Somaliland American Council open forum with Vice-President Ahmed Yusuf Yasin.

Somaliland American Council open forum with Vice-President Ahmed Yusuf Yasin

Aug 11

Somaliland American Council, a chapter of East Africa Policy Institute, hosted a lively exchange between the Somaliland Diaspora community and the Vice president of the Republic of Somaliland, Mr Ahmed Yusuf Yassin.

The vice president started his remarks by thanking the audience and the organizers of the teleconference for giving him the opportunity to have a conversation with them. He then briefly described the history and the difficulties facing Somaliland in terms of the economy, security and the educational needs present in the country. After those remarks, he embarked in answering a number of tough questions from the audience as the following transcript from the session indicates.


1-Question from Mudane Hussein "Gacmadheere"

Q-What is the reason why your gov. won't allow us to sell our livestock at the market value?

VP- The Saudi businessman, Aljabari was the only one who answered our call for help and invested his own money up front (3M) to build in Berbera a quarantine facility that will allow us to vaccinate livestock before exporting them to the middle east directly from Berbera, instead of going through Djibouti. This facility will be ready in 4 months and then we will allow the free market to determine price and livestock traders.

2 - Samiya Cali Madar

Q-The govenment donated 2000 heads of livestock to Djibouti recently, since chartity begins at home and there is a large need for food in the country, why did you not help those in need at home?

VP-The need is large and we know it, but our actions had something to do with building a better relation with our neighbor.

3 - Yusuf Sultan, NJ, USA

Q - Berbera is ghost town and is showing a lot neglect, even the newly built power factory is not producing any power due to fuel shortages, all of this happens when this is the city that generates the most revenue for the gov. What are you planning to do to change the situation ?

VP- Fuel costs are a lot higher now than they were when i twas built and resources are limited, but thruth be told, this is a city neglected by its own people, every community is building its own city, why are the people of Berbera not building their own city ?

4 - Samsam Haybe Hersi, Toronto, Canada

Q- Is the Guurti going to have an election, or will they be selected like they were the last time?

VP- There is going to have to be a special election for the Guurti, something different than one man one vote, because of the nature of their office. They are a very important body and they are the reason why we are so successful, they will be here long after everyone else is gone from the scene.

5 - Mohamed Hassan Ali Awale, Boston, MA, USA

Q- In your public statements you come across as some one who is a defender of the constitutuion; Why is your administration constantly breaking the law? For example why are you enforcing monopolies like Total and Aljabari?

VP- Total was the company that restored the fuel Tanks and invested in the infrastructure. Total has 50 year contract (issued to them by the previous administration) furthermore anyone who wants to import fuel can do so today provided they meet the company (Total )standards and conditions.

6- Ismail Hassan Yassin, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Q-Every time the president leaves town, you promise to do something different than what his administration has done so far, then when the president gets back into town, nothing gets done. Can we intrerpret that you have policy and political disagreement with President Rayale and you are unable to institute those promises?

VP- There are no policy or political differences between the president and myself.


7- Ibrahim Abdi, Baltimore, MD, USA

Q- Every time there is a public demonstration, the police end up using live bullets and people die, how can the public express their dissent publicly without having to fear being shot at.

VP- We will have the best demonstration in the contry when all fire arm is removed from every house-hold, because we know that every one has at least three rifles at home.

Q - Moderator followed up; Mr. Vice President, the only shooting that took place came from the police. Why not invest in buying the police some shields and helmets to protect themselves form stone throwing youths, instead of using live bullets?

VP- We do not have the resources to buy such equipment, we don't even have funds to buy bullets for our snipers.

8- Foosi Saleebaan Aw-Bindhe, Burco, Somaliland

Q- It is getting closer to when UDUB is going to have its convention, are you running for president, or Vice President again?

VP- We are a team and I am running as Vice President again.

9- Prof. Amina Xaaji Aadan, CA, USA

Q- Poor countries need to foster and aid their local industries in order to grow their economies, why is your administration issuing and eforcing monopolies for foreign corporations at the expense of local business?

