Somaliland: Refugees return from Ethiopia
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 24, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 23 October
The UNHCR, in conjunction with the Somaliland Ministry of Resettlement, today repatriated people who have been refugees in the Daror [phonetic] refugee camp in eastern Ethiopia.
The refugees, numbering 153, were welcomed in Qorburale village [untraced] by UNHCR and government officials.
Some of the refugees contacted by Radio Hargeysa said they were happy to return to their homeland.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 23 Oct 01./BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President says "Islam does not condone terrorism"
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 23, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 23 October
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Hon Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, today held an extensive press conference in his office. The president said Somaliland is progressing well and should not retreat from its current position.
Mr Egal said that the self-proclaimed prime minister of the Arta faction [Somali Transitional Government], Ali Khalif Galayr, while at the UN Security Council few days ago, asked for financial assistance. But the chairman of the Security Council, a Belgium national, called the Ethiopian envoy to the UN to verify [Galayrs'] appeal.
President Egal further added that the Ethiopian envoy said that funds given to the Arta faction by Saudi government was used to destabilise and destroy the only peacefully set up Puntland administration, which has emulated Somaliland as a shining example. And now, the Ethiopian envoy said, they [the Arta group] wants funds to destroy Somaliland, when they are not even a government.
President Egal said he is very much grateful and congratulates the Ethiopian government for the appropriate and important role it is playing in the Security Council.
The president further said people of Somaliland are self-determined and know their destination.
Commenting on the international events, President Egal said that Islam does not condone terrorism, and it is a religion of understanding.
On the economy, the president said a Saudi company would be buying [Somaliland's] livestock. Regarding oil, he said the government is hopeful that Western companies would come to prospect oil. He said the work of the Chinese companies were already showing good progress.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 23 Oct 01./BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Ethiopian envoy says Al-Itihad terrorist group exists within Somali government
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 23, 2001
Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta Information Centre web site on 23 October
Addis Ababa: Dr Abdulmajid Husayn, Ethiopia's permanent representative to the United Nations has told the UN Security Council that his county was not partial to any group in Somalia, but that it has been and will be definitely with only the people of Somalia.
Addressing the Security Council meeting, last Friday [19 October], on the situation in Somalia, Abdulmajid said: "Ethiopia was not for the Transitional National Government nor for the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC). We are not with "Somaliland" or "Puntland" to be against others."
He declared: "Ethiopia has been and will be definitely with one group only: the people of Somalia".
Reacting to the position held by those he said, regarded the Arta process as the only genuine attempt at making peace and reconciliation in Somalia, Dr Abdulmajid said Ethiopia disagrees with such a position, although it too, like the UN secretary-general believes that the process was an important milestone in the search for peace and reconciliation in Somalia.
In this connection, the Ethiopian envoy to the UN took note of the numerous attempts made in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya and Yemen towards paving the way for the Arta meeting, which he said, Ethiopia supported from the beginning.
He said Ethiopia worked hard so that this process will not be unravelled, adding that other members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) did too. The result, he said was the 8th IGAD Summit of Heads of state and government which met in Khartoum on 23 November 2000.
Dr Abdulmajid recalled that the clear message from the Khartoum summit was that "the peace process in Somalia must continue" by including "those parties" who "have not participated in the national reconciliation efforts so far". It goes without saying, therefore, he said that for a politically legitimate national government to be in place, not only the TNG but the parties who were not at Arta have to be on board.
He further pointed out that to follow up on its decision, an IGAD delegation went to Somalia to continue the reconciliation process. The TNG rejected this. It called those who are opposed to them as "rebels" and "warlords." For, their part, the other side also reciprocated by referring to the TNG as just another faction, Dr Abdulmajid stated. He declared that, so long as the reconciliation process is not completed, no single group will command political legitimacy throughout Somalia.
Dr Abdulmajid noted that during the last 10 years, there were many occasions when Ethiopia's national security interest was threatened by terrorists with bases in Somalia and that following one such occasion in 1997, Ethiopia was forced to go after the terrorists and destroyed their camps including their headquarters. He revealed that intelligence gathered during those operations, earlier and recently have clearly established links between the Al-Ittihad al-Islamiya and Al-Qa'idah and that these terror organizations were still in Somalia.
Members of Al-Ittihad together with Al-Islah also fully participated in the Arta peace process, which involvement also made them part of the TNG, Dr Abdulmajid pointed out.
Dr Abdulmajid also took note of what he said was the "dire humanitarian needs in Somalia" describing it "a question of immediate life and death", and expressed hope that relief will reach all those in need in time.
Dr Abdulmajid however also warned that for Somalia to tackle problems of humanitarian nature and many others, including terrorism, the reconciliation process has to be completed.
Source: Walta Information Centre web site, Addis Ababa, in English 23 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Djibouti, Somaliland reach "apparent" accord on reopening of border
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 23, 2001
Text of report by Djibouti news agency ADI web site on 22 October
Djibouti: A six-point agreement between the government of Djibouti and a high-level two-member delegation from the self-proclaimed "Somaliland" authorities, implicitly announces the apparent reopening of the border between the Republic of Djibouti and the northeast of Somalia.
