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That Freedom Shall not Perish
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Djibouti- a safe heaven for international drug money laundering
In early June 1977 or two weeks before the former French colony of Djibouti got its independence, the then French mayor of Djibouti city, D. Ornano approached Hassan Gulaid Abtidoon, the man destined to become the country's first president, asking him to employ a Romani as the President advisor for financial affairs. Romani who happened to be the brother of D. Ornano's Corsican wife lived in a self-imposed exile in the pacific island of Tahiti, after allegations that he was connected to both the Corsican and Italian Mafia surfaced in France, compelling him to flee the country.
Immediately after Djibouti became independent, President Gulaid complyingly appointed Romani as his financial affairs counsellor. With that appointment, the Corsican and subsequently the Italian Mafia gained a strong foothold in the Red Sea port state of Djibouti.
In the years that followed, the two Mafia branches were able, under Romani's direction, to establish a variety of businesses mainly in the sectors of tourism (Bars, night clubs, hotels) liquor and tobacco trade, narcotics, prostitution, marine transportation and construction. Smuggling and trade of arms, international drug money laundering, nuclear waste dumping and other activities were added later (in the 80s and 90s) to the list of already well-established illicit businesses.
Some of the ventures run by the Mafia include well-known spots in Djibouti such as Stortit nightclub, Scottish Bar, Club Las Vegas and the Sheraton Hotel Casino (managed until recently by two Mafiosi named Luhetti and Pierr-Paul).
Before his death in 1997, Romani had managed to expand the Mafia activities in Djibouti, establishing ties with underworld groups in Tahiti, the Indian ocean islands of Reunion, Seychelles and Madagascar in addition to Corsica, Italy and Lebanon.
All along, Djibouti provided the Mafia not only an obscure sanctuary but full protection as well. But it was Ismail Omer Ghelle, (the powerful boss of the notorious secret police under president Gulaid and currently the sitting president of Djibouti) who towards the end of the seventies developed such close links with the Mafia that he became a business partner in most of its syndicates in and outside Djibouti.
Beginning from the eighties and with Ghelle's encouragement and patronage, the Mafia moved easily into
new business areas:
International drug money laundering
Initially most of money laundering operations were executed through Djibouti Bank of the Middle East (DBME) which was actually established for handling this kind of business. Partners in the DBME included some Arab businessmen in addition to the Mafia. Ghelle called Roble Olhaye, a close friend of his from childhood days in Dire-Dawa, Ethiopia, to become the General Manager of the Bank in 1985. Like Ismail Omer Ghelle, Olhaye was born in Ethiopia from an Essa-Mamaasan tribe. After working in some shady business schemes he fled Ethiopia shortly before Mengistu Haile Mariam's revolution in 1974 to Nairobi, Kenya.
During his stay in Kenya, Olhaye became involved in illegal export of the African elephant tusks through Djibouti. In Nairobi, he also did some business with an international narcotics trafficking dealer. In 1986, the Djibouti Bank of the Middle East was mysteriously declared bankrupt and in 1987 Olhaye was appointed as Djibouti's ambassador to the UN, a job he still holds.
Another Bank especially established for handling international drug money laundering operations is "Djibouti Development Bank", founded as a joint venture by the Djibouti Mafia and some Russian emigrants living in the US. The Russians were believed to be members of the powerful Russian Mafia.
Olhaye who owns one apartment in Manhattan, New York city, and another in Washington DC regularly meets the Russians at either one of his two homes. Through this Russian connection, Djibouti President Ghelle had arranged a higher professional training at a private security accadamy in the US for members of a Djiboutian special crack force that comes under his direct supervision.
Recently money laundering operations have been reorganized so as to be spread across banks operating
in Djibouti. But a significant part of the business is carried out by a remittances firm run by a Djiboutian
business tycoon called Abdulla Taha Saeed. The money laundering techniques used by Djibouti Mafia
connection, were not necessarily highly sophisticated to erase the origin of the funds. Djibouti's
geographical position, as an unknown nation snugly lying in the Horn Africa region, where according to
much of the world only wars and famine persist, has played to the advantage of drug barons in
concealing their money laundering operations from international efforts to expose them.
Drugs, Guns and Liquor Smuggling
In the last decade, Djibouti has become a focal point for smuggling heavy drugs such as cocaine and
liquor across the red sea to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. A firm registered as a marine
transportation company owned by the Monfreid family, has been contracted by the Mafia to carryout
these operations out of Djibouti port. Djibouti airport has occasionally been used as a transit point for
Europe-bound narcotics and arms for the Hutu of Rwanda and lately for the "Transitory government of
Somalia".
Toxic waste Dumping
Since the early nineties, the Italian Mafia which controls toxic waste dumping in Italy and parts of Europe has shifted its dumping operations at western coasts of Africa to the Red Sea coastal areas of Djibouti and Somalia. On one account, highly toxic and radio-active waste has been dumped at "Gubat-alkharab" and "Muluho" in the Afar-inhabited coastal territory of Djibouti in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The toxic waste disposal venture was jointly managed by Idrisis Omer Ghelle (brother of President Ismail Omer Ghelle) who represented the Djibouti Mafia and the Italians man in Djibouti, Mario Angelo. Both men died later under mysterious circumstances.
After reportedly contracting severe skin diseases and other unusual health problems, the Afar coastal community (subsistent livestock herders and fishermen) at Gubatal-kharab and Muluhu had to flee the area moving in-land, apparently after exposure to effects of the waste dumped in their localities. Following strong protests by Afar leaders, the dumping operations were since moved to the high seas facing the western coast of Somaliland (opposite the area between Zaila and Lughaya). The Italian Parliament has recently began debating this issue.
Assassinations allegedly carried out by the Mafia on behalf of the Djibouti government 1. Mohammed Idriss (Qaraf)-- Killed in 1991 while investigating the assassination of three Essa men in Dire-Dawa during 1990. Among the 3 victims was Hamud Langadhe, a long-time leader of an anti-Ethiopian insurgency movement whose members were drawn from Issa clansmen living within border areas that fall across the demarcation lines between Somaliland, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Hamud and the other two men came to Dire-Dawa to declare allegiance to the SNM whose guerrilla compaign against the government forces of dictator Siyad Barre had entered its 9th year in early 1990. The Djibouti government, which supported Siyad Barre, became angered by Hamud Langadhe's move and has been widely held as being behind the elimination.
Before his death, Mohammed Idriss held the position of assistant director of Djibouti's secret security police. He personally directed the investigation of the killing of Hamud Langadhe and his colleagues. During the investigation, Idriss found sufficient evidence incriminating Ismail Omer Ghelle for masterminding the assassination operation. Idriss started to talk.
Dr. Mohammed Yassin --- A pharmacologist who headed the state - owned medical Drugs Agency. Was killed in 1994 after refusing to obey instructions by Ismail Omer Ghelle, asking him to pay from Agency funds an amount of money needed for hiring an assassination team to eliminate a prominent Essa figure. The targeted man who was hitherto considered a Ghelle confidant had been accused of disclosing highly damaging secrets to political adversaries.
Mario Angelo --- An Italian who arrived in Djibouti in 1978. Mario Angelo was connected to the Italian Mafia and during 1992-1994, he worked with Idriss Omer Ghelle on a project for dumping highly toxic waste along the Red Sea coastal areas inhabited by the Afar people of Djibouti.
A mutual suspicion of each other developed between Agnelo and his Djiboutian counter-parts while the third and last phase of the project was being implemented.
Then at one night in 1994, Mario Angelo was killed infront of Ali Sabieh Hotel in uptown Djibouti known by locals as "Guudka".
Angelo's death came shortly after all the waste dumping operations had been successfully carried out. It
was widely believed that the timing was not coincidental but preplanned by the Djiboutian/Corsican
Mafia connection.
Mafia dominated businesses in Djibouti
Borre Group Ltd. -- Holding company of Abdirahman Borre's business establishments. A close tribal relative and childhood friend of President Gelle (Essa, clan), Borre is said to be involved in almost half of all the businesses that count in Djibouti that it has been difficult to assess his activities which range from wholesale of imported food material and construction engineering services to general brokering and smuggling of gemstones and counterfeit cigarettes. From an obscure small trader in the early nineties, Borre had become a very wealthy and powerful man at high speed and with little effort.
President Ghelle is said to be a silent partner in most of his commercial and trade activities. His regional business ties witnessed an incredibly tremendous expansion during the last 5 years that they account now for over 60% of his earnings. Borre controls through smuggling, most of the tobacco cigarettes trade in eastern Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia.
His ties with Mogadishu businessmen have substantially grown during the last 3 years. With two of his business partners elected in August 2000 as president (Qassim Salad) and prime minister (Ali Galaydh) of the newly formed transitional government of Somalia, Borre has since taken big preparations to take a lion's share of expected reconstruction works in war devastated Somalia.
Qassim Salad has already awarded Borre two lucrative contracts: printing of a new Somalia Passport and a new Somalia bank notes. To finance these awards and his future operations in Somalia, he recently paid up $8 million to become a major stake holder in Djibouti Sheraton Hotel only to sell his shares soon after to a wealthy Saudi businessman of Yemeni origin, called Amoudi (same owner of Adis-Abab Sheraton). Borre also received a commission of one million dollar for pretensely brokering in Sept. 2000 a deal between the Djibouti Port Authority and the managers of Dubai Port International who have been contracted to run the free trade zone at Djibouti port.
Borre met some setbacks though specially after it had been established that he was an accomplice in the corruption scandal that brought down former Ethiopian prime minister Tamarat Leyn 4 years ago. As a consequence, he was no more welcome in Ethiopia, though his cigarette brands continued to be smuggled into eastern Ethiopia.
In mid 2000 Puntland was prompted to outlaw Borre's business activities in the territories under its control following reports that the business tycoon had been destabilizing the regional state in eastern Somalia.
Borre also overseas Ghelle's secret bank accounts held with banks in French Bolonesia, Seychelles, Lebanon and the UAE.
Marine Transportation: Owned by a French family well known for its involvement in arms trade. Originally founded by Henry de Monfreid in mid 19th century. Now run by two grandsons of Monfreid, the company is involved in the smuggling of Hashish, Cocaine, liquor and Gemstones.
Abdulla Taha Money Exchange & Remittances: Owned by A. Taha, a Djiboutian of Yemeni origin. Handles money laundering for the Mafia. In this connection, President Ghelle deals with Taha through a Mamaasan woman with the name of Maryan Ma'aan who works as an executive secretary at Djibouti's Presidency. Legal counselling on money laundering is provided by a French man called Martinet who holds two official titles: Legal Advisor to the President and Chairman of Djibouti Bar Association.
Concore Co: A building contractors company. Major shareholders are Ismail Omer Ghelle and Saeed Barkhad, Minister of Public works (Samaron-reer Nur)
Comad: A shipping line agency owned by Saeed Sheik Osman, brother of Mahdi Sheik Osman, commander of both the para-military police force, the Gendermere, and the Presidential Guards.
Liban Ismail Omer: The 25 years old son of President Ghelle. Sole distributor of Isuzu Vehicles. Since his father was elected president in April 1999, all government departments were instructed to replace their motor transport with Isuzu cars. As a result, Liban sold several hundred Isuzu vehicles to government agencies. Liban also owns 35 large trucks used in transportation of goods to Ethiopia. Among Liban's business associates is Patrick, the son of Romani. Patrick runs a chain of night club including a one in Port Elizabeth, Seychelles
Buh Idriss Omer: President Gelle's nephew. Agent for a Sudanese land transportation Co. Manages 150 trailer trucks for forwarding Ethiopia-bound transit goods. Originally, the firm was co-founded by Muse Shihem, an Afar and former Djibouti foreign minister. Shihem had to relinquish his stake in the company in favor of Bush Idriss as a result of intimidation. He is now Djibouti's ambassador to Brussels. As a kind of compensation, Shihem was given a plot of land that the company agreed to use as its encampment site against a monthly rental of DJFr 500,000.
Most of the trucks used by the company had been reported to be in bad shape. No attention was given
to constant complaints by the Ethiopians about the inefficiency of the forwarding services.
Other big business names on the Mafia connection:
- Al-Ghamil women wear- owned by Abdulkarim Al-Ghamil, a Djiboutian of Yemeni origin.
- Saif Group - owned by Dahir Saeed Saif, a Djiboutian of Yemeni origin. A wheeler-dealer with exclusive ownership of business services
- Rubah contractors - owned by Ali Rubah, a Djiboutian of Yemeni origin who has monopoly over
French army contracts.
- Salim Al-Mudhi - Djiboutian of Yemeni origin who runs "pleasure business".
Who is who in Djibouti's Top Power Circle
Besides exclusive ownership of so many shady business enterprises, the ruling clique in Djibouti also enjoys a complete monopoly over political power in the whole country. President Ismail Omer Ghelle, an Essa- Mamaasan- of course sits on the top of the power structure.
Long before assuming the top position of Djibouti president in May 1999 (elected in April), Ghelle was declared by the-then Djibouti president Hassan Gulaid Abtidoon as the undisputed heir apparent to the highest government post in the country.
Although Ghelle remains the most-and-all powerful figure in Djibouti, the following regime insiders (most of them close relatives) rank politically among the most influential personalities in the port-state.
2. Hassan Saeed: Nicknamed Hassan Madoobe. Mamaasan. Director general of the Security Directorate, a state security apparatus consisting of three departments independent of each other. SDS -- Specialized in domestic spying, RM --- Military information service and counter intelligence, RG --- General information services. Hassan Madoobe is one of the two persons most trusted by president Ghelle.
3. General Zakaria: Army of Staff, a Mamaasan. Was a lieutenant in the early nineties. Promoted to General because of his close tribal connection to president Ghelle. Together with Hassan Madoobe, Zakaria is among Ghelle's two most trusted aides.
4. Col. Mahdi Sh Osman: Commander of both the Presidential guards and the Gendarmarie para-military police force. Belongs to the Mamaasan.
5. Abdirahman Borre: Business tycoon, childhood friend and frontman in business circles for Ghelle. Over-all representative for Ghelle interests in the Mafia connection. From the Essa clan.
6. Col. Abdi Kahin: Commander of the Nagad maximum security prison - site for torturing political prisoners. Mamaasan.
7. Sherdoon Abbas: Chairman of the High Court, the only member of the inner circle who is not Mamaasan. He belongs to the Odohgob Essa sub-clan but his mother is the aunt of Ismail Omer Ghelle.
8. Col. Hassan Jama: A Mamaasan Reer Abgal. Formerly commander of Djibouti Air Force. Currently in the Armed Forces combined command. Married to a sister of Ismail O. Ghelle.
9. Col. Omer Buh: Operation officer in the Armed Forces combined command. From the Urweine Essa sub-clan. Married to a sister of Ghelle
10. Jama Haid: Governor of Djibouti Central Bank, an Isaak, Habr Awal. Brother of Djibouti's first lady, Khadra Haid.
11. Jama Ali Ghelle: Director general of Djibouti Electricity power supply Agency. Mamaasan Reer Egal.
12. National Treasurer: Mohammed Qumane, from the Essa Furlabe subclan. Married to the niece of former president Hassan Gulaid.
13. Abdulla Domaine: Director general of Customs & Tariff Department, Reer Egal.
14. Ahmed Dualle: General Manager Djibouti Port Authority, Reer Egal.
15. Dr. Saeed Sheik: Director general of the Medical Drugs Agency. From the Mamaasan subclan.
16. Director General of the Telecommunication corporation.
Arab Military intervention in Mogadishu, urged by Yemen and Libya
Sana/Mogadishu -- Yemeni president Ali Abdulla Salah has urged Arab countries to seriously consider sending an Arab military force to Somalia to bolster the position of Abdiqassim Salad's Arta faction, against what he has called, growing Ethiopian intervention in internal Somali affairs.
In a message sent by Salah to all Arab heads of state last month, the Yemeni leader has called upon Arab governments to adopt a new common policy towards Somalia. He pressed that Arab countries to shoulder what he termed as the greater responsibilities thrust on them by an actively interventionist role being played by Ethiopia. The call by the Yemeni president for an Arab military intervention in Somalia has already gained the strong support of Libyan leader Mu'amar Qadafi, high diplomatic sources said. Egypt was also reported last week to have responded positively to a joint Yemeni/Libyan proposal to ready several thousand men strong Arab military contingent, for deployment in Mogadishu and its surroundings.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were expected to finance the Arab military expedition force for Somalia, the sources said.
In the meanwhile, The Republican has learned from a reliable source close to the Transitional government of Somalia that the purpose of Salad government's Dec. 19th attack on Sudi Yalahow's militiamen at Balad (40km north of Mogadishu) was to "create a situation that would substantiate previously announced accusations by Salad officials that Ethiopia has been sending arms to some of the factions."
In a comment on the attack, Salad's government alleged that the military operation was carried out to intercept a convoy of arms and ammunition sent by the Ethiopians for Mussa Sudi Yalahow, currently the most powerful faction leader in Mogadishu. The attack, in which about 500 of Qassim's militia men were reportedly used, was however crushed by the Sudi Yalahow forces which comparatively government sources said "showed a clear tactical and combat superiority". About 30 militia men belonging to the Arta faction were taken prisoners during the operation while several were killed.
Abdi Qassim's deputy prime minister Osman Jama Kalun also complained last week that Ethiopian was violating UN arms embargo.
The attack was planned to coincide with fresh Arab calls for intervention in Somalia.
There has been no official reaction from the Ethiopian government yet with regard to emerging reports that Yemen, Libya and Egypt are seriously considering sending troops to Somalia. Diplomatic sources however have predicted a stern response from the Ethiopians.
On Tuesday, Salad's minister of Defence said his government will no longer abide by an agreement of understanding reached with Ethiopia in last November citing allegedly continued hostile actions taken by the Ethiopian authorities against Somalia's new government (Arta faction).
An Appeal To Respect The Will Of The People Of Somaliland
Abstract: In view of the above facts, the Somaliland Forum, an independent organization that represents the Somaliland diaspora, believes that the made-in-Djibouti government of Mogadishu will try to destabilize the Republic of Somaliland, as is evident from its current rhetoric of denial of the existence of Somaliland, a country whose people decided through their own free will to step back from the disastrous 1960 union with Somalia.
3) The independent Republic of Somaliland, whose people simply reinstated their sovereignty within the borders of the State of Somaliland of 1960, as inherited from the British Protectorate of Somaliland in 1960. It is evident that [Salat]'s strategy will create unnecessary wars and upheavals, first within Somalia proper itself, and this has actually started, as Salat's militia is battling now the older faction militias of Mogadishu. In light of the unfolding events in Mogadishu, the Somaliland Forum believes that the renewed Somali political conflict, if Salat and his group have their way, will inevitably spillover into the other neighbouring countries in the region, including Djibouti itself, and would tend to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.
We also would like to remind the world that the people of Somaliland have determined their destiny and are asking for an acceptance of their right to self-determination, which, in this particular case, does not contravene the OAU (Organisation of African Unity) principle of the inviolability of colonial frontiers--- Somaliland gained independence from Britain in June 1960 while Somalia proper gained independence from Italy in July 1960. We stress, again, and in particular to our African brethren, that because of the above-mentioned specific reasons, the existence of the Republic of Somaliland will not set any precedent for the breakup of states. On the contrary, it will enhance peace in the Horn of Africa region, as it will forestall future fighting between Somaliland and whatever entity comes to govern Somalia proper.
Somaliland: Authorities and violent-hit region reach agreement
The minister of health, Dr Abdi Aw Dahir, has said a government delegation visiting Burco, Togdheer Region, and the area traditional leaders, elders and wise men have reached an important agreement on maintenance of peace in the region.
The minister said the delegation and the regional leaders reached a five-point agreement, in which they agreed to safeguard the sovereignty of Somaliland, which is sacred. Burco people were signatory to the independence declaration. They agreed to counter Somaliland nationals serving in the so-called government of Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, promote Somaliland currency and reject Puntland and Mogadishu currencies. The traditional leaders pledged that they would resolve the current land dispute in the Togdheer Region peacefully. They further agreed to help maintain peace and stability in the region.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 22 Dec 00
Destabilization mission to arrive in Las-Anod and Burao
Hargeisa -- The Arta faction headed by Abdul Qassim Salad is planning to send a destabilization mission to both Buroa and Las-Anod during the Eid (ten days from now). Highly reliable sources told The Republican that the mission, to be led by Ali Khalif Galaydh and Osman Jama "Kalun", will depart Mogadishu on the first day of the Eid holidays if not one or two days before. A similar mission is also expected to be sent by the Salad Arta faction to Puntland. Galaydh, a Las-Anod native has been appointed as Abdulqassim's prime minister. Osman Jama Kalun is a disgruntled political figure form Buroa. Both had held ministerial portfolios under dictator Mohammed Siyad Barre.
According to details of the planned mission, Galaydh will arrive in Las-Anod possibly through Puntland's port town of Bosasso while Osman Jama plans to land at Odweyne and then proceed to Buroa by land. The mission objectives mainly seek the creation of a situation paving the way for the complete destabilization of Somaliland through instigation of anti-Somaliland demonstrations and rallies in support of the Qassim factional government, at any cost. The assumption is that that orchestrated violent protests would politically polarize the local population along two major antagonistic forces: pro-Qassim anti-Somaliland versus pro-independence pro-Somaliland. The plan says that the destabilization and eventual disintegration of Somaliland cannot be achieved unless the existing tranquillity is made to disappear. To fulfill their mission Galaydh and Osman Kalun will heavily rely on distribution of cash money to potential saboteurs. Both the oil rich Arab nations of Libya and Qatar have recently granted undisclosed though reportedly substantial financial aid to Qassim faction.
The United Nations which supports the Abdulqassim faction has a shabby record in dealing with the Somali crisis essentially institutional failure of governance and a struggle for self-determination. The UN, Arab States and Italy have been trying to bolster the Qassim faction. While the Arab governments have openly sided with Qassim, the UN and the Italian government prefer to help the Arta faction behind the curtains. "Our position with regard to Somaliland is business as usual" is a brief statement often repeated by UN leaders and Italian diplomats during meetings with President Egal. Diplomatic sources in the region have described this position as counterfeit. The whole objective is to keep Egal misled until Qassim gains full control over Mogadishu through Arab, UN and Italians assistance, the diplomatic sources added.
In the meanwhile The Republican has learned that a Swedish diplomat arrived last week in Hargeisa carrying a message from Ali Khalif Galaydh to the Somaliland leaders. The diplomat from the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi was requested by Galaydh to possibly broker talks between the Somaliland government and the Arta faction headed by Qassim Salad, reliable sources said.
Habitat activities in Somaliland to be investigated for irregularities
Hargeisa -- The Somaliland government decided last week to expel 3 United Nations volunteers contracted by the UN agency responsible for urban planning and housing-Habitat. The decision to expel the 3 UNV expatriates, identified as Kibe Muigni (PhD holder), Samual Ochanda and Patric Mwale, was reportedly taken in connection with allegations that Habitat program activities in Somaliland were soaked in corruption. All the 3 are Kenyan nationals who had been recruited by Habitat Nairobi. They were declared persona-non-grata after they have been accused by Somaliland authorities of involvement in gross mismanagement and abuse of program resources. The Habitat program has until recently been headed by Uffe Leinum, a Danish civil Engineer. Leinum joined Habitat in mid this year after serving as manager of Danish Refugee Council's program in Somaliland.
Habitat has been managing a fund of $1.3 million most of which was provided by the Italian government for the implementation of multi-sectoral rehabilitation and institutional capacity development activities in the Sahil region of Somaliland. The interventions planned under this program were intended to focus such vital areas as urban planning, water, rehabilitation of municipal premises and capacity building for local government.
According to government sources however, the bulk of the $1.3 million has been misused. The Somaliland authorities were first alerted to the alleged plunder after information on a bitter feuding between Leinum and other expatriate staff, particularly the Kenyans, started to emerge on last month. The internal staff dispute had actually crippled Habitat operations in Somaliland. Field officers had put the blame on Leinum whom they had accused of embarking on a systematic violation of standard Habitat codes of conduct. In a written communication to their superiors in Habitat office in Nairobi, program officers in Somaliland also complained that Leinum lacked the necessary managerial skills that would have enabled him discharge his responsibilities and duties in a substantially more competent manner.
Leinum had however denied the allegations. He explained that because he charged the Kenyans with responsibility for large-scale corrupt practices within the program, they were trying to remove him out of their way. But Leinum eventually found himself sacked by his superiors in higher management. The action drew the suspicion of Somaliland officials that the dismissal of Leinum was a kind of a cover-up. The authorities also became seriously offended and upset by remarks mentioned in a report saying that Somalilanders harbour anti-White people feelings. In this report which was established to have been written by one of the Kenyans employed by Habitat Hargeisa, it was claimed that due to prevalent racial biases, Whites among international aid workers assigned to Somaliland fail to receive the necessary cooperation from their formal counterparts as well as from local communities.
