For Faroole, Galkacyo is a problem child. No doubt about that. It has two fundamental issues that denies it the stability it so desperately needs 1) diverse, large clans that is armed to the teeth, 2) geography places it at the heart of Somali instability. Good news is both issues can be overcome with courrage. Will he be willing to go the extra mile or will he he contineu his ceremonial local admin changes ? What you think Duke?

There is nothing especial about Garsoor, Che. Every community in Galkacyo have paid a price for city's insecurity.

A new Mudug could indeed be a possible outcome of Galkacyo's current pains.

A boos celis thread...

Cimri dheerarka caamadu ma fahmaan. Waxay moodaan in waqtigii alle kuugu talagalay ka badan la noolaanayo. Sidaa maaha , ee cimri dheerarka waxaa laga wadaa nolosha ayyaa tayo yeelanaysa. Waabad iska noolaanaysaa markaad sida libaaxii subax walba meel hor leh ood u taliso kasoo toosto. nuune baa arrimahan aad u yaqaan, sharax culumada soo koobi kara ee aan asaga uga baxo

Al-Miskiin;714314 wrote: PS. When people refer Idil Ibrahim as a Muslim, though I personally do not know this, it's because we hope the best for her. I like to think the best thing for her, cuz it's Islamicly correct, is called "Husn al athan"= Basicly is means to think the best for people, in western term it's "benefit of the doubt"! Aqoontu waa taa! Idil, aside from the fact that she was born and grew up here in the US when there weren't that many Muslims/Somalis around, IS a Muslim. She loves being Muslim. She advocates Muslims. And when it comes to Somali issues, she is an asset. Her most recent efforts were about documenting Somali diaspora voices ...she sat down with Imaams, elders, women, and families to capture the true narrative of Somalis in the US. That is the big picture, ikhyaarta. Details of her personal life, may not be pleasing as personal lives usually are. Laakiin gabadha yaan lagu fogaan.

^^Xaaji Xunjuf, Spare us the cheap clannish shots. No one takes the likes of you serious since you are a seccesionst with fond memoreis of yesteryears colonial era. Galkacyo, and Somalia for that matter, will overcome the challenges facing it.

Agreed with Duke the failed leadership of the locals are to blame. I am not optimistic on Galkacyo, however. All the root cause analysis I have been hearing, is (I judge) shallow and has cowardice quality. 1- Security can only be addressed when there is a legitimate authority for the entire city. Yet all I hear from politicians regarding Galkacyo issues is security security security, while it is clear that residents of the city are superficially segmented by two different authorities. Galkacyo must be brought under one single authority. And this is achievable (more achievable btw than securing a divided city) through serious, balanced strategy devised to bridge the gap between the two admins. One should not be concern with mere names when the livelihood of entire city's residents is at stake. Solution: one single, unified authority for the city.

^^Neatly put. Though this is a online fora, hadana mar-marka qaarkood markaan Suldaankoo kale arko caqliga landreska ta waan la yaabaa. In their mind, SL is a country, yet their favorite analogy is Puntland, instead of Ethiopia or Yemen

Liqaye & Gabal, You are showcasing a peculiar political naïveté in your confidence of certain personalities in TFG. I personally have no problem with Sharif and Farmaajo. I believe the former tried and failed. The latter though fresh and capable of doing great things is not in a position to be effective given the fractious nature of the TFG institutions. The current political setup does not really lend itself to enable anyone to succeed. It MUST be changed. Your strong feeling against Puntland’s role is noted but the whole point of this thread is to endorse/promote a conference where such perceptions/grievances, mistrusts are remedied by Somalis themselves. Somalia as a country failed. And Somaliland, good Gabal, is part of it. Ours is a political division, and in that sense there is no hardened positions that cannot be bridged…all Somalis need to do is talk through what is practically feasible and compromise. The read on the ground is quite legible: Somalia as a whole needs its state back.

Libaax, There is no good defense for keeping AMISOM in Mogadishu. AMISOM boys tried but failed to defeat alshabaab, it is time for them to go home. Any resultant government from all inclusive conference shall be based on somewhere else until a good, realistic strategy is devised to deal with alshabaab either militarily or politically. Whatever strategy is chosen to apply to alshabaab must be done by Somalis alone. The world gives pennies to Somalis yet dictates us in a way that retarded our ingenuity to resolve our problems. There is no precedent for what we are going through. I await your further input.

