Dr Cawke. Is Democracy Needed In Puntland? Analysis

[Cowke]

I personally find this topic interesting due to the fact it is being shoved down pretty much all of africa throat by the west.

 

The question I have is, are we somalis and for that matter sub saharan africa ready for democracy? or is it a tool just for the west to use as a base for stealing our natural resources, which america has been planning since 2001 so they don't have to be dependant on arabs due to the POLITICAL differences they have!!! So it is feasible to say by helping africa establish democracies the americans can get along with us and just use our oil for their growth intentions of america.

 

Now I don't mind if they have an interest in Africa, which is fine as long as it is mutally benefiting for both respective stake-holders!!!

 

Is somalis ready for democracy? I personally don't think they are. For example look at ethiopia and numerous other african and arab countries and tell me how many successful democracies their are? you can probably count it with 1 hand at tops. This is like 10% of the whole african/arab continents.

 

So do we somalis think we will be an exception to the rule and slip these STARTLING statistics? We can take the risk and hope for the best, or we can play it safe and use our traditional systems that have worked for countless of generations for our fathers such as the "xeer" rather then trying to imitate the west which might prove to be disastrous in the long run!!!

 

I believe the system we have in place at the moment in puntland which is the "66" seat method of each constituient is far better political system for puntland which has worked quite well with the rotating of presidency and kept everything fair.

 

I am not saying that the "66" method is perfect. Far from it, but it just needs to be fine tuned not totally replaced with an untested system such as "democracy" which earlier I mentioned has shown to be quite unsuccessful in africa/mid-east.

 

Puntland needs cadaalad not hisbis. The 66 seat is based on degaans(Constitiuents. The president seat rotates based on "region" not "clan". For example the 1st president of puntland was abdullahi yusuf and he hails from "mudug". The second president was cade muse and he hails from "bari". The current president is farole and he hails from "nugaal". I am hoping that you see a pattern!!! The pattern is quite clear, the torch is being passed around based on REGIONS.

 

This system might need to be fine-tuned a bit better because ppl have mistaken this to be a "ssdf" state because the somalis are quite simple minded ppl and don't really know what the backdoor policies is REALLY about.

 

Anyways, I think the 66 system should stay with fine tuning performed in the following areas:

 

1. When an election happens, the clan that is currently president can only run for election but noone else from that clan should be allowed to run, only clans that can run are the clans who are not in the president seat.

 

2. Increase the seats of the under-represented clans by substracting seats from the "ssdf" lot.

 

3. Fund the puntland elder lobby to make sure it remains as strong as other lobbies such as the "puntland diaspora forum" which is quite powerful diaspora forum of puntland.

 

4. Set up an audit office that is totally indepedent from the government to monitor the clan elders just to make sure their not "prone" to bribes by the ppl in power.

 

I believe with those key recommendations that puntland system will work nicely. It is small amendments, doesn't require much resources into training, seminars, commissions, etc.

 

This will guarantee that 1 clan regardless of which state he resides can't dominate the president seat always. It gives fairer playing ground for ALL stakeholders in the state.

 

This also guarantees the under-represented clans in the parliament such as goldogob, waciye, the mehris will have a boost to their representation whilst downsizing the ssdf bloc.

 

Also funding the puntland clan elder lobby is critical because this can guarantee in civilian uprising if the "president" dares not to hold an election after-all "politician" is the head of the state, the clan elders are head of "clan" and we all know clan comes first to ppl before state

 

Finally setting up an indepedent audit office that is COMPLETELY indepedent to monitor and watch the movement of the clan elder lobby itself to guarantee their not bribed or harassed.

 

Mind you all these initiaves need to be funded strongly, as barack obama said in ghana recently "africa doesn't need strong men it needs strong institutions". He is right, by having strong institutions in place, it doesn't matter who is the president, the institutions will be stronger to keep him in check!!!

 

I believe Puntland can do this if they are SERIOUS about setting up the right environment to prosper and considering the oil sector that is going to open up soon we need those strong institutions now before we become a nigeria.

 

If we can make the PIS the most strongest institution in somalia, i doubt we will have issues making my recommended suggestions just as strong. That is of course their is a WILL!!!

[Mr. Somalia]

^^

1. When an election happens, the clan that is currently president can only run for election but noone else from that clan should be allowed to run, only clans that can run are the clans who are not in the president seat.