The press statement issued by the Djibouti Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation dated 21 October 2001, says: "Following the 5 October 2001 visit to Djibouti by a Somaliland delegation composed of Ahmad Yusuf Du'ale, the education minister; and Abdihamid Garad Djama, the foreign minister; and following talks with the Djibouti government, the two sides reached agreement on the following:
1. Put an end to any action capable of endangering the relations between the two countries, be it verbal, written or any other form of hostile propaganda;
2. Facilitate the movement of goods and people between both countries;
3. Establish permanent relations mainly, by putting in place a follow up commission;
4. Carry out jointly maximum vigilance with regard to all that may constitute a danger to the security of both countries;
5. Resolve disputes through consultations and dialogue;
6. Oversee on both sides, the protection of private property belonging to citizens of both countries.
This is the press statement in its entirety as received by Djibouti news agency and signed by the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Mr Ali Abdi Farah.
Source: ADI news agency web site, Djibouti, in French 22 Oct 01./BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland government, opposition leader deny holding talks
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 17, 2001
Hargeysa: A prominent [Somaliland] opposition leader, Sulayman Mahmud Adan (Sulayman Gal), has denied holding direct talks with President Muhammad Ibrahim Haji Egal. He said the suggestion to hold direct talks with President Egal was made by Mr Awil Ali Haji Du'ale, but they did not materialize. Mr Sulayman Gal is one of those politicians who are strongly opposed to the political leadership of President Egal.
Similarly, a press release issued by the spokesman for the Somaliland presidency, Abdi Idris Du'ale, said there were no talks between the president and Sulayman Gal, and there are no initiatives in that direction...
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 17 Oct 01./BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Seven women die of childbirth complications
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 16, 2001
Medical services at the Ceerigaabo [northeastern Somalia, northwestern Somaliland] Hospital, Sanaag Region, have been at their lowest ebb in the last few months leading to the deaths of seven women dying during delivery due to lack of medical attention...
This matter has caused a lot of anxiety among the people of Sanaag Region. According to a report by our Sanaag Region reporter, Abdirashid Hasan Absiye, at least seven women were reported to have died owing to lack of doctors in Ceerigaabo, Sanaag regional HQ in the last two months"...
At the same time the number of women, who have died in the last two or four years as a result of malnutrition and anaemia or childbirth complications arising from lack of doctors, is unknown. Some of them are so poor that they cannot travel to places where medical services are available.
Women in other parts of Sanaag are in a more serious predicament. They receive no health services at all and are worse off than those in Ceerigaabo and are in need of humanitarian assistance to overcome their problems. Their problems are: Lack of doctors; poverty and bad roads.
These problems are not limited to women only. Many people suffer from injuries and require surgeries. The number of people who die from such complications every year are over 100. There are also no qualified personnel to attend to young children.Many children die every year from diarrhoea, malaria, and asthma.
These problems have caused a lot of anxiety to the people of Ceerigaabo, particularly to women. This issue has become the subject of discussion and thought among the people. Lady Qamar Taleh, who is a member of Sanaag Region's health committee, says that they have met to discuss the matter and briefed the government and the Health Ministry on the matter.
"We are urging doctors from Sanaag, particularly gynaecologists and paediatricians to rescue the region", said Mr Abdullahi Sufi, who is a member of Ceerigaabo's youth and intellectual's committee...
Dr Arabayte, who is the surgeon in charge of Ceerigaabo and the regions medical coordinator, has been away in Hargeysa for over four months for unknown reasons. A second doctor, who is the director of Ceerigaabo district hospitals, has also been away in Hargeysa for months...
Source: Jamhuuriya web site, Hargeysa, in Somali 15 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Two opposition parties form joint political alliance
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 15, 2001
Hargeysa: The reformist party, SNM [Somali National Movement] and UGBAAD [expansion untraced], a new party which was recently announced in Boorama town, have agreed to form a joint political alliance. The two parties formed a new party called Alliance Party. The new party was announced after lengthy consultations between their leaders. The alliance party elected officials for top posts.
The new alliance party elected Mr Sulayman Mahmud Adan (Sulayman Gal) chairman while Mr Abdirahman Aw Ali Farah and Mr Fuad Adan Ade were elected first and second vice-chairmen respectively. However, the party is expected to elect its executive officials in the course of this week.
Meanwhile, Mr Sulayman Mahmud Adan, (Sulayman Gal), a prominent political rival of President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, is expected to pursue the ongoing political dialogue with Mr Egal with a view to ending the long standing political hostility between them...
Source: Himilo, Hargeisa, in Somali 15 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Government, political parties discuss conduct of future elections
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 13, 2001
The vice-president of the Republic of Somaliland, Hon Dahir Riyale Kahin, who chaired a meeting attended by leaders of the seven political parties to discuss issues regarding elections has issued its resolutions.