General Duke;712250 wrote: Xiin, You made valid points, if Puntland sent a team led by Abdulkadir Ali Hashi or Dr Jimcaale to Mogadishu and sat with the cabinet, things could easily be worked out. Instead everyone meets in foreign lands and talks through foreigners. Generale, the lack of relationship between Somali players in our conflict is what facilitates and sustains current intervention. I am amazed how uninitiated we are in this basic requirement 0f solving our political impasse. Somalis will have fond memory for the years to come of whoever breaks first the political culture of empowering foreign entities to facilitate Somali talks. I would be happy for whoever takes the initiative first, Faroole or Sharif/Farmaajo team.

^^Waad haysaa ya Ustaad Xaaji Xunguruf, both Godane and Siilaanyo (a man I respect) should have reserved seats on the front row, they are welcome as they are important players. PS. we can even persuade Faroole to accept a Hargeysa hosted one , if secessionist can wake up from their delusion, and get on board as they will eventually have to do on Somali unity.

:D:D@Somalia .. dont want Anglo Saxon Somali's with different Genes.

Generale, lets hope these men realize now is the moment to compromise. Especially the Farmaajo/Sharif Cabinet and that of Puntland is full of a competent men who can discern real political requirement for stable Somalia. I am sure they understand that none of them will ever have real authority as long strong Somali state is absent .

Milestones to get the Momentum going; It appears, for the first time, Somalis across political spectrum agree on the need for Somalis to come together and solve this conflict by themselves. This is a welcome first step, but critical questions remain unanswered, most pressing of which are who would lead the process, which venue would be best fit for it, and can it be done without input from international war profiteers (i.e. UN NGOs). But more importantly, what would alshabaab’s role be? Can a government without this group ever be formed and succeed? Since 2006, attempts of military intervention and international isolation to weaken alshabaab’s military superiority in the south have been tried to no avail. Despite recent publicity of tfg military successes, the movement still holds sway in large, important centers in the south, Mogadishu included. If the goal of any Somali conference is to stabilize the country and reach political settlement, any reconciliation process must take into account, find room for alshabaab movement. How would Somalis ever do that? The Nairobi meeting was effective in the sense that it made amply clear that the UN project in Somalia has only one deliverable, and that is to ensure the instability in Somalia continues. Sharif Hassan turned out to be the sole looser. Galmadug had an opportunity to introduce itself to an important gathering, so it gained political stature, and cemented its place in Somali affairs as a federal state. Faroole has gotten an audience to present Puntland’s achievements and build case for its capacity to hold Somali conference. And to a large degree he succeeded in that regard. But if he is serious in achieving the honor of holding Somalia’s last gathering to reestablish its lost statehood, he must build bridges with the TFG executive. It is improbable that Somaliland will endorse Puntland in holding a conference, so Faroole needs to reach out TFG leaders and convince them that he has the logistics to organize a gathering. He seems to be competing with TFG over the influence of UN offices, and that is really a bad sign for a leader who claims to want the return of Somali state. He has the logistics, the land, and structure of government and for that he deserves a respect but he must not repeat the mistakes of former Puntland leaders in rushing to attain Somalia’s empty, and broken presidential seat. TFG has done a good job in framing their rejection of the Nairobi meeting as an opposition to foreign meddling, but they come a bit a late in suggesting an alternative for Somali owned conference. Farmaajo’s proposal for a June conference is a welcome step in that regard. But tfg has allowed a leadership vacuum to develop, and that vacuum is partially occupied by other leaders now, Faroole included. If they truly want to leave behind a good legacy for Somalis, they must rise above the petty arguments between them and other Somali regional admins. Sharif and Farmaajo need to reach out to Puntland, Somaliland and other states and work toward ensuring an independent Somali owned conference is held inside Somalia. They must understand theirs is not a government, but a political arrangement to transition the country from the twenty-year impasse. So insisting for extension for themselves defeats the purpose. I am sure other Somalis will understand for us to attain a full functioning government, a temporary political arrangement with trust worthy leadership will be needed. But that arrangement need not be the continuation of the current one. Farmaajo and Sharif can play a constructive role in shaping that arrangement through consensus seeking, and confidence building means, and in good faith they shall succeed. As for Alshabaab, if they turn down the invitation as they are expected to do, the conference shall proceed without them. If other Somalis agree to put their differences behind and work together to revive their government, they shall devise other strategies to draw in alshabaab support. Alshabaab authority shall be treated as regional admins. I am sure the political environment will impose limitations on alshabaab rhetoric once other Somalis agree on all-inclusive central government. The formula of holding an independent Somali owned conference is simple: respect, compromise, collaboration, and coordination between tfg, and other regional states. Will the Somalis do this? What you think?

