PETITION: Somaliland Civil Soceity and Prodemocratic Movments' Petition to UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

 

Email: sohira.net@gmail.com

Phone: 00252 2 4429552

Hargeisa, Somaliland

SOHIRA.NET/1/ 135 /13                                                                        Date: 11 February 2013

To:      His Excellent the RT Hon William Hague

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London SW1A 2AH   

Telephone: 020 7008 1500

Generic Email format: firstname.surname@fco.gsi.gov.uk

Twitter: @WilliamJHague

Date: February 11, 2013

Subject:  Democratically elected government led H.E Ahmed Mohamed Mohomoud ‘Siilaanyo’ is the only one that represents the interests and wishes of the people of Somaliland.

Dear Minister,  

We, the undersigned, the pro-democratic movement in Somaliland, comprising  non-state actors, professional groups, university students, human rights and civil society organizations, operating under several non-governmental national level umbrellas and networks wish to express our gratitude to the people and government of the United Kingdom for their lions share in support towards developing our country’s education, health, security, livelihoods and democratization process for the last 20 years.

Your Excellency, The Republic of Somaliland is a free and peace-loving state, and its democratically elected government led H.E Ahmed Mohamed Mohomoud ‘Siilaanyo’ is the only one that represents the interests and wishes of the people of Somaliland.

In view of this fact we wish to inform that the people of Somaliland are against the on-going trend where an undemocratic elected president of the neighboring Somalia is undertaking negotiations and speaking on their behalf.

Your Excellency Minister, Somaliland though unrecognized internationally is a sovereign nation that pulled out of its fateful union with Somalia, a union it entered after your government granted independence on 26^th June 1960,

As you are aware the democratization process that has ensued in Somaliland over the years has not only facilitated the availability of a government led by an elected head of state but has become a good example of democratic principles within Africa and the Islamic world.

The elected presidents have further enable the country to secure its borders, ensure the safety of its citizens but has also enable the active participation of Somaliland in international efforts to eliminate terrorism and piracy in the Horn region. This has been accomplished with the assistance and partnership with neighboring governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Yemen as well as with various international governments and organizations.

The enactment by parliament of various bills that has legalized the government’s involvement in stabilizing the Horn of Africa region is testimony to the commitment of the 4.5 million Somalilanders towards sustaining peace, security as well as the democratic principles.

 

On the other hand the pro-democratic civil society movements in Somaliland including human rights groups are saddened by the recent travel ban and poor security alert for Somaliland issued by your ministry which we believe is not factual considering the evidence on the ground. 

Despite its negative impact internationally, the alert is an extra vigilance wake up call for our government as related to its protection of expatriates, citizens and deterrence against terrorists.

Your Excellency, we urge the international community and more specifically the United Kingdom to continue their support to our country and accord it the respect and dignity it deserves.

Finally, we wish to inform the world that the people of Somaliland have full confidence in their elected president H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Mahmud Silanyo and his administration.

