loooool......You are wrong saaxiib JB...he has people like Duke, Emperor and DQ behind him...lol...or did they change their mind? HE HAS THE WHOLE OF PUNTLAND BEHIND HIM. Believe me!!! I've witnessed with my own eyes the love they have for him.

I never knew it was happening. I heard about it two days ago. I would have gone, Insh'Allah I'll be there for the elections. I was at the crowing in Garowe for the Islaan, and I was in Lascaanod for the crowing of the Garaad. Great experience.

I watched the video, I only heard Somalia mentioned. Not one reference to Somaliland in any way. Not even it as a breakaway region. You should change the title of the thread.

He's coming back to his base, to show all Somalis that he is not alone and has the support of Puntland. He's basically saying, look i'm not powerless i've got a whole state backing me.

African Own, I believe that our elections will be hard fought one. I also intend on witnessing them insha'Allah. I'm not sure who will win because it is so close but from my experiences in Puntland the people there lost everything in the south and came to a land that had no development. There was a road and a half built port. Everything there was built by the hard working people. If you leave for 6 months and return you'll notice how many new homes and businesses opened. I heard Bosasso is growing so quickly that development has expanding to near the mountains. The elections will be peaceful and fair and the best man will win. Like other fair governments in the world, extending your term is a big no no, especially in Puntland. I'm sure it will be a tight race that is fair and on time. I guess what impresses me with Puntland is that like I stated earlier there was almost no development after the civil war broke out and it has less agriculture then other area's in East Africa, but the people there have perservered, came together and made something out of nothing. Now it's a state that people from all over Somalia come for refugee. When President Cade Muse won the last election, he shook all other candidates hands and assumed power peacefully! So yeah, we'll see who wins.

got news for you, and it’s that Somaliland is going for the fourth public-wide consecutive election in it’s so short of its history. So from your own words you have had 3 public-wide "elections", so what's the delay in this one? Voter Registration? So the previous ones were selections? This is the bottom line, after the disasterous U.S trip Riyaale took. Where thousands were called to rally for independance all over your enclave. Which Riyaale himself had planned to come back a hero, guaranteeing him re-election. He was basically sent away from meeting and told that we are not recognizing you or on the verge of recognizing you. He no longer had anything to run on, he lost the ability to brainwash the masses with the independance dream. All of a sudden elections are pushed back a year. We'll wait and see if there are elections on time.

Who's my uncle? My point is that I continuously here how everything is amazing in Somaliland, and how they are better then everyone else because of democracy. But you are yet to prove you can hold elections on time let alone hand over power. Things aren't as great as you make it out to be. We'll see if the elections are held on time!!!

Election This isn't my opinion according to this Somaliland site, it seems to me that even they have no clue when it will be and that it is continuously being postponed. I even sense frustration in how it is written, so like I said Somaliland has more problems then it likes to admit. Somaliland.org The presidential election was due to be held on or before the end of the current president's term. President Riyale's five year term ends on April 14, 2008. His five year term started from April 14, 2003 although he was sworn in as president in May 2002, one day after the death of president Egal in a South African Hospital The new National Electoral Commission, which went to work only in September 2007, in agreement with the three national political parties, postponed the date for the presidential elections to August 31, 2008 to give itself more time to complete the voter registration in the country. Local elections were due to be held in December 2007 but were also postponed for the same reason to June of 2008 -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Muddada Xilka Loo Doortay Mud. Riyaaleo Oo Gabaabsi ah, Maxaa lagu xasuusan doonaa Maalinta Doorashada Loo Dareerayo Somaliland.Org — Somaliland — 21 April, 2007

Somaliland has way more problems then Sool and Sanaag so stop beating the weak war drums. I've said it countless times it was Habsaade's miliia men who come from Lascaanod that switch sides. Nothing to do with Somaliland. Riyaale has been Vice Pres or Pres for far too long. He's not willing to step down and they can't afford any conflict. If any of the other opposition leaders win, it will look like even more of a tribal enclave. So either Riyaale wins (if there are another set of elections) or their are none!!!