Reports from reliable sources from the political parties said, among the resolutions adopted were:
1. Elections must be conducted in all parts of the country on the same day.
2. All political parties should adhere to the country's constitution.
3. The seven political parties should jointly work towards [words indistinct] so that elections are conducted in a peaceful environment.
Other reports from members of the seven political parties who held a meeting say that all political parties should jointly fight any act which could sabotage instability in order to conduct free and fair elections...
Source: Mandeeq, Hargeysa, in Somali 13 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Multiparty politics kick off
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 11, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland newspaper Himilo on 11
October
Hargeysa: The political struggle in Somaliland has this week officially kicked off countrywide.
UDUB [United Democratic Party] opened its HQ office in Hargeysa yesterday, while UCID [newly registered party, expansion untraced] opened its office in Burco and Berbera towns. SAHAN [new party, expansion untraced] also opened its office at Gabilay town and held a public rally at Kharyriyah Grounds in Hargeysa.
Since the new multiparty era started in the country the registered opposition parties and the government have twice held talks at State House, Hargeysa, in the past two weeks but no outcome of their discussions has been made public yet.
However, according to reliable sources, the two sides failed to agree on a way forward. Other reports say some politicians are still pursuing more rounds of talks with the government through a joint committee.
President Egal, rival hold indirect talks
Reports from reliable sources say among those pursuing talks with a view to bridging the gap between them are President Muhammad Ibraham Egal and Mr Mahmud Adan (Sulayman Gal) [prominent Somaliland politician and Egal's rival]. The two leaders have not yet held direct talks, and it is not known whether the mediating committee will succeed in bringing together the two leaders, the report added.
However, sources close to both sides say the time is not yet ripe and it is too early to predict the outcome of the mediation efforts. So far much progress has been made and we are very optimistic about the outcome of the process, the committee members said. Unless miracles happen, the result is definitely going to be positive, they added.
Meanwhile, other opposition political parties are engaged in how to source financial support for their political activities.
Prominent Somaliland politicians are reportedly preparing themselves to join unidentified but already registered opposition parties. These leaders include Mr Ahmad Muhammad "Silanyow" [former Somaliland minister of planning and international cooperation] and Mr Umar Arte Ghalib [former Somali foreign minister and one time presidential candidate of Somaliland, currently living in Saudi Arabia].
Further reports say if these two prominent politicians join the opposition political fray then the future of the Somaliland political struggle will be very tough, not like what it is today.
The prevailing political situation is currently tilted to one side in view of current economic resources and political power in the country, the report further said.
Source: Himilo, Hargeisa, in Somali 11 Oct 01 p 1//BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President Egal appoints new assistant minister of health
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 10, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 10 October
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, today issued a presidential decree appointing an assistant minister of health.
The decree issued by the president was as follows:
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, today issued a presidential decree appointing Mr Mahmud Jama (?Awes) Farah assistant minister of health.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 10 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Visiting rights activist wants probe into "massacre by Barre regime"
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 9, 2001
The head of an international organization in charge of human rights, African Rights, Ms Rakiya Omaar, who is currently in Hargeysa for a visit, yesterday held a meeting with an organization called Volunteers Without Borders which is in charge of collecting evidence on the massacre of the people of Somaliland and the prosecution of the perpetrators.
A member of the organization's executive council, Samsam Abdi Adan, submitted a report on the work done by the organization on the massacres carried out by Siad Barre regime in former Somalia.
The officials of the volunteers organization expressed their desire to see that the massacres of the people of Somaliland are exposed to the world and that the perpetrators are prosecuted.
The head of African Rights, Mr Rakiya Omaar, said her organization will assist the people of Somaliland to ensure that there is an international investigation into the massacres of the people of Somaliland, to convince the world about it, and to bring the people concerned to justice...
Source: Jamhuuriya web site, Hargeysa, in Somali 8 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: American officials in talks with president
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 8, 2001
Text of report by Somali newspaper Mogadishu Times on 8 October
The defence minister of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, Ahmad Ali Mahmud, has received some American officials who have arrived on a ship docked at the Berbera port.
The American officials held a closed-door meeting with the president and his deputy at State House, on how Somaliland could make its stand on terrorism known.
Source: Mogadishu Times, Mogadishu, in Somali 8 Oct 01 p 2/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland, Djibouti agree to reopen borders as reconciliation talks end well
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 8, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland newspaper Jamhuuriya on 8 October
Somaliland's ministers of foreign affairs and education, Abdihamid Garad Jama and Ahmad Yusuf Du'ale respectively, yesterday returned home following a two-week visit to Djibouti.
The two ministers are reported to have travelled to Djibouti to discuss the political differences between Somaliland and Djibouti.
Last night we asked the foreign minister, Mr Jama, about the results of the talks, and what had been achieved in the discussions with Djibouti government officials. He declined to comment saying: "I will not comment on this matter now, but I will later."
