UN Won't State Its Somaliland Position, Even As DPA Chief Jeffrey Feltman Meets Officials

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 9, more here -- Back on August 29, Inner City Press asked the UN to clarify its position on Somaliland. While the UN Spokesman has yet to respond more than 10 days later, in the interim Somaliland officials came to New York and met not only with ambassadors but also Senior UN Political Affairs officials including Jeffrey Feltman. Still, no public answer to the Press. Who authorized the UN to have "secret" policies?

 On August 29 Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about you gave the statement of Nicholas Kay about Somalia.  And there is something I wanted to ask.  A week ago he tweeted too that he had visited Puntand, Somaliand, Ethiopia and Kenya “all backed Somalia federalism”.  So, this has risen to some concerns because the President of Somaliland has disagreed and said that is not what they said, that they accepted his visit purely on UN system humanitarian thing.  So, he has tried to clarify it a bit and said he made something that wasn't quite clear, but he did respond.  And I wanted to know, maybe he is busy with, obviously, fighting and stuff over there.  From [the Department of Political Affairs] and the Secretariat's point of view, what is their understanding of the relationship between the political office on Somalia and Somaliland?  Do they believe that this visit implies contrary to what the president says?

Spokesman Dujarric:  Let's see what I can get on that.

  Eleven days later, nothing provided. But see this Somaliland announcement, here (hat tip Hargeisa-based Free UN Coalition for Access member Mohamoud Walaaleye)

"A delegation from Somaliland led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Mohamed Behi Yonis, and included Ambassador Mohamud Jama travelled to New York during the first week of September for meetings with high-level officials at the United Nations. The Under-Secretary General for the Department of Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, warmly received Minister Yonis and his colleagues. Minister Yonis highlighted Somaliland’s positive achievements in combating Al Shabaab and maintaining a peaceful and stable nation. His Excellency requested further engagement from the United Nations through accurate reporting and better acknowledgment of Somaliland’s achievements. The meeting provided a good opportunity for Minister Yonis to brief Under-Secretary General Feltman about Somaliland’s relations with Puntland, progress with relations in Sool and Sanaag and the “Khatumo” rebel movement, the status of the Dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia as well as the recent visit of SRSG Nicholas Kay to Hargeisa."

  We'll have more on all this.

  The UN's envoy to Mogadishu Nicholas Kay travels more and works harder than most UN envoy. Still, when hetweeted that Somaliland supports Somalia "federalism," something seemed off.

   Even more so when on August 24 the president of Somaliland Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo tweeted that "Somaliland will not host UNSOM political office" -- that is, Kay's office.

  So Inner City Press asked Kay on what basis he'd said Somaliland supports Somalia federalism.

  Kay to his credit responded, saying that "@innercitypress In Hargeisa I heard firm commitment to Somaliland's independence & also support for Somalia's state-building progress."

  But the first part of that, commitment to Somaliland's independence, seems quite contrary to a support for Somalia federalism -- at least with Somaliland in it.  Inner City Press replied, "But independence does not equal federalism, no?  

 As to Somalia itself, right after the UN Security Council visited Mogadishu, Somalia's Army and the UN-supported AMISOM force raided Radio Shabelle, jailing journalists.

   On August 19 Inner City Press asked the UK Mission to the UN about the raid and the at least three journalists still in detention: Abdimalik Yusuf Mohamud, Owner of Shabelle and SKY FM, Mohamud Mohamed Dahir a/k/a Mohamud Arab, Director of SKY FM and Ahmed Abdi Hassan, Shabelle deputy head of news.

  On August 20, the UK Mission's spokesperson Iona Thomas told Inner City Press that "the UK is concerned by reports of mistreatment of journalists in Somalia and we are urgently investigating the matter with the Somali authorities."  We hope to have more on this.

  Back on August 15 at the UN noon briefing, Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access asked if there is any UN response to this raid on independent media -- by UN supported forces.

  Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq replied that there was no comment by the UN mission UNSOM under Nicholas Kay, and that Inner City Press should "check with AMISOM."

  But they're the ones who did it. Inner City Press asked again: no UN comment on the closing down of a radio station?

  Haq replied that he has no verification -- it is widely reported - and that he hasn't heard from UNSOM about it. Why not?

   Similarly, little has been heard at UN headquarters from UNSOM about envoy Nicholas Kay's recent visit to Somaliland, of which Kay has said, "Pleased to be in Hargeisa. Excellent talks with HE Mohammed Younis and his colleagues. Good to see our significant UN team in Somaliland."

   FUNCA member in Hargeisa Mohamoud Walaaleye, who has previously defended press freedom there, has made inquiries and provided more information to New York, to FUNCA and Inner City Press, than the UN Spokesperson's Office has conveyed from Kay. 

  What is Kay's response to criticism of his approach to Somaliland, for example here, here and here. (Somali Embassy US saying "UN Envoy Nick Kay actions & policies are threaten the peace, Security, stability, sovereignty & territorial integrity of Somalia)? On this too we hope to have more.

   Back on May 12 in an advance copy of the UN's report on Somalia, to be issued as S/2014/330, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he is "concerned about the potential for confrontation between Puntland and 'Somaliland.' I call on both sides to avoid escalating tensions."

   Many note that Somaliland, without the quotation marks Ban puts around it, has been more peaceful than Mogadishu for some time - and that the UN system raised tensions by, for example, handing Somaliland's airspace to Mogadishu. 

  Ban's report also says he remains "concerned about the continued export of Somali charcoal" and encourages "the Security Council Committee on Somalia and Eritrea to list the responsible individuals and entities."

  These advance copies have been known to be changed before "final" release, in a process for which a description, and then proposals for reform, were provided here and thenhere.

 In this advance copy, Ban "strongly recommend[s] to the Council an extension of the mandate of UNSOM for one year to 3 June 2015."

