GAROWE ONLINE EDITORIAL | Puntland people have fought back, without help from the West or the African Union or Ethiopia, to crush the insurgents deep in their Galgala mountainous hideouts in a three-month military offensive that has remained largely unreported by international press.

It is the impassioned ideological drive of Garowe Online that has helped (among others) catapult Puntland region of Somalia onto the world stage. Since 2004, Garowe Online has become the number one most reliable source for Somali news and information. Many around the world, including journalists and diplomats, were deeply ill-informed about the realities on the ground in Somalia for over a decade. Regrettably, most Somali-owned websites found on the Internet advance the interests of a clan or a sub-clan, while we here at Garowe Online have consistently strived to advance the formation of a peaceful, democratic and united Federal Republic of Somalia.

In the information era, it is information that is true power. It was misinformation in mid-2008 that cheated the international community, led by the West, to believe the conniving lies, cheap propaganda and political deceptions of a select clique of Somali politicians led by Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden – the two architects of the disreputable Djibouti Agreement – who managed to convince the world to give their small group without a constituency anywhere in Somalia an additional 275 MPs in the parliament of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia. Today, most Western countries are not only deeply disappointed by the performance – or lack thereof – of the Sharif administration which was supposed to reign in some of the insurgents, but the West has basically given up hope on Sharif's ability to deliver on Djibouti Agreement promises. Unfortunately, let alone Sharif "winning over" insurgents, the exact opposite has happened time and again: hundreds of TFG soldiers, trained by Western tax-payer money in countries like Uganda, have returned to Mogadishu only to join insurgent groups like Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab militants who wish to overthrow every administration in Somalia and install a government of bloodthirsty maniacs led by war criminals from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries some Somalis have never heard of!

Today it is misinformation that continues to blame African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM), who protect TFG institutions in Mogadishu, of bombarding Bakara Market and other civilian centers. In reality, it is the Al Qaeda-linked insurgents who must bare responsibility because they frequently launch attacks from civilian centers and then run away when AMISOM targets the source of the attack. The insurgents have used this strategy, explicitly designed to cause civilian casualties and create a public uprising, since the days when Ethiopian troops protected TFG institutions in Mogadishu. There has never been any public uprising mainly because Mogadishu's civilians have been witnesses to and victims of this strategy of violence since 2007.

At Garowe Online, we commend the AMISOM peacekeepers who have bravely ensured that international terrorists and war criminals hiding under the banner of Islamic religion never seize control of Mogadishu. It is not the weak TFG, crippled by internal bickering and leadership failure rooted in the deeply flawed Djibouti Agreement, that defends Mogadishu but the brave soldiers from Uganda and Burundi who have come to assist their African brothers in a time of dire need. Thank you, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, for visiting Mogadishu and showing the world that indeed Africa does care for its own people.

Puntland fights against terror groups

In Puntland, since 2007, Al Shabaab insurgents have been responsible for targeting and killing over 70 people in separate yet well-organized attacks over a period of time. Initially, the insurgents' targets were Puntland intelligence officials (PIA), but in recent years, the insurgents have targeted the heart and soul of Puntland: judges, prosecutors, lawmakers, military officers, well-respected traditional elders, just to name a few. This blatant campaign of terrorism aimed explicitly at overthrowing Puntland's elected government and installing a regime friendly to Osama bin Laden has not gained any attention from the international community. Last week, a Puntland government prosecutor was brutally gunned down in the Gulf of Aden port city of Bossaso, Puntland's commercial capital. The motive of the crime is the same as the other assassinations: to instill terror in the hearts of the people of Puntland so they will ultimately surrender. Yet, the resilient people of this desolate and long-forgotten land have defended themselves bravely against all invaders and criminals, both historically and today.

In late October, Puntland troops seized the last stronghold of the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabaab terrorists in Galgala mountainous area southeast of Bossaso. The three-month war (Aug. 2010 – Oct. 2010) has cost cash-strapped Puntland government much in terms of manpower, equipment and financial resources desperately needed for to improve public services like water projects, schools, and healthcare. It is the intention of all terrorists anywhere in the world to disrupt the normal way of life, to instill fear among the public with the aim of surrender, and to financially bankrupt governments who bravely defend their citizens.

Because Puntland is a key element of the global security order, Puntland's successive governments have denied any safe haven for terror groups to organize or operate anywhere within Puntland jurisdiction. Indeed, it is Puntland's ability to secure its own territory that prevents Al Qaeda groups in Somalia and Yemen from working together to further destablize the volatile Horn of Africa or Middle East sub-regions. However, given Puntland's close proximity to ungoverned parts of southern Somalia, and the interconnectedness of Somali culture and economy, it is expected that insurgents will sneak into Puntland and try to foment trouble. Puntland has experienced terrorism first-hand; how many innocent and responsible citizens of Puntland have been killed since 2007, and who continue to be targets for assassination today. While the world ignores, or chooses to remain ignorant about realities in Somalia, the people of Puntland are under a terror campaign by ruthless criminals who want Puntland to surrender. Puntland people have fought back, without help from the West or the African Union or Ethiopia, to crush the insurgents deep in their Galgala mountainous hideouts in a three-month military offensive that has remained largely unreported by international press. Nearly 100 Al Shabaab militants were killed during the military offensive, according to Puntland officials.

