The Northern  Somalia Unionist Movement (NSUM) and the people of the regions of Sool, Sanag and Cayn (SSC) wholeheartedly welcome  Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Sililaanyo)’s call for peace in the SSC regions on the occasion of his taking over as leader of the secessionist administration in parts of the NW region of Somalia. Siilaanyo needs no reminding that the SSC people believe in living peacefully with all other clans and regions in Somalia, more so those in the secessionist enclave, and that it was the militia from his enclave who invaded and occupied parts of the SSC regions in October 2007 inflicting incalculable suffering on the SSC people.Over 100,000 residents of Lascanod’s population, the regional capital, have been forced to flee their homes, most of them ending as refugees in Kenya. The economy and social services in the occupied areas are in shatters. Curfews, arbitrary detentions, kangaroo courts in Mandera and an environment of terror are the daily lot of the occupied SSC people. Is it any wonder to Siilaanyo that the peace-loving SSC people, having given up on a peaceful end of the occupation, have been in the end forced to resort to armed struggle in order to free themselves from the criminal occupation that has violated all the norms of the international humanitarian and human rights laws.

If Siilaanyo is serious about peace in the SSC regions, he should practise what he preaches. The key to peace is in his hands. All it requires is for him to withdraw his militia unconditionally to their own secessionist enclave. Otherwise, there can be no dialogue between the occupier and the occupied. Once the occupation ends, the  SSC people are ready to have dialogue with the administration based in Hargeisa but only on issues relating to maintaining peace and good neighbourliness. The bottom line is that the inalienable right of the SSC people to be part of Somalia is non-negotiable.

NSUM,
Executive Committee