Sincerely yours,

CC: Hon Ban Ki Moon, UN General Secretary, New York

CC: Mr John Kerry Secretary of state, US State Department, Washington DC

SIGNATORIES LIST

1.                      University of Hargeisa

2.                      University of Camuud

3.                      Admas University

4.                      New Generation Universtiy

5.                      Golis University

6.                      Voluntary National Youth Organization (VONYO)

7.                      Women's Action for Advocacy and Development Association (WADA)

8.                      Women's Rehabilitation and Development Association (WORDA)

9.                      Women Inter-Action Group (WIAG)

10.                   Women's Action Advocacy and Progress Organization (WAAPO)

11.                   Somaliland Youth Voluntary Organisation (SOYVO)     Togdheer

12.                   Barako Women Organisation (BARAKO)  Togdheer

13.                   Unita Togdheer Women Umbrella (UNITA)        Togdheer

14.                   Togdheer Youth Vouluntary Org. (TOGOYOVO) Togdheer

15.                   Naaso-Hablood Handicap Association(NAHA)   Hargeisa

16.                   Daami Youth Development Organsation (DAYDO)        Hargeisa

17.                   Welfare Tumaal Organisation (WAAB )   Hageisa

18.                   Tumaal Development Foundation (TDF   Hargeisa

19.                   Women Minority Organization (ISIR)       Hargeisa

20.                   Voice Of Somaliland Minority Women Organisation (VOSOMWO) Hargeisa

21.                   Somaliland Culture and Sport Association (SOCSA)      Hargeisa

22.                   Somaliland Youth Development Asso. (SOYDA) Hargeisa

23.                   Health and Education  (HEAL)        Hargeisa

24.                   Somaliland Journalist Association             Hargeisa

25.                   Community concern Somalis (CCS)           Hargeisa

26.                   Horn of Africa Human Rights Watch Committee (HORNWATCH)      

27.                   Somaliland Civic Forum       Hargeisa

28.                   SOMALILAND National Youth Organisation        Hargeisa

29.                   Somali Rights Watch Hargeisa

30.                   Women and child Handicap org HAN       Hargeisa

31.                   Saaxil Handicap Organisation (SHO)         Berbera

32.                   M AND M        Berbera

33.                   ALXANAAN women organisation   Berbera

34.                   General AVO  Berbera

35.                   VAYS Youth Org         Berbera

36.                   BILAN Women Organisation           Berbera

37.                   MOON LIGHT Girl Organisation     Borama

38.                   Somaliland Human Rights Ass. (SOHURA)           Borama

39.                   ACARO Youth orgnastiaon Borama

40.                   Somaliland National Disabality Forum     Hargeisa

41.                   DANGARA       SAHIL

42.                   Aids Control and Awareness Raising Organization - (ACARO)

43.                   Amoud University Student Union -

44.                   All-Somaliland Society Awareness League -  (Assal)

45.                   Community  Rehabilitation Association (CRA)

46.                   Dallo Youth Development Organization  - DAYDO

47.                   Disability Children Association - DCA

48.                   Hargeisa Youth Development Association - HYDA

49.                   Horseed Youth Association - Horseed

50.                   Laas-anod Youth Voluntary Organization  - LAYVO

51.                   Moonlight girls Association - Moonlight

52.                   SAYS Youth Association - SAYS

53.                   Somaliland Association for Youth Salvation - SCYVO

54.                   Somaliland Culture and Sport Association - SOCSA

55.                   Somaliland Progress Youth Association - SOPYA

56.                   Somaliland Youth Development Association - SOYDA

57.                   Somaliland Youth Salvation and Training Organization - SYSTO

58.                   Somaliland Youth Society  - SYS Hargeisa

59.                   Somaliland Youth Society - SYS Burao

60.                   Somaliland Youth Voluntary Association - SOYVO

61.                   Teacher Training College Student - TTCSC

62.                   University of Hargeisa Student Union

63.                   UoH-Student Union

64.                   Vitinary  Agre-culture Development Committee- VADCO

65.                   Voluntary Of National Youth Organization - VONYO

66.                   Youth Coalition Development - YCD

67.                   Youth Volunteers of Development and Environmental Care

68.                   Organization - YOVENCO

69.                   Somaliland Education  Development Organziation - SEDO

70.                   Youth Edcuation Saftey Development Organizaiton - YESDO

71.                   UBAH Social Development Youth Organization - USWO

72.                   Somaliland Environment Youth Organization – SEYO

73.                   Somaliland Handicap Association SHA

74.                   Comprehensive CBR in Somaliland CCBRS

75.                   Nasa-Hablod Handicap Association NAHA

76.                   Hargeisa Youth Development Association HADYA

77.                   Hargeisa Deaf School HDS

78.                   Activist Network for Disabled Persons ANDP

79.                   Orthohope Rehabilitation Center ORC

