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PUNTLAND GOVERNMENT POLICY STATEMENT

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Garowe, Puntland: The essence of PSG stands for three essential policy engagements namely (1) to save Puntland territory and waters from the hostilities created by the absence of central government and confrontations of political factions serving negative interests (2) to be part of the pursuit to restore a Somali central authority based on a federal system, the only system that would prevent totalitarianism and dismemberment and (3) to cooperate with the international community to find a solution to the Somali crisis in general and to support the reconstruction and development in Puntland in particular

The following parts of this statement disclose the policy of Puntland State Government (PSG) with regard to the internal security of Puntland, its relationship with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the support of the international community of these two issues.

Puntland

Since the disintegration of the central government of Somalia in 1991 up until 2006, Puntland remained relatively peaceful and economically stable. It is unfortunate that lately Puntland faced confrontations from both southern Somalia and north-west Somalia. From the south, the forces of the radical United Islamic Courts (UIC) and the fanatical Al-Shabab group set out to attack and carry out terrorist acts in Puntland, using Islam as their disguise. Moreover, many youngsters from Mogadishu and southern Somalia regularly pass through Puntland on their way to north-west Somalia to come back later to Puntland to take part in a number of illegal activities. From the north-west side, a series of armed aggressions on Puntland resulted the capture of the regional capital of Sool, Las Anod, by

Hargeisa Administration on 15 October last year, preparing themselves for further expansionist attacks into Puntland.

These two provocations weakened Puntland’s efforts to combine the implementation of its programme of good governance and rationalization of an already limited economic resource.

Given the widespread needs to be attended, PSG can only afford right now to clarify here to speed up the implementation of its constitutional tasks waiting in the following priorities:

1. Liberation of the capital of Sool region, Las Anod, guaranteeing the security of all borders of Puntland;

2. Strengthening security inside Puntland;

3. Continuation of the implementation of the governance reform programme and

4. Completion of the process of democratization in Puntland.

The capacity of the reformed Darawish force is being raised to meet the challenges of terrorism and invaders. Puntland Government instituted a new ministry for internal security affairs responsible for the prevention of crimes and apprehending criminals. The government allocated 5% of the budget for the internal security on top of its normal budget to ensure that the law enforcement agencies effectively apply the rule of law. The government is also targeting to improve the performance of the judiciary and the custodial services as the hands and the legs of the rule of law and justice.

On good governance, a Civil Service Commission is established with the support of UNDP to achieve a merit-based employment, instrumental to more productive institutions in the public sector. The Ministries of Finance and Planning and International Cooperation on one side and the World Bank and UNDP on the other side worked out recently assessments of the needs to address the weaknesses related to Public Finance Management (PFM). The WB/UNDP are to begin in Puntland in the next couple of months a two-year project of redirecting the financial system in Puntland to an international standard by modernizing customs, tax collection, accounting systems, mobilization of resources, budget preparation, execution and monitoring, financial control and magistrates of accounts.

The work of the Constitution Review Commission is in its final stage and Puntland State, both Government and Parliament, is committed to put the new constitution into public referendum in the middle of this year, paving the way for the birth of a multi-party system and free and fair elections.

National Policy

Ever since Puntland Administration was formed on 1st August 1998 and the 8 preceding years, Puntland was relentlessly part of the initiatives to find national reconciliation among Somali administrations and political factions to enable them to reinstate sovereignty to their shattered country. The vibrant role Puntland played in the National Reconciliation Conference that ended in the success of establishing the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia is too well known. Similarly, Puntland continued to support the TFG with funds and forces to consolidate efficacy.

As soon as the TFG took office, it was beset with divisions in terms of its institutions and differences between its holders of the highest offices. There also emerged opposition from forces questioning the very principles of forming the government.

The combination made the TFG inept to fulfil the duties expected of it during the transition period such as consolidation of the peace, reconciliation, preparation of a federal constitution and implementation of a federal system in the country. Despite this and the fact that the TFG has now a short time left, the new government’s call for dialogue offers a glimpse of hope.

Puntland State Government is ready, and will continue, to support the TFG and is asking the international community to aid the government unreservedly to enable it perform its tasks as much as possible during the transition.

Puntland Government wishes to reiterate that a national Somali state is a national responsibility and has no intention to relinquish its part of that responsibility. However, Puntland wishes to give further clarifications of its relations with the TFG:

(1) Puntland will not, under any circumstances, accept a central government of totalitarian nature, where regions and districts happen to legitimize the powers of the centre only – such a system isolates the people from being stakeholders of the decision-making processes and lead to the collapse of statehood eventually as proved already;

(2) Puntland does not recognize and will not recognize a central government solution of Somalia via the concepts of conquest of European colonial powers which were replaced by the Act of Union of the Somali Republic and the constitution of that Republic approved in a national referendum in 1961 and

(3) Until such time an all inclusive federal constitution is effected and state governments, convinced with the sharing of power and resources, are instituted, Puntland’s support of the TFG should not be interpreted in any manner that Puntland is part of the TFG – Puntland shall remain independent for its laws, policies and interests.

International Community

PSG expresses its gratitude to the international community whose presence and activities play a major role in helping the needy, the IDPs and refugees from the neighbouring countries, the social services and various other sectors. Without the support of the donors, the agencies of the United Nations and the INGOs, Puntland could not serve the needs of many.

There is no doubt that the international community has tried its best in reconciling and supporting Somalia to stand with its own feet. The people and government of Puntland value the international efforts to shore up the Somali cause and would like to encourage them to enrich their assessments with following points:

1. To realize the magnitude of the Somali crisis and the ramifications it may hold for the Horn of Africa, and thereby come up with a creative agenda to transcend the transition period of the TFG to a federal democratic system;

2. To continue the current-three part cooperation and support of Somali entities consisting of Puntland, Somaliland and South-Central/TFG;

3. To maintain assisting Somalia on a united position;

4. To apply successful lessons learned from other crisis countries of similar problems as Somalia, taking into account the recommendations of the serious Somalis in search of finding solutions and

5. That Puntland welcomes foreign investment with regard to its untapped natural resources of the sea, land and air.

Finally, Puntland State, Government and people, warns against any support given to the greed of a party of the Somali parties, the real impediment of any progress to reach solutions over the last 17 years.

With the highest consideration

H.E Mohamoud Muse Hersi
President of Puntland State of Somalia

SomaliVersion... Halkan ka akhri

Faafin: SomaliTalk.com | March 22, 2008

 

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