VP-- The Saudi businessman Aljabari was the only one who answered our call for help and invested his own money up front (3M) to build in Berbera facilities that will allow us to directly export our livestock from Berbera, instead of going through Djibouti. This quarantine facility will be ready in 4 months and then we will allow others via the free market.

10- Hassan Ali, Maine, USA

Q- The previous Election Commission is recognized as having done a good job despite the difficulties of their period, yet some feel that they were not properly compensated and have actually been humiliated when they were fired by having the police reposses their vehicle. Is your administration going to consider some kind of compensation for them?

VP- I don't recall the incident you describe about their cars being confiscated by the police, and I agree with you they have done a good job. The difficulty is that now they all joined in different political parties and are no longer an independent players. It would have been easier to do something had they not done that.

11- Cabdirahman Jama Ahmed ( Shootali), Manchester, UK

Q-Do you have a fire fighters and fire trucks in Somaliland?

VP-No we do not, fire trucks require funds we do not have at the moment and now we have the police to respond to fires without proper equipment.

12- Mohamed Bashe Ibrahim, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,

Q- Why is the gov. not changing the old Somali currency into the Somaliland shilling from the eastern regions?

VP- We know there is a problem of old Somali currency being used in the easteren region and we have already taken steps to address the problem. We are planning to resolve this problem before the election.

13- Hussein Beergeel,

Q- Why is your government not addressing the water shortage in Hargeysa?

VP- We are currently in the process of digging new wells in Hargeisa and we have also completed some wells already.

14- Abdi Hussein, Atlanta, GA, USA

Q- There are allegations made by none other than members of the parliament that all the revenue from Berbera port are not reflected on the budget. Can you address this issue?

VP- I want you to come to Berbera and do the auditing yourself to put your mind at ease. Of course that is not the case and all the revenue sources are accounted for.

15- Abdillahi Ahmed, Toronto, Canada,

Q- Having had to postpone the election once already, how confident are you that this time elections will take place in March 29,2008?

VP-The election commission is the body responsible to determine the time to hold elections, however the political parties have agreed on this timetable and I believe the elections will take place at the appropriate time. If there are issues we have mechanisms in place to deal with them then.

Moderator; If by the time elections are to take place, the voter registration is not completed, will you postpone the election once again or are you going to have the elections take place like the previous election which did not require no voter registration completed?

VP- It is worth noting that some of the parties (particulary UCID) are adamant about completing the voter registration before any elections are to take place, and we have come to a concensus on the matter.

16- Abdillahi Daud, MN, USA

Q-Why your government is not helping the private sector to create local jobs? For instance, the government refused to impose high tariffs on foreign products which compete on goods currently produced in Somaliland?

VP-We try to help out our small business and we do not impose any taxes on them, and God willing we will help them more in the future.

17- Hassan Yonis, MN, USA

Q- Your administration has promised in October of 2007 to start construction of the Berbera cement factory, what has caused the delay and what is the latest status?

VP- The German company in charge of building the factory is about to start the project and is due to arrive within the next few months. The agreement calls for openning bidding to anyone if the Germans are unable to complete the project with the required time.

18 - Caydaruus Cilmi Yusuf,

Q- What is your administration going to do about the flood of young people loosing their lives in the red-sea while attempting to leave the country for better jobs?

VP- We are aware of the situation, and let me point out to you, that the Somaliland diaspora are also contributing to this problem by coming home and showing off with your computers and cameras without sharing the reality in the Diaspora with the youth. Because of that the young people think that leaving the country is the answer to getting good jobs.

19 - Ahmed Ali, Seattle, WA

Q- What is your position in opening up the process and allowing more parties to participate in the election?

VP- The constitution is very clear in that regard and we can only have three parties

20-Moderator:

Q-Your administration has blocked private ownership of radio stations, and you have made the claim that there is a need for legislation and regulations in place before you can open the airwaves to the private citizens. How come you have given license to the BBC and VOA to establish FM stations in Somaliland, while denying your own citizens the same rights?

VP- We have signed contractual agreements with the foreign press, and God willing we'll allow the local press to own private radio in the future.

Moderator: Mr. Vice President, we thank you for speaking with us today.

Source Somaliland-American Council