Issue 232

Mr. Edward Mason, Independent Diplomat, Michael Walls, Somaliland Focus, Abdikarim Abdi Adan, Somaliland Community ,Cardiff, Rt. Hon. Alun Michael, MP Cardiff South & Penarth, Mr. Osman Hassan, UK Head of Somaliland Mission, John Knight, Somaliland Network, Dr. Steve Kibble , Somaliland Focus

London, UK, July 1, 2006 (SL Times) – An all party group of British parliamentarians have selected Alun Michael MP as their chairman and Kerry McCarthy MP as secretary.

The group which held its first meeting in the House of Commons on Wednesday, will promote development assistance and recognition for Somaliland.

It is the first time that an all party group of British parliamentarians have come out publicly in support of Somaliland.

Close to 30 parliament members are understood to have joined the group which also includes a Muslim MP called Shahid Malik. This all party group is also diverse in terms of its regional or national composition.

Due to their vast local and international contacts, the UK parliament group for Somaliland is expected to assist unrecognized Somaliland in gaining development aid and establishing links with the outside world.

Mr. Jeremy Corbyn,MP, Mr . John Bercow,MP, Ms. Kerry McCarthy, MP, Rt. Hon. Alun Michael, MP, Ms. Dawn Butler,MP

Alun Michael was also responsible for establishing the first parliament group on Somalia in 1998, an year in which hundreds of hundreds of Somalilanders were forced to flee their homes and cross the border into Ethiopia as a result of in discriminatory artillery and air bombardment by the military of Siyad Barre, Somalia’s late dictator.

The inauguration meeting of the parliamentary group for Somaliland was also attended by Somaliland representative in the UK, Mr. Osman Hassan (Indhoole) and Abdil-Karim Abdi Adan, Cardiff Somaliland community leader and member of the labour party.

Source: Somaliland Times

Editor Notes - Mr. Abdikarim Abdi Adan, Somaliland Community of Cardiff , Labour Party Member( Cardiff south & Penarth) and UK Representative of the Somaliland .

The first Committee of the British Parliament group for Somalia was established in 1988 by Alun Michael, MP. That committee has worked well and contributed in more refugees being allowed to enter the UK and to put pressure on previous Somalia Government to observe the rule of law during Siyad Barre time.

As Rt. Hon. Alun Michael, became Minister in various departments since 1997 , he could not undertake bring these MP’s together. As influential back bencher MP for the last two months, he has time and with no restrictions of Office to pursue direct public campaign for Somaliland .

The British parliament –All Party Group for Somaliland , is the key high-ranking senior MP from cross Party of MP’s to come out publicly in recognitions of the sovereignty as state and nation that deserve support by the International community. The MP’s include very influential and highly respect Moslem MP, Mr. Shahid Malik and the Group is the most diverse or all national and regions of the UK .

Benefit for Somaliland :- Direct Access to Ministers, Lobbying for Somaliland , MPs with huge contact locally and internationally ,have support of their respected British Parties in House of Commons and EU Parliament. The MPs will support Somaliland parliament to join other parliaments as well.

What is required:-

Letters of from Somaliland Officials:

President, Mr. Dahir Riyale
Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi, Speaker of Sl House of Representatives
Mr. Saleban Adan, Chairman of Upper House

Letter should be addressed to:-

Rt. Hon. Alun Michael,JP,MP, alunmichaelmp@parliament.uk
Chairman,All Party Group on Somaliland
Houses of Parliament
London. UK

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