SOS From Central Somalia

New Somali Regional State suffers from targeted local marginalization and international neglect (01. Aug 2010)

Galmudug State, the semi-autonomous regional state of Somalia, has been officially recognized by the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, but suffers from marginalization by the TFG, ignorance and neglect by the international community, influx of IDPs into the peaceful zone and the aggressive advance of fundamentalist forces as well as havoc caused by criminals and pirates in the region.

Galmudug state, led by President Caalin, whose seat is in the divided city of Galkayo in the northern part of Central Somalia, is besides Somaliland, Puntland the third region of Somalia, which opted for own governance. Unlike the breakaway state of Somaliland, Galmudug State, who recently likewise held peaceful, democratic, free and fair presidential elections, recognizes the overall responsibility of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, but opted for the own governance of its territory.

Galmudug state is comprised of the entire Mudug region as well as the Southern parts of the Galkayo and Jaribaan areas and governs a coastline along the Indian Ocean of nearly 425 km with the ancient port of Hobyo being the major coastal town. Seven airstrips and the airport of Galkayo serve the air traffic needs of the new regional state, whose economy is based mainly on livestock and fisheries with limited domestic plant production in form of rain-fed agriculture. 

The major reason for taking the governance into their own hands, was for the people of Galmudug the fact that they had been marginalized by the Central Government of Somalia and by the neighbouring regional state of Puntland as well as the international community for too long and the level of impoverishment had reached unbearable proportions.

Especially with the ongoing inhuman ethnic cleansing of people from southern Somali clans, expelled from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, the influx of internally displaced peoples (IDPs) in Galmudug has now reached an all-time high and requires drastic measures to overcome the severe humanitarian crisis. Puntland expelled in the last two weeks over 2,500 people hailing from South-Central Somalia, who had lived peacefully in Puntland for the last two decades.

The severe threat by the fundamentalist forces of the Al-Shabaab and Hezb-ul Islam advancing from the south and havoc created by criminal pirate-gangs influenced and masterminded by Puntland groups and international backers pose serious governance challenges, which will not be overcome in the required short term, if the authorities of Galmudug will not receive the necessary support now.

The fear that Galmudug’s government forces supported by peace-loving Alluh Sunna wal Jama’a could be overrun by foreign-funded insurgent groups is real and requires an immediate and determined armed response in order to defend the region. 

But while Galmudug has enough people ready to defend their homeland and easily also could provide up to 6,500 well trained fighters to the TFG forces in order to make an additional stationing of AU troops, the financial and logistical support required poses unsolved challenges, which only can be overcome with external help. The growing threat to peace, stability and freedom is unsettling the young state and requires immediate intervention.

We, the people of Galmudug, therefore say:
1) We demand the immediate stop of any expulsion of Somalis from Puntland and international intervention against this ethnic cleansing.
2) We offer 6,500 well trained military personnel to the TFG as well as to the AU as substitute for the additionally requested foreign AMISOM troops.
3) We call for help to stem ourselves against the advances of fundamentalist forces.
4) We need assistance to continue our fight against criminal elements and pirates 

Galmudug Tasks

In solidarity with the expelled people from Puntland, who are now forced to seek refuge in Galmudug State after their houses were burnt down and who lost all their possessions. As you know Galmudug has been recognized by the TFG as a regional state like Puntland, but in difference Galmudug state recognizes the constitutional right of all Somalis to reside anywhere within the boundaries of Somalia as a whole. Therefore Galmudug state has set the following three objectives in order to increase security, provide humanitarian assistance and cooperate with other regional states of Somalia: 

Objective 1 – Galmudug state requests the immediate halt of ethnic cleansing carried out by the authorities of Puntland 
The authorities of Galmudug State, the Galmudug National Forces and the movement of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaaca love Somalia with equal passion. People in Galmudug believe in equality and freedom. This passion requires specific steps to protect all people of Galmudug state from harm. Therefore innocent people should not become the subject of competition for international funds to fight against terrorism, rather the Somali nation should define the way to live together as one human family in peace, security and prosperity by maintaining the Somali values and culture of peace.    
Ahlu Sunna Wal Jamaaca is highly disappointed about the latest movement of Puntland authorities, which put in danger the life of thousands of innocent people. Though the Puntland governance accused them to be terrorists and collaborators of the Islamist insurgents, they are in reality ordinary Somali people originating from clans and minorities different to the majority clan of Puntland. 
  
Objective 2 – Galmudug State requests the immediate, unconditional humanitarian assistance for those 2,500 people who have been recently expelled from Puntland and for the communities, which are hosting them, who themselves are already stretched beyond their capacities 

Galmudug calls upon all humanitarian organizations and especially those independent organizations, which helped the Somali people in the early 90s. Their assistance will be coordinated by the Humanitarian Assistance Committee of Galmudug State and other authorities, who have set out the operational guidelines for all agencies. The committee itself has raised 25,000 USD during only two days 27th and 28th of July, in order to support each and every expelled person with at least 10 USD for the first day and help their immediate survival in the coming weeks. 
Each and every well wisher, who believes in freedom, un-discriminatory approach and equality and donated their own money to support those innocent people who became the victim of political grievances and proxy war games are thanked for generosity. 
 
As of 30 July only five international NGOs are operating in Galmudug State and except one all of them are concentrating in Galkayo. Hardly any support is provided to communities on the coast and the interior parts of the state. 
Therefore immediate and long term humanitarian assistance is needed in the following areas: 

o Establishing Rule of Law and fair judicial system 
  – Ensuring the capacity of the local courts and police forces 
  – Infrastructure rehabilitation 

o   Ensuring appropriate medical and education facilities 
    – Ensuring access to clean water 

o   Support of economical recovery 
   – Ensuring access to jobs especially for the youth 
   – Establishing a community social safety network where the youth can take care of the elderly

o Secure a viable and clean environment 
   – Ensuring the immediate stop of dumping of toxic waste and the development of environment friendly projects, including sustainable fishing, whereby the natural resources of the sate are heavily protected and sustained 

In order to secure the area and to establish the appropriate safety for humanitarian and development organizations, we call upon the Puntland authorities to strongly cooperate with the Galmudug authorities. 
  
Objective 3 – Galmudug offers 6,500 troops for the TFG to fulfil its additional request of 6000 troops called for at the AU summit. The troops, which are offered, are part of the Galmudug National Forces but at a later stage they will be incorporated into the Somali National Forces 
Galmudug has foreseen that the deployment of Somalis is much more viable and feasible in the given circumstances than the deployment of foreign troops. In case new foreign troops would stay deployed in Somalia they can only come from countries which themselves have a clean human rights record and under the condition that their deployment and mandate would be fully approved by the Somali Parliament. We have learned the lessons from previous deployment of foreign troops, which brought suffering for the Somali people and to prevent the renewed repercussions of this, the Somali National Forces must be composed of Somali nationals, which fully support the Transitional Federal Government’s actions and the fight against insurgent and terrorist elements.

- for any questions by the media, additional information and pictures please contact: Ismail Haji Noor 

 [email protected]  

Secretary of State for Security and Anti-piracy  +254-734-622466