On March 21-22, 2015, delegates from the Somali Diaspora from across the USA and Canada met at a conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the theme “Gurmad Conference: the quest for Somali-led permanent political process for 2016 and beyond”. Through plenary and working groups, participants discussed and analyzed the transition towards democratic legitimacy in 2016. Participants debated the constitutional and legislative options as well asdevelopment of multiple models of change for political transition in August 2016 in Somalia. Participants took into account the paralysis of the Somali political system which resulted in unfulfilled political mandatesand failure to meet constitutionally-mandated benchmarks as well as the basic needs of the Somali citizen. Expert participants thoroughly assessed theperformance of key national institutions including the legislative, executive and judicial authorities as well as the role of the foreign actors, both regional and global.
At the end of the second day, the Conference issued thefollowing Statement of Principles which embody a framework for a path to constitutional as well as negotiated political transition for 2016.
1. The Conference strongly underscores the importance of protecting the sovereignty, independence, national unity and territorial integrity of Somalia. The Conference further affirms the central role of the Somali citizen in running the affairs of the country, and notes that genuine political reconciliation is the key to durable peace and stability in Somalia.
2. To ensure broad Somali ownership of the political roadmap and transition in 2016, and to prevent the absolute control and monopoly over the political decision–making process in 2016 by a few Somali political figures or foreign actors, the Conference emphasizes the need for preserving the institution of the parliament which –its fundamental flaws, and shortcomings notwithstanding- remains the only supposedly representative political institutionin post-civil war Somalia.
3. Bearing in mind the near impossibility of establishing an electoral system based on “one-person, one-vote” or popular referendum before August, 2016 in Somalia, the Conference views the institution of the parliament as the only remaining viable source of political legitimacyresponsible for developing models of change for political transition in August 2016 in Somalia.
4. The Conference urges the recently appointed Independent Review and Implementation Commission to immediately start, in coordination with parliamentary Oversight Committee, theconstitutional review process and propose key amendments to the constitution that could be translated into action before August 2016. These amendments and proposals must provide the framework for the transition to 2016 and override contradictory and transitional provisions in the current constitutional and legislative frameworks.
5. The Conference reminds the Somali political leaders that time is of the essence and, therefore, starkly notes key steps needed to be completedimmediately by the parliament and the government before August 2016 including, but not limited to;
i. Formation of the Constitutional Court;
ii. Appointment of members of the Judicial Services Commission;
iii. Appointment of members of the NationalIndependent Electoral Commission,;
iiii. Establishment of multi-party political system;
v. Establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission;
vi. Appointment of members of the Boundaries and Federation Commission;
vii. Establishment of the National Inter–state Commission,
viii. Establishment of Truth and Reconciliation Commision
ix. Establishment of the Human Rights Commission
The Conference emphasizes that failure to establish the institutions in a timely fashion notonly constitutes blatant violation of theconstitution but it also perpetuates the lack of institutionalization of the Somali political system, thereby allowing foreign actors to manages the Somali political affairs through the so-called “negotiated” measures rather than established legal processes.
6. In order to curtail the outsized foreign influence in the Somali political decision–making process and close the capacity gap at the governmental institutions, the Conference urges the Somali government to enlist Somali experts and technocrats with unimpeachable credentials, integrity and proven nationalismto assist in developing model processes for political transition in 2016.
7. Underscoring the Somali public’s overall lack of trust in their political leaders and governmental institutions, the Conference emphasizes that that the success of any political transition in 2016 in Somalia will depend on effectively addressing a host of interlinked constitutional and legislative challenges and especially on providing institutional arrangements for their actual implementation. Therefore, the Conference calls upon government and the parliament to, with a sense of urgency, coordinate in discharging their solemn duty and constitutional mandates without any further delay.
8. Bearing in mind that Gurmad Conference is the start of a coordinated efforts by Somalis torestore Somali institutional ownership of the political process for 2016 and beyond, the Conference appointed a steering committeecomprising Somali intellectuals representing various Somali Diaspora to follow up the implementation of the outcome of the conference and reach out to the Somali public for the purpose of formulating Somali-owned process for 2016.
