AN
ELECTION OF DISSONANCE
Waxa
qoray: Mohamed Ahmed Wais “Shiine”
Its hard
for me to imagine that the votes of my father, mother, brothers, sisters and
fellow friends were not included to the national votes due to the decision of
the National Elections Commission, which its members lack constitutional
background and law proficiency.
Consider
you own experience. How do you feel about Somaliland elections when somebody
compromises his/her ideals?
I
wonder about the question when I heard from Hargeisa about the Somaliland
National Elections Commission has diverted votes of the Easter Hargeisa
residents to the warehouse without taking counts.
The
residents of Eastern Hargeisa have accused the commission of unethical behavior
and violating the very basic voting rights granted by Somaliland’s
constitution.
When
does the commission’s collective integrity fail? In general terms, we can
often lay the blame on greed or lust for cheating.
The
result of this greed is a breakdown in social responsibility in which serious
harm has done to our first free elections.
When
those of our commissioners, leaders, politicians and bureaucrats are called to
act with personal integrity in our place of government, it may be a fear of
financial and or power loss, or even loss of employment, which keeps them from
acting gently and speaking the truth.
In
Somaliland’s new democracy, citizens can debate issues, select leaders and
make their voices heard on the elections days in a lawful way of casting their
votes to determine their party of choice.
As
we all know on April 14th residents of Eastern Hargeisa (Ga’an
Libax, Adadlay, Sabawanag, Bandarwanaag) and all its affiliated towns and
villages with in the radius of 60 Miles for the triangle between Hargeisa,
Berbera and Burao as well as upstate Hawd including the Tuuyo Plains went to the
polling stations exercising their constitutional rights to cast their votes like
any where else in Somaliland.
Ironically,
the national elections commission has ignorantly and arrogantly denied the right
and excluded 23 ballot boxes of the Eastern Hargeisa constituents from the
national votes. This unconstitutional act has not only raised many unanswered
concerns, but it also angered and devastated the citizens of the Eastern
Hargeisa.
This
recent turmoil is a shock beyond imagination and is a set back to Somaliland’s
democracy and recognition.
There
are reasons to believe that the weak and the failed commission’s decision are
not acceptable causalities by the constituents of Eastern Hargeisa in particular
and Somalilanders in general.
Therefore,
we are calling upon Somalilanders every where to condemn the commission and
demand a national enquiry to investigate this criminal act which is inconsistent
with democracy, free and fair elections, all of which are founded on the
assumption that all citizens are in this together. Hopping this appeal will help
bring a clear perspective to bear in such sensitive issue.
Thank
you
Yours
truly,
Mohamed
Ahmed Wais “Shiine”
SOMAILAND
COALITION OF DEMOCRACY
A
THINK TANK GROUP BASED IN CALGARY
M
