Peace Talks At a Critical Stage (Opinion)
NAIROBI, 25 APRIL 2003--To a casual observer, the seven-month-old Somali peace and reconciliation conference which opened in Kenya last October is a confusing series characterised by disagreements, boycotts and numerous other obstacles.
There are many who have either lost track of the progress or lost interest in them altogether. The disagreements and the delays have dogged the talks since the Siad Barre government collapsed in 1991.
Despite the setbacks, the conference, at the Kenya College of Communication and Technology, Mbagathi, Nairobi, continue to be the greatest hope for peace and stability in Somalia. MORE
Friday, April 25, 2003
SOMALIA: Community-based project aims to promote economic recovery
NAIROBI, 25 APRIL 2003 (IRIN) - The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has launched a prototype community project in parts of the Somali capital Mogadishu which it hopes will be expanded to cover the entire city.
The project, implemented by a local NGO, SAACID (Somali for 'To Help'), has employed 600 local people (300 men and 300 women) and hired private sector hauliers to remove sand and garbage from the streets of Mogadishu.
The scheme, launched earlier this month, is being carried out in six of the city's 16 districts for a period of three months.
"The project is seen very much as a test case to determine whether it is possible to operate effectively in war-ravaged Mogadishu," said Joe Connolly, the project's chief technical adviser.MORE
NAIROBI, 25 APRIL 2003 (IRIN) - The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has launched a prototype community project in parts of the Somali capital Mogadishu which it hopes will be expanded to cover the entire city.
The project, implemented by a local NGO, SAACID (Somali for 'To Help'), has employed 600 local people (300 men and 300 women) and hired private sector hauliers to remove sand and garbage from the streets of Mogadishu.
The scheme, launched earlier this month, is being carried out in six of the city's 16 districts for a period of three months.
"The project is seen very much as a test case to determine whether it is possible to operate effectively in war-ravaged Mogadishu," said Joe Connolly, the project's chief technical adviser.MORE
Thursday, April 24, 2003
ETHIOPIA: Aid agencies warn of "slow starvation
ADDIS ABABA, 22 APRIL 2003 (IRIN) - Millions of children in drought-stricken Ethiopia are being “slowly starved” by the international community, leading charities warned on Monday.
“We are appalled by the lack of full rations to food aid beneficiaries in Ethiopia, which amount to slow starvation for those without other sources of food,” said a statement issued by Save the Children Alliance, Action Aid, CAFOD, and Christian Aid.
“For the international community to allow this to happen in the 21st century is unforgivable,” added the aid agencies which all work in Ethiopia.
The statement follows sharp criticism by the head of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), James Morris, who said donors were overlooking the crisis in Africa to deal with Iraq.MORE
ADDIS ABABA, 22 APRIL 2003 (IRIN) - Millions of children in drought-stricken Ethiopia are being “slowly starved” by the international community, leading charities warned on Monday.
“We are appalled by the lack of full rations to food aid beneficiaries in Ethiopia, which amount to slow starvation for those without other sources of food,” said a statement issued by Save the Children Alliance, Action Aid, CAFOD, and Christian Aid.
“For the international community to allow this to happen in the 21st century is unforgivable,” added the aid agencies which all work in Ethiopia.
The statement follows sharp criticism by the head of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), James Morris, who said donors were overlooking the crisis in Africa to deal with Iraq.MORE
Presidential Candidate Sets Out Terms
NAIROBI, 14 APRIL 2003--Existing agreements between the current regional administrations and the Somali Transitional National Government should not be recognised by the federal government when a new government takes power in Somalia.
One of the presidential candidates in the forthcoming Somalia elections, Mr Farah Addow has sugested.
Addow says in his foreign policy document that any agreements with the international community, or regional organisations or foreign investment companies should be ignored.
However, he called on the Federal Government to fully respect the treaties and agreements which Somalia subscribed to prior to 1991 when former dictator Siad Barre's regime collapsed.
He said those regional administrations are not entitled to any legitimacy or legality based on the wishes of Somali people and its legitimate representative political forces.
"The Federal Government should be ready to co-operate with the international community on issues related to humanitarian aid being extended to Somali people," Addow said. MORE
NAIROBI, 14 APRIL 2003--Existing agreements between the current regional administrations and the Somali Transitional National Government should not be recognised by the federal government when a new government takes power in Somalia.
One of the presidential candidates in the forthcoming Somalia elections, Mr Farah Addow has sugested.
Addow says in his foreign policy document that any agreements with the international community, or regional organisations or foreign investment companies should be ignored.
However, he called on the Federal Government to fully respect the treaties and agreements which Somalia subscribed to prior to 1991 when former dictator Siad Barre's regime collapsed.
He said those regional administrations are not entitled to any legitimacy or legality based on the wishes of Somali people and its legitimate representative political forces.
"The Federal Government should be ready to co-operate with the international community on issues related to humanitarian aid being extended to Somali people," Addow said. MORE
SOMALIA: Somaliland opposition says poll recount puts it ahead
NAIROBI, 24 APRIL 2003(IRIN)--The main opposition party in the self-declared republic of Somaliland says its recount of last week's vote in presidential elections shows it to be ahead of the declared winner.
Usman Abdillahi Egal, the head of the Hargeysa branch of Kulmiye (Solidarity) Party, told IRIN that a recount of last week's votes showed that its presidential candidate, Ahmad Muhammad Silanyo, was ahead of the declared winner, President Dahir Riyale Kahin, by 76 votes.
"We have recounted the votes and it shows that we are ahead," he said. "We have informed the election commission."
