Somaliland Elections Could Provide Lessons For Somalia

[Captain24]

Over the last two years the situation in Somalia has deteriorated into one of the world’s worst humanitarian and security crises. But a report by the International crisis Group says the international community is preoccupied with the piracy phenomenon – instead of concentrating on the core of the crisis, the need for a political settlement.

Meanwhile, the recent withdrawal of Ethiopian troops has opened up a new period of uncertainty and risk. In contrast, in the separatist republic of Somaliland, things are heating up toward a presidential election on March 29th.

Paula Roque is a researcher for the South Africa-based African security Analysis program. She told Nightline’s Akwei Thompson the upcoming election is part of the consolidation of democracy in Somaliland.

“Well, the election is very significant because it’s part of the consolidation and stability as well…she said.” And the election she said “stands in contrast at the statehood of a non-functioning government in south-central Somalia, comparatively two northern states.”

Roque said that in voting for a government, Somalia is re-affirming that it’s got a constituency and identity that is consolidated by a popular mandate.

The South African analyst said that a successful election in Somaliland would provide a lot of lessons for peace making at the grassroots level and at the consensus level in Somalia.

Roque said Somalia is at a critical point. The success of the Djibouti process is instrumental to peace and stability of Somalia and Djibouti and needs to continue being implemented, she said.

[peace-]

on the outcome of Somaliland’s recent voter registration drive in some regions are disturbing, notably in three regions. Hargeisa, Burao and Sanaag regions have more than doubled their electoral numbers since last election. In less than four years the number of prospective electoral voters of the said regions has swollen twofold, threefold and even fourfold. I am not aware of any mass migration towards these regions in the last four or five years which could swell their numbers to this ludicrous hike.Even in cases of massive migration you would not expect the new influx to outnumber the existing local population by twofold or even threefold.


yes it could provide lessons for the rest of somalia.............the somalia parliament in jabuti has already taking note.....they nearly double the number of parliamentarians to the same size as the indian parliament.

[Captain24]

We will see if there is a democracy in Somaliland. If Al-Gore wins the election, I'd admit the Somaliland elections democracy. If he don't, then we have the three habar wars all over again

[surrender]

lol@peace

[Ni Hao]

How many more lessons does Somalia need? They made a conscious decision to put reason aside and let folly in.

[Maroodijex]

The elections are going good.

The relevant department is looking into possible double registration. The new system is designed so that it can check the finger print of those registered and eliminate any double registration of people. So the final result will be something much smaller then the currently available data.

Not only will finger prints be used on election day but also indelible ink will also be used. The ink will be applied to everyone that votes and it will take about 24 hours to disappear even if you wash it, it can still be visible with ultravoilet light.

So there is no doubt that this election will be credible and will meet international standards.

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

what a sham of an election.


this is nothing but an election for the fools. A state with no legitmacy, recognition, economy, income, jobs, oppurtunities and functional institutions is now conducting an election.


what a freakin joke! Am i the only issaq on here who can see the sham of such an election? Half the population is hungry, the other half lives on money sent from somalis living in the west.

There is no elections in somalia. Just political trashiness.

[peace-]

what a sham of an election.


this is nothing but an election for the fools. A state with no legitmacy, recognition, economy, income, jobs, oppurtunities and functional institutions is now conducting an election.


what a freakin joke! Am i the only issaq on here who can see the sham of such an election? Half the population is hungry, the other half lives on money sent from somalis living in the west.

There is no elections in somalia. Just political trashiness.

finally someone with some sense

[The_Emperior5]

^^^^ your not isaaq.

[surrender]

Elan you are suprising person indeed. i think i know you! (i think) you remind me of a girl that use to be in my English class!

[Maroodijex]

[quote="Elan Morin Tedronai"]what a sham of an election.


this is nothing but an election for the fools. A state with no legitmacy, recognition, economy, income, jobs, oppurtunities and functional institutions is now conducting an election.


what a freakin joke! Am i the only issaq on here who can see the sham of such an election? Half the population is hungry, the other half lives on money sent from somalis living in the west.

There is no elections in somalia. Just political trashiness.[/quote]

You don't have to claim Issaaq, you know. We are not like the Daarood or Hawiye oo qashinwalba iska sheegto.

[peace-]

what a sham of an election.


this is nothing but an election for the fools. A state with no legitmacy, recognition, economy, income, jobs, oppurtunities and functional institutions is now conducting an election.


what a freakin joke! Am i the only issaq on here who can see the sham of such an election? Half the population is hungry, the other half lives on money sent from somalis living in the west.

There is no elections in somalia. Just political trashiness.

You don't have to claim Issaaq, you know. We are not like the Daarood or Hawiye oo qashinwalba iska sheegto.

