Somaliland main opposition party Waddani has thanked the country’s international partners for their support for the nation’s democracy.
The party’s presidential candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro expressed his support for the move by the International Community to question the wanton breach of democracy in the country by the government.
“Somaliland has been known as a beacon and oasis of democracy in a turbulent region. But the current administration has erased all the gains raised by successive governments,” said Irro.
He added: “Somaliland’s unique approach to resolving its disputes through its homegrown conflict resolution mechanisms has been eroded by an intransingent ruler who sees dialogue culture as a sign of weakness.
“We fully support the international community questioning undemocratic behaviours such as suffocating press freedom, freedom of assembly, peaceful demonstrations and relying more on force than political means,” he said.
He said the brutal killing of young demonstrators, mass political arrests and dehumanization of women will not go unaccounted for.
Irro said elections are democratic procedures and tools that are means of democratic governance, especially when they are credible free and fair.
“Respect for human rights, political and press freedom, freedom of assembly and movement and independence of key institutions are among the basic tenets of democracy which are all enshrined and guaranteed by the Somaliland constitution.”
He added: Accountable and law abiding government institutions have been the pillars of our young nascent democracy. Citizens trust and confidence in government institutions are vital in any modern state.”
He said that institutions that are central to the state must not be patronized and their integrity compromised for the sake of personal or single political party interest.”
“We stand for ensuring and protecting Somaliland democratic credentials which position our country to be part of the free world.”
Irro was reacting to a statement by the international community who after a call to President Muse Bihi said the Somaliland leader had pledged to commit to organizing presidential elections line with the roadmap set by the National Electoral Commission.
“Partners notes the President’s commitment to organise both (presidential and political associations) elections in line with technical timelines established by the NEC,” the statement said.
President Bihi, according to the statement, also conveyed told the partners that he was also committed to engage opposition political parties in dialogue.
Envoys and ambassadors from Belgium, Canada, the European Delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, said in their statement that they had called the president and raised unsettled issues pertinent to upcoming elections.
“Partners raised concerns over the lack of dialogue between key political stakeholders, stressing the need to secure political consensus on the electoral roadmap,” the statement indicated.
They stressed the need to secure political consensus on the electoral roadmap and importance of freedom of expression and non violent policing.
The Somaliland elections had been scheduled to be held on November 13. But this has since been overtaken by events due to divisions with the NEC which saw new officials being appointed.
The new NEC then announced they would not be ready to hold the elections by the set date saying they can only have the polls held in August 2023.
The house of elders then went ahead to unilaterally extend the term of President by two years to the chagrin of opposition parties who have now vowed not to recognize the president and his government after the November 13 date unless he accepts to sit with them on a rounds table and set a roadmap for the elections.
