THE NATIONAL FORUM FOR CONSULTATIONS AND RECTIFICATIONS (NFCR)
Date: May 17, 2015
A PRESS RELEASE
In Support of the Statement of the International Community on Somaliland Elections
Introduction
Madasha is national organization in Somaliland whose members include veteran prominent leaders of the SNM, national political leaders, young politicians, and intellectuals. As our track record shows, we are an organization that has dedicated itself to the maintenance of peace, stability, unity, good governance, and development of Somaliland. Towards the realization of these goals, we will act as an active watchdog that will closely follow national issues, and will clearly constructively articulate our positions and actions thereof.
Our Support for the Statement of the International Community
On 13 May 2015, the International community released a written statement expressing a very serious concern about the overdue presidential and parliamentary elections of 2015 and the decision of the House Elders to extend the terms of office of the President and the House of representatives by 21 months. The International community feels that the decision of the House of Elders “threatens to undermine the stability and the democratic process within Somaliland…. [and that] it will damage Somaliland’s public image and undermine our [i.e. the international community’s and Somaliland’s] long-standing partnership. ”
This is an accurate, honest, and straightforward assessment of the current constitutional fiasco that the House of Elders has once more created which rudely flies in the face of the nascent democratization process of the nation.
Consequently, the international community urged in their statement for a “revisit [of] the Guurti’s decision” in the dialogue among the political parties announced by the Vice President, and called on all concerned to reach an “agreement to overcome the current crisis and ensure that elections are held as soon as possible.”
Madasha wholeheartedly supports the unequivocal position of the international community about holdingthe elections as soon as possible, i.e. on the date earmarked by the National Electoral Commission, which is 1 June 2016 .
According to Somalilandlaw.com, the justifications cited for the “extension are wrong in law and wrong in [the principles of] democracy.” (http://www.somalilandlaw.com/elders-selection-law-html)
Mr Hassan Guure Jama
Chairman, Madasha
Madasha’s Support of IC StatementMadasha’s Support of IC Statement
