IRIN Webspecial: A Decent Burial

Interview: Somali Prime Minister Ali Khalif Galyhd

"Let the chips fall where they may..."

In an interview with IRIN in May, Somali Prime Minister Ali Khalif Galyhd said the Transitional National Government (TNG) supported investigations into the mass graves discovered in the self-declared state of Somaliland, northwest Somalia. But he said an investigation into human rights abuses would have to cast a wide net:

Q: In terms of reconciliation, why no successful dialogue yet with Puntland [self-declared autonomous region, northeast], and Somaliland [self-declared independent state, northwest]?

A: ... Puntland and Somaliland are administrative entities which we realise were created with some good reasons. In the case of Puntland, the idea was an attempt to manage its own affairs until a central government was formed...

In the case of the northwest, again, we know there were some good reasons why that entity was created - there have been a lot of grievances on the part of that particular territory. But nonetheless, the territory is not homogenous, and most people feel there is no consensus in terms of what is to be done from here on. [Somaliland's President Muhammad Ibrahim] Egal's idea of holding a referendum or a plebiscite on the new constitution, I'm afraid to say might lead to destabilisation and to violence. We fear Egal might ultimately be the loser himself.

Q: With regard to the Somaliland grievances, do you think it is important to investigate now the mass graves that have been discovered?

A: Let the chips fall where they may. I mean, if there are mass graves - and whether those acts were perpetuated by Siyad Barre or by Egal himself - we have absolutely no objection to that being investigated. Some of the key people in Egal's government are the ones [who were involved]...they are among the security people who were in command, the National Security Service [NSS] and were members of the security forces in what was then the northern region. The idea of saying that everything that has happened has been perpetuated by the Siyad Barre regime I think is false.

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