Power struggle in Somalia raises regional and international concerns
December 16, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — The regional and international communities voiced concern over the growing power struggle between the Somali government parties while the Islamists insurgents continue to progress in the country.
Despite the opposition of the Somali parliament to the removal of the Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein on Sunday, the President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has appointed a new little- known Prime Minister Mohamoud Mohamed Guled worsen the current political crisis in the country.
According to the transitional federal charter, the president needs parliament’s approval to dismiss the prime minister. But Yusuf insists saying that the parliament had made a wrong decision and he is acting in accordance with president attributions in the charter.
The move has raised concern and consternation among the regional and international states that are backing the transitional government.
“The United Nations and the African Union have agreed that sanctions should be imposed on whoever is dragging behind with regard to the implementation of the peace process,” Wetangula said.
The minister emphasized that the Inter-Government Authority on Development (IGAD) had tasked the Somali leaders to work jointly to form a cabinet.
In Addis Ababa also the spokesperson of the foreign ministry said concerned by the dismissal of the Somali prime minister. “It is a matter of concern, this feud among the transitional government leadership,” said Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman Wahide Belay.
Ethiopia had decided to pullout its troops from Somalia after to years of military support to the embattled transitional government to press the Somalis to end their endless power struggle and disputes.
Also both the European Union and the United States have negatively reacted to the removal of the Prime Minister Hussein. They considered the move as s a threat to political stability in the country.
“We have confidence in the prime minister and urge the TFG leadership to work cooperatively together for the good of all the people of Somalia.” The US embassy in Nairobi said in a statement late Monday.
“It threatens to destabilise the political process at a key moment for Somalia and is inconsistent with the Transitional Federal Charter,” the principle organising document signed in Nairobi in 2004, said a statement issued by the French EU presidency.
The EU presidency “is deeply concerned by the latest political developments in Somalia” and “believes that it would be unacceptable for internal disputes to jeopardise the continuation of the peace process entered into six months ago by further weakening the transitional government.”
The political instability in Somalia since 1991 has uprooted about 1 million people, a third of the population rely on emergency food aid and the chaos has helped fuel kidnappings and piracy off the coast.
(ST)