However, reports from important sources say the two sides agreed on most of what was discussed. The two countries have agreed to reopen their land and sea borders, and airspace, which had been closed since last April.
The first plane, owned by Daalo Airline, in which the two ministers travelled, including 14 other passengers, flew from Djibouti's international airport. [Rest of item not received].
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 8 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President Egal appoints two new ministers
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 7, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland newspaper Jamhuuriya on 7 October
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, yesterday appointed two new cabinet ministers.
In a press statement, he said the two - Mr Hasan Isma'il Yusuf, and Mr Ahmad Jama Botan - will be the new Somaliland ministers for health and labour, and industry respectively.
Dr Hasan Isma'il Yusuf will fill the position left vacant by Dr Abdi Aw-Dahir, who was the minister for health and also the secretary-general of UDUB [United People's Democratic Party] party, who was left to run the party's programmes independently.
Mr Ahmad Jama Botan (Daniye) will take over the position which was made vacant by Mr Husayn Farah Dodi. who took over the Ministry of International Relations after the position fell vacant following the resignation of Mr Muhammad Osman Fadal last week.
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 7 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President, party leaders in talks after complaints over elections
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 5, 2001
Text of report by UN regional information network IRIN on 4 October
Nairobi, 4 October: The president of the self-declared state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, held talks with leaders of the officially registered political parties on Wednesday [3 October], a local source told IRIN.
The meeting follows recent accusations levelled by the opposition that the recently formed Udub (meaning pillar) party of President Egal would have an unfair advantage, in its capacity of being the ruling party, over the opposition parties in elections scheduled to be held in 2002.
There are seven officially registered parties in Somaliland, including the ruling Udub. The opposition was complaining that "Udub cannot be trusted to conduct free and fair elections", and should not, therefore, be the only organization preparing the election laws, the source said. A Somaliland parliamentary committee had been tasked to prepare the election laws, but the opposition was "arguing that they should have an input into the process".
There has been no information on what the president and party leaders discussed, but they agreed to meet again on 7 October, the source told IRIN. Attempts by IRIN to obtain comment from the Somaliland administration were unsuccessful.
Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Nairobi, in English 4 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland, Djibouti begin talks to improve strained relations
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 4, 2001
A Somaliland government delegation which included the minister of foreign affairs of Somaliland, Abdihamid Garad Jama, and the minister of education, Ahmad Yusuf Du'ale, is currently in Djibouti city, the capital of the Republic of Djibouti, for official talks with the government of Ismael Omar Gelleh.
The ministers, whose trip was not made public, last week paid an official visit to the UAE. It is believed that their trip to Djibouti was conceived while they were in Dubai.
The spokesman of the Somaliland presidency, Abdi Idris Du'ale, yesterday confirmed that the delegation led by the two ministers was in Djibouti to represent the Somaliland government. He, however, declined to comment on the purpose of their visit and the agenda of the talks with Djibouti officials.
Reports we obtained from sources close to the government indicate the visit by the two ministers followed an official invitation made to the [Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal government by the president of Djibouti. The invitation followed the proposal by the president of Somaliland in July this year calling for talks with President Gelleh aimed at resolving and reaching an accord on the political tensions that engulfed the two countries following the decision by the Djibouti government to convene a conference for some Somali groups in the town of Arta in April 2000.
Some diplomatic sources suggest that President Gelleh is being pushed into starting dialogue with the administration of President Egal by pressure from the American government, which had blamed the government of Ismael Omar Gelleh for the deterioration of the relations between Djibouti and Somaliland and which also questioned why the border between the two countries remained closed.
The Washington government was recently reported to have criticized the Djibouti-based regional body, IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development], for denying development assistance and funds to Somaliland. IGAD seeks to do something about the problems facing the people of the Horn of Africa, of which Somaliland is a part. The American government funds 70 per cent of IGAD's economic assistance [programmes]...
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 4 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Seven political parties licensed
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 3, 2001
The republic of Somaliland's political party registration commission yesterday issued certificates of registration to seven political parties which had officially fulfilled the registration requirements.
The parties, which included UDUB [United People's Democratic Party], UCID BIRSOL, SAHAN, UMAD, Hormood and Iiyas [all expansions untraced] were all issued with registration certificates at a meeting attended by the chairmen and secretaries of the political parties, in the commission's office, which is based at the centre of workers' union building in Hargeysa.
The political parties registration and legalization commission chairman, Mr Muhammad Jama Bodle, who gave a brief speech, told the leaders of the political parties that they had embarked on the second phase of their political undertakings. He said they had completed registering their political parties, and that the commission was issuing them with registration certificates that interpreted the legality of their political parties in the country...
