Abdullahi Yusuf accused of 'political interference in Puntland'

16 May 16, 2010 - 11:34:36 AM

Former Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who is currently living in Yemen, is actively involving himself in the internal politics of Somalia's State of Puntland, Garowe Online reports.
According to reliable sources in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, ex-President Yusuf is engaged in an active campaign to "incite the Puntland public" against the current administration, under President Abdirahman Mohammed "Farole."
Sources close to the former TFG leader say that Mr. Yusuf has been "regular contact" with Puntland politicians and security officials. The sources say Mr. Yusuf has claimed that he wants to "save Puntland" but it was not immediately clear from what.

Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf, former president of Somalia

Mr. Yusuf, who is also Puntland's first elected president in 1998,  was forced to resign under international pressure in December 2008 after being accused by the international community and regional governments of being an "obstacle to peace."
He had rejected the US-backed Djibouti Peace Process, which sought to expand the TFG by including Islamist opposition figures, including Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, the current TFG president.
Since his resignation, Mr. Yusuf has lived in Yemen after receiving political asylum under a United Nations arrangement that prohibits Mr. Yusuf from involvement in Somali politics, including Puntland.
Some analysts have suggested that reports of Mr. Yusuf's political interference in Puntland constitutes a "violation of the asylum agreement" endorsed by the U.N., the U.S., and regional bloc Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
It is not clear why the ailing former Somali leader is now campaigning to incite instability in Puntland, his native region in northern Somalia.
The democratically elected government of Puntland under President Farole is the first administration since 1998 to regularly pay government salaries, contributing to an improvement in public safety.
Puntland government officials have not commented publicly to reports of Mr. Yusuf's political interference.
GAROWE ONLINE