When on April 23 UNSOM envoy Nicholas Kay along with AMISOM head Mahamat Saleh Annadif took questions at the UN, Inner City Press asked them about the new Ugandan guard unit, about the Somalia Eritrea Monitoring Group and about Somaliland including its disputed airspace. Video here from Minute 14:23.

  Kay said, "at the moment we're absolutely clear obviously on the international legal position vis-a-vis Somaliland, it's not a recognized state by anyone. But they have a very strong sense of their own statehood and aspirations to independence."

  Kay referred to the Turkey-facilitated talks between Somaliland and the Somali government in Mogadishi, including about airspace. He said that UN funds and programs operate in Somaliland. But UNSOM does not: Somaliland points to the mandate it was given by the Security Council.

  On the Ugandan guard unit, Kay said they will protect the UN but work with AMISOM. But in March, AMISOM spokesperson Ali Aden Houmed was quoted by Voice of America that "we do not have the fact of what these forces are and they are not part of us... UN and Uganda had been conducting 'a secret negotiation.'" Neither Kay nor Mahamat Saleh Annadif addressed this.

  On sanctions, after Kay recounted improvements in reporting and "information" that are underway, Inner City Press asked if the Somali letter requesting the ouster of SEMG coordinator Chopra has been withdrawn. Kay said he has not seen the letter. Well here it is: Inner City Pressexclusively obtained, reported and published it. Has it been withdrawn?

   

"Atrocities" Against Somaliland Condemned in Istanbul II Communique with Somalia, But Where's UN, FUNCA Member Asks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 19 -- Diplomacy between Somaliland and Somalia continues, resulting now in an "Istanbul Communique" on "Dialogue Process Design." Inner City Press has put it online, here.

 It was signed on January 18 by Abdikarin Hussein Guled for the Federal Government of Somalia and by former UN official Mohamed Behi Yonis, as foreign minister of Somaliland. 

  It concludes, "We share the pain inflicted upon the Somali people by the military regime in Somalia before the year 1991. We condemn all the atrocities committed by that regime throughout all Somali people particularly the people in Somaliland."

   Free UN Coalition for Access member Mohamoud Walaaleye from Hargeisa -- where readers may remember he previously protested the imprisonment of other journalists from Hubaal newspaper -- tells Inner City Press this acknowledgment is a first, and bodes well. (Click here for Inner City Press' coverage of the previous round in Turkey in July 2013.)

  But still: where is the UN in all this?

  We continue to ask, as we did in October 2013: what is the UN's role in and position on the proposed transfer of the airspace over Somaliland to the government in Mogadishu? Inner City Press has put this question to UN envoy Nicholas Kay, who points to another meeting in Turkey on November 8.

  On October 30, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson about the airspace, and also about press freedom (and safety) in Mogadishu. Video here, from Minute 10:37, UN transcript below.

  Eliasson acknowledged, "Somalialand as you know has aspiration for independence. I know there are contacts, Turkey plays an important role. The situation, economic, is good. We [the UN] are on side of efforts of president to create one Somalia, we hope he is successful."

  On the specifics of the airpace, Eliasson said "I have need to come back to you, I have not informed myself on that." It is understandable -- Eliasson has also been made the point-man on among other "files" that of Sri Lanka and now apparently Haiti. We'll await his response.

  On press freedom, Inner City Press asked about the shut down of Radio Shabelle, forcing media to register, and the death of TV Universal journalist Mohamed Mohamud Tima'adde.

  Eliasson replied, "your profession is uncertain, a dangerous job." On the eviction of Radio Shabelle he said, "we are looking into the situation, we haven't all the facts yet, we will follow this case. "Again, we'll wait to hear more. Watch this site.

From the UN's transcript of DSG:

Inner City Press: You mentioned Somaliland, Puntland and Jubaland. There seems to be with Somaliland, there’s an issue where the airspace was managed by them for years, but now the UN has somehow gotten involved and is trying to transfer the airspaces above Somaliland to the TFG [Transitional Federal Government]. Some have said that aid flights will be cancelled. Somaliland has protested it. So I wonder, you sort of presented it as bringing the country back together, but there’s a desire for self-determination in Somaliland, and I wonder what you make of it and also on press freedom in Somalia. While you were there, Radio Shabelle closed down and people were evicted. Media have to now register. A journalist died in the hospital after being attacked. What is your sense of where the Government’s own position on press freedom is in Somalia?

DSG Eliasson: Well, Somaliland has, as you know, aspirations for independence and this is, of course, disputed by the Government in Mogadishu. I know there are contacts between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. Turkey plays an important role in providing a venue for discussion of that relationship. The situation in terms of economic and social progress is very good, is improvingly good. And the United Nations has agencies on the ground working with the authorities in Hargeisa. We are not, of course, in any way part of the discussion about the status between Somalia and Somaliland. We are on the side of the efforts of the President to create one Somalia and we hope very much that he will be successful in this regard. But the issue of the airspace, I need to come back to, I have not informed myself about that. On press freedom: yes, it was an incident. By the way, there was also a journalist killed over the weekend I was there. I think he was the sixth journalist this year. And last year, 18 journalists were killed. So, your profession is a pretty uncertain profession with horrible dimensions, as I understand - very dangerous job in Somalia. And what happened, evidently, was an eviction of the facilities of Shabelle – I heard about that. And we are looking into the situation. And while we haven’t all the facts yet, but I can only underline that we very strongly have made the case of freedom of the press with the authorities in Mogadishu and that we will follow this case also in the future.

Note: not as intentionally chopped up with "uh's" as UN does noon briefing -- same speaking style. We'll have more on this, as well as of course Somalia, Somaliland, Sri Lanka... and Haiti. Watch this site.