Source: Jamhuuriya web site, Hargeysa, in Somali 2 Oct 01//BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
The Indian Ocean Newsletter. October 6, 2001
Safety Control at Hargeysa Airport
The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington have caused Ethiopian authorities to worry about the security of the national airline's aircraft and passengers flying to Somaliland. In the middle of the week, an Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) anti-terrorist expert flew to Hargeysa to check up on the company's twice-weekly flight service which opened in late March 2001. According to information obtained by The Indian Ocean Newsletter, the man in charge of the task is Workalemhu Bogale, a specialist in mine-detecting and terrorist-fighting.
The reason for his visit to the Somaliland city close to the Ethiopian border was to determine the risks run by the EAL aircraft whose pilots already know the need to pay close attention to the acacia shrubs which surround the airport, which now may add the additional danger of serving as hiding places for terrorists. If Workalemhu Bogale's report is other than positive, EAL might simply decide to suspend its flights to Hargeysa, at least temporarily.
ION - Workalemhu Bogale is said to have been trained by the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies in the various ways of dealing with plane hijackers. An expert renowned for his knowledge in aerial security, he was living in Germany when the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) took power in 1991. After forming a new government, its leaders asked him to come work for EAL in Addis Ababa, which he agreed to, several years ago.
Copyright 2001 Africa News Service, Inc. Africa News
October 4, 2001
Somalia; Multiparty Talks in Somaliland
BY UN Integrated Regional Information Network
The president of the self-declared state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, held talks with leaders of the officially registered political parties on Wednesday, a local source told IRIN.
The meeting follows recent accusations levelled by the opposition that the recently formed UDUB (meaning pillar) party of President Egal would have an unfair advantage, in its capacity of being the ruling party, over the opposition parties in elections scheduled to be held in 2002. There are seven officially registered parties in Somaliland, including the ruling UDUB. The opposition was complaining that "UDUB cannot be trusted to conduct free and fair elections", and should not, therefore, be the only organisation preparing the election laws, the source said. A Somaliland parliamentary committee had been tasked to prepare the election laws, but the opposition was "arguing that they should have an input into the process". There has been no information on what the president and party leaders discussed, but they agreed to meet again on 7 October, the source told IRIN. Attempts by IRIN to obtain comment from the Somaliland administration were unsuccessful.
Copyright 2001 Africa News Service, Inc. Africa News .October 2, 2001
Somalia; Value of Shilling Falls Steeply
BYLINE: UN Integrated Regional Information Network
Between August 2000 and August 2001, the value of the Somali shilling in Mogadishu dropped from Ssh 9,500 to Ssh 20,500 per US dollar, a depreciation of nearly 116 per cent, while the value of the Somaliland shilling in Hargeysa fell from SLsh 3,000 to SLsh 6,000 per US dollar - a fall of 100 percent.
In a report on the subject on Tuesday, the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) network noted that "this is the sharpest annual drop in the value of the Somali/Somaliland shilling in the last six years".
FEWS attributed the deterioration of the shilling to a "massive injection" of counterfeit banknotes into the main markets of southern and northeastern Somalia in 2001. The situation brought about in this way was then made worse by the ban on livestock imports from Somalia imposed by the Gulf countries in September 2000, which is estimated to have cost the country hard currency earnings estimated at US $120 million. Meanwhile confidence in the currency also waned as the result of the hardening of the attitude of faction leaders opposed to the Transitional National Government (TNG) in Mogadishu and strengthening their unity through the formation of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council. The effect on commodities of the shilling's nose dive is that their prices have doubled, along with those of fuel and fares. "Reliable reports from Somalia/Somaliland indicate that many small businesses (bakeries, teashops etc) were forced to shut down because - on one hand - the owners were not able to buy the imported commodities with hard currencies - and on the other hand - consumers were not able to buy expensive goods," the FEWS report said. Hardest hit by the devaluation of the currency, according to FEWS, are the urban poor and internally displaced people living around the main towns.
Copyright 2001 The Mining Journal, Ltd. Mining Annual Review .October, 2001
SOMALIA
BYLINE: By Geoff Blackburn, Consulting Geologist, BSc, FAusIMM, CPGeo, MMICA, FSEG, PO Box 6, Glen Forrest, Western Australia, Australia 6071, Tel: +61 8 92988990, Fax: +61 8 92989629, E-mail: geoffb@q-net.net.au
Somalia is one of Africa's poorest countries. Located in the "Horn of Africa", it separates Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya from the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Since the 1991 collapse of the central Somali Government based in Mogadishu, the country's development has been derailed by the lack of any cohesive government. On May 18, 1991, the former British Protectorate of Somaliland in the north declared itself an autonomous nation, with its capital at Hargeisa, completely independent of the former Italian colony of Somalia in the south, with its capital at Mogadishu. Since that time the self-proclaimed Somaliland-Republic has instituted a semblance of democratic order with a central government whereas the southern part has remained the provenance of competing factional (Clan-based) interests. At the national elections of the Somaliland Republic, held in February 1997, the current President of the Somaliland Republic, Mohamed Ibrahim Egal was re-elected for a second five-year term that expires in 2002.
