Gold and Green baby! To a peaceful election IA

Somalia: Somaliland Election Heats Up Ahead of March Vote Elections in Somalia's separatist republic of Somaliland are heating up ahead of the March 29 vote, when the breakaway region's next president will be elected, Radio Garowe reports. Somaliland President Dahir Riyale was recently accused by fellow members of the ruling UDUB party of "illegally" naming a committee to organize the party's upcoming conference to select a single nominee for the election. Mr. Abdullahi Hussein Darawal, a former Somaliland health minister, held a press conference last week at Imperial Hotel in Hargeisa, the breakaway region's capital and Somalia's second-largest city. "Riyale has used an authority he does not have by appointing an illegal committee, and [he] even made his deputy Ahmed Yusuf Yasin the chairman," said Mr.Darawal while referring to Somaliland's vice president. Fellow UDUB member Ahmed Sandon Hassan, who held a joint press conference with Mr. Darawal, suggested that President Riyale is planning to "eliminate competition" within the ruling party. Both Darawal and Sandon are seeking UDUB's party nomination for the presidential election in March. Somaliland's leader has not responded to the accusations. Skirmish Fighting was reported early Wednesday morning in Awr-bogeys village, in disputed Sanaag region. Local sources reported that a gunfight erupted after Somaliland officials brought voter-registration materials to the village, with pro-Puntland native militia reportedly attacking a house where the Somaliland officials stayed. Conflicting reports emerged following the battle, with unconfirmed reports saying local militias burned one of the Somaliland armed trucks. The Somaliland officials were led by a politician from the native clan in Sanaag, named Hayran Hagar Dirir, local sources said. Somaliland's separatist government claims legality over Sanaag region under colonial-era boundaries. Efforts to bring Somaliland election boxes to disputed Sool and Sanaag regions have been met with violent opposition from locals. Neighboring Puntland, a relatively stable self-governing region within Somalia, claims ownership over Sool and Sanaag due to kinship ties to the native clans. Politicians and traditional elders from the disputed regions are mainly in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, where they participated at the peaceful parliamentary vote on Jan. 8 that brought President Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole" to power. 2009 election The upcoming election is a major test for democratic progress in Somaliland. The breakaway republic has held parliamentary and presidential elections before, but the March election is an opportunity for the region to elect a new president who can lead the region in a new direction. President Riyale is widely criticized for illegally extending the office term for the Guurti, the upper house of the bi-cameral Somaliland parliament. In return, the Guurti gave Riyale an additional year in office after his five-year mandate expired in May 2008, in a move strongly condemned by the opposition Kulmiye party as unconstitutional. The political crisis was resolved peacefully weeks later, but Riyale's term-extension damaged the young democracy's ambitious statehood agenda. Relevant Links East Africa Somalia Ahmed Silanyo, the Kulmiye party chairman and Riyale's likely opponent, is a rebel veteran who fought against the Gen. Barre regime in the 1980s when Riyale was an intelligence agent for military dictatorship. If Silanyo loses the election, as he did in 2003 by a small number of votes, there are lingering concerns that an insurrection might erupt in Burao, the opposition stronghold. With the Ethiopian occupation of Mogadishu coming to an end, and the Puntland parliament electing a new president, Somaliland is poised to embrace the wave of change that is gradually sweeping Somalia. http://allafrica.com/stories/200901220005.html

Oodweyne My comment to Xiin was not intended to be taken as some sort of consolationary brush off with regard to future SL/Somalia relations. It is the truth saxib. Not only is it prudent to have and maintain dialogue with Somalia (regardless who is in charge on both sides) but it’s also good for Somaliland’s image both at home and internationally. If Somaliland considers itself independent then it must act as such. It is already doing that when talking to its other neighbours so why not do the same with regard to Somalia? Is Somalia not a neighbour? A reluctance to do this only results in Somaliland still being viewed as part of Somalia. Such dialogue does not mean Somaliland is compromising any of it’s goals of gaining independence/recognition. I believe it furthers that cause and at the same time gives the opportunity to say ‘we are not coming back’. Having said that however, there will be the risk of being talked around and enticed by what Somalia has to offer as a larger state with membership of various respective organizations (UN, AL, AU etc). Such an enticement with guaranteed autonomy, greater political involvement and the chance to shape what goes on around you can also be tempting. This of course will come after a few years of stability in the south. Talking to Somalia is a good thing for all sides. Whatever the outcome, a mutual agreement/understanding is a must. DISCLAIMER This is the opinion of the writer and should not be equated with the political views of his right honourable Mr A Silaanyo or the Kulmiye Political Party.

Ngonge, fair enough. ps i meant GCC when I said khaleej. Basra is part of Khaleej i suppose Give us more of those peoms (full poems translated) :cool:

To cheer up Xiin, an open dialogue with SL is guaranteed post March IA. Bal aynu yara sugno.

