Somaliland is a beacon of hope in a region riddled with dictators, civil wars and terrorist organizations. However, the recurrent killings in Laas Anood region, has been a thorn on the side of the peace loving Somalilanders. In the last 15 years, 70 Somaliland civil servants were assassinated in Las Anood- the regional capital of Sool, Somaliland.
The targeted officials included judges, law enforcement officials, elected city council members and local political party leaders. The culprit of these targeted assassinations are those who are envious of Somaliland’s democratic institutions. These terrorists cross into Somaliland through its porous border with Somalia. They are determined to destabilize Somaliland’s progress by using clannish divisions and inept violence.
The latest assassination of Abdifataax Abdillaahi, a Wadani Party official comes at a time when Somaliland voter registration has commenced for the upcoming presidential elections. The aim was to destabilize Somaliland and create a power vacuum which could endanger our soughtafter democracy and progressive stability.
The strategy is to trigger local inter-communal conflict, leading to significant destruction and loss of life and hostilities among communities that co-exist in pastoral areas. Local intervention through peace is essential to the ability of these communities to cope with the recurrent drought. Somaliland has been pursuing a strategy of reconciliation and democratization for the past three decades, particularly in the Eastern regions bordering Somalia.
Somaliland needs the international support for its efforts to prevent any sort of insecurity that will create opportunities for violence to thrive. We urge the International Community to support local stabilization and reconstruction of the Eastern regions. The Somaliland government has established a local and regional administration in the Eastern regions; those espousing violence and hate must know that Somaliland had always resolved communal conflicts through peace and dialogue; however, the deployment of Somaliland security forces to keep the peace and security is the right of the Somaliland Administration. It is the constitutional right of Somaliland to safeguard its sovereign borders.
Somaliland has well developed mechanism of conflict resolution, whereby the traditional leaders of Somaliland have played a leading role in the country’s reconciliation and stability. We urge the Somaliland government to continue its strategy of reconciliation and dialogue to all who are willing to take part in Somaliland peace building process.
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