The Somaliland Republic has implemented a ministerial style of government in the northern part of Somalia and this includes a Ministry for Mineral and Water Resources. A new mining code for the Somaliland Republic was promulgated in 1996. This mining code provides for the grant of Exclusive Prospecting Licences (EPL) and includes provision to convert the EPL into a Mining Lease. The economy is, by world standards, very poorly developed. The cash/export economy is dominated by the export of livestock (60% sheep, 34% goats with camels and cattle making up the remainder) to neighbouring countries. The country has a high ratio of foreign trade to gross domestic product, a low level of monetisation and a dominant informal trade sector. More than 70% of the population live a nomadic existence and depend on pastoral pursuits for their subsistence.
Prior to the break up of the country in 1991, there was a small mining industry that exploited limestone, gypsum, sepiolite and sea-salt for local markets.
Basement rocks are exposed in two areas. The largest exposure is located almost wholly in the northern Somaliland Republic, while another small inlier, the Bur Complex, is located west of Mogadishu in southern Somalia.
Interest in mineral production within these basement rocks currently resides with the discovery and artisanal production of gemstones such as emerald, aquamarine, sapphire, zircons and amethyst. Also attracting interest is the small-scale production of columbite-tantalite (coltan) from the Henweina Valley and the Bur Mado districts in the Somaliland Republic. Columbite had been discovered previously by the British Geological Survey and exploited in a small way in 1955-58.
The presence of simpsonite (a high-grade calcic aluminium tantalate) in heavy mineral sands deposits developed along the beaches east of Berbera implies the presence of undiscovered tantalum resources in the adjacent basement rocks.
These areas of basement rocks have significant potential for the discovery of economically important base and precious metal deposits. The northern basement complex consists of a series of high grade metamorphic rocks which enclose at least two "greenstone belts" that are known to contain evidence of volcanogenic gold rich base metal deposits. A number of layered and zoned mafic/ultramafic intrusive complexes are known and stream sampling has delineated PGM anomalies associated with these igneous complexes. This exploration potential is mirrored by the exploration interest in the similar Pre-Cambrian Pan African terrenes located across the Gulf of Aden in the Yemen, where greenstone-belts and younger volcanic-arc sequences are being explored for structurally controlled gold deposits (Medden) and gold rich volcanogenic base metal sulphide deposits.
Other mineral occurrences of potential interest that are known to occur within the Northern Somali Basement include molybdenum and bismuth associated with intrusive syenites, as well as tin deposits previously exploited at Dalan (Somaliland Republic) and the adjoining area of Manja Yihin in Somalia.
In the southern Somalian or Bur Basement complex, located west of Mogadishu, previous exploration has outlined some low-grade iron-ore resources at Bur Galan (indicated resource to 200m depth of 394 Mt at 38.7 % Fe) and Dahimir (indicated resource of about 30 Mt at a similar grade), also a small uranium (carnotite) deposit with a reported indicated resource varying between 10-25 Mt at 0.07-0.08% U[3]O[8]. Phosphate (apatite) occurrences are relatively widespread in the calc-silicate rocks of the region. At Modu-Mode grades averaging 24% P[2]O[5] have been located.
* Long term, successful, independent mineral exploration consultancy
* PGE & Gold
* Base Metals
* Tantalite (Coltan)
* Western Australia
* Africa
* Regional Reviews & Assessments
* Project Review and Audits
* Valuations
Despite the very prospective nature of the basement geology, serious mineral exploration will probably have to wait until the political future of the country has been resolved. Despite the semblance of government achieved in the breakaway northern province as the self declared Somaliland Republic, mineral explorers will probably be reluctant to spend serious funds there until that government achieves more formal widespread international recognition.
Somaliland president invites political party leaders for talks
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 3, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 3 October
The president of the republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, has invited leaders of political parties for talks. He invited the seven political parties which have been officially registered by the country's commission of registration of political parties.
The parties will participate in the general elections, as per the country's constitution.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 3 Oct 01
/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Central bank warns of counterfeit notes
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Oct 1, 2001
The Central Bank of Somaliland yesterday said in a briefing at its Hargeysa HQ, that counterfeit 500 shillings notes have been brought into the country.
The bank urged the public, traders, NGOs, and the diplomatic corps to be careful and to take precautionary measures. The bank also outlined the distinctive colours of the counterfeit notes...
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 1 Oct 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
NGOs resume operations in Somaliland
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 29, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 29 September
[Somaliland's] Minister of National Planning, Mr Husayn Farah Dodi [phonetic], today at Hargeysa airport, received some NGOs which used to work in the country and have returned back to Somaliland.
The [word indistinct ] aid organization which left the country because of technical reasons today arrived in Hargeysa. Others will arrive in the country on Monday [1st October].
A man speaking on behalf of the NGOs said they had left the country because of technical reasons and not because of security concerns. He said the Somaliland's security is manifested by their ability to freely move to any location.
