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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Somalia: UN Experts On Use of Mercenaries Urge Greater Oversight for Private Security Contractors



18 DECEMBER 2012
 
The Government of Somalia must do more to ensure the security of its citizens while increasing regulations on private military and security companies, a United Nations expert panel urged today at the conclusion of its seven-day visit to the Horn of Africa country.
"As Somalia rebuilds its security institutions, the Government should ensure that private security forces are properly regulated and do not become a substitute for competent and accountable police," said Faiza Patel, who currently heads the UN's Working Group on the use of mercenaries.
"All Somalis have the right to security, not just those who can afford to pay for it," she added.
After decades of factional fighting, the East Africa country has been undergoing a peace and national reconciliation process, with a series of landmark steps that have helped bring an end to the country's nine-year political transition period and the resulting security vacuum which rendered Somalia one of the most lawless States on the planet. These steps included the adoption of a Provisional Constitution, the establishment of a new Parliament and the appointments of a new President and a new Prime Minister.
The Working Group commended the formation of the new Government and its efforts to establish a functioning, peaceful and democratic nation. It noted, however, that the new administration needed to reinforce its control over the private armed security sector through redefined laws and offered its assistance in developing such legislation by drawing on best practices learned from other countries.
"Such laws and their consistent application are critical to guarantee that private security providers operate in a legal, transparent and accountable manner," Working Group-member Anton Katz stated, adding that the availability of private security should not detract from "the urgent need to provide security for all Somalis."
In its findings, the Working Group noted that some private security contractors have not always operated transparently in the East African country and, occasionally, veer away from their prescribed goals of providing simple protection from armed factions, bandits and pirates.
Pointing to one instance in the state of Puntland, the UN experts cited incidents involving the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) which was created with the aim to repel the continuing scourge of piracy afflicting the Somali coast.
The Working Group established that the PMPF had engaged in operations unrelated to piracy, including a recent case in which the police force had worked to prevent a candidate for the Puntland presidency from campaigning in Bossaso, the area's largest city.
Ms. Patel warned that the PMPF was operating outside the legal framework and called on local authorities to integrate the force into "the agreed-upon Somali national security structure and ensure that it is used strictly for the purposes for which it is intended."
Turning to the issue of piracy - a problem which has long affected international shipping in the heavily trafficked waterways off the coast of Somalia - the UN experts said they were satisfied that piracy had decreased over the past year, although they expressed concern at the continuing use of armed guards aboard vessels.
Ms. Patel called upon the international community to reach an agreement on regulations and procedures regarding the use of armed personnel in the shipping industry, cautioning that a failure to do so created risks for human rights violations at sea.
At the same time, the Working Group also examined the use of private contractors by the UN as well as the UN-backed African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and welcomed efforts to ensure that the security providers had a clean human rights record and maintained the "gold standard" when it came to human rights issues.
In addition to Ms. Patel of Pakistan, the working group is currently composed of Patricia Arias of Chile, Elzbieta Karska of Poland, Anton Katz of South Africa, and Gabor Rona of the United States and Hungary. Reporting to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, they are independent from any government or organization, and serve in their individual capacities.

Somalia: UN Experts On Use of Mercenaries Urge Greater Oversight for Private Security Contractors




