Puntland Statement on the Appointment of Somalia-Somaliland Talks

[Deeq A.]

An unofficial summary translation of text from Puntland State Government.

1) The appointment of the new envoy for Somalia-Somaliland talks is a red herring intended to divert the eyes of the Somali people and the international community from the conflict and the massacre of the people of Lasanod and to put less the pressure on Muse Bihi, [Somaliland administration President], given crimes he perpetrated.

2) It underestimates and fails to understand the magnitude of the problem Lasanod faces today and the failure [of the Federal Government of Somalia] to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect the people of the Sool Region.

3) It shows that the Federal Government cannot be a mediator in the Lasanod conflict and the contentious issue, since it has a particular opinion about Sool and Sanaag regions being part of Somaliland, as reflected in the text on appointment of the “envoy”. The issue disregards the long-standing concerns of the people of Sool and their decision to declare that they are not a part of Somaliland.

It is also a disregards that [the people],Sool and Sanaag Regions are part of Puntland constitutionally and in power-sharing terms.

Therefore, we call on the federal government not to take sides or aggravate the complicated situation in Lasanod city and SSC regions.

4) The negative statements made by some senior leaders of the federal government and the unprovoked accusations being made against the leadership of the SSC regions that they are masterminding the problems in Lasanod should not have been voiced; the Federal Government owes [SSC people] an apology.

5) The Puntland State Government calls on the Somaliland government to withdraw its troops from the Sool region so as to restore peace and allow the people of SSC to freely decide their own fate.

6) We call on the Somali people, particularly the people of Puntland, and the international community to redouble their aid and humanitarian efforts to support the people affected by the conflict in Lasanod and surrounding areas of Sool.

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