SOMALILAND WARNS AUSTRALIAN FIRM OVER MINING DEAL

[fagash_killer]

Excerpt from unattributed report in English entitled "Warning by Somaliland government to Australian mining company" published by Somali newspaper The Somaliland Times website on 14 January

The Somaliland government has issued a strongly worded warning to both an Australian mining company called Range Resources Limited and the administrators of the Majertenia enclave (Puntland) in neighbouring Somalia against entering the territories of Somaliland including the Sool and Sanaag regions.

The warning came in a statement issued on Tuesday 10 January 2006 by the Ministry of Foreign of Affairs of the republic of Somaliland. The ruler of the neighbouring Majertenia region of Puntland, Adde Muse (Muhammad Muse Hirsi) concluded a deal for the exploration of oil, gas and minerals with Range Resources Limited in October 2005.

The main features of the agreement were published on 6 January 2006 by Haatuf , our sister Somali publication. Under the agreement, Range Resources Limited enters into a conditional heads of agreement to acquire 50.1 per cent interest in the sole and exclusive rights to all mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and development in Puntland. But a "contract of work" signed by the government of Puntland grants a smaller company, which is called "Consort Private Ltd" (registered in the Maldives islands), exclusive rights to exploit all subsoil resources in Puntland. The agreement promotes Puntland as "the Democratic State of Puntland" and claims that it covers an approximately 212,500 square kilometres, including Somaliland's Sool and Sanaag regions as well as parts of the Hiiraan Region in Somalia.

Under the terms of the agreement, Consort advances the government of Puntland 1.5m dollars payable before or on 20 October 2005. An amount of 1m dollars was to be paid to Puntland once all relevant approvals have been obtained. Another consideration term provided that 17 monthly instalments of 200,000 dollars each commencing on 15 November 2005 be paid to Puntland.

Meanwhile, Adde Muse admitted only last Tuesday [10 January] that he had actually received 1.5m dollars from the Australians. He said the money was used for enlarging and equipping Boosaaso's airport. [Passage omitted]

BBC MONITORING INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

BBC Monitoring

[ayqeerto]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

you make ayqeerto laugh :lol: :lol:

[salafi_student]

I personally think all Muslims should be under one banner with one country ruled by the Sharia.

What is for sure is that these borders were drawn by the past colonial powers that masterminded dividing people in anyway possible and led to destroying many cultural or religious values shared where ever they went. this colonial traces are very much real in Somalia after nearly half of a century still results of a fragile and imaginary tribal boundaries, guarded by the tribal henchmen.



something to make you think .......

Your brother salafi_student

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