The Somaliland Election Commission (SEC) on Saturday declared Kahin of the Unity of Democrats Party (UDUB) the winner of Somaliland's first multiparty presidential election, which was held on 14 April.
The decision was, however, challenged by the Kulmiye candidate, who told IRIN that the party "categorically rejects" the results of last week's elections "as they have been announced".MORE
NAIROBI, 24 APRIL 2003(IRIN)--The main opposition party in the self-declared republic of Somaliland says its recount of last week's vote in presidential elections shows it to be ahead of the declared winner.
Usman Abdillahi Egal, the head of the Hargeysa branch of Kulmiye (Solidarity) Party, told IRIN that a recount of last week's votes showed that its presidential candidate, Ahmad Muhammad Silanyo, was ahead of the declared winner, President Dahir Riyale Kahin, by 76 votes.
"We have recounted the votes and it shows that we are ahead," he said. "We have informed the election commission."
The Somaliland Election Commission (SEC) on Saturday declared Kahin of the Unity of Democrats Party (UDUB) the winner of Somaliland's first multiparty presidential election, which was held on 14 April.
The decision was, however, challenged by the Kulmiye candidate, who told IRIN that the party "categorically rejects" the results of last week's elections "as they have been announced".MORE
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Comments on Somaliland's electionsSOMALILANDNET, (POSTED ON 24 APRIL 2003)
Election Messages: Message from an American to Somaliland
Email: hohenzollern2@yahoo.com
I am an american citizen who only recently heard of the existence of your country, and I was pleased to hear of your elections. Then, when the results were anounced and I heard of the challenge by the opposition candidate Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo. It rminded me of an event from America's history.
Our first President, George Washington, was extremely popular, but refused to serve more than two terms. His vice president, John Adams, became president after him. John Adams had participated in the declaration of independence of the United States, and so was a great patriot. But he lost his re-election campaign to Thomas Jefferson, a man who wanted to undo many of John Adams' actions while president, by only a few votes. Adams hated Jeferson, and he was sure that Jefferson would ruin the country, but Adams accepted the loss, and placed his hopes on democracy and on the people of the United States. Today, we in the United States take peaceful transfers of power for granted, but John Adams could easily have nullified the election and declared himself president for another term. In many ways, we owe our present democracy to the bravery of John Adams, who was willing to accept defeat.
Perhaps Mr. Silayo should accept his defeat, however controversial it may be, because in the long run, it will be good for Somaliland to have a stable government and fair elections. I do not know whether there really was any tampering in the election (Thomas Jefferson was accused of that, too) but I do know that maybe, in two hundred years, a child in the Republic of Somaliland can have democracy if every side would just be willing to accept the results, however close they may be. READ MORE
Election Messages: Message from an American to Somaliland
Email: hohenzollern2@yahoo.com
I am an american citizen who only recently heard of the existence of your country, and I was pleased to hear of your elections. Then, when the results were anounced and I heard of the challenge by the opposition candidate Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo. It rminded me of an event from America's history.
Our first President, George Washington, was extremely popular, but refused to serve more than two terms. His vice president, John Adams, became president after him. John Adams had participated in the declaration of independence of the United States, and so was a great patriot. But he lost his re-election campaign to Thomas Jefferson, a man who wanted to undo many of John Adams' actions while president, by only a few votes. Adams hated Jeferson, and he was sure that Jefferson would ruin the country, but Adams accepted the loss, and placed his hopes on democracy and on the people of the United States. Today, we in the United States take peaceful transfers of power for granted, but John Adams could easily have nullified the election and declared himself president for another term. In many ways, we owe our present democracy to the bravery of John Adams, who was willing to accept defeat.
Perhaps Mr. Silayo should accept his defeat, however controversial it may be, because in the long run, it will be good for Somaliland to have a stable government and fair elections. I do not know whether there really was any tampering in the election (Thomas Jefferson was accused of that, too) but I do know that maybe, in two hundred years, a child in the Republic of Somaliland can have democracy if every side would just be willing to accept the results, however close they may be. READ MORE
SOMALIA: Business community demands role in peace process
NAIROBI, 23 APRIL 2003(IRIN)- The Somali business community has demanded a role in the ongoing peace talks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
The call came during a two-day workshop for the Somali Business Council (SBC), held last week in Dubai, and jointly organised with the Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD), an affiliate of the War-Torn Societies Project International, according to press statement.
Sharif Ahmad Shino, the SBC chairman, told IRIN that the group comprised members from all Somali clans, and had come together "to see how best we can contribute to the reconciliation process".
"We have members from all clans, who can bring pressure and influence political leaders," he stated.
Jibril Ahmad Abdulle of CRD told IRIN that any future government in Somalia was unlikely to succeed in establishing itself without the support of the business community. "Without their support it is next to impossible to get a government going," he said. "So it is logical to have them involved." MORE
NAIROBI, 23 APRIL 2003(IRIN)- The Somali business community has demanded a role in the ongoing peace talks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
The call came during a two-day workshop for the Somali Business Council (SBC), held last week in Dubai, and jointly organised with the Center for Research and Dialogue (CRD), an affiliate of the War-Torn Societies Project International, according to press statement.
Sharif Ahmad Shino, the SBC chairman, told IRIN that the group comprised members from all Somali clans, and had come together "to see how best we can contribute to the reconciliation process".
"We have members from all clans, who can bring pressure and influence political leaders," he stated.
Jibril Ahmad Abdulle of CRD told IRIN that any future government in Somalia was unlikely to succeed in establishing itself without the support of the business community. "Without their support it is next to impossible to get a government going," he said. "So it is logical to have them involved." MORE
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