Somaliland – The Chronicles of Chaos, Fratricide Conflict, and Mafia. Part V

In four earlier articles, I discussed possibilities and ways of Somali reconciliation and pacification that could lead to Somalia’s reunification. I republished several contributions by different Somali commentators and analysts, as well as reports highlighting the various aspects of tyranny that characterizes Somaliland, the breakaway pseudo-state of the North-western confines of Somalia.

Here are the links to the aforementioned articles:
Somaliland – The Chronicles of Chaos, Fratricide Conflict, and Mafia. Part I
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/91971
Somaliland – The Chronicles of Chaos, Fratricide Conflict, and Mafia. Part II
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/91985
Somaliland – The Chronicles of Chaos, Fratricide Conflict, and Mafia. Part III
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92343
Somaliland – The Chronicles of Chaos, Fratricide Conflict, and Mafia. Part IV
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/92352

In the present article, I republish one report that highlights the sociopolitical chaos that currently prevails throughout the secessionist bogus-state Somaliland. The report makes state of the chaotic situation which created in the Hargeisa parliament when the Somaliland tyrant Riyaale failed to replace a former ally, the president of the parliament, who turned to opponent.

In addition, I republish an analysis elaborated by an astute Somali political analyst, Mr. Ahmed Ismail Yusuf, who draws a convincing sketch of Somaliland’s vicious tyrant. In his approach, Mr. Ahmed Ismail Yusuf reflects the ideas of the overwhelming majority of the Northern Somalis who – all patriotic – denounce Riyaale’s malignant and duplicitous policies as an anathema to Somalia’s 4000-year long glorious History which eclipses by far the Abyssinian presence in Eastern Africa – in striking contradiction with the shameful fallacy of Ethio-fascism, the state dogma of the Abyssinian tyranny.

Chaos in Somaliland's Parliament as President Fails to Remove Chairman

http://somalilandpress.com/2324/chaos-in-somalilands-parliament-as-president-fails-to-remove-chairman

Hargeisa, 15 February 2009 (Somalilandpress) — On Saturday, supporters of President Rayale spearheaded a motion of 'no confidence' against the chairman of Somaliland's 82-seat upper house of parliament - known locally as the House of Guurti, by garnering enough votes from lawmakers.

Mr Saleban Mohamud Adan came under fire after refusing to extend the term of Rayale's government who are facing a fierce battle in the coming up March 29th election against Mr. Ahmed Silanyo of Kulmiye party and Mr. Faisal Ali Warabe of UCID party.

Somalilanders are allowed to watch Parliament sessions (Photo/RadioHormuud)
However Mr. Saleban Mohamud Adan survived President Riyale's efforts to remove the outspoken chairman after legislators backed down from proposing the motion to unseat him.

Under Somaliland constitution, a motion of two-thirds vote is required to remove the Guurti chairman..

"Where is the election?, voter registration?" Mr Saleban asked while addressing the 50 or so MPs that attended Saturday's meeting. "The President and his Vice-president were elected for a term of five years, its now been seven years, this is the third time his term has been extended, it's unacceptable, not this time, the election will be held on time," he said as he continued.

People come out to show support (Photo/RadioHormuud)

Hundreds of people came out to show their support for the Chairman, some of them shouting "long life Saleban Nour" and greeted him cheerfully as he left the half under reconstruction parliament building that was badly damaged after the Oct. 29 suicide bombings that killed upwards of 20 people in Hargeisa.

Saleban's decision not to extend the term of Rayale's government will receive support from the public as well as the two opposition parties and the international community. This will no doubt cast a shadow on Rayale and his administration's confidence to win again - it's clear they have no public assurance. However other analyst think otherwise, suggesting the opposition leader Silanyo was behind the motion and it's objective was not to remove the chairman but to create rift between him and the president.

Somaliland which is not formally recognized has three political parties competing in the March 29th elections. It is the only Somali speaking nation to practice democracy where by the people go to the polls to cast their vote.

Somaliland voluntarily unified with Somalia in 1960, a union it deep regrets that has set back this young democracy. It widthdraw from the union and restored it's constitution in 1991 after 40 years of mostly military and junta rule.

