President Faroole of Puntland: Swimming against Powerful Tides

With the closing of yet another tumultuous year, two thousand and nine, which, like its predecessors, ushered in chaos and confusion among Somalis, President Abdirahman Mohamed Faroole of Puntland is faced with three political challenges. While two of these challenges, namely the question of the disputed regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn, and the human rights issue of Ethiopian Somali prisoners, primarily those belonging to the Ogaden clan family, are local in nature, the third and tempest challenge comes from the powerful Chairman of the African Affairs Subcommittee of the United States Congress, Mr. Donald Payne, who in a letter dated November 22, 2009 publicly rebuked Mr. Faroole.

To say the least, these challenges are formidable and, if not carefully attended to, could cumulatively have serious repercussions for the existence and wellbeing of Mr. Faroole’s government.

A bit background is due here: At the wake of establishing the Puntland regional state in 1998 by the then victorious former faction leader Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who had successfully ejected violent Islamic groups from the territory, the vision was to create an all Somali sanctuary with an autonomous status in the northeastern flank of stateless Somalia. More importantly, the following goals were embedded in the vision:

	1.	To create an autonomous regional administration within a future federal government system for Somalia;
	2.	To challenge Somaliland's claim for a unilateral secession by placing claim on all Harti-inhabited regions of Sool, Sanaag and Cayn;
	3.	To create an oasis marked by free market-based economy and a bottom-up peacemaking.

In the past, Puntland went into two loosing wars with Somaliland on said territorial question. Consequently, with the reality on the ground hugely favoring Somaliland, which has ruled these regions for most of the last twenty years, President Faroole seamlessly has changed political direction on this question.  Reliable sources who attended the grand Dhulbahante meeting recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, confirmed to WardheerNews that Mr. Faroole informed the conveners that the disputed regions are no longer a priority for his administration. Moreover, Mr. Faroole’s administration’s decree announcing that any Nairobi convener (including 3 Garaads of the Dhulbahante clan family), who are going to Puntland to mount opposition activity, be it peaceful or otherwise, against Somaliland, would be arrested on arrival complicated matters more.

The consequences of Mr. Faroole’s policy change could be one of two: This change could foster good relationship between his government and that of Somaliland, hence ultimately sacrificing the Dhulbahante question by effectively letting Hargeysa administer the disputed regions; or this could lead, if remotely, the formation of Sool/Sanaag/Cayn resistance forces to reclaim their region and seek a clan-based regional state independent both from Hargeysa and Garowe. The former case seems to be more likely to happen in the event that Mr. Faroole stays course and decides to squeeze any potential opposition to Somaliland’s authority. But this would come with a price, primarily a prospective instability fomented in Puntland.

President Abdirahman Faroole meeting with Ethiopian officials

A second sore point on Mr. Faroole's administration is the accusation that his security forces imprisoned Ethiopian Somalis, or as some call them, members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF). It is alleged that at least one prisoner is "murdered" while in custody, whereas others are reportedly handed over to Ethiopian authorities for questioning. Despite alleged mistreatment in the hands of Puntland and Somaliland or other Somali leaders for multiple times, ONLF by all accounts is a recognized resistance and political movement whose goals and objectives are part of a larger historical question – the question of Somalis under Ethiopian rule. As such, they must be given protection and other due process guaranteed under the 1958 UN convention.

Despite a counter claim made by the Puntland authority that at least "one prisoner died from tuberculoses-related illness," it is plausible that the Faroole administration wanted (out of his mishandling of ONLF members) to send at least two messages: (1) Puntland administration is not going to tolerate anything that may threaten its regional benefactor, Ethiopia; and (2) Puntland would stand only for the sole interest of its "stakeholder.” In other words, Puntland leaders are going to pursue only their local interest and forfeit any other higher ideals that were in the past recognized, such as safeguarding the rights of all Somali speaking people.

One possible result from alienating ONLF, which at times plays on the primordial feelings of the larger Ogaden clan, could be a retaliation by ONLF or ONLF sympathizers exacting casualties against all business interests and transhumance movements associated with Puntland that move in and out of the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia.

But the most debilitating challenge to Faroole's position on the Ogaden prisoners comes from the powerful Chairman of the African Subcommittee of the US Congress, Congressman Payne, who in his rebuke of Puntland, stated the following:

"This is not the first time Puntland authorities have harassed, tortured, killed, and handed over men of Ogadeni origin to Ethiopian security. Over a year ago, two senior members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) were handed over to Ethiopian security by a Puntland minister. They came, with the permission of Puntland authorities; to discuss the murder of an elder.....I strongly condemn this abusive and dictatorial behavior and demand the immediate release of the prisoners. I also call for those responsible for the killing of the prisoner and intimidation of Ogadenis to be held accountable, including senior officials who authorized these measures. Failure to act quickly on this matter will have serious consequences."

Mr. Faroole and some members of his cabinet meeting with Congressman Donald Payne in the US Embassy in Nairobi.

Given the power that congressional subcommittees, particularly their Chairpersons, wield, these words, coming from the very person who is the number one law maker on the US-Africa policy, should worry Puntland leaders and the inner circle that advises Mr. Faroole.

The Puntland administration, if it intends to weather these challenges, must bring peace and order into its region, coupled with good governance by taking some of the following corrective measures:

1. Puntland must seek cooperation and consultation with Congress Payne and his staff on matters concerning the rights of ONLF and other non-combatant Ethiopian refugees in its region.  In a post Rwanda world, African human rights issue are no longer peripheral matters to be left alone to small time dictators or rulers of mini states in a distant country.
   
   
2. Puntland should be able to explain the cause of death of the concerned prisoner in Puntland. Furthermore, it has to bring all the rest of "ONLF" prisoners to an open and legitimate court, where Amnesty and Red Cross observers are invited to hear and, if need be, represent said prisoners. This may present both challenges and opportunities for Puntland in showcasing its court system.
   
   
3. Puntland must quickly rescind its decree to arrest Dhulbahante elders and bring them back to the table for consultation on their question. Puntland has every right to denounce war and confrontation against Somaliland. It is not, however, prudent to antagonize groups who are part of the "original stakeholder" of the Puntland regional state.