The minister of planning Husayn Farah Dodi who received them at the airport urged them to continue with their operations as usual.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 29 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Youths jailed for firing shots at police station
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 28, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 28 September
The Togdeer Region security committee has sentenced three youths to one year in jail after it was established that they had fired shots at [word indistinct] police station in Burco.
The three youths - Ahmad Ige, Abdullahi Isma'il Hasan and [name indistinct] - fired shots at the police station.
The commandant of the police station which was attacked, Adan Ali Du'ale, said the shots caused no harm. He said the action by police to arrest the attackers was praised by the elders of the area.
Burco's mayor has said that anyone who tries to cause insecurity will be brought before the law. He said the attack took place last night and the youths were immediately arrested and charged.
Some other youths who were in possession of ammunition were also arrested.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 28 Sep 01//BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Copyright 2001 Africa News Service, Inc. Africa News
September 27, 2001
Somalia; Declining Nutrition in Puntland And Somaliland
BY UN Integrated Regional Information Network
There is a declining nutrition situation in the towns and poor pastoral villages of northeastern Somalia, the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) said in its September nutritional update.
The European Union-funded and FAO-implemented FSAU said health facilities, which had previously been recording low malnutrition levels as well as low children attendance figures, "are already noting a rising trend". The major urban centres in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland - Bosaso port and Galcayo - continued to experience increased pressure from migrant labourers, "who are unable to get jobs" or who had been forced to survive on remunerations whose value had been substantially reduced, FSAU said. Prices had risen steeply, partly due to inflation, but also because of "the economic downturn in Puntland occasioned by the livestock ban [imposed by the Gulf Arab states in September 2000 in an attempt to control Rift Valley fever] and lately the mounting political tension".
Meanwhile, the report also warned of vulnerable pockets in the self-declared state of Somaliland, northwestern Somalia, particularly the Haud area. Poor seasonal rains in the Haud had left the predominantly pastoralist population "in a vulnerable state". In Togdheer, Somaliland, there were "consistently reported higher proportions of malnourished children" compared to other health facilities. Mother and Child Health (MCH) clinics in Sool region had also reported a sharp increase in the proportions of malnourished children screened in the months of April to June. FSAU said this was partly explained by the fact that the Sool MCHs receive patients and malnourished children from the Haud area.
Somaliland: Some 1,717 refugees return from Ethiopia
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 27, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 26 September
The 152nd group of Somaliland refugees residing in Ethiopia today returned to the country.
The refugees, who numbered 1,717 persons, including 423 families, returned from Darure [phonetic] where they lived as refugees. The refugees who were returned by UNHCR were transported on lorries and other vehicles.
The refugees were received at Qoboboley [phonetic] by official from the Resettlement Ministry, UNHCR, and Cadale District officials, where the refugees arrived.
The is the last group of Somaliland refugees to return in September . Up to 412 persons have returned from refugee camps in Darure, eastern Ethiopia.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 26 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Ruling party office in west reportedly bombed
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 26, 2001
UDUB [Democratic Alliance Party, headed by President Egal] ruling party office in Boorama town, Awdal Region [western Somaliland], was bombed on Monday night, this week, as reported by the town's military intelligence department (CID).
The bombing, which occurred late at night, caused no damages. It is reported that the explosion resulted from a hand thrown-grenade, which rocked the building and could be heard in the town's environs.
The regional director of the investigation department (CID), Muse Abdullahi Hani, told Jamhuriya that the bomb was meant to create terror.
The reason and people behind the act remains unclear. However, the police are still investigating the matter.
Security around the office and the town in general has been tightened...
Source: Jamhuuriya, Hargeysa, in Somali 26 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President says elections to be held next year
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 24, 2001
Text of report by Somali newspaper Xog-Ogaal web site on 24 September
The president of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, yesterday briefed the assemblies of the Republic of Somaliland, saying that local authority elections will be held next September.
He said this will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.
He said that it was necessary for parliament to ratify the Electoral Commission, whose members have been appointed on merit.
He said that Somaliland will not revert to clan-based conferences because this would take the country 10 years backwards.
Source: Xog-Ogaal web site, Mogadishu, in Somali 24 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Djibouti: President Gelleh says dialogue the only viable option for Somaliland
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 23, 2001
Djibouti: Apart from commenting on the economic situation, the president of the republic, Mr Ismael Omar Gelleh, also commented on existing problems with the self-proclaimed entity of Somaliland, in his exclusive interview published last Thursday [20 September] by the biweekly, La Nation, under the heading, Private Interview. The Djibouti news agency has produced the following excerpt of the interview with the head of state.
[La Nation] My final question concerns Somaliland...[ellipsis as published] the self-proclaimed entity of Somaliland?
[Gelleh] Since the word Somali appears in the name, is it truly different from "Somalia"? There is no difference. Why do they not choose another fundamentally different name to distinguish themselves from the original Somalia like the people of Puntland have done. That would be more logical.
