn't mean every hawala is risky, he said a lot of banks have "made a determination that it's not a type of business they are comfortable in conducting."

Adan Hassan, spokesman for the Somali American Moneywiring Association and a manager at Kaah Express, a Minnesota-based hawala with locations in six other states, said the hawalas are subject to federal and state regulations, and he understands the regulations are necessary for national security and the well-being of the community. The hawalas must comply in order to keep their licenses.

Federal regulations require that hawalas ask for identification from anyone submitting over $3,000, Hassan said, though some companies require IDs for lower amounts as well. The hawalas collect the name, location, and phone number of the beneficiary, and the sender gives the hawala cash or a check or money order. The money is processed and the sender receives a receipt.

The recipient must present an ID to pick up the money on the other end, Hassan said.

Transfers to Somalia are not the only ones affected. Hassan said Kaah Express sends most of its transmissions to Kenya, which has the largest number of Somali refugees. Kaah Express also works with a well-established Ethiopian bank. He said those accounts are all affected, regardless of the destination of the money.

Humanitarian aid in a region beset by war and famine could be harmed by the banking decision, said a statement from Oxfam American and the American Refugee Committee. The group said Somalia's famine this year would have been far worse without remittances from the Somali community abroad.

"It is estimated that $100 million in remittances goes to Somalia from the U.S. every year. This is the worst time for this service to stop. Any gaps with remittance flows in the middle of the famine could be disastrous," Shannon Scribner, Oxfam America's Humanitarian Policy Manager, said.

"The U.S. government should give assurances to the bank that there will be no legal ramifications of providing this service to Somalis in need."

If the new banking rules are put in place, Somalis in Minnesota say they will find other ways to send money. One way is to send the remittances to another country, such as Kenya or Britain, and then have a third party pick up the money and re-wire it to Somalia.

Ali, the Somali prime minister, said his government is working to make sure the link between American banks and the Somalia hawala system continues.

"We have sent a memo to the U.S. authorities to call off that decision because that will cause Somalis to economical crisis," he said. "The monies sent from abroad are backbone for the lives of thousands."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/23/in-somalia-fears-over-us-wire-transfer-block/#ixzz1hT0MEwkz

ETHIOPIA’S RURAL POOR TO BENEFIT FROM $100 MILLION IN UN LOANS AND GRANTS

2011-12-23T17:27:00.001-08:00

ETHIOPIA'S RURAL POOR TO BENEFIT FROM $100 MILLION IN UN LOANS AND GRANTS
New York, Dec 23 2011 3:10PM
The United Nations agency tackling rural poverty is providing $100 million in financing for a programme to help poor households in Ethiopia gain access to financial services and diversify their income-generating activities.

The $50 million loan and $50 million grant from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is for the Rural Financial Intermediation Programme – Phase II (RUFIP II), according to a news release issued by the Rome-based agency.

Poor people living in Ethiopia's rural areas need access to credit on a regular basis so they can build up their assets and diversify their income-generating activities, the agency noted. Without any collateral, they often depend on moneylenders and pay exorbitant rates of interest.

Currently, only about 15 per cent of rural households have access to savings and credit services. The RUFIP II programme, which will be implemented nationwide, will build on the successes of the first phase, scaling up the delivery of financial services from 3.3 million poor rural households in 2012 to 6.9 million by the middle of 2019.

Some 3.6 million poor rural households living on less than $2 per day, of which nearly 50 per cent are women, are set to benefit from the programme – the 16th financed by IFAD in the country.

IFAD has invested about $13.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries over the past three decades, empowering about 405 million people to break out of poverty and to create vibrant rural communities.

ISBEDDELKU TAAGEERO DADWEYNE AYUU U BAAHANYAHAY

2011-12-23T07:14:00.001-08:00

ISBEDDELKU TAAGEERO DADWEYNE AYUU U BAAHANYAHAY

Alle mahaddii, kale hore dalkeena waxa ka dhacay doorasho xalaal oo xaq ah. Doorasho si nabad ah dadweynahu ugu muujiyeen hiyigooda siyaasadeed, hammigooda mustaqbal iyo hiigsigooda horumarineed. Waxa ay dhaliyeen isbedel wax weyn durtaba dalka ka qabtay. Waxay doorteen hoggaan u horseeda barwaaqo, cadaalad iyo dhisme bulsho. Waxa guulaystay Kulmiye iyo Madaxweyne Axmed Siilanyo. Waa guul iyo guul ay hanteen bulsho weynta Soomaliland.