The allegations implied that only Africans, notably Kenyans, would be welcome to do humanitarian work in Somaliland. The report even cited the killing in mid this year of GTZ German worker Dieter Krasemann in Buroa as had been racially motivated. Following these revelations, the Somaliland government was prompted to declare the 3 Kenyans persona-non-grata, a Somaliland official said. The administration also asked for a whole explanation on what has happened from the UN agency.
In the meanwhile the UN is going to send an investigation team to Hargeisa some time in next January to make a full report on Habitat's operations in Somaliland. In the meantime though Leinum was allowed to stay in Somaliland, to explain his side of the story when the investigation team arrives here from New York, he had however left Hargeisa for Denmark on last Thursday.
On Monday, President Egal warned that his government will not tolerate any further practices of corruption on the part of any UN organisation. Egal received Randolph Kent, UNDP representative and coordinator of Humanitarian Aid in Somalia, on last Monday evening. The President warned against what he called the dangerous consequences that the current UN policy of giving support to Abdiqassim's faction might bring not only to Somalia but also to the whole region as well.
The Habitat program in Somaliland has been among the most successful interventions carried out so far by any UN agency. Besides Berbera municipality, Habitat has been providing technical assistance to Hargeisa water agency. Rehabilitation of Buroa water system was about to start soon. For unknown reasons, President Egal has never been at ease with Habitat operations, often over-looking the agency's achievements. However The Republican has been informed that at one time during the presidential elections of 1996-1997, the former Mayor of Hargeisa, Ali Asad, had told Egal that Habitat was not in favour of his re-election. As a result, the agency was asked to evacuate a building belonging to Hargeisa local government that it rehabilitated and equipped.
In the meanwhile, it seems strange that the Somaliland authorities have so far failed to notice another element that could have had an influence on what went wrong with Habitat operations. There is a growing indication that a group of self-styled local hecklers with close ties to international agencies may have also been accomplices in the alleged corruption.
Interior minister told to stop interference
Hargeisa -- Both ministries of Planning and Foreign affairs have asked Somaliland's minister of Interior Ahmed Jambir Suldan to adhere to the terms of the protocol agreement regulating work relationship between government line ministries and international organisations operating in the country.
The ministry of Planning is responsible for coordinating external assistance provided by the UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs).
Jambir has recently appointed a coordinator representing his ministry to international organisations in the country. However the arrangement didn't work as it became a source of nuisance to the agencies and subsequently other departments of the government. This has prompted the foreign ministry and that of Planning to tender protests against the embarrassing behavior of the Interior ministry. As a result Jambir's newly-created position of "coordinator" has been cancelled.
Editorial: Defusing the Habitat crisis
There is no doubt that relations between the Somaliland government and the international organizations working here have considerably improved during the last few years. In fact, there has been a minimum supervision by the Somaliland government of the work of UN agencies and international NGOs. By comparison, governments in neighbouring states exercise a total control over what international organisations do in their countries.
Collaboration and coordination with international organisations in Somaliland has witnessed a shift for the better through the ministry of planning both during the tenures of Gees and Sillanyo. The ministry of foreign affairs under Fagadhe also played a diplomatically useful complementary role in this respect. The government has therefore done well when it recently re-affirmed its commitment to see that this arrangement for coordinating international assistance works to the satisfaction of the authorities as well as its international partners. The re-assurance was of-course needed in the light of the ministry of Interior's straying from the line during the last few weeks. But there is a serious problem which merits our attention: a confrontation between the government and the UN system over some unfortunate developments within Habitat's office in Somaliland has reached an unnecessary climax.
We believe that the Somaliland authorities have the right to demand full accountability report from the UN system with regard to the messy situation left by Uffe Leinum and his colleagues in the Habitat office in Hargeisa. A joint evaluation and auditing of the financial and administrative performance is perhaps the best way for bringing the existing show-down to an amicable end.
The Somaliland government should however retract from insisting on the reinstation of Uffe Leinum, the Danish architect who has been fired earlier this month from his job as head of Habitat office in Somaliland. The government can always objectively express its preferences on such matters. But in this case, it's clearly up to the UN bureaucrats to reach a final decision in as much as the government is entitled to have the final say on who may or may not stay in this country.
However it's worth mentioning that international organisations, specially the UN agencies, refrain from trying to lay down the rules of their engagement here autonomously. The lack of restrictive government mechanisms to regulate the work of international organisations has been part and parcel of the general liberalization trend vividly noticeable in many aspects of life in today's Somaliland. Being a country born out of a bitter struggle against repression and genocide, Somaliland's determination not to go through the same painful experience again is understandable. But it would be a grave mistake to interpret this country's aversion against any rules that may seem inhibitive as a weakness deriving from the fact that Somaliland has not been internationally recognized yet.
We believe that international organizations are obliged to recognize this country's reconstruction and developmental priorities as set by the government and act in collaboration and coordination with line ministries to help realising them. Any gaps could be filled by those community- based Somaliland NGOs which have already demonstrated their indispensable role in tackling the rehabilitation and developmental challenges faced by this country.
We believe that it is in the best interests of both the government and international organisations to capitalize on Somaliland's tangible successes on the ground and endeavor to achieve much more substantial results in the future.
Italy's Myopic View Of Somali Affairs Is Intolerable
Abstract: Over the years, Italy has sought, come what may, to ensure that the center of power always stays in Mogadishu, i.e., in its former colony, and that Mogadishu dominates Somaliland; accordingly, Italian development aid was concentrated exclusively in the former Italian colony. But now the Somali Republic is no more; Somaliland, after a terrible liberation war fought from 1980 to 1991 and won, despite the huge aid the Mogadishu regime of Siad Barre received from Italy and its other allies of the time, has reverted back to its former status of a sovereign country and nation in 1991. We concede that it is up to the people of Somalia to accept or reject Salad's "government."
While the Italian government is entitled to develop whatever relationships it wishes, and the humanitarian aid of the people of Italy is welcome and much appreciated, the people of Somaliland want everyone, including the Italian government, to respect their wish to remain a separate and sovereign country. The endless Italian efforts at the European Union, and in the region through its emissaries, aimed at reversing the sovereignty of Somaliland, a country whose people took their fate in their own hands, and founded a parliament, a constitution and a functioning government, without much help from the outside, should cease. Italian behind the scene maneuvers aimed at sabotaging Somaliland's independence and legitimizing Abdulqassim Salad Hasan's claim of being president of both Somalia and Somaliland should also immediately stop.
4. Marches Tropicaux, "La Somalie en proie a l'anarchie," 3 March 1991, pp. 1136-37. 5. Le Monde, " Les rebelles sont resolus a chasser du pouvoir le president Syaad Barre," 6-7 January, 1991, p. 5. 6. Perlez, Jane. "Deadly Impasse Said to Go On in Somali City," New York Times, 10 January, 1991, p. 7. 7. Helene, Jean. "La Somalie: deux mois apres la chute du president Syad Barre," Le Monde, 4 April, 1991, p. 10. 8. Reuter, "EU mission leaves after talks with Somaliland leaders," 2 December, 2000. 9. The Republican [Hargeisa, Somaliland], "Italy Promoting Talks Between Egal and Salad," issue 134, 28 October, 200. 10. The Republican [Hargeisa, Somaliland], "Italian Policy," issue 133, 21 October, 2000. 11. Fitzgerald, Mary Anne, "Helping the other 'Somalia'," Christian Science Monitor, 27 December 1998.
Newspaper casts doubt on Somaliland administration's commitment to elections
President [Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal's term expires within a year's time.
The deadline for holding a mandatory national referendum on the country's interim constitution also expires several months from now. Free elections are supposed to be held in all over the country at least by [the] end of the year 2001 so that people could be able to choose, for the first time since over three decades, their representatives to the local and central government, including the election of a president and members of both Houses of parliament, through direct polling.
In practical terms, however, there is nothing in the horizon to suggest that deadlines set for the fulfilment of the above crucial tasks will be met.
This conclusion is actually drawn from the fact that Egal's administration has done little to ready the country for democratic elections. What the government accomplished, so far, is that it unilaterally formulated two laws regulating [rest of the sentence illegible]. In theory, Somaliland citizens will therefore be able to democratically elect their government come next year. Realistically, however, it is already a common knowledge that some essentially important elements deemed necessary for the successful conduction of free elections in the country are still missing.
First, there is a lot of popular mistrust whether the Egal government is seriously committed and honest towards holding clean elections. This deep mistrust is reasonably valid considering that the government itself has aroused public suspicion when it rejected all pleas for allowing popular participation in the formulation of election laws and procedures. Add this to the qualms people have about Egal's history of political corruption. Then public contempt gets magnified even in greater proportions. But even assuming that with some luck the government would turn out to be honest, it would still be close to impossible, from technical point of view, to effectively launch a fair electoral process within the remaining relatively short period of time.
The second most important issue is that the government intends to appoint an electoral commission that is not neutral or independent enough to oversee the electoral process. A third serious element which cannot be overlooked deals with the actual number of regions and districts that are legally recognizable. The Egal's administration has during the last three years announced the formation of additional regional and district administrative structures that the House of Representatives has rejected ratifying. With this political question still unresolved it will not be possible to avoid serious disputes over the allocation of seats to be contested in election. There are certainly many other technical constraints that need to be overcome (such as the question of how people eligible for voting are going to be identified) before we can seriously and confidently engage ourselves in free and fair elections.
To ensure that free elections, a right won by the people through a costly struggle, are held in an atmosphere of trust, the Egal administration has to, at least, agree to the overhauling of the proposed electoral system by an independent commission to be appointed jointly by the government (including parliament) and representatives of credible civil society groups plus the SNM [Somali National Movement, ruling party].
Relinquishing the whole electoral process to such an independent body will help persuade the currently highly sceptical public that the government is not conspiring in fact to steal the forthcoming elections.
Credit: `The Republican', Hargeysa, in English 10 Dec 00
Egal seeking another term
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 09 Dec 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- Somaliland President Mohammed Ibrahim Egal is going to seek a third term in the forthcoming elections scheduled to be held within the next 12 months, reliable sources have told The Republican. In the mean time, there is a widespread popular skepticism concerning the sincerity of the Egal government to hold free and fair public elections. According to independent observers, the administration has been deliberately playing delaying tactics in terms of preparing the country for local and national elections.
Citing that there are no reliable mechanisms in place yet for the smooth conduction of proper elections, one knowledgeable observer commented "A clear proof of peoples lack of confidence in the electoral system installed by the government is demonstrated by the reluctance shown so far by citizens in organizing themselves into political parties". There is in fact a widely held suspicion that the administration wants to maintain itself in power by stealing the next elections. Though the constitution limits the presidential terms that one person may serve to only two times (Egal's second term expires by Feb. 2002), the Somaliland President is expected to maneuver around this legality impediment by making people believe that he is still indispensable for the continuation of stability. "He will play to peoples sensitivities such as that he is the only symbolic figure that stands for peace" the observer added.
It is still not sure whether the Egal administration will go ahead with the general elections as stipulated and scheduled by the constitution. However according to a source close to the government, it will be more unlikely to witness people directly casting their votes to choose their next president and legislators in next elections. "Egal will try to blackmail the nation by saying that there was neither need nor time for general elections and that an all Somaliland Elders conference would do the job of electing a government".
President Egal and his close lieutenants in the administration are of course confident of winning the coming elections whether through the ballot box or through an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Elders (Guurti). After all, the administration will have all the financial and logistical resources of the government under its disposal.
Somaliland ratified convention on rights of the child
Hargeisa -- The government of the Republic of Somaliland ratified last month the international convention on the rights of the child (CRC). The need to promote and observe children rights in Somaliland was also stressed in a general CRC meeting held during the last week of November in Hargeisa.
The two-day meeting, which was opened on Nov. 20, 2000 by Somaliland vice-president Riyale, dealt with various children issues. During the meeting, participants debated how Somaliland children rights for education, health care, protection and survival can be promoted and adequately met. Child rights within the Islamic context was also among the issues discussed. Child protection rights has been universally recognized as legitimate human rights issue. The UN general Assembly adopted the CRC on 20th Nov. 1998.
The purpose of the Hargeisa Conference was to 1) increase awareness and strengthen knowledge of children's right and advocate these rights among the key groups of the society 2) to review the key issues affecting the rights of children at-risk and to discuss the barriers to overcome if CRC objectives are to be achieved 3) to highlight trends which could be a basis for action and provide a frame-work to assist the delivery of obligations and responsibilities towards children. Somaliland ministers for Education, Religion and Justice also took part in the meeting.
The conference made some important recommendations including the need to formulate a national policy and plan of action on the promotion and implementation of child rights, establishment of a steering committee to follow up the CRC and promote children rights through public awareness programs and sensitisation of government, general public and concerned groups. Among the key-not speakers in the conference was Jay Zimmeruan from SCF/USA. The conference was also attended by Raqiya Haji Dualle who works as consultant for SCF/USA in Somaliland. The CRC meeting was sponsored by SCF/USA.
International volunteer day observed in Somaliland
Hargeisa -- The International Volunteer Day was observed in Somaliland on last Tuesday (Dec. 5, 2000) with UNVs celebrating the occasion by planting trees in Mohammed Moge School in South Hargeisa. The ceremonies held for paying tribute to volunteers in Somaliland and word-wide culminated in cultural performances staged by local youth and women groups.
The UN general Assembly designated the UNV program as focal point for the International Year of Volunteer 2001. In a message for the occasion, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said "Volunteers are bold enough to stand for something. They put their hands and their minds, and most of all, their hearts at the service of others. And in doing so, they bring hope to those they help and can give them the strength to overcome their weaknesses. In turn, they are rewarded with the knowledge that they have truly made a difference. Their courage and dedication should be an inspiration for others-for all of us- to act,".
In another message, Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of the UNDP had this to say "Every country depends on volunteers. They look after infants, the elderly and the sick. They help educate our children. Keep the environment clean, and make our communities safer places to live. They are the lifeblood of healthy societies everywhere."
UNVs work for various UN organisations operating in Somaliland and Somalia such as the ICAO UNDP, UNHCR, WFP, WHO and others.
Armed rebellion in Djibouti brought to end But situation remains tense
Djibouti -- An armed rebellion led by Djiboutian police commander General Yassin Yabeh Galab was crushed Thursday afternoon by forces loyal to President Ismail Omer Ghelle. The fighting was apparently sparked by an early morning announcement on Djibouti national Radio on Thursday that Gen. Yabeh was relieved from his post asDjiboutian Police Commander by President Ghelleh. The dismissal of Gen. Yabeh drew immediate protests from most of police units in Djibouti city.
Later, what seemed initially to be an angry mutiny developed into full scale armed rebellion against the authority of President Ghelle. At around one o'clock Djibouti local time, armed policemen surrounded the Presidency Premises. Police forces also stormed the national TV and Radio station, the country's only telecommunication centre and international airport. Other police unites occupied key positions along the city's inner main roads. Telecommunications lines were cut off and by 4:30 p.m. Djibouti city seemed to be under the control of the rebellions police force led by Gen. Yassin Yabeh Galab. By 5 p.m. however the military forcefully intervened on behalf of President Ghelleh. They were assisted by the para-military forces (Gendarmes). In less than two hours, the forces loyal to the government retook all the main positions including the Presidency and the TV and Radio station.
According to a government statement the number of casualties were two soldiers from the government side dead and seven wounded. Unconfirmed reports have however cited that the death toll from the armed confrontation could be much higher. The Police command installations were also reportedly heavily damaged by artillery gunfire. Damage to properties as a result of the fighting has not yet been assessed. The Djiboutian authorities have imposed a news blackout on the incident. However The Republican has learned that the local population was shocked by the fighting as the confrontation left many city dwellers worried that the incident might lead to a prolonged power struggle in the country. In the meantime, Djibouti government sources were quoted yesterday as saying that Gen. Yabeh has surrendered himself to French troops stationed in Djibouti.
The Republican has learned that the dismissal of Gen. Yabeh came as a result of his refusal to use force in putting down frequent demonstrations by civil servants and students protesting delays in payment of salaries and social allowances by the government. Many months pass before government employees in Djibouti receive their wages. On last Wednesday, the students took to the streets to protest non-payment of small school allowances that they normally used to receive from the government treasury. Gen. Yabeh ordered the police not to crack down on the protesting students, a move which drew the anger of President Ghelleh who in turn sacked the police , accusing him of sabotaging the government.
Ghelleh and Yabeh had been long childhood friends. They grew up together in Dire-Dawa, Ethiopia, where both went to the same school. Later, they joined the colonial French police in the fifties. After independence in 1977, the two sergeants assumed high positions within Hassan Guleed's first government. Ismail Omer Ghelleh became Guleed's Cabinet Secretary and head of the Country's State Security. Yabeh was given the post of Commander of Djibouti police forces. Gen. Yabeh's support of Ismail Omer Ghelleh has been instrumental in the rise of the latter to the top of power in Djibouti. Last year when a power struggle between Ghelleh and two strong former ministers surfaced, Yabeh sided decisively with the President. Yabeh who had shown ambition to become at least the minister of Interior was said to have felt being betrayed by Ghelleh. Both Ghelleh and Yabeh come from the Issa tribe which dominates the Djibouti government and politics.
Editorial:Doubts about next elections
President Egal's term expires within a year's time. The deadline for holding a mandatory national referendum on the country's interim constitution also expires several months from now. Free elections are supposed to be held in all over the country at least by end of the year 2001 so that people could be able to choose, for the first time since over 3 decades, their representatives to the local and central government including the election of a president and members of both Houses of Parliament, through direct polling. In practical terms however, there is nothing in the horizon to suggest that deadlines set for the fulfillment of the above crucial tasks will be met.
This conclusion is actually drawn from the fact that Egal's administration has done little to ready the country for democratic elections. What the government accomplished so far is that it unilaterally formulated two laws regulating elections and political parties and got them passed by Parliament earlier this year.
In theory, Somaliland citizens will therefore be able to democratically elect their government come next year. Realistically however it is already a common knowledge that some essentially important elements deemed necessary for the successful conduction of free elections in the country are still missing. First, there is a lot of popular mistrust whether the Egal government is seriously committed and honest towards holding clean elections. This deep mistrust is reasonably valid considering that the government itself has aroused public suspicion when it rejected all pleas for allowing popular participation in the formulation of election laws and procedures. Add this to the qualms people have about Egal's history of political corruption. Then public contempt gets magnified even in greater proportions.
But even assuming that with some luck the government would turn out to be honest, it would still be close to impossible, from technical point of view, to effectively launch a fair electoral process within the remaining relatively short period of time. The second most important issue is that the government intends to appoint an electoral commission that is not neutral or independent enough to oversee the electoral process. A third serious element which cannot be overlooked deals with the actual number of regions and districts that are legally recognizable. The Egal administration has during the last 3 years announced the formation of additional regional and district administrative structures that the House of Representatives has rejected ratifying. With this political question still unresolved it won't be possible to avoid serious disputes over the allocation of seats to be contested in election.
There are certainly many other technical constraints that need to be overcome (such as the question of how people eligible for voting are going to be identified) before we can seriously and confidently engage our selves in free and fair elections.
To ensure that free elections, a right won by the people through a costly struggle, are held in an atmosphere of trust, the Egal administration has to at least agree to the over-hauling of the proposed electoral system by an independent commission to be appointed jointly by the government (including Parliament) and representatives of credible civil society groups plus the SNM.
Relinquishing the whole electoral process to such an independent body will in fact help persuade the currently highly skeptical public that the government is not conspiring to steal the forthcoming elections.
Editorial:UN support for Salad's military build up
The United Nations after producing a factional Somali government by cloning dictator Barre's regime is now set on the dangerous road of providing direct financial and logistical support to Qassim Salad's on-going military build-up in Mogadishu.
Faction leader Abdiqassim Salad Has since his appointment as president in August been shedding crocodile tears that he needs money with which to demobilize thousands of armed militia men in Mogadishu. UN secretary general Kofi Annan and his representative in Somalia, David Stephen, joined Salad in an effort to blackmail the international community for Demobilization and Reintegration Program (DRP) funds. Sympathetic governments in Italy and the Arab world came up with financial commitments while asking other donors to do the same. Qassim Salad has been so happy and encouraged with the feed-back that he ordered two months ago the remobilization of dictator Barre's defeated army. Brandishing their medals and uniforms, Barre's soldiers and officers kept pouring into hastily set-up camps in Mogadishu for their rehabilitation. "The nation can not be rebuilt and protected without you", Salad told soldiers in a battalion formation at one of the camps early last month.
Heavily armed militia men loyal to Qassim are also encamping at specially selected sites in southern Mogadishu. Both military groups were assembled to attract donor funds. With millions of dollars denominated as DRP funds already earmarked by Kofi Annan for Qassim's troops, Siyad Barre's former minister of Interior seems to have never been a happier man. The international community is succumbing and ready to meet all the financial costs needed for sheltering, feeding and paying the personnel of his military forces. Last week, the UN chose not to be an onlooker when Libyan arms and military logistics arrived at Bali-Doogle airport, about 100km to the south of Mogadishu. Arms financed by Qatar and Sudan are next to arrive soon.
The whole exercise actually reminds one of the UNOSOM and the DRP experience in Angola, both UN undertakings that drastically failed during the nineties.
One fundamental lesson drawn from disarmament, demobilization and reintegration experiences in Somaliland and a number of countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia say that the "total cessation of hostilities" is a prerequisite for the launching of a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs involving armed personnel.
Politically, a genuine national reconciliation must have been achieved with a broad-based central authority in place to plan, implement and coordinate the disarmament and demobilization exercise. Of course, none of these terms and conditions are found applicable to the on-going assembling of forces at Mogadishu.
The intention of Qassim and his UN sponsors has never been the down-sizing of armed forces. On the contrary, the objective has been to raise an Army for Qassim's faction within the next few months so that when the adequate force is ready, Kofi Annan and David Stephen could legitimate and enhance their prot,g, without this time UN forces slogging through the Somali Quagmire.
Somaliland radio says 18 people died in Djibouti mutiny
Reports concerning last night's clashes in Djibouti say destruction was widespread and that lives and property was lost. Tension is also still high in the city.
A report received this evening from our reporter in Loyada [along Djibouti-Somaliland border] said the death toll which includes soldiers and civilians stands at 18. Eighty four people who included police officers and civilians who supported the activities of Gen Yabeh were arrested last night.
According to our reporter, Abubakar Hasan Abdi, it has been confirmed that the wife of Gen Yabeh and six policemen were arrested when they surrendered to the minister of labour of that country who handed them over to the interim prime minister...
The reports say there were many deaths in Artida [phonetic] estate which houses Djibouti police barracks.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 8 Dec 00
Source: The Republican, issue140, Dec. 9, 2000
Egal seeking another term
Somaliland President Mohammed Ibrahim Egal is going to seek a third term in the forthcoming elections scheduled to be held within the next 12 months, reliable sources have told The Republican. In the mean time, there is a widespread popular skepticism concerning the sincerity of the Egal government to hold free and fair public elections. According to independent observers, the administration has been deliberately playing delaying tactics in terms of preparing the country for local and national elections.
Citing that there are no reliable mechanisms in place yet for the smooth conduction of proper elections, one knowledgeable observer commented "A clear proof of peoples lack of confidence in the electoral system installed by the government is demonstrated by the reluctance shown so far by citizens in organizing themselves into political parties". There is in fact a widely held suspicion that the administration wants to maintain itself in power by stealing the next elections. Though the constitution limits the presidential terms that one person may serve to only two times (Egal's second term expires by Feb. 2002),the Somaliland President is expected to maneuver around this legality impediment by making people believe that he is still indispensable for the continuation of stability. "He will play to peoples sensitivities such as that he is the only symbolic figure that stands for peace" the observer added.
It is still not sure whether the Egal administration will go ahead with the general elections as stipulated and scheduled by the constitution. However according to a source close to the government, it will be more unlikely to witness people directly casting their votes to choose their next president and legislators in next elections. "Egal will try to blackmail the nation by saying that there was neither need nor time for general elections and that an all Somaliland Elders conference would do the job of electing a government".
President Egal and his close lieutenants in the administration are of course confident of winning the coming elections whether through the ballot box or through an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Elders (Guurti). After all, the administration will have all the financial and logistical resources of the government under its disposal.
XINHUA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE December 7, 2000
Three Yemen Nationals Abducted by Somali Gunmen
Sources close to the local authorities in the region indicated that the abducted Yemenis are fishermen who were attacked while fishing off His village coasts.
Their boat was also seized by the gunmen who took their abductors deep to the highlands of Maydh, about 130 kilometers south of Erigavo, capital of the region, the sources said.
Confirming the abduction, Ahmed Jabbir, Somaliland's interior minister, told reporters that efforts are now underway to secure the safe release of the hostages.
"But they have been taken far into the Golis mountains where there are no road accesses," the minister said.
Meanwhile, Anis Salah Hajji, deputy governor of Sanag region where the abduction took place, told the media that negotiations are now already under way. "We are fighting for an unconditional release, then we will see to what the gunmen are claiming for," he said.
