Now Is The Time For Regime Change In Puntland

EDITORIAL

In a previous editorial, we argued that the proper response from Somaliland to Majeerteenya’s (Puntland) hostile policies is to work for regime change in Puntland. A number of events within the last of couple of weeks confirm that regime change in Puntland would be the right policy. The Bo’ame conference is a case in point. This was a conference in which Dhulbahante elders were supposed to discuss issues of vital concern to them. But that did not happen. Instead, the conference was heavily influenced by Puntland (Majeerteenya) as evidenced by the visits of Majeerteen Sultans to the conference and the communiqué of the conference which echoed Puntland’s position word-for-word.

In Puntland itself, the security situation has been steadily deteriorating. Puntland’s capital Garowe is so lawless these days. Bandits regularly set up roadblocks in the town and extort money from passers by. More importantly, in the port town of Bosaso, there are so many disputes among the various officials over so many issues including municipal elections, smuggling turfs, piracy, printing of false money, the black market and other illicit activities which resulted in near paralysis of the town’s administration.

Puntland’s officials seem not to be interested in doing something about the disaster in their hands and are, instead, busy pursuing their private interests. But the people may have finally had enough. This week, for instance, Range Resources, a company that signed a contract with Puntland’s President, Adde Muse, was chased out of a town east of Bosaso by the natives of that town when the company’s personnel went there to dig for minerals.

On top of all of this, the trafficking in humans continues from Puntland, and coastal communities in Yemen continue to bury Somalis and Ethiopians whose bodies wash ashore after being thrown in the high seas from rickety dhows by Puntland’s merchants of death (the latest report from Reuters (Nov.23, 2007) is that “Sixty-five people including three children drowned in the Gulf of Aden”).

When one considers the steady loss of life in the high seas, the people of Puntland’s cries for change as well as Puntland administration’s declaration of war on Somaliland, it is patently clear that Somaliland has the right to assist the people of Puntland in getting rid of the current band of parasites that oppress them and to institute there a better administration, an administration that would be at peace with its people as well as Somaliland. At the moment, there is a unique opportunity in which the desire of the people of Puntland for change coincides with Somaliland’s interest. Now is the time for regime change in Puntland.

Source: Somaliland Times

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