The second extraordinary session of the Somali Regional State's parliamentary council has sacked all the members of the executive council of the region's administration. This happened during yesterday's sitting which continued until 2000 hours [local time] last night. The session reached the decision following the formation of a three-member committee to temporarily chair the session and set the agenda. The session concluded that the executive council comes under the parliament of the region and any transfer of power should be carried out peacefully, therefore the decision of the executive council meeting on 17th Meskerem 1990 [Ethiopian calendar] was illegal. The session also concluded that the sacked executive council had arrested MPs illegally without the knowledge of the parliament. The deputy chairman of the region, former secretary and other members of the executive council were sacked undemocratically and illegally, and replaced by others. The council session concluded that these actions were contrary to the law and democracy and had been practised since the formation of the region's parliamentary council in Halme 1997 [as heard; Ethiopian calendar] or July 1995. The extraordinary session therefore decided that all 21 members of the executive council should be relieved of their duties.
One hundred and fourteen MPs voted in favour of the decision, one MP voted against and two abstained. It was also proposed that the sacked executive council members should be answerable to the law. Following a debate on the matter 109 MPs voted in favour and two abstained [all numbers as heard].
The office of the Prime Minister of the Federation of Ethiopia sent a message to the [parliamentary] council session calling for an investigation of the basic problem and for decisions to be reached.
The Somali Regional State parliament is composed of 139 members and only 128 members attended this emergency session. The session will continue today and will form a committee to investigate the crimes committed by the executive council and will discuss other matters on the agenda. _____ Source: Radio Ethiopia external service, Addis Ababa, in Somali 1200 gmt 11 Oct 97