The reason for the abduction is not known yet. However, sources close to the gunmen indicated that the young men had been annoyed by the killing of their fellow man who was allegedly killed by Yemeni fishermen two years ago.
The Yemenis threw that man off a boat when they promised to transport him to Yemen, the gunmen said.
So far, there have been no other sources confirming the allegation, but people from Erigavo town support the claim, saying that Ahmed Hussein Mohamed was killed by the Yemenis in 1998 when they threw him off their boat.
No one has yet seen the abducted men, but mediators keep coming and going between the two sides. The mediators did not speak of any wounds or injuries the fishermen sustained during the abduction.
There has been speculation that the gunmen were just double crossing, kidnapping the Yemenis in order to make money with the pretext of claiming compensation for the alleged killing of their fellow man two years ago.
There is no word as yet from the government of Yemen over the kidnapping. Yemen is just over the opposite side of the beach along the Red Sea.
Kidnapping for ransom has been very common in Somalia's northeastern region now known as Puntland where gunmen have speed boat to hunt foreign vessels and yacht across their coastal waters. The usual pretext for abducting foreigners is accusations for illegal fishing or dumping wastes in the sea.
Somaliland: President Egal appoints new planning minister
The president of Somaliland, Hon Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, yesterday appointed a new minister of planning in charge of Somaliland's cooperation with international agencies.
A statement from the presidency said President Egal had appointed Hirsi H. Du'ale Elmi, the new planning minister. The minister replaces Hon Ahmad Muhammad Mahmud (Silanyo) who resigned from the post on 19th November...
The new minister, Hirsi H. Du'ale, is a newcomer to Somaliland's politics.
Illing in Hargeisa on fact finding mission
Hargeisa -- Sigurd Illing who used to head the European Commission's mission for Somaliland and Somalia until 1997, arrived in Hargeisa on last Thursday on what has been described as a fact-finding mission. According to Somaliland government sources, Illing, who is now the director for east of Africa region development affairs within the EC hierarchy, said the purpose of his visit was to become acquainted with the over-all situation in the area and Somaliland's stance on current issues, particularly in the aftermath of the Arta conference.
The findings of Illing are expected to be incorporated in a report to be raised by the EC to the next European Summit to be held 13th of this month. According to a Somaliland government source, President Egal has reaffirmed to the EU delegation that there has been no change in the position of Somaliland with regard to the issue of independence. "Somaliland's proclamation of the restoration of its sovereignty in 1991 remains valid" President was quoted as saying, according to a press release by the Presidency.
"We do not want to be dragged into the problem of Somalia. The objective of our 1960 Union was not confined to getting united with Mogadishu only. It was meant to be the first step towards the unification of greater Somalia, a dream which no longer lives". Egal also reiterated that his government would have no objection to sitting and talking with Somalia provided the latter comes up with a unified entity to negotiate with. The Somaliland President however added that even a prospect for such a possibility is slim because of the current situation in Somalia.
Egal went further to say during the talks with the EU delegation that whenever the possibility of holding talks with Somalia in the future is mentioned, it is sure to incite accusations that he was a unionist seeking reunification of Somaliland with Somalia "On the other side, the people of Mogadishu self-righteously claim that they are the only Somali nationalists around and that everybody else is bound to come under them".
The Somaliland President concluded by saying that as long as they [Mogadishu] hold such a believe it will be impossible to have talks. Illing, Walid Musa, political advisor for the EC, Ioaschim Knoth, EU Nairobi and Edward Jones Jr., head of UN focal point in Somaliland were guests of honour at a dinner reception held in the Presidential Palace last evening. Only the government owned media was allowed to cover the event.
Earlier in the evening the delegation returned to Hargeisa from a trip to Berbera. The EU funds the reconstruction of damaged bridges on the asphalted road connecting the main urban and rural centres in Somaliland. The bridges were destroyed during Somaliland's war of resistance against Siyad Barre's military government in the eighties. Implementation of the Dilla-Hargeisa-Berbera-portion of the road project started in earnest on last year. It is the most ambitious infrastructure reconstruction effort ever attempted in post-war Somaliland.
SCPP Somali employee declared persona-non-grata
Hargeisa -- Tahliil H. Ahmed a Somali employee of the UNDP's civil society protection program left Hargeisa last Thursday to Bossasso, after the Somaliland authorities declared him a persona-non-grata on last Monday. In accordance with a deportation order issued by Somaliland minister of Interior, Jambir, Tahlil was accused of interfering in the political domestic affairs in the country. Jambir's deportation [order] said that Tahlil declined to desist from such interference in spite of repeated warnings issued to him to discontinue the behavior. The government failed to specify the kind of interference Tahlil has been accused of.
The SCPP employee, a lawyer by profession, however denied of any wrong doing. He said he came to know about the government's decision to send him out of the country after reading the government newspaper Mandeeq (Tuesday issue) which carried a news item on the deportation order that has been attributed to the minister of Interior. Tahlil also denied being given warnings before the decision to declare him a persona-non-grata was taken.
In an interview with Jamhuriya Tahlil said it was painful for him to be deported from Hargeisa where he lived for many years with his family Tahlil was forcibly evicted from Hargeisa in 1984 by General Mohamed Hashi Gani, the former military ruler of the northern regions at the time and who is also wanted for war crimes in Somaliland. Tahlil's deportation in 1984 came after he has been accused of sympathizing with the SNM which launched an all and out military offensive against government positions at that year in three main areas in Somaliland. "It is distressful to see this happening to me again" Tahlil said.
Tahlil is married to a Somalilander and has been with his children in Hargeisa. In the meantime, The Republican has learned that the Government has suspected Tahlil of giving legal counselling to three Somaliland young men who sued the French company Total Red Sea for health damages they had sustained during their painting of Berbera oil depots. President Egal contracted all Berbera Petroleum storage facilities to Total Red Sea in 1998. Upon signing the agreement, the President received a bonus of close to USD 200,000 (two hundred thousands) from Total. The Somaliland House of Representatives rejected the Total agreement in a majority vote this year. A Somaliland court awarded $500,000 (five hundred thousand) in damages to the three local employees. One of them happens to be Tahlil's half brother (through mother).
President Egal two weeks ago submitted a bill in the House calling for the establishment of a select committee from the House of Elders to review Somaliland courts decisions. The motion was defeated in the House of Representatives. Moreover, Tahlil was resented by Somaliland's minister of Justice Aafi who thought that the SCPP officer was unwarrantedly dealing directly with the Judiciary department at the expense of the ministry. The SCPP assists Somaliland's courts and custodial corpses.
EDITORIAL: An unwanted central government
Immediately after gaining their "independence" from Britain and Italy in 1960, people in Somaliland and Somalia found themselves in confrontation with the government system they inherited from their colonial rulers. The system of governance left by the departing colonialists simply continued, just the same as in the era of British and Italian rule continued to be in conflict with the Somalis egalitarian way of life. Even the post-independence unification failed to work, and since then life in Somaliland has been characterized by a condition of constant and dual rebellion; one essentially against the alien concept of governance imposed on them, the other fundamentally opposed to the unification and demanding restoration of Somaliland's sovereignty.
When the North was fighting dictator Barre's regime in the entire eighties, people in the South remained allied to Barre or at best stayed indifferent to the mass-killings that were taking place up here. However it can be said that by taking the brunt of the armed resistance against Barre's repression and eventually having brought down the unwanted Somali State in 1991, the people of Somaliland have done other Somalis as well as the international community a big favour, unless ridding a country of a brutal dictatorship is a crime. Unfortunately, neither our southern brethrens nor the world have so far shown any signs of gratitude or even acknowledgment with regard to the great sacrifices that Somalilanders alone had to pay so that all Somalis whether in the North or South can be able to exercise their universal right to self-determination.
To be fair, communities in the South have in fact been trying, at least during the last few years, to follow the example of Somaliland in finding their own solutions to their own problems including the questions of peacemaking, reconciliation and establishment of appropriate systems for running communal affairs (self-government). But a holy alliance between power-hungry southern politicians and foreign powers always saw that any genuine Somali effort for arriving at a durable settlement of all outstanding issues was certain to endanger their interests. Thus the endless series of foreign interventions made during the last 9 years in the name of saving Somalis from themselves.
Now it seems though as if both political mercenaries from Somalia, the United Nations and a number of countries have not yet learned lessons drawn from past experiences with regard to Somali affairs. For since August this year, we have been repeatedly hearing self-congratulatory statements by the UN secretariat and certain governments like those of Sudan, Djibouti and Italy that "Somalia has finally a central government in place".
Actually what arrogant UN autocrats in New York couldn't achieve through UNOSOM I & II, they want now to realise through the Arta faction, headed by Qassim and Galaydh, two ex-ministers who while working under dictator Barre had accumulated a lot of government money. Career-conscious senior UN officials are of course desperate to restore some respectability to the UN peace keeping and enforcing missions especially after their historic humiliation in the former Somalia, years back. For that to be done they have to succeed in Mogadishu by installing a nominal government, even if it were composed of thugs and suspected war criminals.
The international community will be wrong to believe that Qasim's factional and centeralist government is the kind of government that would appeal to the people of ex-Italian Somalia. Past history shows that you cannot reinvent a state that has collapsed along the same old patterns.
We believe that the structures of hierarchy and dominations that were rejected by the Somali Communities for long should not be imposed again on the peoples of Somalia and Somaliland. The Somalis should be allowed to experiment an evolution of their own system of governance. By nurturing their natural instincts and beliefs, the Somalis can find a real way out towards achieving their aspirations. In this respect, we believe that Somaliland provides a unique opportunity (example) for other Somalis to follow. Somaliland was not established by Egal or group of people but only through the sacrifices and dedication of the Somaliland people over a long period of time. The Somaliland experiment shouldn't arouse the suspicion of the UN and the Italian government.
Other Somalis should rather be encouraged to learn from it. Because it offers a range of choices that other Somalis can understand and select from for utilization in the settlement of their own problems outside the domain of the UN and foreign governments.
Source: The Republican, Issue 139, Dec. 2, 2000.
Illing in Hargeisa on fact finding mission
The findings of Illing are expected to be incorporated in a report to be raised by the EC to the next European Summit to be held 13th of this month. According to a Somaliland government source, President Egal has reaffirmed to the EU delegation that there has been no change in the position of Somaliland with regard to the issue of independence. "Somaliland's proclamation of the restoration of its sovereignty in 1991 remains valid" President was quoted as saying, according to a press release by the Presidency.
"We do not want to be dragged into the problem of Somalia. The objective of our 1960 Union was not confined to getting united with Mogadishu only. It was meant to be the first step towards the unification of greater Somalia, a dream which no longer lives". Egal also reiterated that his government would have no objection to sitting and talking with Somalia provided the latter comes up with a unified entity to negotiate with. The Somaliland President however added that even a prospect for such a possibility is slim because of the current situation in Somalia.
Egal went further to say during the talks with the EU delegation that whenever the possibility of holding talks with Somalia in the future is mentioned, it is sure to incite accusations that he was a unionist seeking reunification of Somaliland with Somalia "On the other side, the people of Mogadishu self-righteously claim that they are the only Somali nationalists around and that everybody else is bound to come under them".
The Somaliland President concluded by saying that as long as they [Mogadishu] hold such a believe it will be impossible to have talks. Illing, Walid Musa, political advisor for the EC, Ioaschim Knoth, EU Nairobi and Edward Jones jr., head of UN focal point in Somaliland were guests of honour at a dinner reception held in the Presidential Palace last evening. Only the government owned media was allowed to cover the event.
Earlier in the evening the delegation returned to Hargeisa from a trip to Berbera. The EU funds the reconstruction of damaged bridges on the asphalted road connecting the main urban and rural centres in Somaliland. The bridges were destroyed during Somaliland's war of resistance against Siyad Barre's military government in the eighties. Implementation of the Dilla-Hargeisa-Berbera-portion of the road project started in earnest on last year. It is the most ambitious infrastructure reconstruction effort ever attempted in post-war Somaliland.
Source: The Republican, Issue139, Dec. 2, 2000.
SCPP Somali employee declared persona-non-grata
The SCPP employee, a lawyer by profession, however denied of any wrong doing. He said he came to know about the government's decision to send him out of the country after reading the government newspaper Mandeeq (Tuesday issue) which carried a news item on the deportation order that has been attributed to the minister of Interior. Tahlil also denied being given warnings before the decision to declare him a persona-non-grata was taken.
In an interview with Jamhuriya Tahlil said it was painful for him to be deported from Hargeisa where he lived for many years with his family Tahlil was forcibly evicted from Hargeisa in 1984 by General Mohamed Hashi Gani, the former military ruler of the northern regions at the time and who is also wanted for war crimes in Somaliland. Tahlil's deportation in 1984 came after he has been accused of sympathizing with the SNM which launched an all and out military offensive against government positions at that year in three main areas in Somaliland. "It is distressful to see this happening to me again" Tahlil said.
Tahlil is married to a Somalilander and has been with his children in Hargeisa. In the meantime, The Republican has learned that the Government has suspected Tahlil of giving legal counselling to three Somaliland young men who sued the French company Total Red Sea for health damages they had sustained during their painting of Berbera oil depots. President Egal contracted all Berbera Petroleum storage facilities to Total Red Sea in 1998. Upon signing the agreement, the President received a bonus of close to USD 200,000 (two hundred thousands) from Total. The Somaliland House of Representatives rejected the Total agreement in a majority vote this year. A Somaliland court awarded $500,000 (five hundred thousand) in damages to the three local employees. One of them happens to be Tahlil's half brother (through mother).
President Egal two weeks ago submitted a bill in the House calling for the establishment of a select committee from the House of Elders to review Somaliland courts decisions. The motion was defeated in the House of Representatives. Moreover, Tahlil was resented by Somaliland's minister of Justice Aafi who thought that the SCPP officer was unwarrantedly dealing directly with the Judiciary department at the expense of the ministry. The SCPP assists Somaliland's courts and custodial corpses.
Source: The Republican, Issue139, Dec. 2, 2000
EDITORIAL. An unwanted central government
When the North was fighting dictator Barre's regime in the entire eighties, people in the South remained allied to Barre or at best stayed indifferent to the mass-killings that were taking place up here. However it can be said that by taking the brunt of the armed resistance against Barre's repression and eventually having brought down the unwanted Somali State in 1991, the people of Somaliland have done other Somalis as well as the international community a big favour, unless ridding a country of a brutal dictatorship is a crime. Unfortunately, neither our southern brethrens nor the world have so far shown any signs of gratitude or even acknowledgment with regard to the great sacrifices that Somalilanders alone had to pay so that all Somalis whether in the North or South can be able to exercise their universal right to self-determination.
To be fair, communities in the South have in fact been trying, at least during the last few years, to follow the example of Somaliland in finding their own solutions to their own problems including the questions of peacemaking, reconciliation and establishment of appropriate systems for running communal affairs (self-government). But a holy alliance between power-hungry southern politicians and foreign powers always saw that any genuine Somali effort for arriving at a durable settlement of all outstanding issues was certain to endanger their interests. Thus the endless series of foreign interventions made during the last 9 years in the name of saving Somalis from themselves.
Now it seems though as if both political mercenaries from Somalia, the United Nations and a number of countries have not yet learned lessons drawn from past experiences with regard to Somali affairs. For since August this year, we have been repeatedly hearing self-congratulatory statements by the UN secretariat and certain governments like those of Sudan, Djibouti and Italy that "Somalia has finally a central government in place".
Actually what arrogant UN autocrats in New York couldn't achieve through UNOSOM I & II, they want now to realise through the Arta faction, headed by Qassim and Galaydh, two ex-ministers who while working under dictator Barre had accumulated a lot of government money. Career-conscious senior UN officials are of course desperate to restore some respectability to the UN peace keeping and enforcing missions especially after their historic humiliation in the former Somalia, years back. For that to be done they have to succeed in Mogadishu by installing a nominal government, even if it were composed of thugs and suspected war criminals.
The international community will be wrong to believe that Qasim's factional and centeralist government is the kind of government that would appeal to the people of ex-Italian Somalia. Past history shows that you cannot reinvent a state that has collapsed along the same old patterns.
We believe that the structures of hierarchy and dominations that were rejected by the Somali Communities for long should not be imposed again on the peoples of Somalia and Somaliland. The Somalis should be allowed to experiment an evolution of their own system of governance. By nurturing their natural instincts and beliefs, the Somalis can find a real way out towards achieving their aspirations. In this respect, we believe that Somaliland provides a unique opportunity (example) for other Somalis to follow. Somaliland was not established by Egal or group of people but only through the sacrifices and dedication of the Somaliland people over a long period of time. The Somaliland experiment shouldn't arouse the suspicion of the UN and the Italian government.
Other Somalis should rather be encouraged to learn from it. Because it offers a range of choices that other Somalis can understand and select from for utilization in the settlement of their own problems outside the domain of the UN and foreign governments.
Somaliland: President Egal receives EU delegation
The president of the Somaliland republic, Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, this evening hosted a banquet for an EU delegation led by Sigurd Illing, the EU director of development for the eastern Africa region. The delegation arrived in the country yesterday afternoon.
Illing said the purpose of their visit to Somaliland was to assess political developments after the Arta [in Djibouti] conference. For his part the president told the EU delegation that the dream of the greater Somalia was dead and the independence of Somaliland was inviolable. He said the stand was in line with the wishes and aspirations of Somaliland people...
The delegation earlier today visited Berbera town to inspect EU- funded projects. It leaves the country tomorrow.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1845 1 Dec 00
Somaliland: President Egal to visit Ethiopia
The president of the self-declared state of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, is expected to leave for Addis Ababa in the coming days after receiving another invitation to visit Ethiopia.
Egal was in Ethiopia recently and held talks with the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi.
Egal is expected is to conclude various agreements with Ethiopia on trade and security issues.
The Ethiopian government is keen to use the port of Berbera and will soon send a team of road engineers to rehabilitate the roads linking Somaliland and Ethiopia.
Credit: Ayaamaha , Mogadishu, in Somali 29 Nov 00 p 2
Somaliland expels UNDP official for "interfering" in local politics
Somaliland's minister of internal affairs, Ahmad Shambir Sultan, has issued a written statement regarding the expulsion of a Somali national, Tahlil Haji Ahmad, who was a legal consultant for the UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] on civil protection.
Honourable Shambir, who spoke to ` Mandeeq last night, said the expulsion of the Somali national was in accordance with circular number 33/B11/2000 dated 4th November in which the president of Somaliland had spelt out the rights and obligations of Somali nationals living in Somaliland.
The circular said Somali nationals in Somaliland could carry out their routine business activities but they had no rights to interfere in the internal affairs of the country.
The internal affairs minister said the expulsion was executed when it was confirmed that Tahlil was involved in issues that were against Somaliland politics. Tahlil had no right to interfere in such activities since he was not a citizen of Somaliland.
The minister further warned other Somali nationals in Somaliland against engaging themselves in the political activities of Somaliland and anyone found interfering in the internal affairs of Somaliland would be firmly dealt with.
When asked when the UN official would be officially kicked out of the country he said: The official was previously warned several times to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Somaliland and he refused to heed the warning so he will be repatriated to Somalia today.
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 28 Nov 00 p 1
Workshop on Pharonic circumcision by NAGAAD
Hargeisa -- A three-day workshop on the physical, psychological and social effects of Pharonic circumcision on girls was opened Thursday at Nursing Training School. Over 40 people representing various non-governmental organizations in Somaliland were taking part in the workshop. Participants also included women who perform the rites of circumcision on females. The workshop has been organized by a women organization with the name of Dulmar that comes under the NAGAAD women umbrella organization.
Two local publications closed in Puntland
Garowe -- The regional State of Puntland closed last week two local newspapers. The decision to ban the two publications -Riyaaq and Nugaal Times were reached by Puntland Minister of Religion Mohamed H. Adam. There was no further information as to the cause of the closure of the two newspapers. In the meantime the Puntland administration declared last week a state of emergency in the region.
Sudi Yalahow under pressure to give up enclave
Mogadishu -- Sudi Yalahow, the strongest faction leader in Mogadishu has been under pressure during the last few weeks to give up his enclave at Karan in northern Mogadishu. Sudi Yalahow who is an Abgal also controls the Medina section of Southern Mogadishu. Militiamen loyal to Abdi Qassim Salad were reported last week preparing themselves to take over positions under the control of Sudi Yalahow in north of the town. Yalahow vowed to fight off any attempts to bring Abdi Qassim's militia to areas under his control.
House turns down bill for interfering in court affairs
Hargeisa -- Somaliland House of Representatives Thursday turned down 26 against 4 with 16 abstaining a controversial bill submitted by President Egal. If passed, the bill would have empowered a committee consisting of selected members of the House of Elders to review decisions taken by the country's courts. President Egal complained last week that Somaliland courts reached a stage where they cannot be entrusted with properly fulfilling their Judiciary role. The President has apparently become furious with a Supreme Court decision granting compensation to three Somali workers who were employed by TOTAL Red Sea.
President Egal signed in 1998 an agreement with Total Red Sea where by the latter was granted sweeping oil storage and distribution concessions in Somaliland. A number of Somali workers were believed to have sustained physical injuries after coming into contact with hazardous chemicals while cleaning Berbera oil storage depots. The local workers sued Total Red Sea. President Egal has however decreed that a Supreme Court compensation ruling in favor of the workers was illegal.
He disqualified the court action. However under the Somaliland constitution, the President has no authority to compromise the independence of the Judiciary branch.
Both Egal and Sillanyo to launch own political organizations
Hargeisa -- President Egal is expected to declare his political organization, reliable sources said last week. The sources added that Ahmed Sillanyo who recently resigned from Egal's cabinet where he held the post of planning, is also expected to proclaim his own political party in the coming few weeks. In a probably related move, the SNM also announced last Wednesday a reshuffle within its leadership apparatus.
Security in Mogadishu has considerably deteriorated
Mogadishu -- According to a news broadcast by Radio Banadir, security in Mogadishu has recently witnessed a considerable deterioration. Acts of kidnapping, looting and killing have increased. On Monday a man was killed near Hussein Eideed headquarters. The man, a relative of Abdi Wali Jama, minister of commerce in the Qassim government, was trying to negotiate release of a car looted by the Eideed militiamen.
The car belonged to the Minister. Ten days ago the agent of Dallo Airlines in Mogadishu escaped an assassination attempt. Later in the week it was confirmed that Ayr militiamen in control of Balidoogle airport were behind the attempt. The Ayr militiamen support Abdi Qassim Salad.
American aid for Hargeisa children's Home
Hargeisa -- An American organization named NCMI provided last week various types of assistance to Hargeisa Children's Home. The aid consisted of computers clothes and children games. The Americans also paid for the rehabilitation of some building structures in the compound of Hargeisa Children's Home. During their stay in Hargeisa, members of the NCMI team also provided training on irrigation to some of the local staff of HCH.
ETHIOPIA: Ogaden livestock traders hit hard by ban
"There is no market at all now," said one of Warder's biggest livestock traders, Zeinab Sheikh Muhammad Khalif. "All the livestock we bought for export we are now holding, and we have nowhere to sell."
Zeinab sits in a desolate mood in a tea shop and talks prices. Like most livestock traders in the Ogaden, she buys and sells for export. Before the ban she was selling goats, sheep, camel and cattle up to two or three times a month through the Somali ports of Berbera and Bosasso.
"Sometimes we sell 500-1,000 heads a month, sometimes more... I sell them to Somalia and also exchange them for food stuffs, like sugar, rice and flour," she told IRIN. On top of the losses incurred in buying the livestock, Zeinab is also loosing money fast on paying people to look after the herds and buying water to keep the animals alive.
The internal market is insignificant compared to the export one. Even the type of livestock differs according to which market they are meant for. Smaller, cheaper goats and sheep known as "dubaax" are bought and slaughtered on a tiny scale.
"There is nothing else I can do for now... There is really not much trade and business going on in Warder. The ban has affected everyone, from the one with one bag of rice up to those with more than 50 goats and sheep," Zeinab laments.
The ban was imposed first by Saudi Arabia - the main export market for animals from the Ogaden - and was taken up by all the Gulf States. Its impact here has been significant in the Ogaden, which is struggling to recover from the effects of a three year drought. Livestock is the backbone of the pastoralist economy, in a region closely tied to Somalia. The livestock kept in the Ogaden constitutes one of the largest herds in Africa, Mark Bidder from the UN Ethiopia Emergency Unit told IRIN.
Deputy governor of the Ogaden town of Kebre Dehar, Muhaamad Hirsi Farah, told IRIN that with the ban following hard on the heels of a major food crisis this year "recovery looks impossible". During March and April "people died on the streets... and the livestock lay down and died on the land." Many moved to urban centres, particularly Gode, the capital of the Ogaden, and survived on aid. "Those who have a few animals left can put them out to pasture now, but many have lost everything... those who do have herds left can't sell them," said the deputy governor. Kebre Dehar livestock trader Muhammad Hasan Hargen told IRIN he had little to do these days, as he had lost most of his livestock earlier in the year: "Before the famine I had about 60 camels, 50 head of cattle and about 220 sheep and goats. Now I have only 20 camels, three cows and about 50 sheep and goats." He said he used to take the animals across the border and trade in neighbouring Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared state of Somaliland, northwest Somalia, and Burao. So intimately linked are the economies of the Ethiopian Somali Region and Somalia, that the traders use the Somali shilling in preference to the Ethiopian Birr. "Now I hear on the radio there is a ban on our livestock because of Rift Valley fever... the Arabs have stopped the entire trade," Muhammad Hasan Hargen lamented.
