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GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO A RECENT ARTICLE ON AGE NEWS PAPER

Sunday, 23-Nov 2008

Bossaso,Puntland:The Government of Puntland has read with bewilderment the recent articles published by Australia’s Age newspaper and its supposed journalist, Mark Hawthorne. The article are a clear attack on the Puntland Government as being , among other things, a disputed , rebel government, a government that represents and supports the interests of pirates, a government that owes its existence to clan elders who are responsible for piracy in the waters off Somalia, Yemen, and Kenya, a government that is not allowed to use funds legitimately derived from foreign companies pursuing oil and gas explorations to secure its borders and maintain internal security against treats such as terrorist groups like Al-Shabab

The Government is appalled by the attacks on both itself and its partner Range Resources. Clearly this journalist has not even bothered to research any matter remotely related to the political situation in both Puntland and Greater Somalia .Nor has he even had the slightest bit of respect to allow the Government any form of right of reply against the malicious attacks.

The Government notes the journalist’s opinion that Australia does not recognize Puntland as a separate State and the TFG is the legitimate authority in Somalia. Puntland has never claimed to be a separate State, but an autonomous State that has supported and continues to cooperate with the TFG to usher a viable, and federal government to represent all of the Somali people. Maybe Mr. Hawthorne would like to ask why the Government deals at a number of diplomatic levels with the following countries and international organizations: USA, Germany, Spain, Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, UAE, many UN agencies and the World Bank. The Puntland Government has been in constant communications with all interested nations in attempts to assist with the piracy problem.

Contrary to the journalist’s accusations, the various acts of piracy near the Somali waters are neither directed nor condoned by the Puntland Government. Who are the ruling clans that these articles refer to? The pirates are not members of any distinctive clan nor are they directed by any clan elder. They are adventurers from all the Somali regions, attracted by the millions, so promptly paid by the owners of the hijacked ships. The Government has always opposed the ransom payments, because they encourage more acts of piracy. Despite its limited resources it succeeded in liberating three ships, and arresting 140 pirates on land and at sea. If Mr. Hawthorne bothered to research the piracy problems facing our region he might be surprised to find that the pirates are funded and assisted in their negotiations by operatives and business persons based outside Puntland and Somalia with possible terrorist ties.

The Puntland Government uses the funds received from the different foreign companies in Puntland for the infrastructure, social development, and security in the region. Its struggles to overcome many problems like poverty, underdevelopment and lately piracy that is threatening the trade that is our biggest source of revenue. The Government welcomes all assistance in securing the waters and land of Puntland. There are not enough navy ships to guard the long coast of Puntland and Somalia. The best defense against the pirates would be a strong police to apprehend the criminals before they venture to sea and manage to grab a ship. An international assistance to Puntland to improve its police capability would be more effective and affordable means to overcome the scrooge of piracy.

In conclusion, the Puntland Government condemns the scurrilous and defamatory articles by the Age newspaper and demands that the publisher and editors of this newspaper commit to better editorial oversight on the news articles they publish. It is very irresponsible to impugn the people of Puntland and specially the reputation of a publicly traded company like Range Resources without the least evidence.

Minister of Information & Communication and,

Acting Minister of Fisheries and Ports,

Abdirahmaan Mahamed Bangah

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