By ABDULKADIR KHALIF Africa Review Monday, August 29 2011 Somalia and Puntland have seemingly resolved their differences after Transitional Federal Government President Shariff Sheikh Ahmed made a surprise visit to the semi-autonomous state Sunday. Puntland, which unlike Somaliland does not seek to secede, had in January this year cut ties with Somalia's transitional government over what is said were policy differences. "The TFG and Puntland State will closely cooperate for the benefit of the Somali people," said President Ahmed after hours of closed-door talks with Puntland leaders including President Abdurahman Sheikh Mohamed Farole. President Ahmed told a news conference that the two regions would no longer squabble over national issues and would now work closely together. The Somali President, who was warmly received by the public and officials, said two meetings brokered by the UN to thrash out differences were planned. "The first phase of the meeting will be held in Mogadishu," he said, adding that security in the Somali capital had improved since the fundamentalist al-Shabaab movement vacated its positions in early August. First visit He added that the next meeting would be held in Garowe, Puntland's capital, settling a months-long disagreement over where to hold such talks. It was President Ahmed's first visit to Puntland since he was elected head of state in 2009. The Sunday talks in Garowe were catalysed by Somalia’s prime minister, Prof Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, and Dr Augustine Phillip Mahiga, the seasoned diplomat from Tanzania who is the UN secretary-general’s special envoy to Somalia. Source: Africa

The Zack;743162 wrote: Che, the word on the street says that this was Mahiga idea, after all the TFG has started taking orders from Mahiga after Farmaajo's departure. Word on the street? This was a much-anticipated visit by the transitional President and a manifestation of his political maturity. Good for Somalia.

Good News. In the meantime we build and push the nation-building efforts, PL should respect and abide by the federal laws on important matters related to the natural resources of the nation.

Have your say..... Puntland Vice President Shire thanked Prime Minister Gas for taking the time to visit Puntland, while commending Puntland government ministries and educational institutions for all the hard work and commitment. Later on Saturday, Prime Minister Gas met with community elders from Sool region, where Somaliland's separatist government claims ownership and has created instability in northern Somalia. Sool community elders consider Somaliland's presence in Las Anod (capital of Sool region) as an "occupation" but Somaliland claims ownership based on defunct colonial-era boundaries. The media was not allowed during this closed-door discussion between Prime Minister Gas, Puntland Vice President Shire and Sool community elders. It is the first visit to Puntland since his appointment as Somali Prime Minister in June. Puntland State, located in Somalia’s northeast, has been a self-governing region since 1998. The state supports a federal system of government in Somalia and has cooperative agreements with the TFG, which have not been implemented to date.

A very good point Hoosow makes, "The easy option is to say, to hell with them, if they can’t help themselves, how are we supposed to relief them? This is what my professor of politics would call a ‘simplistic view’. When there is chaos, even the most peaceful places on earth turn into a nightmare, and criminals are just a step away.* Remember hurricane Katrina in America, and how suddenly there were lootings and even rape? It was in America, not Somalia. People would do the most inhuman things when they know they can get away with it, it happened in Londonfew days ago. One can’t attribute this to a specific colour or race. Therefore, restoring some law and order is the only way the food can reach those who need it. The Somalis are too weak and divided today to do that, therefore, and external power is needed."