In Warder, Zeinab says it is the responsibility of the regional and central government in Ethiopia to get the ban lifted. A testing system is necessary to establish that the animals for export are not infected, she insists. The livestock ban is as big a crisis as the drought, she says. "The drought is an act of God, and you can only pray for God to bring rain....but the ban is an act of man, and that is worse because it destroys your livelihood but no help comes".
Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000
Somaliland seeking to diversify livestock export
The vice-chairman of the Somaliland Chamber of Commerce, Ali Shaykh Husayn Fure, has informed us that a Somaliland delegation, led by chairman of Somaliland Chamber of Commerce Abdirahman Farah Sugal, arrived in Dubai, UAE, on Friday [24th November]. The delegation had been in Iran for the last two weeks on an official working tour.
Fure further informed us that the purpose of the delegation's visit was to discuss with the Iranian officials how Iran could import livestock from Somaliland. Iran is one of the countries' which have shown an interest in importing Somaliland livestock and so invited members of Somaliland Chamber of Commerce for further discussions.
The Somaliland Chamber of Commerce has been making concerted efforts to find various markets that will import livestock.
Livestock is the backbone of Somaliland's economy and the government is exerting efforts to achieve a major breakthrough in the various livestock importing countries in the Gulf, as well as other world markets. The new livestock industry promotion efforts in Somaliland is aimed at adopting new strategies in the sector to ensure that when similar incidents like the recent Saudi embargo on Somaliland livestock are repeat the country will not suffer problems of similar magnitude.
In the past, Saudi Arabia was the only major Somaliland livestock importer and this caused serious economic crises on a number of occasions when the Saudi government slapped a ban on Somaliland livestock.
The vice-chairman also informed us that he had contacted the delegation by telephone after it arrived in Dubai and it was very optimistic about its visit to Iran, although it declined to give further details...P1 Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 27 Nov 00
Source: The Republican, Issue 138, Nov. 25, 2000.
Workshop on Pharonic circumcision by NAGAAD
BERBERA WATER AGENCY PAYS BACK $100,000 LOAN
Hargeisa -- Berbera water agency paid back $100,000 which was part of $130,000 loan the agency used for equipment and water installation services for the city of Berbera. The spokesman for the agency highlighted the agency's decreased revenues after the ban of exports of sheep to the gulf and how the agency overcame without cutting back on services.
BERBERA PORT SHIPPING ACTIVITIES INCREASED
Hargeisa -- Berbera port shipping activities increased the last few weeks due to a higher number of ships and dhows waiting to be unloaded. Spokesman for the port authority reported the increased activities and the need for the port staff to work over-time hours including Friday's which normally the port was closed.
First phase of Xiis district water project started
Hargeisa -- The first phase of a water project for Xiis district funded jointly by the local community and UNICEF (Somaliland) has been inaugurated in the city of Xiis. The local community appointed a committee of five local elders to oversee and manage the project. A representative from UNICEF (Somaliland) participated in the inauguration ceremony and will stay over to help the local committee with the project.
Source: The Republican, Issue 138, Nov. 25, 2000.
House turns down bill for interfering in court affairs
President Egal signed in 1998 an agreement with Total Red Sea where by the latter was granted sweeping oil storage and distribution concessions in Somaliland. A number of Somali workers were believed to have sustained physical injuries after coming into contact with hazardous chemicals while cleaning Berbera oil storage depots. The local workers sued Total Red Sea. President Egal has however decreed that a Supreme Court compensation ruling in favor of the workers was illegal. He disqualified the court action. However under the Somaliland constitution, the President has no authority to compromise the independence of the Judiciary branch.
Source: The Republican, Issue 138, Nov. 25, 2000.
Both Egal and Sillanyo to launch own political organizations
Source: The Republican, Issue 138, Nov. 25, 2000.
American aid for Hargeisa children's Home
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Date: 22 Nov 2000
Disease Outbreaks Reported: Cholera in Somalia
WHO continues to carry out cholera control coordination activities through the regional cholera task force. It has provided laboratory support and cholera supplies as well as chlorination activities. A national plan is being developed and WHO is assessing training needs for case management.
(c) WHO/OMS, 2000
HORN OF AFRICA: IRIN Update, 21 November 2000
Somaliland releases detainees
Protests against the arrest of Sultan Mohamed Abdulkadir saw two people killed and more than 60 people arrested, according to media reports. Those arrested during the protests, including 29 women and 22 men, were also pardoned and released, the BBC reported. In September, the Egal administration arrested and sentenced Garaad Abshir Salah of the Dhulbante clan, from Sool region (contested by Somaliland and Puntland), to seven years in prison for his participation in the Djibouti conference. After protests and public pressure, Garad was released.
Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000
Somaliland: Nine Ethiopians arrested with 18 kg of hashish
Somaliland police yesterday arrested and detained nine Ethiopians and impounded 18 kg of hashish. Hargeysa police discovered the hashish during a check routinely conducted on all vehicles leaving Hargeysa for Berbera [eastern Somaliland port town] at a check point in Hargeysa.
During their interrogation, the nine drug traffickers confessed and disclosed they intended to export the hashish to a third country which they did not name.
A spokesman for the Somaliland presidency, Abdi Idris Du'ale, said the drug traffickers will soon be brought before a court.
Credit: `Qaran' web site, Mogadishu, in Somali 21 Nov 00
Somaliland president amnesties prisoners
Somaliland President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal on Sunday granted amnesties for 51 prisoners and anyone from Somaliland who participated in the Somali reconciliation conference in Arta, Djibouti.
Egal ordered the immediate release of individuals detained for participating in the Arta conference.
"The decree also covers Somaliland nationals serving in the so- called Somali government and its parliament, provided that they renounce their positions," the radio said.
In a second decree, Egal amnestied 51 prisoners who were jailed for one year each last Monday. They had been found guilty of taking part in an anti-government demonstration.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 19 Nov 00
Somaliland minister of planning resigns
The minister of national planning, Ahmad Muhammad Mahmud (Silanyo), has resigned.
The minister tendered his resignation to President [Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal on Wednesday [15th November]. He told this paper that he had resigned with effect from Wednesday but President Egal has remained mum over the matter. It is not yet clear whether the president has accepted the resignation.
Silanyo said he resigned for personal reasons and dispelled speculation he resigned because he had fallen out with the president.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 17 Nov 00 p 1
Somaliland: Danish agency begins demining Hargeysa area
The Danish Demining Group, DDG, has began detonating bombs littering areas around Hargeysa airport, which had been the base of the airforce of the toppled Barre regime. The Danish agency has detonated 18 240mm aircraft rocket bombs since the exercise began on 13th November.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 17 Nov 00 p 1
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts November 16, 2000
Somaliland president ready to discuss unity with the south, condemns Djibouti
Egal announced his country's willingness to discuss unity with southern Somalia.
In a statement to 'Al-Hayat' in Addis Ababa, from where he left yesterday for Hargeysa, "Somaliland's capital", Egal said: "Gelleh is trying to emerge as a champion of a solution to the Somali problem; whereas, in fact, he contributes to complicating it. On the other hand, we say the Somali question can only be solved by Somalis. Some members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development [IGAD], which will hold its summit in Khartoum in two weeks, may try to impose Somali President Abdiqasim Salad Hasan on the Somali people and the world community by force," in reference to Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.
Egal said he personally does not have any problem with Salad. However, he said he objected to the method of Somali elections held in Arta, "Djibouti", and led to the election of Salad as president.
He said: "We are ready to hold talks with our brothers in the south after they put their own house in order. We are even ready to discuss Somali unity with them. I am 70 years old and I do not dream of power. I want to rest. I would personally initiate unity when the situation in Somalia becomes stable. This is what we wish and would seek to fulfil as soon as possible."
Egal pointed out he was trying to find a unified formula that would help coordinate efforts to find a peaceful and final solution to the Somali crisis. He said it is important to coordinate a mutual vision with those concerned with the Somalia file to spare the Somali people disintegration and repeated civil wars, in clear reference to Ethiopia.
Egal said: "The world community thinks the Somali people are obliged to accept anyone appointed as a legitimate president of Somalia in order to stop the civil war among the feuding factions. This is illogical, however. The Somali people fully realize that a solution can only be achieved by an agreement among the Somalis themselves free from foreign ambitions, which were the reason behind the destruction of united Somalia."
Egal described his talks with Ethiopian officials as positive and better than any time in the past. He said Ethiopia-"Somaliland" relations are "distinguished and the two countries share mutual interests". Egal cited some of the agreements he reached with the Ethiopian side in the economic and trade fields with the aim of bolstering these relations.
Source: 'Al-Hayat', London, in Arabic 12 Nov 00 p 5
Somaliland: Countrywide polio immunization exercise ends
The third round polio immunization exercise was concluded in Somaliland this afternoon. During the three-day countrywide exercise, children under five years were immunized against the crippling disease.
Ministries of health, information, local government and UNICEF participated in the exercise, aimed at kicking polio out of Somaliland.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1845 16 Nov 00
Somaliland: Berbera Port "severely" damaged in ship accident
The port of Berbera has been seriously damaged after a Singapore- registered ship hit the quay as it attempted to dock to unload cargo owned by some business people.
The ship partially destroyed the cargo handling bay and sea water is said to have flooded some parts of the port. The accident caused panic at the port.
The captain of the ship has been ordered not to move the ship and attempts are under way to repair the damage.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 15 Nov 00 p 3
Somaliland minister arrives in Asmara with message for Eritrean president
Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sayyid Abdallah today in his office met and held talks with a visiting Somaliland delegation led by foreign minister Mahmud Salih Nur [Fagareh].
During the meeting, Mahmud Salih Nur delivered a special message sent by the Somaliland leader Muhammad [Ibrahim] Egal to President Isayas Afewerki. Ali Sayyid assured his Somaliland counterpart that he will deliver the message to President Isayas Afewerki.
Credit: Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, in Tigrinya 1700 14 Nov 00
Somalia: Foreign oil firm officials arrive in Somaliland
Members of a foreign energy company, Anglo-Arabian Oil and Gas- South Africa and Middle East [as published], arrived in Berbera port town yesterday. Reports say the main shareholders of the company are British and Arab nationalities, and the engineers are Chinese. Seven officials in the delegation are touring Berbera town and they are accompanied by the Somaliland assistant minister for minerals and water, Yusuf Isa Du'ale.
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 13 Nov 00 p 1
Somaliland: Hargeysa residents protest detention of clan leader
The Hargeysa mayor, Ali Ilmi Abdalla, this afternoon held at his office a press conference on the security situation in the capital.
The mayor said that a demonstration was this morning staged by women and children in the city. He said the demonstrators mounted roadblocks and stoned vehicles in an attempt to undermine the precious peace prevailing in Somaliland. But the mayor said the city's residents had not been bothered by the incident.
Ali Ilmi Abdalla refused the idea that the demonstration was in reaction to the detention yesterday of Sultan Muhammad Abdiqadir [clan chief], who was arrested at the Hargeysa airport on arrival from Djibouti where he had participated in the Arta [peace]conference. He said the government had earlier prohibited its citizens from attending the illegal conference.
The mayor called on the Hargeysa residents to cooperate with him on maintaining peace.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1845 11 Nov 00
Somaliland: President Egal returns from Ethiopia
President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal of Somaliland and his delegation returned to Hargeysa after concluding their four-day visit to Ethiopia.
The president was accompanied by ministers of defence, finance, trade, justice, foreign affairs, health, aviation and the governor of the central bank. While in Addis Ababa, they held talks with top Ethiopian government leaders, including the prime minister, Meles Zenawi, and the foreign minister, Seyoum Mesfin. The two sides discussed issues beneficial to the peoples of the two countries.
President Egal and his delegation were received at the Hargeysa airport by government officials led by the vice-president, Dahir Riyale Kahin...
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 11 Nov 00
Somaliland: President Egal in "fruitful" visit to Ethiopia
Reports from Addis Ababa say Somaliland president, Muhammad Ibrahim Egals, is having a fruitful visit to Ethiopia.
The president has received the support of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to attend an IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] summit, whilst Djibouti, Eritrea and Sudan want Abdiqasim [Salad Hasan, Somali president], the newest faction leader in south Mogadishu, to attend the regional meeting.
Reports added that President Egal held talks with officials of IGAD member countries.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 10 Nov 00
Associated Press , November 10, 2000
Breakaway Somaliland rules out return to Somalia
Mohammed Nur was one of eight officials who accompanied Mohamed Ibrahim Igal, the president of the unrecognized state that broke away from Somalia in 1991, to Ethiopia for discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his government.
''Somaliland would never contemplate any union with the south, that option is out of the question,'' Nur said in response to a question at a news conference.
He ridiculed the government of President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, which emerged from a months'-long reconciliation conference, as ''nothing short of a warlord faction.''
Igal declared Somaliland the eastern half of the former British colony of Somaliland independent in 1991 after the government of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre collapsed. Factional fighting reduced much of the southern part of the country to warring fiefdoms.
Nur said international recognition is not a priority for Somaliland, although he said the region meets all the requirements for statehood, including effective control of territory, establishment of governmental institutions and acceptance by the population.
Ethiopia does not recognize neighboring Somaliland, but it has been involved in discussions about the use of its port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden.
Since war broke out in May 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea over their contested 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) border, Ethiopia lost its access to Red Sea ports and has been dependent on the port of Djibouti at the head of the Gulf of Aden.
Relief food destined for drought-striken herders in southeastern Ethiopia has passed through Berbera.
Nur said the Ethiopians were interested in expanding their use of the port, particularly its fuel storage facilities.
Somaliland: Clan leader, four others detained on treason charges
Hargeysa police today arrested Sultan Muhammad Abdiqadir [traditional chief] and four other men for participating in the so- called Arta [in Djibouti] conference. The five were arrested soon after arriving at the Hargeysa airport at 6.30 a.m. [local time].
The Somaliland government had made it a treasonable offence for its citizens to take part in the Arta conference, and the men were arrested in accordance with the decision. They have since been taken to Hargeysa Central Jail. The other four arrested with the sultan are Aqil Abdirazaq Muhammad Askar, Meydal [phonetic] Muse Nur, Muhammad Bihi Ali and Muhammad Jibril Bakayle.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 10 Nov 00
Associated Press November 10, 2000
Breakaway Somaliland rules out return to Somalia
Mohammed Nur was one of eight officials who accompanied Mohamed Ibrahim Igal, the president of the unrecognized state that broke away from Somalia in 1991, to Ethiopia for discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his government.
''Somaliland would never contemplate any union with the south, that option is out of the question,'' Nur said in response to a question at a news conference.
He ridiculed the government of President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, which emerged from a months'-long reconciliation conference, as ''nothing short of a warlord faction.''
Igal declared Somaliland the eastern half of the former British colony of Somaliland independent in 1991 after the government of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre collapsed. Factional fighting reduced much of the southern part of the country to warring fiefdoms.
Nur said international recognition is not a priority for Somaliland, although he said the region meets all the requirements for statehood, including effective control of territory, establishment of governmental institutions and acceptance by the population.
Ethiopia does not recognize neighboring Somaliland, but it has been involved in discussions about the use of its port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden.
Since war broke out in May 1998 between Ethiopia and Eritrea over their contested 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) border, Ethiopia lost its access to Red Sea ports and has been dependent on the port of Djibouti at the head of the Gulf of Aden.
Relief food destined for drought-striken herders in southeastern Ethiopia has passed through Berbera.
Nur said the Ethiopians were interested in expanding their use of the port, particularly its fuel storage facilities.
Somaliland Seeks Economic Ties With Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - A high-level delegation of break- away Somaliland led by President Ibrahim Igal, is in Addis Ababa to explore trade and economic ties with Ethiopia.
Somaliland's foreign minister, Mohammed Nur, told journalists in Addis Ababa Friday that the delegation came to Ethiopia to brief the authorities on what Somaliland could offer in terms of trade and economic ties.
He stated that Somaliland's Berbera port has "a large capacity, including oil storage facility" that Somaliland is ready to share with Ethiopia for its import-export trade, he added.
Nur reiterated that breakaway Somaliland was not interested in reviving the unity of Somalia.
"We have no contact with the recently elected government of Somalia following peace talks in Djibouti, and have no desire to do so in the future," he emphasised.
He stated that Somaliland was doing well on its own and has no desire to tamper with the safety and tranquillity prevailing in the country by getting involved in Somalia politics dominated by rival war-lords.
Nur said that the Somaliland delegation seeks to conclude "a Memorandum of Understanding" on trade and economic relations during the current visit.
The delegation, comprising eight ministers, including those of foreign affairs, trade and transport and communications, arrived in Addis Ababa Wednesday night.
(Copyright 2000 Panafrican News Agency.)
Ethiopia: Top-level Somaliland delegation visits in bid to boost economic ties
Addis Ababa: A high-level delegation of breakaway Somaliland, led by President Ibrahim Igal, is in Addis Ababa to explore trade and economic ties with Ethiopia.
Somaliland's foreign minister, Muhammad Nur, told journalists in Addis Ababa Friday [10th November] that the delegation came to Ethiopia to brief the authorities on what Somaliland could offer in terms of trade and economic ties.
He stated that Somaliland's Berbera port has "a large capacity, including oil storage facility" that Somaliland is ready to share with Ethiopia for its import-export trade, he added.
Nur reiterated that breakaway Somaliland was not interested in reviving the unity of Somalia.
"We have no contact with the recently elected government of Somalia following peace talks in Djibouti, and have no desire to do so in the future," he emphasized.
He stated that Somaliland was doing well on its own and has no desire to tamper with the safety and tranquility prevailing in the country by getting involved in Somalia politics dominated by rival warlords.
Nur said that the Somaliland delegation seeks to conclude "a Memorandum of Understanding" on trade and economic relations during the current visit.
The delegation, comprising eight ministers, including those of foreign affairs, trade and transport and communications, arrived in Addis Ababa Wednesday night.
Credit: PANA news agency web site, Dakar, in English 1410 10 Nov 00
Somaliland: Authorities detain Somali government supporter
Saleban Jama Imrane has been detained in Berbera, Sahil regional capital, for attending the so-called Arta [in Djibouti] conference aimed at destroying the sovereignty of Somaliland.
Our correspondent in the region said the man, who had committed treason against Somaliland by attending the conference, was arrested by security forces yesterday afternoon upon arrival from Mogadishu. He is being detained in Berbera Central Jail. Imrane said he had withdrawn his support for the so-called Somali government staying in a Mogadishu hotel. He said the administration did not exist and that was why he decided to come home.
Imrane was a former local government official in Awdal Region, Somaliland.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 9 Nov 00
Somaliland: President Egal goes to Ethiopia for talks
The president of the Somaliland Republic, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, this morning left Hargeysa airport on an official visit to Ethiopia at the invitation of Premier Meles Zenawi.
The president was accompanied by ministers of finance, trade, justice and the governor of the central bank of Somaliland. The president and his delegation were picked up from Hargeysa by an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft...
Ethiopian and Somaliland leaders meet tomorrow to discuss bilateral issues, mainly the request by the neighbouring country to use Berbera port. President Egal and members of his delegation travelled to Ethiopia on new Somaliland passports.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 8 Nov 00
Somaliland: Egyptian trade delegation arrives for 10-day visit
A four-man Egyptian trade delegation arrived yesterday in Hargeysa, Somaliland.
The Nozha Group of companies delegation which would stay in the country for 10 days met Hargeysa's mayor yesterday. The businessmen whom we
interviewed said the purpose of their visit was to explore trade in Somaliland, and reopen livestock and fish trade between Somaliland and Egypt.
The Nozha Group delegation told us that they were also planning to set up a trade centre for Egyptian products and a technology centre which would
have state-of-the-art facilities in Hargeysa...
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 7 Nov 00 p 1
SKIN AND HIDES FACTORY TO OPEN IN BURAO, SOMALILAND
BBC Monitoring Service - Nov 07 2000
Source: Maandeeq , Newspaper, Hargeisa, in Somali 07 Nov 2000
/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- The construction of a new Skin and Hides factory is nearing completion in the Somaliland city of Burao. The factory, financed by the local business community, is expected to start production in December 2000 and will produce export quality leather.
The factory products will be exported to Italy, Germany, UK and South Korea where the factory management expects to establish buyer contacts. The factory was financed by the local businessmen without any outside financial help.
Opening of the new factory will increase the local prices of hides and skins and boost the local economy through employment generation. The factory is estimated to have cost more than US$640,000.
Somaliland: Small independent radio station launched
BBC Monitoring Media; London; Nov 6, 2000; ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 5 Nov 00/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
An small independent radio station has opened in the town of Laas Caanood [in Somaliland].
According to a ` Jamhuuriya reporter in the town, the station, which was launched last Tuesday [31st October], is run by young Somaliland nationals. The
station features local and international news, among other programmes. The radio can be heard in Laas Caanood and surrounding areas and it broadcasts
for
several hours in the evening.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 5 Nov 00
Somaliland denies massing troops along border with Somalia, Djibouti
BBC Monitoring Africa,Nov 2, 2000; ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Nov 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The government of Somaliland has denied a report disseminated through the Internet on 29th October
2000 which claimed that the Somaliland national forces had massed along the border with Djibouti and Somalia, to be precise, in the villages of Bariisle
and Hingalool, on 18th, 28th and 29th October. The government termed the report a fabricated and baseless lie.
Commenting on the allegations, the defence minister of the republic of Somaliland, Hon Umar
Muhammad Nim'ale said: "The reports published on the Internet, which claimed that Somaliland had
deployed troops along the border with Djibouti and Somalia, are not true. There has been no troop movement in the last four months. Reports reaching
us indicate that there may be plans to invade us and it appears there are some quarters that would like to see us clash with our neighbours. It is not our
policy to resolve differences by sabre- rattling and military threat. Our principle is that everything should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations."
Answering questions on the Internet report, which allegedly quoted him, the minister said: "I was never interviewed nor did I make those fabricated
comments published on the Internet. So far, there has been no troop movement on our side."
The minister said the government was investigating those behind the dissemination of the fabricated report in the Internet.
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Nov 00 p 1
Editorial: Why not hold a referendum?
BBC Monitoring Service - Nov 04 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 04 Nov 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
So far no government in this region has come publicly against
Somaliland's proclamation of independence which is now in its tenth
year. Neither has any regional or world government till now given
formal diplomatic recognition to Somaliland. Of course, this cruel
situation in which Somaliland has neither been fully accepted nor
completely rejected to join the international community of nations, has
failed to bring the people of this country to heel. The standard
justification cited by world governments for [not] deciding
establishment of formal relations with Somaliland, is often based on
the argument that the recognition could be considered only when and
if a majority of Somalilanders decide democratically in favour of
independence, possibly as a result of a public referendum. However,
certain governments, including Britain, stipulate further that final
recognition would only be possible provided such a referendum was
conducted within the framework of an over all peace agreement
involving the whole of the former Somalia. This last condition actually
excites Somaliland, as an independent country that existed separately
before uniting with Somalia in July 1, 1960. From history in less than
one year after that ill-fated unification, the majority of Somalilanders
rejected the Act of Union in a public referendum conducted in
Somaliland and Somalia at the same time. The result of this
referendum were however turned down by the southern dominated
central government in Mogadishu. From there on, Somaliland has in
essence become a country under occupation. And for next 21 years,
following the independence from Britain and voluntary unification with
ex-Italian Somalia, the people of Somaliland employed all sorts of
peaceful and democratic means available in order to free themselves
from political, economical, social and cultural subjugation by the
south. When all these efforts ran aground because of Mogadishu's
stubbornness, the Somaliland people had to resort to armed
resistance against the state terror that the Southerners, spearheaded
by dictator Siyad Barre, had imposed on the North. It was only after a
decade-long SNM-led resistance that Somaliland became liberated (in
Jan 1991) and independent (on May 18, 1991).
The victory won by the SNM and the people of Somaliland against
Siyad Barre's regime ... was in reality also a victory for all the peace
loving peoples of the Horn as well. The SNM long term peace policy
that envisioned ending the centuries old feelings of animosity and
suspicions between Somalis and Ethiopians paid off as reflected in the
dramatic change that took place in the attitudes and perceptions that
either people had of the other. Both Somalilanders and Ethiopians
reaped the benefits of cessation of hostilities along the border areas,
the flash point where almost all Somali-Ethiopian wars were fought in
the past. History never seemed to be the same again after hundreds of
thousands of Somalilanders sought in mid 1988 security and shelter in
Ethiopia after being forced to flee their homes as a result of a
genocidal aerial and artillery bombardment against civilians by Barre's
regime.
