For immediate release
Somaliland local elections: International Election Observers applaud
commitment to democra cy, but say action is required to ensure
future election integrity.
With results finally confirmed in Somaliland’s local elections, held
on November 28th 2012, the international election observation
mission assembled by Progressio, DPU and Somaliland Focus (UK)
congratulates the people of Somaliland and the National Electoral
Commission (NEC) on a lively and enthusiastic election campaign and
voting process.
However, in advance of writing our final report, to be released in
mid-2013, we must also report a number of substantial concerns.
The election’s aftermath has been marked by a build-up of tension
over the course of a sl ow counting process. Once results began to be
released, the NEC came under extreme pre ssure over disputes to
results from several sides, and was subjected to a shooting attack
on its headquarters in the town of Erigavo. Regrettably,
post-election protests saw a num ber of deaths in protests in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital.
Although the NEC has now moved to confirm results, and we have been
heartened by vario us political leaders urging their supporters to
maintain peace and security when protesting, we recognise that the
post-election climate remains tense.
Our post-poll concerns follow those we expressed immediately
following polling day, when we noted that observers reported
attempts at multiple and underage voting and what app eared to be
attempts to mobilise voters to engage in these attempts. While
observers also noted polling station staff attempting to prevent
such activity, such reports pose concerns for the integrity of
Somaliland’s electoral process.
Now, a month on from voting, it is important that disputes around
the election outcome are peacefully settled. Without peaceful
settlement of disputes, Somaliland’s admirable democr atic tradition
may be damaged. We urge all Somalilanders to respect the electoral
laws and procedures, so that future elections can be approached
effectively and with confidence.
Specifically, we repeat the recommendation we made immediately
following polling day: in advance of the next elections, we call for
Somaliland to adopt a robust system for voter/ci tizen registration,
in order to improve confidence in the electoral process.
In closing, we would like to highlight the many positives around
this election: once
again, Somalilanders showed how dedicated they are to the unique
democratic spirit
they have crafted from their challenging history. In particular, we
are delighted to note
real progress in inclusion of youth and women in the process: the
apparent election
of ten female candidates represents a huge step forward, and we look
forward to
further progress on this front.
Dr Michael Walls, the mission’s joint co-ordinator, said “Somaliland
has made
enormous progress in achieving a difficult transition to a form of
representative
democracy. We have long been impressed with that process, and call
on all
Somalilanders to maintain their commitment to a peaceful form of
democratic and
participatory decision-making.”
Notes to Editors
For further information or to arrange an interview with a member of
the coordination team, please contact Conrad Heine on +44 7870 642
852 / media@somalilandfocus.org.uk, or Lucy Jenkinson on 020 7326
2011 / lucyj@progressio.org.uk , or Tim Aldred on 020 7326 2003 /
+44 7740 543 047 /
tim@progressio.org.uk.
Somaliland declared unilateral independence from Somalia in 1991
following the collapse of Somalia’s government. It remains
internationally unrecognised.
A team of 50 observers from 17 countries was assembled by Progressio,
DPU and Somaliland Focus (UK) to observe Somaliland’s local
elections on November 28th 2012. The mission follows on from
observations of Somaliland’s inaugural local elections in 2002,
followed by the parliamentary elections in 2005, judged by observers
as “basically free and fair”, and the presidential election in 2010
http://www.progressio.org.uk/sites/default/files/Somaliland-elections-2010-report.pdf
, which saw an orderly transfer of power and was judged “a peaceful
expression of popular will”.
The 2012 mission covered almost 20% of more than 1,700 polling
stations in 15 of the 21 districts across Somaliland in which voting
took place.
The mission was invited by Somaliland’s National Electoral
Commission (NEC), and funded by Britain’s Department for
International Development (DFID). We presented a post-poll interim
report to the NEC and donors, and a final report will follow in
2013.
A pre-election assessment of the conditions for the local elections
took place in 2012 and can be viewed here:
http://www.progressio.org.uk/sites/progressio.org.uk/files/Preparing-for-local-elections-Sld-2012.pdf
For more information about Progressio, please see
www.progressio.org.uk and about Somaliland Focus, see
www.somalilandfocus.org.uk.
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