SOMALIA: Prominent Somali Legislator speaks about Puntland's oil deal and......

[Xudeedi]

SOMALIA: Prominent Somali Legislator speaks about Puntland's oil deal and the uprooted Galgala community

August 16, 2010

Bosaaso, (DhaharOnline) - Hon. Asha Abdalla, prominent member of Somalia's legislative branch and veteran politician whose constituency is the Sanaag Region of Somalia, represents Sanaag/Makhir people, in her seat of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG).

 

Puntland president recently declared war on poor farmers in Galgala town of Bari region, where thousands of troops have been deployed by President Abdirahman Faroole in order to uproot and eliminate indigenous community settlements. The MP said that this a direct violation of international human rights.

 

'President Faroole had deceived the world when he said: “terrorists are hiding in Galgala mountaineous belt,” she said.

 

"Indeed, he wants to mine Majiyahan and Galgala area, illegally" Asha was interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation “BBC” regarding the Galgala conflict.

 

“So far one hundred and fifty families have been displaced from Galgala city. These families reached Dhahar city of Sanaag Region a week after the war started. A huge fight between the self-styled Natural Resource Defenders of Sanaag/Western Bari regions, and Puntland government broke out near Galgala in late July 2010.

 

Col. Abdisamad Ali is Faroole's deputy and the perpetrator of the attacks that displaced so many people. "The area has no presence of humanitarian organizations and the wounded civilians have no where to go,” Asha Abdalla said.

 

“Eight months of economic sanction was imposed on the residents of Galgala and environs by Puntland Government; the produce from Galgala farms were also banned from other parts of Puntland and Somalia; this long-enforced policy of economic sanction had angered the local people and made their lives harder for the last eight months.

 

This policy of coercion and of intimidation has led the community of Galgala to arm themselves and defend their territory from a new Blood Diamonds Group under the guise of the Puntland administration,” Asha added.

 

Coined as the new blood diamonds of Liberia, the small consortium that are prospecting oil and minerals in Puntland is registered in different countries in order to avoid lawsuits. They are opportunistic foreign companies that manipulate corrupt leaders in order to exploit the natural resources of smaller and poor countries through illegal contracts and the bribing of the head of states. These Companies include Range Resource, Cinnmax and African Oil. Company.

 

Isse Dholowa a naturalized Australian citizen is the leading manager of these petty contracts. Liiban Muse Boqor, a British citizen is another key player of the illegal schemes. The latter had subsequently arranged for himself consulting fees of a huge windfall and bonuses.

 

Mr. Boqor was the middleman in 2006 between Ade Muse, former Puntland president and the Range resources. He is also a member of the new team of experts that Farole arranged for the take-over bid Africa Oil made with the departing Range Resources, Ltd.

 

The President of Puntland, Abdirahman Faroole, an Australian citizen as well, has been part of the diamonds group and is the mastermind of the latest plot to uproot and eliminate the residents of Galgala.

 

To fulfill illegal mining in their territory, President Farole ordered his troops to attack the area. But the junta met huge resistance from the area.

The Administration's connection to petty contracts

 

Puntland troops entered Galgala town a week after a tactical retreat of the defending militia (known as the Natural Resource Defenders of Sanaag and western Bari). After the invasion, Puntland troops set ablaze century old farms of Galgala residents. These farms produce dates, vegetables, fruits, rice and bananas.

 

The front line soldiers of Puntland also humiliated and injured women and children in the town. They also looted houses and other properties, local reports confirm.

 

These horrible stories were related to the world by Hon. Asha Ahmed Abdalla in her interview with the BBC/Somali. She warned against the consequences of the invasion, the uprooting and the looting of Galgala community’s properties.

 

“Calling innocent people terrorists and extremists is very dangerous.

"Legalizing the looting of people's private properties, and the burning of their farms is a criminal act," Asha said.

 

"Whether the administration authorized such criminal acts by the soldiers of the new blood diamonds group or not indicate that the administration does not give due respect and care for human lives. A big social crime is committed in any case,” Asha said.

 

“My constituency is in Puntland and I’ve the right to talk about the reality and defend Puntland people and confront who’s harming us," she said.

 

"I don’t want to hide what the president is doing to the community– he’s an unrecognized governor, has no right to mine without consulting federal legislators, and leaders of the community, the very people I represent in the TFG," Asha said.

 

"There are available written and oral evidence pointing to bilateral contracts between the government leaders and mining companies,” Asha said.

 

In a nutshell the self-styled leader of Natural Resource Troops of the Western Bari territories, Mohamed Said Atom is defending his people and land from the invasion orchestrated by the blood diamonds group that wants to mine the area.

 

This is not the first time these companies tried to mine the area. It was in mid 2006 when the locals led by Atam first chased out the miners and their illegal companies. Atom also took away the notion that he had links to Islamist groups in Southern Somalia.

 

“I’m neither Alshabaab nor do I have links to Islamist groups in southern Somalia. I'm in my home area and we have been attacked by Puntland outlaw president, Farole, ” He told the VOA [transcript ]. [Transcript

 

President Farole’s administration failed to preside over the dismal security status in his home town of Eyl--a pirate den.