In the last 9 years since declaration of independence, Somaliland has
been making remarkable contribution to regional stability. To begin
with, the Somaliland government and civil society have never wasted
time before starting the painful process of rebuilding their shattered
lives with the full restoration of peace, through a grass root level
reconciliation approach, given first and foremost priority. By contrast,
Somalia or the South which since the early nineties has been littered
with so many UN designed peace initiatives and billions of dollars in
"pacification money", still can not achieve peace. Though Somaliland
presents a more genuine peace and stability on [the] ground, this
achievement regrettably continues to be opposed by the UN because
Kofi Annan and members of the Security Council had no role in it.
We believe that the international community should have a fresh look
at the issue of Somaliland because the consequences of any policy set
to deny a whole people the right to exercise their self determination
are predictable ...bloodshed and instability.
Reluctance by the International Community based on the
narrow-minded interpretation of international law, will not definitely
decrease as long as this serves as a pretext for stopping Somaliland
from rising up as a respectable, viable, and independent entity. Is it too
much for Somalilanders after being through so much injustice and
suffering to demand to be left alone within their own pre-July 19960
international boundaries? Well, it is the duty of the Somaliland
government to make it clear, more than any time before, to all
countries involved in attempts to resolve the Somali crisis, that they
have a shared interest in the resolution of the Somaliland issue in a
way that takes into full consideration the legitimate aspirations of the
Somaliland people in resuming their sovereignty. Nobody needs peace
and stability in this region less than others. However to avoid any
vague assumptions on the part of the International community
regarding of Somaliland's eligibility for independence,
Somaliland must call for an early public referendum on the
independence issue, to be closely supervised and monitored by
credible international observers for recognition. Those who are now
talking passionately about peace for Somalia and Somali
unity while suppressing facts and spinning sensational tales to
promote Qassim's factional government globally will have no
excuses to hide behind arguments intended to undermine
Somaliland's chances of becoming an internationally recognized
state.
Somaliland paper interviews Italian envoys to Ethiopia, Somalia
BBC Monitoring Africa,Nov 1, 2000;
Abstract:
The Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia, Marcello Ricoveri and Francesco Sciortino,
who are currently trying to mediate between the new Somali government and factions opposed to the Djibouti peace process say that the new Somali
president is ready to start dialogue with Somaliland. The following is an "exclusive" interview given to the Somaliland newspaper 'The Republican' on
22nd October and published 28th October; all subheadings inserted editorially:
The Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia, Marcello Ricoveri and Francesco Sciortino,
who are currently trying to mediate between the new Somali government and factions opposed to the Djibouti peace process say that new Somali
president ready to start dialogue with Somaliland. The following is an "exclusive" interview given to the Somaliland newspaper
'The Republican' on 22nd October and published 28th October; all subheadings inserted
editorially
[A] This is what was done also in Somaliland. In 1991, a Somaliland government was declared but the reconciliation process went on for years with even
some fighting in between. So the consideration was let us have structures first. So people in Somalia were already making strong demands for peace.
That can take the process of reconciliation further. It was not of course perfect in terms of political accommodation and other things but the Arta process
at least responded to these two basic demands; installing structures and initiating a process for peace. And that is exactly what we told Salad.
` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 28 Nov 00/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia, Marcello Ricoveri and Francesco Sciortino, who are currently trying to mediate between the new
Somali government and factions opposed to the Djibouti peace process say that the new Somali president is ready to start dialogue with Somaliland. The
following is an "exclusive" interview given to the Somaliland newspaper 'The Republican' on 22nd October and published 28th October; all subheadings
inserted editorially:
The Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia, Marcello Ricoveri and Francesco Sciortino, who are currently trying to mediate between the new
Somali government and factions opposed to the Djibouti peace process say that new Somali president ready to start dialogue with Somaliland. The
following is an "exclusive" interview given to the Somaliland newspaper 'The Republican' on 22nd October and published 28th October; all subheadings
inserted editorially
[`The Republican'] Don't you realize that the overwhelming majority of the Somaliland people strongly oppose reunification with Somalia and that this
position cannot be changed even by Egal, unless he wanted to commit suicide politically?
[Either Ricoveri or Sciortino] We of course understand that this is not purely a political position. This is a position which has roots in the sentiments of the
people and the problems that they have met during the Siyad Barre era. And it is exactly because of that historical background that we cannot resort to
any kind
of pressure. Instead we tell everybody please continue to be open [to all options] and in the meantime desist from taking hasty measures or decisions or
making provocative statements. Besides, there can be no reunification unless reconciliation between people in the south and Somaliland has first been
achieved. So that process of reconciliation is not a one which involves political authorities only. Only after this process of reconciliation has been done will
re-unification can be eventually realized.
Djibouti conference
[Q] The Arta conference was blamed for focusing on the proclamation of a government rather than
seeking the realization of a genuine peace and reconciliation among the warring clans and factions.
[A] This is what was done also in Somaliland. In 1991, a Somaliland government was declared but the reconciliation process went on for years with even
some fighting in between. So the consideration was let us have structures first. So people in Somalia were already making strong demands for peace.
That can take the process of reconciliation further. It was not of course perfect in terms of political accommodation
and other things but the Arta process at least responded to these two basic demands; installing structures and initiating a process for peace. And that is
exactly what we told Salad.
[Q] How he responded?
[A] Very well. He said he was open and ready to start dialogue with Somaliland immediately.
[Q] Do you foresee the proposed talk, being conducted as between two countries or between President Egal and Salad or the Somaliland government
and the Salad-led government installed after Arta?
[A] You have two realities which are not easy to bring together. But we must find a way. We of course cannot deny the existence of the two realities
[Somaliland and the Salad government] and from what we have seen from our meeting with him yesterday, President Egal, despite the many things he
said were wrong with Arta, didn't deny that Abdiqasim Salad existed. This is different than before when the whole Arta process was being denied. The
same thing is with Salad. And now at least everybody is OK and there is no mutual denial of each other, which shows something. So we are pushing for
the evolution of an
acceptable groundwork but we are not putting pressure. We also felt from Salad an eagerness of trying to find solutions so that people could start
concentrating on basic development and improvement of their lives. And there is something for people here and there in getting their political problems
solved.
[Q] One of the main reasons why the conference held at Arta and the government formed there were
shunned by many Somalis was that the whole exercise was dominated by the participation of a large number of people wanted for genocide crimes
committed during dictator Barreh's era against innocent Somalis, particularly in Somaliland. Was this necessary?
[A] This was in our opinion a question of finding the right modality for the selection of delegates or representatives to the parliament or government other
than the one which was eventually chosen. Which was going back to the Somali traditional system, i.e., leaving the right to choose ones representative to
the
clan which is normally a sovereign entity. Attempts made to find another alternative modality failed. But you should remember that you are Somalis and
for Somalis a clan killing another clan is not such a so serious business.
[Q] Your response is apparently based on a notion held by some Europeans that Somalis are savages
who care the least of who either commits a murder or gets murdered. But dont you think that every clan or community could have had the choice of
sending people with clean records instead of individuals suspected of war-crimes?
[A] Unfortunately the reality on the ground in Arta was that people were not giving due consideration to this question. I agree there were mistakes. But it
is political dialogue which is meant to correct such mistakes.
[Q] Though Italy contributes a lions share of the international assistance received by Somaliland and Somalia, yet our aid remains substantially below the
level of the 80s when Barreh was in power. Is there an intention to increase the volume of your aid in the future?
[A] We will not of course go back to the level of aid as during Barreh. But to increase the size of the cake we have to have peace, reconciliation, stability,
conditions needed for the creation of an environment conducive to doing development. That is why [we] are too eager to see existing problems solved.
[Q] Another both provocative and misleading Salad statement has been the allegation that Somaliland
was fully represented in the Arta conference. Have you raised during your meeting with Salad the negative consequences that such pronouncements could
have for his credibility?
[A] No, we didnt because we do not want to deeply enter into internal Somali politics. We are supposed not to establish the rules for if we could have
established them; the rules would have been different.
[Q] What if your mediation deems considered necessary?
[A] If in the future the need for mediation to resolve irreconcilable questions arises, then we will have to see.
EU and Britain
[Q] It is often said that within the EU, Italy is the only power mandated to set European policies if any towards Somali affairs. What is your response?
[A] Certainly it is not [true]. But let us say that within the EU, there is a lot of frustration with the Somali crisis because it has been going on for a long
time. So everybody seems to be fed up with Somalia and not ready to hear or talk about Somali problems. The only ones who felt and otherwise
consistently paid attention to Somali affairs are the Italians because of our moral obligation.
[Q] What about your British partners in the EU?
[A] They are different, and we don't know why Britain doesn't care about Somaliland.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 28 Nov 00
Somalis from south warned against meddling in Somaliland politics
BBC Monitoring Africa,Nov 6, 2000; Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 6 Nov 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, yesterday issued a circular on Somali nationals
residing in the country and sent it to the minister of justice and internal affairs, the attorney-general, regional public
prosecutors, the police commissioner and regional governors.
The circulars says, "The position adopted by the government and people of Somaliland towards their
brethren from Somalia is that of genuine hospitality. We shall not treat our brethren like other foreigners living or doing
business in the country. We consider them to be a people who have the right to be here, closer to us than other people.
It is not compulsory for them to enter the country with passports. They are allowed to work and do any business in the
country. They could stay in the country freely and peacefully
and should not be segregated from the people of Somaliland.
These are the rights our brothers from Somalia are supposed to enjoy here in Somaliland. However, every right goes
with a responsibility and a duty which can invalidate one's rights. Apart from the people of Somaliland, no one is allowed
to interfere in the culture and government of Somaliland. We are aware, have confirmed, and continuously receives
information on Somalis who are involved in political activities openly or sometimes under the guise of religion. I urge you
all, elders and officers who are recipients of this circular, to note that if any of these people who are our guests fail to
live with civility, dignity and respect, by interfering in Somaliland's social and political stability and Somaliland's foreign
relations, they would be considered to have abused the hospitality accorded to them. Such persons if proven guilty
should be arrested, deported and never allowed to return."
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 6 Nov 00 p 1
BBC Worldwide Monitoring October 29, 2000
Somaliland: More refugees reportedly return from Ethiopia
SOURCE: Radio Banaadir, Mogadishu, in Somali 1700 gmt 29 Oct 00
Reports from Somalia's northwestern regions Somaliland say that 1,100 refugees
this morning returned to Boorama town from the Ow Barre refugee camp in south-eastern
Ethiopia. The refugees had fled to Ethiopia during the civil war in north-western Somalia.
Officials of the UNHCR have confirmed the repatriation of the refugees.
Up to 6,000 refugees were repatriated to the self-proclaimed Somaliland Republic from Dir Wanaje phonetic refugee camp in south-eastern Ethiopia last Wednesday 25th October .
BBC Worldwide Monitoring October 29, 2000
Somaliland: Britain not ready to recognize breakaway republic
SOURCE: Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 29 Oct 00 p 1
The British government has said it is not ready to recognize the independence of the Somaliland Republic.
A statement to this effect was issued by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to the London-based Somaliland Democracy Watch Organizations SDWO letter to the office of prime minister Tony Blair. In its letter, dated 25th September 2000, the SDWO urged the British government to recognize the independence of Somaliland.
The statement signed by Stefan Beacon of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the British government had expressed concern over the absence of both the Somaliland and Puntland administrations from the Arta in Djibouti conference. For this reason, "we had warned that any Somali government in which all political groups are not represented could negatively impact on the stability and peace prevailing in Somaliland and Puntland."
Somaliland leader rejects call to divide Somalia into autonomous regions
BBC Monitoring Oct 28, 2000;
Abstract: Reliable reports from Hargeysa say that Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, the president of the self-proclaimed Somaliland republic, has rejected a proposal by Somali faction leaders meeting in Garoowe [capital of Puntland] that Somalia...
Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 28 Oct 00 p 2/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
Reliable reports from Hargeysa say that Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, the president of the self-proclaimed Somaliland republic, has rejected a proposal by Somali faction
leaders meeting in Garoowe [capital of Puntland] that Somalia be divided into four autonomous regions. He said Somaliland was not a regional government but rather a
country which had regained its sovereignty after pulling out of a voluntary union with Somalia.
Egal earlier dismissed the results of the Djibouti conference, saying that they did not concern Somaliland.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 28 Oct 00 p 2
Source: The Republican, Issue 134, Oct. 28, 2000.
Somaliland journalist imprisoned
Borama: A.A. Dhameeye correspondent of Jamhuuriya and The Republican
newspapers was taken in police custody on Wednesday morning.
Dhameeye has been accused by the authorities of filing from Borama last
week a news item disclosing the death of a number of children in Borama
as a result of an unidentifiable disease. Dhameeye was detained without a
court warrant.
Journalists working for Jamhuuriya and The Republican are frequently
harassed by the Egal government.
Source: The Republican, Issue 134, Oct. 28, 2000.
Italy promoting talks between Egal and Salad
Hargeisa : Two Italian diplomats who arrived in Somaliland last
week denied that their government was putting pressure on Somaliland to
accept dialogue with Abdiqassim Salad, President of the Mogadishu
government. The two diplomats who were interviewed by The Republican,
on last Monday are Italy's ambassadors to Ethiopia ( Recoveri) and
Somalia ( Sciortino). They said it was President Egal and Qassim who
wanted to have talks and that their role was only to encourage the
starting of a dialogue between the two sides. In an official press release
issued on Sunday, Somaliland President Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was
quoted as saying that while his government welcomes the Italian
mediation effort, it will not however accept to hold talks with those who
[Salad] still claim that Somaliland can not exercise its right to
self-determination.
President Egal received the two diplomats in his office on Sunday. During
the meeting, he took issue with them on the Italian position on
Somaliland saying that Italy deals with Somaliland as if it were a region
and a half belonging to Somalia. "How you forget that we were two
sovereign states before our merger in 1960" Egal said. "The aim
behind our union was to unify all the five Somalis into one state. However
as this concept of greater Somalia has since been dead, we do not really
understand why Italy should still be clinging to [the 1960] union between
Hargeisa and Mogadishu which was initiated by us and from which we
have now withdrawn" Egal added.
The Italian diplomats said they have informed both Egal and Salad that
both have to realize that whatever positions they take or decisions they
reach will have consequences. "Somaliland was considered as a good
example of building peace and reconciliation from bottom up" they said
adding "everybody must adapt to the new situation evolving especially
that there is less anarchy now in the south and attempts are being made
to realize reconciliation and establish some kind of a state".
The Italians described Salad's last September statement to the Egyptian
daily al-Ahram, in which he threatened to use force to take Somaliland
back to Somalia, as badly insensitive, adding that Salad has since
made conciliatory statements with regard to Somaliland.
Following the publication of the interview with the Italian diplomats in our
daily newspaper Jamhuuriya on Wednesday, the Somaliland government
media made harsh attacks on the two ambassadors. "President Egal has
never asked the Italians to arrange talks between him and Salad"
splashed Maandeeq, the government owned newspaper.
Meanwhile, Col. Abdullahi Yusuf of Puntland rejected on Wednesday to
hold talks with Abdiqassim unless he "agrees to dismantle the
government installed as a result of Arta conference", reliable sources
said. Abdillahi Yusuf's position was conveyed to Qassim through two
Italian diplomats who met with the colonel in Garowe, the capital of the
Puntland regional state.
Excerpts from our interview with the two Italian ambassadors are
published elsewhere in this edition.
In the meanwhile, Qassim Salad said after his return on Wednesday from
an Arab summit held in Cairo, that a proposed meeting between him and
Egal was still under study. Salad said in a news conference in Mogadishu
that though his government had declared its opposition to the secession
of Somaliland he was bound however to welcome the mediation efforts of
the friendly government of Italy.
Editorial:How many more years for Somaliland?
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 28 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 28 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
During the last week several of the Somali factions reacted negatively
towards Abdiqassim's government, or shall we call it faction, for want
of a better word. Can we in fact legally call Abdiqassim's team the
government of Somalia without the consent of all the Somali society?
In essence, Abdiqasim heads a transitional administration which is
supposed to reconcile the different factions and sections of the
society in the former Italian Somalia, and to create a peaceful
atmosphere conducive to the people's formation of a representative
government.
With this understanding, both the Somalis and the international
community must regard Abdiqasim's attempts to form a national police
force and an army from one faction, which has already cost the life of
one of his best generals, as well as his attending of several
international meetings, as futile propaganda exercises. The sole aim is
availing himself of the opportunity to beg for financial support.
Abdiqasim's team would be more useful, doing what they were elected
for, if they busy themselves with tangible efforts towards
reconciliation and peace making among the population inside the
country.
The international community including the governments of Ethiopia,
Kenya, USA, UK, Kuwait and donor organizations like the EEC have told
Abdiqasim that he will not be recognized until all the different sections
and factions accepted his government. Likewise, the UN rejected a
proposal by President Ismail Omar Gelle of Djibouti Republic that the
UN move back country headquarters of its executive agencies to
Mogadishu. The reason is the lack of security and absence of fully
functioning national police force and army.
During the last week President Mohammed Ibrahim Egal was again
accused of foreign policy duplicity when two Italian Ambassadors
arrived in Hargeisa and claimed "Egal called us to mediate between
him and Abdiqasim". Confused to the limit, the Somaliland public are
still puzzled with the mediation the president wants when he already
stated on separate occasions that he will not "talk with Abdiqasim
while there are members from Somaliland in his government," and also
"as long as Abdiqasim claims Somaliland as being part of Somalia."
President Egal often says that there will not be any talk with Somalia
before a viable government is formed. But Abdiqasim is far from being
accepted by all the factions and being firmly established in office.
This latest accusation cuts the thin veil that covers the Egal
government's lack of an honestly coordinated plan of action to deal
with Somalia and to safeguard the future of Somaliland. This is why
one always finds a small number of self-appointed individuals
misrepresenting Somaliland at forums meant to deal with the issue of
Somalia. As things stand now, Somalia's reconciliation looks a long
haul with many pitfalls on the way. Abdiqasim's team has a long way to
go to even take the first step: talking with the warring factions, with
his differences with them getting worse everyday. An example is the
case of the Rahanweyn clan of Bay and Bakol regions who wanted a
separate state right from the day of independence in 1960. They were
a peace loving sedentary farming community. In the factional strife of
1991-93, the Rahanweyn bore the brunt of the destruction, war and
famine.
Their country was captured by Gen. Aideed's Habar-Gidir army of the
Mudug desert which ruled them as a colony and took their fertile land
until recently when the Rahanweyn raised their own army and retook
part of their land. But the Ayr, Abdiqassim's sub-clan of the Habar Gidir
still occupy a large tract of the Bay and Bakol regions. The Rahanweyn
want Abdiqasim to return this land peacefully before they can be part
of his government. The prospect of this dream coming true is remote.
Abdiqasim also faces the harder task of returning Somaliland to the
fold of Somalia before contemplating the use of force.
The international community has its own opinion of building
governance and democracy in Somalia from the grassroots. This
means the regional administrations. Decision on this opinion is
expected to come out in the forthcoming November and December
from the IGAD meetings in Khartoum and Rome respectively. In
September the UN representative of Somalia also promised to give
advice to Abdiqasim in three months time which coincides with the
IGAD meetings. The big question is how many more years is
Somaliland going to wait?
Somaliland journalist imprisoned
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 28 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 28 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Borama -- A.A. Dhameeye correspondent of Jamhuuriya and The Republican
newspapers was taken in police custody on Wednesday morning.
Dhameeye has been accused by the authorities of filing from Borama
last week a news item disclosing the death of a number of children in
Borama as a result of an unidentifiable disease. Dhameeye was
detained without a court warrant.
Journalists working for Jamhuuriya and The Republican are
frequently harassed by the Egal government.
Italy promoting talks between Egal and Salad
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 28 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 28 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- Two Italian diplomats who arrived in Somaliland last
week denied that their government was putting pressure on
Somaliland to accept dialogue with Abdiqassim Salad, President of the
Mogadishu government. The two diplomats who were interviewed by
the Republican on last Monday are Italy's ambassadors to Ethiopia (
Recoveri) and Somalia ( Sciortino). They said it was President Egal
and Qassim who wanted to have talks and that their role was only to
encourage the starting of a dialogue between the two sides. In an
official press release issued on Sunday, Somaliland President
Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was quoted as saying that while his
government welcomes the Italian mediation effort, it will not however
accept to hold talks with those who [Salad] still claim that Somaliland
can not exercise its right to self-determination.
President Egal received the two diplomats in his office on Sunday.
During the meeting, he took issue with them on the Italian position on
Somaliland saying that Italy deals with Somaliland as if it were a
region and a half belonging to Somalia. "How you forget that we were
two sovereign states before our merger in 1960" Egal said. "The
aim behind our union was to unify all the five Somalis into one state.
However as this concept of greater Somalia has since been dead, we
do not really understand why Italy should still be clinging to [the 1960]
union between Hargeisa and Mogadishu which was initiated by us and
from which we have now withdrawn" Egal added.
The Italian diplomats said they have informed both Egal and Salad that
both have to realize that whatever positions they take or decisions
they reach will have consequences. "Somaliland was considered as a
good example of building peace and reconciliation from bottom up"
they said adding "everybody must adapt to the new situation evolving
especially that there is less anarchy now in the south and attempts
are being made to realize reconciliation and establish some kind of a
state".
The Italians described Salad's last September statement to the
Egyptian daily al-Ahram, in which he threatened to use force to take
Somaliland back to Somalia, as badly insensitive, adding that Salad
has since made conciliatory statements with regard to Somaliland.
Following the publication of the interview with the Italian diplomats in
our daily newspaper Jamhuuriya on Wednesday, the Somaliland
government media made harsh attacks on the two ambassadors.
"President Egal has never asked the Italians to arrange talks between
him and Salad" splashed Maandeeq, the government-owned
newspaper.
Meanwhile, Col. Abdullahi Yusuf of Puntland rejected on Wednesday to
hold talks with Abdiqassim unless he "agrees to dismantle the
government installed as a result of Arta conference", reliable sources
said. Abdillahi Yusuf's position was conveyed to Qassim through two
Italian diplomats who met with the colonel in Garowe, the capital of
the Puntland regional state.
Excerpts from our interview with the two Italian ambassadors are
published elsewhere in this edition.
In the meanwhile, Qassim Salad said after his return on Wednesday
from an Arab summit held in Cairo, that a proposed meeting between
him and Egal was still under study. Salad said in a news conference in
Mogadishu that though his government had declared its opposition to
the secession of Somaliland he was bound however to welcome the
mediation efforts of the friendly government of Italy.
Editorial:Italian policy
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 28 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 28 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
There is no doubt that Italy has been the only European country, since
the violent collapse of the former Somalia 9 years ago, to have
consistently shown interest in Somali affairs. In fact this Italian
concern has not been new. For Italy's association with Somalia goes
back to the end of the 19th century during which the scrambling of
European powers for the establishment of colonies in Africa reached
its peak. By the turn of the 20th century, Italy had already taken
control of vast Somali-inhabited territories, later named "Italian
Somalia", until following its defeat in Second World War, Italy was
forced by the victorious allied countries to disown all its colonial
possessions in Africa.
Being sympathetic to Italy's postwar obsession with saving what was
left of its national pride, in the aftermath of its humiliating defeat, the
victorious white powers agreed in 1950 to let their Italian brethren
resume their rule of "Italian Somalia" though this time disguised as a
UN Trustee. Demands for independence, shown at the time by people
living in ex-Italian Somalia had to be ignored as the allies' strategic
interests in the forties lied in appeasing the new ruling class in Italy,
even if it were dominated by neo-fascists, rather than recognizing the
right of Somalis to exercise their self-determination. Both the US and
Britain were keen to get support of neo-fascist forces assumingly to
prevent a possible communist takeover in Italy.
Italy has in fact continued to pay a special attention to Somali affairs
even after the formation of the independent Somali Republic from the
merger of the two separate countries of ex-British Somaliland and
ex-Italian Somalia on July 1, 1960. However from Independence Day till
now, Italy's involvement in Somali affairs has been awfully
troublesome. Italy pursued a policy seeking the perpetuation of its
culture through the empowerment of southern elites whose only
demonstrable qualification were usually confined to the ability to
speak Italian and commit political as well as financial corruption. The
concept was based on the idea that southerners should always be at
the helm of power in any Somali government. One of the cornerstones
of this policy called for under developing Somaliland to make it
dependent on Somalia, economically and educationally and thus less
likely to secede. That is why only 6-7% of all the international
assistance given to the former Somalia was spent on projects in
Somaliland.
It is unfortunate to see Italy being driven by the principles of the same
old self-centered policy which had already led to the alienation of the
majority of Somalis against any further Italian involvement in Somali
affairs. While Italy's continued attachment to its former colony of
Somalia is understandable, Italian attempts to impose the issue of
re-unification on the people of Somaliland is not. Of course it is not in
the best interest of Italy to promote a policy which is hostile to the
legitimate aspirations of the Somaliland people to gain international
recognition for their country. Italy must realize that the failed state of
Somalia cannot be revamped. Somaliland has repeatedly announced
that it has nothing against Italy per se. Also, Somalilanders have had
never shown any allegiance to any particular culture other than their
own indigenous one. This might not be the case in Mogadishu, so let it
be.