Xiligan oo kale waxa yimaada daal kolka xawaare sanad iyo badh ah lagu jiray. Waa caadi oo siyaasaddu waa sida ciyaarta kubbadda oo mar walba ku jirimeysid duulaan. Daalkan waxuu ka dhashay KULMIYE iyo inta isbedelku ka dhabta ahaa oo ka gaabisay la socodka hoggaanka., iyagaa looga baahan yahay taageero, dheerigelin iyo inay ka ilaashaan kana daafacaan inta kolwalba u taagan dibu dhac iyo danno gaar ah.

Mid waan hubaa oo waa Madaxweyne Axmed inuu ka daacad yahay horumarinta iyo u hiilinta bulsho weynta Soomaliland. Waxa awood iyo xaraarad wax-qabad u noqonaysa inuu helo dareen dadweyne oo la raba isbedelka xaqqa ah, kagana dayrnaadaan duufaanada ay soo kicinayaan dibusocod iyo danayste jirjiroole ahi.

Marna ha joojin u darbanaanta ka midho-dhalinta guusha aynu kal hore gaadhnay. Waanu haynaa hoggaan u jeeda danta guud iyo dhismaha bulsho. Waxa jira duul ku mamay kharibaadda iyo majar-habaabinta masiirka ummadda. Ha ka daalin inaad kuwaas ka ilaaliso inay habaas iyo siigo indhaha kaga tuuraan hoggaanka dalka.

Guusha dadweynow adaa dhashay, waanad haysaa oo xilkaad u dhiibtay Madaxweyne Siilaanyo waa mid ay dhab ka tahay isbedel horusocod ee ha ka gabin, ha ka xidhiidh furan, u samir oo ogow inay kol walba jiraan cid diidan oo lid ku ah barnaamalka horumarineed eed doonayso. Ogow inayna dumida jirin meel banaani. Meeshaad banayso, waa la buuxinayaa. Cilmiyan koobka aad biyaha ka madhisaa, ma banaana ee waxa buuxiya hawo. Sidoo kale ayeyna jirin siyaasadda meel madhani. Kooxaha ku tartamaaya hoggaanka dalku, waxay yihiin qaar kolba mid xagal daacaayo, waa kolka taageerayaashoodu gaabiyaan.

Waa hubaal inayu guul gaadhi doono Insha Allah, kolkaynu aynu si dhab ah taageeradeena ugu fidino Madaxweynaha, aynu noqono dar u taagan ka-midho-dhalinta guushii aynu gaadhan. Waana tan uu Madaxweyne Axmed u baahan yahay si aynu isu-hor-taagno kuwa jecel inaan hore loo socon.

Waa ruugcaddaagi soo rogaal celi. KULMIYE iyo Madaxweynahu waa ul iyo diirkeed. Kulmiye waa hooyadda xukuumadda. Fikir, taag iyo tamarba waa in la helaa isku-xidh iyo taageerada ay u baahan yihiin si ay u lisaan guushii aynu gaadhany.

Wax weyn yaa la qabtay muddadan gaaban, waxa se jira dacaayado la buunbuuninaayo una baahan in nafsiyan dawladda laga daafaco, iyo in aan lagaga masuugin talo iyo fikir waxii wax dhisaaya.

Bulshow muuji in isbedelku kaa dhab yahay oo qof waliba ha la yimaado waajibkiisa. Ka guur danta gaarka ah ee gaaban, una guur danta guud iyo u hiilinta mustaqbal horumar dhaqaale, aqooneed iyo bulsho leh.

Mahad oo dhan Alle ayaa leh,

Axmed Xasan Carwo
La-taliyaha Madaxweynaha
ee Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga

eci.advisor@gmail.com

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

--
Posted By Blogger to SAMOTALIS at 12/23/2011 03:11:00 PM

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF ABYEI PEACEKEEPING FORCE FOR FIVE MONTHS

2011-12-22T17:12:00.001-08:00

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF ABYEI PEACEKEEPING FORCE FOR FIVE MONTHS
New York, Dec 22 2011 6:10PM
The Security Council today extended by five months the mandate the United Nations peacekeeping force for the Abyei area, which is contested by South Sudan and Sudan, stressing that the mission's ability to do its work effectively will depend on the implementation by the two countries of earlier agreements.

The Council established the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on 27 June for an initial six months, following an outbreak of violence after Sudanese troops took control of the area, displacing tens of thousands of people in the weeks before South Sudan became an independent State after seceding from Sudan.

In today's <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/RES/2032%20(2011)">resolution, the Council demanded that both governments withdraw all remaining military and police personnel from the Abyei area immediately and without preconditions, and urgently finalize the establishment of the Abyei Area Administration and the Abyei Police Service, as agreed on 20 June.

