An Open Letter to the International Observers and Other Representatives Concerning the Fraudulent Local Elections Held in Somaliland on 28 November 2012
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – We, the undersigned members of XAQSOOR political association in the Diaspora, do hereby categorically condemn in the strongest terms possible about the massive of vote rigging committed by the ruling party in the local elections held in the country on 28 November 2012.
We particularly condemn the extremely wicked and an unashamedly fraudulent tactics that the government has employed in its vicious attempt not only to put the flagging ruling party, KULMIYE, above all other competing parties but also to surreptitiously pick and choose the two other political associations that will qualify for national parties.
XAQSOOR [pronounced HAKSOOR] political association was essentially set up with the noble idea of bringing together all Somaliland clans including those on the periphery under one flag- Somaliland. Consequently, after careful thought and wider consultation, XAQSOOR members agreed to pick their own first deputy leader from the Dhulbahante clan whereas all other political associations picked their respective deputies from Gadabursi clan as has been the tradition for the past twenty years or so.
In a similar fashion, the XAQSOOR second deputy leader was picked from the Issa clan in order to create a stronger and more inclusive nation based on justice and equality so that Somaliland could become a nation where the dignity and rights of every clan is preserved and not only those of the ISSAQ clan that dominates the political scene. This undoubtedly won XAQSOOR the hearts and minds of the Somaliland clans on the periphery. But unbeknownst to the rest of the nation was the fact that Silanyo and his unscrupulous clique of usurpers were hatching sinister plans to scupper that noble idea.
In particular, we would like to point out the following:
That Silanyo government has shamelessly and unethically employed every trick in the book to ensure that XAQSOOR political association is completely and utterly routed in the local elections so that it will never shine on Somaliland’s political landscape again. XAQSOOR was not defeated through fair and free elections but through the use of calculated and preplanned massive vote riggings and other electoral fraud mainly committed in the predominantly Dhulbahante inhabited region of Sool in the far east of Somaliland and the predominantly Issa inhabited territories of Zeila and its surroundings in the far west of Somaliland where the the ruling party, KULMIYE, was almost certain to face defeat in the polls.
ISSA CLAN
That the Vice President of Somaliland has brazenly “abused and misused his presidential powers and state resources by deploying security forces and election staff exclusively drawn from his own sub clan” as stated by Ali Aareeye, MP, in an apparent attempt to deny members of ISSA clan to vote for XAQSOOR and secure KULMIYE’s victory above all other competing parties. The vice president shamelessly brought with him “pre-stuffed ballot boxes” according to members of the ISSA clan representing the three parties of KULMIYE, WADDANI and XAQSOOR. The ISSA clan members were unquestionably disenfranchised and therefore, as a clan, collectively rejected the outcome of the election.
Now that the election dust has finally settled it has become glaringly clear that the sinister plan was calculatingly designed to rob the votes of the communities on the periphery namely ISSA and Dhulbahante, who for so long complained about injustices and inequalities meted out to them in Somaliland. The plan was undoubtedly hatched by the highest echelons of the government as is clearly evident in the vice president’s actions. When ISSA elders and intellectuals confronted the vice president with evidence of his direct interference in the election process, the vice president, instead of defending himself from the accusations, ignominiously ran away from the country by attending a Good Governance conference to be held in Senegal.
WARSANGELI CLAN
The Chairman of XAQSOOR in Dhahar has unambiguously stated on Somali news Channel on 5th December 2012 that ballot boxes intended for the Warsangeli clan of Dhahar, East Sanaag, had been deliberately held in Erigavo and later placed in the military barracks of Armaale and Shimbiraale where ballot stuffing took place. The chairman said that KULMIYE party “donned in government shirt” had disenfranchised them and as result alienated and excluded them from the rest of Somaliland. He further added that ” Since the Somaliland government alienated and excluded us- as a clan- from the rest of Somaliland we will decide our own future destiny”.
