Mixed reactions to clan-based proposal

Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG) and the opposition Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) have both expressed dissatisfaction with a proposal to allocate delegates' seats at the Eldoret peace talks on the basis of clan. The regional body, Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought (IGAD), which is organising the conference, on Tuesday proposed that 400 plenary seats be allocated along clan lines, to ensure equal representation for Somalia's four biggest clans, and for minorities. TNG Prime Minister Hassan Abshir Farah told a news conference that Somalis had decided more than two years ago to "leave clans", and set up the TNG, which was the legitimate government. However, he said the TNG would accept clan distribution of seats to a new transitional government once this had been negotiated by the conference. Hussein Mohamed Aideed, co-chairman of the opposition SRRC, told IRIN he did not reject the proposal outright but was nevertheless unhappy with it. "Instead of just saying no, we want to study this and show them how this is impractical," he said, noting that the SRRC was already composed of different clans. "We are mixed, and we already solved our internal problems before coming to this conference," he said. "To divide us now on a clan basis will create divisions in the SRRC, this will create divisions inside the TNG as a group, and it will take a long time, maybe two months I think, to regroup again into a tribal system." However, both sides said they believed a compromise could be found to break the deadlock. Some faction leaders have welcomed the proposal. "These are at least criteria that can be understood," Mogadishu-based faction leader Muhammad Qanyare Afrah told IRIN on Thursday. Qanyare, who leads the so-called group of eight (G8), said the G8 members were in favour of the new proposal. Justice Minister in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, Awad Ahmed Ashareh, told IRIN his administration had no problem with the proposal. "If this new proposal brings a solution and if it is in the interest of Somali people, then it's fine with us," he said. The IGAD proposal came after the G8 complained that seats had been distributed unfairly.