Somalia: Constitution qualms could jeopardize end to transition
Jun 28, 2012 - 9:41:08 AM
MOGADISHU, Somalia Jun 28 2012 (Garowe Online) - The key step in the
completion of Somalia's peace process could be the spark to another debate
that could put the process in jeopardy after an unprecedented move, Garowe
Online reports.
Transitional Federal Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sharif Adan
accompanied by other government officials, unexpectedly gave copy of the
proposed constitution to traditional elders in Mogadishu, and asked the
elders to read the proposed document and give their inputs.
The traditional elders were slated to choose the NCA who together would vote
to adopt the proposed constitution.
Leaders agreed that the proposed constitution would be examined by both the
elders and the NCA after the elders select the 825 members of the NCA.
The 135 traditional elders in Mogadishu who met with the Speaker did agree
to examine the proposed constitution but did not say they would ratify it.
"We elders have been in Mogadishu for almost 2 months awaiting the draft
constitution, we have finally received the document and we will read and
examine it. But if the document does not benefit the Somali people we will
not approve it," said Mohamed Hasan Haad a member of the 135 traditional
elders.
The Speaker emphasized that the schedule in ending the transitional
government is imminent and that the elders should support the document.
"There have been statements made about the constitution but support for the
document is needed. Whatever the elders see as unfit or should be omitted
will be taken out and whatever is missing will be added," said Speaker
Sharif on Thursday.
The document was agreed on by leaders in Nairobi after more than a month of
revising the initial constitution prepared by an independent committee.
However the committee who have been working on the document for several
years, refused to accept the revised document.
The Independent Federal Constitution Commission (IFCC) refused to support
the proposed constitution, the IFCC's Chairman Abdullahi Hassan Jama said
that the committee would not present the document to stakeholders.
"Officials in the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) have asked us to
distribute the document to different members of the civil society, but we
have objected to this because this is not a document that the IFCC can be
responsible for," said Mr. Jama.
The TFG Minister for Constitution Abdirahman Hoosh Jibril responded harshly
to the chairman's statement accusing the IFCC of squandering resources given
to them to complete the Somalia constitution, adding that their mandate had
expired.
Minister Jibril said that the TFG would go ahead with the process which
entails a vote by the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) on the proposed
constitution.
Political analysts who spoke GO have said that the Somalia constitution was
rushed in recent months, and that security and building weak government
administrations should have been priority to successfully end the
transitional government.
Although Al Shabaab still controls large parts of southern Somalia, the TFG
backed by the UN have concentrated on completing the constitution.
"Although benchmarks of Security, Good Governance and Political Outreach are
priority tasks of the Roadmap, the completion of the constitution seemed to
my administration from the outset to be the most critical task to end the
transition," said Prime Minister Gaas after leaders agreed on the
constitution in Nairobi earlier this week.
With less than 60 days left for the TFG, leaders are cautious of opening
another deliberation on the much debated constitution.
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Received on Thu Jun 28 2012 - 15:29:06 EDT
