Faction Leader Declares Interest in Presidency

[Gabbal]

May 12, 2003

Posted to the web May 14, 2003

Muuna Wamuli And Makur Kot Dhuor

Nairobi

 

With only about a month to go before the completion of Somalia peace negotiations in Kenya , Hussein Farah Aideed, one of the warring faction leaders, has declared interest in the country's presidency.

 

Mr. Aideed announced his intention here on May 6, after a Somalia Reconciliation and Reconstruction Council (SRRC) meeting.

 

He said one of the powerful factions in the conflict, had nominated him to run for the position as first president of a re-united Somali republic , and to head the interim government after an election due in two or three months.

 

Following this development, hopes are high that after more than a decade of anarchy, the conflict in Somalia will come to an end, paving way for reconstruction of the war-torn country.

 

At a press conference, Aideed said the talks in Kenya were in their last phase and that the people of Somalia, through their representatives, had agreed broadly on reconciliation and reconstruction of their country.

 

"Indeed, this is the last conference for Somalia, and in a few months time, a government will be sitting in [the country] ," he said.

 

Aideed's declaration is based on nine principles agreed upon on the formation of a government of national unity to oversee transition to peace. The government will be expected to revive service institutions, enforce law and order, demobilise the militias and carry out a national census, among other issues.

 

" And to constitute the government of national unity, the country will hold free and fair elections based on the principal of one person, one vote. The United Nations, regional governments and international organisations will supervise the elections ," said Mr.Aideed.

 

In a press statement, Mr. Aideed said the proposed elections, which will be the first "after a very long time", are expected to be democratic and competitive. " Somali people will have the opportunity to elect leaders and a government of their choice ," said part of the statement.

 

Presently, the country is estimated to have a population of about 14 million people, majority of who are in exile.

 

"Once elected, I promise to lead our beloved country towards reconciliation, reconstruction and to build a Somali society based on the ideals of democracy, economic prosperity and social justice for all," said Mr. Aideed.

 

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Endorse Peace Talks, Aideed Urges Countries

 

The Nation (Nairobi)

May 13, 2003

Posted to the web May 13, 2003

 

Ibrahim Mbithi

Nairobi

 

Somali presidential candidate Hussein Farah Aideed has appealed to the international community to recognise the Somali peace talks in Kenya.

 

He was speaking in a Nairobi hotel at the weekend where he addressed over 400 Somali delegates who had come to witness him officially launch his party's campaign for the Somali presidency.

 

Mr Aideed, a son of former president Mohamed Farah Aideed, has been endorsed by two political parties, the Somali Reconciliation Restoration Council (SRRC) and the Somali National Agency (SNA).

 

The party that wins the first ever free and fair elections set for between June and July will form a transitional government . "Somalia will for the first time in decades, hold a free and fair election based on the principle of one person, one-vote," said Mr Aideed.

 

Four other candidates who have declared their interest for the presidency but are yet to name their parties include Colonel Abdullah Yussuf; a former official with the Federation of International Football Association, Mr Farah Adow; Mr Abdikasim Salat and Dr Abdirahma Jama.

 

Apart from the transitional president, 450 members of parliament who will be nominated by the delegates attending the Mbagathi peace talks will also be elected. The United Nations, regional governments and international organisations will act as observers of the Somali elections.

 

Muted campaigns have already started with candidates lobbying the delegates attending the conference. Yesterday, Mr Aideed held a luncheon for his supporters at the Tin Tin Restaurant where he assured them that the elections will go ahead as planned.

 

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The parts in bold are the reason why I posted these articles, not because I'm endorsing Caydiid.

[BN]

We should look at the 'Somaliland' model. NW Somalia in the 1990's suffered from the same tribal warfare as the rest of Somalia does today. What they did was include of the various tribal militias and leaders into a 'national' government. The only way to achieve peace is to incorporate those militia's in Somalia today into a similar national government/military; thereby dismantling the obstruction to peace.

 

HornAfrique,

 

Do you know if this government(TNG) of national unity will include all the various faction leaders? It's hard to imagine that all these warlords will put down their weapons otherwise.

 

Just my $0.02

[BN]

Deja Vu?

It seems the UN will be sending peacekeeping forces to Somalia...AGAIN :eek: This time for a five year mandate with the new TNG being setup in Kenya. Here's the story from Hiiraan.com/EastDaily.

 

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Somali factional leaders agree UN's overseeing during transitional period

 

 

Factional leaders attending the ongoing Somali National Reconciliation Conference have agreed to a proposal for the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force to oversee the country during its Transitional National Government (TNG), a Kenyan official mediating the talks said in Nairobi Tuesday.

 

"The UN will also supervise the elections after the five years interim period during which the peace keeping forces will assist in the reconciliation and the reconstruction process," said Hussein Farah Aideed, chairman of the Somali reconciliation restoration council (SRRC).

 

Aideed said that the peacekeeping force would be instrumental in the disarmament process towards an arms-free state in Somalia.

 

The factional leaders who are facing the final phase of the talks resolved to form the TNG before June 15, 2003.

 

Somalia had been without a functioning government since the fall of Mohammed Siad Barre in 1991. A transitional government established in 2000 and headed by President Abdiqasim Salad Hassan is based in Mogadishu, which, like the rest of the country, had been torn by clan rivalries for the past decade.

 

Since September 2002, factional leaders have begun the Somali National Reconciliation Conference in Kenyan capital Nairobi.

 

 

Source: EastDaily, May 13, 03

 

http://www.hiiraan.com/htdocs/2003/may03/newsmay13.htm#2

[RaMpAgE]

seems like good News so far, inshallah everything will go well. :cool:

[Yusufaddie]

Salaam, for the sake of Islam i hope that farah does not get the support. He has made it clear that he wants to steer Somalia with democracy. who is he to declare our system as democratic when all said he has completed his favour upon us and made islam our way.

That is why democracy confuses me. you have people put into power by foreign people then the populus is told to vote for one or the other, exactly where is the democracy? the principle here: Man made is fallable and unlike God sent.

[LANDER]

First of all, Good luck to the TNG (part 2)

 

 

Yusufaddie,

Sxb I share your outlook on divin law being far superior to anything made by man, however I also feel Islamic law and democracy can be compatible. Maybe you can share your knowledge on Sharia law with us because my own knowledge in that area is limited.

 

 

Bari_Nomad

 

First of all, the major tribal militas were abolished when Somaliland was created. So therefore they did not have power in government. If the TNG really wants to follow the example of Somaliland, that’s what should be done. Secondly I find it amusing how you and some others hesitate to use the name of the nation of SOMALILAND, you feel more confortable saying north west Somalia or Waqoyii Galbeed. A true sign of non-tolerance.