Wednesday March 18, 2020
GAROWE (HOL) - Puntland has hinted at a secession from the rest of Somalia in what signals a gross fracturing of relations with the Federal Government adding a new headache to efforts in unifying a country which has for years been torn by civil war and clan conflicts.
A communique from the just concluded conference in Garowe brought closer home the thought of a secession by the eastern state which has had rocky relations with President Mohamed Farmaajo’s administration.
The three-days long conference fronted a host of accusations against the Federal Government in Mogadishu accusing it of breaching the letter and spirit of federalism ‘acting on its own accord’ without the input of the Federal Member States.Citing the provisions of its Constitution, the conference announced it had conferred powers to the State Government to act in the ‘interest of Puntland and its people.
“If the FGS continues by neglecting and by-passing the Provisional Constitution and what was agreed the during the adoption of Federalism, the Conference gives full powers to the government of Puntland which is responsible over the people of Puntland to take any action which saves the future of Puntland and its people and in accordance with the constitution,” a communique from the meeting read in part.
CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN FGS AND FMS
The Abdullahi Deni-led state accused the Federal Government of by-passing the constitution and ‘blatant interference of Member States and implementation of federalism in line with the Federal Constitution.’
It cited cases of interference by Mogadishu in elections in South West and Galmudug with the former resulting in deaths of at least 15 people in December 2018.
According to the conference which was also addressed by Foreign Affairs Minister Isse Awad, the Federal Government had gone contrary to articles 53, 54, 120 and 142.
Article 53 provides for consultations between the Federal Government and Federal Members states in negotiations relating to foreign aid, trade, treaties, or other major issues related to international agreements.
Article 142 of the Provisional Constitution accords powers to FMS which existed before the adoption of the Provisional Constitution to exercise and retain powers endowed to them by their respective Constitution.
Article 4 of Puntland constitution gives the state powers to exist as ‘an independent state’ until such time as the Provisional Constitution is ‘approved by popular referendum’.