Few quotes here from some of the popular blogs @ Times "When [secretary of Defense Leon] Panetta and [the Obama foreign policy adviser Ben] Rhodes argue for the utility of international alliances, the advantages of having indigenous forces leading internal regime change, and the benefits of burden-sharing, they will attract very few sparring partners. If this is what constitutes the ‘Libya Model,’ the model will draw few critics. But since the Libyan revolution is far from over, one would assume the model must also be far from complete. And whatever form it finally takes, it remains to be seen whether its features will transfer to similar crises elsewhere. … Obama may wish to replicate this supporting role for the United States during future crises but it is hard to see where else in the world such conditions would reappear. Britain, France, Italy and others in Europe perceived critical interests in the Libyan crisis and pushed for action, which the United States eventually supported. Through the NATO alliance, the United States had long military experience with these countries and could thus quickly establish a workable military operation. However, when significant crises occur, say, around the Persian Gulf or in the Asia-Pacific area and critical U.S. interests are at stake, the United States will be less likely to find allies with the same motivation, the same military capabilities, and with the same combat experience to fight alongside its forces. In these cases, the United States will find itself back in the lead, an arrangement its allies have long become used to and likely prefer."Robert Haddick Another, Stanley Kurtz of the National "United Nations authorization, legal precedents like the controversial Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, and involvement of the International Criminal Court may seem like irrelevant window-dressing amidst all the power politics. Unfortunately, the internationalist agenda of tying down America’s military with U.N.-backed doctrines and law has probably been advanced by this intervention. It’s true that the unexpectedly difficult course of the war may discourage further R2P-style interventions. Should Obama be reelected, however, U.N. rules and principles will likely continue to gain ground, while congressional approval and war fighting under a robust traditional conception of American national-security interests may suffer as a result.

What did he say ?

LST, In the final analysis, the people of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia deserve the same universal rights and freedom from the authoritarian rule of one FAMILY. Yes the Arab Revolution. As of now we have to accept the fact that the Western co-belligerents regard the rebels as the parens patriae of Libya.

