Corrupt Somaliland, Somalia’s Most Chaotic Spot – Part I. Bribed Elders Bought Up for US$16 Million

In this new series of articles, I intend to highlight the scope of the nefarious foreign involvement in Somalia. By ‘foreign’ I designate mostly the Anglo-French interference which spreads only chaos throughout Somalia, and mostly its breakaway northern – northwestern parts whereby the unrecognized lawless state Somaliland represents the colonial powers’ most recent point of interest.

Somaliland was established through Abyssinian intrusion and support of secessionist groups that were formed because of the unfair treatment of Northern Somalia within the unitary Somali state in the 80s. Being Africa’s worst tyranny, Abyssinia (fallaciously re-baptized ‘Ethiopia’) would never consent with Somaliland’s search for formal recognition, because this would offer the Hargeisa regime a certain degree of freedom and margin of maneuver.

Gradually, and in parallel with the Abyssinian presence, the English and the Americans appeared in breakaway Somaliland, and some lobbies supported the formal recognition of the unrepresentative realm that failed to function as a democracy from Day 1. This situation corresponds better to the interests of the Abyssinians, the English and the Americans. More recently, the French appeared more energetically in Hargeisa. This did not bode well with the interests of the Northern Somalis who had originally supported the formation of an independent state, viewing in it rather as a subterfuge against the civil war that had spread throughout the Somali South.

The tragic failure of all efforts for international recognition, the persisting underdevelopment, and the most embarrassing corruption that prevails in Hargeisa have been properly assessed by all the Northern Somalis. Promising social peace, political democracy, diplomatic recognition, and socioeconomic betterment, the criminal dictator Riyaale, Somalia’s most ominous Quisling, did not deliver but hatred, fratricide discord, pestilence and oppression, starvation and excruciation.

Chaos, tyranny and anarchy reigns in Hargeisa whereby neither the president, nor the vice-president, nor the Upper House (Guurti), nor the local councilors hold public offices following free, orderly and timely elections.

Many have been surprised by the calamitous development that occurred when last Wednesday, the upper house of parliament in Somalia's breakaway republic of Somaliland has opened up debate on President Dahir Riyale's request for a two-month term extension to rule the region until the May 31 presidential election.

US$16 million for bribery

There is no reason to be taken by surprise; this development merely reflects the colonial involvement in the lawless pseudo-state Somaliland. The most recent form of involvement took the tragic-comical appearance of a donation of some US$16 million supposed to help the voter-registration process, which was never completed, nor will it be.

Due to colonial Anglo-French pressure and because of the paranoid atmosphere that prevails in Europe, this amount of money, which belongs to European taxpayers, was finally given to an illegal and unrecognized government without any EU control and without any guarantee that it will reach its correct recipients and fulfill its announced purpose.

The murderous gangster Riyaale simply withheld the money, threatened the Elders for a while, and then bribed ca. 30 members of the upper parliament of So-mafi-land. Finally, each of the bribed "elders" (Mafia lords is their correct appellation) got ca. US$ 500000; like this, they – having no authority – "authorize" Riyaale to prolong his tyranny. Their benefit is that they will be able to pay their staffers and militias to further protect them over the next few months.

Who knows? Perhaps now the Guurti chairman will have some money to pay his webmaster to update their absolutely irrelevant and virtually ridiculous website whereby the …… latest piece of news dates back to 30 November 2008 (http://www.guurti.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=1&Itemid=2).

With this Euro-bribery of 30 selected "elders", the secessionist tyrant will get further extension of his already illegal tenure, and the people of Somaliland will have no chance to demonstrate their total rejection of the Hargeisa gang. The crisis will certainly escalate to a nightmarish level unknown even in Mogadishu.

Under these conditions, the participation of the pseudo-minister Mr. Abdillahi Mohamed Duale ( Somaliland foreign minister) in a three-day international conference (http://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/conferences/sos/programme/) on the "State of Sovereignty", organized by the International Boundaries Research Unit (IBRU) of Durham University, only reconfirms that the main responsible for Somalia’s fratricide divisions is the Freemasonic regime of pseudo-democratic England.

I republish herewith several reports and analyses that bear witness to the shameful developments in Northern Somalia. In several forthcoming articles, I will expand on the subject.

Somalia: Somaliland MPs debate Riyale's term-extension
http://www.garoweonline.com/artman2/publish/Somalia_27/Somalia_Somaliland_MPs_debate_Riyale_s_term-extension.shtml

26 Mar 26, 2009 - 10:46:29 AM

Hargeisa, Somalia Mar 26 (Garowe Online) - The upper house of parliament in Somalia's breakaway republic of Somaliland has opened up debate on President Dahir Riyale's request for a two-month term extension to rule the region until the May 31 presidential election, Radio Garowe reports.

Wednesday's extraordinary session of the House of Guurti was attended by 62 MPs, who read a motion presented by the Riyale administration and the Somaliland election commission.

"The only constitutional authority that can extend the President's term is the House of Guurti so I urge you lawmakers to genuinely consider the constitution," said Mr. Saleban "Gal" Mohamud, the Guurti chairman.