Puntland must never compromise its security

It is under these strenuous circumstances that a Garowe Online editorial first appeared, entitled, "Puntland security first, U.N. whining later." The editorial was a satirical tirade in response to an Associated Press article, entitled, " 1,000-man militia being trained in north of Somalia." The AP article, while it highlights some key points correctly, is full of misleading components that raise questions to the point where U.S. State Department and U.S. Pentagon officials have spoken publicly about the Puntland government's anti-piracy force, which is being trained with the expertise of a private security firm. The article seems to send the message that Puntland's anti-piracy project, its intentions, funding and scope, is questionable and untrustworthy. It is this subliminal message that reaches Western diplomats around the world. Even the term "militia" in the headline makes readers shiver at the thought of yet-another militia in war-torn Somalia. Yet, in observing the training, discipline, and equipment of Puntland's anti-piracy force, one immediately gets the impression that Puntland is on the right track to improve its own security.

BBC Interview: Puntland pres meets Kuwait emir, defends anti-piracy force

Puntland's government, and especially President Abdirahman Farole, has publicly defended the anti-piracy force. President Farole has explicitly stated and clarified that – in no way, shape or form – did the private security firm or Puntland's government import weapons for the anti-piracy force, known officially as Puntland Marines. This was the President's response on BBC to a question regarding the 1992 U.N. Security Council arms embargo on Somalia. President Farole even went further to clarify that the Puntland government plans to ask the international community, and especially AMISOM peacekeepers in Mogadishu who are exempt from the arms ban, to provide weapons for the Puntland Marines once the force has completed military training and reached its full capacity of 1,050 soldiers (thus far, the first batch of 170 recruits have finished a 13-week training course so far).

Furthermore, Puntland government sources have confirmed to Garowe Online that the government plans to bring the agreement with private security firm, Saracen International, if and when there is a final contract between the two sides in front of the 66-seat Puntland Parliament for final approval. Garowe Online understands that there is only a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between these two parties but a final contract is still in negotiations and final approval lies with Puntland's constitutional parliament based in Garowe, capital city of Puntland.

Finally, to our esteemed readers including journalists and diplomats around the world who enjoy our reporting and our editorials, we sincerely regret if the Garowe Online editorial caused any offense. Reality on the ground dictates that Puntland must never compromise its security – not even for one second. Because every second spent compromising Puntland security, gives the enemies of Puntland, both hidden or visible, an opportunity to create propaganda or car bombs. Following a Garowe Online extraordinary board meeting, the editorial has subsequently been removed from our website due to some insensitive elements in the editorial that weakened the editorial's true message of never compromising the security of Puntland. Go back to every editorial ever published on Garowe Online since 2004; the truth of the matter is that Garowe Online has consistently defended the security, stability and governance of Puntland State because federalism is the only option for Somalia.

We invite all journalists around the world to visit Puntland and to report the true realities on the ground about piracy, about the terror hideouts in Galgala hills seized by Puntland troops, or about the overall stability and self-development engendered by the hardworking, peace-loving people of Puntland State of Somalia.

Thank you,

Garowe Online Editorial Board
Please send comments, questions or Letters to the Editor: editorial@garoweonline.com

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Sample reader's responses to editorial, "Puntland security first, U.N. whining later"

E-mail title: "Never apologize to do what is right!!!!!!!"

Garowe online,
 
Terrific article and I congratulate you for your courage and determinations to defend what is right for puntland and Somalia as a whole. Those who sip coffee in New York and London are terrified to hear that their welfare checks will be disrupted by the puntland forces.
 
Somalia’s worst enemy are those who beg on their behalf to enrich themselves with the booty they collect.  
 
Thanks again and keep up the good work.
 
Ali Gamure
Michigan,USA

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E-mail title: Puntland security first, U.N. whining later

Dear Garowe Online Colleagues,
 
Hope this email gets you in good health. I read this editorial "Puntland security first, U.N. whining later" that disappointed me. For a long time I believed Garoweonline does better reporting comparing their counterparts in Somalia. This editorial is poorly done, poorly written and poorly constructed. The writer of this editorial page neither read diplomacy 101 nor journalism 101.

The article hurts puntland leadership, puntland international engagement agenda and people of Puntland. I will encourage Garoweonline to remove this editorial page from your site once for all.
 
If Garoweonline and Puntland government wants to challenge any bad news marinated and spiced by Puntland enemies, you need to challenge in a way that strengthen your position and weakens your enemies positions.

Please consider this note as a brother advice adn good faith.

Thanks
Abdurashid Ali