SOMALILAND FORUM
www.somalilandforum.com
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The
Somaliland Times
Issue no.8, March 2, 2002
252-225-3783, 252-828-3783
E-mail: haatufnews@hotmail.com
Elders Deny
Being Bribed
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argeisa (SL-Times): The Somaliland House of Elders
has denied making an alleged deal with President Egal to secure the extension
of his term in office in return for reward money.
According to a report published in the daily
newspaper Jamhuuriya on Wednesday, the House of Elders decided to send four of
its leading members to President Egal to press him for honoring the promised
payment. According to the report, the Elders had fulfilled their part of the
alleged deal when they voted on January 12, 2002 to extend the term of the
incumbent president in office for one more year. The newspaper didnt mention
the source of its information.
A Press statement issued by the House of Elders on
Wednesday morning had described the allegation as baseless piece of information
that has was fabricated by Jamhuuriya. However on Thursday, the paper still
stood by its story.
In the meanwhile the Elders vowed to sue Jamhuuriya
for allegedly reporting false information to which Jamhuuriya responded, We
have recorded evidence. However no
sources were quoted in the article, which was first reported on the first page
of the newspaper.
Meanwhile, the reported allegation has deepened the
row between the government and the opposition. It proves what we have been
saying all along: that Egal has corrupted the Elders beyond repair an ASAD
party spokesman told the Somaliland Times on Thursday.
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First Solar
Powered BBC Station Launched at Hargeisa
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argeisa, (SL-Times) The
first solar powered BBC FM radio relay station was launched yesterday in
Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
Ceremonies held on the occasion at Mansoor Hotel in
Hargeisa were broadcast live on 15.00 GMT by the Somali service of the BBC
yesterday. The New BBC FM station will broadcast programs on English, Somali
and Arabic.
Somaliland President Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, the First
Lady Mrs. Kaltum Haji Dahir, the Head of the BBC Africa and Middle East
Department Mr. Barry Langring, representatives of the Somaliland Political
Parties and a number of local journalists attended the launching ceremonies.
In a speech for the occasion, President Egal
accused the BBC Somali service of abandoning impartiality and objectivity in
reporting. Since the Arta conference, many listeners have been critical of the
way the BBC Somali Service has been trying to promote the government of
Abdilkasim Salad in Mogadishu.
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Opposition
Parties urge Government To Remove Military From City Streets
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argeisa (SL.Times): In a joint press statement released last
Saturday, five opposition political parties called upon the Somaliland government
to remove Armed personnel from streets and return them back to their Barracks,
to leave security matters to the police force; and to end, what they called the
Illegal Curfew imposed on the general public.
The Press Statement, which was jointly signed by
the five political parties: UCID, SAHAN, HORMOD, BIRSOL, UMAD AND ILAYS, was
written as follows:
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Being aware that
Somaliland is currently going through a very critical situation.
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Being
convinced that this problem could only be solved by the joint efforts of the
people for the implementation of peace and stability.
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Having
seen that the state of confusion engulfing the general public have caused them
to fear instability and upheaval in result of the extended period of the
government that have no endorsement from all concerned political parties.
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Recognizing the joint pledge issued by the
political parties to safeguard peace and stability of the whole nation, and
fight against anyone jeopardizing their security; the five political parties
jointly reached the following articles:
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To
safeguard the countrys security and stability by all concerned and to jointly
struggle against anybody jeopardizing them.
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That
the Somaliland Government desists and refrains from creating panic and distress
or emergency situations among the general public, an atmosphere that is
currently visible inside the cities. Therefore, we are calling the return of
the armed forces to their Barracks, and to end the unwarranted curfew, which
was neither justified nor legalized. We also call the police force to resume
their security responsibilities.
·
The
Parties welcomes any Somaliland circles that are willing to work with them for
the goodness and settlement of political disputes. They will also work hard for
the unity and consultation of opposition parties, so as to participate in peace
building for reaching democracy, which is the pillar of our constitution.
·
That
all Political Parties provided with equal mass communication opportunities from
the public information services, in accordance to article 6 Para (a) of the
political parties act.
The Political Parties also
call the mass media not to exaggerate anything liable to cause instability.
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ASAD & SAHAN are not preparing for War
Abdirahman Aw Ali
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orama (SL-Times):
The Deputy Chairman of ASAD Political Party, Mr. Abdirahman Aw Ali Farah called
his recent visit to Borama a mission to convince people of the region that the
two opposition parties (ASAD & SAHAN) are not engaged in harmful deeds against
society, or jeopardizing peace and stability of the country.
According to our reporter
Mr. Mohamed Omar, the Deputy Chairman of ASAD said that his intention is to
forestall the rumors fed to the people of Borama that ASAD & SAHAN are
preparing something bad.
By clarifying this, he
said, there is no fighting or conflict that is going to happen in the country.
However, he added, the government is creating a state of confusion that caused
the people to linger in uncertainly, panic and distress.
ASAD and SAHAN Parties
are not preparing for war and confrontations, but those who are escalating the
tension will surely come out.