We Need Another ‘Operation Restore Hope’ By Abdi Hoosow* ****August 26, 2011 Somalia is facing yet another one of its unfortunate nature/human made disasters, namely a famine of a magnitude which according to the experts had not been witnessed for over 60 years. Just like in early 1990s children and women are dying on the streets, seeking help. The reason for this is multi-layered and there is the blame game among the stake holders from Washington DC to Mogadishu. Everyone is pointing fingers at his favourite enemy and political scores are made. Although the cause to the famine is multi-layered, Alshabaab is the favourite when it comes to defaming; everyone can accuse them with no consequence, in fact can get some credit, or at least feel safe from being branded as terrorist. Susan Rice, the US permanent UN representative has recently showered blame on this group highlighting the group’s rejection of aid agencies to reach the affected areas; a denunciation repeatedly voiced by the West and a number of Somali politicians. The group only fell out with WFP, but you know the drill, if not, it is called SPIN, welcome to the West. Now there is an even bigger disaster on the horizon. Aid food intended to relief starvation is being stolen and sold in the market. How is that a bigger disaster than the current? Well, corrupt government officials, NGO officers and businessmen are all joined in the hip on this one. This is not a new phenomenon. The aid agencies are aware of this and are either complacent in responding to it or have no clue what to do. In extreme situations the starving people are being murdered by thugs who come to their camps and loot their food and on top of that starving teenager girls are raped. This has taken place in Badbaado refugee camp in Mogadishu when men dressed in the TFG military uniform stormed the camp and killed famished women and children.* Despite the Somali Prime Minister’s rhetoric of creating a force that will protect both the food and the refugees, every Somali will tell you that is neither here, nor there. Those who are looting the food are in most cases the ones with the responsibility to protect them and often the government officials are involved in it overtly although most of the time covertly. For example, the Mayor of Mogadishu Mr mohamoud Ahmed Nur aka Tarzan, a British citizen from Camden, London, is implicated in such a rumour, he allegedly has been asked why he sold the food that belonged to the starving people and he reportedly responded that the government militias needed cash to fight the Alshabaab terrorists, a line used by government officials from Russia to Libya. ‘We are fighting terrorism’ has been used and re-used by various leaders who are known for their gloomy record of human rights to justify their actions, the Somali officials are no different, they watch TV and are imitating. The donors, in hearing the news that their money is being misused may think twice before they write a check, which in turn will affect the efforts being made to save lives. It has long been alleged that the aid agencies were not spending money wisely and much of the donations were spent in R&R and mismanaged transportations, however, the donors were one way or the other tolerating this. The same cannot be said about the images of big bellied Somali business men selling food rations and sacks clearly displaying WFP signs on them on our TVs. The unavoidable question remains to be, what can be done? The easy option is to say, to hell with them, if they can’t help themselves, how are we supposed to relief them? This is what my professor of politics would call a ‘simplistic view’. When there is chaos, even the most peaceful places on earth turn into a nightmare, and criminals are just a step away.* Remember hurricane Katrina in America, and how suddenly there were lootings and even rape? It was in America, not Somalia. People would do the most inhuman things when they know they can get away with it, it happened in London few days ago. One can’t attribute this to a specific colour or race. Therefore, restoring some law and order is the only way the food can reach those who need it. The Somalis are too weak and divided today to do that, therefore, and external power is needed. The international community, who, to much extent are already involved in Somali affairs from paying the government official’s salaries (including ministers and MPs and Soldiers) to resigning Prime Ministers, should send an immediate force that will protect the food, similar to those sent in early 1990s. Africa has played its part by sending Amisom troops and despite their losses and financial difficulties they still remain there, but they are insufficient. The Islamic world should contribute, as they might be better positioned in terms of religion and geography. Throwing alms at Somalia from time to time is not enough, the situation must be changed on the ground and that requires manpower. The US should reconsider their policy of non-intervention in Somalia. If the wise men in Washington thought that Somalia could be contained after abandoning it in 1990s’ the emergency of pirates, and the creation of Alshabaab are two indicators that call the health of the policy into question. The US has to get engaged in Somalia and not the proxy kind we have witnessed when Ethiopia invaded Somalia, as that policy was as ill-fated as sending Indian troops to make peace in Pakistan, neither will the snatching of individuals from Mogadishu suffice, if anything it will give the opposing group a justification for what they do, hence more recruits. A new strategy towards Somalia is vital. Alshabaab is a force to be reckoned with, they have established peace and the rule of the law, believe it or not they were the only group that could get rid of blood stained Indhacade and his cronies. They behead people, chop off hands, stone women and men to death and flog people in the market places.* They admit all of the above, are in fact proud of it and make no apologies, love them or hate them that is how they operate and it works, a number of Somalis agree with that. If that is how Somalis want it who is anyone outside the Somalis to say no? Look at the Saudis; they use the same Sharia Law, the West deals with it. If one would cut diplomatic ties because one thinks one’s internal judicial law is wrong, then the US and Europe would not be as friendly as they are, the reason being the latter’s rejection of the death penalty in the US. This in no way does not mean that Alshabaab is the best option for Somalia, there are a number of opportunities wasted by the group and their foreign policy is not particularly one that preaches peace and harmony. In the long run, their future is doomed, even if they somehow win; it is through violence and after the death and destruction on an imaginable scale. There is just no light at end of the tunnel as it is now. Pulling out of Mogadishu after so much mayhem is a clear example of their strategy. Alshabaab should reconsider their approach and learn from their mistakes. A mistake is a mistake if one does not learn from it. But they should not be ignored. The allies in Afghanistan are in negotiation with the Taliban, the last such meeting took place in Germany, why not with Alshabaab? There are those in Alshabaab that would welcome covertly such an initiation; they are less corrupted and more capable than the mafias in the suits the world calls TFG officials. If Alshabaab agrees to share the rule of Somalia and give the people the right to choose how they want to be ruled, then, Alshabaab are a force for good and will cut short the long way to reclaiming Somalia. They are as they stand the well-structured group in Somalia. If they somehow reject the idea of talking with the mouths rather than bullets, then Somalia can’t be a guinea pig for violence. Either way the country has to be attended to. Somalis can’t understand why the Americans pulled out after they lost 19 soldiers, when they have lost so many in Iraq and yet continued or when they have spent so many years in Afghanistan and yet stayed. Somalia would cost much less than Iraq or Afghanistan and stable Somalia would lead to stable Africa however, if it is left to its own fate, Somalia’s problem will not be only Somalia’s problem. This is a good time for a well thought of intervention. We need another Operation Restore Hope.

