The Birth of a New Alliance and the Spirit of the Roadmap

By Mohamed Ali-Nur Hagi - Somalia has been through darkness, confusion, and sometimes irrepressible that has characterized warlordism, terrorisms and weak governments.

Editorial Keydmedia Online
22 April 2012

Nevertheless, the Kampala agreement, known as the Kampala Accord, has paved the way for the innovative Roadmap signed in Mogadishu September last year 2011 that has brought a momentous hope for the people of Somalia since the collapse of the State in 1990. 

The Roadmap was a milestone that has revitalized the prospect of getting an effective full functioning government that represents the sectors of the Somali communities after the end of the transition.  

Indeed, as it is always been the trend, a few factions that have an acquisitive ambition to stay on power forever have hijacked the sprit of the Roadmap.  

President Sheikh Sharif, Prime Minister Abdiwali and Puntland President Abdirahman Faroole are controlling every aspect of the Roadmap to suit their interests.  

They dictate the agendas, the venues and dates of the conferences while it seems UNPOS, who facilitates the Roadmap, has no choice other than keeping their eyes closed and pleasing them.  

In particular, no one has challenged when President Faroole unilaterally decided the Growe (I) conference will go-ahead with or without the participation of the international community and the other stakeholders who signed the Roadmap.

According to UNPOS officials, whom we have contacted at the time, confirmed us the GaroweI was called only for a pre-constitution consultative meeting when it was postponed three times and later decided to take place on January 2012.

We have been convinced that the Principles will discuss only the way forward in order to accommodate Puntland’s request since they were in preparation to hold this conference for some time. But the reality was different. The conference exceeded from what we have been told and finally agreed the Garowe 1 Principles inconsistently of the delegates invited from Galmudug, ASWJ and the Commissions of the Roadmap were  as well not fully represented. 

Representatives from the Joint Committee were not invited and small number of the Committee of Experts (COE) was present, hereafter taking advantage of hosting the conference, it was Puntland that has its full representatives from all commissions of the Roadmap and the civil society organizations.

This has hampered any contributions from other stakeholders and hence, the weaknesses of GaraweI is already very evident.   The number of the Constituent Assembly that has been agreed in GaraweI is revisited in Galkayo meeting and reduced to 825 delegates from a 10000.  

There are also many other debatable issues agreed on both Garowe I and Garowe II, such as the decision of having Upper House, the question of federalism and recognizing Puntland as the only full federal state of Somalia. 

Although Puntland achieved the two or more regions condition to become a full federal state, there are contentious issues that have not been addressed before agreeing to recognize Puntland as a Full Federal State.  For example, Puntland does not have defined and agreed borders from its neighbors.  

Puntland claims its administration expands from North Galkayo to Sool and Sanaag regions, which are now under the newly recognized Khatumo State.   

Also, Puntland occupies the Galkayo Airport that is in the territory of Galmudug. Thus, recognizing regional administrations in such a way will lead to endless dispute among the Somali people over their claims on the regions and territories and we are inviting this issue referred to the current Somali Parliament. 

The Transitional Federal Charter describes two or more of the former 18 regions of Somalia can be recognized as a Federal State.  

Perversely, the contemporary regions, prevailed after the civil war, are transformed physically and substantially different from those of the 1990.  Galmudug is questioning the relevance and the legitimacy of the former 18 regions that was unethically endorsed the demarcation of their boundaries.  

In that sense, the 18 regions before the 1990 are not valid any more and cannot be measured or used as a prerequisite to describe who can or cannot be a federal state due to the current demographic shifts of the Somali regions.  

For instance, Mudug Region is divided, and two third of it’s land and sea are under the jurisdiction of Galmudug State.  Another complication is Hiraan region. Due to its size (34,000 square kilometers, which is only half of Mudug Region) and its geographical location, Hiraan region has not changed physically since independence 1960.  

It is a unique region that makes very difficult if applied the two or more theory of qualifying full state according to the charter and Garawe II Principle. 

On the other hand, the Roadmap and its benchmark adopted on the 6 of September 2011 is drifting into a gloomy atmosphere.  Since it has been adopted, number of committees and constitutional experts were nominated in the process.  H.E. Prime Minister Abdiwali, prior to consultation with the stakeholders (Galmudug and ASWJ) nominated the 9 members of the Committee of Experts (COE).  

Galmudug has expressed its deep concerns of such an act and brought to the attention of the international community with a formal written complaint.

Furthermore, the COE, which is based on 4.5, the Hawiye Clan is underrepresented since it was established. Only one of the allotted two representatives of the Haiye Clan is representing.  Professor Tuuryare has resigned right from the start and not yet replaced.  

Strangely, Puntland was given an additional representative after President Abdirahman Faroole put pressure.  Those who participated the Djibouti conference from 7-10 last January knew it all the extra person invited from Puntland to attend the conference. 

This is undermining the sprit of the Roadmap and alarmingly created doubts among the Somali people for the election of the future Somali government, democratically, in August when the transition comes to an end.  

Galmudug also worries about the uncertainty of the Roadmap and the achievements made so far, particularly, on the monthly progress report of the four pillars – the Security, Constitution, Reconciliation and the Governance-.   

It is true; the Roadmap has encountered severe deadlocks in which priorities must be contemplated appropriately.  

But still we have responsibilities and commitments to accomplish the spirit of the Roadmap and its benchmarks.  Example, the Technical Subcommittee of the Political Outreach and Reconciliation, chaired by Galmudug, has never commenced as stipulated on the Roadmap Benchmarks since it was established.  

Galmudug has urged UNPOS secretariat of the Subcommittee and the Minister of Constitution and Reconciliation, H.E. Abdirahman Hosh, for not maintaining the monthly briefings of the Subcommittee and the progress reports. 

Having said that, Galmudug is pointing out to re-evaluate the whole process of the Roadmap, particularly the functions of the Joint Committee, the Committee of Experts (COE) and the Interim Independent Election Commission IIEC as well as the selection of the Constituency Assembly.  

Conclusively, Galmudug who is one of signatures of the Roadmap and an important actor of the peace process in Somalia is commending the Roadmap should be put back into its original track. Galmudug which is the only recognized state and a voice for the rest of Southern Somalia that are still not represented is urging  all agreements, Grawe I, Garawe II as well as the Draft Constitution must be brought in front of the current Somali Parliament.

Particularly, the Draft Constitution must be ratified and approved by the new Somali Parliament not by Constituent Assembly.   We also urge to the Somali people, wherever they are, to know the Draft Constitution is not in the hands of Somali people.  

It is manipulated by non-Somalis who have a hidden agenda to outfit their aspiration of seeing Somalia is ruled by none Somalis. 

The Somali Parliament must regain its denied responsibilities; not by Sheikh Sharif, Sharif Hassan, Abdiwali and Faroole who are acting both as the legislative and the administrative of the Country that are dictating the future of our great nation.  

The current Parliament is the sole law making body of our nation and without their endorsement, the new Draft Constitution and other agreements of the Roadmap has no legal basis what so ever. 

First Published on Keydmedia.net - 22 - April - 2012

Mohamed Ali-Nur Hagi - Minister of Planning and International Cooperation - Galmudug State of Somalia // Mhagi@galmudug.so   mohamedhagi@hotmail.com