International Peacebuilding Alliance Garowe, Puntland Alliance internationale pour la consolidation de la paix Phone: (+252 5) 84 4480 • Thuraya: +88 216 4333 8170 Alianza Internacional para la Consolidación de la Paz Galkayo Satellite Office Interpeace Regional Office for Eastern and Central Africa Phone: (+252 5) 85 4200 • Thuraya: +88 216 43341184 T +254(0) 20 3862 840/ 2 • F +254(0) 20 3862 845 P.O.Box 14520 – Nairobi, Kenya 00800 [email protected] www.interpeace.org www.pdrcsomalia.org PILLARS OF PEACE SOMALI PROGRAMME In partnership with the United Nations Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Puntland Note: This publication was made possible through the generous contributions and support from: Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Challenges to Security and Rule of Law, Democratisation Process and Devolution of Power to Local Authorities Denmark Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Confederation suisse Confédérazione Svizzera Confederaziun svizra Swiss Confederation European Commission Garowe, November 2010 P ILLARS OF P EACE Somali Programme Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Challenges to Security and Rule of Law, Democratisation Process and Devolution of Power to Local Authorities Garowe, November 2010 i Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme ii Acknowledgements This research document was made possible by the joint effort and partnership of the Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC) and the International Peacebuilding Alliance (Interpeace). PDRC would like to thank the Puntland stakeholders who actively participated and substantially contributed to the discussions, interviews, community consultations and analysis of the research output. Special thanks also go to the peer reviewers who, looking at the document from the outside, constructively and attentively reviewed the content and form of this document. This Puntland Note is the result of a collective and complementary work of the entire PDRC staff – members of the management team, researchers and assistant researchers, audiovisual researchers – they all played a significant role in data collection, analysis and product output. The Interpeace’s Somali programme team supported the research process through methodological and practical support. The generous funding of the EU, USAID, DFID of UK, SIDA, the Swiss Confederation, Denmark, and Norway made the entire research enterprise possible. On behalf of PDRC’s Advisory Board and the Puntland Stakeholders, I would like to extend my thanks to all, institutions and individuals, who professionally, financially and/ or by sharing their unique experience contributed to this research document. Abdurahman A. Osman –Shuke Executive Director Research Coordinator: Ali Farah Ali Researchers: Hassan Adan Mohamed, Jama Mohamed Jabiri, Dahir Mohamed Ismail, Said Mohamed Hirsi Assistant Researchers: Amina Mohamed Abdulkadir, Fahiya Said and Hamdi Abdi Elmi, Maryam Abdillahi Hassan, Abdul Kadir Yasin Jama Photography: Muctar Mohamed Hersi, Abdulrizak Ali Musa Senior Research Advisor: Abdirahman Osman Raghe, Pat Johnson, Johan Svensson (Interpeace) Editor: Anne Moltes (Interpeace) Principal Editor: Abdurahman Abdulle Osman (Shuke) Design and Layout: The Regal Press (K) Ltd. iii Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Garowe, Puntland Phone: (+252 5) 84 4480 Thuraya: +88 216 4333 8170 Galkayo Phone: (+252 5) 85 4200 Thuraya: +88 216 43341184 Email: [email protected] website: www.pdrcsomalia.org “This report was produced by Puntland Development Research Center and Interpeace and represents exclusively their own views. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the contributing donors and should not be relied upon as a statement of the contributing donors or their services. The contributing donors do not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this report, nor do they accept responsibility for any use made thereof.” Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements iii Table of Contents v List of Acronyms vii Preface for the Pillars of Peace Programme ix Preface for the Puntland Note – Mapping the Foundations of Peace xiii 1. Introduction 1 2. Challenges to Puntland’s Security and Rule of Law 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 Background 9 2.3 Weak peace and security 12 2.4 Inadequate rule of law 17 2.5 Puntland’s institutional challenges 19 2.6 Widespread poverty and unemployment 23 2.7 Piracy and its consequences in terms of security 25 2.8 Challenges to social reconciliation processes 30 2.9 Conclusion 35 What are the prospects? 