The 15-member Council urged the two governments to make use of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism to resolve outstanding issues related to finalization of the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone, the resolution of disputed border areas, border demarcation, and the mapping of the border zone.

It also called on all Member States, particularly the two parties to the Abyei dispute, to ensure free, unhindered and quick movement to and from Abyei and throughout the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone of all UNISFA personnel, equipment and other supplies, including vehicles, aircraft and spare parts, which are for the exclusive use of the peacekeepers.

The resolution requested both governments to fulfil their commitment under their 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement to peacefully resolve the final status of Abyei.

The Council also urged all concerned parties to allow relief workers safe and unhindered access to civilians in need of assistance, in accordance with international humanitarian law. It requested the Secretary-General to ensure that effective human rights monitoring is carried out in Abyei and the results included in his reports to the Council.

Last week, the Council expanded UNISFA's mandate to include, among other tasks, assisting the two parties to abide by and implement their agreements on the demilitarization of Abyei.

Earlier this month, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous told the Council that the security situation in Abyei remains fragile, with both South Sudan and Sudan failing to withdraw their armed forces as agreed in June.

Similarly, despite significant efforts by an African Union panel and Haile Menkerios, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Sudan and Southern Sudan, little progress has been made in establishing temporary administrative arrangements for Abyei, Mr. Ladsous said.

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ON YEMENI PARTIES TO ENSURE POLITICAL TRANSITION STAYS ON TRACK

2011-12-22T17:11:00.001-08:00

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ON YEMENI PARTIES TO ENSURE POLITICAL TRANSITION STAYS ON TRACK

The Security Council today welcomed the progress made so far in implementing the agreement for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, and called on the parties to ensure that they adhere to the timetable set out for the process.

A new Government of National Unity was sworn in earlier this month in Yemen after warring factions signed an agreement in November on a transitional settlement under which President Ali Abdullah Saleh agreed to hand over power to Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi.

Yesterday, the Secretary General's Special Adviser for Yemen, Jamal Benomar, reported that the process is moving forward and the agreement is being implemented, with the Government already having taken action to restore peace and stability.

The Council, in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/sc10504.doc.htm">statement read out to the press by Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member body for this month, stated that the political agreement should be implemented in "a transparent and timely manner, and in a spirit of inclusion and reconciliation."

The agreement followed months of deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of Mr. Saleh and his regime, part of the so-called Arab Spring movement that has swept the Middle East and North Africa this year.

The Council expected the parties "to continue to honour the timetable set out in the agreement, including the presidential elections on 21 February, the national dialogue, the constitutional review and the programme of reforms to tackle the profound security, humanitarian, and economic challenges that Yemen faces," the statement added.

It also urged all parties to reject violence, and reiterated that all those responsible for violence, human rights violations and abuses should be held accountable.

In addition, the Council emphasized the need for unimpeded humanitarian access to address the growing crisis in the country, where UN relief officials say large segments of the population are enduring chronic deprivation exacerbated by the breakdown of the delivery of essential social services as a result of civil unrest and widespread violence.

TACSI MARXUUMAD AYEEYO KHADIIJA AW JAAMAC

2011-12-22T08:35:00.001-08:00

Anigoo ku hadlaaya magaca reer Xasan Cabdi Carwo iyo kan xaaskayga Amaal Cumar Carte waxaan tacsi u dirayaa ehelka, ubadka, tafiirta kale, gacalka, qaraabada, xigaalka, xito iyo asxaabta ay ayeeyo Khadija Aw Jamac,oo ah ( hooyada adeerkey Cawil Cabdi Carwo iyo eddooyinkey Canab iyo Qaali), iyo tafiirtooda meel kasta ooy joogaan.

Ayeeyo Khadija oo ahayd ruux aad u da'weyn oon marna ka qaldamin kana daalin tasbiixda, salaadda iyo cibaadada Alle oo dhan, waxaan ku xusuustaa dhowr bilood horteed oon arkay oon la yaabay hadalkeeda aan qaladka lahayn, xusuusteeda iyo maqalkeeda. Waana mid dadka wax yari helaan kolka ay gaadhaan da'daas mid aad uga yar.
Alle ha u naxariistee Ayeeyo Khadiija Aw Jaamac waxa lagu aasay magaalada Hargeysa, maanta oo khamiis ah 22/12/2011.

Marxuumad Khadiija oo ahayd ruux cibaado badan,naxariis badan, oo dad jecel, waxaan Illaahay uga baryayaa inuu u naxariisto oo uu janatal fardows ku abaal mariyo, ehel, asxaab iyo tafiirteedna, waxa inagu waajib ah samir, saamaxaad iyo duco.