 

There is a wide public suspicion instead that the president has no vested interest in securing the unity of Puntlanders or taking concrete policy actions that would keep the peace and co-existance in major towns because of his close ties to sea piracy. In a Security Council report, Farole was identified as the chief of Puntland's lucrative sea Piracy.

 

His administration has had links to the sea pirates of eastern Africa, particularly from Eyl base, where dozens of abducted vessels are anchored. Eyl is the epicenter of high-seas piracy on Somali coast.

 

He had also received a large sums of pirate money for his finance campaigns to secure the electoral votes of Puntland's presidential election. It’s unlikely the dust started by his predecessor will settle anytime soon.

 

Last week, President Farole's official website, Garoweonline, falsely labelled the prominent Somali politician Hon. Asha Abdala as a supporter of extremist groups, after she accused Farole of invading Galgala town, the region of her own constituency.

 

When Hon. Asha exposed the reality behind the attacks of the Galgala town, and the growing insecurity of Puntland, the Farole administration saw that as a slap in the face, and falsely accused the law maker of siding with the wrong side, a political tactic used by successive Puntland administrations to intimidate or stop anyone they see as an outsider or threat.

 

 

Source: DhaharOnline

[Xudeedi]

D/P

[Xudeedi]

[Thankful]

Col. Abdisamad Ali is the deputy of Faroole and perpetrator of the attacks that displaced so many people. The area has no presence of humanitarian organizations and the wounded civilians have no where to go,” Asha Abdalla said.

 

Even though Ilka-Jiir is also on the Puntland government side and has put on a military uniform along with General Abdisamid. Asha will not mention him, because she can't say anything negative about a person from her area. Ilka-Jiir is the single person that has brought many people from these regions on the side of Puntland.

 

This is where her rational is flawed, because if the Puntland government is committing crimes as she alleges, then Ilka-Jiir would also be responsible. But no, she makes no mention of him at all!

 

It doesn't matter if it is Atam or Ilka-Jiir who are facing each other in this battle, both can't be criticized by people from E.Sanaag and W. Bari.

[General Duke]

IlkaJiir and Asha are cousins, also it's funny how "thousands" of troops have been deployed against petty farmers. Puntland sure is strong according to this report.

[Xudeedi]

Thanksful: Why focus on a minister (employee), when direct orders are coming from your president (his boss), the pirate warlord in Garoowe.

 

This article is trully an eye opener.

[Thankful]

Xudeedi, give it a rest. Asha specifically mentions the vice president but never mention the interior minister. If she cared so much about justice she would not be so selective in her criticisms.

 

In most situations people would be even harsher to those they consider relatives and who are working for the other side. Someone like Ilka-Jiir you would think, would be the person you are must upset with since, in a sense he is a traitor. But noooooo, we will just insult the government but not members that come from E.Sanaag and W.Bari.

 

If 25,000 people have been displaced as you alleged and other crimes are occuring, then why wouldn't she also call out ilka-Jiir? Is it because he is just following Faroole's orders? If that’s the case why call out Abdisamid the vice president?

 

This article makes one thing clear, that regardless of the side someone is fighting on, E.Sanaag and W.Bari will not speak negatively of someone from their region. Whether it is Atam or Ilka-Jiir.

[Oblivion]

^^^ Asha ,in her interview, spoke for her voiceless constituency. She blamed the man in charge and not his subordinates.

 

I hope parliamentarian Asha is safe and unharmed in these exchanges .. ((

[Thankful]

Originally posted by Oblivion:

^^^ Asha ,in her interview, spoke for her voiceless constituency. She blamed the man in charge and not his subordinates.

 

I hope parliamentarian Asha is safe and unharmed in these exchanges .. ((

What are you talking about, because according to this artice she said:

 

Col. Abdisamad Ali is Faroole's deputy and the perpetrator of the attacks that displaced so many people. "The area has no presence of humanitarian organizations and the wounded civilians have no where to go,” Asha Abdalla said.

She was selective in who she blamed, making sure that the one man from her region who is on the Puntland Government side, was not criticized!

 

 

(Don't get me wrong her words may have been taken out of context or the people that wrote these artices dilberately made this interview up.)

[Burn Notice]

I think Sanaag should seek independence just like Somaliland ..who needs the systems & govt institutions puntland is trying to implement...let Al Shabab set up shop in Sanaag and cut peoples hands off for watching football...that sounds like a great place to live

 

divide and conquer i say...who wants a united Somalia, let lawlessness continue & prevail...I'm sure those regions will become economic powerhouses selling dates and goats ...Atam the robin hood of Somalia Ü

[Xudeedi]

^adeer your confused. An independent Makhir administration is the only solution in those regions coined as "disputed."

 

Repeated offenses from both clan enclaves will in the long term birth the said administration.

[N.O.R.F]

I'm not entirely up to speed on the goings on in Galgala but yet again PL is losing the PR war (from the articles I have read).

[Thankful]

Thanks for the input, we know you secessionists are always very neutral when it comes to your thoughts on Puntland.

[N.O.R.F]

anytime

[NASSIR]

Well-written interview...

Thanks!

 

Ps. Slowly, we're getting used to American political terms. I like the "legislator" as opposed to the "lawmaker".