Below is the Somali language version
Warmurtiyeedka Shirweynaha Gurmad ee“Hiigsiga 2016”
Intii u dhexeysay Maarso 21-22, 2015, xubno ka tirsanjaaliyadda Soomaaliyeed ee Maraykanka iyo Kanadaayaa isugu yimid shirweyne hal-ku-dheggiisu ahaa“Shirweynaha Gurmad: Raadinta hannaansiyaasadeed oo rasmi ah oo Soomaalidu hagto kaasoo lagu gaaro 2016 iyo ka shishe”. Shirar loodhanyahay iyo kuwo gaargaar ah ayay ku lafa-gureensidii lagu gaari lahaa xalaalnimo iyo nidaamdimuqraaddi ah sanadka 2016. Wufuuddu waxay ka doodeen arrimo dastuuri ah iyo kuwo qaanuuni ah iyosidii loo diyaarin lahaa talooyin kala geddisan oohorseedi kara isbaddel siyaasadeed oo ay Soomaaliya gaarto bisha Agoosto 2016. Wufuuddu waxaytixgeliyeen fadhiidnimada hannaanka siyaasadeed eeSoomaaliya taas oo horseedday xil gudasho la’aansiyaasadeed iyo in lagu guul darraystay fulinta hawlodastuurka ku qeexan lagana gaabiyay in muwaaddiniinta Soomaaliyeed loo qabto adeegyadadowladda ee ay u baahanyihiin. Khubarada ka qaybgashay shirku waxay kale oo si hufan u qiimeeyeen waxqabadka hay’adaha qaranka eemuhiimka ah sida sharci-dejinta, fulinta iyo garsoorkaiyo weliba kaalinta ay ku leeyihiin masiirka dalkashisheeyaha gobolka iyo caalamka intiisa kale.
Markii la soo gabagabeeyay maalintii labaad, shirweynuhu wuxuu soo saaray mabaadii’dan oogundhig u ah tub loo maro hannaan dastuuri ah iyoweliba hab siyaasadeed oo loogu gudbo 2016.
1. Shirweynuhu wuxuu hoosta ka xarriiqayaaahmiyadda ay leedahay in la ilaaliyogobannimada, madaxbannaanida iyomidnimada dalka iyo muqaddasnimadaxudduudaha Soomaaliya. Shirku wuxuu kale oo xaqiijinayaa kaalinta udub dhexaadka ah ee ay muwaaddiinta Soomaaliyeed kuleeyihiin aaya-ka-talinta arrimaha dalka; wuxuuna caddaynayaa in dib u heshiisiinsiyaasadeed oo dhab ah ay fure u tahayxasillooni iyo nabad waarta oo ka hirgalaSoomaaliya.
2. Si loo hubiyo in la helo jadwal siyaasadeeday Soomaalidu wada leedahay oo loogagudbo 2016, loogana hortago in go’aan ka gaarista hannaanka siyaasadeed ee 2016 ay is lahaysiiyaan dhowr xubnood oo ka tirsansiyaasiyiinta Soomaalida ama dad shisheeyeahi, wuxuu shirku adkaynayaa in la ilaaliyolana xoojiyo jiritaanka hay’addabaarlamaanka si ay saldhig ugu noqotosiyaasad xalaal ah oo la gaaro 2016 oo ay u noqoto hay’adda sida kama dambaysta ah u qeexda danta dalka oo diyaarisa hannaankeena is baddel iyo kala guur bisha Agoosto2016 ka dhaca Soomaaliya.
