The President formed national level committee for the reconciliation talks with Khatumo last week, as a major political post was nominated for Faraton from SOOL for the first time in 25 years.
By: Mahmoud Qodah
Las-Anod (Somalilandsun) – A delegation led by the President of Somaliland Republic paid a working visit to SOOL region. President’s visit to eastern regions comes in a time when both Somaliland government and the Khatumo’s leader Dr. Ali Kalif Galeydh declared the existence and the beginning of peace negotiations between the two parts.
Senior Government officials including the newly appointed Minister of Interior Affairs Yasen Mohamud Faraton, Ministers of Presidency, Information and Rehabilitation as well as the Commanders of Police and National Armies have been part of President Silanyo’s delegation. According to a press issued by the Presidency, Delegation’s working visit is expected to last within three days, as Somaliland’s Head of State Ahmed Silanyo laid the foundation stones of several development projects at Adhi-adeye – a district which is about 30 km West from SOOL’s Head Quarter, Laas-Anood.
Hundreds of people from Aynabo and Adhi-adeye were highly welcomed President’s delegation as they have been received by flag waving residents of the many trading centers and towns in between.
The President during his stay at Aynabo – the town where representatives from government and Khatumo had agreed unconditionally agreed to start the reconciliation peace talks – and Adhi-adeye, has had meetings with elders, traditional leaders and intellectuals from those communities. Reports added that the President will similarly have discussions with the politicians from SOOL region (Dhul-bahante clan). Generally the people of Somaliland and Dhul-bahante clan in particular have highly endorsed the appointment of a major post for Yasen Mohamud Faraton, who is a politician from SOOL region for the first time during in 25 years. In President Silanyo’s recent big reshuffle, about another 9 new positions have likewise been appointed for members from SOOL community (Dhulbahante clan).
As Somaliland government already affirmed of the president’s intent to address the power-sharing concerns of the clans living in the country’s eastern and western corners, but President Silanyo in his latest major reshuffle where he appointed dozens of politicians from East is a sign of an optimism as members from those communities never hold heavy-weight posts since Somaliland reinserted it’s independent which lost in 1960 after its voluntary merger with the rest of Somalia.
Formation of a national level committee for the negotiation talks:
Last week, Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed (Silanyo) formed a national level committee for the negotiations between the government of Somaliland and Khaatumo – a faction led by the politician Ali Khaleef Galaydh. This committee contains government ministers and senior traditional and cultural leaders.
Government’s Spokesperson Osman Abdilahi Sahardiid (Adani) who is also the minister of have welcomed the start of the peace talks, hence congratulated the leader of Khaatumo, Prof. Ali Khaleef Galaydh for his bravery as he chose the right path which is negotiations rather than conflict. Representatives from both sides – Government and Khatumo have had their first face-to-face meeting, as they successfully and unconditionally agreed to start the peace talks at Aynabo town.
Commencing negotiations and the peace talks with Khatumo and generally Dhulbahante clan – where some of them strongly grieved their political share, but this time seem ones who are all determined to engage in successful talks with Somaliland – can be called a step forward for the good interests of all Somalilanders – from east to west. As it is a very essential that both sides have eventually realized that their good interest lies in peace and tranquillity rather than conflict, and in the meantime preferred cooperation, development, as well as maintaining Somaliland unity and wellbeing rather than political division, wrangle and trauma, which I can say to be a new era of peace, stability and development for Somaliland’s eastern regions.
