Hargeysa(Wajaale News) Since we have founded this Forum on July 10, 2013, we have made amply clear our readiness and desire to meet with Your Excellency in order to discuss and exchange ideas about the current political, social and economic State of the Nation as well as the opportunities, challenges and threats that are presently facing our country. Some of the serious concerns which we harbor about the conditions prevailing in our nation have been publicized in the national media.

A number of our traditional leaders (Sultans) have contacted us to facilitate such a meeting between Your Excellency and some members of this Forum. In a subsequent encounter, the Sultans have affirmed to us that Your Excellency agreed the meeting with us and that they would revert to us with the relevant details. Though this message was delivered to us more than a month ago, that was the last we heard from the Sultans.

Furthermore, some members of your government and leaders of your Kulmiye party have also been in touch with us for the same purpose. Nonetheless, despite according all these intermediaries our blessings and consent, nothing tangible and constructive resulted so far from their efforts.

Instead, your government has spared no effort and expense in waging both an extensive and intensive public campaign aimed at discrediting this Forum’s legality and its platonic intensions and goodwill. Even when, in an effort to assuage the government’s fears about the Forum initially adopted Somali name “Gole” by unilaterally dropping it altogether, there was little perceptible change in the government’s attitude towards us.

We are now convinced that Your Excellency is not agreeable to such a well-intentioned, constructive and noble call to engage in consultations about our nation’s vital interests and affairs.

Therefore, we would like to hereby formally inform Your Excellency  and the nation at large that this Forum was left with no other option but to commence taking concrete steps that would be aimed at facilitating and holding a broadly representative National Convention.

Furthermore, we hereby declare that any and all equally caring and willing entity, organization, institution, group and/or individual—Including competent representatives of, Your Excellency’s government, the National Political Parties, the Legislative Chambers, traditional elders, religious leaders, intellectuals, academics, civil societies, women’s and youth organizations, Diaspora and other relevant stakeholders—is earnestly called upon, invited and encouraged to participate fully and constructively in the said Convention.

We trust that the pressing issues that necessitated the call for this convention as well as its noble and well-meaning objectives are adequately laid out in this Forum’s founding Position Paper (herewith attached). We will strive that the Convention would be able to commence its deliberations by mid next month (October 2013).

It should be noted, that it is one of the basic and undeniable Universal Human Rights as well as within the Civil Liberties and Rights that are enshrined in and explicitly granted to the people by our Nation’s Constitution to be able to assemble peacefully and consult with each other whenever citizens feel a compelling need to do so. It is on these legal and constitutional grounds that the above-mentioned Convention will be held and conducted.

We are confident that Your Excellency will find our call for the Convention not only amenable but also that you and your government will support, encourage and contribute towards its success. Our nation deserves no less, Mr. President

Wajaale News

Office Hargeysa/Somaliland