Italy's interest lies in reinstating a government and the rule of law in
its former colony of Somalia. Somaliland has already done its
homework and certainly needs no lectures from the likes of
Abdiqasim or Italian diplomats. For the sake of maintaining Italian
culture and prestige in this part of Africa, millions of Somalis need
not have to suffer.
Arta faction appoints a 25-member cabinet
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Announcement of the new government made to coincide with an
infamous day, Oct. 21, 2000 the 31st anniversary of Barre's seizure of
power on Oct. 21, 1969.
Mogadishu -- On exactly the 31st anniversary of the day when late
dictator Siyad Barre seized power in the former Republic of Somalia
through a military coup, a 25-member cabinet, announced Friday by Ali
Khalif Galaydh, is expected to meet today in a Hotel located in
southern Mogadishu, reliable sources said. High on the agenda of the
first meeting of the cabinet will be the tightening of security measures
intended for the protection of the lives of cabinet and parliament
members following the assassination of General Yusuf Talan near
Sahafi Hotel by unidentified gunemen on Wednesday.
Leaflets containing warnings for members of the Arta factional
government to leave Mogadishu were also distributed on Thursday, the
sources said. Galaydh was himself chosen as "prime minister of
Somalia", about 13 days ago, by Abdi-Qassim Salad who together with
245 member parliament was installed by end of August, 2000 as
"President of Somalia" in the Arta conference. The nominations of the
cabinet members were reportedly made in haste to enable Salad travel
to attend a summit by Arab leaders in Cairo at this weekend. Sources
close to Salad said "The president had to go outside only when a
government was in place in-order to improve his chances of securing
substantial financial assistance from rich Arab countries."
Most of the appointed cabinet members are known to have served in
either junior or senior positions within the government of dictator
Siyad Barre. Both Salad and Galaydh were also close associates of
Barre. During his tenure as director general of the sugar industry in the
former Somalia, Ali Galaydh has reportedly profiteered from widescale
artificial speculations on sugar prices. He was also implicated in
receiving handsome kickbacks from Italian companies contracted to
build the Mareeray sugar factory in southern Somalia. In 1981, Galaydh
fled Somalia by a small plane sent to him by a Somali-born Kenyan
businessman. During his flight to Kenya, Galaydh had reportedly
carried with him millions of dollars in embezzled government money.
Salad was a member of Siyad Barre's inner-circle cabinet for 21 years.
During the massacre of Jazira where about 45 Isaaks were killed in the
eighties after being picked up by the government's death squads,
Salad was Barre's minister of interior. By the downfall of Siyad Barre in
Jan. 1991, Abdi-qassim Salad had already turned a millionaire, most
probably through illegal misappropriation of public funds. Before their
election by the Arta faction as members of the "Transitional Somali
Parliament" both Galaydh and Salad identified themselves as
"businessmen".
The post of defense minister went to Abdillahi Boqor Muse (King Kong)
of Puntland, while Dahir Sh. Mohamed (Dayah) is to assume the
position of interior minister. Sayid Sh. Dahir was named as minister of
finance. In the meantime, Abdi-qassim Salad ordered some units of the
Islamic courts militia in Mogadishu be sent to the port city of Kismayo.
No reasons were given for the deployment of the Islamic courts
militiamen in Kismayo.
After denouncing Salad government, Suldan Mohammed Abdul-Qadir to
return from Djibouti soon
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Djibouti -- Suldan Mohammed Abdul-Qadir one of Somaliland's
traditional leaders, said he and his followers have decided to quit the
government of Arta faction leader, Abdiqassim Salad. The Somaliland
Suldan who during the Arta conference supported the nomination of
Abdiqassim as "President of Somalia" said Salad has betrayed the
understanding that any future government for Somalia should be
based on power-sharing. "Our understanding was that if the southern
are given the position of the President, the North would take prime
minister portfolio and vice-versa."
In an interview with the Republican yesterday, the Suldan said Isaaks
and the Dir will no longer be part of the Parliament. While commenting
on a statement given by Qassim on Friday that in priniciple he opposed
the secession of Somaliland from the rest of Somalia, Suldan Mohamed
responded by saying that the people of Somaliland are free to exercise
their right for self-determination. The Suldan said his understanding
with Qassim was that the government to be elected in Arta conference
was to be a southern one which would then hold talks with their
counterparts from Somaliland in order to finalize how future relations
between the two countries would be.
"We have been to Arta in order to help broker the establishment of a
government in the south" he added. When reminded that Somaliland
has made its position clear that there will be no negotiations as long
as there was a single Somalilander in Qassim's government, the
Suldan replied that there was no problem with that now that all the
northerners were ready to make it quits with Qassim. Suldan
Mohammed has also said he was highly optimistic that Somaliland will
be recognized soon. The Suldan didn't elaborate.
Yusuf Talan murdered in Mogadishu
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Mogadishu -- General Yusuf Talan was fatally shot-down last
Wednesday in Mogadishu in front of the hotel he was staying in.
According to eyewitnesses, the Somaliland born military officer was
approached by four gunmen near km 4 in southern Mogadishu. He just
left Hotel Sahafi where about one hundred delegates returning from
the Arta conference were also staying. According to one version, Talan
was to get into a car by the gunmen but when he refused they opened
fire on him nine times. The area of Sahafi hotel is controlled by the
supporters of Eideed as well as Osman Ato. Others said the killing of
Talan was purely an assassination carried out to terrorize the Qassim
Entourage of supporters.
Talan was a career officer in the now-defunct army of Siyad Barre.
During 1988, Talan who at the time held the rank of senior security
officer in Berbera, has intervened in many occasions to stop the killing
of civilians in the city. In 1991 as the SNM took over, Talan joined the
expanded central committee of the organization. Being born in the
Samaroon inhabited parts of Awdal, Talan has enthusiastically
participated in the preparation of the Borama conference of 1993.
The SNM has expressed condolences to the family, relatives and
friends of Yusuf Talan who went to Mogadishu as a supporter of
Abdi-Qassim's government.
Source: The Republican, Issue 133, Oct. 21, 2000.
After denouncing Salad government, Suldan Mohammed Abdul-Qadir to
return from Djibouti soon
Djibouti : Suldan Mohammed Abdul-Qadir one of Somaliland's
traditional leaders, said he and his followers have decided to quit the
government of Arta faction leader, Abdiqassim Salad. The Somaliland
Suldan who during the Arta conference supported the nomination of
Abdiqassim as "President of Somalia" said Salad has betrayed the
understanding that any future government for Somalia should be based on
power-sharing. "Our understanding was that if the southern are given the
position of the President, the North would take prime minister portfolio
and vice-versa."
In an interview with The Republican, yesterday, the Suldan said Isaaks and
the Dir will no longer be part of the Parliament. While commenting on a
statement given by Qassim on Friday that in priniciple he opposed the
secession of Somaliland from the rest of Somalia, Suldan Mohamed
responded by saying that the people of Somaliland are free to exercise
their right for self-determination. The Suldan said his understanding with
Qassim was that the government to be elected in Arta conference was to
be a southern one which would then hold talks with their counterparts
from Somaliland in order to finalize how future relations between the two
countries would be.
"We have been to Arta in order to help broker the establishment of a
government in the south" he added. When reminded that Somaliland has
made its position clear that there will be no negotiations as long as there
was a single Somalilander in Qassim's government, the Suldan replied
that there was no problem with that now that all the northerners were
ready to make it quits with Qassim. Suldan Mohammed has also said he
was highly optimistic that Somaliland will be recognized soon. The Suldan
didn't elaborate.
Teachers at two High Schools express grievances
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 14 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 14 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- Teachers at the two secondary schools of Mohamud
Ahmed Ali and Ga'an Libah have complained that the ministry of
Education and the Centre for British Teachers (CFBT) had exempted
them from receiving a monthly payment of USD 70 drawn by other
teachers of their level.
In a letter addressed to president Egal and copied to the Chairman of
the House of Elders, the teachers have demanded that they be treated
in equal terms with teachers working for other secondary schools who
they said receive the monthly $70 allowance. The CFBT is a British
NGO which assists secondary education in Somaliland. The CFTB
provides the $70 monthly allowance to secondary teachers. Ga'an
Libah and Mohamud A. Ali school teachers say they don't know why
they have not been included. The payment of allowances to teachers
of secondary schools operating in Somaliland started in 1998.
In the meanwhile a last week statement by the first batch of
students to graduate from post-war Somaliland Secondary Schools,
has criticized the Somaliland government for what it has termed as
"failure to fulfill its commitment to send the first 20 students who
achieve the highest marks on scholarships abroad". The students
said the Ministry of Education has promised to send them for higher
education in countries like Egypt, Yemen and others. Instead the
Ministry informed that it's responsibility is limited to educational
services provided up-to the secondary level, the students added.
Ali Qorioyooley Sentenced to 3 years in Prison
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 07 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 07 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- Ali Dool Ahmed, a Somaliland political activist, better
known as Ali Qoryooley was sentenced to 3 years in prison on Sunday
by the Hargeisa regional court. Ali Qoryooley was arrested by the
police in early August in connection with a political pamphlet he had
distributed to members of Somaliland House of Representatives. The
pamphlet contained a sharp criticism of President Egal's government.
Part of Ali Qoryooley's criticism focused on the way Egal has dealt
with Arta conference. Qoryooley also suggested in his writing that the
House of Representatives consider removing Egal from his post as
President, charging him with gross incompetency.
The Hargeisa regional court judge, Suleiman Ero, ruled that Ali
Qoryooley has been found guilty of writing statements ridiculing the
President as well as criticizing him for mismanaging public government
affairs. The state prosecutor presented 3 witnesses in the court to
testify against Ali Qoryooley. Among them was a CID police officer
called Abdi Hassan Osman who stated that Ali Qoryooley was arrested
because of his distribution of a pamphlet in the House of
Representatives meetings hall. The CID officer testified that according
to his opinion, Ali Qoryooley's action was intended to disturb the
[proceedings] of Parliament.
One of the two other witnesses, an SNM veteran by the name of
Maloosh told the court: "I don't see anything criminal in what Ali
Qoryooley has written. It's constructive criticism." The third witness
Abdi Qodax contended that he didn't know whether Ali Qoryooley made
any wrongdoing. The court however upon pronouncing its decision
stated that the conviction of Ali Qoryooley has been based on the
testimonies of the prosecutor's eyewitnesses. The defendant's lawyer,
Rooble Michael, had objected to the prosecutor's demand to try his
client under article 230 of the penal code. "This article may be invoked
only for cases that may involve capital punishment or imprisonment for
life," Roble said in his defense. Rooble also argued that there was
nothing wrong with expressing one's opinion.
In a short statement after he was sentenced, Qoryooley said, "I
haven't done anything wrong. What I said about Egal is true. Justice
has been deliberately mishandled by the judge."
Somaliland courts receive support from SCPP/UNDP
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 14 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 14 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
"This assistance is the first of its kind to the judiciary system"
Mohamed Haji Saeed, Supreme Court Chairman.
Hargeisa -- The Somali Civil Society program of the UNDP handed
over Wednesday a significant amount of office equipment to the
Somaliland judiciary system. Courts and custodial corpses in operating
in various regions and districts of Somaliland have been provided with
computers and printers (a total of 8 units) photo-copier machines (a
total of 8 units) and type-writers (total of 22 pieces). The equipment
has been purchased with funds provided through the SCPP by the
Italian, Oxfam Canada, the US government and the UNDP.
According to Jab Swart, manager of the SCPP, further support in the
form of training will be given to the judiciary branch. In this respect a
training workshop will be held on Nov 7-9, 2000. On the conclusion of
this workshop, the SCPP is expected to distribute total of law books
to judges and lawyers. Private legal counselors will also have access
to to SCPP assistance. The SCPP however would only channel such a
kind of assistance through an association to be established by the
country's lawyers soon.
The handing over ceremony of the capacity building support was held
in the Supreme Court building in Hargeisa. The Supreme Court
Chairman, Mohamed Haji Saeed, who formally took delivery of the
equipment thanked the SCPP for their support. "The assistance is the
first of its kind to be given to Somaliland's judiciary system" he said.
Saeed said Somaliland courts have been operational long before
any assistance has been received from donor agencies: "This is the
first time that any international organization has come to give
resources to the courts and I hope that other organizations would take
practical steps towards providing meaningful support to our
independent Judiciary system in the same way the SCPP has done."
Somaliland minister of Justice Ahmed H Aafi, Attorney General Hussein
Abdi Qalib and Custodial Corpses Commander Mohamed Jibril Abdi
were also present at the occasion.
Ethiopia shows new interest in using Berbera port
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 14 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 14 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- An Ethiopian delegation led by Hayle Zalasa Malaz, a
senior government official responsible for commercial transport and
coastal development has arrived in Somaliland on 8 October, 2000.
The aim of the delegation of four members is related to laying the
groundwork for a multi-sided cooperation between Somaliland and
Ethiopia. According to a Somaliland Government spokesman, the
delegation will be here for 8 days during which they will meet with
some government agencies, particularly those responsible for the
economy, commerce and transport.
The Ethiopian delegation is a technical team that is making a survey
and study on aspects of commercial transportation, ports and the like.
They will study the port of Berbera and the roads connecting
Somaliland and Ethiopia, in order to prepare the blueprint of a
cooperation between the two countries. This visit, the first of its kind
this year, is part of continuing activities and contacts that were taking
place for the last several years between the two governments of
Somaliland and Ethiopia. Ethiopia, is interested to see if Berbera can
replace the Eritrean ports which it used before the recent war
between the two countries has erupted. The Ethiopians are known to
have made studies on the security situation, conditions of roads, and
the quality of management and services at Berbera port.
The Ethiopian delegation met with the minister of commerce, Rashid
Haji Abdillahi who on 9 October briefed the council of ministers on the
delegation's visit. The delegation is also to meet with the ministers of
of finance and public works and the Bank of Somaliland. On 11
October, the delegation went to Berbera to get familiarized with the
port, which together with the roads linking the two countries is the
delegation's main focus. The delegation examined the port, the fuel
tanks and shipping line agencies. Briefing the delegation, the port
manager told them "our facilities and services are up-to-date now and
the port can compete with any port in the region."
On 12 October, the delegation examined the condition of the main road
from Berbera through Hargeisa to Kala-baid and Wajale at the border
between Somaliland and Ethiopia. This road from Berbera to Kala-baid
is covered tarmac and in fairly good condition. During the civil war in
the former Somali Republic, the road suffered extensive damage,
including the blowing up of many bridges. But extensive repair work
including the rebuilding of all the bridges is in progress through a
project financed by the EC. Only the final 20 km of this road from
Kala-baid to Wajale on the Ethiopian border is unpaved which causes
trouble to transport during the rainy season.
Since June 1999 food aid for Ethiopia have continuously been passing
through the port of Berbera. From there, Somaliland commercial trucks
transited the food consignments to Shiniile, Jigjiga and other places in
eastern Ethiopia. So far this year, the sixth ship carrying food supplies
intended for Ethiopia is now anchored at Berbera port. Since this
transit food has started coming through Berbera to Ethiopia only one
problem has come to light. The Somaliland forwarding and unloading
companies as well as the transport owners have continuously
complained about the inefficiency of the unloading methods at the
Shiniile stores. Long waiting to discharge their loads causes delays
and other problems for truck drivers and their vehicles.
According to our reporter in Berbera although the contracting
companies and truck owners put their complaints to the Ethiopian
authorities, so far nothing has been done about the problem. It is
reported that at times 500 trucks could be waiting to be unloaded at
Shiniile. Truck drivers also reported that when they encounter
problems including accidents on Ethiopian roads, they sometimes
do not get any emergency assistance.
Maclean's October 2, 2000 Pg. 12
It's CanLit Time -- in Somalia
BYLINE: Tom Fennell
Finding a library in Somalia is no easy trick. In fact, there is only one -- in the desert city of Hargeysa. That makes it even more surprising to discover the Canadian flag displayed on
one wall, above piles of old books and magazines. Mahad Yusuf Ismail, the library's founder and benefactor, came to Canada in 1986, and, he says, worked with the Ontario
government until he was laid off in 1995. He decided to put his separation pay to work for his impoverished east African homeland. "I thought I'd make a difference," said Mahad,
"by bringing books." He placed ads in Canadian newspapers asking people to donate used books. The response: nearly 5,000 books, enough to fill 200 boxes. By the time he shipped
hem home and opened his library, he had spent $ 17,000.
The facility, open six days a week, has seating for 45. But close to 80 people regularly show up, so those who can't find seats sit on the floor while they read. Mahad hopes to eventually circulate the books in the community and, with so many patrons, to expand. "So," said Mahad, "we will be coming to Canada to get more books."
Somaliland leader rules out talks with Somali president
BBC Monitoring Oct 26, 2000;` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 26 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
Abstract: President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal on Monday [23rd October] received at the presidency
Recoveri and Sciortino, the Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia respectively. The
envoys were in Hargeysa to mediate between President Egal and Abdiqasim [Salad Hasan,
Somali president].
President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal on Monday [23rd October] received at the presidency Recoveri
and Sciortino, the Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia respectively. The envoys were in
Hargeysa to mediate between President Egal and Abdiqasim [Salad Hasan, Somali president].
When the ambassadors told the president about their mission, the president got angry and said:
"President Ismael Umar Gelleh [of Djibouti] and Abdiqasim have planned to destroy Somaliland,
therefore I should not be expected to betray my people by engaging in dialogue with the man who
claims to be Somalia's president.
President Egal termed as a lie reports attributed to Sciortino that he [Egal] had requested the Italian
envoys to arrange talks between himself and Abdiqasim...
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 26 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland: Some 6,000 refugees return home from Ethiopia
BBC Monitoring Oct 26, 2000;
Abstract: Six thousand Somaliland refugees have arrived in Boorama District from the Dir Wanaje
[phonetic] refugee camp in south-eastern Ethiopia in the past four days.
Full Text: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 26 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
Six thousand Somaliland refugees have arrived in Boorama District from the Dir Wanaje [phonetic]
refugee camp in south-eastern Ethiopia in the past four days.
The repatriation of the refugees, who are from the country's north- western and Awdal regions, were
conducted by the UNHCR. One hundred lorries and 50 personnel were involved in the repatriation.
The returnees were welcomed in Boorama by UNHCR and local officials.
Repatriation of more Somaliland refugees from Ow-Barre refugee camp in south-eastern Ethiopia is
expected next week.
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1700 26 Oct 00
Associated Press October 25, 2000
Diplomats fail in attempt to persuade northern regions to support new government
BYLINE: OSMAN HASSAN
A delegation of foreign diplomats has failed to bridge the gap between Somalia's new government and the leaders of the northern regions of Puntland and Somaliland, officials said Wednesday.
Puntland's leader, Col. Abdullahi Yussuf, will meet Somali President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan only if all the decisions made at a peace conference in neighboring Djibouti are annulled, Puntland officials, who did not want to be identified, said.
Hassan and a 245-member assembly Somalia's first government since 1991 were elected during the conference in the town of Arta.
Over the past three days, Italy's special envoy to Somalia, Francesco Sciortino, and Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, Teshome Toga, have toured the two recalcitrant regions in an attempt to gain their support for the new government and assembly.
Both Yussuf, and Somaliland's leader, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, have opposed the Djibouti initiative from the outset of the conference in May and refused to recognize the new administration.
In a statement Tuesday, Egal said Somaliland would retain its independence which is self-declared and not internationally recognized but he said he was willing for Sciortino to act as a mediator between him and Hassan.
Somaliland and Puntland have set up their own administrations and created a semblance of order, and many observers see their support as vital to the credibility of the new government.
Yussuf opposed the Djibouti conference because it did not involve a number of faction leaders.
Egal has said his administration will talk to the new assembly once peace was restored to the south, but only as ''two governments.''
Somalia, which gained independence in 1960 by joining the former Italian colony of Somalia to British Somaliland, descended into chaos and has had no central authority since opposition leaders joined forces to oust dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The country has since been run by faction leaders who turned the nation in to armed fiefdoms.
The most difficult task facing the new government, which returned to Mogadishu last week, is dealing with faction leaders opposed to the Djibouti process and disarming thousands of gunmen, many loyal to faction leaders.
The election of Hassan and assembly members has stirred a flurry of activity and debate and has raised the specter of continued violence if they do not obtain widespread acceptance.
The officials in Puntland said some faction leaders, including those who oppose Hassan, were meeting in Garoe, the regional capital, Wednesday, with more expected.
There have also been reports of a build-up of Ethiopian troops in the central regions of Bay and Bakol.
Ethiopian forces have been in the regions for several years and helped the Rahanwein Resistance Army, a clan-based faction, to take control of the area in 1998.
Ethiopia, a majority Christian country that shares a border with Somalia and has a large population of ethnic Somalis, is concerned about attacks by Somalia-based Muslim fundamentalists.
Italy mediating between leaders of break-away Somaliland, Somalia
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 25, 2000;
Abstract: "Although the statement contained the gist of our discussions with President [Muhammad
Ibrahim Egal], the purpose of our visit to Somaliland was not to put pressure on
Somaliland. It was President Egal himself who called on us, the Italian government, for
advice and for mediation with Abdiqasim. Abdiqasim, for his part, also made similar requests
and asked us to convey his desire for talks to Egal," the Italian envoys said...
Full Text: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 25 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
The president of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal and the president of Somalia, Abdiqasim Salad
Hasan, have both asked the Italian government to mediate between the two sides, the Italian
ambassadors to Ethiopia [Marcello] Ricoveri and the Italian ambassador to Somalia
[Francesco] Sciortini have announced.
In an exclusive interview with ` Jamhuuriya and `The Republican', the envoys, who are currently in
Somaliland on a visit that would last several days, explained the purpose of their visit and why they
were seeking to mediate between Egal and Abdiqasim.
The comment by the envoys is a reaction to a statement issued by the Somaliland presidency following
the meeting between Egal and the two Italian ambassadors at the presidency [in Hargeysa]. In the
statement, President Egal said among the issues he discussed with the Italian diplomats was the issue of
the pressure from the Italian government on him to begin talks with the Abdiqasim administration.
The two diplomats however denied the claim, saying the purpose of their visit to Somaliland was not to
put pressure on the Egal government but to act as go-between between Egal and Abdiqasim.
"Although the statement contained the gist of our discussions with President Egal, the purpose of our
visit to Somaliland was not to put pressure on Somaliland. It was President Egal himself who called
on us, the Italian government, for advice and for mediation with Abdiqasim. Abdiqasim, for his part,
also made similar requests and asked us to convey his desire for talks to Egal," the Italian envoys said...
"Lately, Abdiqasim has been making conciliatory statements towards Somaliland. He wants Somalis to
end their differences through talks and by peaceful means," the envoys added.
"In the past, both President Egal and President Abdiqasim disregarded each other, but it now appears
that both sides have recognized the existence of the other and no one can ignore the
two realities, the said.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 25 Oct 00 p 1
Somalia: President Abdiqasim says he is keen to talk to Somaliland's Egal
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 25, 2000;
Abstract: The interim president of Somalia, Dr Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, who returned recently from
Egypt, has announced that the interim government of Somalia is ready for talks with all
those concerned and interested in the affairs of the Somali people.
Full Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 25 Oct 00 p 3/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
The interim president of Somalia, Dr Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, who returned recently from Egypt, has
announced that the interim government of Somalia is ready for talks with all those concerned and
interested in the affairs of the Somali people. Abdiqasim said he was particularly keen to have talks with
[Somaliland President Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal.
Asked about the current initiative by the Italian government to mediate and organize a meeting between
Egal and the interim government of Somalia, Abdiqasim said: "I will only respond once we know the
details of the talks between Egal and the [Italian] envoys. Mediation or no mediation, we have long
decided [to have talks]. If a friendly country feels responsible and keen to help Somalis come closer
together, that is a good thing, but we must first get the correct facts. As they say, decisions are best
made only after the facts are known."...
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 25 Oct 00 p 3
Somaliand: President says he is ready for talks organized by Italian government
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 24, 2000;
Abstract: The administration of Muhammad Ibrahim Egal [Somaliland] has said that it would never
hold talks with [Somalia's] President Abdiqasim Salad Hasan as long as the latter disregarded
Somaliland's secession and existence.
Full Text: Ayaamaha , Mogadishu, in Somali 24 Oct 00 p 2/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The administration of Muhammad Ibrahim Egal [Somaliland] has said that it would never hold talks
with [Somalia's] President Abdiqasim Salad Hasan as long as the latter disregarded Somaliland's
secession and existence.
This report follows a recent visit by the Italian ambassadors to Ethiopia and Somalia to Hargeysa to
mediate and effect a reconciliation between the two leaders.
