Awdal News Network Republic Of Somaliland September 06, 2007 -...

Awdal News Network
Republic Of Somaliland
September 06, 2007 - 04:41
Puntland in the doldrums



Abdullahi Yussuf might have been a dictator when he was president in Puntalnd. When he left some people might have said good riddance. But dictators can sometimes be missed when those who replace them bring nothing but misery to the people. That is the case in Somalia where there is growing nostalgia for the relatively good old days under the rule of Mohamed Siyad Barre. And that is also the current situation in Puntland under Cadde Muse, an ineffectual, dithering and lacklustre leader. He and his notoriously corrupt cabinet are less concerned with good governance and public welfare but are united in enriching themselves as fast as possible. Pilfering public funds had been their main trade mark in the past. But they have found an easier way of making money: importing machines that print limitless false Somali shillings. As to be expected, inflation has rocketed to unknown levels that ordinary people could not cope with the rising prices. Not only that, but public employees had not been paid for months, some more than a year.

The Puntland public are renowned for their perseverance and fortitude. But there is a limit as how much misery they can bear. And in the end, they reached breaking point when recently an impromptu riot hit Garawe. The writing had been on the wall for sometime, but those myopic parasites in the government of Cadde Muse could only focus on stealing public funds, or chasing unscrupulous deals with dubious oil companies just to make fast buck.

In response to the riots in Garawe, Cadde Muse as usual would blame anyone else, Somaliland, Islamists, conspirators from Mogadishu – anyone else but himself and his corrupt and selfish ministers. Not visible action has been taken to stop those printing machines churning out stinking false money.

President Abdullahi Yusuf was back in Puntland the other day. But he did nothing more than tinkering with the problem. May be he is not sure about his days in Mogadishu and may not want to rock the boat in Punltand. Cadde Muse in the meantime is off on one of his deal- hunting foreign missions. The Puntland ship is gradually sinking and others have already begun to desert it. Recently, Makhir State has been created, its people having despaired of any change of direction from Cadde Muse and his Garawe-based regional government. The creation of Makhir State may well be the beginning of the end of Puntland as we know it as others may follow suit in the SSC regions. There is still a chance to save Puntland.

Presidential election in Puntland is expected in the not too distant future. What is needed is the election of an honest and competent candidate. Recently, some bigwigs from SSC had approached Mohamed Ali Mirreh, to stand for the post in the interest of Puntland which he graciously accepted. He certainly has more than is required for the job. He combines honesty, dedication to his job and Puntland, experience, and he is an engineer who could concentrate minds on development of the much neglected region. He is currently working for the largest utility firm in Northern Europe as an international consultant engineer for high voltage networks. He had executed grand power projects in many parts of the world. But the odds against him are considerable.

First, those who had been running Puntland have inherited that corrupt Italian Mafia culture. When it comes to defending their turf, they would fight tooth and nail and have won many battles in the past against the former Vice President of Puntland, Mohamed Abdi Hashi. He was detested for his uprightness and dedication to good administration, values inculcated in him during his many years as a civil servant in former British Somaliland. When he stood for the presidency last time, all those no-gooders ganged up against him. Abdullahi Yussuf, wisely hedging his bet, supported Cadde Musa, as one always meek and susceptible to his whims. In case he gets stuck in the murky waters of Mogadishu, Abdullahi reckons he will be back to his old post in Puntland and Cadde Musa only knows too well from bitter experience from the past not to stand in the way of Abdullahi Yusuf and cede the post to his mentor.

Secondly, there is also that Southern culture in Puntland that any elected leader must be from their region or clan. In the case of Somalia, Southerners would insist that the president of Somalia, if not also the Prime Minister, should be from the South and never from the North. And within the South, the Hawiye and Majeerteen would each insist on their unchallenged right to the post, a mindset that has been the bane of Somalia’s politics since independence. The same mentality persists in Puntland that the President must always be from Majeerteen. Indeed, one of their well-known Islaans was quoted as warning the SSC clans not to entertain any false hopes about the post. It is theirs he said, pure and simple.

The monopolisation of the Presidency is only one part of the accumulated grievances that the SSC regions have against their fellow partner in Garawe. The cabinet and the resources of the region are unacceptably skewed in favour of the Majeerteen with only little crumbs for the SSC. The forces guarding Adde Cadeeye near Laascaanood have not been paid for over a year and understandably many of the defenders were forced to return home to fend for themselves. These grievances are behind the recent creation of Makhir state. Others despairing of the ways of Cadde Muse would like to follow that example and create their own Darwiishland.

Puntland can still be saved. It is time someone else other than the Majeerteen was elected for the Presidency. In a democracy, no one clan should have monopoly on the post. It should be open to everyone from the region and the best person chosen. The presidency should also rotate and it is time that someone from the SSC regions was given a chance. So far, Mohamed Ali Mirreh is the only candidate from SSC to declare his candidacy. Puntland would be fortunate to have him if only Cadde Muse and his rotten crew will leave the ship of Puntland for good before they sink it for ever.

Ali Geeleh