Expatriate Somaliland Community - Press Release

[Jacaylbaro]

Press Release

 

Expatriate Somaliland Community of North America Communiqué

 

February 13, 2009

 

 

Ever since the rebirth of Somaliland as an independent state in 1991,

the Somaliland Diaspora community in North America and elsewhere

around the world has taken a keen interest in the affairs of their

homeland and has worked hard to continuously provide material as well

as moral support for this young fledgling nation in its march towards

self determination and the establishment of democratic institutions.

 

While by law an election should have taken place when president

Rayaale's term has ended on April 14, 2008 that did not happen as the

Administration did not enact in time needed legislation. Nor did it

put in place needed financial resources, transportation and human

resources that it was obligated by law to implement. And although

there was no legal foundation for extending the President's term of

office, in order to forestall an instability that was creeping in the

country, the opposition parties agreed to extend President Rayaale's

term for an additional one year with the provision that the

Presidential election to be held on March 29, 2009. 304 days have now

elapsed since the President's term of office was extended. Time and

again the Administration has dashed the hopes and suppressed the will

of the people of Somaliland to exercise their right to hold a free,

fair and timely election through the crafting of one delaying tactic

after another.

 

With the help of the international community, a historic voter

registration process of the people of Somaliland has been successfully

concluded recently and Somaliland voters are now eager to exercise

their right to elect a new president by going to the polls on the date

that the election is scheduled to take place.

 

With 42 days remaining from the agreed upon presidential election

date, the Adminstration and its party show no willingness to implement

the will of the people to make this highly anticipated election occur

on time. The expatriate Somaliland community of North America is,

therefore, deeply troubled and dismayed by this apparent lack of

enthusiasm and unwillingness on the part of the Government to ensure

that these elections be held on schedule.

 

We strongly urge President Dahir Rayaale and his administration and

the donor community organizations that are supporting the election to

respect the desire and will of the people by taking immediate steps

to:

 

1. Finalize and certify the registration process.

 

2. Finalize the registration of the candidates of the three parties.

 

3. Assure the nation that the election will be held as scheduled on

March 29, 2009 by issuing a presidential decree as required by the

constitution.

 

4. Ensure that the election once held is free and fair.

 

We warn the Government and its party that they will be held fully

responsible for any dire consequences such as political unrest,

instability and God forbid, possible conflict that could arise should

the election schedule is pushed back yet again.

 

1. Somaliland Community of Minnesota, USA

2. Somaliland Community of Ohio, USA

3. Somaliland Community of Virginia/DC/Maryland, USA

4. Somaliland Community of Western USA

5. Somaliland Community of Northeast USA

6. Somaliland Community of Georgia/Tennessee, USA

 

Somaliland Community of t

 

1. Somaliland Community of greater Toronto, Canada

2. Somaliland Community of Western Canada

3. he US Midwest

4. Somaliland Community of Ottawa, Canada

 

 

Fatima Xaji Axmed Ismaciil

 

dalooldho83@gmail.com