36 3. Challenges to a working democracy and democratisation process 39 3.1 Introduction 39 3.2 Background 40 3.2.1 Democracy in the Somali context 44 3.2.2 Puntland democratisation process 47 3.2.3 Transition to democracy 49 3.3 Diverging public perceptions and understanding of democracy 53 3.4 Clan and clan politics 61 3.5 Islamic perspective in democracy 63 3.6 Impact of the Somali conflict 66 3.7 Puntland’s institutional challenges 68 What are the prospects? 70 v Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace 4. Challenges to the devolution of power to local authorities 73 4.1 Introduction 73 4.2 Background 75 4.2.1 Decentralisation process: development and legal matters 77 4.2.2 Structural and Financial Framework of Local Governments 78 4.3 Inappropriate local councils’ selection process 81 4.4 Negligible public participation 84 4.5 Puntland’s institutional challenges 87 4.6 Low capacity of current local governments 91 4.7 Ineffective local-state relationship 98 What are the prospects? 100 5. Conclusion 103 Annexes 103 Thematic Bibliography 115 Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme vi List of Acronyms CAPA • Christian Association for Prison Aftercare CBO • Community Based Organization CRC • Constitutional Review Committee CSO • Civil Society Organization DDR • Disarmament Demobilisation and Re-integration GECPD • Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development HDI • Human Development Index HoR • House of Representatives INTERPEACE • International Peacebuilding Alliance IC • International Community ICU • Islamic Courts Union IDPs • Internally Displaced Persons ILO • International Labour Organization ILUA • International Union of Local Authorities IRIN • Integrated Regional Information Network JPLG • Joint Program for Local Governance and Decentralized Service LNGO • Local Non-governmental Organization INGO • International Non-Governmental Organization MP • Member of Parliament NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organization NRC • National Reconciliation Conference OCHA • Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs PAR • Participatory Action Research PDRC • Puntland Development Research Centre PEC • Puntland Electoral Commission PSAO • Puntland State Audit Office PSM • Puntland Stakeholders Meeting PUNSAA • Puntland Non-State Actors’ Association RDP • Reconstruction Development Plan SNDU • Somali National Democratic Union SNM • Somali National Movement SPM • Somali Patriotic Movement SRC • Supreme Revolutionary Council SSDF • Somali Salvation Democratic Front SYL • Somali Youth League USC • United Somali Congress USP • United Somali Party TASS • Tadamun Association for Social Services TFG • Transitional Federal Government UN • United Nations UNCDF • United Nations Capital Development Fund UNCLOS • United Nations Convention on Law of Sea UNCTAD • United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDSS • United Nations Department of Safety and Security UN-HABITAT • United Nations – Human Settlements Programme Delivery UNDP • United Nations Development Programme WSP-International • War-torn Societies Project International vii Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme Puntland Note: Mapping the Foundations of Peace Pillars of Peace - Somali Programme viii Preface for the Pillars of Peace Programme The Pillars of Peace Programme is meant to advance and underpin the consolidation of peace throughout the Somali region through consensus-oriented, integrated approaches to state building and peacebuilding The Pillars of Peace Programme Today the Somali region is mostly commonly sensationalised as the ultimate ‘failed state’. This description obscures the richness of the peace dynamics within and between Somali communities throughout the region. Contrary to the negative generalisation of the Somali present scene, Somali-led initiatives have set up viable political and administrative arrangements to manage conflict and provide durable security and rule of law in both Somaliland and Puntland. In many places Somali entrepreneurship from inside or outside the Somali region has also revitalised the economy. Rebuilding a country is primarily about restoring people’s trust and confidence in governance systems and rule of law, rebuilding relationships at all levels and providing the communities with greater hope for the future. Interpeace launched its Somali programme in the north-eastern part of the Somali region, known as Puntland, back in 1996. The programme was extended to Somaliland in 1999 and South-Central Somalia in 2000. Interpeace assisted in the establishment of Puntland Development Research Center (PDRC) in Garowe (Puntland), the Academy for Peace and Development (APD) in Hargeysa (Somaliland) and the Centre for Research and Dialogue (CRD) in Mogadishu, which have each developed into respected institutions. Interpeace worked with the teams to advance and support interlinked processes