We, the undersigned members of XAQSOOR political association in the Diaspora, do hereby categorically condemn in the strongest possible terms about the massive vote rigging committed by the ruling party in the local elections held in the country on 28 November 2012.
We particularly condemn the extremely wicked and an unashamedly fraudulent tactics that the government has employed in its vicious attempt not only to put the flagging ruling party, KULMIYE, above all other competing parties but also to surreptitiously pick and choose the two other political associations that will qualify for national parties.
XAQSOOR [pronounced HAKSOOR] political association was essentially set up with the noble idea of bringing together all Somaliland clans including those on the periphery under one flag- Somaliland. Consequently, after careful thought and wider consultation, XAQSOOR members agreed to pick their own first deputy leader from the Dhulbahante clan whereas all other political associations picked their respective deputies from Gadabursi clan as has been the tradition for the past twenty years or so.
In a similar fashion, the XAQSOOR second deputy leader was picked from the Issa clan in order to create a stronger and more inclusive nation based on justice and equality so that Somaliland could become a nation where the dignity and rights of every clan is preserved and not only those of the ISSAQ clan that dominates the political scene. This undoubtedly won XAQSOOR the hearts and minds of the Somaliland clans on the periphery. But unbeknownst to the rest of the nation was the fact that Silanyo and his unscrupulous clique of usurpers were hatching sinister plans to scupper that noble idea.
In particular, we would like to point out the following:
That Silanyo government has shamelessly and unethically employed every trick in the book to ensure that XAQSOOR political association is completely and utterly routed in the local elections so that it will never shine onSomaliland's political landscape again. XAQSOOR was not defeated through fair and free elections but through the use of calculated and preplanned massive vote riggings and other electoral fraud mainly committed in the predominantly Dhulbahante inhabited region of Sool in the far east of Somaliland and the predominantly Issa inhabited territories of Zeila and its surroundings in the far west of Somaliland where the the ruling party, KULMIYE, was almost certain to face defeat in the polls.
 
 
ISSA CLAN
That the Vice President of Somaliland has brazenly "abused and misused his presidential powers and state resources by deploying security forces and election staff exclusively drawn from his own sub clan" as stated by Ali Aareeye, MP, in an apparent attempt to deny members of ISSA clan to vote for XAQSOOR and secure KULMIYE's  victory above all other competing parties.  The vice president shamelessly brought with him "pre-stuffed ballot boxes" according to members of the ISSA clan representing the three parties of KULMIYE, WADDANI and XAQSOOR.  The ISSA clan members were unquestionably disenfranchised and therefore, as a clan, collectively rejected the outcome of the election.
Now that the election dust has finally settled it has become glaringly clear that the sinister plan was calculatingly designed to rob the votes of the communities on the periphery namely ISSA and Dhulbahante, who for so long complained about injustices and inequalities meted out to them in Somaliland. The plan was undoubtedly hatched by the highest echelons of the government as is clearly evident in the vice president's actions. When ISSA elders and intellectuals confronted the vice president with evidence of his direct interference in the election process, the vice president, instead of defending himself from the accusations, ignominiously ran away from the country by attending a Good Governance conference to be held inSenegal.
DHULBAHANTE CLAN

That KULMIYE party was almost certain to face a humiliating electoral defeat in the predominantly Dhulbahante province of Sool because the Chairman of KULMIYE party in that region tendered his resignation just hours before the election after miserably failing to find anyone who is willing to vote for KULMIYE.  Consequently, he has officially joined XAQSOOR party and declared that he was pleased to join hands with his clansmen because everyone else has abandoned the KULMIYE ship. It is therefore inconceivable how KULMIYE could possibly gain a handful of votes in that province let alone to beat all other political associations and win the majority of seats.

WARSANGELI CLAN
The Chairman of XAQSOOR in Dhahar has unambiguously stated on Somali news Channel on 5thDecember 2012 that ballot boxes intended for the Warsangeli clan of Dhahar, East Sanaag, had been deliberately held in Erigavo and later placed in the military barracks of Armaale and Shimbiraale where ballot stuffing took place.  The chairman said that KULMIYE party "donned in government shirt" had disenfranchised them and as result alienated and excluded them from the rest ofSomaliland. He further added that " Since the Somaliland government alienated and excluded us- as a clan- from the rest of Somaliland we will decide our own future destiny".