Axmed Xasan Carwo
samotalis@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Ahmed-Arwo/246544372035127

KENYA-SOMALIA: Refugees injured in Dadaab crackdown

2011-12-22T06:46:00.001-08:00

KENYA-SOMALIA: Refugees injured in Dadaab crackdown

DADAAB, 22 December 2011 (IRIN) - Dozens of refugees have been injured in a security operation by police in the Dadaab refugee camps, northeastern Kenya, following six explosions since early November, one of which killed a policeman on 19 December.

"We are being told to surrender the Al-Shabab-linked persons carrying out the attacks, yet... the police, who we expect to protect us, are instead proving dangerous to our lives," Isnino Ali Rage, chairman of the Dadaab refugee community, told IRIN on 21 December.

Camp residents said the police arrested dozens of refugees and beat up others in the operation, which started in the afternoon of 20 December and extended into most of the next day. Residents said the police were looking for explosives.

In Nairobi, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe told IRIN on 22 December that the objective of the operation was to weed out criminal elements in the camps "masquerading as people in need".

"Nobody will create a safe haven for kidnappers, killers and makers of explosives; the operation will continue to ensure the camps are secure for the refugees, aid workers and police officers there," Kiraithe said.

He said people linked to Somalia's insurgent group Al-Shabab were using Dadaab, which holds some 460,000 refugees, to plan attacks.

"Such people hide in these camps, enjoying relief assistance while planning attacks; the last three explosions in the area have targeted the police," Kiraithe said. "The role of the police is to protect the refugees but if people among the refugees are targeting the police, then we must act. In the past, allegations of extortion and rape were made against the police; we have learnt that this was meant to curtail our policing activities and allow those planning attacks to do so; that is why we are subjecting them to intensive policing. We want to weed out the criminal elements among them."

Regarding claims that the police used excessive force, Kiraithe said any professional misconduct by officers would be investigated.

He said at least 90 police officers had been recently deployed in Dadaab "but we are increasing the numbers depending on the security needs on the ground".

The explosion in which the policeman was killed and several others injured took place in Hagadera camp. The second explosion on 20 December occurred in the main market of Ifo camp and targeted a police vehicle, which narrowly escaped destruction.

The refugees said the operation began soon after the Ifo market explosion, with officers breaking down doors to shops and houses in search of weapons and explosives. Business people reported heavy losses.

"Almost all my property was destroyed, the computer and the big refrigerator; I am also missing hundreds of thousands of Kenyan shillings," Ali Deck, 25, a refugee and businessman in Ifo camp, told IRIN. "There are no banks in Dadaab, we keep all our money in our shops."

Few refugees ventured out of their tents during the operation. Those who tried to take food to those who had been arrested earlier were also detained. The injured could not access hospitals. Health and aid workers stayed indoors, local residents said.

Aden Hassan, 75, a resident of Ifo's Section C18, told IRIN his son was badly beaten up. "My son is mentally handicapped; he ran into the house when the police jumped over the fence but they pulled him outside and beat him mercilessly, they left him bleeding."

The operation ended after a group of community leaders went to the local police station and held discussions with the officer in charge. One of the elders said the officer told them the operation would continue until the refugees surrendered the "evil ones" living among them.

"There is nowhere to run; on one side, we are threatened by the fear of the unknown Al-Shabab, who are said to be in the camps, and on the other side we are being harassed by the police," Mama Nahwo Sirat, one of the elders at the police station, said. "I pray to God that we find a way out of this bad situation."

UNHCR spokesperson Emmanuel Nyabera told IRIN on 21 December the agency was committed to ensuring Dadaab's civilian character was maintained.

"We are concerned about security in Dadaab; and we are working with the government to ensure that we have access to the refugees," he said.

After the recent explosions, aid worker movements and services have been restricted.

SOMALIA: Rape on the rise amid "climate of fear" in Mogadishu IDP camps

2011-12-22T06:34:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: Rape on the rise amid "climate of fear" in Mogadishu IDP camps

NAIROBI, 22 December 2011 (IRIN) - The number of reported rapes in camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, has risen sharply, creating "a climate of fear", according to a civil society source.

"We have had the problem of rape in the city but what we are witnessing now is on a scale never seen before," said Mama Hawo Haji, a women's rights activist. "For instance, in the last two days alone, we have taken 32 rape cases to the hospital; in the past four months we recorded 80 cases."

The numbers could be higher, Haji said, as many women do not report rape, fearing that the perpetrators could return to hurt them.

"In many cases, the perpetrators are government security forces who are supposed to protect the women; this has led to a climate of fear in the camps," she said.