Goes where Faroole went ...it is good move on Siilaanyo's part Tolow NGONGE ma raacay

UN confrence on Somalia ends to reform parliament 13 Apr 13, 2011 - 1:08:57 PM United Nations High consultative meeting for Somalia has ended in Kenya with a joint statement on Wednesday, Radio Garowe reports. Somali parliament speaker, Puntland state president, Galmudug State president and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaa Islamists attended the meeting. Two dozen stakeholders from the international community observed the proceedings, including regional organizations such as the African Union, European Union, IGAD (Chair), League of Arab States and Organisation of the Islamic Conference. The motive of the meeting was to exchange views, importance of working together and discuss about how to move forward when the government’s transitional mandate expires, which is scheduled to expire on August this year. The parties attended the meeting agreed these on the following points: 1- The need to end the Transition according to the provisions of the Transitional Federal Charter, which calls for elections of the President of the TFG and the Speaker of the TFP and his deputies before the end of the Transition, i.e. August 2011; 2- On the extension of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), it was proposed that the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) could be extended for a period of two years; this was not seen as an end in itself, but as a requirement to complete certain critical tasks, including preparations for eventual national elections. 3- To strengthen security and to redouble joint efforts to defeat extremism – both politically and militarily ‐ and to fight against piracy, human smuggling, illegal fishing and the dumping of toxic waste; 4- To reform the current TFP and to intensify the process of outreach and reconciliation with the “states”, regional authorities, civil society and the Diaspora and to make propositions to reform the next Parliament; 5- to accelerate progress towards a new federal Constitution; it was acknowledged that this is a shared responsibility between the TFIs, the states, regional authorities and other stakeholders including the international community; 6- previous agreements between the TFG, “states” (Puntland), regional administrations and Ahlu Sunna Wa’al Jamaa should be adhered to and implemented. 7- to extend immediate assistance to areas recently recovered from armed groups, including Mogadishu, as well as generally to increase the provision of humanitarian and development assistance ‐ at federal, state, regional and district levels – in order to alleviate the current drought and famine. A statement from United Nation Political office for Somalia says During the meeting, the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator emphasised the urgent need for additional humanitarian and development funding. The importance point of the agreement is to modify the transitional parliament of Somalia which its members is 550 memebrs and to extend their term for two more years. Somali Transitional parliament extended their term early on February three more years and Somali President and Prime Minister extended one more year for their term.

Chimera, adeer it is about conflict resolution/management. Assume you are an initiated elder in the affairs of the ummah, sitting under acacia tree. Village folks come to you for mediation. They identified the parties in the conflict: x, y, and z. The conflict is about a control of a piece of land. x has .9 percent, y has .06 percent, and z has .04 percent. z tried every conceivable method to expand its control to no avail, and so did y. It is an stalemate. Put your biases aside, and be as impartial as you can possibly be, in this situation what would you do, ya The Judicious Chimera. Remember your task is to settle this thing, that is what the village folks want. Just for a second, forget the real names of the disputing parties, just use the variables in the equation: would you ever ignore the x in the conflict?

Term extension for current PMs is nonstarter. Sharif Hassan is the most reliable man for NRB NGOs Having that in mind cinwaanku waa inuu ahaadaa: Somali gudaha dalkeeda ha ku tashato.

Though a bit late, it is a good move nevertheless

Farmaajo had shown a much needed courage in his cabinet selection, but unless the political in which he is fated to operate changes I dont see him succeeding. I am not the one to believe foreign troops will defeat alshabaab. In the long run, absent of any political settlement, alshabaab will prevail against foreign intervention. All the current offenses, and the gains they made (if any) are sustained by AMISOM. Perhaps we need to remember that Ethiopian troops under Abdullaahi Yusuf term, made much larger gains but did not last because there was no a Somali capacity to sustain it.

Zack, kacaan aanan kugu ogeyn baa ku galay ina aabo! No, Puntland is not based on unfair clan system. There is no 4.5 in Puntland. That is not to say Puntland does not need major political reform. Puntland needs to make the transition from clan delegation forming its parliament, to elections where people elect thier reps just like the SL region did.

Courtesy thanks for Mahiga aside, Farole is spot on his four-point presentation. Puntland 1- opposes term-extension for the TFG institutions, 2- wants major reform of the TFG Parliament, as 550 MPs selected on the basis of the divisive and clan-based 4.5 Formula do not represent the Somali people and will not deliver positive outcome. It is equally important to reduce the MPs to a reasonable number, as it is to enforce a legitimate selection criteria based on constituency. Both points are valid politically, and strategically. The only thing is that Farole needs to be aware of international community's trap in deepening the political segmentation of the country. Stop going to foreign capitals for Somali conferences. Somali conference, as Farole offered before, must be held inside Somalia. The other thing is Farmajo and Sharif need not go to NRB but must provide a vision beyond 08/2011.

loool@qorsheynayaan in dharbaaxo ku dhuftaan al-shabaab Kismayo alla maxaa been laysku sheegay