Congratulations, You Won

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Somalida need to relax. At this stage - what's needed is to pray that anything found will be of benefit to the Somali people not gratuitous negativity.

She raised good points, saaxiib. Especially that shady company by the name of Range Resources. Here from Faroole's own mouthpiece, Garoowe Online:

 

The consequences of trusting shady characters with Somalia’s resources

 

Did Range Resources uphold its end of the bargain with the same intensity, or was President Muse "played" like the typical African leader with an unnatural appetite for quick cash?

 

The widely reported collapse of Australian securities firm Opes Prime Group Limited has far-reaching consequences not only for the company and its staff, but for other companies linked to Opes Prime, their shareholders and, surprisingly, the people of Puntland, a self-governing region in north Somalia. Australian newspaper The Age has expertly documented the unceremonious financial fall of Opes Prime and detailed other companies affected by the collapse, including Range Resources, Ltd., a junior oil and gas firm that claims to be "exploring" for oil in Puntland, Somalia.

 

Interesting characters have emerged following the publicized collapse of Opes Prime, namely a Mr. Leo Khouri and a Mr. Peter Landau. Yes, the same Peter Landau who happens to be the executive director of Range Resources. According to The Age report, both Mr. Khouri and Mr. Landau traveled to Puntland, in a trip that featured a photo-op where the Range company representatives handed clan elders and government officials there a check worth $250,000

. For the record,

the clan elders received only $90,000

from that exact check, which they contributed towards the construction of an airport in Garowe, the capital of Puntland. However,

what remains absolutely astounding is the level of influence Mr. Khouri has with Range Resources and the lack of public scrutiny prior to The Age report

.

 

But what of the better known character in Puntland, namely Mr. Landau? [Did Puntland government officials know that Mr. Landau is also the director of a small biotech company with suspicious links to Russia? It remains unknown whether or not Mr. Landau completely duped his Puntland partners, especially President Mohamud Adde Muse.

 

Since mid-2005, Muse has practically gambled his political future in Puntland on the success or failure of an exploration agreement he inked with Range Resources. That agreement has caused much raucous throughout Somalia, leading to bloodshed in some extreme cases and sparking an enduring constitutional tug-of-war between the Puntland regional autonomy and the UN-endorsed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, with TFG officials arguing that only the Federal Government has the constitutional authority to manage Somalia's natural resources

.

 

While the debate in Australia centers on Opes Prime, the millions of dollars it lost, and the families of affected companies, the debate in Puntland is primarily focused on ascertaining that characters with shady pasts (or present) do not come anywhere near the country's God-given natural resources wealth. President Muse's naïve attitude towards shifty foreign companies led him to immorally spill the blood of his brothers, in Sanaag region, for the sake of upholding the controversial agreement with Range. But now one wonders: Did Range Resources uphold its end of the bargain with the same intensity, or was President Muse "played" like the typical African leader with an unnatural appetite for quick cash?

 

The people of Puntland, and Somalis in general, need a strong government founded on the principles of unity, justice and compromise. Like any other government, upholding the rule of law, protecting citizens, their properties and assets, and promoting the well-being of society remains an obligatory duty.

But the Muse (

read Faroole now

) administration of Puntland has placed much focus – and fuss – on fantastic daydreams of getting rich by exploring for oil and other natural resources in a country torn apart by years of civil war, foreign military occupation and terrorism

.

 

Since Muse came to power in Puntland, the region has experienced an unprecedented rise in crime, including piracy, human trafficking and kidnappings. This is mainly due to corrupt and negligent practices at all levels of government, because unpaid members of the security forces are not willing to face criminals. Muse has neglected the concerns of ordinary citizens in Puntland for far too long, while he continues to favorably carter to the interests of shady foreigners.

 

It is now quite evident that Range Resources will suffer financial losses due to its links with Opes Prime, combined with concern in some circles that company officials might be investigated by the Australian government

.

 

Does the Puntland leader now have the courage to confront today's in-your-face reality or continue to let others take advantage of his naivety?

Of course, this article was written in 2008 when Cadde Muuse ka talinaaye gobolladaas Waqooyi Bari.

 

Is Faroole's mouthpiece (his son) a 'hater' as well? Will they remove this article now? Hmm...

[The Zack]

Bilan, though naive in this subject, raises good and serious points. When two countries/companies are making these kinds of huge OIL deals, both countries need some serious representations.

Nimankiinan gabadha eedeynayo, do you even have the details of this deal? Mise difaaca umbey idinka tahay. There is nothing wrong critically thinking and questioning many things.

[ElPunto]

^MMA - I don't believe she did raise good points - see my post. Zack - tell us the good points she raised.

 

Range Resources may or may not be a shady company. And the Puntland administration may or may not have entered into a poor bargain. But all that is negotiable - it's not as if any of this is set in stone. At this point her commentary and others like it s premature.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Punto, what changed from 2008 to now? What made Garoowe Online endorse it now and against it in 2008? Aren't the arguments the same and valid?

[The Zack]

Punto,

 

WHAT? Agreements, sxbkey, when they are made, can't be altered unless otherwise stated. How do you know if this one can be modified at any time?

[Somalia]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783235 wrote:

She raised good points, saaxiib. Especially that shady company by the name of Range Resources. Here from Faroole's own mouthpiece, Garoowe Online:

 

 

 

Of course, this article was written in

2008

when Cadde Muuse ka talinaaye gobolladaas Waqooyi Bari.

