Somaliland: Opposition National Consultation Conference Attracts International Attention
As the announced opposition parties’ national consultation conference date draws by and expected to be held of 14th December of this year. The two official opposition parties have put the agendas to be discussed on the table. The national party (WADANI) and party of justice and development (UCID) have reiterated their stand and have refused to burge on the government ban of their meeting terming it ridiculous.
And as the Tag-of-war ensues pitting the government against the opposition an unexpected spectator has been drawn in; the international community.
The meeting which the president H.E Ahmed Mohammed Mohamud (Silanyo) has currently opposed and even threatened to use the security apparatus at his disposal to extinguish any voice of dissent against his rule thus becoming a dictator in the offing.
Opposition political parties have revealed their objectives for the conference where by four points will be debated; the presidential and parliamentary elections that is expected to be held in 2015, the House of elders (Gurti) or senate election which has never been held since it was established.
The kulmiye administration has branded the national consultation conference unlawful.
In a confidential report passed to local daily (Horn Of Africa) the presidential and parliamentary elections and the senate issues have been noticed by donor countries who support democratic governance and institutions and have raised alarm to a point where by delegations from donor countries have been streaming in to the country to hold closed-door meeting with both the government and the opposition to discuss this matters of utmost importance the democratic principles.
The government to a national conference by the opposition political parties which if not checked may dent Somaliland infant democracy.
NCRF Chairman Warns President Silanyo
The chairman of the out-lowed political entity national consultation and reification forum Mr. Hassan Gurre Jama has sent a strong warning to the president H.E Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Silanyo) in a press conference he called.
He accused the president for purportedly abusing his powers by strangling press freedom and ruling the country with an iron fist by sanctioning the opposition from their national duties.
He said that the president actions are becoming unpredictable and authoritarian.
”The president has made some regions in the country ano-go-zone areas and thus hindering the freedom of movement by denying access to opposition party for justice and development (UCID) presidential aspirant Mr. Jamal Ali Hussein former senior executive with Citibank Tanzania who was enroot to Gebiley region for a working visit but was barricaded by police in A, Abdulla asmall village near Arabsiyo town.
Mr. Hassan Gurre reminisces when he was a freedom fighter for independence struggle former autocratic regime of colonel Mohammed Said Barre. ”While serving for Somali national movement(SNM) we used to stop traffic at Abdulla because of our rebellion to that dictatorial government but now the kulmiye government has herself transformed to are billion.”
The chairman urged the president to accommodate the resenting voices in this democratic age and advised him not to accumulate the power of the ion people in his hand, he also cautioned the head of state not to rule the country without consulting the views and ideas of the opposition and other stakeholders because the nation belongs to us all and leadership without consensus is suicidal.
He went on to say that the ruling party intimidations and threats to opponents will not provoke bloodshed because the nation’s citizens are no longer ignorant.
Source: Somalilandsun