"[Djibouti's] Ismael Omar Gelleh and Abdiqasim want to take us back to the where we stated", said a
statement by the president of the self-declared republic to the press. He said he was ready for any talks
organized by the Italian government.
Credit: Ayaamaha , Mogadishu, in Somali 24 Oct 00 p 2
Somaliland president says region will not to withdraw bid to secede
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 23, 2000;
Abstract: We joined Somalia in the '60s without any agreement thinking that when the five regions
[northeastern Kenya, southwestern Ethiopia, Djibouti, Italian Somaliland and present
Somaliland] joined to form Greater Somalia an agreement would be reached on how to
share [power]. Since the issue of Greater Somalia has long since died we see no reason why
you are insisting on a link between Hargeysa and Mogadishu. We chose to join Mogadishu
before but have now decided to reclaim our independence, said the president, adding, "The
fact that Somalia has included in their government some individuals who are natives of
Somaliland poses no problem to us. This will not change the republic of Somaliland's
position regarding its independence...
Full Text: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 23 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
"The Italians should accept our word and not think of the impossible. We are committed to the decision
made in 1991. Never expect that I will sit with this man who says since Somaliland participated in the
Arta conference he will use force if it refuses to join Mogadishu [rest of Somalia]."
These are the words of a visibly displeased Somaliland president during talks with the Italian
ambassadors to Somalia and Ethiopia in his office. [Francesco] Sciortini [Italian ambassador to
Somalia] said he had come with his delegation to discuss the outcome of the Arta process.
[Muhamad Ibrahim] Egal told him: "President [Ismael Omar] Gelleh and Abdiqasim [Salad Hasan] have
decided to destroy Somaliland. It is impossible and it should never be expected that I will lie to my
people and tell them to hold talks with this man who says he is Somalia's president, who wants to divide
us and destroy what we have built and turn a blind eye to the fact that Abdiqasim was the internal affairs
minister when our people who had committed no crimes were massacred in Jazira [south of
Mogadishu]."
The president urged the Italians to understand Somaliland's position. He said he did not think it was
necessary for him to keep repeating the same political pronouncements and that his stand should be
clear to the Italians. The fact is that it is impossible for the Italians to be oblivious of the reality and to
treat Somaliland as a province or a breakaway region from Somalia, since they colonized Somalia and
know that Somalia was made up of two states that later joined.
We joined Somalia in the '60s without any agreement thinking that when the five regions [northeastern
Kenya, southwestern Ethiopia, Djibouti, Italian Somaliland and present Somaliland] joined to form
Greater Somalia an agreement would be reached on how to share [power]. Since the issue of Greater
Somalia has long since died we see no reason why you are insisting on a link between Hargeysa and
Mogadishu. We chose to join Mogadishu before but have now decided to reclaim our independence,
said the president, adding, "The fact that Somalia has included in their government some individuals who
are natives of Somaliland poses no problem to us. This will not change the republic of Somaliland's
position regarding its independence...
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 23 Oct 00 p 1
Somalia: Clan elder resigns from parliament recently formed in Djibouti
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 22, 2000;
Abstract: Suldaan Muhammad Suldaan Abdiqadir [prominent clan elder from the Isaq community in
Somaliland], who is currently in Djibouti, has contacted us on telephone to disclose his
decision to renounce his seat in the [Somali] parliament recently set up in Arta [Djibouti]....
Full Text: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 21 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
Suldaan Muhammad Suldaan Abdiqadir [prominent clan elder from the Isaq community in
Somaliland], who is currently in Djibouti, has contacted us on telephone to disclose his decision to
renounce his seat in the [Somali] parliament recently set up in Arta [Djibouti].
Explaining the reasons for his decision, the elder accused [President] Abdiqasim of going back on his
pledge to form a government for the south and then later conduct talks with the northwestern territory
[Somaliland]...
Asked whether he was planning to come back to Somaliland, Suldaan Muhammad said he would
return but said he did not know when. He said he would also visit Mogadishu...
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 21 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland: Italian delegation arrives for talks with President Egal
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 22, 2000;
Abstract: An Italian delegation led by the Italian ambassador to Ethiopia yesterday arrived in
Hargeysa, reports from Hargeysa, the seat of the self-proclaimed...
Full Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 22 Oct 00 p 2/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
An Italian delegation led by the Italian ambassador to Ethiopia yesterday arrived in Hargeysa, reports
from Hargeysa, the seat of the self-proclaimed government of Somaliland, say.
No more details are known about the purpose of the delegation's visit and the subject of their talks with
[President Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 22 Oct 00 p 2
Somaliland: Four killed in clashes over land
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 22, 2000;
Abstract: Meanwhile, Garaad Abshir [prominent clan elder] has travelled to Buuhoodle to try and
mediate in the dispute between the two groups.
Full Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 22 Oct 00 p 2/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
At least four people were killed and an unknown number of others injured yesterday when two groups
clashed in Buuhoodle District [southern Somaliland] following a land dispute.
Meanwhile, Garaad Abshir [prominent clan elder] has travelled to Buuhoodle to try and mediate in the
dispute between the two groups.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 22 Oct 00 p 2
CFBT and the secondary schools
R.B. Hicks: Project coordinator of CFBT
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
I am writing in the hope of clarifying some misunderstanding that have
been voiced in your paper (Saturday October 14th) concerning CFBT's
support to secondary education in Somaliland. In 1998 our
organization was asked to manage a project which would help develop
six secondary schools in Somaliland. The project was funded by the
European Union and the donor initially agreed to support one school in
Hargeisa (Farah Omar), one school in Gabiley (Time Adde), one school
in Awdal region (Sh. Ali Jawhar) and also to help develop two other
schools in Sahil and Togdheer. This choice was based on the donor's
wish to spread the benefits of the project across at least four regions
rather than concentrating resources in Hargeisa. When planning and
budgeting for this project no other schools were named and as far as
we were aware there were no plans to open others. However, there
was then a considerable delay of over a year before the project was
implemented.
When implementing the project, it was agreed after negotiations to
include 26th June, but the donor specified that no further schools
could be included in the first phase of the project as the funds would
not be sufficient. This was in March 1999 and the first salary
supplements of $70 were paid to teachers in May 1999. As previously
agreed, this supplement was then reduced to $60 and will be
withdrawn at the end of the two-year project. In addition to paying the
salary supplements, CFBT has provided in-service training for
teachers, guidance on the development of the curriculum and the
examination system and has recently provided the schools with
textbooks for use in the classroom. Anyhow the ministry has asked,
that if a new phase is agreed, existing schools be given greater
equality of access to the materials and training provided.
Although in this phase, the project has not been able to pay any
salary supplement to additional schools, we have managed to
provide training to secondary teachers and sets of textbooks to all
schools both new and old. During the last eighteen months we have
witnessed an enormous expansion in secondary education as the
number of schools has increased from five to fifteen. CFBT is eager
to do everything it can to assist the Ministry of Education in
developing quality education at secondary level but, obviously we
are only able to work within the provisions of our budget.
Editorial: Rewarding mass murderers with political asylum or
legitimacy
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Most of the people who have been suspected of taking part in the
genocide crimes committed under Siyad Barre's regime during the
eighties against civilians in Somaliland, are known to be still at large
with no possibility in sight yet for bringing the perpetrators to justice.
One of the major obstacles that have been rendering any calls or
attempts for invoking international or national criminal prosecution of
those suspected of inflicting death and destruction on Somalilanders
during the dictatorship ineffective, is that many of today's most
powerful countries had been Barre's accomplices in the mass-killings
that took place here. Moreover, the widesperead atrocities and human
rights violations in Somaliland were actually committed during the
height of the last two decades of the cold war era.
Under the circumstances, one of Africa's most extensive brutalities
passed without being noticed by much of the world due to the lack of
the kind of publicity given more recently by the international media to
other similar situations such as in Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo and East
Timor. Another factor as to why justice has not been administered with
regard to Somaliland's case is that by the time Siyad Barre's regime
collapsed in Jan 1991, most of the individuals who would have been
brought to stand trial for their crimes had already fled the country and
were later given political asylum in so many different countries in the
world though mainly in West Europe, North America and the Middle
East.
In Somaliland where it is now ten years since Barre's regime was
toppled, hundreds of thousands of surviving victims of repression are
still unable to come to terms with the cruel reality of realizing in every
other day that their former oppressors remain free and on the loose.
And in a country where over 2/3 of households have at least lost a
loved one or been victims of systematic acts of humiliation, torture
and extortion because of their political views and tribal identity, it is
not hard to notice the agonizing effects produced by the feelings of
bitterness, helplessness as well as guilt that the majority of
Somalilanders have to go through in their daily lives as they become
reminded of the impunity that those responsible for causing their
suffering continue to enjoy. We believe that the international
community should realize that there is a compelling need for
establishing accountability for the mass-killings that have happened in
this country.
Independent international experts have already testified to the
existence of mass-graves, dating back to Barre's days in power, in the
proximity of Hargeisa alone. Why not investigate further and establish
an international tribunal to try the perpetrators of such crimes? After
all isn't this step necessary for starting a real healing process in self of
every every victim?
The exclusion of Somalilanders from exercising their legal rights under
the norms of the international law, normally applied to war crimes or
crimes against humanity situations, had even been extended to
include denial of the universal right of self-determination to the whole
Somaliland people as has been witnessed in the recent UN supported
conference at Arta. There, by the instigation of UN secretary general's
representative for Somalia, David Stephen, and under the watchful
eyes of representatives of the international community, the Republic of
Somaliland came under repeated attacks and condemnations by
scores of personalities long considered among the key figures
suspected of being behind genocide crimes committed in this country.
Encouraged by the failure of the international community to speak out
against their background, these mass-murderers sought, with the
blessing of the UN and Djibouti's dictator, making a come-back in the
Somali political scene. The effort culminated in success by the
installation of Qassim Salad and Ali Galaydh at the head of a so-called
"Transitional Government of Somalia" dominated by cronies of the late
dictator.
When it comes to Somalia, we believe that the international
community erred again by accepting to sponsor schemes for
conferring political legitimacy on the wrong people, often former
associates of Barre. No wonder why all the previous attempts to install
a ready-made government in Somalia have drastically failed. We
believe that the time has been overdue for the
international community to try correcting its past mistakes in dealing
with the failed state of Somalia.
Of all things, world governments should refrain from giving legitimacy
to power-hungry elements such as Qassim and Galaydh who as a
matter of fact should have been made to pay, through the due process
of law, for the enormous crimes they allegedly have committed against
innocent Somalis during their long service as senior cabinet-ministers
in Siyad Barre's cabinet.
Press Release
PI/MAPPS Investor workshop
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 21 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 21 Oct 2000 /BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Mansoor Hotel, Saturday, 21st October 8:30-12:30
In response to requests, Progressive Interventions as part of the
MAPPS project is hosting its first Investor Workshop at the Mansoor on
the morning of Saturday 21st October. The workshop is intended to be
a forum for new business ideas and opportunities in Somaliland. The
organizers are hoping to encourage debate on how to translate new
and inventive business ideas into effective and successful business.
And the sooner the better.
PI has helped a number of businesses to develop and expand their
markets and it wants to see many more do the same. It also wants
to link investors to the people who have the ideas. As many people
are aware, Somaliland represents vast possibilities, let's make them
happen.
Source: The Republican, Issue 125, Oct. 19, 2000
MPs and Horn Watch demand release of Ali Qoryoolay
Hargeisa (Rep) - Nine members of the Somaliland House of Representatives have
described the imprisonment of Somaliland political activist, Ali Qoryoolay, as illegal and
demanded his immediate release. In a statement to The Republican, last night, the
representatives who included Abdirisaq M. Muse, Abdi Dahir Amud, Mohammed Ahmed
Barre (Garad) and Mohammed Muse Diriye, said they believed Ali Qoryoolay was
imprisoned for speaking up his mind and therefore consider him a prisoner of conscience.
The human rights group Horn Watch has also appealed to Somaliland President Egal to
take measures for either bringing Ali Qoryoolay to trial or release him immediately from
imprisonment. Ali Qoryoolay an often critic of the Egal government, was detained by the
Somaliland security forces about 3 weeks ago. Relatives and friends said they were not
allowed to visit the prisoner who is being kept in solitary confinement and under hard
conditions, according to a report by Horn Watch.
Ali Qoryoolay had reportedly distributed last month a letter critical of President Egal's
performance to members of the Somaliland House of Representatives. Horn Watch said
the continued detention of Qoryoolay without trial is unlawful and violates the
constitution of Somaliland (articles 26 and 31) as well as the universal declaration of
human rights. Horn Watch described the imprisonment conditions of Ali Qoryoolay as
follows: "He has been segregated from other prisoners and kept in a small cell, rejected
all visits and banned from press reading and listening to Radio."
Horn Watch has reminded the Somaliland President that it is unlawful to subject human
beings to torture or to cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment. The
Representatives also said the government is violating the constituional rights of
individuals to express their opinions and views freely. In the meanwhile the SNM has
condemned the arrest of Ali Qoryoolay and demanded his immediate release. In the
meantime a "free Ali Qoryoolay" drive is gaining momentum amongst Somaliland Youth
particularly among SNM veteran groups.
Islam's attitude towards the conception of the universe, nature,
natural resources and the relation between man and nature
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 14 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 14 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
By Mohammed Eggeh Killeh, Candle Light NGO Ecologist
1. Whatever God has created in this universe was created in due
proportion and measure both quantitatively and qualitatively. God says
"Verily, all things have we created by measure" and says "Everything
to Him is measured." God says, "...And produced therein all kinds of
things in due balance". In the universe there is diversity and variety of
forms, colours and functions. In the universe and its various elements
there is fulfillment of man's interests and evidence of the Creator's
greatness; He it is who ascertains and determines all things, and there
is not a thing he has created but celebrates and declares his praise.
"He who has spread out the earth for you and enables you to go about
therein by roads (and channels) and has sent down water from the sky.
With it have we produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from
the others. Eat (for yourselves) and pasture your cattle; verily, in this
are signs for men endowed with understanding."
Man is part of this universe, whose elements are complementary to
one another in an integrated whole. However, man is a distinct part of
the universe and has a special position among the other parts of the
universe. The relation between man and the universe, as defined and
clarified in the Glorious Quran, is as follows:
a)A relationship of utilization, development and subjugation of
man's benefit and for the fulfillment of his interests.
b)A relationship of meditation on, and consideration and
contemplation of, the universe and what it contains.
2. God's wisdom has ordained to grant man inheritance on earth.
Therefore, in addition to being part of the earth and part of the
universe, man is also the executor of God's injunctions and commands.
And as such he is only a mere manager of the earth and not a
proprietor; a beneficiary and not a disposer or ordainer. Man has been
granted inheritance to manage and utilize the earth for his benefit, and
for the fulfillment of his interests. He, therefore, has to keep, maintain
and preserve it honestly, and has to act within the limits dictated by
honesty.
3. God has granted all of us the inheritance of all sources of life and
resources of nature. Thus, the utilization and sustainable use of these
resources is, in Islam, the right and privilege of all people. Hence, man
should take every precaution to ensure the interests and rights of all
others since they are equal partners on earth. Similarly, he should not
regard such ownership and such use as restricted to one generation
above all other generations. It is rather a joint ownership in which
each generation uses and makes the best use of nature, according to
its need, without disputing or upsetting the interest of future
generations. Therefore, man should not abuse, misuse, or distort the
natural resources as each generation is entitled to benefit from them
but is not entitled to own them permanently.
4. The right to utilize and subjugate natural resources, which God has
endowed upon man, necessarily involves a commitment on man's part
to conserve them both quantitatively and qualitatively. God has,
indeed, created all the sources of life and resources of nature so that
man may realize the following objectives:
a)Contemplation and worship; b)Inhabitation and construction;
c) Utilization;
d) Enjoyment and appreciation of beauty.
It follows that man should not distort the environment because it must
remain permanently suitable for human life and settlement. Nor should
he use natural resources irrationally or in such a way to destroy or
spoil their habitats and food bases.
5. The attitude of Islam to the environment, the sources of life and the
resources of nature is a positive attitude in as much as it is based on
protection and prohibition of abuse and destruction; it is also based on
construction and development. This is clear in the idea of revival and
restoration or recovery of lands through agriculture, cultivation and
construction. God says, "It is he who hath produced from the earth and
settled you herein". The prophet (God bless him and grant him peace)
says, "On Doomsday, if anyone has a palm shoot in hand, he should
plant it."
This positive attitude involves taking measures to improve all
aspects of life: hygienic, nutritive and psychological, for man's
benefit and the maintenance of his welfare and well-being, as well
as for the betterment of life for all future generations.
Source: The Republican, Issue 132, Oct. 14, 2000.
Somaliland Protects 212679 Children from Polio-Myelitis
If there was a disease that spreads silently and quickly; a disease that
could paralyse and ultimately kill your child; a disease that could be
introduced into the whole of Somaliland by one infected child; wouldn't
you do something about it? This was the question asked to parents,
community members and leaders, elders, non-governmental organizations
and local authorities. The response was well over three-quarters of all the
targeted children under 5 years of age were vaccinated against Polio
during the first round of National Immunisation Days (NIDs).
In Hargeisa alone 53,105 children aged 5 years and under were
vaccinated. Over 300 teams of vaccinators covered urban, rural and
nomadic areas bringing the polio vaccine to as many children as possible.
Women's umbrella organizations took part in Hargeisa, Berbera, Borama
and Burao giving communities information and answering questions bout
the campaign before the vaccinations started.
Polio, a disease that has paralysed between an estimated 10 million and
20 million people around the world, is on the verge of being eradicated
but only if global efforts are maintained. Somaliland is one of only 30
regions in the world where polio is still endemic. The NIDs campaign,
which mobilizes a whole country to administer supplementary doses of
polio vaccine to cut transmission rates, is a key component of the global
strategy to eradicate polio by the year 2000.
The campaign has become even more urgent because of new cases of
polio identified in some parts of Somalia. The threat of re-introduction
remains high because of cross-border traffic between Somalia, Ethiopia,
Kenya and Djibouti. Many collaborators included the Ministry of Health,
Ministry of Information and Public Awareness, local authorities, elders,
imams, women's groups, local business, non-governmental organizations
and international agencies who all played their part in ensuring the
success of NIDs. The second round will be on 14th, 15th, 16th October
and the third final round for this year will be on 14th, 15th, and 16th
November.
Dr. William Sprague, Director of Rotary International, one of the major
partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, also visited Somaliland
early this week to take part in the NIDs. Rotary International, WHO, CDC
and UNICEF unveiled a symbolic countdown clock in New York last
month. Donated by international watchmaker OMEGA, it will tick down
the number of seconds remaining until the certification deadline at the
end of 2005, as well as tracking the decreasing number of polio cases
around the world. The number has dropped by 95% since 1988, with
roughly 7,000 reported cases in 1999. The countdown clock will be on
display at the United Nations until the world is certified polio-free.
For further information please contact:
Dr. Busola Campbell, Polio Eradication Focal Point, Soltelco 3030 and Dr. Ali Abdillahi, Ministry of Health and Labour, Soltelco 3030
Source: The Republican, Issue 132, Oct. 14, 2000
Somaliland courts receive support from SCPP/UNDP
"This assistance is the first of its kind to the judiciary system"
Mohamed Haji Saeed, Supreme Court Chairman.
Hargeisa : The Somali Civil Society program of the UNDP handed
over Wednesday a significant amount of office equipment to the
Somaliland judiciary system. Courts and custodial corpses in operating in
various regions and districts of Somaliland have been provided with
computers and printers (a total of 8 units) photo-copier machines (a total
of 8 units) and type-writers (total of 22 pieces). The equipment has been
purchased with funds provided through the SCPP by the Italian, Oxfam
Canada, the US government and the UNDP.
According to Jab Swart, manager of the SCPP, further support in the form
of training will be given to the judiciary branch. In this respect a training
workshop will be held on Nov 7-9, 2000. On the conclusion of this
workshop, the SCPP is expected to distribute total of 42 law books to
judges and lawyers. Private legal counselors will also have access to to
SCPP assistance. The SCPP however would only channel such a kind of
assistance through an association to be established by the country's
lawyers soon.
The handing over ceremony of the capacity building support was held in
the Supreme Court building in Hargeisa. The Supreme Court Chairman,
Mohamed Haji Saeed, who formally took delivery of the equipment
thanked the SCPP for their support. "The assistance is the first of its kind
to be given to Somaliland's judiciary system" he said. Saeed said
Somaliland courts have been operational long before any assistance has
been received from donor agencies: "This is the first time that any
international organization has come to give resources to the courts and I
hope that other organizations would take practical steps towards
providing meaningful support to our independent Judiciary system in the
same way the SCPP has done."
Somaliland minister of Justice Ahmed H Aafi, Attorney General Hussein
Abdi Qalib and Custodial Corps Commander Mohamed Jibril Abdi were
also present at the occasion.
Source: The Republican, Issue 132, Oct. 14, 2000
Ethiopia shows new interest in using Berbera port
Hargeisa : An Ethiopian delegation led by Hayle Zalasa Malaz, a
senior government official responsible for commercial transport and
coastal development has arrived in Somaliland on 8 October, 2000. The
aim of the delegation of four members is related to laying the groundwork
for a multi-sided cooperation between Somaliland and Ethiopia. According
to a Somaliland Government spokesman, the delegation will be here for 8
days during which they will meet with some government agencies,
particularly those responsible for the economy, commerce and transport.
The Ethiopian delegation is a technical team that is making a survey and
study on aspects of commercial transportation, ports and the like. They
will study the port of Berbera and the roads connecting Somaliland and
Ethiopia, in order to prepare the blueprint of a cooperation between the
two countries. This visit, the first of its kind this year, is part of
continuing activities and contacts that were taking place for the last
several years between the two governments of Somaliland and Ethiopia.
Ethiopia, is interested to see if Berbera can replace the Eritrean ports
which it used before the recent war between the two countries has
erupted. The Ethiopians are known to have made studies on the security
situation, conditions of roads, and the quality of management and
services at Berbera port.
The Ethiopian delegation met with the minister of commerce, Rashid Haji
Abdillahi who on 9 October briefed the council of ministers on the
delegation's visit. The delegation is also to meet with the ministers of of
finance and public works and the Bank of Somaliland. On 11 October, the
delegation went to Berbera to get familiarized with the port, which
together with the roads linking the two countries is the delegation's main
focus. The delegation examined the port, the fuel tanks and shipping line
agencies. Briefing the delegation, the port manager told them "our
facilities and services are up-to-date now and the port can compete with
any port in the region."
On 12 October, the delegation examined the condition of the main road
from Berbera through Hargeisa to Kala-baid and Wajale at the border
between Somaliland and Ethiopia. This road from Berbera to Kala-baid is
covered tarmac and in fairly good condition. During the civil war in the
former Somali Republic, the road suffered extensive damage, including
the blowing up of many bridges. But extensive repair work including the
rebuilding of all the bridges is in progress through a project financed by
the EC. Only the final 20 km of this road from Kala-baid to Wajale on the
Ethiopian border is unpaved which causes trouble to transport during the
rainy season.
Since June 1999 food aid for Ethiopia have continuously been passing
through the port of Berbera. From there, Somaliland commercial trucks
transited the food consignments to Shiniile, Jigjiga and other places in
eastern Ethiopia. So far this year, the sixth ship carrying food supplies
intended for Ethiopia is now anchored at Berbera port. Since this transit
food has started coming through Berbera to Ethiopia only one problem
has come to light. The Somaliland forwarding and unloading companies as
well as the transport owners have continuously complained about the
inefficiency of the unloading methods at the Shiniile stores. Long waiting
to discharge their loads causes delays and other problems for truck
drivers and their vehicles.
According to our reporter in Berbera although the contracting
companies and truck owners put their complaints to the Ethiopian
authorities, so far nothing has been done about the problem. It is
reported that at times 500 trucks could be waiting to be unloaded at
Shiniile. Truck drivers also reported that when they encounter
problems including accidents on Ethiopian roads, they sometimes do
not get any emergency assistance.
Source: The Republican, Issue 132, Oct. 14, 2000
Teachers at two High Schools express grievances
Hargeisa : Teachers at the two secondary schools of Mohamud
Ahmed Ali and Ga'an Libah have complained that the ministry of
Education and the Centre for British Teachers (CFBT) had exempted them
from receiving a monthly payment of USD 70 drawn by other teachers of
their level.
In a letter addressed to president Egal and copied to the Chairman of the
House of Elders, the teachers have demanded that they be treated in
equal terms with teachers working for other secondary schools who they
said receive the monthly $70 allowance. The CFBT is a British NGO which
assists secondary education in Somaliland. The CFTB provides the $70
monthly allowance to secondary teachers. Ga'an Libah and Mohamud A.
Ali school teachers say they don't know why they have not been included.
The payment of allowances to teachers of secondary schools operating in
Somaliland started in 1998.