Al-Qaeda fugitives from Iraq and Afghanistan settled in southern Somalia and formed religious fundamentalist groups like Al-Itahad Al-Islamiya and Al-Shabab armed groups. Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden visited Somalia in mid 1996 along with number of his children. Large number of Arab and Somali fighters in Afghanistan against the Russian occupation entered Somalia after collapse of Somali government 1991. So Bin Laden Visited Somalia? Someone tell the writer of this article the terrorist card is played out. He must have been in a coma for the last 5 years or something. No joke, I'm completely serious. I think he was high on khat when he wrote this garbage.

Protocol, Secessionists have an obession with Puntland, even though this thread had to do with Amin's Sketch showing Somaliland and the TFG, some how they find a way to try and attack Puntland. You exposed them with facts and the facade that is their so called democratic state, they started childish insults. Leave it at that! Well done.

Well said!

Where do you see Doorasho in Somaliland, where do you see Public wide elections? Your leader said 7 or 8 months ago we are having problems with national elections, so I'm extending my term. Just a few weeks ago he said we are having problems because of the effects of the bombing. So elections may not occur. He's not fooling anyone! Everyone including the international community is fully aware he has no intention of giving up power and that in any other real democratic nation it would be unacceptable to continuously extend his power. He's a typical African leader (a pretender). Riyaale will never leave after being on top for so long! They also know there is tension because people know that if one of the two major sub-families win the election things will get messy. So they keep Riyaale there who comes from a minor group to act as a middle man. There will be no public wide elections unless your leader Riyaale is certain he will win like the other one he won. So he's waiting for his disapproval to boil down. He can't use the old line that recognition is around the corner, because it lost it's power.

Video

Please don't tell me they sent that to Reuters? This must be a rough copy of it.

Every single paragraph has the "The government of the Republic of Somaliland" in it. It's completely unnecessary. "The government of Somaliland" is enough, and doesn't have to be in every paragraph. It's as if he's trying to advertise that Somaliland calls its self a republic.

The only dry areas are parts of Togdheer and far Northern Berbera. That is pretty much it. Puntland has none. Stop with the lies, I've travelled all over Puntland probably more then the average person that visits. Wallahi Billahi I took this picture right outside of Qardho on my way to Garowe. This is from my private collections, I have others with people standing in the grass, but I haven't asked them if they minded if I posted it. Regardless this is puntland and believe me there are Area's that are Rich. Do you hear of fights taking place over land there's an abundance, sure not as much as others but it's strategic location makes up for it?

The thought of peaceful negotiation is a foreign thing to so many of the court supporters. However Sharif understands the power of dialogue, which is why I think he will lead one day. But so many see it as a sign of weakness when you sit down and want to talk. All they want is war war war. Sharif cannot make the same mistake as the ICU, by making himself, Aweys, Indhacade etc, the main leaders. He must have a diverse leadership made of Somalis from all over and regardless how much they hate Reer Puntland they must include them also, or they will be seen again as a tribal movement and won't pass Gaalkayo.

Wow, now Lascaanod is being spoken about. Riyaale came there to campaign in 2002 and was chased out within hours of arriving never to return again. Habsaade is fired from Puntland in 2007 and within a couple weeks he switches Lascaanod away and you're going to actually brag? Whoever Habsaade aligns himself with determines who controls Lascaanod. Bottom line.

And, in for emphasis sake in here, perhaps, you should recalled as to how the intelligence services of the Franch State first come to Somaliland, in-order to reach an agreement with the authorities there; long before the "special French forces" first came to Berberra as a staging post on their way of capturing the pirates in Puntland could proceed. Map Who are you kidding, why would they need Berbera's port when Djibouti is so close by? I'm so sure they don't have enough fuel to fly the short distance to Djibouti where the french have a massive base there. Stratigically Somaliland is of little interest to them with Djibouti so close.

I wonder where that hate was when the SNM, USC, SSDF etc....used Ethiopian weapons, training and sanctuary to attack their nation. It's funny how the same people that claim to have such a hatred for them now, were once shaking their hands and thanking them for helping them. Don't get me wrong it was time for Siad to go, but how can you know bash the same people that you went to for help once? It's not like Afghanistan using U.S weapons to fight a foriegn army like the Soviets. All our rebel groups went to Ethiopia to fight our own government. WE set ourselves up for all this!!!

