THE SOMALI PRESIDENT, MR. YUSUF MUST RESIGN IN VIEW OFRECENT VIOLENCE AGAINST THE MPs

Dic,21.2004 RadiofreeSomalia (RFS)

Mr. Abdulllahi Yusuf is the Somali president elected on 10 October, 2004 by 275 parliamentarians. The MPs were nominated from the 4 major clans and a minority group inhabitant of Somalia, as a result of 2 years Peace Talks in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mr. Yusuf has a well documented records of systematically torturing and murdering his adversaries and political opponents. He is a career military man who for 3 decades has opted to solve differences and criticism by using coercive force.

VIOLENCE AGAINST THE SOMALI MPs PRE SENT IN KENYA:

Early in November, Mr. Yusuf nominated Prof. Gedi as the PM. Then in December 11, the Parliament approved a vote of no confidence against the PM who did not respect the Charter of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG). Since then, the MPs have been verbally harassed and physically beaten up by henchmen paid by Mr. Yusuf. So far, several MPs have been hospitalized: namely: Mr. Hassan Deeq who received heavy blows in the head and had several broken limbs, while MP Aisha Abdulle was wounded. However, the most mysterious case is reported on 20 December when friends of MP. Seraar a strong opinionated person declared him missing and his whereabouts unknown.

MPs FEEL UNSECURE AND DEMAND RESIGNATION OF MR.YUSUF AND HIS PM

The MPs are unanimously demanding the resignation of both the PM, Mr. Gedi together with the President, Mr. Yusuf since some of their colleagues received physical injuries while others were verbally intimidated over the phone by the PM, Mr. Gedi. Abusive phone conversations from the PM with other MPs are recorded.

While in Kenya, the MPs can received prompt protection from the Kenyan police as well as reliable emergency medical care, they fear that if they accept the leadership of such violent men, Mr. Yusuf and Mr. Gedi then they might submit themselves to heavier injustice when everyone returns in Somalia. Mr. Gedi is supported by another notorious warlord, Mr. Mohamed Dheere who has massacred civilians from his own clan in the town of Jowhar, Central Shabelle region. Mr; Dheere has publicly announced that he will teach lessons to any MP who criticizes the administration of Gedi and that in his hometown is the rule of the gun that governs not the rule of law.

KENYAN MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY CONDEMS THE VIOLENCE

Mr. Chris Murungaru, Kenyan Minister of National Security has condemned the violence and solicited the Kenyan president, Mr. Mwai Kipaki to intervene and request the immediate relocation of the Somali Government in Exile back to their homeland. There is a rising concern in Nairobi that this sort of behavior will spill over and affect their stable and more law abiding society.

It is not surprising to realize the criminal behavior of Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf who is compared to the now indicted Chilean ex leader, Mr. Pinochet.

The following are further information on the Somali Pinochet’s criminal charges while serving as the president of the autonomous region of Puntland, reported and document by two reliable high level human rights sources.

A. REPORT BY USA on Somalia quoted the killing of Sultan Hurre by Mr. Yusuf

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 31, 2003

“Militia attacks resulted in deaths during the year. For example, on January 11, Garah Mohammed Said Gom'ad, a prominent businessman, reportedly was killed by forces of Abdullahi Yusuf in a deliberate attack. Yusuf's militia reportedly stopped his car and shot him. On August 17, Abdullahi Yusuf's bodyguards killed Sultan Ahmed Mohamoud Mohammed, a UK citizen, after respective convoys of Yusuf and Mohammed passed each other on the road approximately 2 miles south of the Puntland town of Garowe. Yusuf claimed the death was accidental and that his men only were trying to stop Mohammed to question him and fired to get the attention of the convoy. Witnesses claimed that the killing was intentional. According the press reports, Mohammed was targeted by Yusuf for arrest as a religious extremist. No action was taken against those responsible by year's end.”
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18226.htm

B. Other killings masterminded by Mr. Yusuf as reported by the UN Commission on HR.
E/CN.4/2003/115 - COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. Fifty-ninth session (2002)

The independent expert visited Bosasso, "Puntland", from 29 to 31 August 2002. "Puntland", located in the north-east of Somalia, and previously noted for its relative peace, has been the scene of significant violence during a period of constitutional crisis. Controversy over "Puntland's" leadership had been increasingly vocal since June 2001 when Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf, whose term ended on that date, claimed that Parliament had extended his mandate. A number of "Puntland's" traditional elders, meeting in July 2001, rejected his claim to an extended mandate and named Yusuf Haji Nur, "Puntland's" former chief justice, as "acting president" until the election of a new administration. The elders then convened a general congress in August and on 14 November 2001 elected Jama Ali Jama for a three-year term. As a result, a number of intermittent battles for leadership over the course of the following months ensued. While there were significant differences in reports as to the scale and impact of the conflict, the most consistent and credible allegations would suggest that about 50 people were killed, including both combatants and civilians, and an additional 150 wounded”.
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/v

ID/4BB2680FFF88B035C1256CE5004FE95E?OpenDocument

CONCLUSION

In view of the violent behavior and criminal history of the Somali elected president in exile, Mr. Yusuf, the parliament must request the RESIGNATION of the president and his PM, Mr. Gedi because it will be extremely difficult for them to gain back the confidence of the people.

It is then up to the Parliament to seek and appoint a very astute political strategist as new president of the government, a person who has a vision and leadership capacity to lead the fragmented nation toward a sustainable peace.

Amina Abdi Mohamud
Economist

DonnaSomala@yahoo.com