Reer London, be sure to go to the Kulmiye London conference this weekend. Ngonge, odayga soo salaan ninyow

A classic pre-election tactic. There is nothing in this ya Xiin. One guess as to who started the rumour. Odaygu is away gaining support for March '09. Gudoomiyaha Xisbiga Kulmiye Mudane Axmed Siilaanyo Oo Maanta La Kulmay Raisal Wasaaraha dalka Kenya Md Raila Odinga Nairobi (Somaliland.org) – Guddoomiyaha Xisbiga KULMIYE Mudane Axmed Maxamed Maxamuud (Siilaanyo) iyo weftigii uu hogaaminayay oo maalintii todobaad booqasho ku jooga dalka Kenya magaalo madaxdiisa Nayrobi ayaa maanta la kulmay Raysalwasaaraha dalka Kenya Raila Odinga, iyaga oo kala hadlayay qadiyadda Somaliland iyo sidii dawladda Kenya u aqoonsan lahayd qadiyadda Somaliland oo buuxisay shuruudihii caalamku ku xidhay in ay dhamaystiraan oo ahayd horumarinta nidaamka dimuquraadiyadeed, qabashada diwaangelinta codbixiyayaasha oo iyana dalka ka qabsoontay dhawaan si loo helo doorashooyin xor iyo xalaal ah oo ka qabsooma dalka. Waftigan Guddoomiyuhu intii uu joogay dalka Kenaya Magaalo madaxdiisa Nayrobi waxa ay hore ula soo kulmeen Madaxwayne ku xigeenka dalka Kenaya, Safiirka wadanka Maraykanka u fadhiya Kenaya iyo Wakiilka Qaramada Midoobay u qaabilsan Somaliland iyo Soomaaliya Axmadou Walad Cabdalla iyo diblumaasiyiin kale oo ka tirsan beesha caalamka, iyaga oo kala hadlay isla markaana kala garnaqsaday jawaabtii uu caalamku ka bixiyay masiibadii ay argagixisadu qaraxyada ugu gaysatay magaalada Hargaysa 29-kii October sannadkii hore ee 2008. taas oo uu weftigu tilmaamay in ay ahayd in aduunyadu Somaliland gacan ka siiso falalka argagaxisadu ka fuliyeen caasimadda Hargaysa, balse taas badalkeedu noqday in Qaramada Midoobay ay Somaliland ku qiimayso darajada afraad ee dhinaca amaanka. Guddoomiyaha iyo weftigiisa ayaa la filayaa in Maalmaha soo socda ay u kicitimaan dalka Jabuuti oo sida la sheegay ay marti qaad ka haystaan. Xigasho/ Somaliland.org The wheels are in motion people, the wheels are in motion!

One needs a holiday!

The guys in the pic look Khaliijis. Maybe Kuwaitis. "They are routinely called "slave" by the majority" I don't think this is true.

The speech was good. If he/America make good on half of the promises it will be a good thing. Historic moment. Enjoy it reer USA.

Good speech so far,,,,, Che, how is the atmosphere over there? The country at a standstill I think,,,

The US has had 3 capitals to-date. New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC. You learn something new everyday :cool:

They score a goal then just sitch off! Silly!

^Thanks. Waxan sheegan 29 for 5 years then 30 for another 5 and so on.

There go John Stewart's gags.

You do get some silly names for cafes in SL. Snoopy Rest, is another one. The food is good though

^sanad guru bari hore ku dhaafay

Originally posted by NGONGE: Welcome to the club, Norf. You're all catching up now. Just need to keep up with the footy and not give up like some Got a phone call from our estate agent to wish me a happy birthday only to then hear on the radio it's supposedly the worst day of the year (off beat news stuff) :confused: The last decade has been a blur. Really don't know where the time went. To many more IA

So what happens now? *goes for a run*

Originally posted by LayZie G.: ^I don't do links...You either are going to engage in a discussion or be gone until the next time aan adoo meelaha ordaya kugu arko. I'll take that as a concession,,,,,,,,,

Don't worry I'll take it easy on you let you READ the link in the first post of this thread. Once you've done that, come back with your comments. I hope it enlightens you (and others).

Edit Mature discussion and LG don't mix dear I take it you're not prepared to explain why you think Hamas is 'as much to blame'? Not surprised

^You are yet to tell us how Hamas are 'as much to blame' as yahuuda. Come on now LG, its been 3 weeks and we haven't been obliged with your thorough knowledge of the region and the this case in particular. You did promise us remember? Don't run now

WOW. Good stuff

Unilateral :rolleyes: When is Obama's inauguration? Tomorrow? THATS what its all about.