He expressed anger with the presence of additional police units, who closed-off streets near the Somaliland parliament and prevented journalists and civilians from entering the parliament building.

Mr. Saleban Gal eventually ordered the police to leave the parliament compound and remain outside the building, as MPs inside debated the most politically sensitive motion the region has seen since unilaterally declaring independence from Somalia in 1991.
According to parliament sources, Guurti MPs were deeply divided over the term-extension motion, with some lawmakers supporting the term-extension for Riyale's government to administer Somaliland until May 31.

But other MPs opposed the move, warning against a possible confrontation between government and opposition supporters.

The debate is scheduled to continue on Saturday, parliament officials said.
President Riyale has previously refused to step down on April 6, when a term extension his government received from the House of Guurti in 2008 expires.

He has vowed that he will step down "only to an elected president," clearly rejecting opposition leader Ahmed Silanyo's demand that the House of Guurti appoint a caretaker government to rule Somaliland until the May 31 presidential election.

The election delay has caused a political uproar in Somaliland, with some reports saying the opposition is preparing for mass protests across Somaliland on March 29, when the election was supposed to be held.

Somaliland, located in northwest Somalia, has not been recognized internationally but the separatist republic runs its own affairs. Western powers have donated some US$16 million to the voter-registration process, which has yet to be completed.

De-facto Somaliland set to become de-facto single party state Democracy in Somaliland hijacked by ruling party
By Shuun Isaaq

http://www.pr-inside.com/democracy-in-somaliland-hijacked-by-r1143240.htm

Women queue at a polling station in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.

2009-03-26 16:21:01 - Officials from the House of Elders and the House of Representatives of Somaliland are in discussion to extend the term of president Rayaale for the third time running within 13 months.

The news comes amid yet another failure for an ambitious and suspect high tech computerised polling system introduced by Election Commissioners who all by now have resigned leaving the commission weak and fractured to carry out its objectives and duties. The Commission is unlikely to have a capacity to execute such technical requirements for the foreseeable future rendering the country ungovernable by democratic means.

Military police were requested by the concerned ruling UDUB party chaired by president Rayaale for "security" purpose although officials from the House of Elders protested at the presence of such forces accusing the president of coercion and "show of force" against vulnerable elders. The UDUB party has been in power since the creation of an apparent quasi multi-party system in 1998 founded by the then transitional president of Somaliland Egal.

Major opposition party Kulmiye who sought to boycott any entertainment of extending the presidential term yet again without proper due process and scrutiny of the Election commissioners were again sidelined. Kulmiye proposed the country to be put under transitional status possibly led by current non-partisan activist Edna Aden until elections are held. Past extensions were passed by the House of Elders without proper consultations with opposition parties preventing them from exercising their legal right.

The resultant discussion is expected to extend Rayaale’s term until early 2010. Both the president and his vice president will automatically extend their terms under such circumstances. Critics say such unelected members of the House of elders make it easier for the ruling party to interfere with legislation procedures and allow the ruling party to accumulate wealth before their term. The majority members of the House of Elders were hand picked by the ruling party and president since elections in 1998.

Morale in the main cities is low due to poverty of ideas from a ruling party whose only accomplishments has been the cutting of ribbons during launches of private enterprises belonging to overseas Somaliland natives or charity groups.

Students in Erigavo city angrily protested at the Minister of education during a visit to a construction site for two schools provided by EU and USAID for local people. The students cited the absence of local education authorities and proper facilities for their examinations. Schools in Somaliland are issued with books supplied by UNICEF Somalia forcing them to abandon Somaliland’s political reality as all reference of Somaliland’s existence are removed by UNICEF unlike its accommodation to Palestinian concerns.

President Rayaale was a former member of the Marxist party of former Somali Democratic Republic known as "Kacaanka" led by the then dictator Mohamed S Barre. Vice president Yasin holds Canadian citizenship and moved from Toronto to envisage a career in the UDUB party. Somaliland Police forces who often take direct orders from the president usually fire live rounds at protestors during rallies despite trainings provided for them by United Nations Development Programmes for Somalia to prevent such malpractices and crimes.

Somaliland: Guurti Members Suggest More Extension for the Government
http://somalilandpress.com/3723/somaliland-guurti-members-suggest-more-extension-for-the-government

Hargeisa, March 26 2009 (somalilandpress) - Reports close to the Somaliland’s upper house suggest that around 29 members of the Guurti suggested at least six months extension for the government to be able to conduct the elections in October this year. The members singed a letter and submitted to the chairman to be the house’s agenda on Saturday where they are expected to discuss about the new date for the elections set by the Electoral Commission and approved by the President.

The members said they consider the fact that the time for the preparation and campaign is not enough and the weather will not permit for those living in the coastal areas to vote in their residences since they will move to other cities and only come back when the summer if over.

If this is proven, it will put the opposition in a difficult position since the majority of the Guurti is said to be loyal to the government. The main opposition party, Kulmiye rejected the new date suggested by the commission which is 31st of May this year but if the extension goes beyond this, then to reach any agreement will be even more difficult.

