New President of NW Somalia Fights for Recognition

[Thankful]

Ny Times

 

New President of Somaliland Fights for HARGEISA, Somalia

 

(AFP) — The newly-elected president of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamud Silaanyo, vowed on Friday to campaign “vigorously” for international recognition of his breakaway republic in the Horn of Africa.

 

“During my tenure as president I will vigorously fight for the recognition of Somaliland. The world must recognize our democracy,” Mr. Silaanyo said a day after the announcement of his election victory.

 

“The first part of recognition of our independence is acquired as our people recognize themselves as a free country. What we are seeking is recognition by the outside world,” he said in an interview.

 

Mr. Silaanyo, a member of the dominant ***** clan, studied economics in Britain and served in the government of former Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre.

 

A former British colony tacked on to Somalia when the latter gained independence from Italy in 1960, Somaliland has remained reasonably stable, spared the clan warfare that has dogged Somalia because of the domination of the ******.

 

It broke away from Somalia in 1991 after the overthrow of Siad Barre plunged the country into chaos and anarchy.

 

An official of the hard-line Shabab militia that controls much of southern Somalia said: “The election is a sham and a dictation of anti-Islamic forces.”

 

“Silaanyo must denounce secession,” added the official, who did not want to be named.

 

Mr. Silaanyo, elected for a five-year term, said his government will “concentrate on development and rehabilitation of public services.”

 

He expressed gratitude to outgoing president Dahir Riyale Kahin, from the Gaddabursi clan, “for his services to the nation, including the holding of democratic elections.”

 

Mr. Kahin, who came to power in 2002, conceded on Friday night.

 

“This was a friendly match and at the end somebody had to emerge as a winner,” Mr. Kahin said. “I congratulate President Ahmed Mohamud Silaanyo and his Kulmiye party for winning the presidential election.”

 

He added: “I will remain in the country as an opposition leader and I will hand over my responsibilities immediately, in accordance with the law.”

 

Mr. Silaanyo said he would maintain close links with Ethiopia and called on Somalia to sort out its problems.

 

“Our neighbor Somalia needs peace more than anyone and it is the Somalis themselves who can achieve that. We are praying for peace in their country,” he said.

 

“The Ethiopians are our neighbors. They have always been friends of Somaliland.”

 

Mr. Silaanyo’s election marks the second democratic transfer of power in Somaliland since 1991.

[Thankful]

Riyaale must be commended for stepping down when, even though he tried to hold on to power years after his term should have expired.

[NASSIR]

Thankful, do not fall for the lethal lies that AFP and the likes propogate--straight from the secessionists' mouth.

 

The so called dominant clan in Northwestern Somalis are limited to their own territory. They are united by one common descent and are thus mobilized in self-defense to redress past grievances.

 

They have no influence nor power over the sub-clans of Puntland, a land whose borders co-incide with its clan borders. Puntland has more resources, more territory, more population and more political influence than "Somaliland"'s Triangle.

 

Just recall that Somalia's territorial integrity will remain intact, I guarantee you that.

 

If there is a country that is likely to be dissolved in several states, it will be ETHIOPIA whose diverse ethnic groups have waged internal fierce wars for decades.

[Thankful]

I agree Nassir, I believe that throughout the lead up to the elections and after it has been clearly shown that their enclave is only in charge of the triangle. That's why they have an abundance of photo's and video's from those area's but nowhere else. These elections were a good thing for Somalia unity. If you look at the celebrations it's the same thing, the streets in the triangle have people running around, but then they have people sitting in a room supposedly in lascaanood.

 

The fact remains, if they had control of these area's than foreign International Observers would have gone to these places, which the IRI said they did not have any, and Progressio said they relied on Somali international observers.

 

 

So in final, I'll just say that these elections made it clear that they have control of the triangle and that's it. A reason for this is their discriminatory tactics, where they ensured that the opposition party leaders came from the dominant clan and excluded Sool and Sanaag, this resulted in very little to no evidence of campaigning, voting and celebrationg outside of the tribal triangle of Burco, Bebera and Hargeysa.

[Saalax]

Thankful, check this out las anod celebrating Kulmiye's recent election victory.

 

Xaflad loo qabtay guusha xisbiga kulmiye laascaanood.avi

[Freedomfighter007]

I hate when haters keep vomiting the same tired hate talk. First it was that no elections will take place, second was that former president would cheat and now it you voted in three areas! Give me a break haters, people from west to east voted people in sang and sool voted. We show picture you lots don't believe it in the end it sad to see you haters rap your hate on Somaliland and it people. Get life