Somalia: Puntland's leader says UN report is 'politically motivated'

[Shilling]

BOSSASO, Somalia Mar 22 (Garowe Online) - The president of Somalia's Puntland State government has condemned a new report by the U.N. Monitoring Group on Somalia, saying that the report is "full of insults."

 

Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed "Farole" held a press conference Monday at the presidential palace in Bossaso, Puntland's commercial hub located along Gulf of Aden shores.

 

The president led a government delegation from the state capital Garowe yesterday by road and spent Sunday night in Qardo, the capital of Karkar region.

 

The president's delegation includes: Interior Minister Gen. Abdullahi Jama "Ilkajir"; Finance Minister Farah Ali Jama; Security Minister Yusuf Ahmed Kheir; and Ports Minister Said Mohamed Rageh, a member of the former Adde Muse administration whom was reappointed by President Farole in last month's Cabinet reshuffle.

 

 

While in Qardo, President Farole's delegation met with local officials, community leaders and intellectuals who briefed the government delegation on local developments and expressed the community's needs. The president said that the administration is focused on improving security but has plans to invest in social sector and economic development as well.

 

On Monday morning, the president's delegation proceeded northward and ate breakfast with provincial and police officials at the Armo Police Academy, which is located in Armo district in Bari region. The newly appointed governor of Bari region, Sheikh Abdihafid Ali Yusuf, was present for the breakfast.

 

 

Welcome euphoria

 

Puntland's presidential motorcade roared into the port city of Bossaso midday today, with officials, community leaders and members of the public lining up along the paved road waving flags as the delegation passed through.

 

 

A reporter on the scene described the euphoria surrounding President Farole's arrival in Bossaso was "comparable to his first trip to Bossaso after winning the January [2009] election."

 

The president is expected to shore up domestic support in Bossaso, as his administration faces mounting international pressure on the piracy issue.

 

Most recently, the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia mandated with monitoring the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia issued a highly controversial 110-page report to the UN Security Council.

 

The report makes allegations that the UN's World Food Program (WFP) awarded multi-million-dollar contracts to Somali businessmen who fund insurgents, and that officials in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) profited from selling foreign visas given to TFG delegations visiting foreign capitals.

 

But Puntland President Farole responded directly to allegations made in the report that Puntland's top leadership profits financially from pirate ransoms.

 

264 pirates jailed

 

Puntland's president condemned the Monitoring Group on Somalia's new report, saying that the writers drafted the report "without ever coming to Puntland."

 

The report's authors admit that they only visited parts of Somalia – namely, they visited Hargeisa and Berbera in Somaliland, a separatist republic in northwest Somalia; and briefly in Mogadishu, where TFG President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed is protected by African Union peacekeepers.

 

"Puntland has actively fought against pirates and we have 264 pirates or suspected pirates currently in jail," President Farole said, adding: "But our efforts – the people and government of Puntland – are rewarded by condemnation and insults against Puntland's leadership."

 

He noted that French naval forces on anti-piracy patrols transferred over to the Puntland government "30 suspected pirates" this month alone, adding that "most of these men hail from the Harardhere area."

 

Harardhere is a coastal district in the southern part of Mudug region, where pirates currently hold a number of foreign ships and their crews for ransom. The UN Monitoring Group's reports notes this "shift" of piracy epicenter in recent years from the Puntland town of Eyl further south to Harardhere, a town that falls well outside Puntland's jurisdiction.

 

'Politically motivated' report

 

The president said the Puntland government has hired advisers to seek legal avenues in light of the report's "outrageous allegations" against top government leaders in Puntland.

 

Observers say Puntland is the principal domestic backbone of the Western-backed TFG and a frontline region against the spread of extremism and terrorism in the Horn of Africa sub-region. Ethiopia, the West's most important ally in the sub-region, maintains strong and cordial relations with the Puntland government.

 

Al Shabaab militants who are fighting to topple the TFG in Mogadishu have failed to infiltrate Puntland, which has been relatively stable since the outbreak of the Somali civil war in 1991.

 

"The report's authors used sources that include politicians who are opportunists or are opposed to Puntland' s self-development," President Farole said, adding: "Even some of the report's authors are politically motivated to discredit Puntland as a way of achieving another hidden goal," President Farole added.