MISSING BALLOT BOXES
The most ludicrous and shameful episode occurred in the headquarters of National Election Commission (NEC) when XAQSOOR votes were deliberately erased from the computer and when the commission decided to recount the votes the ballot boxes from the district of Ahmed Dhagah, the stronghold of XAQSOOR, went missing from the NEC headquarters. Despite the heavy security presence in the headquarters the ballot boxes simply vanished into thin air. This is the most incontrovertible evidence which demonstrates beyong shadow of doubt that XAQSOOR was being deliberately targeted by the government.
We the supporters of XAQSOOR condemn yet again in the strongest terms possible the criminal actions of the security forces of Somaliland which confronted the unarmed children of XAQSOOR protesting against the vote rigging committed by the government in collusion with members of the NEC with hails of bullets which resulted in several deaths and nine wounded people.
Up until now, the president of Somaliland, Ahmed Silanyo, remains tight lipped about the election dispute even though XAQSOOR supporters conveyed their complaints directly to him. And he did not even send his condolences to those relatives whose loved ones were shot and killed by security forces.
It is important to note that failure to resolve this election dispute will put the supporters of XAQSOOR in direct collision with the government which may eventually result in Silanyo reducing himself to the leader of a clan enclave rather than the president of all Somalilanders.
We call upon the international observers and other representatives of the international community to note thatSomaliland's future hangs by a thread and that the prospect of Silanyo ruling from a non-contiguous capital city, Hargeisa, is very real unless this election dispute is resolved peacefully.
An Unholly Election Cannot Produce a Holly Result.

