We can all appreciate that our previous elections may not having been perfect but it is worth noting that there was a large reservoir of good will among the electorate and the competing parties that facilitate glossing over the difference of opinion and the inevitable resentment generated by the close margin of victory for the current party.

I submit to you that this time the landscape is quite different, after five years of economic stagnation and display of abusive power reminiscent of the old Somali regime, this president and his administration managed to extinguish any hopeful sign for a better life and liberty for the individual to flourish.

People are poorer and with very few prospects to improve their lot, and in this kind of environment when the only source of income is attached to who one knows in government as opposed to what one knows about running a government, there are going to be very few gracious losers in the coming elections. An election that has been postponed three times so far and still likely to be postponed yet again because of the caveats and conditions attached.

The electoral process of Somaliland is terribly broken and has been hijacked by a government intent on remaining in power by any means possible, and opposition parties who are more interested in maintaining their stranglehold on the political process than respecting the laws of the land.

It is distressing to watch the ongoing process and see the manner in which the president extended his term in office by utilizing the Guurti, a very much discredited body whose term was illegally extended by this president. This action was a blatant quid-pro-quo to say the least, not mention outside of the conditions set by the constitution which will allow an extension in office for the president.

It is equally distressing to observe the reached compromise which allowed new election dates to be set with the condition of having the registration completed before said elections are to take place. In other words, elections may or may not take place, and in the event that this new date is reached and the voter registration is not in place, then it is "dayjavou" all over again and the elections will be postpone once again. But the most odious agreement they reached (the three parties) is to hold the presidential election before the local election thereby removing any chance of new entities with fresh and different approaches to emerge and infuse the stale politics of this nation with new energy and vitality. This too is another affront to the law and a recurring habit of constantly changing the rules to suit those in power to remain in power.

Fundamental freedoms endowed in our constitution are being trampled when anyone can get illegally detained for simply forming a political Association like the leadership of Qaran did, and to add insult to injury, we have been also stripped of our right to participate in the political process as ordinary citizens of this country. A country in which we all fought for, sacrificed for its creation, and work diligently in its continued stability and success.

When treating a patient and the available regiment to address the condition is in doubt, and may actually worsen the condition, doctors throughout the world adhere to the true and tried creed of first do no harm. It would be wise for the donor nations to adopt that stance and question the impact of their actions before they enable the cancer of totalitarian rule to mastesize and take root in Somaliland .

In an effort to find a quick and relatively painless solution for the political impasse in Somaliland the International community seems to be willing to accept all the above mentioned insults of disregarding the laws of the nation and abuse of power perpetrated by this administration. Funding a flawed election where all the levers of power are under one entity (the administration) is sure to produce the devil you know, because as it is demonstrated by Mugabe and countless other strong men, dictators do not loose elections.

The question is what happens the morning after?

It is this question and its possible ramifications which is compelling me to write this letter to you so that you give this matter its due consideration, nuance and weight, after all advancing democracy and the rule of law is the object of your contribution in this very volatile corner of the world, and simple solutions and good intentions won't do, because as the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

It is my fervent hope that you appreciate the incompatibility of your mission and the inevitable result which you are helping bringing about.

Chairman of QARAN

Dr. Mohamed Abdi "Gabose"

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