3. Shirku wuxuu ku adkaynayaa Guddiga Madaxa-Bannaan ee Dib-u-Eegista iyo Hirgelinta eedhowaan la magacaabay in uu si habsami leh u billaabo, isaga oo kaashanaya GuddigaKormeerka ee Baarlamaanka, hannaanka dib u eegista dastuurka oo soo jeediyo talooyin kusaabsan waxyaabaha laga baddelayo dastuurkaee ay tahay in ficil ahaan loo qabto ka horAgoosto 2016. Waxyaabahan laga baddelayodastuurka iyo wadatashigaba waa in la iskulameeldhigo hannaan looga gudbo 2016 oo lehsharciyad ka wanaagsan habka uu kudhisanyahay dastuurka qabyada ah iyo xeerarkais wada diiddan
4. Shirweynuhu wuxuu xusuusinayaa madaxdasiyaasadda Soomaaliya in waqtigu sed yahay; sidaas awgeedna, loo baahanyahay in si degdegah loo qaado tillaabooyin muhiim ah oo lagadoonayo in baarlamaanka iyo dowladdu sidhaqso leh u dhammaystiraan, kuwaas oo ay ka midyihiin:
x. Samaynta Maxkamadda Dastuuriga ah
xi. Magacaabista xubnaha Guddiga AdeeggaGarsoorka
xii. Magacaabista xubnaha Guddiga DoorashadaQaranka
xiii. Dhismaha nidaamka siyaasadda axsaabta badan
xiiii. Dhismaha Guddiga Kahortagga Musuqmaasuqa
xv. Magacaabista xubnaha Guddiga Xudduudaha iyoFederaalaynta
xvi. Dhismaha Guddiga Qaranka ee XiriirkaGobollada, iyo
xvii. Dhismaha Guddiga Qaranka ee Dib u Heshiisiinta
Shirweynuhu wuxuu carrabka ku adkaynayaa in haddii aan hay’adaha dowliga ah si habsami ah loodhisin ay taasi ka dhigantahay dastuurka oo laguxadgudbay oo ay weliba u gogol xaarayso in dalkuuusan yeelan sharciyad iyo nidaam siyaasi ah oohay’ado shaqeeya leh, taas oo u fududaynaysashisheeyahu in ay maamushaan arrimahasiyaasadda Soomaaliya iyagoo ku andacoonaya in ay doonayaan “gorgortan” halkii la mari lahaanidaam dhisan oo qaanuun leh.
5. Si loo xakameeyo faragelinta ba’an eeshisheeyuhu ay ku hayaan go’aan ka gaaristaarrimaha siyaasadda Soomaaliya loonadaboolo baahida aqooneed ee hay’adahadowladda, wuxuu shirweynuhu ku dhiirri-gelinayaa dowladda Soomaaliya in ay raadiso khubaro Soomaaliyeed iyoxirfadyahanno leh aqoon hufan, karti iyowaddaninimo dhab ah oo gacan ka geystadiyaarinta hannaan lagu gaaro isbaddelsiyaasadeed 2016ka.
6. Iyadoo la eegayo kalsooni la’aanta guud eeshacabka Soomaaliyeed ay u hayaanmadaxda siyaasadda iyo hay’adahadowladda, wuxuu shirku adkaynayaa in libinta isbaddel siyaasadeed oo Soomaaliyaka dhaca 2016 ay ku xirantahay sida wax looga qabto caqabado badan oo dastuuri ah iyo kuwo sharci ah gaar ahaanna in la sameeyo hay’adaha ay khuseysohirgelintoodu. Haddaba, shirweynuhuwuxuu ugu baaqayaa dowladda iyobaarlamaanku in ay si degdeg ah uga wadashaqeeyaan meelmarinta hawlaha dastuurigaah ee u yaalla iyadoo aan dib loo siihabsaamin.
7. Iyadoo maskaxda lagu hayo in shirweynahaGurmad uu billow u yahay halgan habaysanoo ay Soomaalidu u galayaan in ay sooceshadaan in hannaanka siyaasadda ee 2016 iyo ka dibba ay go’aankiisa Soomaalidulahaato, shirweynuhu wuxuu magacaabayguddi farsamo oo ka kooban aqoonyahannoSoomaaliyeed oo matelaya jaaliyadaha kaladuwan si ay u ogaadaan hirgelinta natiijadashirweynaha oo ay uga dhaadhiciyaanshacabka Soomaaliyeed in ay Soomaalidusamaystaan hannaan ay Soomaaliduleedahay oo laaga gudbo 2016.