1)      Xamse Xaaji Xasan
2)     Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed
3)     Yasir Maxamuud Ibraahim
4)     Xuseen Cabdillaahi (wanaagsane)
5)     Aadan Cali Xamari
6)     Axmed Cabdillaahi
7)     Maxamed Cabdi Keyd
8)    Shukri Cabdi Xuseen
9)     Siciid Baashe
10) Cabdiqani Axmed Mire
11)  Dayib Aadan Xabashi
12) Maxamed Qawdhan
13) Muxumad  Cali Aw Xuseen
14) Faysal Cali Aw Cabdi
15)  Maxamuud Aw Aadan
16) Cali Ducaale Seed
17)  Cabdirisaaq Cali Ducaale
18) Maxamuud Jibriil
19) Xasan Cali Ducaale
20)      Cabdiqani  Diiriye
21) Xasan Sheekh Axmed
22)Cabdsamad Cali Ducaale
23)Cabdikariim Cali Ducaale
24)Xuseen Cali Ducaale
25) Mahdi Cabdillaahi Cumar
26)Khadar Cabdillaahi Cumar
27) Cabdiraxmaan Cabdillaahi Cumar
28)      Cabdiwahaab Naasir
29)Khalid Yusuf Axmed Xandule
30)      Sulub Aw Cabdi Cambalaash
31) Khadar Aw Diiriye Muxumad
32)Maxamuud Qasabeeye
33)Siciid Qasbaaye
34)Cali Basbaas
35) Ibraahim Muuse Xasan Walay
36)Kornayl Faysal Cali Qaafil
37) Yusuf Muuse Dage
38)      Axmed Macalin Cusmaan
39)Dr. Cabdi Suudi
40)      Dr. Ibraahim Jama
41) Ingineer Cabdirisaaq Cali Xasan
42)Axmed Jaamac Cabdillaahi
43)Rashiid Xasan Xirsi
44)Axmed cali Qaafil
45) Sheekh Maxamed Amiin Sh. Bashiir
46)Ibraahim Cabdillaahi Caalin
47) Cabdi Ruush Xuseen
48)      Khadar Xasan Xirsi
49)Radwaan Dayib Cabdillaahi
50)Cabdiraxmaan Abiib Cabdillaahi
51)  Cabdikhadar Xasan Cabdillaahi
52) Guleed Cabdillaahi Axmed Rooble
53) Cali Cabdi Rooble
54) Idiris Xuseen Cabdillaahi
55) Jaamac Maxamed Cawaale
56) Cabdiqaadir Ciise Kaahin
57) Cabdi Dahir Aadan
58)Xasan Nadalo
59) Maxamuud Jaanyar
60)      Maxamed Cabdi Haybe
61) Maxamed cabdi Gool
62)Ayaanle Maxamed
63)Ibraahim Cabdi Habreed
64)Khadar Khayre Carablow
65) Rashiid Xasan Xirsi
66)Aden Ibraahim
67) Khadar Gadaawe
68)      Cabdicasiis Khadar Gadaawe
69)Axmed Mahdi
70)Xuseen Fiiraan
71)  Daahir Axmed Jees
72) Ibraahim Daahir Colow
73) Xuseen Cali Rooble
74) Maxamed Ibraahim Muuse
75) Siciid Hugul
76) Nuur Cali Kooke
77) Maxamed Jaamac Dhalaax
78)Jaamac Axmed cagabaruur
79) Nuur Jaamac Maxamed
80)     Cabdiraxmaan Jaamac Maxamed
81) Khadar Siciid
82)      Cabdiraxmaan Xuseen Xasan Gubadle
83)      Ibraahim Salaan
84)      Axmed Sheekh Cabdi Wali
85)Maxamed cabdillaahi Cabdi
86)      Maxamed Xaaji Cismaan
87)Ilyaas Cali Rooble
88)     Liibaan Qaambiil
89)      Xayd Adan Jaamac (Jaanyar)
90)      Jibriil Jaamac Jaanyar
91) Khadar Naasir Ayjeex
92)Maxamuud Xaashi
93)Cabdiqani Diiriye Aw Maxamuud
94)Axmed Dhagoole
95) Cabdishakuur Mawliid
96)Abusite Jibriil
97) Abdisalaan Sheekh Daahir
98)      Sahrmaarke Baadari
99)Mohammed Yusuf Madadse
100)  Cabdirisaaq cali Qaafil
101)   Maxamed Daahir Hagoogane
102)  Siciid Cabdi Xirsi Madadaal
103)  Daariq Xaaji Yuusuf
104)  Cabdikhadar Warsame (Afyare)
105)   Faaruuq Cabdillaahi Doob Ilkoole
106)  Xariir Maxamed Jaamac
107)   Axmed Cabdillaahi Jawaan
108)  Faysal Cabdi Cilmi
109)  Axmed Guuleed Xirsi
110)   Fuaad Ibraahim Odowaa
111)     Cabdinaasir Hagagaar
112)    Xasan Cabdi Cilmi
113)    Axmed Deeq Cabdi Cilmi Dixood
114)    Cabdillaahi Daahir
115)    Maxamed Cali Mooge
116)    Dayib Cismaan Quule
117)    Anwar Cali Xiid
118)   Xuseen Aden Cadde
119)    Cabdi Aden Cadde
120)  Mustafe Xaaji
121)    Cabdi Diyaar
122)   Baashe Abdi Abdillaahi
123)   Maxamed Aden cadde
124)   Najax Tulux
125)   Koosaar caydiid
126)   Cabdulqaadir Cabdullaahi Xirsi
127)   Cabdi Xirsi Adar
128)  Khadar Caydiid
129)   Maxamed Koosaar Caydiid
130)  Khadar Masmas
131)    Mustafe Yusuf
132)   Cabdiqaadir Axmed Wali
133)   Maxmed Ismaaciil
134)   Cabdisalaan Cali Akshan
135)   Cabdifataax Cali Waraabe
136)   Yusuf Maxamed Dage
137)   Cumar Cali Jabaan
138)  Maxamed cabdiqaadir Foodyare
139)   Maxamed Amiin Sheekh Bashiir
140)  Axmed Jaamac Dheere
141)    Khadar Axmed
142)   Cawl cabdi Timir
143)   Cusmaan Xaaji Cali
144)   Mustafe Xaaji Maxamed
145)   Mawliid Abiib Sodan
146)   Xukun Cabdin Tuur
147)   Professor Maxamed Dalab
148)  Mahdi Cabdi Tuur
149)   Maxamed Jiriiban Xaaji Jirde
150)   Yusuf Ibraahim