Somaliland Opposition leader Congratulates President of Somalia

[Jacaylbaro]

 

 

Somaliland’s UCID opposition leader, Mr Faisal Ali Warabe has expressed optimism and congratulated the new Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who was elected on Saturday in Djibouti city by Somali parliamentarians.

 

Mr Warabe called on the new leader to “be vigilant and form a new government of national unity” and has warned “not to make the mistakes of previous regimes in Somalia and must not include Somaliland as part of his regime,” according to Denmark based Somaliland-source, Radio Hormuud.

 

Warabe said he welcomes formal talk between the two countries but Sheikh Sharif first needs to reestablish his country’s peace and stability and respect Somaliland’s self-determination.

 

“The man they elect - whether Sheikh Sharif or Sheikh Dahir Aweys out of the political wilderness does not matter but what we want for the people is peace - we will welcome whoever is committed to the peace process - we welcome Sheikh Sharif, I want to say this to Sheikh Sharif to abandon his stance on Somaliland while he was leading Islamic Union Courts that Somaliland is part of Somalia - we were two countries in 1960s, we did not unify based on tribal institutions, the so called 4.5 or 6.5 system - there was constitution and government” he said while speaking to Radio Hormuud.

 

Faisal Ali Warabe heads the Justice and Welfare Party of Somaliland (UCID). Mr Warabe held many posts when Somalia and Somaliland were one country known as the Republic of Somalia including Regional Director in the Ministry of Public Works of Somalia, Director of Planning and Building, Ministry of Public Works, and Chief Engineer of Mogadishu City, Somalia.

 

Sheikh Sharif has an uphill battle but if he was to succeed he must energize the minds of the masses and unify the divided people of Somalia. He must avoid reigniting tensions with Somaliland and regional bodies including Ethiopia.

 

He should also replace the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) with troops from the Arab world such as Algeria which already pledged 1700 troops, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Djibouti and even Somaliland. The Arab world must support the peace process in Somalia by pledging funds for the weak government of Sheikh Sharif once he names his cabinet. The Arab leaders must take part in disarming the Islamist movement of Al Shabab and invest in Somalia’s infrastructure such as Mogadishu airport, sea port, Jamame farmlands and revive Somalia’s famous banana plantations.

 

 

HERE