By: Omar Farah (dhollawaa)

This article will analyze deeply the contents of a Press Release  (Abusive Behavior in Puntland)  that has been recently released by Congressman Donald Payne, who chairs the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. The lawmaker denounced Puntland government on its treatment of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) who fight for their self-determination in Ethiopia. The ONLF, according to America’s Council on Foreign Affairs website ( www.cfr.org ), and ONLF website ( www.onlf.org ) is Ethiopian citizen of Somali ethnic from Eastern region of Ethiopia and they advocate and defend their ethnic Somalis by waging wars against Ethiopian armies. Dr. Payne refers in his Press Release members of ONLF who were arrested by the Puntland authority immediately after their arrival at Bosaso port by boat from Yemen. Puntland has claimed, among other matters, that the men have had a suspicious material. 

In short, the article will examine and challenge the points that the lawmaker has made in his press release and the core items are as follows:

• The arrest of five men who were members of ONLF, and the subsequent death of one of the prisoners and the allegation that   Abdi Mohamed Hassan also known as “Abdi Teerso” was   handed over to Ethiopia
• The lawmaker’s assertion that the five men were traveling with Somali travel documents issued by Somali embassy in Yemen
• Dr. Payne’s political pressure on Puntland Government to secure the welfare of the ONLF members in Puntland from June to November 2009.
• The threatening message that Dr. Payne has made in which he said that: ‘should Puntland fail to act quickly on this matter there will be serious consequences’.

Before I comment about Dr. Payne’s Statement, I have to note that many Somalis, including myself have a high regard to Dr. Donald Payne in his efforts to highlight the Somali saga to the American public and policymakers. Dr. Payne’s sacrificial visit to Mogadishu and his initiative to engage all major Somali political players to present their view of the Somali solution to the Congress will be particularly remembered for ever. However, the contents of Dr. Payne’s recent press release were excessive, harsh, and asymmetrical and don’t correspond to Dr. Payne’s remarkable character.   

To begin with, it was to everyone’s surprise, how the Press Release in question was fascinating and to some extent seems tantalizing in the sense that an American politician with this profile is openly and forcefully defending Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). This is a welcome gesture, but one should question if American policymakers are so close to ONLF, and at the same time, Ethiopia is America’s closest ally in the region why shouldn’t they address the overall issue diplomatically to end the Horn of African misfortune. Surely, American policy makers are aware that the centre of the Horn of Africa conflict is the Ogaden’s struggle for self-determination. So, what is going on here? Is it something to do with the China’s oil exploration activities in Ethiopia? If that is the case, and I hope it is not, will the American support to ONLF continue should the China’s oil companies decide to exit from Ethiopia tomorrow morning? Or will it end immediately the same way that the Mujahidiin supports from America ends after the departure of the Russian forces from Afghanistan?    

On the issue of the travel document, the Council of Foreign Policy, the window of American foreign policy, infers the ONLF fighters as Ethiopian citizen of Somali-ethnic from Eastern Ethiopia. If this is the position of the American policy towards ONLF, why does the Chairman’s press release has emphasized, in defense of the detainees that the five men had Somali documents issued by the Somali Embassy in Yemen? In this context, in the eyes of Dr. Payne, are they Somalian or Ethiopian citizens? 

On the issue of the political pressure, Dr. Payne who chairs a Sub-committee on Africa and Global Health must be very busy with the huge responsibilities of his portfolio. Therefore, it seems unusual for a lawmaker with this kind of portfolio to allocate so much time in communicating with Puntland Government repeatedly to follow up the wellbeing of ONLF members in Puntland. Definitely, any human causality or mistreatment must be concern to any rational human being. But, in a matter of facts this new caring and compassionate practice raises more questions than answers.    

In relation to the timing of the Press Release, the chairman has noted that the President of Puntland has principally agreed to reassess ONLF cases one week before the release of the Dr. Payne’s Statement. Undoubtedly, as the chairman should be fully aware, any case of this nature requires time and perseverance to pull the strings carefully and skillfully to address the issue in question without impeding and obstructing the law of the land. Therefore, for Dr. Payne to act so quickly, after one week of the president’s agreement, shows some kind of unnecessary impatience and overacting.    

Finally, Dr. Payne concluded in his statement that should Puntland fail to act there will be a serious consequence. Observably, Puntland and United States of America cooperate, and they need to work together further on the security, economic and political aspects but it should be one of genuine cooperation not a relationship based on domination, subordination, intimidation or coercion. Additionally, Dr. Payne should avoid being misguided and misled by interested person or persons who may have their vested interest in the issue.    

In conclusion, many people from Ogaden live and enjoy in Puntland peacefully. These peoples involve from labor up to entrepreneurship without any restrictions and they are warmly and intimately welcomed by Puntlanders, despite their occasional sporadic internal fighting which concerns Puntland security services. Apart from Ogaden community there are many other ethnics, Somalis and non-Somalis, and they are all enjoying the relative stability that Puntland State has provided to them.   

Nevertheless, Puntland is not infallible due to the circumstance and they are not unique for that matter. Every State acts, sometimes, harshly when its security appears to be in jeopardy. Moreover, all actors in the region need to understand that each entity regardless of their size or their political weight reserves the rights to act in way that safeguard and defends its security and long-term viability. However, Puntland Government should have the skills to carry and balance simultaneously, different and opposing political weights to survive in very troubled water.   

Omar Farah (Dhollawaa)

Dhollawaa@yahoo.com.au