MISSING BALLOT BOXES
The most ludicrous and shameful episode occurred in the headquarters of National Election Commission (NEC) when XAQSOOR votes were deliberately erased from the computer and when the commission decided to recount the votes the ballot boxes from the district of Ahmed Dhagah, the stronghold of XAQSOOR, went missing from the NEC headquarters. Despite the heavy security presence in the headquarters the ballot boxes simply vanished into thin air. This is the most incontrovertible evidence which demonstrates beyong shadow of doubt that XAQSOOR was being deliberately targeted by the government.
We the supporters of XAQSOOR condemn yet again in the strongest terms possible the criminal actions of the security forces of Somaliland which confronted the unarmed children of XAQSOOR protesting against the vote rigging committed by the government in collusion with members of the NEC with hails of bullets which resulted in several deaths and nine wounded people.
Up until now, the president of Somaliland, Ahmed Silanyo, remains tight lipped about the election dispute even though XAQSOOR supporters conveyed their complaints directly to him. And he did not even send his condolences to those relatives whose loved ones were shot and killed by security forces.
It is important to note that failure to resolve this election dispute will put the supporters of XAQSOOR in direct collision with the government which may eventually result in Silanyo reducing himself to the leader of a clan enclave rather than the president of all Somalilanders.
We call upon the international observers and other representatives of the international community to note that Somaliland’s future hangs by a thread and that the prospect of Silanyo ruling from a non-contiguous capital city, Hargeisa, is very real unless this election dispute is resolved peacefully.
Unholy Elections Cannot Produce a Holly Result.
Signatories
1) Xamse Xaaji Xasan
2) Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed
3) Yasir Maxamuud Ibraahim
4) Xuseen Cabdillaahi (wanaagsane)
5) Aadan Cali Xamari
6) Axmed Cabdillaahi
7) Maxamed Cabdi Keyd
8) Shukri Cabdi Xuseen
9) Siciid Baashe
10) Cabdiqani Axmed Mire
11) Dayib Aadan Xabashi
12) Maxamed Qawdhan
13) Muxumad Cali Aw Xuseen
14) Faysal Cali Aw Cabdi
15) Maxamuud Aw Aadan
16) Cali Ducaale Seed
17) Cabdirisaaq Cali Ducaale
18) Maxamuud Jibriil
19) Xasan Cali Ducaale
20) Cabdiqani Diiriye
21) Xasan Sheekh Axmed
22) Cabdsamad Cali Ducaale
23) Cabdikariim Cali Ducaale
24) Xuseen Cali Ducaale
25) Mahdi Cabdillaahi Cumar
26) Khadar Cabdillaahi Cumar
27) Cabdiraxmaan Cabdillaahi Cumar
28) Cabdiwahaab Naasir
29) Khalid Yusuf Axmed Xandule
30) Sulub Aw Cabdi Cambalaash
31) Khadar Aw Diiriye Muxumad
32) Maxamuud Qasabeeye
33) Siciid Qasbaaye
34) Cali Basbaas
35) Ibraahim Muuse Xasan Walay
36) Kornayl Faysal Cali Qaafil
37) Yusuf Muuse Dage