Haji said one of the reasons for the surge in rape cases was the fact that there were many more IDPs without protection in the city - "be it protection from the clan or the government".

Mohamed Moge, a human rights activist, told IRIN the government was not in control of its own security forces. "The TFG [Transitional Federal Government] does not really have complete control over those it claims are its forces."

He said the disorganization within the ranks of the TFG was "a big contributing factor to the overall insecurity, not only rape".

A civil society activist, who requested anonymity, told IRIN that in Badbaado, one of the largest camps in the city, a baby was killed few days ago when men jumped over a fence in an attempt to rape the women. "One of them landed on the baby, who died instantly."

Many of the IDPs fled their homes for Mogadishu because of drought and famine and violence in the south and central parts of the country in search of food and safety.

Jooqey* arrived in Mogadishu in June seeking food for her family. In November, men in uniform attacked the IDP camp she was in and looted her food rations before raping her.

"I had received the food that afternoon and they knew it; they took my food and honour," she said. "I want to go back home as soon as I can. I know who some of them are and cannot do anything."

Jooqey said she was afraid to report the rapists to anyone. "I don't want to suffer again."

Roar Bakke Sorensen, communications specialist with the UN Population Fund, told IRIN: "UNFPA is extremely worried about these allegations we hear almost daily now from Mogadishu. We are scaling up our activities... Last month we trained staff in the newly developed information management system, which is a tool that we use to collect and analyze data, so that we can target our response and give the survivors adequate assistance according to their human rights."

Protection proposal

Abdullahi Shirwa, head of Somalia's National Disaster Management Agency, told IRIN his organization had forwarded a proposal to the cabinet to protect all IDPs.

"We proposed the creation of a special unit to protect the camps; we also proposed that any member of security forces or outside who rapes should be arrested and charged quickly and given tough sentences," Shirwa said.

He said his agency was waiting for the cabinet to act on the proposal - "I hope we will get a positive response soon."

However, Haji said rape was on increase yet the government was not addressing it and "giving the attention it deserves. They [government] seem busy fighting each other instead of protecting the public."

She said women's groups were raising awareness of the issue and would continue to do so "until someone listens to us. We will continue shouting from the rooftops until rape stops."

Calling on Somali men to join women in stopping the menace, Haji said: "I want all Somali men to remember that their mother is a woman, their daughter is a woman, their sister is a woman and their wife is a woman. How would they feel if any of them was raped? I want them to feel angry whenever a woman is raped."

UN staff’s performance in Somalia constitute a crime Send to a friend

2011-12-21T17:42:00.001-08:00

UN staff's performance in Somalia constitute a crime Send to a friend

Rasna Warah

One of the most frequent complaints I heard during my recent visit to Mogadishu was the lack of physical presence of United Nations staff in this war-torn city.This sounded very odd to me considering that the UN declared a famine of "biblical proportions" in Somalia in July this year, and has been raising millions of dollars to save Somalis from starvation since.

In fact, the UN has claimed to have successfully distributed food aid in Mogadishu. So why is there so little UN presence there?

I certainly didn't see any, and I was in the heart of Mogadishu during my four-day stay there. I hardly saw any UN cars in the city, and very few foreign aid workers.The only foreigners whose presence could be seen and felt was that of Turks, whose government is actively engaged in rebuilding Mogadishu, and the African Union soldiers who are helping rid the city of the dreaded Al-Shabaab.

I had heard from various sources that most of the food aid that comes through Mogadishu's port ends up in private hands because there is no effective monitoring of how and where it is distributed.

The mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamoud Nur, complained that there was no control over the aid that comes through the port because the local NGOs that collect and distribute it are not accountable to anyone. This had led to theft of food and other aid.

So I went to the port to see for myself, and sure enough, I saw Unicef bags being offloaded onto a ramshackle truck that had no UN logo on it and no UN staff was present to oversee the operation.I checked to see if there was a WFP office at the port (you'd think there would be, considering that millions of dollars of food aid that comes through the port) but could not find any.
Huge allowances

Recent reports indicate that a cartel of local business tycoons control the food aid business in Somalia through shady NGOs, and that the UN is often complicit in these transactions.Recently, a reliable source told me that a UN agency that has received millions of euros from a leading Western donor to clean up Mogadishu's streets was using one of the NGOs implicated in the food aid scandal to manage the clean-up operation.

It seems everyone is profiting from the chaos in Somalia. Somali analysts I have spoken to tell me that UN staff based in Nairobi would like Somalia to remain unstable so that they can maintain their luxurious and relatively safe lifestyles in Kenya's capital.