The elections were postponed at least two times due to different reasons and this will make it the third time if the new proposal is passed by the Guurti members.

Guurti Move Jeopardizes Return To Democracy In Somaliland
http://www.somalilandglobe.com/342/guurti-move-jeopardizes-return-to-democracy-in-somaliland/
26 March 2009 | News

Some members of the unelected House of Elders, the Guurti, are proposing yet another extension for the unelected president of Somaliland.

Somaliland Guurti

The group whose number is fewer than a third of the 82-member body, has tabled a bill to extend Riyale’s presidency by another six months. If the chamber approves the bill, it will give Riyale grounds to justify his stay in power without being elected.

Given the significant opposition that he currently faces in the Guurti, the prospect of such a bill passing is low. However, the positions of the Guurti members are unpredictable. Members who are currently opposing the bill may suddenly switch sides without prior indication.

President Riyale run for office in 2003 winning a five-year term by a razor-thin margin of just 80 votes.

In April 2008, just weeks before the long awaited election was due to be held, the Guurti passed a bill that extended Riyale’s presidency for 1 year ending on April 6th of this year. Constitutional scholars agree that the current proposed bill, which is similar to the previous one, has no legal bases.

Majority of the constitutional experts also side with the opposition parties’ assertion that unilateral extensions of the president’s term by the Guurti is unconstitutional.

Of the three democratic elections that took place in Somaliland within the last six years, only the members of the Parliament still have time remaining to serve.

The president, his vice-president, the Guurti and the local councilors are all holding public offices despite their unelected status. The opposition parties cite this as the major factor stalling any progress on the democratic front as these individuals still continue to make day-to-day decisions that shape the future of the country.

Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs to partake in international ‘State of Sovereignty" conference in UK

http://somalilandpress.com/3738/somaliland-minister-of-foreign-affairs-to-partake-in-international-%e2%80%98state-of-sovereignty%e2%80%9d-conference-in-uk

Hargeisa, March 26 2009 (somalilandpress ) - The Somaliland Foreign minister, Mr Abdillahi Mohamed Duale, flew out of Hargeysa Egal International airport on Wednesday morning to take part in a three-day international conference on the "State of Sovereignty" organized by the International Boundaries Research Unit (IBRU) of Durham University. The conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of boundary studies at IBRU, which is taking place from 1-3 April 2009 in Durham, UK.

Speaking to the media in the VIP lounge of Egal International airport, the foreign minister told local reporters that Somaliland has been invited to address the three-day celebration anniversary of the "State of Sovereignty" conference which is being held at the historical city of Durham in the UK.

"We are extremely pleased and honoured to be attending the 20th anniversary of IBRU’s ‘State of Sovereignty’ conference and I will be presenting a paper outlining the historical basis of Somaliland’s 1991 declaration of its independence and sovereignty. As well as, discussing Somaliland’s road to peace, reconciliation and building the country’s democratic aspirations to becoming a multi-party society," said Somaliland’s foreign minister, Mr Abdillahi M Duale.

The minister was asked by local reporters, "What he will achieve by attending to this conference in Durham, and if it was necessary to waste, tens and thousands of dollars, on a conference, when the country is cash strapped and suffering from a harsh drought?"

A Sovereign State for Somaliland and What it Means for the Horn of Africa
http://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/conferences/sos/programme/2_april/track3_session4/#dualeh

Mr Abdillahi Mohamed Dualeh

Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs

Minister Abdillahi Duale will explain the situation of Somaliland.

Somaliland is regarded by the international community as a ‘self-declared independent state’ which remains part of the sovereign territory of Somalia.

Somaliland is not recognised as a state in spite of the fact that it was a separate colonial entity (as a British protectorate), received its independence in its own right, voluntary joined in union with Somalia and, in 1991, voluntary re-constituted itself as an independent state.

Somaliland meets the established criteria for recognition as a state. It has a permanent population, a defined territory, a stable government and capacity to enter into relations with other states in the international community. It conforms with the African Union principle of respect for colonial borders.

Minister Duale will argue that the case of Somaliland is another illustration that decisions whether to recognise states are based on political, not legal considerations. In the case of Somalia key regional neighbours are seeking to further their own strategic interests and the wider international community is not prepared to challenge them.

He will point to the inconsistencies in the international community’s approach. Kosovo’s independence was championed by the West, in large part because of the oppression inflicted on the population by the Serb government of Slobodan Milosevic. But Somaliland’s independence has not been championed even though its people suffered far more gravely at the hands of the Somali government of Siyad Barre.

He will argue that Somaliland has earned the right to recognition through its creation of a stable and democratic state in an unstable neighbourhood. He will note the overwhelming backing that the constitution of Somaliland as an independent state received from the electorate in a referendum. He will point out that Somaliland cannot obtain meaningful consent to its withdrawal from the union with Somalia because of the absence of a government in Somalia.

Note
Picture: Demonstration of Northern Somali students against Riyaale in Erigavo