Red Sea if they are not after the hard earned peace, who attacked you guys with suicide bombers?

All the while Cabdullahi Amxaar puts the final touch on his exile preparation, as he hunts for residences in London, Nairobi, and Tripoli. He always has and always will have Puntland supporting him 100%. Why would he have to look for residences anywhere else?

As we are coming closer to divisive moments of our history through election, I would also call for all the candidates to stop hiding behind their qabiils. And come forward to convince us, the people, as to why they should be elected. Someone who cannot rely on his deeds and qualifications in order to persuade the people, is not someone to be trusted. I heard many people say in Puntland that "Reer Gaalkayo had their oppurtunity to lead Puntland for quite some time." Mr. Nuridin "Obama" Dirie who is reer gaalkayo knows that other area's are asking for their chance to lead. This is why he speaks about democracy and and no more qabiil and "yes we can". If he goes into Puntland and starts preaching about no more qabiil, and other nonesense this article talks about; he'll be laughed at!!! I think Hassan Abshir is the biggest threat, he is very experienced and most importanly very well known by everyone in Puntland. Many of the other Candidates who flew in less then two months before the elections made a big mistake. Wasting so much time. I know they were raising money for their campaigns. But they had years to do that. Anyways it'll be good elections. I plan on flying out very soon witness them insha'Allah.