Riyale's Deleterious Dictatorial Behavior
By Ahmed Ismail Yusuf

http://wardheernews.com/Articles_09/Feb/06_somaliland_ahmed.html

This Piece is an epilogue of a body of a longer paper "Leadership for the Common Vice"

…the present interregnum, both in the regional and national guises, registers either a recycling of spent out yet still ambitious failures or throws up elative newcomers hungry for power but Lilliputian in the attributes that count: competence, integrity, and promise.
Ahmed & Abdi Samatar

Since the first draft of this paper was completed by the first weeks of March 2008, a few of its declared priori of dictatorially deleterious behaviors in "Somaliland" have been proven bare in short days that followed. For one, Dahir Riyale Kahin "the President" showed his true colors by consolidating his illegal grip on power upon testing of his ability to reign, regardless.

When Riyale's five-year-term in office ended in May 15, 2008, he simply lung the main opposition parties aside after he had already hoodwinked the hapless House of Elders. The so-called Upper House of the Parliament extended his time for a year with neither the legal precedence nor public's consent. Yet, despite the financial and political woes that began to snarl at Somalilanders, it seems that they have fallen in line to legitimize the raider as "President." Thus, the devastating economic and political assault that, Riyale and his cronies are inflicting on the north are grave and fast accumulating. Second, the venal House of Elders (of which the paper had predicted its susceptibility to deceit) was rumored to sell the votes to him, making the illegal extension seem benign.

Consequently, Riyale nullified and negated March 2008 as the designated, presidential election month. Third, the brutality of his authority is rising. His rogue police, for example, killed three and injured scores in late March in Hargeisa after an unarmed youth, protesting against his inapt reign, met a hail of live ammunition. In October, a 19 year old girl was killed in Borama, again by Riyale's police when a voter registration spun out of control and brought about a melee of frustration. Fourth (and maybe the most damaging political consequence), Riyale issued an illegal, presidential decree of Gerrymandering (ignoring a provision in the "constitution" precisely intended to thwart this type of unilaterally ill-conceived presidential edict). In late March 2008, Riyale simply declared "Somaliland" regions to be doubled from six to twelve. The sudden state-hood expansion (with neither the capacity to carry that kind of responsibility nor the capability for an administrative body with legitimacy to govern demarcated regional new zones) made no economic sense or social gain. Riyale just pulled names out of the hat, titling villages "regions!"

Establishing pseudo regions (states) with governors or without, Riyale's plan is an artlessly disguised charade to carve out tribal enclaves to manipulate, control and corral future votes for himself. Whether his new method of Gerrymandering is going to work or not is not known but most of "Somaliland" politicians are too meek to mount a meaningful challenge to prove him wrong. Thus, the idea of injecting inane politics of partisan tribalism and economic anemia into the body of his constituency is taking shape. Riyale is flexing his muscle, however myopic, thinking like the mindless dictators before him that the path to remain in power is dug with deception. At what cost, the northerners are not yet able to tell, but could be as costly as the past of Barre's regime.

Fifth, in July 2008, Riyale mounted the gravest war on the financial vitality and the only economic engine of his "country" by unilaterally acting on a threat he had himself issued: (all livestock exported from the port of Berbera were to be sold to a Saudi tycoon at a preset below market value price). With this audacious but shortsighted economic gamble, Riyale, for the first time in169 years, closed the doors to the only vital financial pipeline of the north, even after scores of business men and the commercial minded sector complained that the government was interfering with the free economic flow (Samatar, 1989). But despite the deleterious financial and political cost in the long run, Riyale refused to rationally negotiate with the businessmen who had just dared to ask for fair, market regulated competition and an elimination to the barriers of the entrepreneurial spirit!

Read the full paper Leadership for the Common Vice here: http://wardheernews.com/Articles_09/Feb/Leadership_Ahmed_Yusuf.pdf
Ahmed Ismail Yusuf can be contacted here: yusuf006@umn.edu

Note
Picture: Chaos in the streets of Somaliland – a situation that the outright majority of the Northern Somalis cannot accept and are determined to eliminate at all costs.