Puntland Parliament Makes Decision to Prevent Somaliland’s Polls in Eastern regions

[Deeq A.]

GAROWE—Puntland Parliament called on its provincial government to do its utmost to prevent Somaliland’s intentions to hold free and fair elections in Sool, Sanaag and Ayn regions. The parliament made the decision at a session held on Tuesday which the parliament said the government must prevent Somaliland’s violation  and incursion of its territorial integrity. Puntland’s parliamentary speaker, Hon. Ahmed Ali Hashi presiding over the  4oth session whereby 36 MP’s have voted in favor of an action must be taken to halt SL’s plans to bring ballot boxes and conduct elections. The MP’s have called on its government must do what is necessary to halt SL plans.

The parliament reached the following points:-

1. Puntland provincial government must prevent from Somaliland holding the so called elections in Sool, Sanaag and Ayn regions.
2. There will not be elections that will be held in Sool, Sanaag and Ayn regions where the duty to maintain security in the border rests on the shoulders of Puntland authority.
3. The government must do the constitutional right to defend the country and to prevent Somaliland’s violation in her territory as stipulated in article 7 of Puntland constitution.
4. Puntland authority must release a communique on Somaliland’s border violations and warn the int’l community to support it.

Presidential election campaign is smoothly taking place in Sool, Sanaag and Ayn and planned that residents will vote on the 13th November elections. There is border stand-off between Somaliland and Puntland over Sool, Sanaag and Ayn regions. The armed forces clashed on numerous occasions.