Agreement A land of opportunity Somalia, plagued by pirates operating in its waters, warring factions and border conflicts, is not a place where foreign investors are falling over themselves to put their money. But Dubai's Lootah Group has bucked the trend by signing a Dh170 million agreement with the President of Puntland, a self-governing state in the north-east of the country, to support the construction of an airport, seaport and free zone in the coastal city of Bosaso. The group has experience of infrastructure projects in Djibouti and Tanzania and believes Somalia, virtually untouched by modern development, could become a successful trading hub with help from overseas investors. Tarek Niazi, an advisor and consultant to Lootah Group, said: "This area is in need of development and it is untouched, which means it has tremendous potential." Puntland has remained relatively stable since the 1991 civil war, compared with Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, which is still troubled by tribal conflict. The state declared itself autonomous in 1998 though it supports Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), which has established little authority since its formation in 2000. Puntland says it will retain control of its affairs until the capital manages to halt the fighting in its region. But the lack of foreign investment combined with a high level of migration of its people has meant that the development of the state's institutions and infrastructure has been slow. But the government believes the situation is about to change thanks to Lootah's investment plus the exploration for oil that is under way 120km from Bosaso in the Dharoor and Nogal valleys. Prospectors believe this area could be Africa's second largest oil reserve after Sudan. Puntland's President Mohamoud Musa Hersi Adde told Emirates Business about the opportunities opening up in the state during an interview at the presidential palace following last week's signing of the Lootah agreement. "I believe that when we finish all these projects our people will benefit by getting good health services, education and overall prosperity," he said. "We have our regulations that will protect the interests of Puntland and we control our natural resources but the TFG will get its share of royalties if oil is discovered. "The Lootah Group has seen the prospects of this land and we are grateful for the opportunity. We are rich in minerals, fish and livestock and need to establish better ways of trading, and this is now going to happen with this latest agreement." The existing airport, little more than a 1km strip of gravel running parallel to the Gulf of Aden, has no control tower, terminal or ticket office. A few soldiers take care of passport control. Moving out to Airport Road, which like all other streets in Bosaso is unpaved, visitors pass through small neighbourhoods of wooden huts before reaching rows of stone and breeze-blocked housing. Between these homes are heaps of rubble and rubbish, making the city look untidy and indicating that there is little organisation nor funds to clear up the area. Of more concern to residents is food and water. Food is bought from tiny market stalls or received from UN handouts while water is collected from street wells. Electricity supplies are limited and at night the city is plunged into near darkness, with the only visible lighting coming from the perimeters of the few larger homes or the odd TV outside a hut or shop. Lootah's advisory Niazi said the many obstacles faced by Puntland were what made it attractive. "You have to take risks in business and we are taking the first steps to invest here. On top of this the Lootah Group has experience in Djibouti and Tanzania." Lootah, set up in 1973, has its own engineers, a construction division and asphalt and ready mix companies, which will work together to complete the projects. The new airport has been under construction since 2006 with a new terminal building completed earlier this year. It was in the departure lounge of this terminal, visible from the existing runway, that the Lootah deal was signed in front of hundreds of community representatives. Now Lootah will complete the 3.4km runway, taxi and apron areas, security fences and auxiliary buildings to international standards over the next 12 months. At present the only usable runway sees half a dozen aircraft a week carrying UN supplies, other cargo and passengers travelling from Dubai via Djibouti. It is hoped that following the completion of the new airport this number will rise to 10 or even 15 flights a week taking-off and landing in Bosaso, 50 per cent of which will be trade runs. Abdullahi Ali Hersi, Puntland's Minister of Public Works, Transport and Air Transport said: "Accessibility to many locations in the state is dependent on these facilities, especially in view of the poor or non-existent road network. "Bosaso airport will constitute a vital trading platform, stimulating local business, economic development, employment and communication with other countries." It is hoped that some of the two million Somali diaspora will return to the country with jobs becoming available through the three projects. There are also plans to build a seaport which will allow both cargo ships and fishing boats to dock. Dawood Silman Al Nasur, Lootah's Development of Investment Manager, said: "It is a small port at the moment but we aim to extend it so larger ships can use it. This is a stepping stone to increasing trade and will come with its own risks of security and stability which we are addressing." The Intergratia Business Group, a subsidiary of Lootah, has signed a 10-year agreement to co-manage the customs facilities at Bosaso. Puntland has an abundance of lobster, tuna and other seafood off its shores which the president believes, with regulated trade, could be worth millions of dollars. In his dealings with the international community he has long called for help to secure the waters of Somalia from illegal fishermen from Kenya but says that this appeal, along with others to curb piracy, have often been ignored. "We have a coast of 1,600km and unfortunately there is a big problem with illegal fishing in our waters, which we have had no assistance in fighting," he said. "The international community talks about tackling pirates but it is not at sea where the battle is, it is on the land. That is where they need to be fighting this problem, at its base." He said Puntland's police force had captured seven pirate vessels and imprisoned 100 pirates so far this year. But just a day after the Lootah deal was signed, two suicide bombers – from outside Puntland, according to the president – killed six intelligence staff. Although, an isolated incident it adds to the challenges facing Puntland. But the fact the government has hope and longed-for foreign investment means that small steps are being taken to make the state a prosperous and stable place. Trading partner The UAE is one of Puntland's main trading partners. Livestock, dry fish and fresh seafood are exported to the UAE; Puntland relies on the Emirates for essential commodities, petroleum, food, electrical equipment and construction material. Some 48.3 per cent of Puntland's exports are destined for the UAE and 5.1 per cent of imports come from the UAE. "We have historical relations with the Gulf countries going back centuries; all of our commerce depends on the Gulf and all of our imports come from the UAE." said Puntland President Mohamoud Musa Hersi Adde. Dubai International Airport is one of the few international airports to accommodate Puntland's Daallo Airlines, making it a trading hub for the semi-autonomous state. Rough guide Puntland is a region in north-eastern Somalia. Unlike neighbouring Somaliland, it does not seek outright independence. The name is derived from the Land of Punt mentioned by ancient Egyptian sources, which is believed by some to have existed in what is now Somalia. Puntland has 1,600km of coastline, which is abundant with fish and other natural marine resources. However, after the collapse of the Somali central government in 1991, the coast was left unguarded against foreign intruders. Puntland exports great quantities of seafood such as lobsters, dried fish, shark vines and tuna. Sea salt is also produced along with frankincense, gum arabic. The official languages of Puntland are Somali and Arabic. It has a land area of 250,000 sq km and a population of 2.4 million people, based on 2003 estimates.