Somali government urged to hold talks with the clan elders who oppose Jowhar state formation conference

Traditional elders have urged the government to negotiate with section of the elders who are still opposed the state formation process in a bid to resume the conference.

A gap of political rivalry has risen within traditional elders in Hiiraan region after a faction of the region’s elders who held talks with Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accepted to attend the statement formation conference for Hiraan and Middle Shabelle.

Elder Hassan Qassin said the government should hold talks with elders who are dissatisfied with the process in order to resume the start formation conference inclusively.

“The government should hold talks with everybody who is not satisfied and the traditional elders and the officials should not underestimate the issue” said Qassim.

Somali government is planning to resume the conference despite the apparent split of Hiraan traditional elders over the participation of the conference.

On Friday Somali president Hassan Mohamud visited Baladweyn in an attempt to end the political stalemate related to the proposed state formation.

After two day intense meeting with the president, Hiiraan elders have set terms on their participation the conference of the state formation which could have culminate in regional state for both Hiraan and its of neighboring Middle Shabelle region.

The elders tabled three conditions including, to split Hiraan into two regions, hold reconciliation conference for Hiraan clans and to move the conference from Jowhar town to Baladweyn town.