In the meanwhile a last week statement by the first batch of students
to graduate from post-war Somaliland Secondary Schools, has
criticized the Somaliland government for what it has termed as "failure
to fulfill its commitment to send the first 20 students who achieve the
highest marks on scholarships abroad". The students said the Ministry
of Education has promised to send them for higher education in
countries like Egypt, Yemen and others. Instead the Ministry informed
that it's responsibility is limited to educational services provided up-to
the secondary level, the students added.
Somaliland minister in USA to seek recognition for breakaway republic
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 11, 2000;
Abstract: Fagareh, who is currently in Washington, said Somaliland should be recognized as a
separate entity instead of slumping it together with the rest of Somalia whose
newly-elected government in Djibouti could not carry out any work or go to Somalia.
Full Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 11 Oct 00 p 3/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
The foreign minister of the Muhammad Ibrahim Egal administration [Somaliland], Mahmud Muhammad
Salih Nur Fagareh, has said he will request the American government to recognize the breakaway
republic just as it recognized East Timor and Kosovo.
Fagareh, who is currently in Washington, said Somaliland should be recognized as a separate entity
instead of slumping it together with the rest of Somalia whose newly-elected government in Djibouti
could not carry out any work or go to Somalia. He said Somaliland had managed to establish
functioning governmental institutions and its people had attained peace and social development.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 11 Oct 00 p 3
Somaliland: Buhoodle residents demonstrate in support of returning MPs
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 11, 2000;
Abstract: The demonstration, attended by people from all sections of local community, was also in
support of the appointment of Ali Khalif Galayr as prime minister of Somalia.
Full Text: Radio Banaadir, Mogadishu, in Somali 1700 11 Oct 00/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
A huge demonstration in support of Somali MPs returning to the country was held in Buhoodle District,
Togdheer Region [all place names in Somaliland].
The demonstration, attended by people from all sections of local community, was also in support of the
appointment of Ali Khalif Galayr as prime minister of Somalia. The protesters shouted slogans calling for
the Somali unity and wishing the new government a success.
This is the second time in a week a demonstration has been held in Sool and Togdheer regions,
north-western Somalia.
Credit: Radio Banaadir, Mogadishu, in Somali 1700 11 Oct 00
Somaliland: Minister cautions new Somali government, Djibouti, not to use
force
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 9, 2000;
Abstract: [Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal administration's defence minister has cautioned the
newly-created Somali government and Djibouti not to use force against Somaliland.
Full Text: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 09 Oct 00 p 4/BBC Monitoring/(c)BBC
[Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal administration's defence minister has cautioned the newly-created Somali
government and Djibouti not to use force against Somaliland.
The minister who was speaking during the passing out parade of about 500 soldiers who had completed
a six-month training said Somaliland will close its borders with Somalia and Djibouti and that the new
recruits will be posted to the frontiers.
Credit: Xog-Ogaal , Mogadishu, in Somali 09 Oct 00 p 4
Somaliland: Five hundred army recruits complete military training
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 8, 2000;
Abstract: The vice-president of the Somaliland Republic, Dahir Riyaleh Kahin, today presided over a
pass out parade by 500 army recruits who completed their training.
Full Text: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
The vice-president of the Somaliland Republic, Dahir Riyaleh Kahin, today presided over a pass out
parade by 500 army recruits who completed their training.
The ceremony, held at the Dararweyne military training camp, was also attended by ministers of defence
and information as well as commander of the army. The vice-president urged the soldiers to discharge
their responsibilities diligently, maintain high standard of discipline and defend their national sovereignty...
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00
Somaliland: President Egal appoints new police chief
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 8, 2000;
Abstract: The president of the Somaliland Republic, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, today issued a decree
appointing Mahmud Muhammad Warsameh alias Dagaweyneh new commissioner of police,
and Dahir Ismael...
Full Text: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
The president of the Somaliland Republic, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, today issued a decree appointing
Mahmud Muhammad Warsameh alias Dagaweyneh new commissioner of police, and Dahir Ismael Ali
his deputy. The president made the appointments after considering the importance of the posts and after
consultation with the minister of internal affairs and other relevant individuals...
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00
Somaliland: Ethiopian trade delegation arrives for talks
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 8, 2000;
Abstract: A large Ethiopian delegation led by Mokanen Abera [phonetic, rank unknown] arrived at the
Hargeysa airport today.
Full Text: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
A large Ethiopian delegation led by Mokanen Abera [phonetic, rank unknown] arrived at the Hargeysa
airport today. The delegation, on a eight-day visit to Somaliland, was received on arrival by the
minister of commerce, the minister of state for foreign affairs and the Hargeysa mayor.
The purpose of the delegation's visit is to hold talks with Somaliland officials on matters pertaining to
bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade and road transport. The delegation will hold talks with officials
of ministries of foreign affairs, commerce, general works, finance, chambers of commerce Berbera port
the central bank and Hargeysa mayor...
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 8 Oct 00
Source: The Republican, Oct. 7, 2000
Preview of "Somaliland: Rising from the ashes" film
Hargeisa (Rep) - A restricted showing of a documentary film on Somaliland was held in
Mansoor Hotel on Wednesday evening. The film with the title of "Somaliland: Rising from
the ashes" is the brainchild of Jeremy Brickly, a white Zimbabwian who is also a veteran
of that country's war of liberation. The documentary film tells the story of Somaliland;
its nomadic culture and traditions as well as its past and present.
As its name depicts, the film also portrays the SNM armed uprising (1981-1991) against
Siyad Barre's dictatorship and the complete devastation that Somaliland has suffered in
the hands of the former government forces. These topics and others are covered in the
first part of the film. The length is 60 minutes including 7 minutes time space spared for
advertisements by the local business community and other entities.
The struggle of the Somaliland people for restoring peace, realizing national
reconciliation and rebuilding their shattered lives from the scratch is all told in the
second part of the film. The film has been originally funded by a South African
documentary film-making group (Renaissance). It has been produced by Zhij Films of
Zimbabwi.
Members of the Somaliland business community who wish to place advertisements in the
film are welcomed. Requests will have to be channeled through Saed Abdulqadir,
Mansoor Hotel. The film is scheduled for first public release in early next November.
Preview of "Somaliland: Rising from the ashes" film
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 07 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 07 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Hargeisa -- A restricted showing of a documentary film on Somaliland was held
in Mansoor Hotel on Wednesday evening. The film with the title of "Somaliland: Rising
from the ashes" is the brainchild of Jeremy Brickly, a white Zimbabwian who is also a
veteran of that country's war of liberation. The documentary film tells the story of
Somaliland; its nomadic culture and traditions as well as its past and present.
As its name depicts, the film also portrays the SNM armed uprising (1981-1991)
against Siyad Barre's dictatorship and the complete devastation that Somaliland has
suffered in the hands of the former government forces. These topics and others are
covered in the first part of the film. The length is 60 minutes including 7 minutes time
space spared for advertisements by the local business community and other entities.
The struggle of the Somaliland people for restoring peace, realizing national
reconciliation and rebuilding their shattered lives from the scratch is all told in the
second part of the film. The film has been originally funded by a South African
documentary film-making group (Renaissance). It has been produced by Zhij Films of
Zimbabwi.
Members of the Somaliland business community who wish to place advertisements in
the film are welcomed. Requests will have to be channeled through Saed Abdulqadir,
Mansoor Hotel. The film is scheduled for first public release in early next November.
A/Qasim Accuses
BBC Monitoring Service - Oct 07 2000
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 07 Oct 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
Djibouti -- President of Somalia's government in exile, Abdiqassim Salad
warned last Wednesday against what he called "External and internal conspiracies"
aimed at undermining his new factional government (Arta Group).
In a statement to the Somali section of the BBC, released on Wednesday, Qasim has
accused unidentified quarters inside and outside Somalia of conceiving plots to
frustrate his government's attempts to restore peace and unity in Somalia. However
while addressing the so-called "Transitional Somali Parliament" on the same day,
Qassim spoke bitterly about Ethiopian leaders. "I do not want to name the countries
that are pouring arms into our country and are trying to jeopardize our national unity.
But you know who they are" Salad told members of his government's parliament which
is seated at Arta, Djibouti.
"We want to live in peace with our neighbours not because we are weak but because
this is a matter of principle for us" Qassim added. In a clear warning to Ethiopia and
Kenya, Qassim said both countries should realize that "their interests lie in regional
peace." Qassim who worked for dictator Siyad Barre also couldn't conceal his
bitterness over what he termed as the lack of gratitude and cooperation on the part
of Ethiopia's leaders. "Those who are in power in Ethiopia today must not forget the
crucial role played by the physical and financial support provided by the government
of Somalia in bringing the final defeat of the Mengistu [Haile Mariam] regime",
Qassim told members of his parliament, while adding "we therefore expect from the
Ethiopian government to desist from any attempts to foil Somali unity".
Qassim also said he hopes that the Kenyan government would put into practice its
commitment to support the outcome of Arta conference "as declared by the Kenyan
assistant foreign minister during the closing ceremony of Arta conference."
In the meanwhile a growing opposition to Abdiqassim Salad's government was reported
last week by sources close to the Rahanweyen Resistance Army (RRA), which ousted
the Habar Gidir forces of Baidowa in last year after an occupation of more than 6
years. The Habar Gidir sub-clan to which Qassim belongs has been accused of
committing wide-scale atrocities during the occupation of the Bay and Bakol regions,
the home country of the Rahanweyne people.
Shati-Gudud, the chairman of the RRA and Dero Isaak the speaker of Abdiqassim's
Parliament are being accused by the RRA rank and file of betraying the Rahweyn
people for accepting to be part of a government headed by a Habar-Gidir President,
the sources added. A potential contender to replace Shati-Gudud is the current
governor of Baidowa, Mohammed Adan Qalinle and Ali Marguus, a senior officer in
the RRA.
In the meantime, signs of a dispute among the Arta Group over where their
government should be seated came to surface last week. The Djibouti President has
obviously been eager to see Qassim and his Parliament move into Somalia and establish
some kind of a presence to enable him broker financial aid for the reconstruction of
Somalia. Bankrupt Djibouti has been placing high hopes on diverting a considerable
percentage of donor funds intended for Somalia.
Abdi-Qassim's government is however in a dilemma. According to its National Charter,
the capital of Somalia is Mogadishu. However a subsequent resolution passed by the
Arta conference pointed out that Baidowa should be the temporary capital of Somalia
until such a time when peace returns to all parts of Mogadishu.
Source: The Republican, Oct. 7, 2000
Abdirahman Boore's agents arrive in Hargeisa
Hargeisa : Three agents of Djiboutian business tycoon Abdirahman Boore arrived
Wednesday in Hargeisa. Though the three agents, a Frenchman and two Britons, refused
to talk to the press, sources close to local tobacco dealers said they came to Hargeisa
to assess progress being made in the sales of British American Tobacco (BAT) cigarettes
in Somaliland and recommend strategies for increasing the magnitude of business
turn-over of Boore's operations in the country.
Boore is BAT's sole agent in the Horn of Africa countries of Somaliland, Somalia,
Djibouti and eastern Ethiopia. In mid this year, the regional administration of Puntland
revoked the cigarette business license of Boore's agents in that region. Later, Col.
Abdillahi Yusuf, Puntland's President, banned the entry of BAT products into the
territory he controls.
BAT is known for making huge profits from cigarettes smuggling worldwide. In
Britain alone BAT is being investigated for around 1.6 billion pounds in taxes due to
the government from cigarettes smuggled by the company. In the Horn, Boore and
BAT maintain large-scale contraband operations. The trio that visited Hargeisa last
Wednesday are Laurent Maffre (French), Siman Welford (Briton) and Tony Jones.
Source: The Republican, Issue 131, Oct. 7, 2000
Ali Qorioyooley Sentenced to 3 years in Prison
Hargeisa : Ali Dool Ahmed, a Somaliland political activist, better
known as Ali Qoryooley was sentenced to 3 years in prison on Sunday by
the Hargeisa regional court. Ali Qoryooley was arrested by the police in
early August in connection with a political pamphlet he had distributed to
members of Somaliland House of Representatives. The pamphlet
contained a sharp criticism of President Egal's government. Part of Ali
Qoryooley's criticism focused on the way Egal has dealt with Arta
conference. Qoryooley also suggested in his writing that the House of
Representatives consider removing Egal from his post as President,
charging him with gross incompetency.
The Hargeisa regional court judge, Suleiman Ero, ruled that Ali Qoryooley
has been found guilty of writing statements ridiculing the President as
well as criticizing him for mismanaging public government affairs. The
state prosecutor presented 3 witnesses in the court to testify against Ali
Qoryooley. Among them was a CID police officer called Abdi Hassan
Osman who stated that Ali Qoryooley was arrested because of his
distribution of a pamphlet in the House of Representatives meetings hall.
The CID officer testified that according to his opinion, Ali Qoryooley's
action was intended to disturb the [proceedings] of Parliament.
One of the two other witnesses, an SNM veteran by the name of Maloosh
told the court: "I don't see anything criminal in what Ali Qoryooley has
written. It's constructive criticism." The third witness Abdi Qodax
contended that he didn't know whether Ali Qoryooley made any
wrongdoing. The court however upon pronouncing its decision stated that
the conviction of Ali Qoryooley has been based on the testimonies of the
prosecutor's eyewitnesses. The defendant's lawyer, Rooble Michael, had
objected to the prosecutor's demand to try his client under article 230 of
the penal code. "This article may be invoked only for cases that may
involve capital punishment or imprisonment for life," Roble said in his
defense. Rooble also argued that there was nothing wrong with
expressing one's opinion.
In a short statement after he was sentenced, Qoryooley said, "I haven't
done anything wrong. What I said about Egal is true. Justice has been
deliberately mishandled by the judge."
Somaliland: President Egal rescinds amnesty releasing jailed traditional leader
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 6, 2000
Abstract: The Somaliland president, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, has withdrawn the amnesty he
granted to Garad [Garad Abshir Salah] [prominent traditional leader and member of the
Somali Traditional Assembly] releasing him on Wednesday [4th October] from the Hargeysa
prison where he had been serving a seven year jail term.
Full Text: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 6 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The Somaliland president, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, has withdrawn the amnesty he granted to Garad
Abshir Salah [prominent traditional leader and member of the Somali Traditional Assembly] releasing
him on Wednesday [4th October] from the Hargeysa prison where he had been serving a seven year jail
term.
In a press statement he issued at midnight last night, President Egal said Garad Abshir Salah had been
authorized to stay only in Sool, one of the six Somaliland regions. The president added that Garad
Abshir was released on condition that he kept out of other regions or be thrown back into jail.
In the press statement, the president displayed his anger over comments Garad Abshir made when he
addressed journalists on his release. However, the president did not give reasons for withdrawing the
amnesty...
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 6 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland: Traditional leader reportedly released "to ease tension in Sool"
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 6, 2000;
Abstract: On Tuesday Somaliland ministers had to leave Buhoodle town after they were attacked by
local people who were angry over [Garad Abshir Salah]'s detention. Since his release, Garad
has remained in Hargeysa.
Full Text: UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Nairobi, in English 1918 5 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
Garad Abshir Salah [prominent traditional leader and member of the Somali Transitional National
Assembly] of Sool, southern Somaliland, was released on Wednesday [4th October] less than three
weeks after he was sentenced to seven years in jail for supporting Somalia's newly-elected
government...
Sources in Hargeysa told IRIN that Garad was released "to ease the tension in Sool". Egal [Somaliland
president] realized that "holding Garad was a no-win situation", said the source.
On Tuesday Somaliland ministers had to leave Buhoodle town after they were attacked by local
people who were angry over Garad's detention. Since his release, Garad has remained in Hargeysa.
Credit: UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Nairobi, in English 1918 5 Oct 00
Somaliland authorities release jailed traditional leader
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 5, 2000;
Abstract: Before his departure for Laas Canood yesterday, our reporter visited him at Hargeysa Club
where he addressed journalists.
Full Text: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 5 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
Garad Abshir Salah [prominent traditional leader and member of the Somali Transitional National
Assembly] was released from the Hargeysa Central Jail yesterday, having been in prison for almost a
month. He had been sentenced to seven years in prison after a Berbera court found him guilty of
treason.
Before his departure for Laas Canood yesterday, our reporter visited him at Hargeysa Club where he
addressed journalists. Garad Abshir Salah said he was released following a presidential pardon, and
thanked the president [Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, leader of Somaliland] for the clemency. He said he
had been well-treated both during his trial in Berbera and imprisonment in Hargeysa.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 5 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland central bank bans former Somali shilling, faction currencies
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 4, 2000;
Abstract: The Somaliland Central Bank chairman [presumably governor] yesterday issued a circular
warning the dealers of foreign exchange bureaus in the financial market in Somaliland as
follows: The Somaliland bank, as a follow up to its previous public notices and directives
which it issued through the two main newspapers in Somaliland, Jamhuuriya and Mandeeq
in July and August regarding transactions using the former Somali currency or notes printed
by the various faction leaders in the Somaliland market, would like to remind the public in
general and foreign exchange dealers in the financial market in particular that it is strictly
prohibited to transact in the said currencies within the borders of Somaliland.
Full Text:
` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 4 Oct 00 p 6/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
The Somaliland Central Bank chairman [presumably governor] yesterday issued a circular warning the
dealers of foreign exchange bureaus in the financial market in Somaliland as follows: The Somaliland
bank, as a follow up to its previous public notices and directives which it issued through the two main
newspapers in Somaliland, Jamhuuriya and Mandeeq in July and August regarding transactions using
the former Somali currency or notes printed by the various faction leaders in the Somaliland market,
would like to remind the public in general and foreign exchange dealers in the financial market in
particular that it is strictly prohibited to transact in the said currencies within the borders of Somaliland.
The bank also warns against the hoarding of Somaliland notes with a view to causing inflation and the
depreciation of the Somaliland shilling. Such acts would cause serious fluctuations in the foreign
exchange market which could harm the country's economy.
Although it is a long time since the public notice was given and the warning against any transactions in
the former currency was issued, it is noted that many people and private firms are not heeding the
directives. This has negatively impacted on the economy and subsequently on the lives of the people.
Although the international community has not recognized our country, the Republic of Somaliland has
adopted a free market economy which many countries in the world today have succeeded in achieving.
It is also unfortunate that some business people misunderstand what the free market economy is all
about. They assume that any person or firm can do what they want without any financial regulations and
as a result they do not take heed of the directives of the government. Such people inflicted heavy
damage on the economy of the country.
Somaliland people have suffered enough and should not be allowed to suffer any more because of
the greed of a few people who do not take into account the welfare of the majority of their people.
The bank would like to again inform the authorized foreign exchange bureau, unauthorized ones and the
business community in Somaliland that the Central Bank of Somaliland is acting on behalf of the
government in running the economy of the country and managing the fluctuations of the Somaliland
shilling, fluctuations of the foreign exchange rates and determining the rates of various currencies in the
country.
In view of this, the bank, on behalf of the government, would like to call upon all those concerned to
stop causing economic crisis and work towards returning the foreign exchange rates to where they were
a few months ago; secondly, it would like to remind the public that the free market economy has specific
objectives and regulations to be adhered to. If such regulations are violated the economy will not
achieve the intended objectives. To avoid such undesired results the government will take stern
measures and, if necessary legal actions, to return the economy to the right path, if the public fails to
abide by the rules set by the government.
May God guide us on the right path.
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 4 Oct 00 p 6
Somaliland minister denies BBC report on anti-government protests
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 3, 2000;
Abstract: The Somaliland minister of agriculture, Abdullahi Ali Yusuf, who is leading a ministerial
delegation touring Togdheer Region has dismissed a report broadcast by BBC this afternoon,
describing it as baseless.
Full Text: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 3 Oct 00/BBC
Monitoring/(c) BBC
The Somaliland minister of agriculture, Abdullahi Ali Yusuf, who is leading a ministerial delegation
touring Togdheer Region has dismissed a report broadcast by BBC this afternoon, describing it as
baseless.
The BBC report said Buuhoodle residents had demonstrated against the delegation and fire was opened
on the hotel the delegation was staying in. The minister termed the allegation baseless and a fabrication
only heard on the BBC news.
We contacted the minister by telephone while he was at [name indistinct], 20 km from Buuhoodle, and
he confirmed to us that there were no demonstrations nor was fire opened on their hotel as reported.
The minister further said the report was careless and a total fabrication.
However, the minister said that there were some people who came to them today in their hotel and
appealed to the government to release Garad Abshir [clan leader who was recently arrested on his
return from Djibouti and sentenced to seven years on treason charges]...
Credit: Radio Hargeysa, Voice of the Republic of Somaliland, in Somali 1850 3 Oct 00
Saudi minister reportedly says sheep from Somalia free of Rift Valley Fever
BBC Monitoring Oct 2, 2000;
Abstract: This was revealed by Saudi Arabia's government-owned `Al-Iqtisad' paper published in
Riyadh, dated 24th September, issue number 3547.
Full Text: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
Rift Valley Fever has been detected in the long-tailed indigenous sheep of Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
This was revealed by Saudi Arabia's government-owned `Al-Iqtisad' paper published in Riyadh, dated
24th September, issue number 3547. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr
Abdallah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Bin Mu'ammar, told the paper that the disease was not found in the Persian
Black Head sheep of Somalia.
Meanwhile, an official letter received by the Somaliland government from Yemen said herds of
livestock shipped from Berbera [northeastern Somalia, northern Somaliland] and eastern Africa which
were quarantined have been found free of Rift Valley Fever.
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland: Company launches Internet, local e-mail services
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 2, 2000;
Abstract: Internal Affairs minister, Ahmad Shambir Sultan, who also spoke during the meeting, said
one of the benefits acquired from al- Barakat services was that cellular phone service was
available in Burco [central Somaliland, northeastern Somalia], Berbera [northern
Somaliland] and Boorama [western Somaliland] and that the people could find out about
their security and what was going on in the country...
Full Text: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
Al-Barakat Global Telecommunications last night held a ceremony at Mansoor Hotel to celebrate the
launching of Internet and local e- mail services.
The minister of posts and telecommunications, Jama Gas Muawiyah, said al-Barakat had played an
important role in the country's development and had 150 employees. Hon Jama Gas urged
telecommunications companies to link their services. He said his office was served by four different
telephone companies and urged the companies to link their lines and compete fairly and legally...
Al-Barakat's chairman, Abd-al-Karim Muhammad, said when the company was launched one and half
years ago at the Mansoor Hotel, it had promised to cover the whole country especially Sool
[northeastern Somalia, southeastern Somaliland] and Sanaag [northeastern Somaliland] regions by
providing Internet and e-mail before the end of the year. He said this promise had been fulfilled...
Trade Minister, Rashid Abdullahi Guled, who spoke of the problems faced by subscribers said
people were forced to subscribe to four different companies, "Since you have linked us to the rest of
world why don't you link your services ?", he queried. He added that during his tenure as the minister of
posts and telecommunications, President [Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal had released a circular saying that
companies which failed to link their lines would be deregistered...
Internal Affairs minister, Ahmad Shambir Sultan, who also spoke during the meeting, said one of the
benefits acquired from al- Barakat services was that cellular phone service was available in Burco
[central Somaliland, northeastern Somalia], Berbera [northern Somaliland] and Boorama [western
Somaliland] and that the people could find out about their security and what was going on in the
country...
Credit: ` Mandeeq , Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Oct 00 p 1
Somaliland: Jailed clan elder appeals for clemency
BBC Monitoring Africa Oct 1, 2000;
Abstract: ` Jamhuuriya has obtained a copy of a plea sent and signed by prisoner Garaad Abshir Salah,
currently jailed at the Hargeysa Central Prison. In his plea to President Egal on 29th
September, the prisoner asked for clemency in the verdict passed against him by the
Berbera court.
Full Text: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 1 Oct 00 p 1/BBC Monitoring/(c) BBC
` Jamhuuriya has obtained a copy of a plea sent and signed by prisoner Garaad Abshir Salah, currently
jailed at the Hargeysa Central Prison. In his plea to President Egal on 29th September, the prisoner
asked for clemency in the verdict passed against him by the Berbera court.
In his letter, he said: "Your Excellency, as you are aware, on 16th September, the Berbera court
sentenced me to seven years in jail based on Section 230 and 233 of the penal code.
"Therefore, President, I kindly request you to overturn the verdict passed against me."
[Garaad Abshir Salah, a prominent clan elder in Somaliland, was sentenced to seven years in jail after
he was accused of treason. Garaad Abshir had earlier taken part in the Djibouti reconciliation
conference where he was elected MP.]
Credit: ` Jamhuuriya , Hargeysa, in Somali 1 Oct 00 p 1
Readers Forum
BBC Monitoring Service - Sept 27 2000/
Source: The Republican Newspaper, Hargeisa, in English 27 Sept 2000/BBC Monitoring/ (c) BBC.
"Somalilanders" fasten your seat belts
By: Ahmed Botan
"Ladies and gentlemen" - My article will briefly examine and analyse the intricacies
behind Somaliland's long episode towards searching for its recognition, incorporated with what really transpired behind the Somaliland voyage entitled "Recognition spaceship". Details of that voyage are as follows: