United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS)

Letter to the members of the Somali Jaaliyadda 
 

Djibouti, 28 January 2009

Salaam Aleikum 
 

Dear friends  
 

      I am writing once again to update you on the fast moving developments both inside and outside your country. As you know, I believe it is extremely important to share information with you all. 
 

      As you are all too well aware, after so many years of war, stability is very difficult to reach, but there is real hope that it is not far off. You have made substantial progress over the past eight months. Today, here in Djibouti, there was the swearing in of most of the 200 new Members of Parliament selected by the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia based on the 4.5 formula. Personally I found it encouraging to see members of the TFG and ARS sitting together as one Parliament and I can only hope this cooperation will continue and flourish. 
 

      The election of the President, due to take place on Friday, is eagerly awaited. As you know there are several candidates. The Somali leadership and international community are working together to ensure the process will be transparent, fair and peace oriented. 
 

      The new Somali President will be sworn in on Saturday and will then travel to Addis Ababa to take part in the African Union Heads of State Summit (1 – 2 February) before the selection of the new Prime Minister and Cabinet. All Parliamentarians and Cabinet members should be back in Mogadishu by next week. 
 

      All your friends would have preferred to see the expansion of Parliament and Presidential elections taking place inside Somalia. However this important step towards restoring the stability should ensure that future political processes are convened where they belong, inside your country. 
 

      Although there are strong expectations, we are all aware that years of war and violence, violations of human rights and corrupt practises will not disappear overnight. The perpetrators and their associates will continue to defy efforts to move towards peace, stability and justice for as long as they expect their compatriots and the international community to tolerate their behaviour. It is true that many organizations and individuals interested in Somali issues refrain from discussing impunity. Seen from their ivory towers, Somalia becomes a permanent case study of religion, clans and politics which does not even merit making an effort for a solution. However I have no doubt that the time for impunity is running out. 
 

      I would like to emphasize once again that there can be no justification for Somalis killing Somalis. The recent suicide bombing in Mogadishu was a senseless destructive act carried out by those who have no respect for the lives of civilians. It is encouraging that increasingly people are disassociating themselves from those who commit violence and hostage taking. It is up to you, the fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters to prevail on your children, your young brothers and friends to stop the violence. For the last 20 years, it has not helped any group to win lasting victory. Those who make promises about your future can not deliver them without peace 
 

      Today your country needs tolerance and cooperation between its people. You complain that many non-Somalis write articles and reports concluding that you will never have stability. With the Djibouti process, it is up to you to prove them wrong.  
 

      Finally I am very pleased to inform you that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Former Prime Minister of Malaysia, has agreed to speak before your new Parliament tomorrow (Thursday). He is well known for have effected reconciliation in his country between its various peoples. He also successfully moved his country out of poverty in one generation. 
 

Yours Faithfully 
 

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah