UK MPs McCarthy And Michael Speak On Somalia And Somaliland

Bristolian MP Kerry McCarthy (left) and Allun Micheal MP for Cardiff city

London , July 29, 2006 (SL Times) A round table discussion on the prospects for peace in Somalia was held in one of the committee rooms in the UK House of Commons.

Organized by the London-based Foreign Policy Center, the meeting was addressed by a panel of experts as well as Bristolian MP Kerry McCarthy and Allun Micheal MP for Cardiff city. The audience included tens of Somalis from Somalia and Somaliland.

In her opening remarks for the meeting, McCarthy spoke about the situation in Somalia and Somaliland, giving the UK political point of view.

The British parliamentarian had indicated that her interest in Somali affairs has emanated partly from the fact that a significant number of Somalis live in her constituency in Bristol east.

According to Keysar Abdillahi, a Somali journalist who participated in the meeting, the discussions shed light on the situation in Somalia in the aftermath of last month’s takeover of Mogadishu by the militia of the Islamic Courts which are now bitterly opposed by Somalia’s powerless Transitional Federal Government. “However the discussions also dealt of length with Somaliland” Keysar said.

Stig Hansen a Norwegian scholar who teaches at Bath University spoke about the implications of foreign interventions in Somalia for regional conflict and the role of Islam in the Somali society.

The effectiveness of international and regional organizations in dealing with Somalia’s problems was addressed by Awale Kullane, a Somali political activist.

Amina Ali presented a Somali diaspora perspective on the Islamic Courts philosophy and external ties.

Allun Michael the MP of Cardiff who also chairs the all-party-group on Somaliland with Kerry as secretary, made the closing remarks. The veteran MP gave a brief description of Somali political experience.

He explained why the union between Somaliland and Somalia failed and highlighted Somaliland’s self-made peace and home-grown democracy.

Both Kerry and Michael pointed out in their remarks that Somalia should consider to start learning from Somaliland’s experience in conflict resolution and state building.

Source: Somaliland Times

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