Somalia: Group of elders oppose regional governments in liberated areas 9 Jul 9, 2012 - 2:10:41 AM
MOGADISHU, Somalia Jul 8 2012 (Garowe Online) – A group of tribal elders in Mogadishu feel that the Somali government shouldn’t recognize regions captured from Al Shabaab as federal states at the moment, Garowe Online reports.
A group of tribal elders held a press conference in Mogadishu requesting that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia reject regions that have been captured by Somali and African Union forces as federal states of Somalia.
Malaaq Ibrahim Hassan one of the tribal elders in Mogadishu stated that federal states in regions liberated by allied forces was not needed and requested that the TFG reject the bids for a current federal government in those regions.
“It is not necessary for every captured town or region to become federal governments at this stage, people need to return to these areas,” said Mr. Malaaq, adding, that parties organizing federal governments in those areas were causing more conflict.
Mr. Malaaq also requested that the parties organizing federal governments in those regions work towards the development of Somalia and that the proposed federal systems in those regions be postponed.
Another group of tribal elders who met in Mogadishu released a statement supporting the setup of administrations in regions captured by allied forces.
The statement read: “The elders have agreed to support the ongoing construction of regional governments in the Jubba and Gedo regions.”
The group released a statement based on six points which included supporting the Roadmap process and the selection of qualified representatives of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) to vote on the Somalia draft constitution.
The elders also requested that the Somaliland government vacate contested areas so the Somali government could continue the peace process in Somalia.
Traditional elders in Mogadishu have been outspoken about the constitution and TFG policies’ in the final stages of the Roadmap.
Some TFG officials have stated that the elders should not be sidetracked from their original mandate.
According to the Addis Ababa communiqué elders are scheduled to choose the NCA by July 10th after many delays in the process.