Indeed, almost all bilateral and multilateral donor agencies have their Somalia offices based in Nairobi. Almost none have a functioning office in Mogadishu.This means that much of the donor money given to UN and other organisations is spent in Nairobi, not in Mogadishu, where it is needed more.

One senior European Union official admitted to me recently that the UN had probably slowed down Somalia's recovery and that "if there is peace in Somalia, many UN staff will not retain their positions in Nairobi".

UN staff are quick to point out that the UN policy is to evacuate international staff when things in a country get nasty.However, international staff are paid huge hardship allowances so they can survive under adverse conditions. Why is it that they are the first to leave when they are needed the most?

Many books have been written about the UN's failure in countries such as Rwanda – where even Kofi Annan proved ineffective when he was in charge of the UN's peacekeeping operations.

The genocide in Rwanda and the turmoil in Somalia stand as testaments to the UN's complicity in crimes against humanity.

One Mogadishu resident told me the UN is quick to run away from a crisis but is also very good at creating it. "First they said there the rains had failed and they needed aid for famine victims," he said."Then the rains came, but even that became a problem. They said the rains brought malaria, and so Somalia needed more aid."

When will this never-ending cycle of chaos end? It's hard to tell, but I hope the African Union soldiers will show the UN a thing or two about how to bring about real peace and development.

rasna.warah@gmail.com

http://thecitizen.co.tz/editorial-analysis/20-analysis-opinions/18182-un-staffs-performance-in-somalia-constitute-a-crime.html

UNESCO CONDEMNS KILLING OF SOMALI TELEVISION REPORTER

2011-12-20T18:18:00.001-08:00

UNESCO CONDEMNS KILLING OF SOMALI TELEVISION REPORTER

The head of the United Nations agency charged with defending press freedom today condemned the murder of a Somali television journalist in Mogadishu.

Abdisalam Sheikh Hasan was shot in the head as he left his office at Horn Cable TV in the Somali capital. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.

"Securing safer working conditions must be made into a priority in Somalia's effort to establish democracy and rule of law," <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_condemns_murder_of_somali_journalist_abdisalam_sheikh_hassan/">said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

"I therefore call on the transitional government to investigate this crime against a journalist and against society as a whole," Ms. Bokova added.

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists, Sheikh Hasan is the third Somali journalist killed in Mogadishu this year.

SOMALIA: Kismayo IDPs face hunger, drug shortages

2011-12-20T05:31:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: Kismayo IDPs face hunger, drug shortages

NAIROBI, 20 December 2011 (IRIN) - The plight of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia's southern port city of Kismayo, controlled by Al-Shabab insurgents, has deteriorated, with thousands facing a food crisis after supply routes were blocked, and drug shortages as patient numbers increase, locals said.

"We are extremely concerned about what is happening in Kismayo; Al-Shabab has blocked any attempt to bring supplies by road while the bombing of the airport and the near-closure of the port has contributed to the severe shortage of food in the city," Abdullahi Shirwa, head of Somalia's National Disaster Management Agency, told IRIN on 20 December.

The insurgents took control of the city in 2009, forcing many aid agencies to withdraw, thus cutting assistance to IDPs and other vulnerable people.

Kismayo residents told IRIN on 20 December the IDPs were not the only ones facing a food crisis.

"We are now seeing long-time residents who are no better off than the IDPs," Mooge Muraadsade, a resident, said. "Many of us depended on work and trade and both are dwindling here."

Al-Shabab controls most of southern Somalia.

Muraadsade said trade through Kismayo port had reduced to a trickle and many businesses that previously depended on the port's activity had shut down.

"Not as many ships as a year ago are coming and the current fighting with Kenyan forces is not helping," Muraadsade said.

The Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) entered southern Somalia in October to try to neutralize Al-Shabab, hampering humanitarian access to some parts of the region, most of which was drought-stricken.

A local journalist, who requested anonymity, told IRIN more IDPs continued to arrive in Kismayo daily.

"We had the long-term IDPs [from the 1990s]; those who came at the height of drought [mid-2011] and now those who are running from the fighting between the government of Kenya forces, the TFG [Transitional Federal Government] and Al-Shabab."

Desperate for aid

The journalist said the displaced were cramped in dozens of camps. "The real problem is that aid agencies have no access to these people because Al-Shabab won't let them," he said, adding that Kismayo, "formerly a thriving business and trade centre, is dying. Sometimes I honestly cannot tell who is an IDP or a resident. Some residents are as badly off as the displaced."

Mohamed*, an IDP from the town of Jilib, 180km west of Kismayo, said: "I left because the fighting had reached us and Kismayo was closer than Mogadishu."