80.                   Disability Action Network DAN

81.                   Hargeisa School For Special Needs HSSN

82.                   Disabled Women Organization and children HAN

83.                   Horn Afrique Youth Voluntary Committee HAVOYOCO

84.                   Disabled Children Association

85.                   Hargeisa Handicap Association

86.                   Tawakal Women’s Association

87.                   Albustan Handicap Association

88.                   Hargeisa Handicap Women

89.                   Somaliland Blind Society

90.                   Youth Development Disability Organization

91.                   Somaliland Red Crescent Society

92.                   Somaliland Youth Umbrella SONYO

93.                   Borama Deaf and Blind School in Awdal region

94.                   Sahil Handicap Organization

95.                   Tawakal Lifeline Organization

96.                   Erigavo Handicap Organization  in Sanaag region

97.                   Las-anod Handicap Association in Sool region

98.                   Nofen

99.                   Muruq iyo Maskax Women Umbrella in Saaxil region

100.               Sungo

101.               Maan

102.               Somran

103.               Kulmis

104.               Somaliland National Disability Forum

105.               Somaliland National HIV/AIDS Network (SAHAN)

106.               Protection Network Against FGM (Nafis Network)

107.               Vonyo

108.               Unita Women Umbrella in Togdheer region

109.               Sonyo

110.               CPN

111.               Nagaad Women Umbrella

112.               Awdal CPN

113.               Horn Peace

114.               Jubba Airways

115.               Light Industry

116.               WIN

117.               Daallo Airline

118.               Nawbo

119.               BDS

120.               Hospitality Industry

121.               WIT

122.               NRD-EWB

123.               Dahabshiil

124.               Telesom

125.               Arecsmed

126.               University of Buroa

127.               Sanaag University

128.               SLNMA

129.               SMA

130.               Media Monitoring Group

131.               UOH

132.               Women in Journalists Association (WIJA)

133.               Fopag

134.               Solla

135.               Berbera University

136.               ULPA

Al-shabaab oo nidar ku gashay Qaraxyo ay Somaliland ka fuliso iyo Xukuumada Somaliland oo Heegankii ugu Sareeyay Galisay Xoogagii Nabadsugida ee ugu tirada badnaa

Profile Photo: Ciidanka Qaranka Somaliland

Shirkii golaha Wasiirrada dawladda Somaliland ee Khamiistii doraad, ayaa isku raacay in amaanka dalka guud ahaan la adkeeyo isla-markaana laga feejignaado wax kasta oo amaanka qaranka khatar amni daro ku keeni kara.

Shirka Golaha Wasiirrada oo uu Guddoominayey Madaxwayne ku xigeenka Somaliland Md Cabdiraxmaan Cabdilaahi Ismaaciil (Saylici), ahna ku Simaha Madaxwaynaha, ayaa waxa Wasiirka wasaarada arimaha gudaha lagaga dhageystay war-bixin dheer oo ku aadanayd guud ahaan xaalada nabadgalyo ee wakhtigan uu dalku ku sugan yahay, waxaanu Wasiir Duur uu shirka uga waramay nabadgalyada dalka iyo dedaalka ay ugu jiraan sidii aanu cadowgu uga heleen galdaloolo uu falalkiisa guracan uga faa’ideysanto.

Xubnaha Golaha Wasiirrada Somaliland ayaa markaa ka dib fadhigooda aad ugaga dooday xaalada amaanka iyagga ku salaynayey war-bixinta Wasiirka, waxaana doodaasi oo dheerayd ka dib la isku raacay in amaanka dalka guud ahaan la xoojiyo isla-markaana laga taxadaro mushkilado amni daro oo cadowgu dalka ka sameeyo.

Golaha Wasiirrada ayaa isku raacay in Guud ahaan dalka la galiyo Heegankii ugu sareeyay abid ee dhinaca sugida amaanka iyadoo durba la hawlgaliyay xoogaga kala duwan ee Nabadsugida.

Dhinaca kale waxa iyagana Ciidamo xoogan oo khibrad gaar ah leh lagu xoojiyay Madaarada dalka, kaantaroolada iyo meelo aan la magacaabin.

Tallaabooyinka noocan ah ayaa qayb ka ah qorshe xukuumada Somaliland ku sugayso amaanka dalka, maadaama oo ay soo baxeen dhawaaqyo lagaga dayriyey amaanka.

Dhinaca kale, wargayska Waaheen oo ka soo baxa caasimada Somaliland ee Hargeysa ayaa sheegay in uu illo wareedyo u dhuun daloola kooxda Al-shabaab ay sheegayaan in shir ay dhawaan Madaxda Ururkaasi yeesheen ku go’aamiyeen in dhamaan Somaliya laga fuliyo Qaraxyo Ismiidaamin ah si ay sumcadii iyo Magacii ay Al-shabaab falalkaasi ku lahayd u soo noqdo. Sida ay xogahaasi sheegayaana waxa la sheegay Somaliland inay ka mid tahay meelaha ay dagaalkooda Is-miidaaminta ah ku fidinayaan.

Weerarada Is-miidaaminta ah ee ay Al-shabaab qorshaynayso in ay ka fuliso Somaliland  ayaa dabada ku haya Qaylo dhaanta Hay’adaha Siordoonka ee Matayakanka iyo Ingiriisku bixinayaan kuwaas oo ay suurtogal tahay sida ay u sheegayaan inay wax ka jiraan maadaama ay il-gaar ah ku hayaan cabsida ay kooxdaasi ku hayso Dunida.

ALLAH MAGACA EEBE

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Somaliland: Horn Tribune Editorial - Stop Potentially Perilous Misunderstanding

Horn Tribune Editorial

Somalilandsun - It is a fact that we have weathered many a storm in our national politics, security and social fabrics for the past two decades or so.

It is also a fact that quite unbecoming, potentially perilous and fractiously dangerous misunderstandings is in the aura of our political environs once again.