 

One of the report's authors, Mr. Matt Bryden, has familial ties to the dominant clan in Somaliland and is known to have actively campaigned for the recognition of an independent Somaliland. President Farole remarked that Mr. Bryden co-authored "reports critical of Puntland even during his time working for the ICG," a reference to the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.

 

Puntland's leader said the UN Monitoring Group's reports makes false allegations that specific "pirate leaders" live free in Puntland. But President Farole denied this.

 

"The man called Baqalyo is currently in Bossaso jail, but the report claims he's out free. Another man named Hanaano is now jailed in Yemen, but again the report says this man is free and lives in Puntland," Farole said.

 

The president said he believes that pirates are able to reform and to reintegrate back to society through social and political support.

 

 

"The report says the individual named Boyah is a notorious pirate leader. But Boyah admitted to have quit piracy before this administration was elected [in Jan. 2009] and has campaigned with religious leaders to discourage piracy across Puntland," the president added.

 

 

President Farole said he was "surprised" that the report's recommendations call for international support to build coastguards for the TFG and Somaliland security forces.

 

He said that the TFG has "never captured pirates" and Somaliland "claims to have jailed a few [pirates]."

 

President Farole underscored that the anti-piracy campaign must begin in Puntland where there is a functioning government "that has always opposed ransom payments" and a stable region to build training centers, like the Armo Police Academy which was built with UN support.

[Qudhac]

looool even the UN works for somaliland miyaa,

 

TUUG LA QABTAY TALOW MALE.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Originally posted by Qudhac:

looool even the UN works for somaliland miyaa,

 

TUUG LA QABTAY TALOW MALE.

[Shilling]

"The report's authors used sources that include politicians who are opportunists or are opposed to Puntland' s self-development," President Farole said, adding: "Even some of the report's authors are politically motivated to discredit Puntland as a way of achieving another hidden goal," President Farole added.

 

One of the report's authors, Mr. Matt Bryden, has familial ties to the dominant clan in Somaliland and is known to have actively campaigned for the recognition of an independent Somaliland. President Farole remarked that Mr. Bryden co-authored "reports critical of Puntland even during his time working for the ICG," a reference to the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.

 

Puntland's leader said the UN Monitoring Group's reports makes false allegations that specific "pirate leaders" live free in Puntland. But President Farole denied this.

 

"The man called Baqalyo is currently in Bossaso jail, but the report claims he's out free. Another man named Hanaano is now jailed in Yemen, but again the report says this man is free and lives in Puntland," Farole said.

 

The president said he believes that pirates are able to reform and to reintegrate back to society through social and political support.

So Thankful, should such a politically motivated report be taken serious?

 

Hopefully not so the rest of us sane Puntlanders can still consider you one of us; seriously maxaa kugu qasbay inaad laa soo shirtagto a known secessionist aficionado report? Lol...

[Thankful]

Garoweonline

 

Last time Garoweonline said that the CPJ was "embroiled in clan politics" and their intro said

 

July 18, 2009 - To CPJ, welcome to Somalia's dirty clan politics. You have lost neutrality and therefore our respect.

and this one

 

March 2010 - One of the report's authors, Mr. Matt Bryden, has familial ties to the dominant clan in Somaliland

They made it into a tribe thing all because the CPJ had said that the Faroole government had arrested jounalists without cause. Now all of a sudden they are using the clan card against the UN as well!

 

We know who the Faroole's media advisor is! Which is exactly why we should have given a more professional person that position.

 

Is this the best they can come back with? Saying that NW Somalia has that much power to influence the Security Council?

 

Instead of attacking the facts, they accuse Mr. Matt Bryden of being bias.

 

Maybe the admin should have look at how the Federal Government in Mogadishu responded, the WFP and Eritrea to this report. Instead they respond less like a government and more like High Schoolers! Making everything into a clan thing!!

 

"The report says the individual named Boyah is a notorious pirate leader. But Boyah admitted to have quit piracy before this administration was elected [in Jan. 2009] and has campaigned with religious leaders to discourage piracy across Puntland," the president added.