He said in the two months he had been in Kismayo, he and his family had not received any help from any agency. "We beg and depend on what other people give us."

A medical worker at the Kismayo General Hospital told IRIN they were receiving up to 10 people a day suffering from acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) or malnourishment.

"We are getting many children who are so malnourished and they are mainly from the IDP camps," he said.

He said the hospital was supported by Somalis in the diaspora but the last time they had received any drugs was two months ago and they were running out.

On any given day of the week, two or three people died at the hospital, most from hunger-related diseases, he added.

What his patients needed most was "immediate emergency aid such as life-saving drugs for malaria, chicken pox and supplementary food for the malnourished".

The Kismayo journalist told IRIN that Al-Shabab was becoming more strict and refusing to allow "even local aid agencies to operate freely; they have become even more paranoid after the Kenyan incursion".

In November, Al-Shabab banned 16 aid organizations, including several UN agencies, from operating in areas under its control, accusing them of "illicit activities and misconduct".

ah/js/mw

SOMALIA: UN AND PARTNERS URGE LEADERS TO END STAND-OFF OVER SPEAKER

2011-12-19T15:06:00.001-08:00

SOMALIA: UN AND PARTNERS URGE LEADERS TO END STAND-OFF OVER SPEAKER
New York, Dec 19 2011 1:10PM
A joint delegation of the United Nations, the African Union and a regional organization has urged Somalia's transitional institutions to quickly resolve a political stand-off triggered by last week's passing by Parliament of a vote of no-confidence against the Speaker, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden.

"We appeal for moderation to the leadership of the Transitional Federal Institutions, parliamentarians and to all stakeholders [to] … avoid any statement or action that could exacerbate the already tense situation and further aggravate the crisis," said a statement by the delegation.

The joint mission that travelled to Somalia to meet with the country's leadership on Saturday, comprised Christian Manahl, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Somalia; Boubacar Diarra, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union; and Kipruto arap Kirwa, the facilitator for Somalia for the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

It conveyed the serious concern of the international community over the political crisis to the leaders, stressing that the stalemate could have an adverse impact on the implementation of the roadmap to restore peace and stability in Somalia, which has lacked a fully-functioning government and been wracked by factional warfare since 1991.

The delegation reiterated the determination of the international community to act against political moves aimed at derailing the peace process.

It urged Somalia's Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) to act in the spirit of the Kampala Accord, the pact signed in the in the Ugandan capital in June under which the terms of the President and the Speaker were extended for a year, ending an impasse over the transition period.

"We acknowledge the wish of the parliamentarians to discuss the Roadmap in the TFP [Transitional Federal Parliament], following their previous endorsement of the Kampala Accord, and the intention of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to present the Roadmap to the TFP for deliberation and approval; we acknowledge that this should happen as soon as the present crisis is resolved," the mission said.

Members of the delegation encouraged continued consultations among Somalia's top leadership to resolve the current crisis in accordance with the Transitional Federal Charter and previous political agreements.

In a related development, the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) today announced that a three-day high-level Conference on the Constitution will take place in the city of Garowe in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland beginning on Wednesday. The decision was made following consultations with the TFIs, according to the UNPOS <"http://unpos.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1911&ctl=Details&mid=2201&ItemID=15991">press release.

SHIRWEYNE XISBIGA KULMIYE KU QABSADAY MAGAALADA BRISTOL, UK.

2011-12-18T19:17:00.001-08:00

SHIRWEYNE XISBIGA KULMIYE KU QABSADAY MAGAALADA BRISTOL, UK.

Waxa axaddii bisha December ahayd todoba iyo toban 2011 magaalada Bristol ku qabsoomay shirweyne ay isagu yimaadeen dhamaan guddida fulinta iyo guddiyada laamaha xisbiga Kulmiye ku leehaya wadankan UK iyo waliba ragga iyo dumarka bud dhigga u ah xisbiga Kulmiye UK. Waxaa kale oo shirkaa ka soo qayb galay madax ka tirsan xukuumadda Somaliland oo ay ka mid ahaayeen; , Lataliaya Madaxweynaha ee arimaha Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga Mudane Axmed Xasan Carwo, Lataliyaha madaxweyne kuxigeenka JSL Cismaan Saciid Jaamac, Badhasaabka gobalka maroodi jeex Axmed Cumar Xaaji C/llaahi ( Xamarje ) Agaasimaha guud ee wasaaradda dibudejinta Axmed Cilmi Barre.