Because of our obsession with unhealthy tribalism, Somaliland is teetering on the edge of a social discourse as a result of this voter registration drive which turned out to be a bogus sham. Whatever little harmony that existed between regions/tribes is fading fast. It is difficult for Awdal and Sahil constituencies, who conducted themselves in a manner consistent with the law of the land, to swallow such preposterous and inflated figures from Burao and elsewhere. If certain tribes of our society are not willing to abide by the law of the land, and seeking tribal hegemony and supremacy over the others, people may start to question the viability of the Somaliland project we are trying to sell to the international community. In the last presidential election in Somaliland, the chairman of the NEC admitted that he had illegally helped Mr. Rayaale to come out victorious. I will not be surprised if the same situation arises again and again in the next election.

It will be nonsensical and complete madness if Somaliland goes to the polls in April on the basis of this fraudulent voter registration. We should not go to the polls unless and until this mess is sorted out, which is highly unlikely because of our poor track record of doing things at snail’s pace. I often heard people saying that the Server will sort out the multiple registrations that took place in all regions, particularly those happened in Togdheer, Sanaag and Maroodi Jeex. What about the people who were never checked properly in the first phase of the voter registration? I do not believe that the Server alone will sort out this mess as it is always subject to manipulation. What guarantees we have against such practices, or malpractices happening again? No chance in hell. Most people’s concern, especially those in Awdal and Sahil, is the fact that the NEC together with Rayaale’s incompetent government may choose the easier way and sweep things under the carpet by allocating arbitrary figures to every region on the basis of this discredited voter registration. Rumours are that Rayaale’s trusted men are already in action to test the dissenting voices in Awdal and elsewhere.

The recent proposal by the NEC that an extra 15 days will be allocated to all Somaliland regions (even to those who helped themselves illegally) to sort out this voter registration mess is a smoke screen and futile exercise intended to sooth the under registered and grieving regions of Awdal and Sahil.

I have come across some newspaper reports (notably Jamhuuriya) accusing Awdal of child registration while paying little or no attention to the massive voter registration rigging committed earlier in Togdheer, Hargeisa and Sanaag. I cannot recall the said paper and other likeminded ones questioning the validity of the voter registration results of the said regions. This shows how our so-called independent press is divided along tribal lines and putting a wedge between tribes. Hypocrisy is alive and kicking in Somaliland.

A few years back president Rayaale’s government has forced Somaliland regions to choose their MPs on the basis of 1960s electoral quota multiplied by 2.5, promising that the next election will be based on one man one vote. Four years on and we are no where near to an acceptable and fair system of representation, mainly due to the fact that some tribes are always flouting the law to their advantages and the only system they seem to have faith in it is tribal supremacy. The so-called national political parties in Somaliland are nothing but names.

In Somaliland teashops and other public places the question most people are asking themselves is: How many MPs from our tribe are represented in UDUB, KULMIYE and UCID? And we are not talking here about the laymen and uneducated. We are talking about the cream of the nation, including our politicians. This is a clear indication how we are bereft of the principles of multiparty democracy, and it further underscores how our allegiance is to the tribe and not to the existing political parties. Our so-called multiparty democracy is nothing, but a farce.

Truthfulness is a rare commodity in today’s Somaliland. Some people can go to an extra length to ask their kids to lie about their ages and almost about everything to gain a competitive tribal edge against the others. Are we not worried about creating a generation of liars in the future? Let us not forget that justice is for all and not only for the so-called minority tribes. Failure to administer justice for all could usher in a period of uncertainty to Somaliland people as a whole. Moreover, if we cannot stick to what we are breaching (democracy) we might as well scrap our political parties and stick to what we know best: tribalism. Hence share things on tribal basis. What we are witnessing today in Somaliland is the fact that tribes are jostling for power and supremacy at an alarming proportions, often at the expense of others by using all the tricks in the book. So long as this is our motto, this country is going nowhere. We need to go back to the drawing board.

By Mohamed Yabarag

www.awdalnews.com

As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand

[Somaliman50]

why are you guys so harsh on elan eh? just because he is isaaq, he has to be pro somaliland? isnt hadraawi anti somaliland asagoo habraha kasoo jeeda? haddaba wax sheeg hee

[The_Emperior5]

why are you guys so harsh on elan eh? just because he is isaaq, he has to be pro somaliland? isnt hadraawi anti somaliland asagoo habraha kasoo jeeda? haddaba wax sheeg hee

hadraawii is somalilander , even if hadraawi was pro somaliweyn, he does not put his people down , elan is not isaaq he puts his people down. hadraawii wa abwaan. somaliyeed he likes that title

[Somaliman50]

emperior, FAH beesha hawiye ayuu ka dhashay, asagoo hawiyaha aflagaadaynaya na waad aragtaa, laakin cid asalkiisa beeniya m jirto waayo everybody has their own opinion sxb.