 

So the President is basically saying that when someone admits to committing numerous criminal offenses and gives it up and says he will go around with religious elders and discourage that criminal activity, he shouldn't be send to jail or face any punishment?

 

Shilling,

 

The offical gov't website has made to response to this UN report, or no press release's like other Governments did who disagreed with the report.

 

It took Garoweonline 1 week to respond!

[Shilling]

Originally posted by Qudhac:

looool even the UN works for somaliland miyaa,

 

TUUG LA QABTAY TALOW MALE.

Not the whole UN, just Mr. Matt Bryden, who has familial ties to the dominant clan in Somaliland and who is known to have actively campaigned for the recognition of an independent Somaliland.

 

As remarked, Mr. Bryden co-authored the politically motivated UN report and many more others critical of Puntland.

[GAAROODI]

Welcome to the real world....paranoid

[Mintid Farayar]

Well, regardless of your opinions on Matt Bryden or other members of the Somalia Monitoring Group, their mandate has been renewed for another year.

 

 

Obviously, the powers that be are quite happy with their performance thus far...

UN Link

[Shilling]

Originally posted by Thankful:

So the President is basically saying that when someone admits to committing numerous criminal offenses and gives it up and says he will go around with religious elders and discourage that criminal activity, he shouldn't be send to jail or face any punishment?

Faroole is doing all he can and as a Puntlander I think it would be wise if you stand behind the president; the man is making sense out of Somalia’s politically charged atmosphere, even cartoonist are taking political shots at the man for sinister proposes. I don’t know why the world continues to ignore the root cause of Piracy. The blame is with the international community which continues to stand idle for the last 20 or so years while our fishing communities fade or disappear altogether. As for the notorious pirate leader, Mr. Boyah, the man admitted to have quit piracy before this administration was elected [in Jan. 2009] and we can sit here and argue back and forth which administration is to blame; one think we both can agree on though is, the man is more useful then he is behind bars since it seems his been helpful in discouraging piracy across Puntland.

[Che -Guevara]

^The toxic dumping and over-fishing by foriegn trawlers is non-issue.Somali piracy however is huge problem

[NGONGE]

I said it on another thread and I'll say it again.

 

^^ Exactly a year ago, in Boosaaso too he said this:

 

 

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the press conference in Bosaso Mr Farole had a chance to address issues raised by Amin Amir's cartoon in an unemotional manner. Mr" Farole described Amin Amir's cartoon as a political message aimed to undermine political change in Puntland," reported Garowe Online. If this quote is accurate, Mr Farole will come across as a politician keen on seeing press and cartoonists sing his praise rather than commenting on or caricaturing the foibles of politicians. Amin Amir is not a national saboteur. Why could not president Farole question Amin Amir's artistic integrity on the basis of a cartoon that alleges resumption of money printing business in Puntland? Such an attitude would not be interpreted as weakness but as a discussion from a seasoned politician who is in favour of free speech and against irresponsible journalism.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Like I said when this report came out, I blame Amin Amir (and Farole probably thinks Brydon and the UN both work for Amin Amir).

[Thankful]

Shilling,

 

Cartoonists and others are taking shots because Faroole is giving them the ammunition! Who cares if Boyah committed the crimes in 2008 and Faroole was elected in Jan 2009! If Faroole's son can actually arrange a meeting with this guy so western journalists can interview him than he should tell the government so they can arrest him. Just because someone gives up a crime doesn't mean they should be forgiven! Is that an actual argument? Speaking against piracy means nothing, because Boyah made his millions, sending him to jail for a long time will send an even bigger message!

 

We all heard about those pirates that were over powered by Egyptian fishermen and taken back to Egypt. Why would Ilka'Jiir actually fight to get those criminals sent back to Puntland? Why does he care so much?

[Shilling]

^^^Adigu burcad badeeda kaliya baad u jeeda...So try to come to grasp with the whole picture first, because there can never be justice where there is injustice. Our fishing communities lay ruin as a result of illegal over fishing and toxic waste dumping, none of you see this though, all you people seem to care about is choking Puntland's credibility and that's a real shame. Puntland's limited budget is already stretched too thin protecting the state from the crooks down south and the secessionists up north; the sea pirates is the worlds problem, they turned fishers into pirates and they can help end it when their ready to address the root cause of piracy.