Waxaa shirka aayado quraan ah iyo wacyi diiniya ku furay Axmed Faarax Cadarre ( Gees ) oo kana mid aha gudida fulinta ee kulmiye UK, intaa ka dibna waxaa shirka qudbad soo dhaweyn iyo mahadnaq isagu jirta ka jeediyey gudoomiyaha iyo gudoomiye ku xigeenka laanta Bristol Xuseen Axmed Caydiid iyo Max'd Xaashi Bacado. Xasan Cali Weyd oo ahaa gudoomiyaha qabanqaabada shirkan, ayaa isaguna halkaa ka soo jeediyey qudbad dheer oo uu kaga warramayo sababihii dheliyey shirkan iyo ujeedada laga leeyahay. Xasan Cali Weyd wuxuu sheegay, in tan iyo mudadii uu xisbigu guusha laxaadka leh ka soo hooyey doorashadii uu ku guulaystay madaxwyne Axmed Maxamed Maxamuud ( Siilaano ) aanu xisbigu isagu iman shirarkiisii joogtada haa iyo hawl maalmeedkii xisbiga, sidaa la ajligeedna ay shirkan u qabteen, sidii loo dar-dar gelin lahaa hawlaha xisbiga ee UK.

Kolkii ay soo dhammaatay warbixinadii Laamaha Kulmiye, garabka haweenka iyo dhalinyaraddu ayaa loo galay xog warankii madaxda dalka ka timid. Waxaa hormood u ahaa oo hadalka qaatay La-taliyaha Madaxweynaha ee arrimaha Dhaqaalaha, Ganacsiga iyo Maalgashiga, Mudane Axmed Xasan Carwo. Axmed hadal dheer oo mahadnaq, warbixin qaabka dhismaha xukuumadda iyo kaalinta libaax ee ay kaga jiraan reer Kulmiye iyo dowrka looga baahan yahay isku xidhka xisbiga iyo xukuumadda oon kala maarmin ,.."Xukuumadda waxa dhalay xisbiga waxayna ku shaqaysaa barnaamajka xisbiga..sidaas darteed waxa loo baahan yahay in leys barbar taago oo weliba lagu toosiyo barnaamajka xisbiga...waa inaan la noqon sidii UDUB ayna wax talo iyo toosin ah ku lahayn xukuumadda ee waa inay jirtaa wada shaqayn iyo xisaabtan leysku qiimeeyo barnaamajkii leynagu doortay oo berri ka maalin ummaddu inagula xisaabtami...guusha xukuumaddu waa guusha xisbiga...masiirka iyo mustaqbalka xisbigu waxuu si toos ah ugu xidhan yahay waxqabadka xukuumadda..." ayuu Axmed Carwo yidhi

Waxa iyana mid mid uga hadalay madaxdii kale oo dhammaan ku nuuxnuuxsaday dowrka xisbiga iyo waxqabadka xukuumadda. Waxaana mahadnaq ballaadhan loo soo jeediyey Guddiga Bristol ee shirka soo qabatay, iyo waxqabadkii Guddiga Fulinta UK, iyadoo si gaar ah loogu mahadnaqay Guddoomiyaha Guddiga Ibraahim Dakhare.

Qudbadahaa madaxda ka dib waxaa la guda galay ajandihii shirka, kaasoo qodobka ugu weyni uu ahaa sidii loo qaban lahaa shirweynihii xisbiga Kulmiye, kaasoo labadii sannaba mar lagu soo doorto gudida fulinta ee Kulmiye UK.
Dood dheer iyo falanqayn ka dib waxaa laysku raacay in madashan laga xulo, xubno soo magacaaba gudida qaban-qaabada shirweynaha Kulmiye Uk, waxaana halkaa lagu soo xulay 21 xubnood oo noqon doona gudida qaban qaabada shirweynaha xisbiga Kulmiye ee Uk, shirkaasoo ku qabsoomi doona haddii Eebe raali ka noqdo mudo sodon dharaarood ah oo ka bilaabmaya marka ugu horaysa ee gudidaasi isu timaado. Waxaana xilka isku keenidda iyo isku xidhka guddiga qabanqaabada loo xilsaaray Guddoomiyaha Guddiga Fulinta iyo ku xigeenkiisa. Waxaana la gartay in Guddiga Fulintu hawshooda sii hayaan tan iyo inta laga dooran doono Guddi kale oo xilka kala wareegta Shirweynha soo socda kolkuu qabsoomo. Waxaana goáanka golaha ka dhexakhriyey, shirkana soo xidhay Guddomiyaha Guddiga Fulinta UK Kulmiye Mud. Ibraahim Nuux (Dakhare).

Mohamed Haragwaafi
haragwaafi4@yahoo.co.uk