Kilil 5 Editorials

Op-Ed By IPS Correspondent. The Gilgel Gibe III dam will hold back 14.7 million cubic metres of water. Its 1,870 MW generating capacity will be a significant boost for the Ethiopian Electric Power Company (EEPCO) which has plans to extend electricity supply within the country and export power to other countries in East Africa. A 1.7 billion dollar contract to build the dam has been awarded to Italian multinational Salini Costruttori SPA. But the project's critics have assembled a damning dossier of problems with it.

Op-Ed by Habib Ali Matan. The Somali regional State with the blessing of the federal government of Ethiopia has been trying to reach out to the large Somali Ethiopian Diaspora community in Europe and North America but without clarity. Ethiopia as a whole has tapped into the potential of the Diaspora community and with a measurable success. The Tigray, Afar, Amhara and Oromia States have reaped the benefits of the Diaspora community. Diaspora communities from these regional states have contributed immensely in the local economies of these states in their investment in both micro- and macro businesses start-ups, real state development and recall of highly skilled individuals and professionals with sought after skills and specialty. However, the Somali regional States attempt to tap into the potential of the Diaspora community lacks clarity, and appears purely political.

Dagaalo dhowr ah oo dhexmaray Ciidanka dawlada Ismaamulka Soomaliyeed ee looyaqaano Liyuu Booliska iyo Jabhada Mucaaradka ee ONLF ayaa waxaa jab wayn loogeystay jabhada mucaaradka halkaas oo dhaawac iyo dhimasho badan loogaystay kooxda mucaaradka.Shabakada dawlada Ismaamulka Somalida ee Cakaaranews ayaa waxay duubtay cajalad muuqaal iyo maqal ah oo cadaynaya dhimashada tirada kooxda mucaaradka iyo maxaabiista laga qabtay.Maxumo in dawladu soo bandhigto sawirka maydka si ay cudayso sheegashadeeda tirada ciidan ay ka laysay kooxda mucaaradka oo markasta beenisa in ciidan laga laayay ama laga qabtay basle waxaan marna la ogolaan karin dhinac dhaqan iyo dhinac diimeed,waxa ku cad cajalada cakaaranews;in dad dhintay ama mayd ah koorkooda lagu dhaanteeysto ama falalka fooshaxun ee ah in qof dhintay lagu dul dunto ama lagu istaago.

Op-Ed by Prof. Ahmed S Liibaan We have watched with dismay the absurd behavior of ONLF supporters and horrified by the violence carried out against an innocent man, Mohamed Sahal in Stockholm , Sweden . What is more shocking and makes this act of violence unacceptable, is that, the people who carried out this act of violence, live in the most tolerant societies where free speech and free association is enshrined in these societies constitutions. The obvious contradiction was that the ONLF and its supporters were supposedly protesting the human rights violations and extrajudicial killings done by the DDS police and Ethiopian defense forces against the Somali region's civilian population. The ONLF and its supporters were committing acts of terror and violence against any body attending the DDS-Diaspora community meetings irrespective of whether they support the government or not and any body perceived to be supporting the regional government or welcoming the DDS senior officials.Let me make it clear here; people have the right to protest freely, its protected under the freedom of speech in the societies these supporters of ONLF live. But, it was absurd to observe that they failed to recognize the same freedom of speech and freedom of association is afforded to the participants they were out to harm and terrorize.

Op-Ed by Nimco Rage kilil5 contributor. The just concluded end of year regional budget assessment and accountability has revealed only one thing, and one thing only-nothing has changed in the Somali regional administration. The administration might have changed, but, nothing else has changed. The regions core problems: insecurity, poor governance, widespread corruption, and disregard for the law are as prevalent as ever. It appears the federal governments recycling of corrupt and incapable leaders in the Somali regional state is just not working and will not work in the future.

Op-Ed. The Recent Statement by the Communication’s Minister Bereket Simon about the Somali Regional State’s security and development situation couldn’t be further from the truth. Speaking to reporters in a press conference, the minister reiterated a common phrase of the federal government popular upbeat assessment of the region by declaring that, “The situation in Ogaden has developed in such a way that when the ONLF has lost too much ground. And at this point we can say the ONLF is very weakened and in a state of crisis,". This declaration is both misleading and unfortunately the source of the Somali region’s systemic problems. The federal government has for political reasons refused to acknowledge the fundamental problems facing the region, and as a result, condemned the region to fall into its current state of political and economic chaos. There are a number of very serious questions that needs to be raised here and that is what I intend to discuss here in the hope that it will facilitate honest discussion or change the current strategy or policy of the federal government.

Kilil5 Editorial. This website on a daily basis gets a lot of criticism from its readers. Criticism, deserved or undeserved, are welcomed by us. It’s our reader’s criticism that makes us want improve, informs us of our deficiencies and the things we need to improve and honestly informs us of what we are doing right or wrong. We are absolutely sure that a polarized society as ours and a region like ours, with formidable challenges for gathering news and information, that you can never satisfy all sides of the political spectrum and that our news can never be full prove correct. However, I think the time has come to explain ourselves to our readers. We want to be honest and forthcoming with our readers. We admit there have been times when we were biased toward the government and frankly acted as the government mouthpiece, but, there is a reason for this which is in line with our philosophy and believes. It’s not a secret and we don’t hide the fact that we believe in the current federal system of Ethiopia and the autonomous self-governing the constitution of Ethiopia affords the Somali region. This is why we support the Somali regional State fully irrespective of who the leader is. We want to make it clear that we are absolutely against the ideologies advocated by the ONLF and similar opposition groups. However, this doesn’t mean that we condone the deficiencies or excesses of both governments; neither do we refrain from criticizing their policies that adversely affect the citizens of the region. It’s our role, it’s our job.

Kilil5 Editorial. The Somali regional State continues to be a casualty of its chronic leadership problem. The region, even with the election of a new president, faces serious short and long term challenges: insecurity, deteriorating economic outlook, rising prices of basic commodities, and recurring clan conflicts or tensions. The region’s horizon appears potmarked with a lot of uncertaintly, but all is not doom and gloom. The appointment of President Da’ud appears to have afforded the region an opportunity to right its ship. We are encouraged by the president’s effort so far, and the federal government’s renewed involvement- to cure some of the region’s self-inflicted wounds and its inability to run its business effectively and manage its resources wisely.

Kilil5 Editorial. The citizens of the Somali regional State of Ethiopia whether living in the Diaspora or in the country are putting high hopes on the appointment of President Da’ud. The new president is faced with a daunting task; the task of confronting the region’s defining political forces today: a deep rooted primitive political culture defined by tribalism and clanism, a worsening insecurity defined by a resurgent ONLF guerilla movement and other small factions, and a population submerged by 90% poverty rate. We have little doubt that,Mr. Da’ud’s presidency will be defined, his success measured, and the region’s future shaped by how he deals with the fraught alliance between the Ogaden clan’s Ogadenia movement and ONLF insurgence on one hand, and the region’s desire to move forward politically and economically in a unity on the other hand. The tangled nexus between the Ogadenia movement and ONLF insurgency, and the anxious but impatient needs of the majority of the region’s citizens to move forward, has been complicating the region’s politics ever since the region was given its current autonomy in the country’s federal system.

Op-ED by Farhan S Mohamud. Shall we say good riddance, or does it matter the dismissal of former president Abdullahi Hassan Lugbur?