Mr. Abdirahman Aw Ali
urged the people not to acknowledge the cheap rumors spread by the government,
adding Our objectives is only concerned with the government handing over of
power peacefully.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ibrahim
Jama Samater has told the press It would have been better if the government
stopped the show of force, through deployment of Armed Personnel in the streets,
as well desist from falsely accusing the opposition.
The Sultan said that there
are no armed groups, who are preparing for war. But, he added, The government
is creating a state of confusion to legitimize its newly extended period.
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Silanyo Vows to continue Mediation Efforts Despite Facing
difficulties
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argeisa (SL-Times): Veteran politician Ahmed Silanyo vowed to
continue his mediation efforts despite the lack of cooperation from the side of
the government.
At a press conference last Monday, Sillanyo said he
was disappointed by the way the government had reacted to his offer to mediate
a settlement of the current differences between the administration and the
opposition parties.
The Somaliland Government had made a number of
pre-conditions for engaging in talks with the opposition.
Main opposition parties have welcomed Sillanyos
initiative.
Vice President Riyaale Concludes His Visit To Borama
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orama (SL-Times) The Vice President of Somaliland Mr. Dahir Riyaale
Kaahin concluded an eight-day-long visit to Borama on last Wednesday.
According to reports received
from our reporter in Awdal region, Mr. Riyaale
conferred in different meetings with officials of the regional authority
in Borama, commanders of the armed forces in the military sector, heads of
government branches, elders and intellectuals of Borama.
Before leaving the regional headquarter on Wednesday,
the vice president had concluded his meeting with some elders and intellectuals
there, discussing with them matters related to land disputes between some
communities living in the area.
Mr. Riyaale, also made a speech to the workers of
Borama regional hospital, where some disputes occurred recently, and said: Our
doctors were working on voluntary basis for quite a long time, and have
encountered different hardships. But still I would like to urge them to make
more sacrifices, because of their care to vulnerable people.
The vice president also said that an urgent
investigation will be conducted soon, adding
If something is wrong with the hospital management, the COOPI INGO that
help it or the local government, surely there will be an investigation soon,
and a report will be prepared on the result of this investigation. Those
responsible for wrongdoings will be made accountable, he added.
Meanwhile the visit of the vice president has
encountered some alarming political waves roaming in the Awdal region, which
coincided with the presence of some opposition leaders visiting the area.
Dahabshil Awarded British Commercial License
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argeisa (SL-Times) THE well known Dahabshil company which is engaged
in money exchange and transfers of remittances from foreign countries to all
Somalis living in the Horn region was given a commercial license by the British
government on 23rd of last month (February, 2002).
According to a report-received from the Dahabshil
main office of Hargeisa, the company was issued with the new permit after stiff
legislations were introduced by some Western Countries to control dealers in
money exchange and transfers.
The report said that the new legislation requires
all companies working in that category to obtain a special permit.
It was also said to have been aimed to combat
terrorism, after the closure and freeze of the accounts of the Barakat Company,
which was the largest Somali dealer in money transfers, due to accusations of
working with the terrorist network of Al-Qaeda, the report added.
However, in other countries in the world, Dahabshil
Company is continuing its activities normally, and in accordance with previous
agreements made with concerned countries, the report concluded.
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Editorial
Latest Allegations of
Government Corruption
The nation has been stunned by last Wednesdays
press revelations alleging that President Egal made a commitment to pay reward
money for members of the House of Elders in exchange for their support of a
bill extending the incumbent administrations term in office. In fact, the
elders had on 12/2/2002 unanimously voted (with one dissent) to pass this bill
extending President Egals term in office for one year with effect from Feb 23,
2002. The Guurti has, of course, denied the allegation describing it as a
baseless piece of information that was fabricated by Jamhuuriya, the
newspaper that originally ran the story. Further, the Guurti vowed to sue Jamhuuriya
on the allegations. We doubt however whether these measures would produce a sufficient
impact to dispel the devastating political consequence that this accusation of
deceit might entail.
For one thing, not many people in this country will
believe the Elders denial, even if it were true. Because there were too many
instances in the past when some leaders of the upper House had reportedly taken
dubious political actions favoring the Executive Branch, in return for some
personal benefits, such as acquisition of title deeds to public land plots. The
Guurtis invocation last month of article 83 of the constitution for the sake
of allowing Mr. Egal to stay one more year in power had only further fueled the
long-held public suspicion about the integrity of the Elders.
As the provisions of article 83 permit extension of the incumbent governments tenure only if security conditions were found to jeopardize the holding of scheduled general elections, the Elders couldnt come up with a legally justifiable explanation for their action. As a result, major opposition parties rejected the move as illegal. And with the current stalemate in the confrontation between the government and the opposition parties over the issue of extension, the fresh charges of corruption couldnt have come at a worse time for the Elders.
Therefore, we believe that the House of Elders and the Administration are both obliged to give a full public explanation as to the nature of their true positions regarding this whole affair. To avoid exacerbating the current crisis of governance, may be both the Elders and Mr. Egal should reconsider their existing reservations against Mr. Axmed Sillanyo standing offer to mediate a negotiated settlement of the wide differences between the government and the opposition political parties.
In this regard, the government is required to send a strong message to the public indicating its readiness to discuss all the concerns of the opposition.
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