38) Axmed Macalin Cusmaan
39) Dr. Cabdi Suudi
40) Dr. Ibraahim Jama
41) Ingineer Cabdirisaaq Cali Xasan
42) Axmed Jaamac Cabdillaahi
43) Rashiid Xasan Xirsi
44) Axmed cali Qaafil
45) Sheekh Maxamed Amiin Sh. Bashiir
46) Ibraahim Cabdillaahi Caalin
47) Cabdi Ruush Xuseen
48) Khadar Xasan Xirsi
49) Radwaan Dayib Cabdillaahi
50) Cabdiraxmaan Abiib Cabdillaahi
51) Cabdikhadar Xasan Cabdillaahi
52) Guleed Cabdillaahi Axmed Rooble
53) Cali Cabdi Rooble
54) Idiris Xuseen Cabdillaahi
55) Jaamac Maxamed Cawaale
56) Cabdiqaadir Ciise Kaahin
57) Cabdi Dahir Aadan
58) Xasan Nadalo
59) Maxamuud Jaanyar
60) Maxamed Cabdi Haybe
61) Maxamed cabdi Gool
62) Ayaanle Maxamed
63) Ibraahim Cabdi Habreed
64) Khadar Khayre Carablow
65) Rashiid Xasan Xirsi
66) Aden Ibraahim
67) Khadar Gadaawe
68) Cabdicasiis Khadar Gadaawe
69) Axmed Mahdi
70) Xuseen Fiiraan
71) Daahir Axmed Jees
72) Ibraahim Daahir Colow
73) Xuseen Cali Rooble
74) Maxamed Ibraahim Muuse
75) Siciid Hugul
76) Nuur Cali Kooke
77) Maxamed Jaamac Dhalaax
78) Jaamac Axmed cagabaruur
79) Nuur Jaamac Maxamed
80) Cabdiraxmaan Jaamac Maxamed
81) Khadar Siciid
82) Cabdiraxmaan Xuseen Xasan Gubadle
83) Ibraahim Salaan
84) Axmed Sheekh Cabdi Wali
85) Maxamed cabdillaahi Cabdi
86) Maxamed Xaaji Cismaan
87) Ilyaas Cali Rooble
88) Liibaan Qaambiil
89) Xayd Adan Jaamac (Jaanyar)
90) Jibriil Jaamac Jaanyar
91) Khadar Naasir Ayjeex
92) Maxamuud Xaashi
93) Cabdiqani Diiriye Aw Maxamuud
94) Axmed Dhagoole
95) Cabdishakuur Mawliid
96) Abusite Jibriil
97) Abdisalaan Sheekh Daahir
98) Sahrmaarke Baadari
99) Mohammed Yusuf Madadse
100) Cabdirisaaq cali Qaafil
101) Maxamed Daahir Hagoogane
102) Siciid Cabdi Xirsi Madadaal
103) Daariq Xaaji Yuusuf
104) Cabdikhadar Warsame (Afyare)
105) Faaruuq Cabdillaahi Doob Ilkoole
106) Xariir Maxamed Jaamac
107) Axmed Cabdillaahi Jawaan
108) Faysal Cabdi Cilmi
109) Axmed Guuleed Xirsi
110) Fuaad Ibraahim Odowaa
111) Cabdinaasir Hagagaar
112) Xasan Cabdi Cilmi
113) Axmed Deeq Cabdi Cilmi Dixood
114) Cabdillaahi Daahir
115) Maxamed Cali Mooge
116) Dayib Cismaan Quule
117) Anwar Cali Xiid
118) Xuseen Aden Cadde
119) Cabdi Aden Cadde
120) Mustafe Xaaji
121) Cabdi Diyaar
122) Baashe Abdi Abdillaahi
123) Maxamed Aden cadde
124) Najax Tulux
125) Koosaar caydiid
126) Cabdulqaadir Cabdullaahi Xirsi
127) Cabdi Xirsi Adar
128) Khadar Caydiid
129) Maxamed Koosaar Caydiid
130) Khadar Masmas
131) Mustafe Yusuf
132) Cabdiqaadir Axmed Wali
133) Maxmed Ismaaciil
134) Cabdisalaan Cali Akshan
135) Cabdifataax Cali Waraabe
136) Yusuf Maxamed Dage
137) Cumar Cali Jabaan
138) Maxamed cabdiqaadir Foodyare
139) Maxamed Amiin Sheekh Bashiir
140) Axmed Jaamac Dheere
141) Khadar Axmed
142) Cawl cabdi Timir
143) Cusmaan Xaaji Cali
144) Mustafe Xaaji Maxamed
145) Mawliid Abiib Sodan
146) Xukun Cabdin Tuur
147) Professor Maxamed Dalab
148) Mahdi Cabdi Tuur
149) Maxamed Jiriiban Xaaji Jirde
150) Yusuf Ibraahim