I'll. Are you up for Suxuur?

Som@li;742902 wrote: Nassir, Don't be surprised if you hear these guys holding posts in PL, Zack, Six months would have been a reasonable sentence with parole. 10 years reduced to 2 months probably

Che, I am sure you're well aware of why the Muslim world is in constant turmoil and violent intervention, This is what one of the publications of Earth Education and Research writes, Control of the world's current and future oil reserves is the single greatest source of global economic and political power . Oil reserves are identified deposits from which oil can be extracted profitably at current prices with current technology. The 11 countries that make up the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have 78% of the world's crude oil reserves...Today OPEC's members are Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela Old Sudan, Somalia and the Somali region of Ethiopia are also current and potential conflict hotspots.,.

^ have a good one as well.

Nuune, The Sovereign Wealth Fund of Libya estimated to be almost $40 billion has already insured the destruction and reconstruction of this rich country. It's a new gold rush lol. Seriously it's sad to see what's happening in beautiful Libya today.

^There was a trial? Somali, Perhaps Imam Faroole would pardon the convictees.

Somalina, PM Erdogan is neither diplomat nor consular representative for his government. Actually his government appoints both officials. So you don't agree with the professor on President Shariif's dictatotial tendency to combine both the functions of the heads of state & government?

That's what I said at a previous comment in Duke's thread. Somalina, Please read the national charter. President Abdullah Gul is in the same power rank as President Sharif - the head of state.

South African deputy president Khas urged the ICC to probe NATO war-crimes in Libya. Saxib, NATO is racing against time: Get rid of Qaddafi and his loyalists as quickly as possible and whatever means it takes to save itself an Iraqi-like quagmire.

Nuune, What's like the amount of the Eurodollar asset South Africa refused to unfreeze. It's a financial term that was coined during the cold war.

JB, The ruling by PL's First Degree Court somehow reminds me of a similar incident when a "Somaliland"-affiliated team from a relief organization was captured and arrested in Laasqoray District by local police officers at the authorization of Mr. Dabayl, the governor of Sanaag region. Their final release took a week after intense diplomatic effort of negotiation and formal apology.* It serves well that Hargeisa stays within its administrative borders (not the colonial/artificial borders) as to maintain peace with its neighbors and to spare its officials another humiliation and powerlessness like this. Besides it mustn't engage in actions such as misinformation tactics that could only make things worse than it already is for these "disputed regions". If the Hargeisa entity doesn't have the power nor the support from Sool & Sanaag other than opting for an imposed sort of political ideology, it would stand to lose much and whatever credibility of "peace" its separatist leaders use as leverage.

Maxkamadda darajada koowaad ee Garowe oo xukunno kala duwan ku ridday Arbaco, Ogoosto 24, 2011 (HOL) –Maamulka Puntland ayaa maanta xukunno kala duwan ku fuliyay masuuliyiin ka tirsan maamulka Somaliland ,kuwaasi oo lagu soo qabtay dagaal ka dhacay meel ku dhow degmada Taleex horaantii bishan. Maxkamadda darajada koowaad ee magaalada Garowe ayaa dhagaysatay eedaymihii loo soo jeediyay maxaabiista la soo taagay maxkamada ,iyadoo lagu eedeeyay in ay si sharci darro ah ku soo galeen xuduudaha Puntland. Waxaa inta badan raggan maxkamadda la hor keenay ay isugu jireen kuwa xilal kala duwan ka hayay wasaaradaha qaar ee maamulka Somaliland iyo askar ilaalo u ahayd xilligii la qabanayay. C/nuur Jaamac gudoomiyaha maxkamadda darajada koowada ee caasimadda Puntland ayaa afar kamid ah eedaysanayaashii la horkeenay maxkamadda ku riday xukun min 10-sano oo xarig ah. Afartan ruux ayaa lugu kala magacaabaa Siciid Cali Shire ,Maxamed Cali Cartan iyo Salaad Ismaaciil Maxamuud ,halka shan askari oo masuuliyiinta la socday markii la soo qabanayay lagu xukumay min shan sano oo xarig ah. Masuuliyiin ka tirsan maxkamadda ayaa sheegay in taliyihii aaga Sool u qaabilsanaa maamulka Somaliland aan la soo taagin maxkamadda ,waxaana warar soo baxaya ay sheegayaan in ay gacanta ku hayaan ciidamada daraawiishta Puntland. Mid kamid ah eedaysanayashii la soo taagay maxkamadda ayaa la cafiyay ,iyadoo la sheegay in lagu waayay danbiyadii loo haystay, isla markaana uusan kamid* ahayn maamulka Somaliland. Ugu danbayntii maamulka ayaa* la wareegay dhamaan gaadiidkii iyo hubkii lagu soo qabtay madaxdan maanta xukunada kala duwan lagu riday ,lamana garanayo sababta maxkamadda ay u qaadatay xukunadan oo ahaa kuwa aad u culus. Faysal Maxamed Hassan, Hiiraan Online

Somalia: Puntland court sentences Somaliland officials to 10 years 24 Aug 24, 2011 - 11:53:23 PM A court in Somalia’s Puntland state has sentenced four officials from Somalia’s separatist region of Somaliland to 10 years in prison, Radio Garowe reports. On Wednesday, the First Degree Court of Garowe city of Puntland proceeded with criminal hearings for eight men, including officials of Somaliland administration. The defendants were charged with illegally entering parts of Puntland and planning to commit political sabotage in favor of Somaliland, according to court documents. After presentations by the prosecutor and defense lawyers, court judge Abdinur Jama Hussein sentenced four Somaliland officials to 10 years jail-terms. The officials were identified as follows: Mr. Salad Ismail Mohamud, mayor of Las Anod; Mr. Saeed Ali Shire and Mr. Mohamed Ali Artan, officials of Somaliland’s education ministry; and Mr. Abdirashid Abdullahi, judge of Las Anod appeals court. Another four soldiers, who were all arrested on the same day, were sentenced to serve 5-year sentences in Puntland jails. A ninth man, identified as Sharmake Ali, was released after the court found him “not guilty” of the criminal charges. The three vehicles the Somaliland officials were traveling in were ruled over the Puntland police. On Aug. 11, Puntland security forces arrested 19 persons who traveled from Las Anod to Taleh district, also part of Sool region. In a press release, Puntland’s government blamed Somaliland Information Minister Ahmed Abdi Habsade for “provocation” and accused him of planning to stir insecurity in the area. READ: Puntland Responds to Somaliland Provocation at Taleh District Las Anod is the capital of Sool region, which is disputed between Somaliland’s separatist administration and the Puntland state government in northern Somalia. In 2007, Somaliland forces violently seized control of Las Anod and have subsequently appointed pro-Somaliland officials to high positions, although terrorist groups have carried out multiple assassinations against Somaliland officials in Las Anod in recent years. Somaliland's separatist administration has not responded publicly to the court ruling of its officials in Puntland. Somaliland claims ownership over Sool and Sanaag regions whose inhabitants are from Puntland clans, thereby leading to 'border' fighting between Puntland and Somaliland, regions in northern Somalia. Puntland considers itself as part of a future federal Somalia, while Somaliland unilaterally declared independence in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally. Source: Garowe Online

NGONGE, It seems many from this region support the initiative taken by the Chinese firm. But we should be wary of the Ethiopian regime and its forced integration policies to leave the war-wearied population of Western Somalia with no other alternative but to swallow their pride and render their long struggle for Freedom , dignity and self-determination fruitless. NORF, jobs and economic activity is a temporary good. We can learn from the collapse of Qaddafi's regime that low unemployment, relatively high per capita income and high-growth GDP had failed to dampen the suppression of freedom and individual rights in Libya. The authoritarian communist party of China faces similar problems in the long run. In other words, you should consider also the democratic side of the deal.

Interesting Analysis.... By Reuters Published: Aug 24, 2011 19:54* BRUSSELS: If there is one pitfall Western officials appear determined to avoid in Libya, it is making the same mistakes that were made in Iraq eight years ago. It is not so much the way the six-month conflict in Libya has been pursued, with France, Britain and others providing support to the rebels from afar, operating under a NATO banner and with a UN mandate, but the thinking and planning of the nto the post-Muammar Qaddafi phase. Qaddafi, in power for 42 years, has still not left the scene and his whereabouts and that of his sons remains unclear. But for several weeks, and in coordination with the rebel National Transitional Council — now recognized by more than 30 countries including the United States and the EU’s member states — detailed planning has been going on over how to administer Libya once Qaddafi and his backers are gone. In Iraq, the approach taken by the United States after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein was haphazard — asked days after Baghdad had fallen what his plan was, the US administrator, Lt. General Jay Garner, responded: “I’m just going to carry the football downfield and see what happens.” It did not get much better. Paul Bremer, who took over from Garner in May 2003, decided to dissolve the Iraqi army, putting tens of thousands of angry men with guns on the streets, directly contributing to the rise of the insurgency. He also pursued a vigorous policy of ‘de-Baathification’, which alienated large portions of the population, from teachers to civil servants, many of whom had been forced to belong to Saddam’s Baath party rather than being true believers. Much of the state-controlled economy imploded after the United States and its allies took over, with government salaries unpaid and contracts halted. Washington had to fly in billions of dollars in cash, transported on C-130 aircraft, in order to finance Iraq’s administration and pay workers. Corruption and financial mismanagement quickly took root. By contrast, the words from the West so far point to a far more thought-out approach toward post-Qaddafi Libya. In part, Libya, with its smaller population and less complex tribal, sectarian and ethic structure, may be easier to handle than Iraq. But the shift also points to lessons having been learnt. Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday, Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, spoke about the need to unfreeze assets so that funds can quickly flow back into Libya, about preparations underway to release medicine, fuel and other essentials, and proposals for restimulating the economy. “This is about making sure that people are paid, civil servants, police officers, whoever, also making sure that there are supplies in the shops and so on, helping to make the economy function,” she said. “The watchwords for us are making sure that we have a coordinated approach and it’s coherent,” she said of the EU’s 27 member states, whose efforts she will oversee. To try to ensure money is quickly available to the National Transitional Council, France said on Wednesday it was working with allies at the United Nations to put together a draft resolution to unfreeze Libyan assets and unlock sanctions imposed over the past five months to force Qaddafi out. “The NTC must have the financial resources that were frozen by the UN Security Council resolutions,” a French diplomatic source said. Ashton said she had already spoken to Canada’s foreign minister about using unfrozen assets to rebuild Libyan infrastructure and about the need to get overseas workers, on whom Libya’s greatly depended, back into the country. “I anticipate that the release of assets back to the Libyan people is going to create a lot of resources on the ground for them,” she said, adding that the biggest challenge would be ensuring that the money was transparently distributed. “Making sure that the interim goverment has the right checks and balances to ensure that the assets that are returned are dealt with in a transparent way, in a way ensuring that the moeny goes to where it needs to go: to the people,” she said. The other critical consideration is elections. While the NTC is recognized by three dozen countries, the place it may have to work hardest to gain legitimacy is in Libya itself. Ashton said she had spoken to Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, the chairman of the NTC, and he had asked for help with setting up elections as soon as possible, something that in Iraq did not happen for nearly 18 months after Saddam’s overthrow. “Mr Jalil was very quick to say that he wanted to see electoral observer missions,” she said. “They wanted support as they move toward elections and democracy. They wanted help with the building of political parties.” That may still be some time off. The rebels first have to complete their victory over Qaddafi. But from the West’s point of view, the aims appear to be clearer than in 2003.

I opposed the Libyan intervention from the start. GDP growth 10.6% (2010) GDP per capita $14,884 (2010) GDP by sector agriculture (7.6%), industry (49.9%), [/b] services (42.5%) Unemployment (10%)