By Ahmed Abdi Isse, UCID Party International Secretary for Cooperation

Date 16^th November 2009

Dear Right Honourable Prime Minster, Mr Gordon Brown

Re: The Somaliland presidential election scheduled to take place on 29 July 2009 had failed for the third time and is threatening the stability of the country.

I would like to introduce first myself as a British Citizen of Somaliland decent living in Leytonstone.   I am a father of five children and belong to the one of the Somaliland political parties called Somaliland Welfare and Justice Party. It is an opposition party and act on my capacity as an International Cooperation Shadow secretary. In our country Britain, I am a strong supporter of the labor party.  One of your brilliant policies, which in particular attached to you, is notably the introduction into this country for the first time the child tax credit and working tax credit that lifted the income of the poorer households across the country like mine.  Millions of like my family will be voting for you and the Labor Party for the next election to ensure the children’s future being undisrupted to achieve their potential with your generosity to eradicate child poverty in this country.

My Right Honorable Prime Minter, if I get back into the subject matter that I am writing this letter to you, as you aware, Somaliland regained its independence on 18^th May 1991. The rebirth of Somaliland had been caused the brutal oppression and arbitrary execution the Somaliland people experienced the union with the Somalia, particularly under the leadership of the late brutal dictator Siyad Barre. The consequence of the failure by the international community to intervene had not only been the result of destruction and mass execution of the people Somaliland but impacted on the whole world.   Britain was not exception to as a British couple of Mr Paul and Mrs. Rachel Chandler is being held hostage by Somali pirates for ransom. I pray for their immediate and unconditional release.

As I am sure you appreciate the stability and the democratization process Somaliland achieved since 18 May 1991, however, is being threatened as the presidential election, which was scheduled to take place on 27 April 2007, had been delayed for the third time. In delaying the election, the current government though is the only way it could hang on to the power, however, if this election was not held within next three months it would lead the country falling into disastrous conflict. Elements of terrorist and criminals are using the presidential election for a lunching pad to destabilize Somaliland to fit in their objectives.  Your intervention to help Somaliland hold free and fair presidential election would not only be huge success for my country to complete fully the democratization process but will also contribute the stability of the region and the world as whole.

When the presidential election failed this year the country came closer to anarchy as there had been violent demonstration that had resulted in deaths and damages to properties. This was fuelled when the president took the law into his own hand by closing down the parliament to escape goat an impeachment motion being tabled against him.

This marked in our history the first time we had locally failed to resort our difference in peaceful manner and thanks to the Ethiopian government, which intervened to bring the opposition parties and government to resolve their difference with the help of Britain, the USA and other European countries. This agreement was brokered by the Ethiopian had been accepted by all sides and is referred to the sixth point agreement locally. For    time being it has defused the tension between government and opposition parties. This agreement was signed by all parties on 30^th September 2009 and on behalf of the international community was signed by the British Ambassador deputy in Addis Ababa.

My Right Honorable Prime Minter you are a great leader with global vision who concerned the security and the stability of the world as a whole. The world had ignored to address when the brutal late Somali government started a campaign of oppression in eighties that led the Somaliland to take up armed struggle that eventually brought down the Somali government in 1991.  As direct result of the indifference of the international community, Somaliland became independent state and the rest of Somalia descended into anarchy.

Somalia since then has become heaven for international criminals and terrorist launching pad to take attacks on neighboring countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. Somaliland was not exception to these terrorist attacks and it was on 27 October 2008 when terrorist affiliated to Al-Qaeda took attacks on three targets in the capital of Hargeysa of the United Nation Compound, the presidential palace and the Ethiopian trade office. The results were devastating in which 27 people   had been killed and hundreds innocent peace loving Somalilanders got injured. This terrorist attacks caused also the presidential election scheduled to take place March 27^th 2009 being rescheduled to 27 September 2009 as the teams of international technicians in charge of the voter registration left the country under panic. The Ethiopia Airline also stopped its flight to Hargeysa after the attacks on 27 October 2009 indefinitely.

Finally, I will kindly request from you to make sure this peace plan is implemented  by all sides including the international community and  is followed up to ensure that all sides to the agreement to honor as it  already falling short of the expectations of the opposition parties. This will make possible that the presidential election being held within reasonable time in free, fair and peaceful environment. The  consequence of the presidential elections failing for the fourth time will not only impact on   Somaliland but will destabilize the region and above all will have  global implication due to the strategic location of Somaliland.

I will therefore,   humbly request as British citizen:

Ø       to support the Somaliland hold presidential election that is threatening the security and the stability of the country by putting fresh steam into this peace agreement to remain to have the full confidence of all parties;

Ø        to support Somaliland   gain full international recognition that have been campaigning since 1991; and finally

Ø        increase Britain’s aid to Somaliland as the country has huge  unemployment level  as to create opportunities the rising number of thousands of my people risking their lives into the sea waters to reach out the Europe Union (EU) for better life  but many face death , torture, and rape before their reach their final destination  and others who could not make such journey are being exploited for those with a terrorism agenda;

Your support will make a huge difference to my country as we will be able to hold a fair and free presidential election that presents a threat if it failed for fourth time.  This election is the last hurdle to our country to establish a strong democratic country that the content of African has ever produced. As such we will be beacon of democracy and role model for the rest of the Africa to look up of its height.  Regionally security will hugely improved upon as the emergence of internationally recognized democratic Somaliland will work towards bring about a peace in Somalia and will pay key role in the security and the stability of the horn of Africa. We strongly belief where the international community failed to stamp out piracy and terrorism Somaliland could succeed and your support for Somaliland will put your name into history books of not only  my country but the horn of African countries at large.

However, the contrary of inaction by Britain and the international community to support Somaliland will be victory for piracy and terrorism to destabilize the region at large. I very much hope this will not happen under your premiership and watch as you have been always a decisive and charismatic leader, and very optimistic to kindly look into the situation of Somaliland that I have brought for your attention in this letter.

Thank you and my honourable Prime Minster humbly appreciate to receive your response.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Ahmed Abdi Isse

UCID Party International Secretary for Cooperation

Email: isseahmed@hotmail.com

Home | Contact us | Links | Archives | Search