Talks 'Will Not Stop' Despite Salad's Walkout

Editorial

Representatives of the international community to the Mbagathi conference on Somalia, have decided to go ahead with their plans for providing an all-out support for the government expected to emerge from the talks. According to a report filed yesterday by the BBC Somali Service’s correspondent at the conference, the international community has not only pledged rapid financial assistance but also full political support for the new government to be formed at Mbagathi. The IGAD Ministerial Committee on the conference even boasted on Thursday that it endorsed the international community’s draft support plans for the post-Mbagathi period, especially in the areas of stabilization, reconstruction and development. The degree of rush in pledging support for the would-be government of Somalia, has even surprised the warlords assembled at Mbagathi to the extent that every one of them, according to press reports, is already contemplating the best plans for having the largest piece of the cake for himself through either extortion or outright looting. With such type of people in every corner of Somalia, there is no doubt that the aid that the international community intends to pour into that country soon, will only trigger more violence and misery once it gets there.

The international community’s hasty decision to fund the new government to be formed at Mbagathi, has also seriously undermined the prospects for talks between Somaliland and Somalia being held any time in the future. Opposition leader Ahmed Silanyo has expressed the frustration and anger felt by the people of Somaliland when he told his supporters last night that his Kulmiye party will no longer support the idea of holding talks with Somalia. The new Kulmiye position is expected to put pressure on President Rayale’s government to either follow suit or take a tougher stance.

The international community has for the 14th time in a row over the last 13 years, spoiled the chances of achieving a lasting reconciliation in former Italian Somalia in a manner that would have paved the way for a negotiated peaceful settlement of its dispute with the ex-British Protectorate of Somaliland. Italy, the Arab league and the IGAD states have never been honest about finding a genuine settlement for the crisis in Somalia. It is very unfortunate that the rest of the EU countries have joined the 14-year old fraudulent scheme of “restoring peace to Somalia’’. Since the inception of the Mbagathi talks in Oct. 2002, Somaliland has been warning the international community against two things:

1- Repeating Ismail Omer Gelleh’s mistake whereby the Djibouti ruler thought that he could circumvent Somaliland’s refusal to take part in the Arta talks by his introduction of fake delegates purporting to represent Somaliland at the Djibouti hosted conference.

2- Automatically granting recognition to the government to be formed at the Kenya talks to the exclusion of Somaliland’s elected government.

Regrettably, what the international community has done or about to do is exactly the opposite of what Somaliland warned them against. It seems that the only thing these IGAD, Arab and Western envoys attending the talks are interested in is the formation of a government for Mogadisho at any cost. It is sad and amazing that none of them has the courage to blow the whistle over a process that has been doomed to failure from the start.

Somalilanders need to translate their anger to something positive. President Rayale must show leadership especially in times of danger like this one.

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