File Photo/Somali Times
By Elham Ishmael
Catriona Laing’s comments at the UNSC were a clear violation of the impartiality of UNSRSG and are an affront to the people and government of Somalia. She diminished the actions of Ethiopia and their attempts to annex parts of Somalia by saying “Ethiopia and Somaliland announced an MOU which reportedly grants Ethiopia a 50 year lease on 20 KM of coastline in exchange for certain political and economic benefits for Somaliland”.
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Supporting secession in exchange for the annexation of lands and the reconfiguration of international borders cannot be diminished to a mere political or economic benefit for Somaliland. It is a very serious violation of National Sovereignty and international laws.
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Her role as the head of the political mission in Somalia is to support the UN’s mandate to the FGS of Somalia in averting conflict and political instability.. her complete disregard of the potentially destabilizing repercussions of Ethiopia’s infringement of international Laws and diplomatic norms and minimizing the situation to something that has been fuelled by public anger rather than legitimate cause is adding insult to injury.
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In her own words, when she says: “public pronouncements have generated strong hostile public reactions in Somalia… we recognize that the strong feelings in Somalia are putting pressure on the government to respond she is painting each action that the government has taken as an unnecessary emotional response to something harmless.
This is unacceptable and must be met with immediate disciplinary action given these severe violations.
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