Implications For Delaying Parliamentary Elections

EDITORIAL

The leader of the Somaliland Justice and Welfare opposition party,
Mr. Faysal Ali Warabe, said that if Djibouti recognizes the
government to be formed at the so-called Somali national
reconciliation talks being held at Mbagathi, Nairobi, as one that
represents the whole of former Somalia including Somaliland, such an
action ought to elicit a response from Somaliland. Mr Faysal didn’t
explain what that response should be.

There is little doubt that Djibouti's dictator, Ismail Omar Gelle,
will recognize such a government given the crucial role Djibouti has
played in keeping the Mbagathi talks alive. Djibouti did not stop
there, but it embarked on extensive efforts to persuade IGAD to allow
Somaliland-born mercenaries to participate in the Mbagathi conference
as representatives of Somaliland. Once Djibouti succeeded in
convincing IGAD, then it began recruiting individuals of Somaliland
origin and facilitated their departure to Nairobi.

Djibouti's conduct stands in stark contrast with President Dahir
Rayale's description of that country's leaders, in the aftermath of
his last year's visit to Djibouti, as Somaliland's truly reliable
friends. President Rayale may have been using diplomatic sweet-talk
to nudge Djibouti into Somaliland's side. But there is also the
possibility that Mr. Gelle, a man very well-schooled in the art of
deception, had succeeded in tricking Somaliland's president into
thinking that Djibouti is Somaliland's best friend. If the latter
scenario were true, then it would not be the first time that Mr Gelle
had fooled a Somaliland president. Towards the end of 1999, just
a few months before the Arta conference got underway, President Gelle
assured the then Somaliland President, Egal, that the Djiboutian
initiative was meant to restore peace to ex-Italian Somalia. Egal,
then, not only endorsed Gelle's plan for Somalia, but also
pleaded with both Somalis and the international community to lend it
their support. Egal, however, very quickly realized that he was duped
by Gelle and admitted it in public. But there are hardly any signs
that President Rayale has seriously considered the possibility that
he might have been double-crossed by Mr Gelle.

Djibouti's activities vis-a-vis Somaliland, particularly at the
Mbagathi conference, warrant a reassessment of the President's
attitude and policies toward that country. One option, is for
Somaliland to align itself with the Djiboutian opposition who are
seeking democratic change. Allowing Djiboutian opposition groups to
establish a presence in Somaliland would significantly strengthen the
confidence and determination of Djiboutians struggling for the
realization of justice and freedom in their country. It would also
give Somaliland a strong hand in dealing with Gelle's anti-Somaliland schemes.

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives