OLOL Posted May 15, 2005 Monday May 16, 2005 Somalia Speaker off to Mogadishu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ken Ramani A section of the Somali MPs at the Wilson Airport before they departed for Mogadishu yesterday. The Speaker of Somalia’s Parliament left Nairobi yesterday morning for Mogadishu accompanied by 30 legislators. The Speaker, Sheikh Hassan Aden, and the politicians travelled in a chartered plane from Wilson Airport. At hand to see off the Speaker were Kenya’s Assistant Minister for Regional Co-operation, Joseph Nyagah and the Special Envoy to Somalia Peace Talks, Mr Bethwel Kiplagat. Also present were Somali politicians, General Morgan, Dr Abukar Abdi Osman and Awad Ashara. Sources said 20 more MPs will on Wednesday and Saturday leave Nairobi to join their colleagues in Mogadishu, a city said to be the most dangerous in Africa. Yesterday’s departure increased to 132 the number of MPs in the camp that is pushing for the relocation of their government to Mogadishu. If the 20 MPs make good their promise to travel this week, the number will hit 150. Somalia’s parliament has 275 MPs and to form a quorum, 139 members must be present. During an interview with The Standard, Aden maintained he will chair a parliamentary session tomorrow in Mogadishu. He said the priority of his moving to Mogadishu will be to lobby his countrymen to make the city safe by withdrawing militiamen. The Speaker denied reports that he is leading the faction that is critical of President Yusuf. "I am the Speaker of Somalia’s National Assembly. I can’t take sides as that will be against parliamentary standing orders observed all over the world," said Aden. The Speaker disclosed that he will work with other like-minded Somalis to ensure reconciliation structures are created to bring on board all groups. Meanwhile Reuters news agency reported yesterday that warlords had withdrawn 600 gunmen from Mogadishu to persuade jittery colleagues the lawless capital is safe enough to serve as the administration’s base. Officials of three prominent warlords from the big ****** clan who also hold cabinet positions said 600 of their fighters and 54 battlewagons, flatbed trucks mounted with heavy machineguns or with anti-aircraft guns fired horizontally, had been moved to two camps outside the city. Aides to the three, Osman Ali Ato, Muse Sudi Yalahow and Mohammed Qanyare, said 66 more battlewagons would be moved to the camps at Hilweyene 30 km (20 miles) to the north and Lantaburo 60 km (38 miles) to the south in coming days. The move does not affect so-called freelance militias -- mostly gunmen working for private firms or Islamic courts. Concerning the legality of parliament’s resolutions to be made in Mogadishu, Aden said: "As far as I am concerned, consensus is the most important goal that must be urgently achieved. The rest are details that will follow later." Ashara criticised the Kenyan Government for allowing President Yusuf to convene a parliamentary session at KICC, last week, yet the warring factions had agreed that no more such sessions should be held before their differences are resolved. He argued that President Yusuf’s violation of the Charter was frustrating efforts to reconcile factions within parliament. During a parliamentary session held in Nairobi last Wednesday, MPs present approved the deployment of Ugandan and Sudanese peace - keepers. The MPs, majority of whom were President Yusuf’s supporters, also agreed to invite Arab League peace-keepers to beef up the AU efforts to secure the transitional government and restore peace. The MPs also resolved that the government temporarily relocate to Baidoa and Jowhar and possibly move to Mogadishu once the security situation improves. In an interview with The Standard, Kiplagat explained that last Thursday’s resolution by the African Union that endorsed the idea of a peace-keeping force was a milestone. "I am now sure that the United Nations Security Council will approve the deployment of peace-keepers and donors will also release the funds they pledged to help in the reconstruction of Somalia," said Kiplagat. The relocation of the transitional government must include plans and resources for the restoration of essential services such as sanitation, water, electricity, health and education services. The Speaker said Mogadishu-based warlords had agreed to handover the airport and seaport to the new government when it relocates there. He said the warlords had already started withdrawing their militia, trucks and weapons to make Mogadishu safe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabbal Posted May 15, 2005 Also present were Somali politicians, General Morgan, Dr Abukar Abdi Osman and Awad Ashara . Ashara criticised the Kenyan Government for allowing President Yusuf to convene a parliamentary session at KICC, last week, yet the warring factions had agreed that no more such sessions should be held before their differences are resolved. Holy Smokes! :eek: No wonder Abdulahi Yusuf's political skills have been shown to resemble that of a nursemaid! Ileen the good Prof, Dr. Cawad Ahmed Cashara, left him! :confused: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OLOL Posted May 16, 2005 HornAfrik, the few remaining parliamentarians on Ina Yeey's group are now re-thinking about their position. Somalis are waking up to new realism and idealism. It is not about Qabiil any more. It is about rescuing our nation, restoring our dignity and reconciling our people. We can't afford to entertain the clan politics any more. We don't want any more dictatorship and clan rule. Abdullahi Yusuf is still caught up in the past while the Somali people had progressed. The third largest clan in Xamar after the two Hiraabs is Sade and many other folks from Ethiopia, Sool, Bari and Nugaal are coming back to Xamar. People have realized that co-existence, broadmindedness and reconciliation are more important than the meaningless clannish rift and petty animosity. Adeer Abdullahi and his cronies are controlled by the Tigray Mafia in Addis whose main undertaking is to keep Somalia ineffectually weak and helplessly divided forever. The most absurd and preposterous thing is asking AU to escort Abdullahi to Mogadishu. He wants to be protected in Villa Somali by 1700 Ugandan and Sudanese troops. AU is asking for 100 million dollars for such a mission. That is a charade and ludicrous plan that no donor nation is willing to invest. Mogadishu is peaceful and will be pacified. It will remain the only recognized Somali capital. When the speaker landed there today, there was no single technical at sight and the international community had taken notice of that. The withdrawal of the heavy armaments and militias loyal to the powerful warlords in Mogadishu was also welcomed as step towards restoring peace and stability in the city. The world desires a functioning legitimate government in Mogadishu and they will support those who could implement that daunting undertaking. Ethiopia has its own plan and motive to see Somalia remain as a failed nation-state and carved up into fiefdoms. Ethiopian intelligence officers and spy agencies had already managed to enlist all Somali clan elders and have promised each of these illiterate clan elders’ wealth and weaponry. They did convince these uneducated nomads and other opportunists to fight against their immediate neighboring clans or other opposing factions. The Tigrey conspiracy had worked for more than 10 years and people are now waking up to this devious divide and rule tactic. It will not work any more. The international community is aware of Ethiopia's plot and interest and they are not pleased with it. US and EU will never accept the so-called AU troops and will not invest in such a short-sighted defeatist proposal. Somalis have to come together and work their differences. That is the prevailing notion in international circles. If Ina-Yeey doesn't listen to the voices of reason and compromise, he will be dismissed and a new Somali president will be crowned within 3 months and guess what? Who has earned the respect and support of all Somalis and proved to be a real patriot? No Doubt - Sheriff Hassan is the hero of all Somalis and he will be easily elected to lead Somalia back to nationhood. The reactionary octogenarian shot himself in the foot and his submissive prime minister will be history. Ethiopian cronies will become pitiful pariahs in the eyes of Somalis and history will judge them as those weasels who sided with the nation’s enemy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumatatu Posted May 16, 2005 Originally posted by HornAfrique: No wonder Abdulahi Yusuf's political skills have been shown to resemble that of a nursemaid! Ileen the good Prof, Dr. Cawad Ahmed Cashara, left him! Long time ago sxb...!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