 

Is Faroole's mouthpiece (his son) a 'hater' as well? Will they remove this article now? Hmm...

Santander, the bank, invested in Bernie Madoff, does that mean Santander is guilty by association? And no, the arguments against Range Resources by Faroole's son was no valid evident by the fact that he himself is working with them now.

[ElPunto]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783243 wrote:

Punto, what changed from 2008 to now? What made Garoowe Online endorse it now and against it in 2008? Aren't the arguments the same and valid?

Faroole was fired by Cadde - he was bitter. Ergo what was written then. You know as well as I do - that everyone has an axe to grind in Somali politics. That piece wasn't written out of the goodness of Garowe Online's heart and the well being of the Somali masses.

 

The arguments are about essentailly about splits. Let's find the damn oil first and then talk about splits.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Of course he is working for it now because his father wato. But the argument did and does remain still valid. This is the main and basic argument:

 

But the Muse (read Faroole now) administration of Puntland has placed much focus – and fuss – on fantastic daydreams of getting rich by exploring for oil and other natural resources in a country torn apart by years of civil war, foreign military occupation and terrorism.

 

It is the same argument raised by the sister, Bilan A. Aaden.

[ElPunto]

The Zack;783244 wrote:

Punto,

 

WHAT? Agreements, sxbkey, when they are made, can't be altered unless otherwise stated. How do you know if this one can be modified at any time?

Of course they can. Ever heard of oil industry nationalizations of the 1970s or that Chavez kicked the US oil majors out of Venezuela when he came to power. Besides we're an African country - why the hell would any foreigner expect us to honour a contract?

[General Duke]

Peace Action;783229 wrote:

Really, so you just point the satellite at the site and boom you get oil. This is the level of ignorance Ms Bilan displays about the tough work of oil exploration and makes the rest of her arguments less credible. Here are the immediate benefits of the Dharoor oil exploration:

 

1. Millions spend on site survey and mappings

2. Hundreds of people employed.

3. Hundreds of trucks rented for transport

4.There is so much dollar in Bosaso that the Somali shilling went from 3million to 2.5million per $100.

 

and Insha Allah when oil is found all Somalis will benefit and it can't come soon enough.

They don't know whats coming. The project has started and lets wait until all four wells have been drilled. We expect such negative articles.

The agreement has been signed years ago.

[General Duke]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783253 wrote:

Of course he is working for it now because his father wato. But the argument did and does remain still valid. This is the main and basic argument:

 

But the Muse (read Faroole now) administration of Puntland has placed much focus – and fuss – on fantastic daydreams of getting rich by exploring for oil and other natural resources in a country torn apart by years of civil war, foreign military occupation and terrorism.

 

It is the same argument raised by the sister, Bilan A. Aaden.

Faroole's argument was nothing more than political. He was an angry, disgruntled former Minister exiled to Australia. So whats the matter with Bilan A.Aden?

[Somalia]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783253 wrote:

Of course he is working for it now because his father wato. But the argument did and does remain still valid. This is the main and basic argument:

 

But the Muse (read Faroole now) administration of Puntland has placed much focus – and fuss – on fantastic daydreams of getting rich by exploring for oil and other natural resources in a country torn apart by years of civil war, foreign military occupation and terrorism.

 

It is the same argument raised by the sister, Bilan A. Aaden.

It's not valid, it's a straw man fallacy. You are using a statement made by a man who wanted his father to come in power, a father who previously used the oil agreement against General Muse and had to leave the country. Now that his father is in power he won't agree with his previous statements

 

The oil is in a part of Somalia that has not been torn apart by civil war but by poverty. It hasn't been torn apart by military occupation but piracy.

 

The article is nothing less than an attempt to discredit the long work by people in that region.

[ElPunto]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783253 wrote:

Of course he is working for it now because his father wato. But the argument did and does remain still valid. This is the main and basic argument:

 

But the Muse (read Faroole now) administration of Puntland has placed much focus – and fuss – on fantastic daydreams of getting rich by exploring for oil and other natural resources in a country torn apart by years of civil war, foreign military occupation and terrorism.

 

It is the same argument raised by the sister, Bilan A. Aaden.

What does that mean? Iraq is a country that is/has been torn apart by years of civil war. Does it mean it can't or shouldn't export oil?? That Somalia is unstable and in a civil war is clear - but why should it not hunt for or export oil if it finds it. That makes no sense.

 

Whether it is a daydream or not - we will soon see. But it is odd that a daydream should concern people so.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

The argument is still valid and nothing to do with personalities. The theme of the argument is this: Soomaaliya is a war-torn country, with corrupt, marginalized, divided weak leaders. Soomaaliya is no position to sign long-term natural resources agreements with shady companies now. It was the same valid argument raised by that Garoowe Online editorial in 2008. It still stands, nothing to do with Faroole's son, Faroole himself or the author of this article, Bilan.

[Peace Action]

Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar;783235 wrote:

She raised good points, saaxiib. Especially that shady company by the name of Range Resources. Here from Faroole's own mouthpiece, Garoowe Online:

 

 

 

Of course, this article was written in

2008

when Cadde Muuse ka talinaaye gobolladaas Waqooyi Bari.

 

Is Faroole's mouthpiece (his son) a 'hater' as well? Will they remove this article now? Hmm...

That is called politics. And it shows how wrong Faroole and his sons were. Do you know that all risky oil exploration is undertaken by small companies just like Hunt Oil in Yemen.