An open letter of the Issa North American community to the governments of Ethiopia,Ethiopian Somali Region.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Press Release.

To: Minister of Federal Affairs -Shiferaw Teklemariam

CC: Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
CC: Minister of Justice -Birhan Hailu

CC: President SRS, Abdi Mohamud Omar.

Ref: The Constitutional Rights of the Citizens of Shinile Region Are Violated.

We, the diaspora of Shinille region, who live in North America are hereby joining our voices and concerns to the voices and concerns of our people in that region. According to the information we recieved from the region, the Issa community held a general open conference in Dire-Dawa at the Residence of the Ugaas his excellency Ugaas Mustapha Ibrahim Ugaas Waise on 20/03/11, the conference was attended by many demographically diverse individuals and groups including, but not limited to, the Ugaas, head of tribes and clans, scholars, Sheikhs, intellectuals, politians, students, business people, people who work both in the public and private sectors.

The Agenda of the conference was to discuss and make awareness of the present status and the future of their region, Shinille, but the major cause was triggered by the news of March 15, 2011, the president of the Somali Regional State, Mr. Abdi Mohamud Omar asked the regional parliament to approve the following proposals:

1) To create three new symbolic positions for the office of vice president

2) To create 15 more districts to the Somali region state.

When the participants discussed this issue in a democratic way where every speaker was listened to and given an amble time to say his / her views , then voted for the final decision, the Conference issued the following statements:

a) The conference unanimously rejected the two bills(proposals) mentioned above(1 and 2).

The conference verified that the truth of this decision is nothing more than a calibration of a tribal mandate, to appease some of his clans in the state.

We are deeply disappointed with this move. We believe this decision is a mockery of the country’s constitution which clearly defines what constitutes a district. We believe the president understands this but is unwilling to do the right thing secondary to tribal politics in the Somali Regional State. But, one may ask, how long will the region’s leadership continue putting tribal politics before the regional state politics?

We demand the president to stop his toxic tribalism. It’s a shame that he had to do this humiliating dance to an issue that demands honesty and practical leadership.

b) The conference made it clear that these proposals are against the article that the communities in the Somali regional state( Kilil5) agreed on to maintain the fairness and balance of power sharing and wealth sharing.

c) The other point discussed by the conference was the creation of 15 more districts to the Somali region(Kilil5)

The conference rejected the 15 additional districts, because this project is a dishonest initiative from Mr Abdi in order to mislead the public opinion in the region, making this unrealistic project an acheivement in his term, which is not.

The conventional wisdom solicits that when a district or a region is to be created, it should have the following consideration to mention a few:

1) The area of the land that a district/region occupies

2) The number of population (inhabiants ) in the district/region

3) The economical capacity either from all economical resources or from the taxation revenue.

We all know that these districts do not meet these Criterias .If you compare between these so called new districts with any of the other previouse districts in Shinille region, like (Gablalaw(Osbuli), Hadhagaala, Dahawi, Gadhmalaw, Cundhufa, Cadaytu) you come to know that Shinille has more suitable, large and economically resourceful lands to be considered for district status than those empty strips of land that he asked for.

We believe that Mr. Abdi Omar created these districts on tribal basis to get for his tribe from 30%(now) to more than 60% of the parliament seats, and get over 70% of the Kilil5 budget,. Even now the budget is not distributed fairly, for example: Shinille’s Budget is 30 million a year, while Fiiq,which is too much smaller than Shinille, gets 40 Million a year. This level of dishonesty will not and should not be ignored or tolerated.

Shinille region complains about many problems like the following to mention a few:-

1. Lack of Water Suply:

The rural areas population migrate from their homes and land to very far places Looking for water, many of the vulnerable young and old can not make it, they die in between, their animal stocks die of theristy and hunger, they continue to be in this vicious cycle of hardship most of their life, except sometimes when they get lucky to have rain.

2. Education:

Our region do not get their fair share of education services,like schools. For example, until now this region has no grade 11 and grade 12 schools. When our children finish the grade 10 class, they have no other option but to either drop out, or if they have relatives, or places that host them in Jigjiga, to go to Jigjiga to continue their high school education. Never mind the small villages in our region, there are no schools in their area. The grade 11, and grade12 high schools and even universities are all located in Mr.

Abdi’s region, like Goday, Fiiq, and Qabridhar. In FIIQ and Qabridahar regions there are two boarding schools that host 800 students each, Goday has a university. It appears that Mr. Abdi and his cabinet are executive in chief for some regions of the state, while the other regions like Shinille get a second class status . Our children deserve better treatment, and we will fight for their natural and consistituational rights. This is not acceptable and we will not allow this injustice to continue on our expenses.

3. Health:

In Shinille region there are few health centers, some of them were established by NGOs, but these health centers are not enough to meet the need of the ever growing population in the region.

There is no single General Hospital in the region, there is no emergency services, no single Umbulance exists in the region, many members of our citizens lost their lives because of lack of adequate health care, we are neglected, our patience is exhausted, the region must get it’s right in all these areas.

4. Roads and communications:

There is no road infrastructure in the region, distances between cities , towns, and villages are too long, there is unpaved road links between Diri-Dawe and Djibouti, the train ceased to exist , some well populated areas cannot be reached by vehicles, some of them are unaccessble. We let you imagine how frightening it is to have an emergency in these areas, tell us whom these people turn to for help?, yes to their faith that God will receive their misery one day, but God made you leaders for these people to look after them and you failed them.

But you did not fail other parts of the state, you served them well, and we do not mind them to get their rights, we congratulate them, and we are happy for them, but the point is that Mr. Abdi and his cabinet can not spell the words: fairness in service, justice in distribution and responsibility for all somali region. The Peoples of shinile have the right to improved living standards and to sustainable development.

Recommandation

So, as Diaspora we ask the federal government of Ethiopia to respect the rights of the people of Shinile to take their destiny. The people of shinile have been losted 18 years with the systemic corruption in the Somali region of Ethiopia. Consequently, they would like manage their province under the Constitution of Ethiopia.

We accepted and respected our constitution adopted, on 8 December 1994 in Ethiopia. There for, the nation of shinile province strongly committed, in full and free exercise of our right to self-determination (Article45: (1)) like Harar stat. We fully determine to consolidate the peace and the prospect of a democratic in our country.

We call on the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, ato Meles Zenawi to provide leadership at this critical juncture and accept the following recommendation:

1. The Shinile province must be a regional state constitutionally (Article 45: (1) like Afar stat or Harar state.

2. The province Shinile is be very important for the economy of our country, it would consequently very important to keep the stability of this future regional state.

3. The demarcation between the Afar and the future state of Shinile state.

Thank you for your time to read this petition, and we do emphasize more to point out that this letter only translates some of the major publicized concerns of our people in Shinile Region, and we support their awareness, and peaceful way of standing up for what is right, and rejecting what is wrong.