I like it Ditoore: Sorta like the rotating presidency of the E.U, right? Great idea. This will finally shut up our political detractors, for they will no longer have no grounds to use the falsities of the silly "trinity" argument as an excuse that our home grown style of government, does not respect equality and freedom before the law for all its citizens. I personally hope Puntland's next leader is gonna either come from our Maakhir or Dervish cousins or anyone else for that matter who comes from outside the H clique of the D-block... . The only caveat I'd attach to this, is that this leader be a visionary, responsible and capable of moving the state forward in the right direction.

 

2. Increase the seats of the under-represented clans by substracting seats from the "ssdf" lot.

I concur. This also is a good idea; although I'd add that we strengthen the 66 system by making it more participatory and representative of all Somalis irregardless of their respective clans: We must not continue to view non-native Puntlanders as forever barakacayaal. These Somalis must be incorporated into the government of Puntlander sooner than later. And before you yell "traitor" at me, allow me to explain why this is important:

 

First of all, thousands upon thousands of Somalis have moved from other parts of Somalia to Puntland because of the relative peace it has enjoyed for the last two decades or so and many children born since then, now call Puntland home and know nothing else. So I think it is unfair and just outright wrong that we treat them politically as second class citizens in their own country. Continuing to deny them the basic freedoms to partake in the governance of their own affairs like everybody else is in my opinion a grave mistake and backward.

 

Secondly, if we do not incorporate these folks politically, they will just be an unnecessary burden on the people of Puntland and the security forces, who wont have any other choice but to provide for them, yet at the same time suffer the consequences of so much public envy and discontentment from these disenfranchised IDP's.

 

And lastly, if these IDP's are welcomed as equals in politics just as they are already welcomed as brothers and sisters right now in Puntland, then this would be the epitome of reconciliation and forgiveness amongst Somalis, and hopeful-- in the long run-- the rest of Somalia may follow our lead, forgive one another, integrate and help restore our lost nationhood.

 

3. Fund the puntland elder lobby to make sure it remains as strong as other lobbies such as the "puntland diaspora forum" which is quite powerful diaspora forum of puntland.

 

4. Set up an audit office that is totally indepedent from the government to monitor the clan elders just to make sure their not "prone" to bribes by the ppl in power.

I think here, the perfect institution that would do a great a job that would help provide good check and balances for our government would, be a free and just judiciary, capable of mediating and settling disputes between the Legislature, the executive and the public at-large. Naturally, a homegrown constitution in-tune with our Somali heritage --and which does NOT violate the tenets of our faith and which also follows the inviolable rules stipulated by the Holy Quran-- MUST guide their adjudications in all matters.

[Cowke]

Yes the idp's are going to have to be incoporated sooner later, from some of the statistics i been reading 1 in 5 ppl are an idp in puntland, therefore they do have a big base.

 

It would be very wise move to incoporate them because then they will also participate in safe guarding the state because they are apart of the "processes" in the state.

 

They already provide a critical labour potential for the state as they are mainly concentrated into construction jobs and other type of manual labor.

 

As we all know when that oil starts pumping, their is going to be alot of infrastructure projects that will kick away which will need the "man-power" therefore I believe they are very important stakeholder in puntland today.

 

As for the audit office. They need to be INDEPEDENT which is the keyword. Have no political ties to the government or any extra conflict of interest that may sway their judgements!!!! I said clan-elders because in my opinion i believe somalis are more clan orientated ppl then religious people!!! How many times have somalis participated in "jihad" maybe 5 times at tops in history. How many times have they participated in clan battles over the history? countless!!!

 

Religion is important for somalis when foreigners are present, not when they are among themselves in my belief!!!

 

As for the rotating seat. Yeah If SSDF man is in the seat, the next election should have non ssdf runners challenging him. Not have more ssdf ppl running!!!

 

If it is someone who makhir in the seat of power, naturally the ppl that will run must be non makhiris against the makhir president!!!

 

The 66 system has worked for 11 years quite well for us, it's not perfect and i know that but it aint BROKEN it just leaking and needs a few band-aid fixes to close up those holes!!! Rather then throw it all out and implement something that has proven a total failure for african/arab nations!!!

[Naxar Nugaaleed]

what the hell kinda of question is this? Democracy is needed every where and despite all the none sense , it would be in the interest of the "West" to just make deals with dictators rather then deal with trade partners that are answerable and accountable to their peoples.

[Beer-Gaal]

Seriously i like some of your recommendations there , but that is gonna happen only and only if the three brothers you and I know come to terms and say hey others do exist there!! lets pray for that to happen.