Going by what is daily seen in our public media, the situation needs to be controlled forthwith.

It is, of course, our hope, wish and liking that minds, words and actions of good tidings that are guided with wisdom, will and should prevail.

This should not be a mere wishful thinking, but in essence, damage control must be made immediately.

It needs no reminding that this column perpetually reiterates that the land, people and nation of Somaliland have their aspirations already charted out.

These aspirations which inadvently concerns about what all our lives and those of our posterity entails, hence are of course, something that MUST/NOT be jolted, swayed or curtailed at any cost. To do so would be obliterate the whole future of a people.

We call upon the whole officialdom to bring back sanity and reassurance to public issues swiftly.

All arms of the state should be diligent and true to their duties.

No person has a right to pep up political temperatures by injecting words tailored to wash down the drains all that we have fought, suffered and persevered for painstakingly.

Let the ugly trends in our media stop forthwith.

It is perturbing that the traditional leaders and the Guurti members are sitting by the sidelines as people are treated virulent words in the electronic media both in print and audio/visual.

We have a government in place and its officials should be more responsible such that unbinding leaks should not be flashed around.

Similarly the opposition groups should be constructive in their critics and not worsen the situation even more.

As for the recent unprecedented mass transfers of regional chiefs, we support the President, for that is what governance entails all about.

The changes will help increase transparency; instill diligence and uproot tribalism in the public sector.

The precise acts and senses of responsibility within all echelons of officialdom would thus increase for the better.

We hope that all will join hands and suppress any seen and unseen forces of darkness.

Let us support the government to achieve our goals.

=======

The writer M.A.Egge is the editor of the Horn Tribune, a weekly English newspaper published in Hargeisa by the government owned Dawan media group

Center for Justice and Accountibilty's Statement on New Somali Government

Somalia’s Next Phase Should Include Accountability for War Criminals

 

San Francisco - On January 17, 2013, the U.S. government recognized a government of Somalia for the first time since 1991.  In his remarks to Secretary of State Clinton, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke of Somalia emerging from a period of chaos to one of peace.  This new Somalia, he said, will make a “valuable contribution to the region and the world at large.”  If Somalia is to be a shining example, it should start by ending impunity for war criminals and giving victims justice. 

Somalia’s transition must reckon with its past.  The Somali state’s collapse in 1991 did not emerge from a vacuum: it was precipitated by years of brutal violence under the Mohamed Siad Barre dictatorship.  Under Barre’s 21-year regime, government forces tortured, summarily executed, raped, and even launched aerial bombing raids on civilian populations.  The armed groups that overthrew Barre in 1991, and the remnants of that regime, continued the cycle of violence. 

To date, no individual has been held to account for these crimes—in Somalia.  However, accountability efforts have been made against former Barre-regime officials living in the U.S.  The Center for Justice and Accountability has brought three cases in U.S. courts on behalf of Somali victims.  Last November, a U.S. federal court of appeals denied immunity to Mohamed Ali Samantar, former Somali Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, for crimes against humanity and torture.  That same month, a district court in Ohio ruled that Colonel Abdi Aden Magan, the former Chief of Somalia’s National Security Service was liable for torture.  Another torture suit is pending against Colonel Yusuf Abdi Ali (a.k.a “Tukeh”), a former Brigade Commander in the Somali National Army.”)   Each of these cases was filed under US universal jurisdiction laws that permit civil suits for human rights.

President Sheikh has made a commitment to restore faith in governance and the rule of law.  His first step should be to hold to account former officials and warlords who brought Somalia over the brink.  His second is to end impunity for human rights abuses committed in the wake of Somalia’s collapse.  To date, cases of gender based violence, child soldier recruitment, andattacks against journalist have gone unpunished.

Lessons can be learned from the cases in the U.S., but President Sheikh can look closer to home as well.  Local activists and government officials in the northern region of Somaliland have begun to excavate mass graves and document evidence of war crimes.  The Somali government should build on these efforts and end the impunity of suspected war criminals like General Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan or Maslah Mohamed Siad Barre.  Both have been accused of overseeing widespread and systematic abuses under Siad Barre.  And both currently split their time between Somalia and Kenya.

It will be difficult to restore confidence in government with such perpetrators still at large. After victory in his case against Samantar, Aziz Deria, whose father and brother were abducted by Somali officials and never seen again, observed that holding former officials “formally accountable for atrocities in Somalia’s civil war is the best way for Somalia to move forward.  Clan retribution can be set aside when people can be assured of justice through the legal system.”

