April 21, 2006
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Garowe Online
team
June 10, 2005 – Puntland president
Mohamud “Adde” Muse, planning and int’l cooperation minister Dr.
Abdirahman Farole and Australian aid worker Terry Donelly travel to
Dubai (UAE) to hold talks with potential investors. Later during the
trip, the Puntland delegation lands in Nairobi (Kenya) to take part
of Somali transitional federal government’s (TFG) relocation to Somalia.
In Nairobi, it was reported that TFG President Abdullahi Yusuf (former
Puntland leader) and PL President Adde Muse became “angry” at each
other because the TFG leadership refused to honor any agreement signed
between a regional government (i.e. Puntland) and a foreign company.
August 20, 2005 – On thier return from Nairobi to Dubai, there was a sharp deadlock between Dr. Abdirahman Farole who opposed the signing of the deal on one side and Puntland president Mohamud Muse and Puntland minister of finance Mohamed Yusuf 'Gaagab' on the other side, who were in favor of the signing of the deal.
August 22, 2005 –
President Mohamud Muse and Dr. Abdirahman farole traveled to Puntland to present the matter and their differences regarding the deal to Puntland council of ministers, which in a heated debate gave consent to President Muse to sign the deal the next day.
August 28, 2005 – In an interview
with international news agency AFP, Professor Ali Muhammad Ghedi, the TFG prime minister, said his Government considers any agreement
between foreign entities and regional governments within Somalia (i.e.
Puntland) as “illegal and unacceptable.”
August 28, 2005 – Responding
to TFG Premier Ghedi, the Puntland regional government press release
states that: “Puntland regional government is informing the international
community that it will not be a guest to anyone in matters of human
and regional development.” The press release also asked for an apology
from Premier Ghedi.
August 31, 2005 – Puntland regional
government and Consort, Ltd., sign an agreement at Hilton Hotel in Dubai
(UAE) giving Consort 50.1% share for exclusive exploration rights for
natural resources in N.E. Somalia regions [Puntland – approx. 212,000
sq. km]. President Adde Muse officially signed on behalf of Puntland
government. Consort was represented by an Australian male known as Terry
Donelly. Puntland finance minister, Mohamed Yusuf “Gaagaab,” was
present during the signing ceremony.
September 9, 2005 – Somali TFG
President Abdullahi Yusuf, in an interview with the BBC, says that legally
“natural resources belonging to the [Somali] nation is the responsibility
of the federal government.”
September 29, 2005 – A delegation
from Puntland composed of ministers and businessmen arrive in Jowhar,
temporary capital of the TFG, to hold talks with the TFG over “exploration
rights.” The Puntland delegation is led by finance minister Mohamed
Yusuf “Gaagaab.”
October 5, 2005 – Consort, Ltd.,
sells its 50.1% share of Puntland’s vast natural resources to Australia-based
Range Resources, Ltd
. Company publishes a
statement
on its website.
October 10, 2005 – Range Resources,
Ltd., press release entitled “
Government Support for
Puntland Agreement
”
is published. The Company stated that both the Somali federal government
(TFG) and the Puntland government provided “written approval” for
Consort’s signed agreement with Puntland.
October 16, 2005 – Australian
newspaper
The Age
reported that Somali TFG Prime Minister Ali
Muhammad Ghedi wrote a
letter to
the Australian Stock Exchange
saying that the Puntland-Range Resources contract is “invalid” because
only the federal government has the legal power to sign international
agreements. Prime Minister Ghedi’s letter contradicts Range Resources’
claim in the Oct. 10 press release “Government Support for Puntland
Agreement.”
November 2, 2005 – TFG Premier
Ghedi writes a letter to the Puntland regional administration accepting
an “amendment of contract” between Puntland and Range Resources,
Ltd. (“
Prime Minister of Somalia’s
letter approving final contract in Puntland
.”)
February 26, 2006 – Puntland
Parliament takes vote-of-confidence on President Adde Muse’s Council
of Ministers. A political row erupts from the parliamentary action and,
the next day, at least
three people are reported
dead
near Garowe’s
Parliament House. The Puntland minister of planning and international
cooperation, Dr. Abdirahman Farole (who was overtly against the “Puntland
Agreement”), is “relieved” of his duty by Puntland president Mohamud
“Adde” Muse.
February 28, 2006 – Australian
newspaper
The Age writes that “
Range teams start hunting
in Somalia
.”
March 9, 2006 – Range Resources,
Ltd., posts a news item under the title “
Initial Report on Minerals
in Puntland
.”
March 19, 2006 – Somali news
websites publish reports that armed conflict between Puntland troops
and native clan militias has sparked in eastern Sanaag, where a Range
Resources team was conducting research. The native clan militias don’t
support Puntland’s attempts to implement its agreement with Range
Resources.
March 21, 2006 - The Puntland
administration
denies
that any fighting took place in eastern Sanaag.
Meanwhile in Baidoa, temporary headquarters of the Somali TFG, a
press conference
is held by TFG officials from Sanaag region.
They criticized Puntland president Mohamud “Adde” Muse’s aggressive
policy towards Sanaag region.
March 22, 2006 – TFG member
of parliament (from Sanaag region),
Mr. Awad Asharo
, spoke out against exploration in Puntland,
saying that the issue was contributing to the “instability” of the
region (citing the armed conflict in eastern Sanaag).
March 29, 2006 – International
news agency
Reuters reports that “
Clashes between rival Somali
regions kill six.
” Puntland
and Somaliland have been engulfed in a border dispute over legal ownership
of Sool and Sanaag regions. In fact, the “clashes” were between
Puntland troops and local clan militias, NOT Somaliland troops.
April 3, 2006 –
Garowe Online,
a Somali news website, published, “
More fighting reported in
Puntland
.”
April 9, 2006 – Somali news
radio station SBC (Somali Broadcasting Corp) reported, “
Puntland & Shirkada Range
oo heshiis ku saxiixdey Boosaso
.”
(Translated: “Puntland & Range company sign deal in Bossaso city.”)
April 9, 2006 – News article,
“
Land mine blows up Puntland
armored vehicle
” appeared
on
Garowe Online.
April 13, 2006 – More fighting
between Puntland and clan militias reported in a village east of Bossaso.
Garowe Online wrote, “
Deadly skirmish reported in
northern Somali village
.”
April 18, 2006 – Australia-based
newspaper, the
Sydney Morning Herald, wrote, “
No one killed in Puntland
operations, Range insists
.”
April 21, 2006 – Range Resources,
LTD., the exploration company that signed the controversial “Puntland
Agreement,” published, “
Range in firm-in agreement
for Somali oil and minerals
.”
Chapter Eleven
Land and Property
Article 67
Natural Resources and Environment Protection
-
The natural resources of the
country such as minerals, water, flora and fauna shall be public property
and a law shall be enacted which defines the manner of exploitation
for the common good.