[La Nation] Mr President, you appeared very close to and had ties with Somaliland. Your relations were excellent. You even facilitated the opening of a mission...[ellipsis as published]
[Gelleh] A diplomatic mission.
[La Nation] What really went wrong then?
[Gelleh] Many things. It is said that people who are close never agree on anything. This is a harsh reality. The same applies to our people. If this analysis is true, then we have a problem of closeness and understanding.
They thought that if Djibouti had made the effort to recognize them, all other countries would have followed suit. This was a fundamental error. To saddle Djibouti, the smallest state, with responsibility of such enormity, is simply in bad taste. This reaction is at the heart of our misunderstanding. We have shown our good will everywhere and always.
During his last visit to the USA, [Somaliland president Muhammad Ibrahim] Igal personally told me that the Americans had promised him recognition on condition that Djibouti did so first. This is strange indeed.
[La Nation] What do they have against you then?
[Gelleh] Apart from the problem of recognition, there was no other point of misunderstanding. They asked us to recognize them and they were wrong to do so.
[La Nation] Have you tried to advise them?
[Gelleh] When they are told that the best solution is dialogue between them and southern Somalia, they became extremely annoyed. It is unbelievable. No separation has ever been witnessed without the mutual approval of both parties concerned. This is a universal truth. If you try to reason with them along these lines in an effort to create conditions for dialogue, in order to in turn convince the other party in the separation, they will tell you off in the strongest terms possible.
[La Nation] What are they wary of?
[Gelleh] I do not know. We have brought together many people in Djibouti to prepare the ground and create the right conditions. Everyone was ready to create new structures for the two states to make up a confederation. But this did not work as the proposal was met with resistance. As long as dialogue does not take top priority, as long as they do not negotiate between themselves, the problem will remain unresolved...
[La Nation] Finally, the border has been closed for some time now and civilians seem to be suffering. When will you open the borders?
[Gelleh] We are asking for nothing more than peace and security along the borders. We barricaded ourselves from their misdeeds for the sake of peace. We do not want to subject either people to suffering. Too much ego, misplaced words, have never helped anyone. All we want is to guarantee our peace and security.
Somaliland: New political party, UMADA, registered
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 21, 2001
A new political party known as UMADA [expansion unknown] was today registered with the country's board for the registration of political parties. The party, which was launched in Boorama town, brings the number of registered political parties to seven...
The registration board, which was working from 8 a.m., told us that they will be working up to midnight to register all those parties which have met the requirements. The board said that the registration process will end at midnight tonight.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 21 Sep 01 /BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland refugees return home from Ethiopia
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 20, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 20 September
The 149th batch of Somaliland refugees who were in refugee camps in eastern Ethiopia returned home today. The refugees, numbering 1,500, and comprising 300 families, returned from Dahor refugee camp.
The repatriation of these people who fled the country many years ago was organized by the UNHCR and Somaliland's Ministry of Resettlement.
The refugees were warmly welcomed by officials of the UNHCR, the Ministry of Settlement and Somaliland immigration, upon arrival at Qoolbulale village along the Ethiopia-Somaliland border. The refugees were transported home by vehicles hired by the UNHCR, while other batches of refugees who are currently in Dahor refugee camp are expected to return home next week.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 20 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: President Egal forges ahead with plans to strengthen new party
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 18, 2001
Text of report by Somali newspaper Xog-Ogaal on 18 September
Somaliland leader Muhammad Ibrahim Egal, who recently differed with Somaliland's traditional clan leaders, has rejected any changes to the multiparty political system which his government had adopted. He said he would not change his stand on the new political party, UDUB [United People's Democratic Party], which was launched recently, with him as the chairman.
In the past weeks, Mr Egal has been making firm statements that he would not change his stand on the party. In support of his firm stand on the party and with the aim of strengthening the party Mr Egal launched an intensive campaign strategy and opened branches in most districts of Somaliland. Mr Egal opened the last branch on 16 September in Boorama District of Awdal Region [western Somaliland].
Meanwhile, on 17 September it was announced that only four days were left for the registration of new political parties for those who want to form their own parties.
[Mr Egal's] new moves completely contradicts the traditional leaders' plans to block the launching of the UDUB party. The move also sabotages the efforts being made to mediate between Egal and the traditional clan leaders, a move that had failed earlier.
Source: Xog-Ogaal, Mogadishu, in Somali 18 Sep 01
/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
Somaliland: Committee advises political parties to register on time
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Sep 17, 2001
Text of report by Somaliland's Radio Hargeysa on 17 September
The committee in charge of the registration of political and national parties today announced from its office that the registration period was nearly up for those parties interested in taking part in the country's [Somaliland's] multiparty system.
The committee, through this announcement, [word indistinct] takes into consideration Section (3) of Article (14) of the constitution which deals with registration.
The committee, once again, reminds those concerned that there are only four days left within which time registration, which ends 20 September 2001, will be accepted.
Source: Radio Hargeysa in Somali 1700 gmt 17 Sep 01/BBC Monitoring/ ?BBC.
|