The words of President Sheik speak of stability and hope.  But to achieve these goals, Somalia must begin transparent human rights investigations and provide redress to victims.

Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, American Jihadi In Somalia, Has Few Friends Left

Agence France Presse  |  By Peter Martell

Once his reputation was of a feared fighter, an American-born extremist who left small town Alabama to wage war alongside Al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamists and who called on other foreigners to join.

Today, Omar Hamami -- better known as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki or "the American" -- has split from the insurgents, who want to kill him.

He cuts a forlorn figure: homesick, stuck somewhere in Somalia, and telling anyone who will listen about his apparently doomed career path.

"Amriki would like to accept the honour of most wanted list and thanks everyone," he said in a message on Twitter in November following his listing by the FBI on their Most Wanted Terrorists list.

He spends his days denouncing his former Shebab colleagues as corrupt. He refers to himself as the "former poster boy" of the group.

"War booty is eaten by the top dogs, but the guys who won it are jailed for touching it," Amriki says in one message on Twitter. It is a sharp turnaround for a man who once issued rap videos aimed at recruiting foreign fighters.

While the Twitter account claiming to be Amriki's cannot be verified as genuine, photographs posted on it show the 28-year-old posing with automatic rifles, his lank hair held back by a checked headscarf.
One image, shows him riding a cart pulled by a floppy eared donkey "More luxurious lives of the rich and fame-seeking," the title reads..

Another shows him holding a paper sign scrawled with the date as though a proof of life sign that neither drone strikes -- or more likely, Shebab he has fallen out with -- have managed to execute him.

He also chats with Western researchers on extremism and terrorism via Twitter, apparently jokingly asking if they may "ever consider switching sides?"

"I'd miss the music, bikinis and bacon too much," the reply comes from one.

"I see your bikinis and raise your four wives in this life, 72 in next!" Amriki swiftly replied, as gambling in a poker game.

Another message, in reply as to whether he might go to Mali to support Islamist fighters there, Amriki ponders whether they "could use some new raps", like the songs he penned for Somalia.

The Shebab, who once controlled swathes of southern Somalia before losing a string of key towns to African Union troops and government forces in recent months, have good reason to want him dead.
Amriki, reportedly based in Somalia since late 2006, talks of factional infighting between those keen to follow an international Islamist agenda -- such as foreign fighters following Al-Qaeda ideologies -- and those following more Somali nationalist agendas.

He accuses Shebab commanders of betraying the former presumed chief of Al-Qaeda in east Africa, Fazul Abdullah Muhammad, leading to his killing in 2011 in Somalia.

Fazul is thought to have planned the massive US embassy truck bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998 and had a $5 million bounty on his head.

In turn, the Shebab have accused Amriki of "spreading discord and disunity", accuse him of a "narcissistic pursuit of fame" and have threatened to kill him.

Certainly, Amriki appears gloomy on Twitter, grumbling that there was "still no real beneficial analysis from anyone" after the release of his rambling autobiography posted online titled "The Story of An American Jihadi".

Amriki, who grew up in the town of Daphne in Alabama, was raised by a southern Baptist mother with Irish roots and a Muslim father with a Syrian background.

His autobiography, written thousands of miles (kilometres) from his hometown, details how he came top in Bible school, misses his family, and craves Chinese takeaways, amongst other foods.

"What I would like though is to have a three day visit to see my mom, dad and sister... I often wonder what this whole experience has done to them," he writes in the book, adding he misses his daughter whom he abandoned in Egypt as a baby.

"After going through all the hugs and kisses, me and Dena (his sister) would probably go running around town laughing our heads off and talking about a billion things without ever finishing a conversation," he wrote.

"I'd like to make a round of the restaurants and get some Chinese food, some hot (chicken) wings, some Nestle ice cream, some gourmet coffee and a slew of other foods and beverages."

Amriki describes his arrival in Mogadishu airport and struggle to integrate with the fighters, and his joy at being given an automatic rifle -- which he admits he had at first "had no idea how to use".

Later, when he was still welcome in the Shebab, he receives hand grenades, his experience of which he admits was limited to that of "anyone who had previously watched a Rambo flick (film)".

Amriki, whose closing remarks in the book are that he can now "only pray that Allah grants me a righteous ending".

"I knew that I was going to become a fugitive for the rest of my life when I made that decision (to fight in Somalia), I was well into the post 9/11 era," he wrote.

"Someone seeking a thrill or a hippy's midsummer's night dream doesn't normally consciously burn his bridges like that."

Copyright (2013) AFP. All rights reserved.